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[Orin Kerr, September 17, 2009 at 7:12pm] Trackbacks
Gerard Lynch Confirmed to Second Circuit:
Gerard Lynch has been confirmed to the Second Circuit by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 94-3. Bravo. Judge Lynch has been an outstanding District Judge, and he is extremely bright; I am very much looking forward to reading his work now that he will be on the Second Circuit.
blabla (mail):
Woot. That is my response as someone who has met and genuinely likes and respects Judge Lynch. A great pick by President Obama.
9.17.2009 8:02pm
JWB:
The vote is particularly noteworthy since his nomination to the S.D.N.Y. ended up being somewhat controversial and he only got confirmed 63-36. I can't recall how much of that was nominee-specific controversy versus process controversy - I think he was in the last batch of Clinton nominees to get to the floor of the full Senate before everything shut down for election season.
Cornellian (mail):
I wonder how rare it is to get confirmed to a Circuit court by that kind of margin these days.
Upend, Coming:
He was the original Twombly trial judge! Check this out
e. Provide a list of all cases in which certiorari was requested or granted.
I don't believe that certiorari was ever sought directly from any decision of mine.
The only case over which I presided that eventually was reviewed by the Supreme Court was Twombly v. Bell Atlantic Corp., ___ U.S. ___ (May 21, 2007), rev'g 425 F.3d 99 (2d Cir. 2005), rev'g 313 F. Supp.2d 174 (S.D.N.Y. 2003). In that case, the Supreme Court agreed with the decision I had reached and reversed the judgment of the Second Circuit that had reversed me.
Constitutional Crisis (mail):
Great choice.
John Thacker (mail):
Rare that it happens, or rare that we hear about it? It's not the sort of thing that's "news."
Many judges are still confirmed by voice vote. It's getting to the Senate floor that's the challenging part.
GV:
For support for what Steve said, Bush's last two picks for the Fifth Circuit -- Elrod and Haynes -- were confirmed via voice vote.
9.17.2009 10:00pm
Oren:
As a district court judge, Lynch presided over the perjury trial of rap artist Lil' Kim in 2005.
ayzc:
My experience has been that he's a good judge but every time I hear his name I think of Heinlein's line "Judge Lynch never sleeps"
Mark N. (www):
Here's the roll call, in case anyone's curious. Bunning, Coburn, and Inhofe were the three nays--- anyone know if they had particular objections or it was just a vote-against-Obama-nominees thing? And is the fact that 2 of the 3 nays were Oklahoma Senators coincidence?
9.18.2009 12:11am
ruuffles (mail) (www):
And is the fact that 2 of the 3 nays were Oklahoma Senators coincidence?
Probably not unrelated to the new study that 77% of OK students don't know who the first president is.
9.18.2009 9:18am
ruufles what I love is that 2% of statistics can be made up or fudged when cross-posting an article. It's true.
Huffingtonpost Link name 75-percent; Story title 77%; lede "Only one in four"
Source Article title 75%; lede "Only one in four;" percentage tested as shown in the body of the article: "Who was the first President of the United States? 23%"
Conclusion: HuffPost editor correctly titles the piece based on the stats, only to leave the link and lede intact. Sloppy.
I can't parse your post to figure out what your complaint is. The original study is here. It says 23% can, or 77% cannot.
CJColucci:
Perhaps he was incautious enough to say he preferred West Side Story to Oklahoma.
SFH (mail):
Maybe he roots for Texas. We have to have some standards.
Jay:
"For support for what Steve said, Bush's last two picks for the Fifth Circuit -- Elrod and Haynes -- were confirmed via voice vote."
Bush's last two Fifth Circuit picks (in order of confirmation) were actually Southwick and Haynes; Southwick was confirmed a couple of weeks after Elrod. But point taken, the two female judges were oddly uncontroversial, I supposed because there wasn't much of a paper trail to dig up.
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I may be getting a little repetitive here, but there's another new brewery on the Coachella Valley Beer Scene. This time it's in the heart of Palm Desert, where Bouchee Café & Deli, has added an in-house brewery to its European style café.
The setup is fairly simple. Tim DeGross, owner of Bouchee, has started brewing in his kitchen. Under the label, St. Arnulf Brewing, he's been rotating and serving 8 beers on tap since January.
I swung by and talked to Tim briefly, taking in a sampling of the beers he had on tap. Everything was good: a Pilsner, an IPA, a Brown Ale, and a Pale Ale. All made for pleasant enjoyment on Bouchee's shaded patio. Other beers not tasted included: an Old Peculiar, a Hefeweizen, an Oatmeal Stout, while the Belgian Tripel was tapped out. Beers are served in pints and flights.
There's definitely an English character to the beers I tried – malty, earthy, floral, as opposed to the citric bitterness that we're more accustomed to locally. That makes some sense. DeGross's surname originates from Luxembourg, and he's traced his family path all the way back to Middle Ages England. In speaking to him, he comes across as a man with a strong appreciation for European history and heritage.
Tim told me that he's still dialing in his recipes and trying to figure out what works, before he settles on a portfolio of flagships, seasonals, and one-offs. He put out the Belgian Tripel with a little apprehension and was surprised that it sold out in a couple of days.
It's a cool concept. The beers are all well presented. I was really pleased with the English theme, but in all honesty think Tim should play on his own surname, the St. Arnulf name, and the European concept to produce a couple more Belgian ales. All in all, we're highly excited to see someone else on the local beer scene turning their hand at craft beer and offering the public more options.
Bouchee has been offering a hip breakfast and lunch menu in a classic European setting since 2013. They also offer a variety of premade meals to go. They just started serving dinner too. Tim said that he's done various wine events and plans to add beer dinners in the near future.


Saint Tirugnana Sambandar and Sundarar had sung the glory of the Lord of the temple in their Thevaram hymns.
10 day Vaikasi visagam in May-June and 6 day Sashti are the festivals celebrated for Lord Amirthakada Subramanya.
Navagrahas the nine planets are on a straight line in this temple.
The temple is open from 9.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. and fro 5.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.
Sri Kodi Kuzhagar Koil-Amudha Kadeswarar Koil, Kodiakadu-614 821, Nagapattinam district.
Lord Brahmma, Lord Ganapathi, Lingodhbava and Mother Durga bless the devotees from the goshta wall.
People pray to Lord for wedding, child boon and for excellence in education.
While churning the milk ocean for the Nectar, the demons created a wild hurricane. God of Wind Vayu Bhagwan controlled the tempest. When the Nectar spilled, Lord Subramania (Muruga) held it in a Kalasa-vessel. He appears in this temple with the Nectar-Kalasa. People pray to him for longevity. Though a Lord Shiva temple, all prominence goes to Lord Muruga.
Saint Arunagiriar had sung the glory of Lord Muruga of this temple in his celebrated Tirupugazh hymns. This is a very ancient temple. Mother Maiyar Thadanganni appears all merciful. The one different feature of the temple is that the Navagrahas in the temple are on a straight line witnessing the wedding posture of Lord Shiva with Mother. Kodiakadu being a jungle area, there is a jungle custodian deity praised as Sookadu Kizhal.
The sea route to Lanka is short from this place. Sugriva planned to build a bridge from here to Lanka to help Rama to cross the sea. But Lord Sri Rama disagreed with the proposal as Kodiakadu is behind Lanka and that would not be right or graceful to attack Ravana from behind and proceeded to Dhanushkodi being opposite to the front entrance of the island. He worshipped Lord Shiva here before proceeding to Lanka. Remembering this event, the foot prints of Rama is carved here. Lord Shiva in the temple is also praised as Amirtha Kadeswarar.
Miracle Based: Navagrahas in the temple are on a straight line against the traditional pattern of being in a circular form facing different directions.
Kodiakadu is 9 km far from Vedaranyam on the Kodiakarai route. Vehicles are checked by police for security reasons and allowed to proceed after noting the vehicle registration number. Bus facility is also available.


Life never felt dangerous to me. She did. The moment Scarlett Rose appeared in the window of her parents' dance studio, twirling like a beautiful figurine in a music box, she became mine. Irrevocably. I claimed her, per sempre. She became the day to my night, illuminating secrets better left to the impenetrable darkness that surrounded me. She knew me better than I knew the lines of my own hands, though I had never confessed to her whose blood ran through my veins, the famiglia that I belonged to. She was as delicate as a butterfly in the hands of a monster. My legacy created a savage beast that lurked beneath my skin, ready to battle for family and honor, but he only went to war for one—her. There was one catch, an arrangement she didn't know about. I had agreed to send her away so that she could follow her stars. She had to do the one thing she was always destined to do. Dance. Though I had never truly let her go. She had become as vital as my heart. And now, I was back to retrieve what had always belonged to me—my ballerina girl. Book II in a seven-part Mafia Romance saga.


Theresa May has increased the pressure on Iran to release a jailed charity worker during talks in New York.
Theresa May told Iranian president Hassan Rouhani she had "serious concerns" about the jailing of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. The British-Iranian mother was sentenced to five years in jail after being accused of spying by Tehran's Islamist regime, a charge she vehemently denies.


In the early 1860s, the first true bicycle was created in Paris, France by attaching rotary cranks and pedals to the front wheel hub of a dandy-horse. Still called "velocipedes" at the time, bicycle racing was all the rage! With a marking of 1862, the Vintage Bicycle round ottoman is not only a piece of furniture but a tale of history.
The Bicycle Ottoman is a Industrial style product. Industrial style is practical and minimalist, industrial style is all about clean lines and no-frills. Industrial spaces often incorporate these three elements: metal, wood, and exposed or weathered features, such as bricks. Often uses reclaimed items. This style combines a modern look with a rustic appeal. You can shop for more Industrial Ottomans & Stools in the Furniture section of our site.
When you buy a Bicycle Ottoman online from Temple & Webster in Australia, we make it as easy as possible for you to find out when your product will be delivered to your home in Melbourne, Sydney or any major city. You can check on a delivery estimate for the The Decor Store Part #: M-1807 here. If you have any questions about your purchase or any other Ottomans & Stools product for sale our customer service representatives are available to help.Whether you just want to buy a Bicycle Ottoman or shop for your entire home, Temple & Webster has a zillion things home.


Porro Law Group is committed to you and your loved ones so that you can plan for the future and all that you are entitled to.
Our law firm provides elder and disability planning to develop a long-term care plan. Planning ahead means our firm can help you preserve more of your assets and guide you on long-term care, whether in assisted living or home.
We want to ensure that you and/or your loved ones have the long-term care you deserve. We will guide you through this complex area of law involving issues with financing long-term medical care, nursing homes, Medicaid qualification, Medicare qualification, estate planning and administration, trusts, probate process, retirement benefits, and guardianships.
The federal government offers Medicaid to elders and disabled, which can pay for in-home, assisted living and nursing home care that Medicare and Medicare Supplement Plans don't cover. However, to qualify for Medicaid, you must spend all your own assets first.
When you understand the Medicaid eligibility rules, you can structure your assets in such a way to preserve your estate.
Don't let your lifestyle be limited. Protect your estate. Plan ahead for you and for your loved one.


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Past, present and future ... it's always been about data management
By Todd Wright on SAS Voices March 17, 2020 Topics | Analytics Data Management
Data management has never been the shiny object that caught the imagination of the mainstream. And let's be honest, it's not nearly as interesting as analytics, machine learning or artificial intelligence. In fact, entire movies get created about analytics, and people actually pay to see them! Data management? Not so much.
But what data management lacks in glamor, it more than makes up for it as a top concern for organizations worldwide. According to the World Economic Forum, it's predicted that in 2020 the amount of data we produce will reach a staggering 44 zettabytes. On a daily basis we'll send 294 billion emails and tweet out over 500 million times. It's all data, and it all needs to be managed.
While the term 'big data' is now regarded as passé, the goal of getting better and tighter insights from the data is more relevant than ever. The promise of big data never came from simply having more data – and from more sources – but from developing analytical models that learn and improve with the more data they consume. A lot of work is being done to advance models and put them into production -- but it's all for naught if organizations don't have a strong data management program in place.
Data management solutions at SAS
At SAS, our data management solutions have been developed not only with operational use cases in mind, but also to support our customers' analytics investments.
SAS has always provided strong data management solutions that include:
Access. Get read and write access to data stored on different platforms and in many different forms – like relational database systems, flat files, etc.
Integration. With enterprise-level tools that support extraction, movement, transformation and loading of data between systems, you can migrate and blend data between nearly any type of platform, database or file format.
Cleansing. Standardize, cleanse, enrich and correct data to support various business needs – from legal compliance to data address standardization to uniform content formatting.
Governance. Create and manage data definitions, rules and policies associated with accessing, sharing and using data – and let users monitor, measure and interact directly with the data to resolve issues.
As we move further into 2020, data management will continue to advance and develop efficiencies to make the job of having data ready for business purposes faster and more reliable than ever. While data management is a diverse field in its practices, there are three primary areas that will be of key importance in the months to come:
Data orchestration. The uniting of data integration, API integration and data movement to support DataOps techniques. This involves combining multiple technologies to deliver a single data flow application to coordinate data-related activities across varied locations on-premises or in the cloud.
Data discovery. Acknowledged as the glue to enterprise software, the delivery of a common catalog for finding, provisioning, securing and understanding data and other objects is important to all organizations. Furthermore, the application of advanced analytics delivers the ability to automate mundane data management tasks and find value in data that previously had been too difficult to discern.
Automating data preparation. To expand data manipulation activities to a wider audience, the development of advanced data transformation using AI to automate cleansing and blending will empower non-technical users.
To meet the orchestration, discovery, and preparation needs of our customers, SAS is investing in new features and products to augment its comprehensive data management suite. For example, SAS is developing an information catalog that will index and profile your data assets. To facilitate ease of use, a natural language, ranked search will quickly locate content that is optimized for a task. Content is automatically collected and profiled when it enters the asset catalog so that you can discover new areas that you may not have been aware of, and social networking allows users to collaborate with each other on data. Metadata exchange is also supported between and across diverse systems through SAS' participation in the Linux Foundation's Open Metadata and Governance (ODPi) initiative, which is an open platform for big data governance. The information catalog will be a huge time saver when you need fast access to high-quality data.
Another significant area of development is in data orchestration. SAS' patented multi-lingual code generation capabilities are expanding to include data orchestration across different runtime environments. With runtime optimization, data preparation tasks can be pushed down to where the data lives so that it's prepared in advance in the data platform, avoiding costly data movement. These capabilities facilitate big data ETL so that you can deliver data faster and more efficiently to analytics or reporting projects.
Finally, SAS is leveraging AI to enable automation of data management tasks. SAS delivered its first cognitive data management capabilities in 2019. SAS' recommendation engine automatically profiles your data, detects problems such as duplicates, outliers and missing values, and makes recommendations to improve it. The recommendations improve with use. SAS is also investing in AI for data quality that can automatically discover where data exists, such as names and addresses, or sensitive data such as bank and government ids. These features help you identify important content, as wells as comply with auditing and privacy rules. Ultimately these features help you to demonstrate to your customers that you are a trustworthy steward of their data.
To learn more about SAS and how to take your past and current data management practices into the future, check out this white paper: 5 Data Management for Analytics Best Practices.
Tags AI Data Cleansing data discovery data governance
Todd Wright
Todd Wright leads Global Product Marketing for SAS Personal Data Protection and SAS Customer Intelligence solutions. He works closely with the product management and sales organizations to create and promote materials that are relevant and valuable to SAS customers. Wright has 14 years of experience in data management software, including sales and marketing positions at DataFlux and SAS. Wright is instrumental in developing customer relationships and creating strategic marketing plans that drive awareness, consideration, education and demand for SAS Data Management. He received his business degree in Marketing from Western Michigan University.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


TORONTO: Canadian housing starts fell by more than expected in April from a month earlier, a report from the national housing agency showed on Monday.
The report from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp showed the seasonally adjusted annualized rate of housing starts fell to 191,512 units in April from an downwardly revised 202,375 units in March. Forecasters had expected 195,000 start.


The time has come for an ice rod to have a custom taper, weight and feel of a high quality open-water rod in a compact, ice fishing rig. Each Custom Carbon Series rod comes with a Solid Core carbon fiber rod blank with a machined tip on the business end. They are precision tapered or sensitivity but have a ridge backbone for awesome hook sets. Stainless steel guides are durable and a custom-fit high quality cork handle is standard.


In June, Obama obtained the release of Bowe Bergdahl, a deserter, in exchange for freeing 5 Taliban terrorists. Most recently, his Administration has orchestrated the flooding of our borders by illegal alien women and youth.
Yet, he has not lifted a finger to help a decorated American soldier who has been rotting in a Mexican prison, in need of medical care, since March 2014.
Marine Sgt. Tahmooressi accidentally made a wrong turn and ended up in Mexico. He's been held in a Mexican prison ever since. Three legally purchased guns were in his pickup truck. Tahmooressi, who suffers from PTSD, served two tours in Afghanistan.
You won't find a whisper of concern from Obama or very many Democrats.
United States Republican Representative Matt Salmon (Arizona) visited him in May, to offer his encouragement and support.
And then, in June, both Rep. Salmon and Republican Representative Ed Royce (California) visited Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi at the El Hongo II prison in Tecate, Mexico.
"I found him to be in good spirits, but this visit confirmed my belief that Sgt. Tahmooressi ... needs to come home," Royce, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement. "While I remain respectful of Mexico's laws, today after I thanked him for his dedicated service, I assured Sgt. Tahmooressi that I will continue working to secure his release so that he can begin needed treatment for his PTSD."
This decorated soldier needs medical treatment and is not being treated humanely by Mexican authorities!
Most recently, concerned American citizens decided to do what they could to draw attention to Sgt. Tahmooressi's case. Rick Sarmiento of 2 Million Bikers to DC — an organization formed to support members of the military — reached out to Tahmooressi's family when he heard about their story, telling them "you're our neighbors." You remember 2 Million Bikers, don't you? Obama denied bikers a permit to ride in Washington DC on 9/11, but did allow Muslims the same privilege. They rolled through anyway. See Supporters Hold Bike Rally for Marine Imprisoned in Mexico.


Hotel Peljorling is a budget hotel in Paro providing the cost-effective staying facility. We have not stayed there but we went there for lunch. Hotel Pejorling had a well decorated clean restaurant along with Bar. Our driver Prakash guided us there. The property had also an open bamboo garden café. Hotel Peljorling Paro provide tasty and yummy Indian, Chinese, Bhutanese & continental cuisines. They had limited choices of vegetable dishes but wide varieties of chicken, beef and pork dishes.
Bhutan cuisine is more than tsamba, thukpas and momos. First, we searched for Bhutanese cuisines. As we did not prefer pork and beef. We ordered Egg fried rice, chili paneer, and chicken Manchurian. The taste is really awesome. Hotel Peljorling Paro had a wide parking facility. But the major drawback is that they do not have wi-fi facility. Though the foods are tasty at the same time they are a little bit costly too. But the quantity is also more than sufficient. I mentioned staying is cost effective here. They have two good Indian cooks.
The interior decoration of Hotel Peljorling Paro was also very good which soothes our eye. Traditional wooden walls will feel rustic. I recommend this restaurant for lunch or dinner when you are in Paro.


text:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION ts.deletevariablesbytaxonid(_taxonid integer)
 RETURNS void
 LANGUAGE sql
AS $function$
delete from ndb.variables AS vbs
where vbs.taxonid = _taxonid;
$function$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Wherever you go, you can always benefit from the gentle touch of your favorite body care with our offer of travel-size body care. Pamper and moisturize your skin, even when you're not at home, with Yves Rocher body products in travel-friendly sizes.
Mini - travel-size body care products are a perfect solution for traveling and a great way to discover new products.
Discover our Mini Boutique and all our travel-size body care products.


Ab & abs are the root-words for many other words.
These ROOT-WORDS are the Prefixes AB & ABS meaning AWAY, FROM & SEPARATION. Please note the two ways of spelling this ROOT-WORD. The s is added to AB before the letter t. It is easier to say AB stain than ABtain. The meaning of the ROOT-WORD remains the same. Learn to recognize this ROOT-WORD, and be sure it is at the beginning of the word and not at the end. In the middle of a word or at the end it is not the prefix.
1.	Abbreviate	:	AB breviate (a bree' vee ate) v.
2.	Abdicate	:	AB dicate (ab' di kate) v.
3.	Abduct	:	AB duct (ab dukt') v.
4.	Aberration	:	AB erration (ab e ray' shun) n.
5.	Abhor	:	AB hor (ab hor') v.
6.	Abjure	:	AB jure (ab jure') v.
7.	Ablate	:	AB late (a' blate) v.
8.	Ablution	:	AB lution (a blue' shun) n.
9.	Abnegate	:	AB negate (ab' ne gate) v.
10.	Abnormal	:	AB normal (an nor' mal) adj.
11.	Abolish	:	AB olish (a bol' ish) v.
12.	Abortion	:	AB ortion (a bor' shun) n.
13. Abrasion : AB rasion (a bray zhun)n.
14.	Abrogate	:	AB rogate (ab' ro gate) v.
15.	Abscond :	AB scond (ab skond') v.
16.	Absolve	:	AB solve (ah zolv') v.
17.	Abstain	:	AB stain (ab stane') v.
18.	Abstergent	:	ABS tergent (ab ster; jent) n.
19.	Abstract	:	ABS tract (ab strakt') v.
20.	Absorb	:	AB sorb (ab sorb') v.
Acid,acri & acer are the root-words for many other words.


text:
Michael Lewis Takes Rookie Points Lead With Formula BMW Podium Finish
Laguna Beach, California (May 18, 2009)—Michael Lewis drove the #42 Formula BMW car of Antonio Ferrari's Eurointernational team to a very productive weekend at the Formula BMW Americas events at Miller Motorsports Park, in Tooele, Utah, May 15–17, 2009. On Friday, Michael qualified fifth and finished a strong fourth in the Formula BMW Round 5, where he was the highest finishing rookie.
On Saturday, Michael had an outstanding qualifying effort that put him second on the starting grid, which helped him finish in second place just .520 seconds behind his teammate Giancarlo Vilarinho at the checkered flag. Michael trailed his teammate closely throughout the entire race, and was never more than one second behind Giancarlo. As a result of Michael's first Formula BMW Americas podium finish, he took over the points lead in the series' rookie championship. Eurointernational teammate Gabby Chavez placed third in Round 6, which brought the season's first 1-2-3 finish for the Eurointernational team.
"I got a good start and tried to stay right on Giancarlo's gearbox but he drove an awesome race and never gave me the opportunity I needed," said Michael. "Antonio Ferrari, Nicola Sgotto, and my mechanic John Wolters gave me a great car as well as advice about how to approach the race. I was able to race hard and earn a podium finish at the fast and challenging Miller Motorsports Park track."
Michael then went on to run a steady race on Sunday morning for Round 7 where he started fourth and finished fourth. As a result of the two fourth-place finishes and the second-place finish, Michael vaulted to the top of the Formula BMW rookie championship standings with a five-point lead, and he is fourth in the series' overall points standings.
"In a perfect weekend for the entire Eurointernational Team, Michael's performances and results confirm the speed already shown at Puebla and VIR," said Eurointernational team owner Antonio Ferrari. "Michael executed in the best way possible the technical instruction from our engineer Nicola Sgotto and my advice since Monday's collective tests. The leadership in the Rookie Cup, the second place in Round 6, and the two fourth places in Rounds 5 and 7, put Michael in a strong position for the rookie championship title and the overall standing."
Michael is carrying momentum into Rounds 8 and 9 of the Formula BMW Americas Championship at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, July 17–18, 2009.
A great sponsor team is involved with Michael's Formula BMW effort, which includes CTECH, Eibach Springs, Position One Motorsports, SSi Decals, Oakley, Team ASE, Klotz, Orange County Convention Center, Bell Racing, and Earl's Performance Plumbing.
This entry was posted in News on May 18, 2009 .
← USAC RaceFanRadio Show To Feature Michael Lewis On May 13 Listen to USAC RaceFanRadio Show Featuring Michael Lewis →


The January collapse of mine dam waste in Brazil operational at Vale followed by recent cyclone in Australia is expected to disrupt supply of high grade seaborne iron ore by about 75-80 MnT in 2019. These incidents have led iron ore prices to hit 5 years high at USD 95.05/t CFR China for 62% iron ore fines. Market participants highlight that market is reacting on lack of prompt shipments for April from Australia.
Sharp rise in high grade iron ore prices have led Chinese mills to hunt for low grade iron ore, when steel prices have not increased in the same proportion. Fe 58/57% iron ore fines prices have increased by USD 5-10/MT in last 2 months to USD 60/MT, CFR China or equivalent to USD 50/MT FOB India.
High demand for low grade ore from China has turned Indian iron ore exporters active. Many merchant traders and big miners like Rungta and Essel have increased their shipments to east coast. Also, traders like SM Niryat, Bagadiya Brothers, Kashvi Power are booking decent quantities.
It is to be noted that low grade ore (below 58% Fe) does not attract any export duty where as above 58% Fe iron ore have an export duty of 30% from India.
According to iron ore export data maintained by SteelMint, India exported about 2.15 MnT in Q4 FY19 and 2.28 MnT in Q1 FY19.
Looking at iron ore movement domestically, we expect iron ore exports to touch 5 MnT in Q1 FY20.


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text:
Charity shop launches largest children's section in Gloucestershire just in time for Christmas
The opening of a new children's section in Gloucester's YMCA aims to help with the cost-of-living crisis with affordable ways to keep children warm and entertained over the festive period and beyond.
By Emma Luther | Published Monday 28 November 2022
Sally Druce inside Gloucester's YMCA charity shop.
YMCA is the largest and oldest youth charity in the world.
Gloucester's YMCA charity shop is launching the largest children's section in Gloucestershire to help with the cost-of-living crisis.
The Northgate Street shop will open its new bargain area this week.
It will offer shoppers high-quality, low-cost children's items for all ages, from winter coats, hats and ski wear, to essential items, toys and books.
New manager Sally Druce wanted to open the new section in response to customer requests and due to the huge amount of children's stock familes have donated.
Druce said: 'So many people have been in the shop and said they are concerned about the price of everything going up. Children's clothing and toys can be so expensive, but we get so many items which are hardly used.
'We can make a difference to the cost of everything for people's children and perhaps even presents for Christmas.'
Along with children's items, customers have been requesting other things in response to the cost-of-living crisis, including mechanical equipment instead of plug-in items in preparation for potential energy blackouts.
A colourful window display will celebrate the new children's section.
The shop is open Tuesday to Saturday. Please bring donations to the shop on Northgate Street, where there are plenty of voluntary roles on offer too.
More from Christmas in Gloucestershire
GCHQ is inviting people to solve its Christmas Challenge


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MOUND HIGH TWELVE CLUB No. 217 of Miamisburg, Ohio
Friendship and brotherhood, independent of formal lodge procedure, is the main objective of the forming of High Twelve Clubs. The one requirement to be a member in Ohio is membership in a Masonic Lodge recognized by the Grand Lodge of Ohio.
It has been said that the accumulation of donations in all of Masonry in the United States totals two million dollars a day. The International High Twelve project is providing scholarships for use at the George Washington University at the graduate level in the fields of Foreign Service and Government Administration. Locally we have presented United States flags for schoolroom use, assisted families at Christmastime through the Helping Hands organization, and contributed to the Miamisburg Youth Center.
We have had six members who have been President of the Ohio Association of High Twelve Clubs: Lawrence L. Baver, Dr. Clarence J. Bradbury, U. Herbert Garlaugh, Albert Libecap, Donald L. Stupp, and Evan W. Young. Brothers Baver, Bradbury, Garlaugh, and Libecap have passed from this life. Brother Bradbury was also our first and only state chaplain until his retirement in 1989. He was also International Chaplain for two years. He was named the International and State High Twelve for the year 1985.
We have two Knights of the York Cross of Honour [correct spelling]: Donald L. Stupp and James L. Church. A requirement for this is to have presided for one year over a Lodge of Master Masons, a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, a Council of Royal and Select Masons, and a Commandery of Knights Templar and are invited to join. (Commandery is the Christian organization of Masonry.) We also have two Honorary Thirty-Third Degree Masons: Richard C. Church (who is presently the Mayor of Miamisburg) and Edward F. Schultz (who is also secretary of Minerva Lodge No. 98, Free and Accepted Masons). Two other members were Mayor: Robert H. Mears, Sr., and Donald E. Lucas.
High Twelve International was founded by a minister, E.C. (Wally) Wolcott, in Sioux City, Iowa on May 17, 1921. He passed from this life in 1975 at the age of 94. Mound Club was chartered on April 10, 1953. Founder "Wally" Wolcott presented this charter at the Peerless Pantry (later known as the Peerless Mill Inn) on this date
Mound Club presently meets at the Days Inn Dayton South each Thursday at noon (except during July and August).


WHAT IF the pharmaceutical drug manufacturing companies are in cahoots with the government? What if, because of their ability to provide huge election campaign contributions, the top executives of the drug companies command an automatic in with top elected officials? What if, in turn, these officials are able to pressure top government appointees, such as FDA decision makers and even the Surgeon General him- or herself, to fast-track profitable pharmaceuticals into the mainstream of medications prescribed by physicians, whether or not the drug testing has proven their efficacy? What if patients die as a result of taking inadequately tested medications? And what if whistle-blowers die when they attempt to make these abuses public? Such are the premises, and so follows the story line, of TERMINAL NEGLECT.
As a novel, this book comprises a straightforward narrative of the consequences of one "Big Pharma" company's profits-at-any-cost mentality. It pits one state's Public Health czar against the outright criminality of the CEO of a major drug manufacturer. The clash, whose participants include cancer patients, philandering spouses, and White House policy-makers, involves sociopathic views and actions on the part of the CEO, and enormous personal risks to the Public Health Commissioner and his family. While many specific behaviors of these characters are difficult for the reader to accept as plausible, the overall tale of the potentially disastrous influence of one large drug company is intriguingly creepy.
TERMINAL NEGLECT is a thinly veiled morality play, with Health Commissioner Dr. Jonathan Rogers playing "Everyman and Doctor's Choice Products CEO Zach Miller playing Greed. Narcissism, Courage, Lust, Betrayal, and Cowardice also play important roles. The book's chief value is as an expose of the process whereby pharmaceuticals are approved and introduced onto the lexicon of drugs routinely prescribed by physicians to treat indicated disorders. While it contains no specific allegations against individual entities, or any proof of wrongdoing, it offers the chilling specter of a crucial industry awash in corruption and evil. To the extent that any of Rushnak's phenomena occur in real life, we all could be at considerable risk from the medications our doctors legally prescribe for us.
The moral of this story appears to be that we, as patients, caregivers, or physicians, must not relax our vigilance. At times it may be appropriate to question a diagnosis or a prescription. Most importantly, it is essential to elect honorable public servants who cannot be bought by industry. Â This book is a real eye-opener about a process many of us take for granted, and shouldn't.
A hearty THANK YOU! to PublishingWorks, Inc. for providing a review copy of this book, which may be purchased at www.publishingworks.com .
This book looks great! I'm going to add it to my To-Read list!


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From COMPASS to AMBER: exploring fundamental properties of hadrons
Vincent Andrieux (COMPASS analysis coordinator) and Bakur Parsamyan (chairperson of the COMPASS publication committee) 11th Dec 2020
#COMPASS AMBER #SME QCD
The quest to fully understand the internal structure of hadrons, in particular the dynamics as well as the spatial and momentum distributions of their constituents - the partons -, inspired a large community of theoreticians and experimentalists to commit to the continuous development of the underlying theory aspects and to design and exploit a variety of constantly modernizing high-energy experiments all over the world.
In Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), the theory of strong interaction, the internal structure of hadrons as explored in hard-scattering reactions is encoded in Parton Distribution Functions (PDFs). It was proven theoretically and demonstrated experimentally that the intrinsic transverse motion of partons and various spin-orbit correlations play an important role in a complete three-dimensional picture of a fast-moving hadron. In the context of the presently accepted understanding, the spin and momentum structure of the nucleon is based on a set of Transverse Momentum Dependent (TMD) PDFs that describe the distributions of longitudinal and transverse momenta of partons and their correlations with nucleon and quark polarisations. The PDFs, in particular those of mesons, serve also as an important input for the general understanding of the hadron-mass generation mechanisms through the dynamical chiral symmetry breaking of the scale invariance in QCD, the conundrum of "Emergence of Hadron Mass". The fully multi-dimensional description of hadron structure is complemented by Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) that describe the spatial distributions of partons in the plane transverse to the momentum of a fast-moving hadron. Projecting out the pure transverse extension of the partons and thus integrating over the longitudinal correlations, GPDs contain information about electromagnetic form factors and thereby, in principle, also on the proton radius. Results from canonic measurements of the proton radius by scattering experiments and atomic spectroscopy using electrons and muons did not converge up to now. Presently, the experimental determination of the spatial extent of the distribution of the electric charge in the proton is one of the challenging and open aspects of modern physics, which is often referred to as "proton radius puzzle".
The COMPASS experiment [1] at CERN comprises a state-of-the-art spectrometer and, optionally, a unique polarized solid-state target; operation in the M2 beamline (SPS, North area, EHN2 hall) started in 2001. Since then, COMPASS has become one of the well-recognised leaders in the field of measurements related to hadron structure and spectroscopy studies. Between 2002 and 2018, a wealth of data was collected using high energy muon and hadron beams and a variety of polarised and unpolarised targets. The COMPASS collaboration has been addressing a remarkable variety of physics topics, in particular in connection with studies related to TMD PDFs and GPDs. The results have been published in distinguished scientific journals and they triggered strong interest and attention of a large community of theorists and experimentalists all over the world. In 2021-2022, COMPASS will have its last data-taking campaign in order to complete its experimental program on nucleon spin structure studies.
North Area. Protons leaving the SPS enter a target station (bottom left), leading to 6 km of secondary beamlines for experiments in three halls. Source: https://gis.cern.ch.
In the history of studying the spin structure of the nucleon, two important quantities playing a central role in the framework of TMD PDFs are the transversity distribution hq1 and the Sivers function f⟂q1T. Their existence was conjectured by theorists more than three decades ago. First pioneering Semi-Inclusive measurements of hadrons produced in Deep Inelastic Scattering (SIDIS) were performed in the early 2000's by the HERMES (DESY, Germany) and COMPASS experiments using transversely polarised targets; both hq1 and f⟂q1T were found to be accessible and significantly different from zero.
In a transversely polarised nucleon, the distributions of quark transverse momentum were found to be asymmetric with respect to the plane given by the directions of nucleon spin and momentum. This asymmetry is known as the Sivers effect and is embedded in the TMD PDF f⟂q1T. It has the remarkable property of being naively time-reversal odd, which implies that it should have opposite sign when measured in SIDIS on the one hand, and in the Drell-Yan process or W and Z-boson production on the other. The experimental test of this fundamental prediction, which in the TMD factorization approach is a direct consequence of QCD gauge invariance, is a major challenge in hadron physics and one of the goals of COMPASS.
The transversity PDF, which is a chiral-odd quantity, describes the distribution of transversely polarised quarks in a transversely polarised nucleon. Measuring the transversity PDF for both u and d valence quark flavours allows the determination of the tensor quark charges δu and δd. Their difference represents the isovector nucleon charge that is a fundamental property of the nucleon. Together with the vector and axial charges, it characterises the nucleon as a whole. The tensor charges are being calculated with steadily increasing accuracy by continuum and lattice approaches to QCD. Recently, the connection between the isovector nucleon charge and possible novel tensor interactions at the TeV scale in neutron and nuclear β-decays and its potential contribution to the neutron electric dipole moment have also been investigated, and constraints on new physics beyond the standard model have been derived.
Since the transversity PDF is chiral-odd, it can be accessed only in processes where it couples to another chiral-odd quantity, e.g. in SIDIS measurements with transversely polarised nucleon targets. Whereas a reasonably large statistics on SIDIS data taken with proton targets was collected by the HERMES and COMPASS experiments, the information available from measurements with neutron and deuteron targets is rather scarce. A measurement with a 3He target was performed at Jefferson Lab at much lower energy and with limited statistics. Deuteron data were collected in the early years of COMPASS running with a small-acceptance spectrometer. Hence the statistical uncertainties of the deuteron transverse spin asymmetries are considerably larger than those of the corresponding proton asymmetries. Correspondingly, the d-quark PDFs are determined considerably worse than the u-quark ones, which is shown in the left panel of Fig. 1 for the transversity functions, i.e. for xhu1 and xhd1.
In order to better determine the d-quark transversity and other TMD PDFs and to provide valuable input for the determination of the isovector nucleon charge gT, COMPASS requested one more year of data taking with a muon beam and a transversely polarized deuteron target [2], more specifically a 6LiD target with a very favourable ratio between polarisable deuterons and overall nucleons. The start is scheduled for 2021 and the required statistics is expected to be acquired by 2022. After 150 days of data taking, a combined analysis of all the existing proton data and the new deuteron data should allow the extraction of the transversity PDFs with the accuracy illustrated in the right panel of Fig.1. Integrating numerically the u-quark and d-quark transversities in the Bjorken-x range 0.008<x<0.21, the new deuteron data will considerably improve the precision in the d-quark tensor charge, the uncertainty goes from 0.108 to 0.040. For the u-quark, the accuracy is improved from 0.032 to 0.019. The final uncertainty for the isovector nucleon charge is expected to be ±0.044, which is an improvement of a factor of two compared to existing data.
Fig.1: The curves show the transversity distributions xhu1(red) and xhd1(black) as a function of Bjorken-x, with 68% and 90% confidence bands obtained using replicas for the present (left) and projected (right) uncertainties of the COMPASS deuteron data. The points show the values extracted from the measured asymmetries.
Altogether, with one additional year of data taking on a deuteron target and using the existing proton data, an accurate flavour separation for the transversity and Sivers PDFs will be possible. These measurements will stay unique for many years to come. In combination with the data collected in 2007 and 2010 on transversely polarised protons, the new deuteron data will constitute the legacy of COMPASS on the transverse spin nucleon structure.
A new era to investigate fundamental questions connected to the origin of the visible mass in the universe will commence soon, again using the unique M2 beam line at CERN. The COMPASS++/AMBER collaboration is about to start a new generation of experiments, with the flagship goal to investigate the emergence of hadron mass. In January 2019, a Letter of Intent (LoI) [3] was submitted to the SPSC in order to establish a "New QCD facility at the M2 beam line of the CERN SPS". Such an unrivalled project will allow for a great variety of measurements able to address fundamental issues of strong interactions in the medium and long-term future. The proposed measurements cover a wide range in Q2 and hence in the distance scale for probing the hadron. At lowest values of Q2, or equivalently large distances, AMBER will determine the proton charge radius through elastic muon-proton scattering. At intermediate Q2, hadron spectroscopy studies are envisaged using dedicated meson beams. At high Q2, i.e. small distances, the structure of mesons and baryons will be studied via the Drell-Yan process and charmonia production. The LoI describes the envisaged physics goals, as well as sensitivity reach and competitiveness for such a future general-purpose fixed-target installation at CERN. The list of foreseen measurements is displayed in the following table.
Table: List of measurements proposed in the COMPASS++/AMBER Letter of Intent.
In May 2019, a proposal [4] was submitted describing the first series of measurements. In this phase-1 of AMBER, the existing muon beam and conventional hadron beams of CERN's M2 beam line will be used.
Operating with muons, the charge radius of the proton will be determined in a muon-proton elastic scattering experiment. Such a measurement constitutes an invaluable complementary approach in an area of intense, world-wide activity.
Operating with pions, a new study of the Drell-Yan process will be performed. In particular, the essentially unknown parton distribution functions of the pion will be determined, which constitutes a significant contribution towards an answer to the fundamental question of the emergence of hadron mass.
Operating with protons, the poorly known cross section for antiproton production on hydrogen and 4He targets will be measured. This will provide crucial input to the interpretation of data from cosmic-ray experiments and help in advancing the search for dark matter.
The AMBER phase-1 proposal was approved by the CERN Research Board on December 2nd 2020. Data taking will start in 2022, right after the completion of the COMPASS data-taking campaign. The first AMBER measurement will be the determination of the spatial extent of the distribution of the electric charge in the proton in elastic muon-proton scattering in order to contribute a new and systematically largely independent result to help solving the "proton radius puzzle".
Concerning the long-term future, the AMBER collaboration is going to propose measurements requiring kaon and antiproton beams of high energy and high intensity. This can be accomplished by an upgrade of the M2 beam line installing a radio-frequency (RF) separation stage. Such beams will allow for unique measurements that cannot be performed elsewhere. The proposed RF upgrade of the M2 beamline is presently under study at CERN EN-EA. The full AMBER project is expected to cover at least the next 15 years. As it continues to attract physicists world-wide, the physics scope of the facility will remain open for future exciting ideas, using either the RF-separated hadron beams or the already today unique muon beam.
The Theory Initiative "Perceiving the Emergence of Hadron Mass through AMBER@CERN" was launched in December 2019 as a series of tele-workshops. The 4th workshop in December 2020 saw 118 registered participants, 5 invited and 22 contributed talks. These fruitful and stimulating meetings will be continued; the 5th workshop is scheduled for March 22-26, 2021.
The proposal for phase-2, covering measurements after LS3, will be submitted in the course of 2021. Its flagship mission will be to shed light onto the conundrum of the emergence of hadron mass. Even fifty years after the discovery of quarks, science is only just beginning to grasp how quantum chromodynamics molds the most elementary hadrons: pions, neutrons, protons, etc.; and it is far from understanding how QCD produces nuclei. However, enormous progress is nowadays being made by theory. Results obtained using novel QCD lattice algorithms, which are steadily approaching realistic descriptions of hadron matter based on the physical pion mass, are beginning to agree with those from recent QCD continuum analyses. Predictions are being made that may also allow modern facilities to experimentally address the fundamental issue of the emergence of hadron mass. The Higgs mechanism, critical in so many areas of Standard Model physics, here only plays a minor role. Instead, it is the mass-scale characteristic of hadron matter that sets the scale for almost all visible mass in the Universe.
The role of emergent mass is strikingly expressed in the properties of the Nambu-Goldstone (NG) modes of the Standard Model. Their internal structure is complex; and that structure provides the clearest window onto the emergence of mass. In the absence of Higgs couplings into QCD, all properties of π and K-mesons are identical; but at realistic Higgs couplings, measurable properties of the π and K are windows onto the "Emergence of Hadron Mass" and its modulation by the Higgs boson. Stated differently, the properties of π and K mesons provide clear and direct access to both of the Standard Model's two mass-generating mechanisms and also the interference between them. Numerous predictions have already been made, relating, e.g. to parton distribution functions in pion and kaon, their similarities and differences. It appears reasonable to expect that continuing developments in theory will lead to more predictions in the near and medium-term future. Hence very soon new era experiments capable of validating contemporary and anticipated predictions are expected to be of very high priority. Eventually, an entire chapter of the Standard Model, whose writing began with Yukawa more than eighty years ago, can be completed and closed with elucidation of the structural details of the Standard Model's only NG modes, whose existence and properties are critical to the formation of everything from nucleons, to nuclei, and on to neutron stars. Also the proton charge radius of about 1fm has its origin in the strongly interacting substructure and thus is intimately linked to the emergence of the proton mass. Evidently, no claim to have understood the Standard Model is supportable until an explanation is provided for the emergence and structure of NG modes.
P. Abbon et al., The COMPASS experiment at CERN, Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 577 (2007) 455-518
K. Augsten et al., Addendum to the COMPASS-II Proposal: d-Quark Transversity and Proton Radius, CERN–SPSC–2017–034, SPSC-P-340-ADD-1.
Adams, B. et al., Letter of Intent: A New QCD facility at the M2 beam line of the CERN SPS (COMPASS++/AMBER), arXiv:1808.00848, Tech. rep., CERN-SPSC-2019-003 (SPSC-I-250).
B. Adams, et al., COMPASS++/AMBER: Proposal for Measurements at the M2 beam line of the CERN SPS Phase-1: 2022-2024, Tech. Rep. CERN-SPSC-2019-022. SPSC-P-360, CERN, Geneva (May 2019).
Contributions by: F. Bradamante, O. Denisov, J. Friedrich, N. d'Hose, A. Martin, W.-D. Nowak, C. Roberts, F. Tessarotto.


If you run a hospital in New Jersey, you have the important responsibility of keeping your patients safe. In addition to hiring the right doctors and nurses to deliver exceptional healthcare, you must also establish a fire safety plan and effective evacuation procedure in case a blaze ignites in your hospital.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, about 5,650 healthcare facilities in the US are damaged in fires annually. These blazes cause four civilian deaths, 160 civilian injuries, and $45 million in property damage. The most prominent fire risk in your New Jersey hospital is the cooking equipment, which accounts for about two-thirds of all healthcare facility fires.
Thankfully, strict fire codes result in relatively few lives lost and low property damage rates because hospital blazes tend to spread minimally beyond the point of origin. Still, the ultimate goal is to prevent every hospital fire, so the death toll is zero.
Portable fire extinguishers embolden your employees with firefighting power.
Fire sprinkler systems provide 24/7 defense against hospital fires.
Commercial kitchen fire suppression systems extinguish cooking fires, the most prominent fire risk in New Jersey hospitals.
Emergency exit lighting helps patients and employees remain calm and orderly during an evacuation.
Fire alarms alert everyone in the building of the fire emergency.
In addition to installing these fire protection systems in New Jersey hospitals, we also inspect, maintain, repair, and replace equipment as needed.
Fire extinguisher training for every hospital staff member: Educate new employees as soon as they join the team. Then, repeat the training once a year to keep everyone comfortable with using a fire extinguisher.
Establish an escape plan: Every doctor, nurse, receptionist, and janitor working at your hospital should be aware of this plan. Use it to assign staff members certain responsibilities during a fire emergency, such as escorting or carrying bed-ridden patients to safety, activating pull stations to set off the alarm, using fire extinguishers to battle the blaze, and knowing when to evacuate to a designated outdoor location.
Perhaps you need fire protection equipment installed or maintained. Maybe you want help crafting your hospital evacuation plan. Whatever the case, Confires can help. We have experience with every aspect of hospital fire protection, and we can help keep your patients, employees, and healthcare facility safe from fire.
For more about our company, or to arrange fire protection services for your hospital in New Jersey, please contact Confires today. Our experience serving customers in New Jersey and Delaware dates back over 30 years.


At present, the education sector is increasingly focused on identifying strong, influential and knowledgeable teachers to shape the lives of today's generation. Teachers are currently in high demand and the search to find teachers with the ability to meet the important needs of schools has never been more apparent. As we have become more aware of the shortage of teachers within the education industry we have put together some key points, highlighting a few rewards that a career in teaching can offer to you. So, if you thrive to inspire the next generation, enjoy a fast-paced, ever-changing atmosphere and relish that great sense of achievement when you accomplish something positive, consider a career in teaching. We hope the following may make your decision that little bit easier.
There are several options for progression within teaching, whether you're interested in taking on additional teaching and learning responsibility or a leadership role, teaching doesn't have to be solely about delivering lessons in a classroom. You could be the head of a department or a head teacher of an entire school. The path of progression within teaching is clear and achievable, giving teachers the ability to strive for a goal as they work their way up through the many positions and levels. Furthermore, along with progression in your career in teaching comes a competitive and rewarding salary.
Teaching also offers the opportunity to work with those who have Special Educational Needs (SEN). A SEN teacher may work with those who have a mental disability, are physically disabled, have speech and language difficulties or those who have emotional vulnerabilities. Two main responsibilities for anyone working within SEN is to recognise the individual's needs and create a safe environment tailored to them so they are able to learn effectively.
We're all going on a summer holiday!
On average teachers are allocated 13 weeks holiday in a school year, a lot more than other professions. Due to the nature of these teaching jobs, you will also need to prepare work during the holidays, but at least you've got plenty of time to do so.
It is vital you bring your personality and charisma with you. Some desk jobs will box you in a cubicle and curb your personality, but not teaching. You're free to make the choices you need to make in order to inspire and motivate your pupils and it will also make your job more exciting and a lot less stressful. So, take the floor and own it!
The above rewards are all appealing, but many enter the teaching profession because they feel they have a sense of duty, to make a difference in others' lives. Teachers are responsible for passing on subject knowledge, but they also have an impact on the way a student views the world. They are there to encourage creativity, develop character and inspire pupils to reach their potential not just at school, but for their future.
Remember, there are many different ways of getting into teaching and an array of interesting and exciting paths that the education industry can offer to you. If the rewards of being a teacher is something that interests you and you have a degree, teaching qualification or even experience within schools and wish to learn more about furthering your career in this dynamic and rewarding sector, then please feel free to contact Athona Recruitment's education team on 01277 245840, or drop us an e-mail to education@athona.com and we will be more than happy to help!


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In Norse mythology Valhalla (;) is the anglicised name for  ("hall of the slain"). It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat enter Valhalla, while the other half are chosen by the goddess Freyja to reside in Fólkvangr. The masses of those killed in combat (known as the Einherjar) along with various legendary Germanic heroes and kings, live in Valhalla until Ragnarök when they will march out of its many doors to fight in aid of Odin against the jötnar.

Valhalla is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, in the Prose Edda (written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson), in Heimskringla (also written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson), and in stanzas of an anonymous 10th century poem commemorating the death of Eric Bloodaxe known as Eiríksmál as compiled in Fagrskinna. Valhalla inspired innumerable works of art, publication titles, and elements of popular culture, and is synonymous with a martial (or otherwise) hall of the chosen dead. The name is rendered in modern Scandinavian languages as  in Icelandic, while the Swedish and Norwegian form is , in Faroese it is , and in Danish it is .

Etymology
The Modern English noun Valhalla derives from Old Norse , a compound noun composed of two elements: the masculine noun  'the slain' and the feminine noun  'hall'. The form "Valhalla" comes from an attempt to clarify the grammatical gender of the word.  has cognates in other Germanic languages such as Old English  'the slain, slaughter, carnage', Old Saxon  'murder', Old High German 'battlefield, blood bath'. All of these forms descend from the Proto-Germanic masculine noun *walaz. Among related Old Norse concepts,  also appears as the first element of the noun  'chooser of the slain, valkyrie'.

The second element, , is a common Old Norse noun. It is cognate to Modern English hall and offers the same meaning. Both developed from Proto-Germanic *xallō or *hallō, meaning 'covered place, hall', from the Proto-Indo-European root *kol-. As philologists such as Calvert Watkins note, the same Indo-European root produced Old Norse , a proper noun employed for both the name of another afterlife location and a supernatural female entity as its overseer, as well as the modern English noun hell. In Swedish folklore, some mountains traditionally regarded as abodes of the dead were also called . According to many researchers, the  element derives from , "rock", and referred to an underworld, not a hall.

Attestations

Poetic Edda
Valhalla is referenced at length in the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál, and Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, while Valhalla receives lesser direct references in stanza 32 of the Völuspá, where the god Baldr's death is referred to as the "woe of Valhalla", and in stanzas 1 to 3 of Hyndluljóð, where the goddess Freyja states her intention of riding to Valhalla with Hyndla, in an effort to help Óttar, as well as in stanzas 6 through 7, where Valhalla is mentioned again during a dispute between the two.

Grímnismál
In stanzas 8 to 10 of Grímnismál, the god Odin (in the guise of Grímnir) proclaims Valhalla is in the realm of Glaðsheimr. Odin describes Valhalla as shining and golden, and it "rises peacefully" as seen from afar. From Valhalla, every day Odin chooses from those killed in combat. Valhalla has spear-shafts for rafters, a roof thatched with shields, coats of mail are strewn over its benches, a wolf hangs in front of its west doors, and an eagle hovers above it.

From stanzas 22 to 24, more details are given by Odin about Valhalla: the holy doors of the ancient gate Valgrind stand before Valhalla, Valhalla has five hundred and forty doors so eight hundred men can pass through simultaneously (from which the einherjar will flow forth to engage the wolf Fenrir at Ragnarök). Within Valhalla exists Thor's hall Bilskirnir, and within it exist five hundred and forty rooms, and of all the halls within Valhalla, Odin states he thinks his son's may be greatest. In stanzas 25 through 26, Odin states the goat Heiðrún and the hart Eikþyrnir stand on top of Valhalla and graze on the branches of the tree Læraðr. Heiðrún's udder produces vats of mead, a liquor beyond compare, and Eikþyrnir's antlers drip liquid into the spring Hvergelmir from which flows forth all waters.

Helgakviða Hundingsbana II

In stanza 38 of the poem Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, the hero Helgi Hundingsbane dies and goes to Valhalla. In stanza 38, Helgi's glory there is described:

So was Helgi beside the chieftains
like the bright-growing ash beside the thorn-bush
and the young stag, drenched in dew,
who surpasses all other animals
and whose horns glow against the sky itself.

Prose follows after this stanza, stating a burial-mound was made for Helgi. After Helgi arrived in Valhalla, he was asked by Odin to manage things with him. In stanza 39, Helgi, now in Valhalla, has his former enemy Hunding—also in Valhalla—do menial tasks; fetching foot-baths for all of the men there, kindling fire, tying dogs, keeping watch of horses, and feeding the pigs before he can get any sleep. In stanzas 40 to 42, Helgi returns to Midgard from Valhalla with a host of men. An unnamed maid of Sigrún, Helgi's valkyrie wife, sees Helgi and his large host of men riding into the mound. The maid asks if she is experiencing a delusion, if Ragnarök is started, or if Helgi and his men were allowed to return.

In the following stanzas, Helgi responds none of these things occurred, and so Sigrún's maid goes home to Sigrún. The maid tells Sigrún the burial mound is opened, and Sigrún should go to Helgi there. Helgi asked her to come and tend his wounds after they opened and are bleeding. Sigrún goes into the mound, and finds Helgi is drenched in gore, his hair is thick with frost. Filled with joy at the re-union, Sigrún kisses him before he can remove his coat of mail, and asks how she can heal him. Sigrún makes a bed there, and the two sleep together in the enclosed burial mound. Helgi awakens, stating he must "ride along the blood-red roads, to set the pale horse to tread the path of the sky," and return before the rooster Salgófnir crows. Helgi and the host of men ride away, and Sigrún and her servant go back to their house. Sigrún orders her maid to wait for him by the mound the next night, but after she arrives at dawn, she finds he is still journeying. The prose narrative at the end of the poem relates Sigrún dies of sadness, but the two are thought to be re-born as Helgi Haddingjaskati and the valkyrie Kára.

Prose Edda
Valhalla is referenced in the Prose Edda books Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál.

Gylfaginning
Valhalla is first mentioned in chapter 2 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, where it is described partially in euhemerized form. In the chapter, King Gylfi sets out to Asgard in the guise of an old man going by the name of Gangleri to find the source of the power of the gods.

The narrative states the Æsir prophesied his arrival and prepared grand illusions for him, so as Gangerli enters the fortress, he sees a hall of such a height, he has trouble seeing over it, and notices the roof of the hall is covered in golden shields, as if they were shingles. Snorri quotes a stanza by the skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir (c. 900). As he continues, Gangleri sees a man in the doorway of the hall juggling short swords, and keeping seven in the air simultaneously. Among other things, the man says the hall belongs to his king, and adds he can take Gangleri to the king. Gangleri follows him, and the door closes behind him. All around him, he sees many living areas, and throngs of people, some of which are playing games, some are drinking, and others are fighting with weapons. Gangleri sees three thrones, and three figures sitting upon them: High sitting on the lowest throne, Just-As-High sitting on the next highest throne, and Third sitting on the highest. The man guiding Gangleri tells him High is the king of the hall.

In chapter 20, Third states Odin mans Valhalla with the Einherjar: those killed in battle and become Odin's adopted sons. In chapter 36, High states valkyries serve drinks and see to the tables in Valhalla, and Grímnismál stanzas 40 to 41 are quoted in reference to this. High continues the valkyries are sent by Odin to every battle; they choose who is to die, and determine victory.

In chapter 38, Gangleri says: "You say all men who have fallen in battle from the beginning of the world are now with Odin in Valhalla. With what does he feed them? I should think the crowd there is large." High responds this is indeed true, a huge amount are already in Valhalla, but yet this amount will seem to be too few before "the wolf comes." High describes there are never too many to feed in Valhalla, for they feast from Sæhrímnir (here described as a boar), and this beast is cooked every day and is again whole every night. Grímnismál stanza 18 is recounted. Gangleri asks if Odin eats the same food as the Einherjar, and High responds Odin needs nothing to eat—Odin only consumes wine—and he gives his food to his wolves Geri and Freki. Grímnismál stanza 19 is recounted. High additionally states, at sunrise, Odin sends his ravens Huginn and Muninn from Valhalla to fly throughout the entire world, and they return in time for the first meal there.

In chapter 39, Gangleri asks about the food and drinks the Einherjar consume, and asks if only water is available there. High replies of course, Valhalla has food and drinks fit for kings and jarls, for the mead consumed in Valhalla is produced from the udders of the goat Heiðrún, who in turn feeds on the leaves of the "famous tree" Læraðr. The goat produces so much mead in a day, it fills a massive vat large enough for all of the Einherjar in Valhalla to satisfy their thirst from it. High further states the stag Eikþyrnir stands atop Valhalla and chews on the branches of Læraðr. So much moisture drips from his horns, it falls down to the well Hvelgelmir, resulting in numerous rivers.

In chapter 40, Gangleri muses Valhalla must be quite crowded, to which High responds Valhalla is massive and remains roomy despite the large amount of inhabitants, and then quotes Grímnismál stanza 23. In chapter 41, Gangleri says Odin seems to be quite a powerful lord, controlling quite a big army, but he wonders how the Einherjar keep busy while they are not drinking. High replies daily, after they dressed and put on their war gear, they go out to the courtyard and battle one-on-one combat for sport. Then, before mealtime, they ride home to Valhalla and drink. High quotes Vafþrúðnismál stanza 41. In chapter 42, High describes "right at the beginning, while the gods were settling", they established Asgard, then built Valhalla. The death of the god Baldr is recounted in chapter 49, with the mistletoe used to kill Baldr is described as growing west of Valhalla.

Skáldskaparmál
At the beginning of Skáldskaparmál, a partially euhemerized account is given of Ægir visiting the gods in Asgard and shimmering swords are brought out and used as their sole source of light as they drink. There, numerous gods feast, they have plenty of strong mead, and the hall has wall-panels covered with attractive shields. This location is confirmed as Valhalla in chapter 33.

In chapter 2, a quote from the anonymous 10th century poem Eiríksmál is provided (see the Fagrskinna section below for more detail and another translation from another source):

What sort of dream is that, Odin? I dreamed I rose up before dawn to clear up Val-hall for slain people. I aroused the Einheriar, bade them get up to strew the benches, clean the beer-cups, the valkyries to serve wine for the arrival of a prince.

In chapter 17 of Skáldskaparmál, the jötunn Hrungnir is in a rage and, while attempting to catch up and attack Odin on his steed Sleipnir, ends up at the doors to Valhalla. There, the Æsir invite him in for a drink. Hrungnir goes in, demands a drink, and becomes drunk and belligerent, stating that he will remove Valhalla and take it to the land of the jötunn, Jötunheimr, among various other things. Eventually, the gods tire of his boasting and invoke Thor, who arrives. Hrungnir states that he is under the Aesir's protection as a guest and therefore he can't be harmed while in Valhalla. After an exchange of words, Hrungnir challenges Thor to a duel at the location of Griotunagardar, resulting in Hrungnir's death.

In chapter 34, the tree Glasir is stated as located in front of the doors of Valhalla. The tree is described as having foliage of red gold and being the most beautiful tree among both gods and men. A quote from a work by the 9th century skald Bragi Boddason is presented that confirms the description.

Heimskringla
Valhalla is mentioned in euhemerized form and as an element of remaining Norse pagan belief in Heimskringla. In chapter 8 of Ynglinga saga, the "historical" Odin is described as ordaining burial laws over his country. These laws include that all the dead are to be burned on a pyre on a burial mound with their possessions, and their ashes are to be brought out to sea or buried in the earth. The dead would then arrive in Valhalla with everything that one had on their pyre, and whatever one had hidden in the ground. Valhalla is additionally referenced in the phrase "visiting Odin" in a work by the 10th century skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir describing that, upon his death, King Vanlandi went to Valhalla.

In chapter 32 of Hákonar saga Góða, Haakon I of Norway is given a pagan burial, which is described as sending him on his way to Valhalla. Verses from Hákonarmál are then quoted in support, themselves containing references to Valhalla.

Fagrskinna
In chapter 8 of Fagrskinna a prose narrative states that after the death of her husband Eric Bloodaxe, Gunnhild Mother of Kings had a poem composed about him. The composition is by an anonymous author from the 10th century and is referred to as Eiríksmál, and describes Eric Bloodaxe and five other kings arriving in Valhalla after their death. The poem begins with comments by Odin (as Old Norse Óðinn):

"What kind of a dream is it," said Óðinn,
in which just before daybreak,
I thought I cleared Valhǫll,
for coming of slain men?
I waked the Einherjar,
bade valkyries rise up,
to strew the bench,
and scour the beakers,

wine to carry,
as for a king's coming,
here to me I expect
heroes' coming from the world,
certain great ones,
so glad is my heart.

The god Bragi asks where a thundering sound is coming from, and says that the benches of Valhalla are creaking—as if the god Baldr had returned to Valhalla—and that it sounds like the movement of a thousand. Odin responds that Bragi knows well that the sounds are for Eric Bloodaxe, who will soon arrive in Valhalla. Odin tells the heroes Sigmund and Sinfjötli to rise to greet Eric and invite him into the hall, if it is indeed he.

Sigmund asks Odin why he would expect Eric more than any other king, to which Odin responds that Eric has reddened his gore-drenched sword with many other lands. Eric arrives, and Sigmund greets him, tells him that he is welcome to come into the hall, and asks him what other lords he has brought with him to Valhalla. Eric says that with him are five kings, that he will tell them the name of them all, and that he, himself, is the sixth.

Modern influence
The concept of Valhalla continues to influence modern popular culture. Examples include the Walhalla temple built by Leo von Klenze for Ludwig I of Bavaria between 1830 and 1847 near Regensburg, Germany, and the Tresco Abbey Gardens Valhalla museum built by August Smith around 1830 to house ship figureheads from shipwrecks that occurred at the Isles of Scilly, England, near the museum.

References to Valhalla appear in literature, art, and other forms of media. Examples include K. Ehrenberg's charcoal illustration Gastmahl in Walhalla (mit einziehenden Einheriern) (1880), Richard Wagner's depiction of Valhalla in his opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (1848–1874), the Munich, Germany-based Germanic Neopagan magazine Walhalla (1905–1913), the book series Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan, the comic series Valhalla (1978–2009) by Peter Madsen, and its subsequent animated film of the same name (1986).
Valhalla also gives its name to a thrill ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, UK.

Before Hunter S. Thompson became the counter-culture's Gonzo journalist, he lived in Big Sur, California, while writing his novel The Rum Diary. He wrote "Big Sur is very like Valhalla—a place that a lot of people have heard of, and that very few can tell you anything about" (Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, chapter 20).

In the 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road, the cult of the War Boys believe a heroic death in the service of dictator Immortan Joe will take them to Valhalla.

A video game Assassin's Creed Valhalla was released in November 2020. The video game Apex Legends features a character named Bloodhound, who often references Valhalla and the Allfather, a commonly used kenning for the Norse god Odin.

Elton John's first album, Empty Sky (1969), contains a song called "Valhalla". Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" from their third album, Led Zeppelin III (1970), contains the following Valhalla reference: "To fight the horde, sing and cry: Valhalla, I am coming." Australian band Skeggs's third album, Rehearsal (2021), contains a song called "Valhalla".
Jethro Tull's album, Minstrel In The Gallery (1975), contains a song called "Cold Wind To Valhalla".

In 2020's Red, White, and the Blues: A Long and Hard Ride over Treacherous Terrain, John R. Hall (author, blogger, magician) uses Valhalla as a literary vehicle numerous times within the book's text. His most notable usages occurs in the book's front matter and back matter. In "Sursum Corda" (the book's preface), Hall writes: "I tried my best to capture the nearly unexplainable, Zen-like state of being I experienced while on my motorcycle. All I can offer the reader is I glimpsed Valhalla, and Odin assured me I shall dine with him or Freyja after my internal combat ends and this soldier's body is put down." On the book's final text page (before the notes section), Hall states: "Valhalla! 'A man can die but once' (Henry IV, Part 2). I am ready ... now all family business is settled."

See also
 Heorot, a celebrated hall central to the Old English poem Beowulf

Notes

References

 Byock, Jesse (Trans.) (2006). The Prose Edda. Penguin Classics.
 Faulkes, Anthony (Trans.) (1995). Edda. Everyman.
 Finlay, Alison (2004). Fagrskinna, a Catalogue of the Kings of Norway: A Translation with Introduction and Notes. Brill Publishers.
 Hollander, M. Lee (Trans.) (2007). Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway . University of Texas Press.
 Larrington, Carolyne (Trans.) (1999). The Poetic Edda. Oxford World's Classics.
 Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell.
 Orel, Vladimir (2003). A Handbook of Germanic Etymology. Brill.
 Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer
 Watkins, Calvert (2000). The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots. Houghton Mifflin Company.
 Welch, Chris (2005). Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused: The Stories Behind Every Song. Thunder's Mouth Press

External links

Locations in Norse mythology
Conceptions of heaven
Norse underworld

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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About Commodity Port
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Ghana: Govt to Subsidise Prices of Fertilizer for All Farmers
inAgriculture, Sector Update
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Nigerian Oil Major Focuses On Condensates To Offset OPEC Cuts
Goldman proclaims the dawn of a new commodity supercycle
The government has announced its intention to discuss the possibility of replacing the free fertilizer distribution programme with a subsidy programme. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced this on Monday when the National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association called on him at the Jubilee House in Accra. The issue came up in the course of the deliberations when the farmers appealed to the government to subsidize the prices of fertilizer, instead of distributing it free to selected farmers. According to them, the distribution programme benefited a small fraction of farmers in the industry while a vast majority of them are left to buy the product at very high prices. They said the product, when subsidized, would benefit all farmers in the industry, reduce production cost in the sector, increase yield and help reduce the prices of foodstuffs. President Akufo-Addo said the government was aware that the issue had been an ongoing debate in the sector and gave the assurance that the suggestion would be considered by the government. The President touched on the rate of growth in the country's agricultural sector and added that the nation had the potential to grow at a faster rate and generate more revenue from the sector. Citing Cote d'Ivoire which generates about $16 billion from its agricultural sector, he said Ghana could do more to achieve that feat if all stakeholders come on board to help grow the sector. He said the Ivorian population was lower than Ghana but the country generated more revenue from agriculture, while Ghana, with a larger population, generated about $2billion. President Akufo-Addo appealed to stakeholders in the sector to support the government's efforts to grow the sector and urged them to form associations and engage the government on ways to increase productivity in the sector. The association appealed to the government to include commercial farmers in the government's Planting for Food and Jobs programme to enable them to contribute to the growth of the sector and the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.
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Increased Global Cocoa Demand Would Push Prices Up And Boost Nigeria's Export Earnings
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South Cambridgeshire Council
Repair cafés hailed a success in South Cambridgeshire
Multi-skilled volunteers have been helping people give broken belongings a new lease of life.
Tom Pilgrim
A woman watches while her kitchen knives are sharpened (Image: Paul Christie)
South Cambridgeshire's first repair café of 2017 has been hailed a success with numerous personal belongings being fixed by skilled experts.
The roving repair café concept, launched last year, aims to tackle throwaway culture and reduce the number of items going to waste.
Residents can bring along broken belongings for multi-talented volunteers to fix and give a new lease of life.
It is hoped that the cafés will also help save residents money and preserve traditional repair skills.
An old clock being repaired (Image: South Cambridgeshire District Council)
The first event of the year was held in Girton and many people turned up with a range of damaged items to be fixed.
These included three bikes, two vacuum cleaners, four scalextric cars, a clock, radio, dehumidifier, and a moth-eaten jumper.
Residents can bring along their bikes to be fixed (Image: South Cambridgeshire District Council)
South Cambridgeshire District Council and local charities Cambridge Carbon Footprint and Transition Cambridge are supporting the repair café network.
It is inspired by a worldwide movement, originating in Amsterdam, Holland, to encourage people from simply throwing away belongings that could be easily repaired.
A series of events will be organised throughout 2017 but it is hoped that the network will inspire people to organise events in their area and foster greater community support and interaction.
Some scalextric cars were in need of a tune up (Image: South Cambridgeshire District Council)
Residents are welcome to bring whichever personal belongings they feel could be revived - from small household appliances and electrical items to bicycles, clothes, gadgets and books.
Cllr Mark Howell, South Cambridgeshire District Council's cabinet member with responsibility for waste and recycling, said: "We have been really pleased with the popularity of the repair cafés and blown away by the amazing support from local volunteer repairers, who are also keen to share their knowledge and skills.
"The cafés have been building momentum since we launched the network last year and our first café of 2017 was a real hive of activity.
"This time of year, after Christmas and ahead of the spring clean, we throw away a lot, including things that could be given a new lease of life with a simple fix.
"Repair cafés aim to change all that, diverting more items from landfill and changing people's mind set from throwing things to fixing things."
The repair cafés schedule
• Scout HQ behind the Memorial Hall, Great Shelford, Saturday 28 January, 2pm to 5pm,
• Community Centre, Cottenham, Saturday 4 February, 10am to 2pm
• Market Hill Rooms, Royston, Sunday 5 February, 10am to 1pm
• St Andrew's Centre, Histon, Saturday 4 March, 10.30am to 1.30pm
• Free Church, Sawston, Saturday 25 March, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
For more information on any of these events including how to book items in for repair, visit www.repaircafe.org.uk .


If you are involved in the Pub or Restaurant trade you will probably appreciate the huge volume of glass bottles that are disposed of every day. The Recycling Partnership can help reduce costs by introducing a glass recycling option. We will supply the bin and arrange a regular collection based on the volumes of glass that you produce.


It is amazing how quickly these pod or capsule style coffee makers have become so very popular with UK coffee lovers. Take a walk into any of the big UK department stores, and the shelves will be filled with these types of coffee makers.
It seems that all of the big coffee brands have gotten in on the act. They have certainly flooded the UK market with plenty of choices. If you are thinking about buying a coffee pod style of machine, then you will find this coffee maker guide very useful.
There are however quite literally hundreds of different models available on the market. Although the competition helps drive prices down, it can also make buying a pod coffee maker very confusing. That is why I put together this guide. Hopefully it will make your choice that little bit easier.
Who Does or Should Buy a Coffee Pod Machine?
I know that some people will not have time to read this full guide. So, if you just want to know what the top 5 pod/capsule coffee makers in the UK are, I have listed those below.
If you click on any of the product name links, you will be taken to Amazon UK. There you can see their current prices, any available discounts, and also read the actual buyer reviews there.
I have listed those by the best sellers, highest rated and always the best value for money. Underneath those you will find a lot more detail. That will help out those of you who like more detail, and who want o understand more about these type of quick and convenient coffee makers.
All the models from these machines have at first glance recommended retail prices (RRP) of around £80-150. In reality though most of them are available either online or on offer in the big retail stores at around £40-75.
Our advice is to shop around and you will get a really good deal on these small and compact machines.
Here is the Top 13 List: If you click on the product name, it will take you to a mini review where you can read more information.
The buyer satisfaction rating is scored out of 100%, and is the average buyer rating awarded to the product by real life buyers, who have taken the time to leave a rating and a review. We then worked out the average score.
We have also included an average online price which of course can change, so always check before buying.
So that is our top 12 list. As you will see below they vary quite a lot in both style and in price. It is I think most important to understand why there is so much variation.
That is when making your selection can get quite complicated. Hopefully I can make that choice a little clearer. Just below we have created 12 summary reviews so as you can quickly see the key features at a glance and some information from Amazon UK.
19-bar high-performance pump and fast heat-up in only 25 seconds.
The entire purpose, and growing popularity of these pod or capsule machines comes down to speed and convenience. Millions of people throughout the UK love their coffee. As you can see on the High Street, coffee shops have popped up just about in every city, town and village in the UK.
With a pod or capsule coffee maker, the work all but disappears. You put water into the machine, insert a capsule or pod, hit a button and get your coffee. It truly does not get any more easy or convenient than that.
So there are plenty of consumers who know and appreciate the convenience of having a pod style machine in the home or their office.
You will hear these machines referred to as either pod, disc or capsule coffee makers. They are essentially the same thing. Different brands simply call them different names. These are the small sealed units that contain the coffee. You will insert one of these into your chosen machine. That pod or capsule will then be punctured, and that allows the coffee to be brewed.
So you can see that this will restrict your choice. if you just want an espresso style coffee, it isn't really a big problem. If however, you wanted different coffee options like cappuccino, latte etc, then you need to be sure that the pod machine you buy, has capsules for that coffee type.
You can buy all of these in different coffee types and in different pack sizes.
The main cost will be the purchase of capsules. Once you have bought your coffee pod machine, that cost is basically finished. It is a one-off investment. The prices vary quite a lot from as low as £40 and all the way up to £200. That variance is down to the brand, and also to any additional features that you might want.
Some of these will make two cups at a time and you pay a little extra for that. Others have better pressure systems and you pay a little extra for that. Some have larger water tanks than others and you pay more for that. Others have automatic cut offs etc. So depending on what features you want, the price will go up.
This is the real cost of convenience. For these machines to work you need a compatible pod. That means you have to purchase these online or at supermarkets. The prices can vary quite a bit. The average cost for a single pod, disc or capsule is about 20-30p. So in simple terms each cup of coffee you make using one of these will cost about 25 pence.
Now that is of course far cheaper than going to the local coffee shop. So overall you will save yourself a lot of money. Just be aware though that these running costs can really add up. If you had 3-4 cups a day, then the costs would be about £25-30 a month.


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Home Podcast Sinica Podcast: Ryan Haas on the precarious relationship between the U.S. and China
Sinica Podcast: Ryan Haas on the precarious relationship between the U.S. and China
The editorsJune 20, 20190
This week's Sinica Podcast is now live.
Ryan Hass, who served as the Director for China on the National Security Council during President Barack Obama's second term, is alarmed at the direction that the U.S. policy toward China has been taking, and offers good sense on what we could be doing instead. While clear-eyed about Beijing, he warns that the path Washington is now on will lead to some dire outcomes. Ryan joins Kaiser in a show taped at the Brookings Institution, where Ryan now serves as a Rubenstein fellow with the John L. Thornton China Center.
Today, we also publish on SupChina an essay by Ryan titled, "A crisis is a terrible thing to waste." In the essay, Ryan explains why the U.S.-China relationship will not return to the days before President Trump was elected, and suggests five questions the U.S. policy community could use to structure its thinking towards China going forward.
What to listen for on this week's Sinica Podcast:
3:10: China-watchers have witnessed tumultuous change in the U.S.-China relationship since President Trump's election in 2016. Ryan elaborates on changes in Washington: "For 40 years, center-right and center-left policymakers basically had their hands on the steering wheel of American policy toward China. That changed two years ago." However, this may not hold true outside the Beltway, according to Ryan: "If we look at polling by Pew, or the Chicago Council…what we find is that most Americans don't think of China either as a partner or as a rival. They have mixed feelings on China."
14:12: Ryan shares his opinions on the current moment we find ourselves in concerning the bilateral relationship with China. "I personally think that we are in the most precarious moment in the U.S.-China relationship that we have been in since 1979, or perhaps 1972," he states, explaining that conflicting diagnoses on the main areas of contention result in greater disarray. Ryan adds that actors in Beijing claim that the United States' "anxieties about China's relative rise" in Washington have resulted in the heavy-handed policies, whereas on the other hand, those in Washington claim China has "stepped back from the path of reform and opening," thus justifying the current approach.
32:13: Has the argument of containment reemerged in the era of Trump? Kaiser suggests that, with arms sales to Taiwan, F-35 sales to Japan, and the increasingly severe action and rhetoric taken against Huawei, one could hesitantly say yes if viewing the current state of affairs from Beijing's perspective. Ryan responds: "There was a point in time when I could say confidently yes, that [containment] is an unreasonable conclusion for Beijing to draw… It's harder for me to make that same case credibly anymore."
However, he does make a poignant case for optimism: "I guess I am just reluctant to accept the fatalism that seems to be so enrapturing the Beltway right now that it is impossible for our two countries, or systems, to coexist with each other because they are fundamentally at odds."
40:53: The nature of the relationship between the United States and China will be one of increased competition. What can be done about it? Ryan suggests a more proactive approach, saying: "For me, the core question, though, isn't whether we as Americans should feel righteous in our indignation about certain Chinese behaviors, but really: What should we be doing about it?"
A crisis is a terrible thing to waste
Listen now to: A voice of reason within the Beltway: Ryan Hass vs. the so-called bipartisan consensus
Sinica
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July 17, SupChina x Sinica Live Podcast: The World According to Jeremy Goldkorn Next post
Jeremy Goldkorn, Anthony Tao, Lucas Niewenhuis, Jia Guo, and Jiayun Feng.
Sinica Podcast: Talking Genealogy with the people behind MyChinaRoots
The editors July 11, 2019
Sinica Podcast: Taylor Fravel on the People's Liberation Army
The editors July 4, 2019
Sinica Podcast: Antony Dapiran on the Hong Kong protests
The editors June 27, 2019
Sinica Podcast: Wu'er Kaixi on the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and Uyghurs in Xinjiang today
ChinaEconTalk: Peter Hessler talks China, Egypt, and the craft of foreign correspondence
Jordan Schneider June 11, 2019
Sinica Podcast: Jude Blanchette on neo-Maoists and China's new Red Guard
The editors June 6, 2019


text:
Muslim Community Organizations in the West
History, Developments and Future Perspectives
Mario Peucker, Rauf Ceylan
Islam in der Gesellschaft
New York, NY:
Springer Publishing
Paperback.
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The book focusses on the historical emergence and contemporary challenges of Muslim community organizations and their struggle for recognition as ordinary voices in multiethnic and multi-religious civil societies of Western democracies. It offers a range of different perspectives on how Muslim communities position themselves and navigate the social and political landscape shaped by, on the one hand, normalization of ethno-religious diversity and, on the other, ongoing misrecognition and essentialisation of Muslims in the West. The contributions from internationally acclaimed scholars as well as emerging researchers from Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland and Australia shine new light on both country-specific similarities and divergences.
Mario Peucker is postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Cultural Diversity and Wellbeing at Victoria University, Melbourne/Australia.Prof. Dr. Dr. Rauf Ceylan teaches Religious Studies at University Osnabrück/Germany.
Western democracy, diversity, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland