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Courtney Love beat Diana Ross, whipped Jack White, pummeled 50 Cent and crushed Suge Knight. Now she has made it to the finals of Blender magazine's "First-Ever Ultimate Fighting Championship."

It's a battle for the coveted title of "The Ultimate Rock & Roll Psycho" and Love -- lead singer of Hole, widow of Kurt Cobain and much-arrested former junkie -- certainly deserves the honor. But to win, she has to face "the Killer" himself: Jerry Lee Lewis, a man who shot his bassist, stabbed a magazine editor and married his 15-year-old cousin. To reach the finals, Lewis defeated rappers C-Murder and DMX and heavy metal lunatic G.G. Allin in the preliminary rounds and now he's ready for Love.

Bing! The bell rings! They go at it, punching, kicking, scratching, clawing!

Well, not really. Although millions would no doubt pay serious money to see Courtney fight Jerry Lee, this is a purely theoretical battle, staged only in the demented minds of the savants at Blender. It's just another of Blender's delightfully daffy high-concept rock stories, right up there with "The Most Awesomely Mediocre Artists of All Time," which ran earlier this year, much to the chagrin of folks who like Sonny Bono, Art Garfunkel and Clarence Clemons.

And the winner is . . . well, if you want to find out who took the ultimate psycho title, you'll just have to buy Blender, which is a good idea anyway because Blender is big fun.

Created in 2001 by Felix Dennis, the mad genius who brought us Maxim, Stuff and the Week, Blender is the pop music magazine that doesn't take pop music too seriously.

Some rock mags see pop stars as poets, troubadours, sensitive artists and the voice of their generation. Blender sees pop stars as nut jobs, drunks, stoners, sex maniacs, careerists and hype-mongers who occasionally produce good music.

Blender's worldview was neatly summed up by a cover line in the April issue: "Rock Stars: They're Freakin' Nuts!"

But don't get the wrong idea. Blender isn't a muckraking or moralizing magazine. The editors revel in rock misbehavior. They seem to believe that the arrests, overdoses, brawls and car crashes of your average pop star are at least as entertaining as his or her music.

And who can argue with that? Not me. I'd much rather read about the sordid "Secret History of the Backstreet Boys" than actually listen to their CDs. And Blender gives me that opportunity this month in a story touted with a classic Blender cover line: "Groupies! Coke Binges! Stinky Socks!"

Blender brings its readers news that they just can't get anyplace else. When Rob Thomas, lead singer of Matchbox 20, announces that his dog Tyler was "sexually abused by his previous owner," Blender lets us know. When Britney Spears visits an "energy healer" in a Malibu strip mall, Blender prints a picture of the healer waving his hands over her pretty, empty head.

And when a sex video featuring Fred Durst, the potbellied lead singer of Limp Bizkit, appears on the Internet, Blender not only quotes a porn expert who gives it an erotic rating -- "zero" -- it also conducts a survey asking readers whose sex video they'd least like to see. The winner: rapper Fat Joe, with 38 percent of the vote, beating out the aforementioned Courtney Love.

But Blender doesn't just report these news items, it also gives them perspective, pointing out where they fit into the long and glorious history of rock knuckleheadedness.

Any mag can report that some rocker got stoned and crashed his car. Blender gave us three pages of "Rock's Worst Drivers," a group that includes Billy Joel, Keith Richards ("the walking -- and, too often, driving -- chemistry set") and, of course, Elvis, who shot his 1971 Ford Pantera with a .22 revolver when it failed to start.

Any mag can report that X rocker is dating Y actress, but Blender gave us eight profusely illustrated pages on "The 25 Hottest Rock & Roll Galpals," a list that includes Christie Brinkley, Carmen Electra, Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz, whom Blender identifies as "The Farrah Fawcett for the Teeth-Whitener Generation."

And who can forget "The A-Z of Rock & Roll Sex Scandals," which appeared in the May issue? A timeless classic, it featured seven pages of "the seamiest moments in music history," in alphabetical order from Anderson, Pamela to Plaster Caster, Cynthia to Zeppelin, Led.

It's this long-view historical perspective that lifts Blender above other rock mags, and it may explain why Blender edged past Spin in circulation earlier this year -- up to about 600,000 -- and now is second only to the venerable Rolling Stone, which sells 1.2 million copies an issue.

Blender's sense of history is also apparent in its CD reviews, which are voluminous, pungent and readable. In the April issue, Blender reviewed the Mars Volta's CD "Frances the Mute" and found it hard-rocking but pretentious: "There is an entire minute of bird chirping at the beginning of the suite called 'Miranda, That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore,' followed by nearly three minutes of mystery noise and Cedric-wail . . . "

That sounds pretty pretentious, doesn't it? But it's not pretentious enough to earn a spot in the sidebar piece -- "The 4 Most Pretentious Albums of All Time," which includes Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music" and Sting's "The Soul Cages," which Blender describes as a "gelatinous concept album about the son of a dying riveter who sails to the Island of Souls so he can save his father by drinking Death under the table."

Whether it's shooting spitballs at rock pretentiousness or wallowing in rock raunch, Blender is the rock-and-roll mag with the rock-and-roll spirit.


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University of Virginia students, faculty and school officials wrestled with the prickly issue of racial disparity in the school's Honor Code in a forum tonight, debating the underlying cause and what can or should be done.

The forum, part of "Honor Awareness Day" on campus, was to solicit public comment on key issues facing the 157-year-old honor system, which requires the expulsion of students who violate a mandatory pledge not to lie, cheat or steal. The forum touched on a variety of issues, including alternatives to the sole punishment of expulsion.

But questions about why greater numbers of minorities are brought up on honor violations drew the most passionate responses from panelists and audience.

"I think when you have . . . a disproportionate number of [minority] students being accused, I don't think you have to be a rocket scientist to see something is amiss," M. Rick Turner, dean of African American affairs, told the crowd of about 100.

Concerns that the student-run system unduly scrutinizes minorities date to at least the mid-1980s. For the first time this year, the Honor Committee gathered and published comprehensive figures on 69 honor cases in the 1998-99 school year. The figures show that minority students were accused and expelled at rates disproportionate to their enrollment. Of the university's 18,463 students, 12,562--68 percent--are white.

Sixty-three percent of those expelled after an honor trial last year were black, Asian or Hispanic. Of those making accusations, 97 percent were white. A long-held theory on campus, and one discussed tonight, is that the higher rate turns on "spotlighting"--that on campus, minorities and athletes receive extra scrutiny because their appearance causes them to stand out.

"It's hard for me to believe that faculty or teaching assistants are singling out African American students or athletes for this kind of treatment," said Henry Valentine II, a member of the university's governing Board of Visitors who participated in the discussion. "If what Dean Turner is saying is true, we probably ought to cancel the system. This is my opinion. I think that's a terrible indictment."

Honor Committee Chairman Hunter Ferguson said he is committed to tackling the issue of disparity and the allegations of discrimination. "Real or imagined, this perception exists," he said. Many who spoke noted that the Honor Committee does not initiate cases but rather investigates allegations.

Bobby Le, representing the school's Asian Student Union, said that assuming there is no bias within the system, "there is still a problem of having an honor system that is enforced disproportionately."

Spotlighting, he said, is real, and it "is almost an invisible issue to the public."

Brandi Colander, director of issues for the university's Black Student Alliance, said spotlighting occurs because people "are more suspicious of smaller groups."

David Gies, professor of Spanish and chairman of the faculty senate, was among several speakers who said one solution is to actively recruit minority students to participate within the Honor Committee. "Spotlight them, if you will" for involvement, Gies said. The 21-member committee includes three minorities this year.

Ferguson said he has found that minority students are reluctant to get involved and noted that one person told him the Honor Committee is perceived as the "white kids' " group. "We have to reach out to groups . . . but it is not something we can accomplish on our own," he said.

Turner said there is "a reluctance on the part of African American students" to become involved because of a distrust of the system. Turner, who advocates minority involvement, said he believes the current committee leadership is tackling the issue, but, "What's going to happen when Hunter [Ferguson] graduates?"

Turner said he aggressively advises incoming students and athletes and "anyone that appears be different" to be wary of the spotlighting effect.

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After a decade of periodic tensions and repeated setbacks in their relations. the United States and Sudan appear to be on the verge of establishing close ties.

If a breakthrough occurs, it will be due partly to the persistent efforts of Sudanese President Jaafar Nimeri and partly to shifts within big-power and Arab rivalries in northeastern Africa.

A broad array of Western nations and conservative Arab oil powers led by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have come to the economic and diplomatic rescue of the Nimeri government which had depended heavily on Moscow for arms and aid until a few years ago.

Today, the Soviet Union and its new-found Arab ally, Libya, are regarded here as the country's prime enemies. The new backbone of Nimeri's foreign policy is an American-blessed triangular partnership among Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

The overt and concrete support of the United States, which was previously lacking seems now to be in the making.

There is a steady stream of American businessmen to the Nile River capital these day. The U.S. Agency for International Development is cranking up a new, $10 million to $20 million economic assistance program and Washington just recently approved the sale of arms to this country.

"Relations between us and Sudan are developing in a very satisfactory direction and are now very good," says U.S. Ambassador William D. Brewer. "We are working to develop a very meaningful program here."

It has been a long, hard, uphill struggle for those favoring closer Sudanese-American relations to break a diplomatic logjam dating back to the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, when Sudan abruptly severed its ties with the United States.

Then, having taken the initiative among Arab states to renew relations with Washington in July 1972, Nimeri saw his overture spoiled by the assassination of U.S. Ambassador Cleo Noel and his top aide, George Curtis Moore here in March 1973. A heavy pail immediately fell over relations between the two countries, made even worse by Nimeri's decision under Arab pressure to release the Palestinian terrorists responsible for the deed.

In fact, Washington recalled Ambassador Brewer in June 1974 for six months in protest. Strong lobbying by the State Department's irate foreign service officers prevented any significant thaw in the prevailing coolness in relations until last year.

Now, however, things are visibly changing - and at a crucial moment in the life of the Sudan. Nimeri has veered sharply toward the West and the conservative Arab oil states in search of both economic and military assistance to bolster his hand against Libya and Ethiopia, the two neighboring nations he is now convinced are conspiring with Soviet blessings, to overthrow him.

The 47-year-old general is still recovering from the trauma of the nearly successful Libyan-sponsored coup attempt against him last July. That event has apparently removed any lingering doubts he might have had about the need to beef up his security apparatus and also to switch his source of military supplies from the Soviet Union to the West.

Reports circulating here say that Nimeri is considering the purchase of up to half a billion dollars worth of Western arms in the next few years, with the cost to be borne primarily by Saudi Arabia.

In mid-November. the outgoing Ford administration ruled that Sudan was now eligible to buy American military equipment. Pentagon sources said at the time that Nimeri's first request would probably be for communications equipment and sensors for monitoring anti-government activities within this sprawling, million-square-mile nation, the largest in Africa.

Actually, private American companies are already working here to improve the country's communications system. Northrop Page built the gorund station to tie Sudan into the international satellite communications system, and another American firm, Harris Corp. of Cleveland, has an $18 million contract to provide telephone, telex and television links between Khartoum and the country's 13 provincial capitals.

According to unconfirmed reports here, the United States proved its potential value to Nimeri in the security field when it intercepted a radio message among the conspirators involved in the July coup attempt and warned the president of the trouble that lay ahead shortly before his plane landed at Khartoum airport. He was returning from a visit to the United States and France.

Since the November ruling by Ford, a number of Sudanese have reportedly gone to the United States for security training, although there seems to have been no firm decision taken yet on any specific arms sales. U.S. embassy officials here are extremely reluctant to discuss the whole arms issue, however, apparently because of uncertainty over the new Carter administration's policy toward Sudan and arms sales in general.

Sudanese officials have long expressed to American journalists their desire for a closer relationship with the United States, and their frustrations over the slow progress in American-Sudanese ties. Even now that a breakthrough has apparently come, it is unlikely the United states will have a full-scale AID program before the 1979 fiscal year because of the cumbersome bureaucratic procedures involved in launching it.

AID Director Frederick Machmer said he is planning projects in the areas of road building, agriculture extension, manpower development and health. But all await approval from Washington, and the final shape of the program is still uncertain. Thus, it seems likely that U.S. military assistance will precede any economic aid to the country.

The big spur to improve American-Sudanese relations came last June, when President Nimeri made a 20-day visit to the United States.Significantly, his trip was made after first consulting with King Khalid of Saudi Arabia and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt, whose governments are believed to have encouraged the whole reconciliation process between Khartoum and Washington.

During his stay, Nimeri met not only with President Ford, but with a wide range of Pentagon, congressional, World Bank and private business leaders. He reportedly made an extremely effective sales pitch on behalf of Sudan, stressing its strategic importance and its enormous economic potential.

As a result of his personal diplomacy and also of the growing attraction of Sudan as a long-term investment market, American firms, particularily agribusiness concerns, are showing considerable interest.

Nimeri has established a special inter-ministerial committee to foster Sudanes-American relations, especially the expansion of the technical and economic cooperation. It is headed by Mansour Khalid, the former foreign minister and now special adviser to the President on foreign policy matters.

One of the main aims of the special committee is reportedly to help American investors overcome the voluminous government red tape and execute their projects with a minimum of delay. Dealing with the local bureaucracy is still a major obstacle for investors.

But with Sudan embarking on a $6.5 billion six-year development plan, and the Arab nations planning to invest $5.7 billion over the next 10 years, business prospects are regarded as excellent by Western economists and businessmen here.

Among American companies already working in Sudan or scouting investments here are Allis Chalmers Corp., Chevron Corp. and American Pacific International INc. which are exploring for oil in the Red Sea and central Sudan; two Honolulu-based agribusinesses. Alexander and Baldwin, Inc., and Hawaiian Agronomics, plus King Ranch Inc. Tenneco. Inc. Bechtel-McLaughlin, Inc. Mack Truck Inc. Ford, Hilton Hotels Corp. whose new Nile Hotel opens here in March, Sheraton Corp. of America and Holiday Inn, Inc. and Northrop Page and Harris in the communications field.


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John Brizendine, president of the company that builds DC10 jumbo jets, told Congress yesterday that properly maintained, properly inspected DC10s are safe airplanes and that the grounded U.S. fleet should be permitted to return to service.

However, Brizendine and other officials of the Douglas Aircraft Co. division of McDonnell Douglas said they did not know why an engine and its support pylon came off the left wing of the DC10 that crashed in Chicago May 25 and killed 273 people.

Rep. Allen E. Ertel (D-Pa) said, "I'm amazed at your conclusion [that the DC10s should be returned to service]. It doesn't make sense."

Brizendine said the crashed DC10 was carrying an "injured" part in the pylon assembly - a fact investigators have confirmed. "I know a healthy part will not fail," Brizendine said.

"We also know," Ertel shot back, "that if one of the healthy parts fails, the fail-safe system does not work." Brizendine and his colleagues had spent hours of testimony before two subcommittees of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee explaining that if one part of the DC10 engine pylon assembly failed, another was supposed to take up the slack.

At one point Brizendine said, "The fail-safe requirement says that another part must carry the load. It doesn't say for how long."

Representatives of airlines that own DC10s and the pilots who want to fly them were dismayed by the McDonnell Douglas performance in the second day of hearings by the committee. Several agreed, after being granted anonymity, that it would be harder than ever to get the DC10s off the ground as a result of the hearing.

Federal Aviation Administration chief Langhorne M. Bond grounded the three-engine wide-bodied jet June 6 after a series of inspections discovered cracks in the aft pylon bulkhead - one of the parts that is known to have failed in the Chicago crash.

Bond said maintenance procedures of the various airlines and a "possible design problem" forced him to take the extraordinary action.

Brizendine said tests and inspections conducted on DC10s around the world have "not revealed to us any reason to doubt the DC10s design or its continued ability to perform."

The hearing yesterday also produced evidence supporting American Airlines' position that its maintenance procedure on the DC10 engine and pylon was at least tacitly approved by McDonnell Douglas. That procedure has been blamed by the National Transportation Safety Board for having caused a 10 1/2-inch crack in a flange of the aft pylon bulkhead in the plance that crashed, American Airlines Flight 191.

A document Brizendine supplied the committee at Ertel's request showed that in 1977 American Airlines asked McDonnell Douglas for specific technical data to assist American in dropping the engine and pylon "as a single unit package."

An accompanying document shows that McDonnell Douglas provided the data without comment on the proposed procedure.

Brizendine testified that McDonnell Douglas had recommended against the procedure, but had done so orally, not in writing. The McDonnell Douglas maintenance manual recommends separate removal and replacement of the engine and pylon.

The safety board has found that when the engine and pylon are removed and replaced as a single unit, damage to the pylon flange is more likely to occur. The FAA has outlawed the single-unit procedure since the crash.

After Bond grounded the DC10s, McDonnell Douglas issued a statement saying that cracks had been found only in pylons that were removed and replaced "contrary to the recommended procedures."

McDonnell Douglas first knew that damage to the pylon could occur, according to testimony, when Continental Airlines cracked a pylon, informed McDonnell Douglas and asked for advice on repairing it.

McDonnell Douglas reported that incident to other DC10 operators in an "operational occurrences report" dated Jan. 5. A copy of the report, made available to the committee yesterday, shows that the pylon damage was the last "operational occurrence" listed in two pages of such events. It followed a complaint from a flight attendant that she had suffered a fractured big toe on her right foot when it was caught under a cart in the DC10 cabin.

"I don't know that we attached a great deal of significance at the time to what the method of hndling the engine and pylon was," Brizendine said. CAPTION: Picture, Douglas Aircraft President John Brizendine: "I know a healthy part will not fail." by James K. W. Atherton - The Washington Post


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Former president Jimmy Carter told Princeton University upperclassmen at a private meeting today that he was not as "effective" in the White House as he wanted to be and "might have been more forceful" with Iran, the students said.

Carter also told the invitation-only group that "the American press to some extent hampered his ability to act," according to Steve Yelenoski. The senior from Houston said the former president claimed the media "deliberately distorted information and didn't check out all the facts."

Carter also said "he might have been more forceful in dealing with Iran," according to Yelenoski.

He also admitted "he wasn't as effective as a president as he could have been," said David Huebner, a junior from Pennsylvania.

Carter's remarks came during a question-and-answer session iwth upperclassmen studying the American presidency at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

He is spending time on the Ivy League campus seeking advice of scholars in preparing his memoirs.

Carter "doesn't want to write a history of his presidency . . . but wants to write about problems in getting his program approved," Huebner said.

Carter's only reference to his successor was that he "was gratified to read today that Ronald Reagan is having some difficulties with Congress," Yelenoski said.

Carter later told reporters he would "like to see Reagan succeed."

Doing some reflecting of his own in Los Angeles today, former vice president Walter F. Mondale said the humiliation of the Iranian crisis and the letdown of the failed hostage rescue mission were major factors in Reagan's victory.

Mondale said that after the rescue attempt "Americans said, 'What has happened to our country?' That, plus the constant humiliation that was also heaped on the American people," combined to help defeat the Democratic ticket.

Mondale said he would not second-guess decisions made in the White House during the Iranian crisis.


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Real estate agents traditionally have been happy to refer clients to a range of services related to putting people into a new home--everything from suggesting home-inspection and title companies to recommending painters and carpenters. Now many real estate firms are formalizing those recommendations and expanding them to more nontraditional services, including energy providers.

Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. and Pepco Energy Services Inc. announced last week that they were partnering to allow the realty agency's customers to shop for electricity and natural gas, as well as for service contracts for heating and cooling systems and major appliances.

The announcement reflects two trends. One is the effort by real estate sales forces to appeal to time-constrained home buyers. That was the thinking that led Coldwell Banker last year to introduce its "concierge" service to help make moving into a new home easier. Long & Foster Real Estate Inc.'s new "Home Advantage" program offers new-homeowner services along the same lines.

The other trend is the growing competition in the $400 billion utility industry that is transforming it from a system of geographic monopolies into a nationwide market where companies will compete in different segments of the market for electricity and natural gas.

About two dozen states allow customers to choose among electricity and natural gas providers, while old-line utilities are looking to compete in segments of what was once an integrated manufacturing, transmission and distribution business.

Potomac Electric Power Co. is in the process of selling its power plants and has said it plans to emphasize retailing energy and related services such as cable television in the future. Its unregulated subsidiary, Pepco Energy Services, offers products ranging from electricity and natural gas to helping large customers save money by reconfiguring their heating and lighting systems.

Long & Foster said it will expand its Home Advantage program to include Pepco Energy Services' residential-customer offerings, steering clients to the subsidiary for products and also providing program-member discounts.


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The Kerguelen Islands are at the end of the world. They're in the southern Indian Ocean, halfway between Madagascar and Antarctica. A few dozen researchers inhabit a lonely field station. There's no airstrip. The boat trip from Reunion Island takes 15 days. The climate is harsh, and few plants thrive in the rocky, windswept landscape.

What the place does have, in problematic abundance, is rabbits.

The rabbits, like the human residents, are not native to the islands, which are territories of France. They came in 1874, brought to the Kerguelens by scientists who picked the remote archipelago as a perfect place to observe the transit of the planet Venus as it passed in front of the sun. They stocked an observatory on the 93-mile-wide main island, Grande Terre, with five rabbits as a potential future food source.

When the researchers left, the rabbits stayed, and did what rabbits do, and eventually there were many rabbits and no native predators to keep them in check. And then everything went ecologically haywire — rapidly.

That's the conclusion of a report published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, based on sediment cores from a small lake in the central plateau of Grande Terre. The scientists who examined the cores were interested not just in the Kerguelen Islands but in the deeper question of how invasive species change ecosystems. The Kerguelens are a like a natural laboratory, about as far from human civilization as anyone can get, with only a couple of dozen native plants and not a lot of wildlife other than birds and seals.

From the sediment cores, the scientists were able to extract DNA and put together a timeline of what lived on the island over the course of many hundreds of years. The genetic data showed that the central plateau of Grande Terre had a stable ecosystem, dominated by a cushion-shaped plant called Azorella selago, until about 1940. That's when the rabbits reached that part of the main island. When the rabbit DNA appears in the sediment cores, the diversity of native plants suddenly drops off. Erosion increased dramatically.

“The big lesson is that sometimes we can have a strong human impact even in places that are very, very isolated,” said G. Francesco Ficetola, a University of Milan biologist and the lead author of the study.

Another takeaway: The soil erosion that increased when the rabbits started burrowing around eventually leveled off. But the overall ecosystem isn't stable. An effort by the French in the 1950s to introduce a disease to kill off rabbits was only partially successful. Other invasive species have also showed up, including dandelions.

“The system is not in a phase of resilience. There is no capacity (at least as long as rabbit populations are what they are) to return to an initial state,” said soil scientist Jérôme Poulenard of the University Savoie Mont Blanc in an email to The Washington Post.

It goes without saying that this research required a great deal of time and effort, starting with the long journey to the middle of nowhere. One boat, the Marion Dufresne, travels four times a year to the Kerguelens from Reunion, bringing along supplies, including food and wine (“We are still in France,” Poulenard noted). The scientists were dropped off Nov. 19, 2014, and picked up exactly a month later.

“On your way the sea turns from deep blue under the tropics to metal grey in the roaring 40th [latitude south]. Arriving in the screaming 50th, passing Crozet Archipelago, you're in the Great South with breaking giant waves and an army of large southern birds following the boat — giant petrels, albatrosses, etc.," reports Poulenard's colleague, sedimentologist Fabien Arnaud, in an email to The Post.

The scientists set up operations on an abandoned fish farm between a large lake and fjord. The wind impeded efforts and at one point capsized a platform that had been used for taking sediment cores from the large lake. The team then switched to a smaller lake that required several hours of backpacking each way. They found themselves in a majestic landscape that was utterly pristine — except for the rabbits. The hike took them through a dusty, pebble-strewn plain that had no vegetation at all and which they nicknamed Mars.

Arnaud said he and three other researchers are going back to the Kerguelens later this year to visit an even more remote part of Grande Terre, where there are no animals or plants at all.

Ficetola said that further invasions of alien species, in combination with climate change, will ensure that the history of ecological transformations on the Kerguelens is not over. And he draws a bigger lesson that applies to the whole planet: When the invaders arrive, things can go south quickly. That suggests that stewards of the environment need to have rapid-response teams when confronted with invasive species.

“Our research shows that we absolutely have to act immediately,” Ficetola said. “There is no lag time between the arrival of these invasives and the impact.”

Rabbits on Grande Terre in the Kerguelen Islands. (Jérôme Poulenard /PALAS IPEV /CNRS, University Savoie Mont Blanc, University Grenoble-Alpes, University of Bergen)

A lake on Grande Terre in the Kerguelen Islands. (Eivind Storen/French Polar Institute/National Center for Scientific Research/University Savoie Mont Blanc, University Grenoble-Alpes, University of Bergen)

Read more:

One man's pet, another's invasive species

Nature's hostile takeover

The dirty dozen: 12 of the most destructive invasive animals in the U.S.

Plastic junk brought invasive species to the U.S. after 2011 tsunami

Invasive insects are ravaging U.S. forests


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Club News

Foster makes 'big step'

22 November 2013

And Clarke refuses to rule Sinclair out of derby action

STEVE Clarke has revealed Ben Foster has today taken a ‘big step’ forward in his recovery from his foot injury.

The Baggies boss also confirmed Nicolas Anelka is fit for Monday’s derby with Villa (ko 8pm) after missing the 2-2 draw at Chelsea a fortnight ago due to a groin problem, while Billy Jones (hamstring) will not be available for selection.

But Clarke refused to rule out a possible return to his matchday squad for Scott Sinclair, who is back in training following a hamstring injury.

Foster has been sidelined for almost 13 weeks after limping off in the goalless draw at Everton and Clarke is delighted with his progress.

“He’s improving – I won’t put a timescale on it but he's not too far away now,” said the Albion boss.

“But today for the first time he put his boots back on, he was out on the grass and did some easy handling.

“That’s a big step forward for Ben, which is good news for Ben and everybody.

"The only ones that didn't train with the squad today were Ben and Billy Jones.

"Nico is training well and looking forward to the game on Monday night.

"I won't rule Scott out yet - we've still got two days until the game."

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Web Hosting

Internet Marketing Basics for Small Businesses

Internet Marketing for Small BusinessesI’ve been lucky enough to pick up two new contracts recently for web design services for small companies in a totally non web-related industry.

And, in both cases, the current providers have been giving a poor service.

Understandably, their customers (my new customers) are totally unfamiliar with the web and the basics of promoting a business online.

But sadly, instead of providing support and guidance, and being open and transparent with what they’re doing, the service providers in question have been doing the opposite.

So for small businesses who are thinking of marketing online, here are some basics which it’s well worth getting your head around.

Take the time to understand these things, at least at an elementary level, so you can ask the right questions of your service providers.

You need to know enough to know when you’re being taken for a ride.

Basic Elements for Small Businesses Operating a Website

A website designer/builder

You’ll need a website – your online shop window. Find someone who offers W3C compliant sites (the World Wide Web Consortium – the body that sets the standards for the web) to design and build it.

They should be able to show you a W3C badge on their site as proof.

Avoid people who use Flash heavily. Flash, while capable of producing beautiful looking sites, is not good for the search engines because they can’t read it.

And if the search engines can’t read your site you won’t do well in the natural search results.

For a small business, with a new site, you need to be able to do as well as you can in the search results, as early as you can.

Make sure you get some sort of service level commitment out of them.

As a starter, I offer simple SLA’s to my new customers. These relate to the time I’ll take to get new updates published, but you can ask for any SLA you like depending on your needs.

A domain name

This is your address on the web, like www.google.com. It will probably cost you somewhere between US$7 and US$15 a year, depending on whether it ends in .com, or something else.

Ideally it should be your company name or it should be based on a keyword relating to your business.

This refers to the server that contains (hosts) your website code and makes it available to people searching the web.

It will cost you anywhere from nothing (free) to around US$20 a month. You can get some really good deals (quality hosting at a good price) at around US$10 a month.

Free hosting should definitely be avoided if you’re promoting a business.

Does the person who’s going to build your website understand Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)?

Make sure they not only understand it, but they can describe it to you in a way that you can understand.

(SEO is a bunch of best practices for getting your website to feature well in the search results).

They don’t need to be SEO wizards, but they do need to understand it well enough that they can describe it to you in clear, simple language and set up your site properly.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions to clarify anything. The bullshit-baffles-brains approach is used frequently – don’t be intimidated by it!

Build from scratch or on a platform

Find out whether they plan on building your site from scratch or on a platform (like WordPress, Joomla or Drupal).

Building it on a platform is good because that means you generally only need to worry about the styling, but make sure it’s not proprietary.

If it’s a proprietary platform you risk being locked in because other potential service providers won’t know how to, or won’t be able to access it.

Make sure you’re happy with the styling before handing over the final payment.

PPC: Pay Per Click advertising

If you look to the right or top of the results page next time you type a search into Google or Yahoo you’ll see some entries under the heading ‘Sponsored Results’.

These are Pay Per Click ads.

As an advertiser, you pay each time a searcher clicks on your ad and gets directed through to your website.

PPC can bring you quick returns but it can be expensive. Extremely expensive, if it’s not set up right.

So be sure to get someone who understands about relevance, targetting and quality scores in Pay Per Click advertising to set it up for you.

And make sure that, if they talk about Search Engine Optimisation, they’re not trying to persuade you that being top of the Sponsored Results indicates good SEO.

It doesn’t.

Social Media

This is about promoting your site through places like Facebook and Twitter. It can also involve you setting up a blog on (or linked to) your website.

When it’s working well, Social Media is a highly cost effective alternative to PPC but it takes time before you see results. It also takes time (every day) to keep your blog, Twitter, Facebook and other accounts regularly updated.

A social media campaign is a lot of work if you want to make it successful.

A good, balanced promotion campaign for a new website should contain both PPC (or other paid channels) and Social Media elements – make sure the company you’re talking to understands this and offers it.

This is when someone accesses your site illegally and adds spam code to it. If this happens the search engines will find out very quickly and your site will be removed from their indices. This will, literally, trash your visitor traffic.

Make sure you have backup copies of your entire site stored locally (on your PC) because the best (and often the quickest) solution when you’ve been hacked is to delete your entire site from the server and re-upload it.

Make sure you keep your PC clean and free of viruses. A keylogger inserted onto your PC can capture your FTP login details and transmit them to the person who inserted it.

That will enable them to get access to your site code and do bad things.

As with any data, you should always have a recent back up copy – an exact copy of the data on your site.

Make sure you understand (and are happy with) the backup routines in place through your hosting company or the person setting up your site.

Create your own back ups if you’re not sure.

If you’re a small business considering advertising online for the first time, those are some of the primary things you’ll need to think about.

You should also ask your service provider (website designer/builder, Marketing guru, etc) to explain anything you’re not clear on.

Make sure you cover them all with whoever you hire to set up your site so that you understand what you’re paying for, and you pay for what you’re getting.

Like I said at the start: you need to know enough to know when you’re being ripped off.

If you don’t want to take that level of interest in your online marketing you probably shouldn’t start in the first place.

Martin Malden

Web Hosting


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 Business to Business Web Design | B2B Website Design | Weblinx
Weblinx, Incorporated

Business to Business Web Design

Promoting your business to another business calls for a perfect balance of creativity and professional polish. When you reflect on your current marketing, what jumps out at you? How well does your brand separate you from competitors with non-distinct images?

Weblinx, Inc. specializes in web designs and online strategies for business to business marketing. We offer you the designers, writers and consultants who can help distinguish your brand and draw more customers to your B2B solution. Call 630-551-0334 x1 and tell us about your B2B web design goals.

B2B Web Design Examples

  • Wordpress Web Design

    Visit Site

    A full-service electrical construction and engineering firm with offices in Chicago, New York and New Jersey.

    Features: Responsive Web Design

  • Food Services Web Design

    Chicago Meat Authority

    Visit Site

    Chicago Meat Authority employs almost 400 people on three shifts and is headquartered in the historic Chicago Stockyards. This website won a Gold Davey Award in 2015 from the Academy of of Interactive and Visual Arts.

    Features: Award Winning Design, Responsive Web Design, Wordpress CMS

  • Business Services Web Design

    PhotoFax® Inc.

    Visit Site

    PhotoFax®, Inc. is a nationally recognized leader in surveillance, remote surveillance, and investigative services.

    Features: Responsive Web Design

  • b2b web design

    WebRocket Video

    Visit Site

    Web Rocket Video creates multi-purpose, network-quality web videos for telling the compelling stories that market your business and speed up your sales. We also fully optimize your video so your audience will find you.

    Features: Web Design

  • B2B Website

    Natural Direct LLC.

    Visit Site

    Natural Direct delivers products from 31 local producers to more than 300 Chicagoland locations. They work as partners with family farms and small producers to provide local communities with the Midwest’s healthiest and highest-quality foods.

    Features: Responsive Web Design, Wordpress

  • B2B Website Design

    Dial Tool Industries

    Visit Site

    Dial Tool Industries is a full service provider in the manufacturing industry, including metal stampings, injection and insert molding, and assembly.

    Features: Responsive Web Design

  • B2B Websites

    Cast Products, Inc.

    Visit Site

    CPI is a leader in North American casting innovation. They provide high quality sand castings at competitive prices and lead times.

    Features: Responsive Web Design, Wordpress

  • b2b website design

    Visit Site

    Searchworks succeeds in attracting and securing the highest level of talent for the uniquely challenging and significant positions.

    Features: Responsive Web Design

Business to Business Websites

In the world of web design and digital marketing, Business to Business (B2B) websites are a fun and unique challenge. The products and services tend to be bigger and match up to a very specific kind of customer. That means it's crucial to get the design and messaging elements just right.

To give you a sense of what we mean - and how it can make or break your Internet marketing campaigns - here are four things that make a B2B website stand out:

#1: Detailed Product or Service Pages

There tends to be a lot of research in B2B selling situations. An interested customer might take days, weeks, or even months looking at your website before they ever call... or follow up on a salesperson's visit. Make it easy for them to find what they're looking for by having lots of information on your product and service pages.

#2: Layered Content on Every Page

You probably have two B2B decision-makers: the person who investigates your products and services, and the one who approves the purchase or writes the check. Make sure you have high-level information and summaries at the top of every page (for the ultimate decision-makers), while still giving details to the men and women doing the homework.

#3: Downloadable Brochures and Manuals

Having downloadable brochures, case studies, and manuals is a great idea. That's partly so customers can look through solutions on their own, but also because it gives your sales and customer service staff and easy set of resources they can point to.

#4: Detailed Contact Information

Somewhere in your website should be detailed contact information for your sales, customer service, and billing department. Additionally, you might want to include a mailing address and human resources links, since posting these will cut down on unnecessary phone calls.

When you need a leading business to business web design team, call Weblinx at 630-551-0334 x1 for a free consultation.

Select Your Industry


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Robot Party Dessert Paper Plates

3 assorted robots: orange, green and red Paper. 8 per set 7" At We Bring the Party we strive to provide you with everything you need for your event from unique handmade items and coordinating disposable tableware to creative party activities and thoughtful party favors. If you don't see what you're looking for send us a quick note, we're always looking for new items to make your party stand out! We Bring the Party you supply the guests........we supply the rest!

$ 3.50

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Product code : W3622

Wooden Hand painted Dry Fruit Box 7 inch - W3622

Get 5% OFF Orders above $100
Get 10% OFF Orders above $200

Dimension :  Length - 7 inch ; Height - 2.8 inch
Weight :  450 grams
Minimum Order Quantity :  5
Dispatched between Aug 27, 2018 to Sep 02, 2018

If you're planning for an artistic return gift, this hand painted wooden dry fruit box will do the magic for you! Beautifully painted designs by the artisans using perfect and bright colours makes this piece a memorable as well as unique return gift.

And if you're an art lover, order this lovely box and gift your guests and loved ones with some dry fruits! Why wait? Order your gifts now!


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Product code : W0637

Minakari Plate 10 inch Special

Get 5% OFF Orders above $100
Get 10% OFF Orders above $200

Dimension :  Diameter: 10 inch
Weight :  260 grams
Minimum Order Quantity :  10
Dispatched between Aug 27, 2018 to Sep 02, 2018

Minakari----is the art of coloring and ornamenting the surface of metals by fusing over it brilliant colors that are decorated in an intricate design. Stainless Steel special round plate with minakari work. The rim of the plate also has a design. Can be used to keep fruits, dryfruits at the time of Wedding. Ideal gift for wedding, house warming and religious occasions. Gift your guests with this thali on your special day, which will be cherished by them forever.
There would be a variation in design, dimensions, and color as all products are handmade.


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Saturday, March 17, 2007

Heavenly planets telling World Cup forecast

Subscribe to Weird India Subscribe to Weird India in MY YAHOO! Subscribe to Weird India in MY GOOGLE! Subscribe to Weird India in MY MSN! Subscribe to Weird India in MY AOL! Subscribe to Weird India in Rojo!

In Cricket-crazy India people are trying everything to know in advance what shall happen in this Cricket World Cup. People in India are praying also in the temples for the Indian Cricket team to win this World Cup. But many Indians are looking skywards to discover if their players are shaping up to bring home the World Cup after the April 28 final.

A popular Indian astrology Web site,, is offering in-depth details on planetary positions on match days and the changing biorhythm circles of each player.

The Web site is named after the elephant-headed Hindu God, Lord Ganesha.

The cricket-frenzy in the country, home to around 1.1 billion people, has been fuelled by a multitude of television channels and media houses who are tracking the action minute by minute.

India, 1983 winners, begin their campaign on Saturday with a Group B match against Bangladesh.

Astrologers, numerologists and tarot card readers are being asked to predict the winner of the World Cup that opened this week, while this Web site attempts the same through a multi-dimensional analysis.

"Ganesha feels that we will have a new world champion this time," was the Web site's forecast.

"If Australia reaches the semi-final as a second or third team they may have better chances to make it to the final," it said of the world champions, who are aiming to become the first team to win a hat-trick of World Cup titles.

"(But) if Australia reaches the final they might not be able to win."

It said astrological aspects favor South Africa, New Zealand and West Indies to take three of the semi-final slots.

Analyzing the astrology profile, biorhythm report and element chart of each member of the 16 participating teams, the Web site predicted that India had an equal chance of qualifying for the fourth semi-final spot along with Australia and Sri Lanka.

"India's fate will heavily depend on the fourth game of the Super Eight matches. Toss will become very important and to chose batting/bowling will have strong impact over the game's outcome," said the Web site which also predicts outcomes of the English Premier League football.

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Every 15th of the month we release a mini-episode dedicated to a travel topic

CHALLENGE - How To Cycle Around The World with Nick Thomson

CHALLENGE - Say Yes More with Dave Cornthwaite

LEARN - How Media Portrays The World, with Indigo Traveller

CHALLENGE - Bucket Lists with Kinging-It

LEARN - What Is The Best Type of Travel Accommodation with Kathrynne Johnson

 🌎 Pho Party Special Vol 2

🌍 Best Places To Drink Around The World With Chris Luecke

🌎 What is the Mongol Rally? With Podcaster Scott Gurian

 🌍 Does Travelling Make You Happy? With Happiness Expert Tracy Richardson

🌎 Pho Party Special 2017!

🌍LEARN - How To Meet Locals While Travelling with Nas Daily

🌎 CHALLENGE - How to Travel on a Budget with The Budgeteers

🌍 LEARN - How To Avoid Travel Scams


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ethical and organic childrens clothingWe offer a wide range of ethical and organic children’s clothing that we’ve created from hand-woven cotton.  Our jeans, jackets, dresses and culottes are made from soft, strong denim and our shirts are made out of organic cotton. Handwoven cotton is naturally more breathable – warmer in winter and cool in summer!

Our ethical children’s clothes come with their story – each garment has a code so the child can explore how it was made, leaning about the farms, the weaving and spinning and getting to know the people involved.

Designing our Ethical and Organic Children’s Clothing

organic children's clothingDesign is key to what we do – our clothing comes with a number of features to help survive a growth spurt – including button elastic waists, long leg jeans, adjustable straps and dresses that convert to tunic tops.  Most of our clothes are unisex too, so you can pass them on to siblings or friends.

As our clothes are so long lasting we now have a few items that have been returned outgrown.  You can take a look and buy these on our Preloved page.  If you have an item that is in good condition that you wish to return then please Contact Us. If we agree to resell your item then you will receive a voucher towards your next purchase!


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Map filter overlay dab1daba5aaaf0a3cc514358c5aac8e5e31ff6f12b8c981524f05b6ef6d8df18
Residential care home

Copwood Respite Unit

  • 6Residents

Local authority

  • Bradford

Who runs this service

  • Lifeways Community Care Limited

Registered manager

Catherine Mageean-Ring

Registered specialist services

  • Mental health issues
  • Physical disabilities
  • Dementia

Latest regulatory ratings

Overall rating: Requires
Is the service safe? Requires
Is the service effective? Good
Is the service caring? Good
Is the service responsive? Good
Is the service well-led? Requires

Email & Print

We always recommend that before selecting or making any important decisions about a care home you take the time to check that it is right for your or your relative's particular circumstances.

Any description and indication of services and facilities on this page have been provided to us by the relevant care home and we cannot take any responsibility for any errors or other inaccuracies. However, please email us on the address you will find on our About us page if you think any of the information on this page is missing and / or incorrect.


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EU Environment Report: February / March 2014 | White & Case LLP International Law Firm, Global Law Practice
EU Environment Report: February / March 2014

EU Environment Report: February / March 2014

In this issue…

Climate Change:
ETS exemption for flights outside Europe rejected by EP Environment Committee

ECHA sends legally binding letters to companies which have registered their substances as intermediates
Member States agree on nine additional substances for REACH authorisation list
Stricter rules on flame retardants, BPA and nickel in toys
Commission proposal to ban triclosan from several products backed by Member States

Car emissions: adaptation of specifications of reference fuels
Emissions limits: adaptation to technical progress
Approval of the light emitting diodes low beam module 'E-Light' as an innovative technology for reducing CO2 emissions from passenger cars
Modalities for reaching the 2020 target to reduce CO2 emissions from new light commercial vehicles

European Commission modifies draft Energy & Environmental State Aid Guidelines

Only 1/3 of Member States have notified their implementation of the WEEE Directive to the Commission

The Months Ahead:
Workshops & Conferences

Click here to download PDF.

This publication is provided for your convenience and does not constitute legal advice. This publication is protected by copyright.
© 2014 White & Case LLP


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Silver Novelties in The Gilded Age: 1870-1910

Silver Novelties in The Gilded Age: 1870-1910

By: Deb Crosby (author)Hardback

Up to 2 WeeksUsually despatched within 2 weeks

This beautiful book showcases hundreds of figural silver items that were used for many purposes during the luxurious Gilded Age. These endearing and sometimes whimsical designs, shown in nearly 600 color photos, include accoutrements for the dining room, the writing desk, the sewing room, the nursery, and much more. Among the items shown and described are spoons, tea balls, napkin rings, inkwells, pens and pencils, matchsafes, cigar cutters, thimbles, chatelaines, belt buckles, and baby rattles. Historical background plus valuable information on manufacturing techniques and marks is also included. With values provided in the captions and an extensive bibliography, this is a wonderful book for new and experienced collectors of figural silver novelties.

About Author

Deborah Crosby teaches art in Westchester County, New York. She previously authored Victorian Pencils: Tools to Jewels* for Schiffer Publishing and is the mother of two daughters.

Product Details

  • ISBN13: 9780764312953
  • Format: Hardback
  • Number Of Pages: 244
  • ID: 9780764312953
  • weight: 1780
  • ISBN10: 0764312952

Delivery Information

  • Saver Delivery: Yes
  • 1st Class Delivery: Yes
  • Courier Delivery: Yes
  • Store Delivery: Yes

Prices are for internet purchases only. Prices and availability in WHSmith Stores may vary significantly


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Legal Proceedings for Non-Attendance

How it works

  • We will write to you to tell you that you may be fined if your child’s attendance does not improve in 15 days
  • If there is no improvement, you will get a £60 Penalty Notice Fine
  • If you don’t pay this within 21 days, the fine increases to £120
  • If you don’t pay the £120 fine within 28 days we can take you to court under the Education Act.

There is no right of appeal against a notice, but you can contact us if you think the notice has been sent to the wrong person, or if you can prove the absence was due to illness.

Defending the charges

If you are taken to court, there are only four reasons that you can defend the charges against you. These are if your child:

  • Is ill or couldn’t go to school due to an emergency
  • Lives over a certain distance and we haven’t been able to help get them into a school nearer to you or help with transport
  • Misses school due to religious reasons
  • Has an authorised absence.

If found you are found guilty

If you are found guilty in court, you may be:

  • Fined up to £2500
  • Sentenced to three months in prison
  • Given a Parenting Order. This involves going to Parent Support sessions for between six and eight weeks.
  • Your child may also be taken to the Family Proceedings Court.

Rate the information on this page

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© Wigan Council


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Classium Classium

Wiliam Case Study

Classium is Australia’s leading aggregator of all things fitness.

Visit website

Digital strategy
Lean UX
Interface design
Platform development

Unless you’re a member of the fitness elite, chances are that you’re one of the many of us that has woken on a Sunday morning, head spinning after a night of rich food, far too many drinks and three Big Macs at 3am.

Only to tell yourself that today is a new start. A new leaf.

No more kebabs and beer. No more lying on the couch on Sunday afternoon. No more Sara Lee on a Tuesday night.

That’s right, you’re going to get fit, once and for all.

You’re going to join a gym. Get down to the park and do some cross-training with a group.

Find a personal trainer. Learn Pilates. Get back into squash.

Fabulous, until you start to think about how you’re going to do it.

Where do you start? How many trainers are in your area and which ones are good? Which classes are at your local park?

Can I just try a yoga session or two?

At which point, dear fatso, it becomes all too hard and you lose all momentum.

And before you know it, you’re in the kitchen grilling a ham and cheese, telling yourself that at least it is breakfast time and you’ll metabolise it quickly.

Fitness is a highly fragmented industry, especially if you want to skip the major gym on the corner. It is almost impossible to know what sports, activities and fitness are happening, let alone where and when.

Which is where Classium summersaults in, as Australia’s preeminent aggregator of all things fitness; classes, venues and instructors; a click your fingers website presenting and dissecting every option available to you.

Whether a one-on-one boot-camp on Manly Beach or martial arts in a gym across town, Classium brings it under one roof, with a powerful search engine showing up-and-coming events, venues and instructor profiles.

Previously used and liked a trainer?

Not only can you rate them, you can see all their classes across town like the fitness groupie you are.

Live on a great beach?

Find out everything happening there for the next seven days.

Classium is a powerful platform for both student and instructor alike, breaking down the traditional barriers and allowing the fatsos amongst us to signup up to a class of trainer with confidence, speed and no barriers…

All before the Sunday morning smells from across the road kick in and the fitness dreams collapse again.

No more excuses people.

Key services provided to Classium

Strategy and Data

Business Analysis
Customer Journey Mapping
Rapid Prototyping
System documentation

Information Architecture
User Research and User Testing
Accessibility Level 1

Unique, scalable, custom architecture
White label solution
Development of extensive web services architecture

Subscription and CRM development
Online brand development
Interface design
User Testing

Project and Account Management

Dedicated Wiliam project team
Ongoing support and monitoring
Close integration with Classium
Co-contribution mode

Connect with us

We deliver our promise to clients through 2 focuses:

Online Success and Project Success. Over 15 years, we have delivered hundreds of substantial and complex projects on time, on budget and to the highest of standards.

Sydney +61 (02) 9978 8888

Level 7, 140 Arthur Street, North Sydney, NSW Australia 2060


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Date Night Appetite, Because Writing & Eating are Fun

Just over a year ago, Rachael and I decided that we’d like to combine our love of escaping the house sans-children with our love of writing. Being fans of fine food and environments that enable us to focus on each other during rare, precious date nights, we thought it might be fun to share our experiences in Asheville with other couples who might be looking for a great spot to escape to, if only for an hour, or if for a whole evening. Plus, it would be a team effort that would allow us to collaborate on something we both love: writing and geeking out.

Thus, Date Night Appetite was born and officially launched back in September. To date, we’ve reviewed four local spots, but we also have some Instagram and Facebook posts to help share smaller delights that we find between date nights.

Check it out, and help add your ratings to what we have posted. And let us know if you have any questions or suggestions!

Why You Should Bring Video Gaming To Your Phone

A lot of people like to sit down with a gamepad and tell the XBOX to turn on, and others like to hit the switch on their computer and head straight to using the AMD graphics card they had specially installed. There’s a lot that goes into gaming, and video games are quite an art form in the modern area. However, they’re getting more and more untraditional due to their unusual medium.

Video gaming serves a variety of purposes in the modern world. A relatively new innovation, roughly beginning in the 80s, it can act as a distraction, a hobby, or a way to bring the family together, amongst other things. With the year almost out, let’s take a look at why bringing video gaming, a traditional stationary activity, to your phone is a great idea, and what the future of gaming can bring to the mobile table.

Because it’s Accessible

There’s a lot of porting going around when it comes to games nowadays, and anytime a triple A studio releases we await multiple console use with bated breath. However, if it doesn’t release well on PC and the like, we tend to forget all about it. That’s where iOS and Android ports come in!

So your favorite game decided to hit a niche market and release an app that either complements the game they already have or is a straight up mobile version. For example, if you like legacy games, you can even download them to your favorite devices and carry them around with you at all times. Head to places like, and then download it and play to your heart’s content! We can’t all afford those portable consoles in the shape of a Nintendo Switch, and you already have plenty of storage laid out in front of you.

In the most physical sense, mobile gaming is one of the easiest interfaces to get on with. If you can’t handle a gamepad, or a keyboard and mouse are a bit difficult to keep up with, having something handheld and available to use with just one set of fingers is incredible. You can also use voice commands because of the inbuilt microphone in all phone models, and accessibility is made more and more common because of these ready features.

Because Mobiles are Gaming Ahead

Sites like have a lot to say about this! The mobile stage can offer a lot. A whole story can be fit into a mobile app, and that only amounts to about $20 when you go to buy it for your device. That’s about half the price you get in the game stores on the ground!

Similarly, the versatility of a mobile game means 3D features can be included in its UI. Your own movement can dictate what an onscreen icon does, and it adds a whole new level of functionality to a gaming experience. On the other hand, minimalist concepts where you only have to use a finger are really brought into their own, as people don’t expect to be able to do much else and thus are not disappointed by a lack of functions.

Creators can show off level design skills and include a great score, and it’s these elements that players pay attention to more than frustration of not being able to bypass a level or remembering everything they have to do.

It Brings People Together

In a survey of over 20 thousand mobile users, across the five player segments, the most cited reason as to why someone played a game was because friends recommended it. This element of interconnectivity cannot be ignored as a result; alongside following the general trends of the web, using personal recommendations is going to find you the most app customers.

If someone likes a game, they’re going to tell people about it, so word of mouth advertising matters more here than anywhere else. So, get your game on someone’s phone to move your idea up and up.

Gamers the world over can share and share alike in the same game in different formats thanks to mobile gaming. The entire globe has mobile phones, and using them to play on is a universal behavior that keeps us occupied and discovering new things. No longer can you focus on just one demographic when you design a game, as everyone you could think of is involved, so pay attention to that if you’re thinking of trying your hand at gaming app development!

Marketing Automation With SendPulse

SendPulse is a popular email service offering a wide range of features. It suits small and medium businesses the best. With the help of this service, you can send email, web push notifications and SMS, or you can use them all together.

Why did I start using SendPulse?

I looked for a service with the lowest prices and the most features available. I noticed SendPulse because they had free pricing plan which could be used by small businesses. Web push notifications are free forever and that is one of the reason that made me choose this service. Having read more about it, I realized that I can use the email sending service for free. They offer 15,000 emails monthly if your mailing list is not more than 2,500 subscribers. So, I started using SendPulse. I applied personalization, segmentation, used ready-made templates and created my own templates with the drag-and-drop editor. After sending every campaign, I monitored its statistics and it helped to optimize my work. A short time afterwards, my target audience grew and I realized that I needed to find ways and methods to automate my business, and I did it.

Why did I upgrade my tariff to a paid one?

When your business grows, you look for ways to automate your work as it is difficult to send personalized, segmented emails with the special offers for every subscriber. Besides, you can’t use email marketing as a tool for your business without triggered and transactional emails. To establish friendly relationships, you should send a welcome-email after the registration. If you’re engaged in e-commerce, you want to segment your subscribers according to their gender, place of residence or preferences. This data can be requested in the welcome email. After a user makes a purchase, a thanks-email is usually sent. You can send special offers and discounts for loyal customers at this time.

For this purpose, SendPulse has recently developed a new functionality – Automation 360.

Automation 360

As written on the site, Automation 360 is a flexible event-based automation flow. To cut a long story short, this functionality allows to perform advanced email marketing strategies in order to maintain relationships with the clients.

This is the interface of new functionality. As you can see, there are 7 elements to work with. With Automation 360, you can create series of messages taking into account different conditions, filters, actions, goals and personal information about your customers. Besides, you can make your communication multichannel by adding web push notifications and SMS to the series.

How do you create an automation?

There are 7 elements to use:

  • Email
  • Web push
  • SMS
  • Filter
  • Condition
  • Action
  • Goal

Let’s take a quick look at each of these elements.

It stands on the 1st place since you will mostly send emails. After dragging it to the working field, specify when it should be sent, create subject-line and template, and attach files if necessary. Then, click “Apply”.

Web push notification

You can send a web push only if a user allowed to receive them from your website. Web push is a good chance to raise conversions or to inform customers about sales, new arrivals, etc. If a user didn’t open your previous email, send them a web push notification. They are supported almost by all browsers and are convenient to get to know about important things.

SMS is another good way of informing people. You can use them to tell your customers about their shipping status, for example. Be sure that you have the phone numbers of all the subscribers.

Filter allows to send personalized and segmented emails according to conditions set. To use it, create and add variable, set condition and its value.
For example, filter your emails by gender. Thus, women and men will get only relevant content. Or, you have special offer for subscribers from different countries, you can also specify it.

Condition shows what happens next after the predefined action, the following actions depend on the condition. You react to these actions by sending emails, for example. It is shown below.

Action is what happens after following the condition or not. For example, if a subscriber didn’t open your email or didn’t follow the link, you can copy them to another mailing list to send a web push notification or a reactivation campaign.

Goal is the place where your series can stop. Set the goal to track the effectiveness of your work. You can either stop the series after reaching it or continue it. For example, if your goal is a purchase, you can send a thanks-email after it.

Automation 360 allows to track the conversions of the whole flow and of particular emails.

It is great functionality that will surely bring benefits to your business. SendPulse constantly develops new features to make email marketing easier and much more pleasant.


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Another award for the C3 Aircross! | Wilmoths Citroen

Another award for the New Citroën C3 Aircross!

Yet again the new Citroën C3 Aircross has been turning heads for all the right reasons and has been named the Best Small Crossover in the UK Car of the Year awards 2018.

The judging panel, which is made up of 27 professional motoring journalists from across the UK, have praised the compact SUV for it's affordability, comfort and unique personality.

The UK Car of the Year Awards are designed to highlight the best new cars on the market available to UK buyers and this title adds another impressive honour to the new Citroën's growing collection.

Tom Ford of BBC's Top Gear magazine said: "Citroën continues to do what it’s good at: funky, interesting little cars that don’t break the bank. New C3 Aircross is brilliant."

Citroën UK Marketing Director Souad Wrixen said: "This is the second prestigious UK title for our compact SUV since its launch less than three months ago, so it is a great achievement for us.

"The future looks bright for this latest addition to the range."

The Citroën C3 Aircross goes on to challenge 13 other vehicles for the UK Car of the Year Award, of which the winner will be announced at the end of February.

Want to know more about the C3 Aircross? Click here to find out, or come and see us for a test-drive.


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Province going public with draft energy plan

The provincial government is preparing to go to Islanders with a draft proposal for an energy strategy that would see the province set a framework for dealing with the challenges of greenhouse reduction targets and skyrocketing fuel costs.

George Webster, minister of environment, energy and forestry, spoke recently to a meeting of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council, telling them the Island is hoping to secure its energy future both by reducing its own energy appetite and by diversifying the sources from which P.E.I. draws its power.

“There is absolutely no question that the most cost-effective way to reduce energy costs is to reduce energy demand through energy efficiency measures,” Webster said in the meeting’s opening speech.

He said the province has finished an energy efficiency potential study and will be looking for input from the public and the business community on ways they’d like to see the province push for greater efficiency.

He said recent studies suggest 90 per cent of Canadian business would like to see government do more to promote energy efficiency and support research on new energy sources.

Webster said both the energy efficiency effort and the options for energy diversification would be dealt with in a new energy efficiency strategy that government hopes to unveil this spring. Consultants MRSB of Charlottetown are working on a draft strategy that should come out in December and government plans to go to Islanders for feedback and advice.

“That public input will be a critical piece,” the minister said. “We want to hear from individual Islanders, from business owners and other interested groups. We will then incorporate that feedback and finalize a new energy strategy by next spring.”

Webster said the province is serious about widening its sources of energy. Fossil fuels now account for 80 per cent of the energy consumed in the province as a whole, a source that becomes less appealing with the cost of crude oil topping $90 a barrel this week.

The last energy strategy for the province was delivered in 2004 by then-minister Jamie Ballem. That document called for greater development of renewable energy sources, including a proposal to encourage rapid expansion of wind energy production. Wind now accounts for some 70 megawatts of electricity capacity, with a further 79 megawatts in the works at Ventus Energy’s wind farm project in West Cape.

By Ron Ryder

The Guardian

13 November 2007

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Panel finishes hearing Crowlands wind farm input

The planning panel for the Crowlands wind farm finished in Beaufort, in central Victoria, yesterday.

During the past two weeks residents have had their say on the project and the independent panel has inspected the site, 25 kilometres north-east of Ararat.

Pacific Hydro’s Andrew Richards says the usual issues were discussed, including visual amenity, job opportunities and the environmental benefits of the project.

Mr Richards says the hearing went well and he is confident the 75-turbine facility will get planning approval.

“We’ve done this quite a few times before, so we’ve got a reasonably good handle on what’s required by the panel,” he said.

“There’s always a few things that they throw up that you need to go and do a little bit more research on, but all our export reports were very, very fulsome and we felt as though we’d not left any stone unturned.”

ABC Ballarat

15 February 2008

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Single mast in new plans for beauty spot

A developer has lodged new plans for a temporary meteorological mast at a Staffordshire beauty spot.

Last October, Claymoss Properties won planning permission for two 60-metre masts at Maer Hills, near Newcastle, following an appeal to the planning inspector.

But now the company says it only needs to put up one such mast, and has sent a new planning application to Newcastle Borough Council.

Claymoss eventually plans to build a wind farm and 800 holiday homes on the site, and the mast will be used to measure wind conditions at the location over a 12-month period.

Campaigners have fought a long-running battle against the scheme, which they believe will destroy an area of natural beauty.

In its application, the developer says the mast will have minimal impact on the area.

Planners will consider the application over the coming weeks.

As the planning committee’s original decision to refuse permission was overturned by the inspector, it seems unlikely the new application will be turned down.

The Sentinel

20 February 2008

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Classica Cast Stone Tabletop Fountain

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Bring an Old World look to any space in your home, outside on a garden wall or on a patio table with this Classica Cast Stone Tabletop Fountain. Water bubbles out of the top of the Grecian-inspired bust, elegantly flows over the statuary and into a sturdy square basin. Made in the USA from cast stone concrete with an aged limestone-colored finish, this handsome stone fountain is an attractive focal point and adds the soothing sound of running water to any setting. Small enough to sit on any table or office desk, this concrete bust fountain is sure to be an eye-catching indoor or outdoor accent. Includes a quiet pump and black electrical cord. If risk of freezing, bring indoors during the winter months.

  • Tabletop Concrete Bust Fountain
  • Cast stone with aged limestone-colored finish
  • Water bubbles from top of Grecian statuary into basin
  • Made in the USA
  • Indoor or outdoor use

11"L x 9"W x 18½"H


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Ask Dr. Vinny

Do you have a question for Dr. Vinny? Ask it here...

Dear Dr. Vinny,

I have a good number of bottles of wine that have been kept in unfavorable conditions and don’t taste at all good. Is there anything I can do to either re-ferment or turn them into Sherry, etc.?

—Derek R., United Kingdom

Dear Derek,

I don’t have good news for you, but perhaps your story will be a good warning lesson to folks who don’t pay much attention to their wine storage. If you’re going to put down bottles for long-term storage, you really should pay attention to how they’re being kept. Ideally, you should keep them at a consistently low temperature, away from light, heat, vibration and temperature fluctuation.

If you have wine that hasn’t been stored well and tastes tired and oxidized, there’s not much you can do to salvage it. You can’t re-ferment it, because the sugar from the grapes has already converted to alcohol. It's not as simple as waving a magic wand and turning it into Sherry, which is a specific type of wine, made from Palomino grapes from the Jerez region of Spain, that often has distilled spirits added to it. Not the same thing as mixing old wine with vodka.

I don’t even recommend trying to cook with wine you wouldn’t drink, or to make vinegar with wine that doesn’t taste good. Nope, I’d just dump it down the sink.

—Dr. Vinny

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New E-Learning Module Launched For Front Line Health Care Professionals

New e-learning module for health-care professionals working in situations of armed conflict and other emergencies.

Geneva (ICRC) – A new e-learning module, specifically designed to help health-care personnel understand the effects of violence on health care, their own rights and responsibilities and ethical dilemmas they may face in armed conflicts and other emergencies, was unveiled by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) today.

“With this module, we aim to reach out to health-care personnel across the globe,” said Bruce Eshaya-Chauvin, medical adviser of the “Health Care in Danger” project. “Anyone connected to internet can use or download the module, which includes interviews with experts in the field, learning activities and other media.”

“Health Care in Danger” is an ICRC-led project of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement aimed at improving the efficiency and delivery of impartial health care in armed conflict and other emergencies. The International Council of Nurses, the World Medical Association, the International Pharmaceutical Federation, and the International Committee on Military Medicine have joined the project to contribute their expertise and to promote its aims among their members.

“This e-learning module is an essential tool bringing clarity to all and will empower physicians worldwide,” said Dr. Xavier Deau, President of the World Medical Association. “It will enable them to understand their rights and responsibilities and ethical obligations in situations of emergency. The WMA warmly welcomes this ICRC initiative.”

The module is intended for all professionals involved in the delivery of health care, whether civilian or military, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, drivers and hospital administrators.

“The e-learning module will be an important tool not only for the health-care personnel of the military health services from all over the world who are confronted daily with these problems in high-risk conflict zones, but also to bring these problems to the attention of military and governmental authorities,” said retired Major General Dr. Roger Van Hoof, secretary-general of the International Committee of Military Medicine.

For Dr. David Benton, chief executive officer of the International Council of Nurses, “this is a timely addition to the extensive resources available, and sadly one that more and more nurses must be familiar with irrespective of whether they are working in high-risk environments, are advocates for change, or educators of next-generation practitioners.”

Mr Luc Besançon, chief executive officer and general secretary of the International Pharmaceutical Federation added: “A number of pharmacists provide much-needed expertise in medicines in difficult situations of emergency or conflict. This e-learning module links with our federation’s work on ethics in this area and we welcome sharing its availability with our members.”

In addition to producing a number of written and audiovisual documents on the issue of violence against patients and health-care workers, the ICRC is working with the partners to elaborate the ethical principles that must serve as a guide for health-care personnel in conflict situations.

To access the e-learning module, please visit the following link:

For further information, please contact:

Anastasia Isyuk, ICRC Geneva, tel: +41 22 730 30 23 or +41 79 251 93 02

Lindsey Williamson, ICN, e-mail:

Nigel Duncan, WMA, + 44 (0) 20 8997 3653 (work)

+ 44 (0) 7984 944 403 (mobile)

Paul Zabouri, e-mail :

Lin-Nam Wang, FIP, tel: +31 70 302 1987

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the largest humanitarian network in the world. Its mission is to alleviate human suffering, protect life and health, and uphold human dignity especially during armed conflicts and other emergencies. It is present in every country and supported by millions of volunteers.

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of more than 130 national nurses associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide. Operated by nurses and leading nursing internationally, ICN works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.

The World Medical Association (WMA) is a global federation of national medical associations, representing the millions of physicians worldwide. Acting on behalf of physicians and patients, the WMA endeavours to achieve the highest possible standards of medical science, education, ethics and health care for all people.

The International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM) is a neutral and impartial intergovernmental organization with 110 member States. The mission of the ICMM is to facilitate the exchange of scientific knowledge and practical experiences between all the health workers of the military health services all over the world, through the organization of world congresses, regional congresses, courses and workshops (law of armed conflict, ethics, etc.) and the publication of a scientific review.

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is the global federation of national associations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, and is in official relations with the World Health Organization. Through its 132 member organizations, it represents over three million practitioners and scientists around the world.

Turkish president urged to end campaign against physicians

A call for the leaders of the Turkish Medical Association (TMA)...

World Medical Association condemns killing of medic

The killing of a medical student in Nicaragua has been condemned...


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This Hungarian Beauty Heir Was Mocked for His Obsession with Grooming, Now He Is Spreading the Gospel of Men's Skincare

Skincare is in Stephen de Heinrich de Omorovicza’s blood. His family, the Omoroviczas, founded the Racz Spa in Budapest in the 19th century. De Heinrich inherited the business and, with his equally chic and beautiful wife, Margaret, turned Omorovicza into one of the most coveted luxury skincare brands in the world today. Despite all that--he's as down to earth as they come. Except when it pertains to his obsession with grooming.

What’s your first grooming memory?
It would be Vichy Basic Homme. The red line. I grew up near Geneva, and the Frenchies were slightly ahead of the Anglo Saxons, in terms of grooming, so we all wore after shave at school. The priest used to go crazy when we’d all walk in in the morning.

When did you start wearing after shave?
Oh god, 13?

What fragrance did you wear?
Drakkar Noir, Polo, of course. Aqua Lavande by Puig. It was a stunning plain old lavender. Then this Vichy Basic Homme. Back then, they had a red line for men. And I can’t believe we all did this. We were teenagers and we wore it all. This special Vichy lotion, then, on top of that, the Drakkar Noir.

So you were layering at a young age?
It’s funny. I went to university in the countryside in the United Kingdom, where you could hardly even find normal food, let alone men’s skin care. In the English countryside, there were two types of soap: you had the Cussons Imperial Leather flat soap, then Pear’s glycerin bar. To this day, when you get out of London, those are the two soaps you’ll find. So, of course, if you come from a land of pampering [like Hungary], you use these soaps and you’re like, “Ouch!” So I sailed in with my Basic Homme and whatever else I had. I think I did do a bit of [Aramis] Lab Series as well. And my classmates would just take the piss out of me. Brits would arrive in my room and say, ‘What are you doing using all these products?” I’d say, “Well, you know what? I don’t want to look like you, so I’m going to carry on doing what I’m doing, thank you very much.” I laid off the aftershave because I reckoned that did piss people off in the UK, so I took a little three-year hiatus, but [still didn't use] the basic lotions. No, no, no.

If we pulled back your shower curtain, what would we find?
A lot of testers. Cleansing foam, actually shower gels and shampoos that we do for hotel amenities. There’s a fantastic brand, Paul Mitchell. He makes great shampoos. Their strengthening one. It’s all about not losing hair. Philip B’s Peppermint & Avocado. It smells fantastic. I spend more on shampoo than most people spend on cars. And I don’t have a car, so that’s where the money goes! And then Omorovicza’s Soothing Shave, always.

What kind of razor?
Basic Gillette. That’s the one thing; I don’t even know if there are fancy ones. Shaving is shaving is shaving. Maybe the blades with the little strip on it because I find without that, it just kills you.

Arm & Hammer.

Me too!
I love products. I’m in the right industry, clearly.

What beauty look on women do you not get?
Tons of makeup during the day. But I never think that it’s aimed at other men, you’re obviously not going to get kissed with all of it on.

What are you currently obsessed with?
The English countryside. We started going there because of the kids and there are so many of them. Recently, we stayed in the middle of Gloucestershire at this really wonderful place. It’s all the traditional stuff—you’ve got animals everywhere, rolling hills, we go shooting. All the stuff you’re not supposed to do: drink a lot, eat a lot.

Are you a healthy eater?
I don’t have a particularly sweet tooth, but I do eat large amounts and I think it’s important that I keep on eating. I eat huge amounts of food. I love the idea of vast amounts of it, so I try to avoid fried foods. Also, there’s this very Germanic system that you eat a big breakfast and lunch but not so much at dinner. And I’m quite good on my vegetables, I must say.

Are you a good cook?
Hopeless. Hopeless in the kitchen. If I’m on my own, I’ll just have steamed vegetables and salad, because I know I can do that. So when [my wife] Margaret’s around, it’s a lot more fun.

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USCCB leaders urge Congress to consider moral criteria in health care debate

Wed, Mar 8th 2017 03:00 pm
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

WASHINGTON, DC - As Congress prepares to discuss possible changes to the Affordable Care Act, the chairmen of four United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committees called on lawmakers to consider important moral criteria, especially pertaining to the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn and those experiencing deep poverty.  The Bishops of the United States have consistently advocated for a health care system in which—as the late Cardinal Francis George used to say—everyone should be cared for and no one should be deliberately killed.

In a letter from March 8, 2017, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, urged Congress:  to respect life by preventing the use of federal funds to facilitate abortion or purchase health care plans that provide abortion; to honor conscience rights; and to ensure access for all people to comprehensive, quality health care that is truly affordable.

The Bishops called on Congress to ensure coverage for those who now rely upon it after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, and expressed concern about any structural changes to the social safety net that could impact access to health care for millions.  Noting that the Catholic Church "provides health care, purchases health care and helps to pick up the pieces for those who fall through the cracks of the health care system when it fails," the bishops urged "a new spirit of cooperation for the sake of the common good" on this vital concern during the debates ahead.

The full letter is available online.

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