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Leading players target English women’s matchplay

India Clyburn

Leading players will head to Holme Hall Golf Club in Lincolnshire next week for the English women’s open match play championship, from 30 June – 2 July.

They include Lincolnshire’s India Clyburn (Image © Leaderboard Photography), who is a past English girls’ champion and has played in winning England teams at the women and girls’ Home Internationals. She’s joined in the field by fellow Woodhall Spa member, Billie-Jo Smith.

This is the first time Holme Hall has hosted a national championship and the club is throwing itself behind the event. Manager Andrew Watson said: “We had the regional women’s county match week recently and that was a real eye-opener.

“The members really enjoyed it and there’s a huge amount of enthusiasm for this championship. I’ve got a long list of volunteers willing to help with everything from ball spotting to scoreboards.”

The heathland course is where Tony Jacklin played his golf as a junior and, says Watson: “It’s the closest I have ever seen to a true inland links course. In the afternoons we get the breeze from the Trent and Humber which can make the back nine a challenge.”

He added: “It’s a second shot course. If you can get your drive in position you have a good chance for a birdie.”

The field includes Cornwall’s Sammie Giles who won this trophy in 2014. She played for England in last year’s winning team at the women’s Home Internationals, alongside another competitor, Sophie Lamb (Clitheroe). English girls’ champion Emily Toy (Carlyon Bay) helped England win the girls’ Home Internationals, while Mimi Rhodes (Burnham & Berrow) has represented England at U16 level.

Players from further afield include Gabrielle MacDonald, who was Scottish amateur champion in 2014, and compatriot Gemma Batty who recently won the Slovenian international.

All competitors play 36 holes on the first day and the top 16 players go forward to the match play stages.

Click here for more details and start times


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Does The Fold Exist in 2016?

Simon Read
By Simon ReadUX Designer
5 minutes to read

"The Fold” is a term co-opted from the days of newspaper layouts, referring to the headlines which were viewable when the paper was folded in half.

In web design 'the fold' means the content that’s viewable without the user having to scroll down to see it - but with myriad devices and screen sizes now available, is this still a relevant concept?

What is 'the fold'?

When creating a newspaper layout the most important and prominent headlines are rightly given priority at the top half of the front page. This ensures that when that morning’s edition was folded and stacked for sale, the most attention-grabbing stories were still visible at a glance to passers-by.

With the early days of web design rooted in print this concept was held onto, with designers, marketers and managers all vying to make sure that every single call-to-action, enquiry form and selling point was pushed right to the top of the page, in fear that the user would not know to scroll down and so would otherwise never see them.

Early web design was a lawless wasteland

What’s wrong with that?

The idea of 'the fold' in web design is based on the out-dated notion that users do not know that they need to scroll down - and if they do, that they’re too lazy to - and so everything important on a page should always be right at the top just to be sure. Whilst there is some truth in the idea that there should be a clear priority of content on a page, the scrolling myth has been debunked numerous times.

In just one example, as part of a 2014 article titled “What You Think You Know About the Web Is Wrong”, web analytics firm Chartbeat crunched the numbers on 1 million visitors to 10 large sites over a 24 hour period and ascertained that “66% of attention on a normal media page is spent below the fold”.

Online customer insights firm ClickTale analysed over 100,000 users of their service and saw that 76% of visitors made full use of their scroll bar, with many scrolling to the very bottom of the page - and this was in 2006. Numerous other surveys from firms such as Neilson and Huge support the argument that the fold is a dated concept.

Everybody scrolls

Does screen size make a difference?

Sure, but not in the way you may think. In those heady early days of web design you could count on one hand the number of common screen sizes, which made designing for the fold pretty straightforward; if it wasn’t in the top ~700 pixels of the page, then it likely wouldn’t fit onto your state-of-the-art 17” CRT screen.

Responsive design - websites that scale and rearrange depending on your screen size and device screen size - blow this concept out of the water. On a large 27” desktop computer screen a site designed with a 700 pixels-high fold in mind would look small and cramped. Conversely, on a mobile phone with a 768 pixels-tall viewing are,a the fold would go beyond the height of the screen.

Forcing the concept of the fold into webdesign in 2016 is tricky at best - with no hard or fast rule for where you should consider a fold to be, potentially sabotaging the usability and effectiveness of your own site for the sake of it.

A sample of just some of the screen sizes visiting our site in June-September 2016. Fancy coming up with one fold for all of these?

OK, so what can I do instead?

Take the time you’d spend making sure all your “key content” is pushed to the very top of every webpage and instead focus on creating a better overall site - one that keeps people reading, scrolling and engaging.

What would we recommend instead?

  1. Creating a clear priority on each page - Take a step back and think about what a user is looking for on each page and make sure it’s designed with that in mind
  2. Improving the usability of your site - Keep call-to-actions clear, make forms easy to complete, pages easy to navigate and content simple to understand
  3. Spending time and budget creating better content - Clear, concise and easy to read content that gives the user a reason to keep scrolling

Forget the fold, focus on a better site instead

What should I not do?

Stick everything at the top of your website and hope for the best.

We love all that networking and connection making, but let’s face it, you can’t beat a good old-fashioned chat over a cuppa. Just give us a call, we’ll put the kettle on.

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Articles by Simon Read

Designer at Enjoy Digital. Interested in web and user interface design, and graphic design both online & offline.

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Pin Busters! D-I-Y Streak-free Window Cleaner

Who hates to wash windows? Me! Me! Me!

I found this recipe for a streak-free, no-dry window cleaner on Pinterest, pinned by Jillee, but it was originally created by Jill over at the creativity, musings & such blog.

According to them, this stuff will clean your windows and once you rinse it off, you just let them air-dry to a streak-free finish. No wiping/drying. It sounded to good to be true, so I had to give it a try. The original recipe made 2 gallons, but I didn't want to make that much, so I cut everything in half.

Here's what I used:

1/4 bottle of Jet Dry dishwasher additive
2 TBSP. isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol
1/8 c. ammonia
1/8 c. powdered dishwasher soap (I used Cascade)
1 gallon of hot water

The directions said to rinse the windows with water, wash with the "miracle" solution, then rinse with water. That's it. No wiping, no squeegeeing - just rinse and walk away.

I attempted to get a good picture of the sliding glass doors in my living room, but it was really difficult to do. Mostly they had some dusty splatters from a recent rain.

I rinsed them with water, then used my handy-dandy window cleaning tool (you fill it with solution, spray it on, then clean with the microfiber pad that is attached) to clean the glass. (There is also a squeegee, but I'm not supposed to need that, right?) Right away, I noticed that there were little white granules all over the window. The Cascade didn't dissolve!!! Ugh. What a mess.

So I rinsed, rinsed, rinsed to get all of the granules off, then let the glass air-dry.

What did it look like once it dried? Well, there were water spots. Not a lot, but more than I want to see on a door that I look through all day long. A few squirts of Windex looks much better than this!

I tried it on the sliding glass doors in the basement and it was even worse. Finally, I just used the solution to clean the glass, rinsed with water, and squeegeed it. That worked much better.

The verdict: Not Pin-worthy IMO. Maybe it would be okay on the windows that are difficult to reach, because glass that's a little cleaner is better than nothing and any water spots would be more difficult to see. But on windows that you can reach easily, I would stick to regular cleaning products or use this one with a squeegee.

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What's New

Connect with Enowa SAP Experts at the SAPPHIRENOW/ASUG Annual Conference

Read More

The Enowa team is back at it again! Enowa SAP Experts will be speaking and meeting with clients/prospects on various topics including S/4 roadmap strategy, HANA migration, Celonis (process mining), RBE Plus/STAR (data mining), Landscape Transformation, Central Finance and SolMan 7.2. Enowa clients will be speaking on the following topics:

Celonis - Unlock Business Process Mysteries in Minutes with the Celonis Bolt-On S/4 Migration - Steps to Define your Journey, Strategy, and Road Map to SAP S/4HANA Adoption Hybris - Making the Transition from SAP Internet Sales to SAP Hybris Commerce to Support B2B Sales HANA Migration - Migration of the SAP System Landscape to SAP HANA

Unable to attend the sessions above? Schedule to meet 1-on-1 with Enowa SAP experts at SAPPHIRENOW/ASUG in Orlando today! Contact us: socialmedia@enowa.com


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AMD Launches Epyc Rome, First 7nm CPU

From a gala event at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco yesterday (Aug. 7), AMD launched its 2nd generation Epyc Rome chips, based on its 7nm process ...Full Article

Intel 7nm GPU on Roadmap for 2021, OneAPI Coming This Year

At Intel’s investor meeting yesterday in Santa Clara, Calif., the company filled in details of its roadmap and product launch plans and sought to allay concerns about delays of ...Full Article

Report: Intel to Build Massive 7nm Plant

Intel is gearing up for a large-scale factory expansion for production of its next-generation 7nm chip, according to published reports, which state that the multi-billion-dollar construction project could begin ...Full Article

Intel 7nm May Arrive Sooner than Expected; Moore’s Law Cadence to Follow?

2018 has been a rough one for Intel, abuse has been heaped on the company for its dilatory delivery of a 10nm process technology – first slated for 2016, ...Full Article
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Turn off the Lights

The Secret Life of Pets Review

"The Secret Life of Pets is a mediocre thrill ride with too many celebrity voices and not enough fun"
The Secret Life of Pets is a new film from Illumination Entertainment, the company who brought you the Despicable Me films and Minions, that is a non-stop ball of energy from beginning to end. The theme of the trailer shows how pets play when the owners go away, but the film itself tells the story of what happens when humans are completely irresponsible with their pets and that story is not quite as fun to watch. Max (Louis C.K.) is terrier who has a great relationship with his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper), and spends his days waiting for her to come home from work. There are a bunch of other pets in the building who he interacts with that include Max’s not so secret admirer Gidget (a cute performance by Jenny Slate), and fat cat Chloe (Lake Bell).  One day, Katie brings home rescue dog Duke (Eric Stonestreet). Not surprisingly, Duke and Max do not hit off, and they immediately begin competing for control of the household. Secret-Life-Pets-Review When Max and Duke are on their daily outing with then dog walker their peeing contest continues, resulting in both Duke and Max losing their collars, and being captured by animal control. It is at this point Max and Duke must find their way back home and learn to work together in the process. From the trailer, the movie seemed like it was going to be about the hi-jinks pets ensue at home on a regular basis when their owners are not around. This is not what this movie is about. This should have been renamed “A Pet’s Guide to Survival in New York” because the main theme is not about cute pets having a fun adventures; it’s about pets avoiding death at every turn while running around unsupervised in New York. As far as the Pets portion of the movie title, the only two pets who have any kind of relationship is Max and Duke, and for most of the movie it’s a bad one.  Max does not seem to like the other pets in the building who risk their lives to save him, and even they have to be reminded by Gidget why they like Max in the first place. 3093221-the-secret-life-of-pets-3 There are also a ton of extra characters (aka celebrity voices). One is a rabbit named Snowball (voiced by a loud Kevin Hart) who attempts to torture the dogs and follow them to Brooklyn when they get away. Another is a hawk named Tiberius (Albert Brooks) who Gidget enlists as a resource to help find Max. Neither one of these characters, along with a couple of others, are necessary to further the plot and quite frankly not funny. The highlight of this movie for me was Jenny Slate’s performance as Gidget. Gidget actually has a purpose and she went into action. Unlike some of the other characters it actually seemed like Jenny Slate was performing, not making it aware that her voice is featured in this movie. Kids will be happy with The Secret Life of Pets. Its energetic, the pets are well animated, and there are enough slapstick moments to keep them satisfied. But unlike recent outings such as Zootopia, its going to have a little trouble impressing the adults. Unfortunately for The Secret Life of Pets, the pets become secondary characters in their own movie.
  • Cute Performance from Jenny Slate
  • Some funny moments
  • Too many characters/celebrity voices
  • Confusing Plot
  • Characters aren't very funny

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Sonic Touts Signature Product Growth Strategy

1 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Oklahoma City--Will customers crave a pancake wrapped around a sausage link on a stick, followed by a banana cream pie shake to wash it all down? Whether that quirky combination appeals to all customers of Sonic Drive-In may not be an issue. The operator and franchisor of about 2,500 restaurants wants any consumers--many, it hopes--to indulge whatever their offbeat fast-food fantasies may be, as long as they do that at a Sonic Drive-In. Development of such signature items enables Sonic and other restaurant chains to gain increasing brand recognition in the restaurant sector. -Nation's Restaurant News

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Starting a Homebased Business as a Teen

Entrepreneurs under the age of 18 have special legal issues to consider.
4 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Here are a few issues to be aware of if you're a teen starting a business:

Forming the business: People under age 18 cannot form legal business entities, and their parents should do so on their behalf. In some states, a child may be able to be a shareholder or serve on the board of directors of the corporation. But because this varies by state, you and your parents should consult with an attorney in your state to find out which rules apply there. In certain situations--such as when a child wishes no longer to be supported and legally dependent on his or her parents--a court will declare the minor emancipated, appoint a guardian for the child and allow the guardian to work separately with the child for business matters. Also, because the choice of legal entity (corporation, LLC, partnership and so on) will affect your parents and not you (assuming you are a taxable dependent of your parents and not emancipated), your parents should consult with a certified public accountant.

Contracts: In some states, minors may "disaffirm" the contracts they sign, particularly regarding a business. In other words, the other party can't always force you to uphold your end of the contract. Thus, in most cases, a parent who is an authorized signer for the business should execute contracts.

Torts: Parents are generally responsible for the actions of their children. If a child is negligent in performing an action, such as by damaging another person or property, the parents can be liable. This is under the legal theory of "vicarious liability," which means that the person in control is liable for the actions of the person he's in charge of. This same theory applies to employers and employee acts during employment. Thus, in running the business, if a child does something negligent, the parent are responsible.

Employment: In most states, special laws apply to employing children, so be sure to consult with an attorney regarding those applicable in your state.

Where you run the business: Where businesses can be located is determined by city and state regulations. Generally, there are restrictions on whether or not you can run a business from your home, depending on the type of business, whether or not customers visit you there and other matters. You will need to get a local license to do business; an attorney can help you with that as well as give you information about what kind of businesses are permitted in your area. The main point of these laws is to be sure that the traffic, noise and other factors created by businesses do not negatively affect the quiet and other characteristics of residential areas. If your parents do run the business from your home, they may be able to deduct some of your rent payment, so they should ask the accountant they consult about this.

Note: The information in this column is provided by the author, not All answers are general in nature, not legal advice and not warranted or guaranteed. Readers are cautioned not to rely on this information. Because laws change over time and in different jurisdictions, it is imperative that you consult an attorney in your area regarding legal matters and an accountant regarding tax matters.

Judith A. Silver, Esq., is the CEO and founder of Silver Law Inc., a technology and business law practice, and Coollawyer Inc., a legal publishing company on the Web. Prior to starting her companies, she served as in-house counsel at Adobe Systems and Sabre/ She holds a bachelor's degree cum laude from Cornell University and her juris doctorate from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in San Francisco.

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How to Get Into First Class

Find out how you can move to the head of the class--for less--on your next flight.
2 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Every business traveler wants to sit in a big seat at the front of the plane, but getting an upgrade these days is increasingly difficult. I caught up with Matthew Bennett, who runs upgrade advice site, for tips on how you can sit in first or business class without breaking your travel budget.

  • Get What You Ask For. With so many new, low, domestic first-class fares in the marketplace, always ask for the lowest heavily discounted first-class fares before upgrading with miles. For example, if you call Delta Air Lines to use your miles to upgrade from Los Angeles to Atlanta, they'll tell you the lowest upgradeable economy fare is $958 round trip, plus 30,000 hard-earned miles. But ask for the lowest heavily discounted first-class fare, and you'll be quoted $722 round trip--no miles required!
  • Combine Business and Pleasure. You can usually add a few vacation days in exotic places like Hawaii, Mexico or the Caribbean for little or no extra money. For instance, these days you can pay as little as $1,100 for a first-class trip between Boston and Los Angeles. Book Boston to Los Angeles to Honolulu to Boston, and the cost is only about $200 more. In effect, this gives you an incredibly cheap first-class ticket to Honolulu--and a nice mini-vacation to tack on to your business trip to Los Angeles.
  • Asian Sojourn? Check out Asiana and Malaysia Airlines, which offer free upgrades to those paying full-economy fares. There's nothing better than getting a deal on a business-class seat (for a good night's sleep) on those 12- to 15-hour slogs across the Pacific.
  • Get a Better Coach Seat. For about $500 more than a normal coach ticket, international long-haul carriers like ANA, British Airways, EVA, Singapore and Virgin Atlantic offer premium economy seats, which are wider and spaced a bit farther apart than those in the standard coach section.

Chris McGinnis is author The Unofficial Business Travelers' Pocket Guide.

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Count Arthur Strong

This event has been and gone.

Is There Anybody Out There?

As well as being the all round entertainer we all know and love from the telly, Count Arthur Strong is also a lifelong fan of astronomy, since having been given a microscope, or whatever it is they use, for Christmas when he was a small precocious baby. In fact it’s said the first word he spoke was ‘Uranus’. In this, his brand new show, he seamlessly combines the very best showbiz entertainment you’ll currently find, in the world, possibly? as he wrestles with some of the big questions that other all round entertainers shy away from.

Such as:
Are we alone in the universe?
Is there life on Mars bars?
2lbs of potatoes.
Packet of ginger nuts.
Don’t lose this shopping list.

Arthur says: 'Do not miss this not to be missed type of thing! If I wasn’t in the show I’d definitely be in the audience watching myself intently. Laughing and learning in equal measure. Thoroughly happy to pay the admission fee and definitely not asking for a refund. Also not rustling sweet wrappers and fiddling with my sodding telephone with a gormless expression on my face. See you there!'

Count Arthur Strong

Count Arthur Strong appearing at this event

This poor misguided fool is possibly the funniest, most pathetic character since that hapless reject, Alan Partridge disgraced our screens. Then again, maybe funnier. Steve Delaney first created the character that would go on to become Count Arthur Strong whilst studying at the Central School of Speech and Drama in the 1980’s. In the 90’s he resurrected the character for an outing on the comedy circuit at the King’s Head, Crouch End and on the following day retired from acting to focus his career on Arthur. Arthur’s first outing at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1997 saw Delaney win a commendation from the Perrier Panel and the character quickly attracted a cult following. In 2002 Count Arthur Strong returned to Edinburgh with Komedia Entertainment and then entered an intensive period of production, with five Edinburgh Fringe runs and eleven national tours. This ranged from 2002’s ‘Forgotten Egypt!’ to 2017’s ‘Sound of Mucus’ national tour. Over the years Count Arthur Strong has acquired a dedicated fan-base of fellow performers with Ross Noble, Johnny Vegas and Steve Coogan being vocal supporters in the early days. The likes of Jennifer Saunders, Martin Clunes and Paul Merton quickly followed suit with Paul McCartney and Billy Connolly recently adding their weight to the list of celebrity fans. In 2008 Delaney started to develop the character for TV with Graham Linehan. In 2012 a sitcom titled ‘Count Arthur Strong’, produced by Retort TV and Komedia Entertainment, was broadcast on BBC2. The series was nominated for several British Comedy and BAFTA awards, including listing for Best Sitcom by both judging panels. The second series of the sitcom was produced in 2014 and transferred to BBC1. A third series of the sitcom is planned to air on BBC1 in early 2017. 'One of the greatest comic creations of this century' (The Mirror). ' immaculate performance' (Mail on Sunday). 'An evening of inspired lunacy’ (Brighton Argus).

See 23 tour dates featuring Count Arthur Strong

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Methane Gas, an Apartment Complex and a Bankruptcy Filing

A federal bankruptcy court authorized the owner of the upscale Marble Cliffs Crossing Apartments complex in Columbus, Ohio to install a methane gas remediation plan over the objections of the purchaser of the mortgage note, holding that the plan was necessary to protect the safety of tenants and was critical for preserving the value of the property. The order allowed the owner/debtor-in-possession (DIP) to use cash collateral in the form of rent proceeds to pay for the installation and monitoring of the methane remediation system.  In re Marble Cliffs Crossing, LLC, 2012 Bankr. LEXIS 5099 (Bankr.S.D.Ohio 10/21/12)

In many ways, the events surrounding the Marble Cliff Commons Apartments are a microcosm of the national economy over the past decade. The project involved lack underwriting, overly-optimistic financial projections, inadequate environmental due diligence, a failed restructuring attempt, a loan default,  debt purchase at an auction sale and a pre-emptive bankruptcy filing by the property owner to facilitate debt restructuring.

The 30-acre complex consists of includes 276 rental units located in nine ranch style buildings and twenty-four two story buildings, a 3/4-acre pond, a community building and a mail center. A 7,000 square foot community center includes the leasing offices, three social rooms, a business center, a fitness center, a billiard parlor, a movie theater and an outdoor heated swimming pool, and a dog park. The complex was constructed in 2003 on the site of a former limestone quarry was used for the disposal of construction/demolition debris, yard waste, and other biodegradable materials between the 1970s until approximately 1985. Prior to construction, soil fill material was placed over the fill and a compacted clay “cap” was installed. Some of the buildings were constructed on the solid rock portion of the quarry and some of the buildings were constructed on the clay “cap” where the construction fill was located.

The development was originally financed with a $30MM loan originated by Armstrong Mortgage Company (Armstrong) in 2002 and guaranteed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). Marble Cliffs Crossing, LLC (Marble or Debtor-in-possession) also granted a liens on all rents and profits generated by the complex.  Apparently, Armstrong was owned by the former owner of the property. The project encountered unanticipated delays in infrastructure construction and a market shift to home ownership that prevented the complex from reaching its projected occupancy rate. By 2005, the complex was encountering financial difficulties and had to restructure the HUD-guaranteed loan.

Also in 2005, tenants began complaining of odors. The Debtor retained a consultant to perform an indoor air quality investigation which detected elevated levels of organic compounds in certain areas. As a result, a passive methane system was installed in certain areas around the complex and odor complaints decreased significantly.

Financial conditions further deteriorated in late 2008 and the HUD-guaranteed loan went into default. In 2010, Armstrong assigned the mortgage to HUD who sold the loan at auction for $23.25MM to MTGLQ Investors, L.P. (MTGLQ). Marble subsequently entered into a forbearance agreement with MTGLQ to allow Marble to explore refinancing options. A prospective purchaser who was acceptable to both the note holder and the property owner performed additional environmental due diligence. The investigation revealed the presence of elevated levels methane and hydrogen sulfide gases in the subsurface below the complex at levels, and recommended additional investigation.

When the purchaser declined to proceed with the transaction, MTGLQ commenced foreclosure proceedings on November 1, 2011. Marble responded by filing a chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding in November 2011 approximately two weeks later, staying the foreclosure action. Marble then obtained approval by the court to use cash collateral to retain an environmental consultant to further evaluate the environmental issues at the complex.

In early 2012, Marble’s environmental consultant conducted two rounds of indoor air monitoring in eleven apartments that revealed only minor concentrations of methane and no hydrogen sulfide. The consultant also performed a desktop review of historical reports and aerial photographs to better understand the location and type of fill material. Based on this information, the consultant drilled seven additional soil bores and installed twelve gas probes. The results of the additional subsurface gas testing were consistent with the earlier data. As a precautionary measure, Marble authorized the installation of methane detectors in the common areas of all buildings and in each of the ranch apartments.

The consultant also recommended installing a subsurface remediation system to control the lateral and vertical migration of methane gas. Marble obtained approval for the consultant to evaluate alternatives for the remediation system and prepare detailed engineering plans and technical specifications for the remediation system at a cost of approximately $71K.

Marble sought input from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), Ohio Department of Health, the Columbus Public Health Department, the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The agencies requested that Marble perform supplemental sampling in additional locations, and then approved the design of a remedial system. Marble also worked with the agencies to prepare a letter to the tenants describing the environmental issues and the proposed remediation System.

Because of the additional work and interaction with the government agencies, Marble had to file a motion with the court to increase the authorized budget by approximately $42K. Initially, MTGLQ objected to the request for additional funds but the court ultimately approved the request.

Marble then sought court authority to implement the remedial system approved by the government agencies that was estimated to cost approximately $754K. The proposed remedial system consisted of a series of seventeen wells at the probable locations of fill materials that would collect the methane gas and direct it through underground pipes to a central area for safe ventilation. The remediation system would operate for several years until the methane gas concentrations dropped to acceptable level.

MTGLQ retained an expert to review the proposed remediation plan and filed an objection. At a hearing, MTGLO’s expert testified that the system might not be effective in removing methane gas because the radius of influence around each of the seventeen wells may be insufficient to extract methane gas, especially for the wells located directly under the buildings. MTGLQ’s expert said the remediation costs could increase significantly if the remedial system was improperly designed. Instead, he testified that additional testing should be conducted, which could cost as much as $50K to $100K. Marble objected to any delays because the approaching cold season could increase the costs of the existing proposed system.

The court found that both experts agree that the radius of influence would not be in perfect circles, and that Marble’s expert acknowledged described the radius of influence would be “amoeba-like” in shape, and that there was a possibility for some overlap and some gaps because the nature of the soil and the heterogeneity of the fill material. However, the court noted, Marble’s expert testified that further testing was not necessary because the system could be re-balanced after installation without having.

The court noted that MTGLQ’s expert had not visited the property to conduct testing, did not review OEPA documents or even talk to OEPA personnel. Moreover, the court observed that MTGLQ’s had never designed a gas extraction system and did not have any data indicating that the proposed remediation system would be ineffective. Furthermore, the court observed that OEPA would review the Debtor’s periodic reports to determine the efficacy of the post construction balancing. Finally, the court observed that OEPA has not requested any additional pre- construction testing.

As a result, the Court concluded that the Debtor had presented a reasonable plan and that it was imperative to implement the remediation as soon as possible to protect the interests of all creditors and the safety of the tenants. The court said the gas remediation plan was a capital and/or maintenance expense contemplated by the Agreed Order, and constituted an ordinary and necessary business expense as contemplated by Section 363(c)(1) of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Finally, the court found that MTGLQ had adequate protection because the property value exceeded the amount of the secured claim. Since the Creditor was over secured, there was no need for any type of adequate protection payment or additional liens to commence and complete the remediation program, as proposed by the Debtor.

In March, the Debtor filed a progress report and presented testimony confirming that the remediation plan had been installed and was properly operating. The bankruptcy proceeding was subsequently dismissed after the parties informed the court that they had settled their dispute.

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    Woodbine Blvd. Full Reno

    When the owners of this Woodbine Boulevard home wanted a complete renovation, we retained the original home’s best feature – the existing golden oak hardwood, finished on site. To update it, we feathered in new hardwood, sanded it down and stained it a medium brown. We restructured the kitchen, grouping large appliances together to allow for more ease when cooking.A large island with a wine rack incorporated into its design, a wall oven, Nougat Caesar Stone counter tops with subway tiles, and soft-closer doors and drawers all work together to achieve functional luxury. Throughout the home, we added new interior doors, trim, baseboards, new knock-down ceilings, LED pot lights on dimmers and soft grey walls. We built a new main washroom and a new En-Suite with a free-standing tub. We completed the new look with new carpet, a new railing and spindles.


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Site Operation Lead - Cosmetics Company

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Job Type: 正社員
Salary ¥5500000.00 - ¥6000000.00 per annum
Specialization: テクノロジー・デジタル・通信
Sub-specialization ビジネスアナリスト, Eコマース, 決済
お問合せ Angie Sakai
参照 JO-1907-421343
see 's jobs

[Company Description]
US Start up Cosmetics Company

We seeking a Site Operation Lead, Technology Integration, to implement and execute the company's key marketing initiatives across online channels. The person will be responsible for overseeing all eCommerce business processes and operations, including website content, micro-sites and digital app management. This position will report to the Director of Technology Integration and work with Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Legal teams to solve operational challenges working in a highly cross-functional and visible role. The person will also be responsible for staying abreast of industry trends and bringing ideas for further growth to the team.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience in website management and ecommerce operations, online marketing trends and project management. The ability to generate and execute high- impact ideas, multi-task, manage many moving parts with an attention to detail and drive projects forward under pressure, along with commitment, passion and enthusiasm for this work is essential. This is a high growth full-time position that offers a lot of opportunity for a resourceful, motivated individual.

  • Establish standard operating procedures for the Site Operations team both internally and with their business partners across the organization.
  • Create and maintain documentation to support scalable growth and communication within the Site Operations team.
  • Work closely with Marketing and Sales to maintain a calendar of all campaigns, programs, and deliverables.
  • Align ecommerce efforts with Operations to ensure supply chain optimization, merchandizing the product portfolio according to customer buying cycles and business needs.
  • Establish analytics baseline metrics, tracking goals, and conversion optimization strategies in partnership with the Digital Business Analyst and SEO Specialist.
  • Continuously optimize and improve the ecommerce technology mix based on industry standards, testing, and research.
  • Collaborate with Marketing, to plan, execute and manage campaigns across web channels.
  • Manage all online platforms, including the corporate website, Consultant websites, micro sites and digital apps.
  • Actively manage and oversee our CMS platform to make necessary additions and updates to web assets and create new web pages and landing pages as needed.
  • Work with cross-functional teams, including IT, Sales, Customer Service and Finance to support online Marketing initiatives and launches. Communicate project status to stakeholders and provide post-deployment support.
  • Define and implement ongoing testing and optimization plans across web channels and digital apps.
  • Partner with the User Experience team and Ecommerce Content team to deliver consistent customer experiences and drive conversion across web channels.
  • Align with the Ecommerce Content team to ensure consistent delivery of fully optimized webpages including content relevance, content length and style, calls to action, customer buying cycle alignment, target audiences, metrics capture, etc.
  • Facilitate user acceptance testing and quality assurance on new website content and functionality, ensuring site accessibility for users (i.e. across browsers, operating systems, etc).
  • Proactively identify opportunities for website enhancements that are consistent with site strategy and brand standards.
  • Support internal stakeholders by developing procedures for web publishing, implementation and maintenance.
  • Strong ability to think through, plan, innovate and execute multiple projects in a fast-paced, high pressure environment.

  • 5+ years in eCommerce site operations with a track record of measurable results
  • Bachelor's degree in a related field preferred
  • Extensive experience with CMS tools - managing content, authoring, editing and publishing. HTML and CSS fluency, knowledge of usability, accessibility and cross browser issues required. FTP, Hybris, JavaScript skills a plus.
  • Demonstrated success with web channels and affinity for learning new technologies.
  • Solid working knowledge of current Internet technologies, including HTML 5, social media, and knowledge of SEO theory and practice, including how it relates to page performance.
  • Proficient using the latest versions of all Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite applications
  • Experience working with various, cross-functional, internal and external groups to deliver meaningful results on time and on budget with limited direction.
  • Operate at hands-on detailed level in addition to strategic thinking.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to anticipate needs, innovate, multi-task, excel and positively adjust in a fast-paced environment.

[Employment Type]
Full time

Social insurance

Full 2 holiday week system (Sat/Sun) national holidays
New year's holiday
Annual Leave

Please click "apply" if you are interested in the job.
We will review your profile and contact you within five business days should we find that you satisfy the requirements of the hiring company.
Further details about the company and position will be notified at a later date.


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Alex Puccio Wins Tierra Boulder Battle, Tom Randall Cracks It in Cadarese

18th April 2013
18th Apr 2013
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EpicTV Shop Offers

Petzl Hirundos
72.45 € 89.90 €
La Sportiva Testarossa Climbing Shoe
134.06 € 149.00 €
Petzl Arial 9.5mm
148.95 € 179.90 €
Petzl GRIGRI +
86.99 € 99.95 €
Wild Country Revo Belay Device
102.99 € 130.00 €
Alex Puccio takes the title at the invitation-only Tierra Boulder Battle in Stockholm, Matilda Soderlund was 2nd. See the full video here British crack specialist Tom Randall has visited Cadarese in Northern Italy, where he onsighted the 8a offwidth roof Turkey Crack, and reappointed the The Doors (8b). He's possibly the first person to onsight Turkey Crack (first ascent by Sean Villanueva) and he's the second Brit to climb The Doors after Hazel FIndlay's send last year.


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The GNU Zoid - ISPO 2015 | EpicTV Gear Geek

05th February 2015
05th Feb 2015
Video views

EpicTV Shop Offers

Petzl Hirundos
72.45 € 89.90 €
La Sportiva Testarossa Climbing Shoe
134.06 € 149.00 €
Petzl Arial 9.5mm
148.95 € 179.90 €
Petzl GRIGRI +
86.99 € 99.95 €
Wild Country Revo Belay Device
102.99 € 130.00 €
Our Gear Geeks demoed this board at the Snow Avant Premiere board test in La Clusaz and those who tried it were in agreement, it was probably the best one there. In true Mervin Manufacturing experiMENTAL fashion this board has a trapezoidal shape meaning a tighter heel sidecut radius and longer toeside radius. As it is a directional board, it is the only board in the world which comes in both regular and goofy variations. Since most snowboarders struggle with heelside turns, this generally makes it easier to carve and get pressure onto your heels. The wood in the core makes it softer on the heelside, so again, you have an easier time controlling it and most of the pop comes from your toes. If you never need to go switch, it’s an absolute monster and should be on anyone’s shortlist if they are looking for an all mountain directional cruiser. Priced at 649€. The GNU Zoid - ISPO 2015 | EpicTV Gear Geek


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Five Ten Anasazi Pink LU Climbing Shoe 2015 Review | EpicTV Gear Geek

02nd July 2015
02nd Jul 2015
Video views

EpicTV Shop Offers

Petzl Hirundos
72.45 € 89.90 €
La Sportiva Testarossa Climbing Shoe
134.06 € 149.00 €
Petzl Arial 9.5mm
148.95 € 179.90 €
Petzl GRIGRI +
86.99 € 99.95 €
Wild Country Revo Belay Device
102.99 € 130.00 €
Pretty in pink (but by no means less powerful), Five Ten’s Anasazi Lace has returned with a bang. Once one of the best-selling climbing shoes out there, it’s been redesigned with a new heel, lined synthetic upper and Stealth C4 rubber to become a stiff, flat edging machine that excels at trad, multi-pitch and crack climbing. A great shoe for those with high-volume feet.


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Magnet Parent Information Meeting for UTTyler Courses 26 August

Parent Information Night for Magnet Students Interested in UT Tyler Dual Enrollment

August 26, 2019

Chapin Library   6:00 p.m.

Magnet students interested in enrolling in the UT Tyler Engineering courses received information in their engineering classes August 19-23.  Registration needs to be finalized no later than August 28.


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PN 00-200-1648:K0654 was found on ePlane

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Do Self-Help Groups Transform the Lives of Poor Women? A Reading List

While self-help groups are seen as vital to successful anti-poverty policies , they have failed to develop the collective bargaining power of women and comprehensively incorporate the demands made by beneficiaries.

India’s central and state governments have made varied attempts at reducing poverty through multiple schemes. The National Democratic Alliance government in July 2019 declared that they seek to include at least one “woman member from each rural poor household (about 9 crore)” in self-help groups (SHGs). The state has generally seen SHGs as spaces where poor women support one another’s financial and social needs towards the goal of income generation. The state also links SHG networks to banks with the stated intention of offering loans that would encourage livelihood activities.

Given that poverty is a multidimensional issue, any approach that attempts to address it must be comprehensive and also take seriously the impact poverty has on people’s everyday ability to live a healthy and dignified life.

This reading list juxtaposes how policymakers imagine women’s participation in SHGs and how beneficiaries themselves interact and negotiate their circumstances in relation to attempts at poverty alleviation by governments.

1) Origins of Self-Employment Schemes and Beneficiaries’ Demands
K Kalpana writes that traditional anti-poverty policies incorporated self-employment schemes based on credit for the first time with the Integrated Rural Development Programme in 1980. While the programme aimed to include at least 30% of women among the total beneficiaries, Kalpana notes that they were the group most likely to be excluded that found that women constituted less than 5% of the total beneficiaries based on a midterm review of the program.

[T]his led to the launch of the Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) in 1982-83 which eliminated male competition by exclusively targeting women (Kabeer and Murthy 1996). In the early 1990s, women’s SHGs or neighbourhood-based informal groups of about 12-20 members began to make their appearance in the rural development landscape, especially in the south Indian states.

Based on an ethnographic study of three villages in northern Tamil Nadu in 2005–2006, Kalpana offers a bottom-up view of how women engage with a scheme that relies on SHGs. She details the shortcomings of the schemes and the specific demands that women made.

Women were asking not only that the state expand opportunities in paid work for women, but that it proactively intervene in order to restructure their work environments and help enhance monetary returns to their labour. Their demands remind us that, despite the successful “mainstreaming” of women by anti-poverty livelihood programmes and the undeniable emergence of women as a constituency in Indian development planning, the Indian state has had little success in transforming the material conditions that place women of impoverished households in subordinate positions in wage labour markets.

2) Three Forms of Empowerment
S Galab and N Chandrasekhara Rao evaluate three programmes run by the Andhra Pradesh state government in 1998–2002 using a framework of empowerment. Citing Neera Burra, Joy Deshmukh-Ranadive & Ranjani K Murthy, Galab and Rao categorise empowerment in three ways. First, “power to” examines the “power of women to control their lives.” Specifically, this includes control over resources, freedom of movement, access to positions of leadership, and control over reproduction/one’s body. Second, “power with” denotes the  “collective power of women members to negotiate their gender, caste, class and other interests vis-à-vis institutions of the market, the state, and the community.” Third, “power within” is about women’s capacity to question gender-related beliefs and social norms in their own personal lives. Galab and Rao offer a mixed review of the three SHG programmes using this framework.

[I]t is clear that women are able to improve control over their labour, resources (saving, credit and income), freedom to move and interact leadership, and reproductive choices, to some extent. Thus, there is improvement to some extent with regard to ‘power to’ dimension of empowerment. But, there is no improvement in the ‘power with’ dimension of empowerment. This is evident from the absence of the collective initiatives of women members to negotiate their gender, caste, class and other interests vis-à-vis institutions of the market, the state, the community and family. The women are able to handle some of the issues relating to their lives independently.  This indicates that ‘power within’ dimension of empowerment is impacted due to participation in SHGs to some extent.

3) Do SHGs Encourage Collective Negotiation?
Vasanth Kannabiran’s analysis of SHG programmes is similarly critical of women’s ability to collectively negotiate their social background in relation to formidable institutions.

Expecting the poor to pull themselves out of poverty through entrepreneurship only leaves the systemic inequalities and factors that create poverty unchallenged and secure. Narrowly defined instrumentalist agendas of the state are now being relabelled ‘social agendas’ and a collective is a group that simply comes together to save. This erases the intensive and painstaking process of building trust, reflection and solidarity in a collective that can then act jointly. What self-help groups provide women today is mere membership while obstructing and obscuring their movement to citizenship and political power. The ‘self-help movement’ serves to advertise the state’s accountability on the status of women in the international arena.

4) Identifying Barriers to Access Schemes
In 2012, the government of West Bengal introduced the Anandadhara programme that sought to generate “self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities.”  Loes Schenk-Sandbergen argues that the ideology that underpins the programme is a belief that “social empowerment will emerge from economic empowerment.” Based on a study of three villages in a district of West Bengal, Schenk-Sandbergen argues that SHGs failed to address the multiple barriers that prevent the poorest of women from accessing the scheme.

Our data shows that there are several obvious reasons why poor women are not members of SHGs. Poverty is the most obvious: landless women cannot save Rs 30–40 every month for a year before they are entitled to apply for a loan. Furthermore, they are expected to repay the instalments with interest whilst continuing the monthly savings. One landless Santhal woman reasoned, “What we earn today, we spend today.” Another woman said, “Where is the work in the group? I only see talk about money.” That observation hits the nail on the head. “What to sell, where, and to whom?”

Sandbergen thus contends that SHG programmes which aim to integrate women into the financial flow through microcredit schemes must account for these layers of obstacles faced by landless women in gaining employment. Schenk-Sandbergen argues that the government should focus on policies that generate stable employment for landless women and men, and create infrastructure and public goods.

Read More:

Must Read

By inviting private capital and adopting an urbanisation plan that caters to the affluent, India’s upcoming metro systems will not be a public good aimed for the masses.
More importance should be given to recovering the stories of marginalised people who were involved in the struggle for independence.
In India, the debates around prison reforms and rights of prisoners have been very limited. Through our three-part series we seek to initiate a debate towards prisoners’ civil and political rights....
Tagore's brand of nationalism is fundamentally rooted in the question of what it means to be human.
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The many faces of labour exploitation

The many faces of labour exploitation

An Indonesian working in the fishing sector.

It’s an unpalatable truth but for all our technological advances, for all our rights enshrined by international law, the majority world remains crushed underfoot by the wheels of global capital. This exploitation is racialised as it is gendered. Children in Asia make our clothes; Black and Brown women working in fields, factories and private homes endure untold violence and abuse; Indigenous people are evicted from their ancestral land by big business backed by governments, or killed and harassed for their resistance; and economic migrants from the ‘wrong countries’ are trafficked and criminalised, forced to choose between insurmountable poverty at home, or a life of debt bondage, wage theft and other forms of exploitation and discrimination abroad.

According to the International Labour Organization, 40.3 million people are victims of modern slavery globally, while 24.9 million people are affected by forced labour. This Monday marked the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, of which 71 per cent of victims are women and girls. These horrifying statistics demonstrate the scale of the problem but what they don’t highlight is the scale of the effort being made to stop the extreme exploitation of workers, as this fourth edition of our themed summer series hopes to prove.

In the Middle East, for example, where tens of thousands of migrant women from Asia and Africa work in the care industry, primarily as domestic workers, the kafala “sponsorship system” continues to drive economic growth while leaving workers vulnerable to abuse. The persistent efforts of trade unions and civil society have resulted in significant reforms for migrant workers in Qatar for example, but in Lebanon, where Florence Massena tells the story of the Ethiopian domestic worker who jumped from a second-floor apartment to escape the abuse of her violent, fashion designer boss, local activists are limited in their ability to protect domestic workers, due to their exclusion from the country’s labour laws.

Globally, an estimated 152 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 are victims of child labour, and almost half work in hazardous conditions. Approximately 62.1 million child labourers can be found in the Asia-Pacific region, and as Laura Villadiego reports from Indonesia, the country is seriously behind on its pledge to eradicate child labour by 2022. In Indonesia’s case, while the laws to protect children from labour exploitation exist, enforcement is a major issue.

Although multinationals are beginning to take increasing responsibility for ending modern slavery in their supply chains, exploitation is rife in global agriculture, and the plight of palm oil plantation workers in Guatemala highlighted in Nazaret Castro’s story embodies many of the issues faced by local communities in the Global South.

Not only does agribusiness bring polluted rivers, deforestation and the dangerous impacts of agrichemicals, but workers also face “working conditions reminiscent of the days of slavery.” As one farmer told Equal Times: “[Cultivators] work long hours for little money, with no fixed working hours, and they have to buy their equipment themselves. But there is nothing else. If there were another source of income, they wouldn’t do this, but we have to eat.”

In Europe, migrant workers are amongst the most exploited and criminalised, and nowhere is this more apparent than in sex work, where scores of women and children are victims of trafficking. Even those who ‘choose’ to sell sex usually do so because there are no other options open to them. But that’s not how the law treats them. As one sex worker told journalist Linda A. Thompson: “All these laws that they create that are supposed to protect women. All they do is increase violence against us. They leave us without tools to defend ourselves.”

Mauritania has been described by CNN as “slavery’s last stronghold”. It is one of the few remaining countries where, according to Anti-Slavery International, “people [of Afro-Mauritanian or Haratine origin] are still born into slavery and literally owned by other people, facing a lifetime of abuse and forced labour.” Last summer, Equal Times published Bryan Carter’s in-depth documentary on the appalling conditions of slavery that force an estimated 20 per cent of the population to work on farms and in homes without pay and without any possibility of freedom.

The aforementioned stories are just some of the examples of the extreme exploitation facing workers around the world today. But the solution doesn’t just lie with governments or corporations, or even with civil society and trade unions. As individual workers and as conscious consumers, we have to play our part to ensure its eradication.

Abused Ethiopian domestic worker is “the poster girl for kafala” in Lebanon

By Florence Massena

A migrant domestic worker from Ethiopia holds a placard during a march demanding basic labour rights in Beirut, Lebanon, on 3 May 2015. There are more than 250,000 migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, mostly women from Asia and Africa, and the recent case of Lensa Lelisa has highlighted the terrible abuse that many of them face.

Photo: AP/Bilal Hussein

No matter how many times one hears about the abuse and exploitation of migrant domestic workers in the Middle East, the stories do not become any less shocking, as the harrowing case of Lensa Lelisa proves. This March, the 21-year-old Ethiopian domestic worker working in Beirut, Lebanon, made headlines after she jumped from a second-floor balcony at her employer’s house – the Lebanese fashion designer Eleanore Ajami. She was attempting to escape the violent abuse that she says that she and another Ethiopian colleague endured at the hands of Ajami and her three adult children: Alexis, Crystel and Joe Khalil.

Lensa broke both her legs in the incident and injured her face. In a video recorded from her hospital bed by This is Lebanon, a group that shares stories of domestic worker abuses in the country, Lensa describes how “from the very beginning they were abusing me”. In the video she says: “They tortured me and I couldn’t do anything to save myself. They beat me every day with an electric cable and wrapped my hair around their hands and dragged me around the room. They smashed my head into the walls.”

Read the full article on Equal Times

Slow progress in the fight against child labour in Indonesia

By Laura Villadiego

A 13-year-old working on an oil palm plantation on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Photo: Laura Villadiego

On 26 October, Putri and Surna went, as they did every day, to the fireworks factory where they worked in Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. That day, however, was not any ordinary day. A spark came into contact with the gunpowder stored at the factory, triggering an explosion that killed 47 workers, including Putri and Surna. Their case was special: Putri was 14 years old and Surna 15, and their work at the factory was illegal.

Their case is not, however, an isolated one. Despite the roadmap published by the Indonesian government in 2015 to eradicate child labour by 2022, the presence of minors in the country’s factories and plantations continues to be an everyday reality, with just four years to go to the deadline.

According to the latest report of the United States Department of Labor, although Indonesia made a “moderate advancement” in the efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour in 2016, with the formation, for example, of local anti-trafficking task forces in the various provinces, or community-based monitoring inspectors to report incidences of child labour, minors are still performing hazardous tasks on oil palm and tobacco plantations, and are also present in the sex industry.

Read the full article on Equal Times

Ecocide and modern slavery in the land of the Maya: the impact of oil palm cultivation in Guatemala

By Nazaret Castro

In this photo from 2012, oil palm workers are taken back to their villages after a day’s work on the plantations of Sayaxché, Guatemala.

Photo: AP/Rodrigo Abd

It looks clean and exuberantly beautiful, but the lake is contaminated. And the lives of 700 people depend on this lake, all residents of the Manos Unidas (United Hands) Cooperative, a community that is part of the municipality of Sayaxché, in the Petén department, northern Guatemala.

Manos Unidas has become the last frontier of resistance to the advance of palm oil production in the region, as the only community that has hung on to its land; and that, say its residents, is because the lands are common property.

The collective ownership of the land complicates the strategies of the palm oil companies which forced the farmers in neighbouring communities to sell, using veiled threats and obscure arguments according to the three communities visited for this report. For this reason, and thanks to the tenacity and political awareness of these people, Manos Unidas still owns land for cultivating sweet corn and beans, and for renting out to families from neighbouring communities.

Read the full article on Equal Times

“Don’t criminalise us, protect us,” say Europe’s migrant sex workers

By Linda A. Thompson

The majority of sex workers in Europe today are migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

Photo: AP/Christophe Ena

When reports surfaced in 2014 that asylum-seekers in Ireland had started selling sex because they were unable to survive on the cash allowances given by reception centres, the country’s Minister of Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, was quick to order an investigation into the allegations and told Irish radio that she was considering introducing a law that would criminalise the buying of sex.

Noting that asylum-seekers staying in reception centres were given just €20 a week at the time, Luca Stevenson, coordinator of the International Committee for the Rights of Sex workers in Europe (ICRSE), says that Fitzgerald’s response ignored the structural conditions that push women to start selling their bodies in the first place.

Rather than prosecuting those who paid the women to perform sexual services, he said: “You need to give more money to asylum-seekers, migrants and refugees so that they don’t have to sell sex in the first place.”

Read the full article on Equal Times

Mauritania is failing to eradicate slavery and forced labour

By Bryan Carter

Mauritania became the last country in the world to outlaw slavery, but despite government promises to enforce abolition, Mauritania still has one of the largest populations of enslaved people on earth.

Photo: Equal Times/Bryan Carter

“Our freedom, our dignity, will never be truly and fully achieved until there are no more slaves in this country.”

Taken out of context, these words seem to have come straight out of the darkest chapters of human history. They weren’t spoken in the 19th century, but just a few weeks ago, by Boubacar Mesaoud, a well-known human rights activist in Mauritania who has been fighting for decades to put an end to the scourge of slavery that continues to ravage his country.

Estimates of the number of slaves in Mauritania range from between 1.06 per cent and 20 per cent of the population of about a quarter of a million inhabitants, but it is almost impossible to say just how many there are because it is a multi-faceted phenomenon, rooted in Mauritanian society. Slavery in this desert land, bigger than France and the United Kingdom put together, persists almost exclusively within the black “haratine” community which, despite being the majority population group, lives under the yoke of the “Moorish” Arab-Berber minority who control all the levers of power; economic, political, religious and military.

Read the full article on Equal Times


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Bobcat 542B Skid Steer Loader Service Manual

Covers: Bobcat 542B Skid Steer Loader (all serial #s)
Pages: 214
Format: PDF file
Compatibility: Windows/Mac/Tablet
File size: 28mb
Notes: Instant digital download only – no printed copy or CD-ROM media.

Download the complete PDF service manual which includes up-to-date service procedures for the 542B Skid Steer Loader. In this service manual you will find detailed step-by-step instructions, illustrations, specifications and diagrams. View the service manual on your computer or print off detailed information to service or repair your loader to the manufacturer’s standards.

Sample topics in the 542B Skid Steer Loader Service Manual include:

  • General Information
  • Specifications
  • Routine Maintenance
  • Hydraulic Servicing
  • Hydrostatic Servicing
  • Engine Servicing
  • Engine Troubleshooting
  • Fuel System
  • Main Frame
  • Drive System
  • Transmission
  • Electrical System
  • Wiring Diagrams
  • HVAC
  • Controls
  • Torque Specs
  • Revisions
  • and much more…

Example manual contents (actual manual may vary): Manual Sample

How does this work?

It’s simple – after purchasing this manual through our secure checkout, a download link will be sent to the email address you specify at checkout. You have up to 90 days to retrieve and save the file. Once saved, the manual is yours for good.

Have any questions or need more details? Contact Us

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ERO reviews of early childhood services and kōhanga reo

Removal of return times in review reports

ERO is removing the return times from its reports of early childhood services (excluding Kōhanga Reo).

Reports for early childhood services will continue to include the following judgements:
• Not well placed
• Requires further development
• Well placed; and
• Very well placed

Those centres who are “Very well placed” or “Well placed” and have a strong track record of performance can generally expect to have a longer period between reviews. However, should a centre’s circumstances change, ERO is likely to review more regularly. Factors considered could include changes in management, high staff turnover or other information about the centre which may come to ERO’s attention.

ERO will continue to review services who we see as requiring further development (“Requires further development”) more regularly than other better placed providers and these reviews will be more frequent. With these services our emphasis is on ensuring that they are getting the basics right.

ERO’s expectation is that all centres should be in a position to be reviewed by ERO at any time.

For early childhood services and kōhanga reo having an ERO review

This page provides information for early childhood services and kōhanga reo having an ERO review. It also has links to the documentation most early childhood services will need before, during and after their review.

Information about reviews and review documentation

The documents used for some services ERO reviews can differ from those ordinarily used with early childhood services. Those needing different documentation include kōhanga reo, home-based services and hospital-based services.

Access the documentation for these services:

Review framework and evaluation indicators

ERO’s frameworks for reviews explain the review process in simple and transparent way. ERO uses the evaluation indicators when reviewing, so knowing about them will help early childhood services understand ERO’s judgements.

In 2013, ERO revised its approach to early childhood service reviews. The review framework and evaluation indicators for most early childhood services (except home-based education and care services, hospital-based education and care services and kōhanga reo) are now included in one document:

He Pou Tātaki - How ERO reviews early childhood services

Update of early learning services methodology and indicators

ERO is currently refreshing its methodology and indicators for evaluations of early learning services, including where a governing organisation has oversight of individual services.
ERO intends to trial its revised approach during evaluations of a selection of services in 2018. We will provide information to the services that may be involved as part of this process. We expect our revised approach will be implemented in 2019.

Self reports for early childhood services

We ask early childhood services to complete and return a self-report before their review. This gives you the opportunity to tell us about your context and how you promote positive outcomes for children. Knowing more about your service and its circumstances will help your ERO review team provide a useful report that will support ongoing development and improvement.

There are different versions of the self-report. Please select the one that applies to your review:

Statistical profile form

Early childhood services must complete and return a statistical profile form before their review. The information provided should be as accurate and up-to-date as possible.

Early childhood statistical profile form

Assurance statements

Before a review we also ask the governing or managing body of an early childhood service or kōhanga reo to complete a statement and checklist assuring ERO of its compliance with legal obligations and official requirements. You may also find these useful for your own internal evaluation.

Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists (.PDF, 1.16 MB)

Handbook of Contractual Obligations and Undertakings

ERO’s Handbook of Contractual Obligations and Undertakings: Early Childhood Services describes the existing legislation and legal requirements for early childhood services.

Volume I of this Handbook, which was based on the 1998 early childhood centres regulations, is superseded by the current Volume II. It is updated regularly.

Handbook of Contractual Obligations and Undertakings for early childhood services

Letter to parents, whānau and staff

Here is a link to a letter you can display and distribute to your parents, whānau and staff that tells them what ERO wants to find out during your review and how they can get involved.

Letter to parents whanau and staff

Feedback after your review

We are interested in your experience of the review process. If your early childhood service has recently had a review, please take the time to complete our questionnaire.

You can complete the questionnaire online.

To learn more about questionnaires please email


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Western Springs College - 19/06/2015

Western Springs College provides high quality education for its community. A responsive and innovative curriculum provides rich opportunities for students’ learning and qualifications success. Students flourish in this environment. They are articulate, confident and well equipped to transition into tertiary study and the adult world.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

1 Context

What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?

Western Springs College is a co-educational secondary school catering for students from Year 9 to 13. It is located on the western side of Auckland’s inner city suburbs. The school is well supported by its community and many families in the neighbourhood choose to enrol their children there. Since 2007 the college has had an enrolment zone for the mainstream school because of demand for places.

The school’s vision is to offer young people an inclusive educational experience that celebrates and values human diversity. Students are challenged to discover and develop their unique personal strengths in order to learn successfully. A culture of high expectations for academic achievement is balanced with a caring focus on student wellbeing.

The school’s mission statement affirms all students as being inherently capable and competent. Very high levels of achievement in the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) confirm the educational strength behind this mission.

The college has a long established Māori medium unit, Ngā Puna O Waiorea. Currently over two hundred students are enrolled in its programme from Year 9 to 13. Enrolment is through application and selection, and students travel to this rumaki from all over Auckland. Māori academic achievement continues to be outstanding under this Treaty of Waitangi inspired partnership.

The board of trustees, school leaders and whānau have established a co-governance policy and model with the aim of equitably resourcing, growing and sustaining Ngā Puna O Waiorea. At the time of this report, discussions were being held with the Ministry of Education regarding the rumaki’s future governance.

Since the 2010 ERO review, the board of trustees has several new members, including three Māori trustees. A new chairperson has been elected. The board works well with the principal and school leaders. Strategic and annual planning are informed through purposeful self review that is strengthened with multiple points of view, including those of students, parents, whānau and the community.

The board is currently coordinating decisions for rebuilding the school. An innovative teaching and learning environment is envisaged to complement the school’s vision and its highly successful approaches to twenty-first century learning.

ERO’s 2010 report identified Western Springs College as a high performing school. The report recommended further improving educational opportunities and outcomes for students, strengthening aspects of leadership and consolidating best practice in teaching and learning. Trustees and senior leaders have responded positively to these recommendations and have continued to develop further, high quality and innovative educational practices.

2 Learning

How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?

Western Springs College is using achievement information very well to make positive changes to learners’ progress and achievement. The school is already exceeding the 2017 government targets of 85% of students achieving NCEA Level 2.

High achievement in NCEA is evident across all subjects. In 2014, 91% of students achieved NCEA Level 1, 92% for Level 2, 93% for Level 3 and 88% of students gained University Entrance. Results have been consistent at these levels over recent years.

Western Springs College leads the country in excellence endorsements for NCEA. This is mainly attributable to the high order thinking skills that are a planned part of many learning programmes throughout the eight learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). University literacy is highly valued by the school and timetabling structures support students’ success in this qualification. Māori and Pacific students enjoy the same levels of academic success as others in the school.

Student achievement in Years 9 and 10 is regularly tracked and monitored using a variety of standardised assessment tools. A school-wide focus on ‘know the learner’ begins with good quality Year 8 transition information from contributing schools. Teachers hold regular, structured learning conversations with Year 9 students who set themselves ambitious yet manageable learning goals. These records are regularly updated and teachers increasingly use this information to guide students towards meaningful and purposeful action.

The school’s Learning Centre is available to any student who wants access to additional individual tutoring. Teachers can refer students for assistance and students can also refer themselves. This centre makes a major contribution to the educational success of students. A recent initiative is the appointment of an Accelerated Learning Director. The director focuses on student pathways through the year levels in order to optimise students’ time for Scholarship study and NCEA endorsement success in Years 12 and 13.

ERO discussed with school leaders possible timetabling structures which would allow for the expansion and extension of students’ learning opportunities. This flexibility will be particularly relevant when the school is rebuilt and modern learning environments present more scope for different modes of learning.

3 Curriculum

How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?

The Western Springs College curriculum is closely aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). It promotes student engagement and learning very effectively. It is highly responsive to student needs, strengths and interests. Teachers explore their curriculum areas deeply to make learning meaningful and relevant for students.

The NZC principles, values and key competencies are explored thoroughly in departmental and teacher planning. The akonga principle where both adults and young people learn together is evident throughout the school. Using student voice is a major and essential aspect of the college’s approach to engaging and connecting learners to their chosen pathway.

Positive and affirming relationships underpin the high quality learning interactions evident between students and teachers. Teachers effectively encourage students’ creative and critical thinking using inquiry- based learning approaches. Teachers’ specialist subject knowledge is acknowledged and affirmed by students and parents.

The school is highly inclusive in its practices. The guidance team work hard to engage students and support them with the challenges they face in today’s world. They provide extensive support through interventions and programmes that help students to manage challenges themselves where possible. Students with special learning needs are well supported by teachers and support staff. Students benefit from staff members’ in depth of professional knowledge about individual student learning capabilities.

The college offers an enriching range of co-curricular activities. There are many opportunities for students to experience success and build leadership capability and social competencies. The school has a variety of cultural, academic and sporting events to celebrate student achievement.

ERO and school leaders discussed the value of conducting a self review focusing on how well Māori perspectives are being included consistently across the eight learning areas of the curriculum.

How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?

Māori students comprise 27% of the school roll. 217 of the school’s 359 Māori students are enrolled in the rumaki, Ngā Puna O Waiorea, and the rest attend the mainstream school and live in the school’s locality. Student board trustees are elected for both the rumaki and the mainstream school.

Ngā Puna O Waiorea is a thriving Māori medium unit that is realising the goal of ‘Māori achieving educational success as Māori’. The unit has eleven kaiako involved in its programmes. NCEA outcomes for rumaki students exceed national targets for Māori learners. Rumaki students also achieve Māori language proficiency, and demonstrate cultural strengths and a strong sense of Māori identity.

The whānau, teaching and administrative staff of the rumaki volunteer much of their personal time to achieve successful outcomes for students. This includes gaining first place in kapa haka for the fourth consecutive year at the annual Polynesian Festival held in Auckland.

The rumaki has a twenty-five year history of successful educational partnership. In 2013 a cogovernance policy was formalised by the board of trustees. At the time of this report, discussions were being held with the Ministry of Education regarding the future of this governance arrangement.

Mainstream Māori students are mentored through additional teacher support and academic counselling. They have opportunities to become involved in Māori assemblies, hangi, mainstream kapa haka and Matariki celebrations. They are increasingly able to gain benefit from the rumaki wananga classes and to expand their knowledge of the Māori world. Mainstream Maōri students achieve at high levels in NCEA qualifications and in University Entrance examinations.

4 Sustainable Performance

How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?

Western Springs College is very well placed to sustain and improve its performance. A culture of continuous improvement is evident at all levels of the school. The management of change in the school is well considered and carefully paced. Effective, thorough and purposeful self review promotes coherent school-wide processes and systems.

The board of trustees is capable and committed to the long-term interests of the school. Trustees bring varied professional backgrounds to their governance roles. A major component of board work is currently directed towards activities associated with planning the school’s rebuild.

The school’s long-serving principal provides experienced and insightful leadership. School leaders and teachers are a highly effective group of professionals. They continue to be actively focused on the provision of an innovative curriculum. Middle managers provide substantial evaluative reporting for senior leaders and the board of trustees about curriculum developments and the delivery of programmes.

Teacher capability is very high. Teachers are very responsive to students’ needs and requirements for learning. They work collaboratively to stimulate and challenge their students. Carefully tailored professional learning initiatives and high quality teacher appraisal systems contribute to teachers’ ongoing development.

Students have many opportunities to express their views about how the school can improve and influence young peoples’ lives in positive ways. Further confidential surveys of students may help the board to be better assured of student wellbeing within the school’s culture of high expectations.

Provision for international students

The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code.

At the time of this review there were 107 international students attending the school.

The school provides very good quality pastoral care and support for international students. The operation and promotion of the school’s international programme is effectively managed. Students are well integrated into the school. Teachers provide relevant and useful learning programmes, including those for building English language proficiency for speakers of other languages. Reflective self review has helped to bring about positive changes to recruitment systems, enrolment procedures, orientation programmes and learning provisions for international students.

Compliance with the Code, information about student achievement and other educational outcomes for international students are regularly reported to the board.

Board assurance on legal requirements

Before the review, the board of trustees and principal of the school completed the ERO Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to:

  • board administration
  • curriculum
  • management of health, safety and welfare
  • personnel management
  • financial management
  • asset management.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:

  • emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
  • physical safety of students
  • teacher registration
  • processes for appointing staff
  • stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
  • attendance.

Western Springs College provides high quality education for its community. A responsive and innovative curriculum provides rich opportunities for students’ learning and qualifications success. Students flourish in this environment. They are articulate, confident and well equipped to transition into tertiary study and the adult world.

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

19 June 2015

School Statistics

Western Springs, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

School type

Secondary (Years 9 to 13)

School roll

Number of international students

Gender composition

Boys 56%

Girls 44%

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā

Cook Island

other Asian

Special Features

Rumaki (Māori Immersion)

Auckland Secondary School Centre - alternative education

The Auckland Performing Arts Centre (TAPAC)

Community Education Programme

Review team on site

May 2015

Date of this report

19 June 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review


text:
Erufu Care Website &
Care-Services Review
By Norlina Ajak

The Erufu platform is important for people who are looking for the first treatment for recommending the best clinic for patients. In my opinion, it is only necessary to improve the speed in responding to the patient's problems. Otherwise it's good enough. I am very satisfied with Erufu's services. Original in Malay, translated by Google

Start finding clinics?

Erufu Care was previously known as MyDoc Asia


text:
Basholi Paintings

By Sanjeev Nayyar | 2014

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Basohli, app 160 kms from Jammu, is well known for a style of painting i.e. characterized by vigorous use of primary colors and a peculiar facial formula that prevailed in the 17th and 19th centuries in the foot-hills of the Western Himalayas.

Drive from Jammu to Kathua is along a 4 lane highway. U turn left to go to Basohli. After a short while is all uphill not steep though but very very green. We were pleasantly surprised to see the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Dam ie built on the river Ravi. Basohli is at extreme right of pic, looks close but took a couple of hours.

It is from Basohli that this style spread to Chamba, Kangra etc. Met with members of Vishwasthali, a social and cultural organization, that is striving to keep the tradition children by teaching young children.U see paintings done by children.

A student painting. Locals complained of virtually no government support. Some seniors are trying their best to keep the tradition alive.

Some more paintings. Basohli was a small principality with a Hindu King and formed part of the Dogra Ruler''s area. It has a small fort that is in ruins. Small town, very nice place and lovely people. To see paintings in Nagaur Fort, Marwar, Rajasthan Click here

Another student at work. It does not cost much to support such activities, what is required is focus and sincerity. To see pics of Pattachitra Paintings in Raghurajpur (heritage village nearPuri, Orissa) Click here

Part of the area that forms part of the dam was submerged because of which time taken to reach Basohli has increased. Government is making this hanging bridge across the river Ravi that would make Pathankot (in Punjab) and Dalhousie (in Himachal) very close and thus improve connectivity. To see Bundi Fort (Rajasthan) paintings Click here

Some more paintings. Drive to and fro to Basohli was one more reason was glad we went there. To see pics of Bundela Paintings (Jhansi)Click here

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text:
How Many Governing Bodies Do Esports Really Need?

Disclaimer: It is the reader’s responsibility to verify their own facts. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official views of

Yet another federation has joined the battle for domination in governance over esports. The latest cringe galore courtesy of The Global Esports Federation, a newly formed “governing” body backed by Tencent. Some “big names” are included in this latest governing body: Chris Chan (secretary-general of the Singapore National Olympic Council) will be the president, while VP positions are handed out to Wei Jizhong (ex-secretary-general of the Chinese Olympic Cmmittee), Tencent Holdings VP Cheng Wu and former Olympian Charmaine Crooks.

Signing of the agreement with Tencent, conducted by Mr Chris Chan, President of the Global Esports Federation, and Mr Edward Cheng, Vice President of Tencent

© Global Esports Federation

One look at their “promotional video” and it seems these people are not here to take care of the esports ecosystem.

A video that features more stock footage then esports footage, a statement that is hollow and vague (“We aim to be the voice and authority for the worldwide esports movement“) and a partnership with a conglomerate that has a stake with many developers only screams corruption from the get go.

We are also not sure if their homepage is or this domain will be yet another competitor. For now you can get information about this latest federation at their twitter @ge_federation.

The Federations

Let’s break down why I chose this title for the article.

We currently have a bunch of federations in a turf war to control esports on a national and international level. The International Esports Federation (IESF) is one of the oldest in the lot, featuring 56 member nations. The events they organize are extension of what WCG (World Cyber Games) did in the early 2000s, featuring National Teams qualifying for a main event at a select location. Professional players are largely disqualified from competing and the national teams do not really draw the interest of anyone serious about esports.

We then have the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) which is recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia. They feature 45 member nations and claim to be “the sole competent authority for electronic sports throughout Asia“. They are not related to the IESF but some of the member national committees are members of both organizations, while other countries have a separate national federation for each of the organizations.

Europe also has its own Federation. The European Esports Federation was announced in 2019 and pending official creation in 2020. Unlike their counterparts they claim to be interested in being an arbiter and moderating partner instead of  a governing body. 17 countries signed up initially for the formation of this federation. The president of the German Esports Federation Hans Jagnow has stated that the European Esports Federation will avoid connection with the International Esports Federation for the time being.

On top of the National/International governing bodies, professional teams have taken it upon themselves to set the rules. The World Esports Association (WESA) was founded by professionals esports teams Fnatic, Natus Vincere, Team EnVyUs, FaZe Clan,, G2 Esports, North, Splyce, Mousesports, Ninjas in Pyjamas and the ESL organization. Their aim is to enforce and arbitrate as well as take care of player representation and create standardized regulations.

We already mentioned the newly formed Global Esports Federation and there is a few others that are not even worth a mention.

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The Developers

All these esports “federations” seek profit and relevance, yet the main driver behind the massive surge of competitive esports comes from the developers themselves. Riot Games, Blizzard, Valve, Bluehole and Epic Games serve as their own governing bodies. The popularity of League of Legends and Riot’s hands on approach to managing their competitive ecosystem paved the way for developers to take charge of their own competitive leagues.

The developers own and manage their own leagues with rules and regulations they set on their own accord. Franchising, profit sharing and a wholly owned competitive ecosystem leave little place for outside governance or arbitration.

National Competition is also taken out of the hands of the federations. Bluehole (PUBG) and Blizzard (Overwatch) have taken competition on a national level as part of the repertoire as well. They don’t need national or international federations to select or represent the athletes.

Riot Games League of Legends Tournament Fans

© LoL Esports

How many?

Finally, we reach the question that titles this article.

How many governing bodies does esport really need?

Are federations on a National/International level providing any measurable benefit for the esports ecosystem?

Should we just let the developers themselves take care of esports competitions?

Tell us what you think, and what is the correct path forward.


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The 10 LCS Spring 2020 Teams: have your favorites been swapped out?

The NA LCS 2020 Spring Season will oﬃcially begin on the 25th of January. As North America’s highest level of competition, teams will be set to compete to enter Playoffs and subsequently for points to enter the League of Legends World Championships.

Format Riot has kept the NA LCS consistent, with the top 6 teams advancing to the 2020 NA LCS Spring Playoffs and top two directly to its semi-ﬁnals.

NA LCS 2020 Spring Split announced

© LoL Esports

Participating teams

  • 100 Thieves
  • Cloud9
  • Counter Logic Gaming
  • Dignitas
  • Evil Geniuses
  • Fly Quest
  • Golden Guardians
  • Immortals
  • Team Liquid
  • Team SoloMid
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Where are some of the 2019 teams?

Most infamously, Evil Geniuses had purchased Echo Fox’s NA LCS slot. This followed earlier internal drama within Echo Fox being leaked to the public, with Riot later taking action, forcing Echo Fox out of the league. After a tough round of negotiations, and even an extension to seal the deal, Echo Fox ﬁnally sold their slot to Evil Geniuses. Many may ﬁnd Evil Geniuses a familiar name, and not without reason considering they were one of the top veteran professional League of Legends teams, having both a hand in EU and NA.

Immortals had acquired OpTic Gaming’s parent company, leading to a rebrand. While initially many of the players were part of Immortals following the team’s acquisition, many had soon been transferred off the team.

Clutch Gaming has merged with Dignitas early in the year, leading to the team’s rebrand. This came as a surprise considering Clutch Gaming’s relatively new established strength in the league. Dignitas on the other hand had failed to acquire a NA LCS spot in the league despite being one of the longer standing, well known, and highly supported teams. This merger will hopefully propel the OG Dignitas name to heights it failed to achieve those many years ago.

Read also: LCS 2020 Bot Lane Power Ranking: Team SoloMid, Cloud9 and CLG shuffle positions