Based in Vancouver, BC, Carolyn Ali has written hundreds of published articles.
With a degree in political science and a certificate in digital marketing, she produces data-driven content for brands. She creates everything from website copy to consumer emails, sponsored content to social media ads.
As an editor, Carolyn has worked in-house for a technical publishing company and two high-volume newsrooms.
She was the travel and food editor of the Georgia Straight–Canada’s largest urban weekly–for a decade. She also worked as a copy editor for the Bangkok Post, Thailand’s leading English-language newspaper. (She still misses eating freshly cut pineapple from the fruit stall outside her office.)
Carolyn brings an international perspective to her projects. She worked in Japan for several years and has travelled to almost 60 countries. Her biggest regret is not taking that free stopover in Brunei.
Carolyn’s work has earned multiple North American writing awards:
- Best Byline Travel Column (less than 250,000 circulation) – North American Travel Journalists Association (Gold award) 2014, (finalist) 2015
- Best Service Feature in Canada – Travel Media Association of Canada, 2013
- Best Outdoors/Adventure Story in Canada – Travel Media Association of Canada, 2011
- Finalist for Best Special Focus Online Travel Article (sports and recreation) – North American Travel Journalists Association, 2014
Carolyn was part of the digital content team at Destination British Columbia when it was named 2018 Marketer of the Year by the BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association. The redesigned HelloBC.com consumer website earned four awards, including 2018 HSMAI Adrian Award – Best Travel Website.
Carolyn has appeared as a spokesperson on live television and as a guest on television and radio talk shows. Here are a few clips.
- JoyTV CARPe Diem, Staycations aired across Canada, December 3, 2018
- Global Morning News, Three Easy Wine Getaways in BC aired in BC, May 14, 2018
- Global Morning News, Quick Getaways to the Thompson Okanagan aired in BC, May 21, 2018


Many people in our world dream to be astronauts to visit space, experience a weaker gravitational pull, looking to the Earth from far away, and catching a glimpse of our spectacular world’s events. The dream may become real, with the SpaceX Crew Dragon Tourism trip that managed by Space Adventures.
Space Adventures, a big company that has been working in the field of space tourism trips for more than two decades, has signed its first contract with SpaceX for ‘SpaceX Crew Dragon Tourism Trip‘ by Feb 18, 2020. It aims to launch space tourists to the Low Earth orbit.
Space Adventures intends to break the world altitude record for private citizen spaceflight and offer its clients a view of the planet Earth in a way that no one has seen since the Gemini program.
This article discusses the following topics about SpaceX Crew Dragon Tourism Trip:
- How long has Space Adventures been working in the field of space tourism?
- How many tourists can travel aboard?
- Which spacecraft will launch the tourists?
- When is It expected to launch the spacecraft?
- How long does the tourism trip take?
- What kind of training required before the launch?
- Where will the spacecraft go?
- How much does the ticket cost?
- How many people visited so far?
- How does the view look like from the International Space Station ISS?
1. How long has Space Adventures been working in the field of Space tourism?
Space adventure has been working in the space tourism business since 1998, for more than two decades. In the 2000s, they successfully arranged eight orbital launches and visits to the International Space Station (ISS) for seven customers. Even though it recorded a noticeable activity in the 2000s, it has been inactive since then.
2. How many tourists will travel aboard in the SpaceX Crew Dragon Tourism Trip?
Space Adventures plans to send up to four people maximum in the first launch; however, the exact number may be less depending on the booked tickets.
3. Which Spacecraft is SpaceX going to use in the SpaceX Crew Dragon tourism trip?
The dedicated spacecraft for this mission is SpaceX Crew Dragon that will be launched using Falcon 9 rocket . Falcon 9 rocket follows the same system used to transport NASA’s astronauts to the International Space Stations (ISS).
4. When is it expected to launch SpaceX crew dragon spacecraft for the tourism trip?
The Space Adventures trip could happen in Late-2021 to mid-2022.
5. How long does SpaceX Crew Dragon tourism trip take?
Space Adventures expects that the mission is going to take 3-5 days. Several factors determine the length of the mission, such as the consultation with clients, and SpaceX besides the technical factors that play the role.
6. What training will be for tourists who will book for the SpaceX Crew Dragon Tourism Trip?
The purpose of the mission is to experience the spaceflight by ordinary people who enjoy going to space. Thus, their training is significantly reduced compared with the astronauts’ training. The training will mainly focus on familiarizing the tourists with the Dragon spacecraft.
The training conduction will be in the USA as it hosts most of the potential customers.
7. Where will SpaceX Crew Dragon tourism trip go?
The inevitable plan is to launch the spacecraft to the Low-Earth Orbit LEO (LEO: is an Earth-centered orbit with an altitude of 2,000 km/ 1,200 mi or less).
Following the previous successful visits that Space Adventures’ clients have experienced in their trips to the International Space Station (ISS), Space Adventures wants to take this tourism trip to the next level by offering its potential customers an even more exciting experience.
In SpaceX Crew Dragon tourism mission, Space Adventures plans to break the world altitude record for private citizen spaceflight where tourists can see the planet Earth in a way that no one has seen since the Gemini program, as they say.
Eric Anderson, chairman of Space Adventures, said
“Honoring our combined histories, this Dragon mission will be a special experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity — capable of reaching twice the altitude of any prior civilian astronaut mission or space station visitor,”
8. How much does it cost to book a ticket for the SpaceX Crew Dragon Tourism Trip?
Space Adventures says that the price may vary depending on the number of clients, but it will be within the same range of price compared with its previously launched spaceflights . Even though a ticket in the previous tourism spaceflights costs around 35$ million, Space Adventures doesn’t want to disclose more information about the pricing at this stage. It recommends its potential customer to contact its sales team for further inquiries and clarifications.
9. How many people visited space so far?
By March 10, 2020, and as per FAI criterion :
-Total number of people who have been in space: 565 from 41 countries
-Number of people completed the sub-orbital flight: three
–Number of people who reached Earth orbit: 562
-Number of people who traveled beyond low Earth orbit: 24
-Number of people who walked on the moon: 12
10. How does the view look like from the International Space Station ISS?
SpaceX Crew Dragon Tourism Trip may take an altitude of 2 to 3 times higher than the altitude of the ISS. Thus, the photos that tourists can capture in this trip will be more mind-boggling than the following photo from ISS.


December 12, 2011
Today, midwives and mothers everywhere can celebrate Robin Lim’s amazing and well-deserved win of CNN’s 2011 Hero of the Year award.
Robin offers midwifery services free of charge to Indonesian women who would otherwise not be able to afford prenatal care or a skilled birth attendant. For her work at Bumi Sehat Birth Center in Bali, she has been recognized as their “Everyday person changing the world.” The direct benefit is that Robin gets $250,000 for Bumi Sehat, and I couldn’t imagine a more deserving organization. However, I’m much more excited about the secondary benefits.
Robin Lim and Bumi Sehat are all over the media right now. This means that potential donors are more likely to notice and make contributions of their own. But it also means that folks who may not know much about midwives are getting the opportunity to learn more. And that’s good for all of us.
I’m not sure whether Robin is interested in being the new spokesperson for midwifery, but right now, she is the most famous midwife on earth. For the past few decades, Ina May Gaskin * has been the face and the name that comes to mind for many people when talking about midwives and homebirth. But it looks as if it might be Robin’s turn. What could this mean for the PR of midwifery? Ina May’s is a grasssroots midwifery, born in the 70’s and raised on a commune in Tennessee. Robin’s midwifery is about serving not the self-selected hippie mamas, but the most needy. Ina May brought the idea of choice and empowerment to the US birthing scene, but Robin may help people see that midwifery is for everyone: cost-effective healthcare that saves lives…while still offering choice and empowerment.
Okay, I have to go deliver a placenta and do a postpartum massage; I wanted to get something out there, and may elaborate later, but this is good for now.
*Interestingly, Ina May also won an award this month! The Right Livelihood Award clearly didn’t get as much press as CNN’s, but I love that she’s still so passionate and actively working for parents and babies.
Photo from the Bumi Sehat website.
Perinatal care specialist. Parent of two. Hosted three fetuses: my big kid, a surrogacy in the middle, and my little kid. Vegan; drinks a lot of tea. Board game (and general) geek. Goat hugger extraordinaire.
Read more about Jasper here.


This article explores and explains what’s been happening in the world of green coffee over the last 15 months and what may happen in the future.
There may not be enough coffee
Brazil produces almost 40% of the world’s Arabica coffee. Unfortunately, Brazil’s harvest was hit by drought and frost last year. The hope was that this year’s Brazil harvest would be better. However, the size of the beans within the cherry is of concern, and the expectation now is that it will be even worse than an already reduced 35 million bags estimate. To put this in perspective, in 2020 Brazil had an all-time high harvest of almost 50 million plus bags (48.76 to be exact).
This is further complicated by the fact that the second biggest Arabica producer, Colombia, has also had two bad harvests in a row due to too much rain and floods. As if this wasn’t bad enough, there have also been logistical and worker shortage issues in both origins which have made harvesting and readying the next crop difficult.
No end is in sight, just yet
There is now increased concern that next year’s harvest in both Brazil and Colombia will also be compromised due to dry conditions in Brazil and wet conditions in Colombia. This means that the world of coffee may have to contend with a rare occurrence of three worse-than-expected harvest cycles in some of the top-producing countries.
World coffee stocks
The world coffee stocks have diminished as a result of two cycles of supply deficit and demand outstripping supply. This is likely to continue for another harvest cycle if the fears about the next Brazilian and Colombian harvests come true.
Prices at all-time highs
All coffee prices around the world reflect the benchmark C prices. C is a commodity futures exchange for Arabica coffee and the C price is used as a benchmark price for all coffee, including specialty coffee. This is not the price that everyone pays, however, coffee prices across the globe increase and decrease with the C price. The C price is represented in US dollars per pound.
The C benchmark price has doubled from the previous 5-year average and is looking unlikely to come down soon. There is a high likelihood that prices might stay at this level or even increase further.
Source: Trading Economics
The US dollar isn’t helping
The US dollar is also at a 20-year high. As coffee is traded in US dollars, this means that in actuality coffee prices have almost increased by 150% when the effect of the US dollar is considered. The last time coffee prices went this high was in 2011. However the US dollar was at an all-time low at that stage and most of the world, including Australia, did not see a noticeable increase in coffee prices.
Source: Trading economics
Are farmers seeing windfall profits?
This will depend on individual farm and region circumstances. Broadly speaking, that’s not necessarily the case. With lower harvest yields and increased input prices for fuel, labour and fertilizer, there is no windfall to be had. Furthermore, coffee prices have not kept up with inflation in a meaningful way over the last 30 years. A lot of progress had been driven due to increased harvest yields over the years. However, this trend has reversed over the last couple of years due to bad harvests and astronomical prices of inputs. This is a difficult time for the whole industry and supply chain. Everyone, including farmers, brokers, roasters, cafes and consumers, are in the same boat when it comes to facing the increased cost of living pressures. The industry is a resilient one and we will all get through this together. At the same time, it will need adjustments and proactively managing the new circumstances.
Unless, the tightness of the coffee supply and the fears over the next harvest change quickly, there will be two problems. First is the amount of and type of coffee available and the second is the price of the coffee. We will see retail and wholesale coffee prices increase further as all the roasters who were able to minimise or omit price increases due to long-term buying programs will now see this higher reality of prices come through. And there will be no choice but to pass these increases on to ensure the viability of the supply chain and to ensure continuity of supply even while being creative and turning to coffee origins with better harvest results.


NICO ROSBERG ON POLE FOR BELGIAN GRAND PRIX.
Lewis Hamilton has to settle for second place, Sebastian Vettel is in third.
Thumbs up for Rosberg. He is primed to extend his advantage in the drivers' championship. Make sure you join us in the race tomorrow from midday.
Hamilton with a scruffy final lap with a couple of small errors that left him 0.228 seconds behind his team-mate.
Vettel leads the rest of the field in third place, 2.1 seconds off pole.
Here are your top 10:
Tag : F1


The US Federal Reserve on July 31st cut its key benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point, to a range of 2%-2.25%, in the first reduction in borrowing costs since a decade ago. It also ends its balance sheet reduction two months earlier than planned.
Professor Tang Yao with the Guanghua School of Management pointed out that the move marked the end of the normalizing process of the U.S. monetary policy, potentially signaling an unprecedented change in the patterns of the U.S. monetary policy.
Since 1980, the Federal Reserve has been gradually using interest rates as a key tool in its monetary policy, which is mainly driven by data — cutting interest rates amid low growth, high unemployment rates and low inflation, and vice versa. The financial market was very familiar with this pattern, and it helped the public reasonably predict the monetary policy of the Fed.
As the data shows, the U.S. economy has been continuing last year’s steady growth. This growth is mainly driven by steady consumption while investment has been relatively weak. Its core inflation rate has been staying below the two percent target, and salary growth is not fast. Data-wise, the rate cut is not justified.
During the interview following the rate cut announcement, Fed chairman Jerome Powell took on a flexible stance in a bid to give space for the Fed‘s decision-making. However, his attitude also made it hard for outsiders to gauge the Fed’s intentions. On one hand, Powell cited low return on capital, a weakening global economy, China-U.S. trade war, low inflation, amongst others, as factors contributing to the rate cut. Expected uncertainties were a major factor influencing the Fed’s rate cut decision, a sharp contrast with its usual practice to focus on real data and interest rates. On the other hand, he said the cut did not mark the start of a lengthy cutting cycle, stressing that future rate-related decisions will still mainly focus on economic data. He also ruled out that the move was in response to the pressure from President Trump, further baffling the market.
Regardless of the logic and intention behind the rate cut, developed countries will face a low interest rate environment in the future. Currently, the EU and Japan’s monetary policies still center on negative interest rates. After the 2008 financial crisis, the Fed has been constantly increasing interest rates following quantitative easing. However, after this time’s rate cut, it only has two percent left, much lower than 4 or 5 percent, the usual amount of rate cut that is needed to cope with an economic downturn. Insufficient rate cut space means the country might have to resort to quantitative easing or even negative interest rates. Some Fed officials call for preemptive rate cuts to delay an economic downturn and avoid using abnormal monetary policy tools.
It is hard to normalize a developed country’s monetary policy, and extraordinary tools such as quantitative easing and negative rates have been adopted more regularly, which means their monetary policy tool kit is already nearly exhausted. A combination of factors including slowed growth of total productivity factor, aging populations, income inequality and trade disputes will cause low growth and low return on capital in the future for a developed country. Without a structural reform to address these issues, cutting lending costs for investment and debts through monetary policy becomes the only game in town. Even in an economically sound country like the U.S., tax cuts in 2017 failed to greatly boost investment and its impact on consumption was also temporary. The burden had to fall on monetary policy.
With pressures and expectations from politicians, the public and the financial market, a developed countries’ central bank is fully aware of the role of “savior” it plays and striving to upgrade and innovate their monetary policy. However, new policy might bring new risks. In the short run, relaxed monetary policy might reduce the risk of an economic downturn, but it will cause other risks to accumulate in the long run. For instance, low rates lead to a large amount of low rate and negative rate bonds, forcing investors to hold a great amount of high-risk bonds and stocks for higher returns. In terms of income distribution, the prosperity brought by low interest rates will worsen income and fortune inequality, hold back future demands and potentially cause new social conflicts.
The rate cut not only ends the country’s rate hiking cycle, but might also open up a new era for its monetary policy, pushing the global economy into a macro-environment of more uncertainty. Following the rate cut, developed countries with space for rate cuts such as the U.K. and Canada will also go through more relaxed monetary policies. In such a global environment, China should more firmly push forward its supply side reform, make proper use of various policy tools to achieve moderate countercyclical adjustments and focus on ensuring high quality economic growth — instead of over-relying on relaxed monetary policy and other short-term measures.


Glacier Pools Preserve Featured in 2015 Fall Edition of Inside Pennsylvania Magazine
Read all about it beginning on page 12 of the 2015 Fall Edition at www.insidepamagazine.com.
“I never get tired of looking at rocks,” Rickie Gross said as she pointed to a large stone with layers of cracks and moss. “This one shows so much history.”
On a recent tour of the 270-acre Glacier Pools Preserve in Wolf Township, Lycoming County, she and her husband Michael, who have owned and lived on the land since 1978, led the way through the dense forest on intersecting walking trails they forged with the help of friends and volunteers. They pointed out the various trees, flowers and wildlife as well as the rock walls along the meadows that once formed the boundary for farm fields dating as far back as the early 1800s.
The property, located near the borough of Picture Rocks and about a 10-minute drive from Hughesville, is filled with approximately 20 large vernal pools, or depressions in the ground that seasonally gather water.
In addition to the pool clusters, the land offers to the public rare, natural amenities, such as uncultivated meadows and picturesque views of the Allegheny Front.
Read the entire article beginning on page 12 of the 2015 Fall Edition at www.insidepamagazine.com.


Newsletter May 2012
NALC-National Association of Letter Carriers
STAMP OUT HUNGER 20th Anniversary Food Drive Success!
Community Action team members and volunteers were busy working at the OC Food Bank until late in the evening this past Saturday, May 12th. Imagine two Semis and 20 Bobtail trucks full of food that local letter carriers gathered that day! Over 222,000 pounds of non-perishable food was unloaded, sorted and organized.
Four hundred local non-profit agencies picked up food from the OC Food Bank. Because of the generous support of our local communities, the pantries are now able to better serve their community. #communityaction
NALC Stamp Out Hunger Kick Off Event Tuesday, May 8th 2012
The NALC kicked off “Stamp Out Hunger” last Tuesday at the Eagle Community Credit Union (Eagle CU) in Lake Forest. Local politicians, NALC leadership, Orange County non-profit agencies, food bank directors, and community members celebrated the anticipated success of the nation’s largest food drive. The fabulous event was planned by the team at Eagle CU. Eagle CU President Bill Birnie spoke along with many other leaders whose dedication and commitment to this food drive is valued and admired.
Mayor Kathryn McCullough of Lake Forest
Eagle Community Credit Union President, Bill Birnie
Executive Director of the Community Action Partnership of Orange County, Clarence “Buddy” Ray
OC Food Bank Director, Mark Lowry
NALC Region 1 Food Drive Coordinator, Paula Miller
The names of the Eagle team members are (from left to right): Lynne Westbury, Andrea Alcala-Reyes,
Robin Wiessner, Carol Rosas, David Ward, and Alex Tellez


If you’ve ever had a runner’s knee injury, it can be painful and debilitating. The feeling of instability and the popping or grinding sounds should not be ignored. That nagging pain, concentrated right in front of your knee, is aggravating. It makes running, walking uphill and climbing steps almost impossible.
Facing an injury is one of the most common threats runners face, regardless of their fitness levels. It can occur in people of all ages, so it is important not to ignore any nagging pains during a workout. Always allow yourself a “body check-in” when something does not feel right.
Runners are mentally trained to push through the normal running knee pains, but that can make injuries even worse. Pain is a vital warning signal, and is too often ignored. Your brain makes you believe that if you skip a run, you will fall off track and undo any progress that you have made. Runners train themselves to push through the normal aches and knee pains.
Besides the physical toll, injuries can also wreak havoc with the mind and lifestyle. Dennis Ramos, a psychotherapist from Corpus Christi, Texas, says there are various impacts from sports injuries.
Depending on the degree of impairment, an injured person may have to cope with loss of abilities, impaired mobility, change in routine or lifestyle, pain and the demands of rehab or recovery,” Ramos says.
An active or athletic person may suffer psychologically from the loss of his or her activities, especially since physical activity is one of the best things to help maintain mental and emotional health, Ramos says.
According to Ramos, impaired mobility can lead to:
• Reduced ability to cope with stress
• Lowered energy
• Grief and depression
If the impaired mobility and activity extends for a long period of time, these effects can be much worse,” Ramos says. “Injury can cause drastic changes in routine or lifestyle as well, which can result in struggles with adjustment to change.”
It’s also important to recognize the effect an injury may have on a person’s income, job status and lifestyle, Ramos says. Any of these challenges can potentially cause symptoms of depression and/or anxiety.
“We know that severe chronic pain can often lead to depression in many individuals,” he says. “So, depending on the injury, this may be an important concern. Finally, the demands of recuperation, rehab, retraining and recovery can be quite challenging and cause increased stress levels.”
Overcoming Psychological Effects
After a sports injury, self-care is important, Ramos says. That means good rest, good nutrition, a good support community and a positive attitude. Individuals should try to stay as active as possible.
“When your physician approves, try to activate the parts of your body that are not injured,” he says. “If you have an injured leg, try to exercise your upper body, for example. Keep your mind active and engaged in hobbies, reading, games, social activities and other things you enjoy. Make concrete plans with your medical team to get back to the physical routines and activities you are able to do, as soon as possible. If you find that your energy or mood is low, or if you have ongoing anxiety, consult your medical team and a therapist to help you cope. Remember that depression can sometimes be one of the symptoms of injury, so be careful to let someone you trust know how you are doing, and seek professional help as soon as possible.”
The bottom line: do not ignore any pain in your body. If it gets worse, stop the workout and see how you feel the next day. Take time to breathe and relax, refocus and prioritize self-care.


We're Rewriting the Next Decade for Food
There’s an old story still being told in food. A story layered with faux science and outdated business practices. One that puts profits ahead of people, innovation at the expense of quality, and fear before safety. It’s a story that’s contributed to food deserts in the heartland, an allergy epidemic among children, billions of tons of waste, the least healthy population in human history, and a climate challenge that threatens life on this planet.
A growing number of people, though, refuse to accept this single story and are working to write another for the next decade in food. They are focused on innovating to improve lives. They are re-building food-accessible communities, developing truly smart technologies and seeking out people-centric products and processes. They are daring powerful institutions—both externally and from within—to fix a system that’s let us down and could gravely impact life for future generations. Most importantly, they are recognizing that to ascend from a good brand to a great brand requires exceptional leadership—leadership that embraces the responsibilities of global citizenship and inspires others to unite with them to make the seemingly impossible possible.
Welcome to the new story. Welcome to Esca Bona.


The Family Health Partnership Clinic and Sage Legacy Fund celebrated the new “Clinic Without Walls” on Tuesday at the McHenry County PADS Day Shelter.
The medical supply van is an expansion of health care services the clinic has been offering to the shelter and the Old Firehouse Assistance center since January. It allows for McHenry County’s homeless population to have greater access to needed treatment. The program sends a primary care team to the homeless centers to provide exams, lab tests and medications.
The van allows for better transportability of the program. The program is offered once a week at the shelters and once a month at McHenry’s Garden Quarter Resource Center, said Suzanne Hoban, executive director of the clinic.
“We had our ultimate goal, which was to get care to the people who probably have the most difficulty accessing care,” Hoban said. “We worked backwards from there. What are the barriers and how can we address those barriers?”
Lack of transportation and higher priorities can lead to people who are impoverished and homeless putting off getting necessary care, PADS Director Erin Brumfield Grima said.
“We have seen a big difference made in the people coming in to get these services,” she said. “Lots of people may have health benefits through Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act, but because they are experiencing homelessness, it makes it hard for them to put that on priority and get out to a general care physician. … This has been wonderful to create availability to get people services they need.”
Sage Legacy Fund and the McHenry County Community Foundation funded the project. It cost about $36,000 to get running, and the community foundation helped outfit the special medical van. Sage also will fund staffing costs for the next three years, Hoban said.
Legacy foundation member Vince Foglia said the idea was transformational.
“We thought it was super,” he said. "If you can’t get the patients to the doctor, you bring the doctors to the patients. You can’t get better than that.”


Imajess, pronounced 'image-ess'. Based on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia.
I have been living in the word of motorsport for the majority of my life, as a driver, pit crew, spectator, event official and photographer.
In 2012, I became a silver level CAMS Accredited Motorsport Photographer. Since then, my role in motorsport has only expanded beyond club level motorsport, to international events such as World Time Attack.
Beyond photos, I have also writen for various magazines and blogs, including Australian Car Mechanic and Drift Life.
I am also the editor and designer of idrive magazine. idrive magazine is the annual publication of the BMW Drivers Club Melbourne, chronicling the club’s numerous events, discussing new BMW models and showcasing the club’s many supporters, sponsors and advertisers. An accomplishment Jess is extremely proud of, creating the magazine from just a blank page and an idea that started with "do you know what would be really cool..?"
Want to know more? Get in contact today.


Inquiry Chair meets bereaved families and relatives of care home residents
Lord Brailsford, Chair of the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry, has undertaken an initial series of meetings with bereaved families and relatives of care home residents in Scotland.
The discussions have allowed Lord Brailsford to provide an update on the Inquiry’s progress and learn more about their experiences during the pandemic in Scotland, and how they and their relatives were impacted by the lockdowns and other restrictions, such as those in residential care settings.
Lord Brailsford said: “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to meet bereaved families and the relatives of care home residents, and very much appreciate them sharing with me their harrowing accounts of the losses they have suffered. I have learned a great deal and their experiences will be at the heart of the Inquiry’s investigations.”


Newly crowned FIA Formula Two champion Luciano Bacheta will be
given a Williams Formula 1 drive next week (18 October) at
Silverstone, as part of his reward for winning the 2012
The 22-year-old Brit, who led the championship from the start, secured the honours during a thrilling final showdown at Monza, edging out season-long rival Mathéo Tuscher to scoop the prize, together with FIA Super Licence eligibility - required to compete in Grands Prix.
In preparation for next week, Bacheta has already visited the team's headquarters in Grove, Oxfordshire to conduct simulator work before his takes to the Northamptonshire track.
"All year while I was leading the championship I was thinking that I could be driving a Grand Prix car so I've been training with F1 in mind," Bacheta said. "I've received a measurement chart for the race suit and we'll ramp up the preparation now. I'm so excited and I'm really motivated for it and even before I won the championship I thought I would be ready for it."
Bacheta will become the fourth F2 champion to drive Williams F1 machinery after previous champions Andy Soucek, Dean Stoneman and Mirko Bortolotti. He will also be driving at the circuit that brought him the first of his record-breaking four consecutive wins on his way to championship victory.
Full coverage of the day will be available on www.formulatwo.com


From 20-22 November Shanghai (China) is the venue for “Chinacoat’2013”, the benchmark show in Asia.
PROMINDSA is currently finalizing the design of its stand for this top event, which is to be staged precisely in the country that is the world leader in pigment production and which the company hopes will be a decisive platform for it to continue to consolidate the growth of its exports to this region of the world.
The exhibition stand, measuring 36 square metres, has been designed by the Spanish firm CREADEC, who are specialists in this type of international events.
Within the range of Micronox pigments, the two star products to be presented at “Chinacoat’2013” will be Micronox R01 y Micronox R02.
The show, that this year will be held in Shanghai, boasts an exhibition space of more than 55,000 square metres and will accommodate more than 1,500 exhibitors who expect to attend more than 50,000 visitors coming from 100 different countries.
PROMINDSA’s stand is number 3C69-72, located in Zone 7 of Hall E-3. At the stand, in addition to Phillip Chen, our Shanghai office representative and the person responsible for distribution in China, will be our CEO, Fernando Prada, accompanied by Bernardo Pons, José Ángel del Pozo and Eva López.


To know how we got here, it's necessary to look back and know our history, the history of our family ...
40 years ago I was born in "Paradise" without realizing it. Over the years it's something I'veI learned thinking about "El Paradís" (The Paradise), the restaurant my parents Ramón Barri and Teresa Carles opened the same year I was born in Lleida.
It was a time when fast food chains landed in Spain and the consumption of soft sugared drinks were sky rocketing. But my parents nevered followed trends.
In a city where the vegetarian population did not reach 20 people, they dared to open the first vegetarian restaurant in Lleida.
Me and my sister Mar took different paths. When we finished our studies drove our carrers away from the kitchen. Mar with communication and me with music and consulting. At that time, we never thought we would come back home.
Over the years and especially traveling, I discovered that my parents cuisine was not only in favor of destiny and the planet, but also it was in no way inferior to the best restaurants. It was also beginning to find its place in the gastronomic and cultural trends around the world. It was at this moment when I decided to go back and bet on making it a reference beyond borders.
In 2011, my parents, Mar, and I opened Teresa Carles, a lacto-ovo-vegetarian restaurant in Barcelona to prove that eating healthy didn't have to be boring and that our cuisine had something different to offer. Mar and I went back to practically living in a restaurant, but this time it was different. We were more convinced than ever.
And soon the press gave us their good reviews but more importantly, we also got them from our clients.
Three years later, we dared to open Flax & Kale, the first restaurant to call itself Healthy-Flexitarian. It was born with the intention of promoting a lifestyle in which the values of respect for health, the environment and people. Gastronomy became our way to make this world a better place for everyone.
With this concern we took a bigger step. In 2018, we decided to open an innovative sustainable R&D center in Lleida. With the aim of researching, innovating and being able to take our product further.
And the story does not end here. We are preparing more changes, more news, more innovation ...
But we will never change the vision with which it all began forty years ago, when a couple of visionaries decided to be true towhat they thought and start sharing their philosophy.
Eat Better > Be Happier > Live Longer
Jordi Barri, CEO & Founder Flax & Kale


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Financial Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean: Data and Trends
Microcredit in Latin America and the Caribbean has continued its expansion of the last decade, with an increase in customers, more kinds of institutions, a wider variety of services offered to clients, and a trend toward lower interest rates. The 2014 report shows the region’s microcredit portfolio grew to more than US$40 billion in 2013, is provided by more than 1,000 institutions, and reaches more than 22 million clients.
According to Financial Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean 2014, the majority of the 1,000 institutions providing microcredit in the region are regulated, representing 79 percent of the portfolio and 65 percent of customers. Also of note is the penetration of microcredit, now reaching one quarter of the region’s microentrepreneurs, with an average loan size of US$1,800.
Download the 2014 report: "Financial Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean: Data and Trends
Read the press release
Microfinance in Latin America and the Caribbean: Sector data.
Microcredit in Latin America and the Caribbean has experienced exponential growth over the last decade, through the incorporation of new actors, closer attention from financial authorities, and overall improvements in information transparency. The microcredit portfolio held by more than 1000 institutions now totals over US$40 billion, serving at least 20 million clients. Regulated institutions represent 86% of the portfolio and 66% of clients in these totals.
Download the complete report
Read the press release of the 2013 report
Over the last 10 years, microfinance has experienced continuous growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through a responsible regulatory environment and strong, well-regulated microfinance institutions, more micro and small businesses and poor households have access to financing opportunities.
Download the complete report (in Spanish only)
Download the one-page infographic
2011 report (in Spanish only)
Press release: Microfinance lending in Latin America and the Caribbean rose 23 percent in 2010


They say every dog has its day, but for Coquito, his day seemed shadowed by misjudgments and misunderstandings. When Coquito first entered our lives, it was under circumstances that carried heavy hearts and somber stories. Yet, as days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, the story of Coquito transformed into one of hope, redemption, and boundless love.
Coquito’s Tumultuous Journey
The small, uncertain steps of Coquito first echoed in our lives when he was returned by his previous adopters. He arrived with a list of grievances that painted a bleak picture: a "bad dog" who had accidents around the house, barked incessantly, and was unpredictable in behavior. The weight of these allegations could have sealed Coquito's fate, relegating him to a life forever chained to misunderstandings.
However, the shelter and I had our suspicions. Was he a victim of prolonged crating, causing his so-called "unpredictable" behavior? When we were asked to foster Coquito, we jumped at the opportunity and give him the chance he deserved.
The Coquito We Came to Know and Love
With the loss of our beloved senior chihuahuas, Marisol and Lelo, there was a huge void in our lives that we were uncertain we would ever be able recover from. But then, Coquito happened.
Contrary to the list of complaints, Coquito showcased none of the problematic behaviors. He was neither unpredictable nor did he have frequent accidents. In fact, to our surprise, he was wee wee pad trained! Day by day, Coquito's gentle nature and loving demeanor started filling the void left by our senior babies. His wagging tail, his soft whimpers, and his warm cuddles were a testament to the fact that, sometimes, all one needs is understanding and a bit of love.
From Fostering to Forever
Three months into fostering, our bond with Coquito had grown so deep and so strong that the thought of parting ways became unbearable. And so, we made a heartwarming decision: Coquito was family. Our decision to adopt him was met with joyous barks and affectionate licks, sealing our bond for a lifetime.
Coquito no longer has to face the fear of being shuffled between homes. With us, he has found his forever family. Today, he has a feisty senior chihuahua sister, Betty, who never fails to keep him on his toes. He also shares his home with a one-eyed senior cat, Six, who watches his new sibling suspiciously from a safe distance. The trio, with their unique personalities and quirks, is a living testament to the beauty of adoption and second chances.
The Lessons Coquito Taught Us
Coquito's journey with us was more than just an adoption story. It was a lesson in empathy, understanding, and the importance of giving second chances. Every dog, has a story and a past. It's essential to look beyond preconceived notions and judgments to truly understand and appreciate the soul within.
Coquito also reaffirmed our belief in fostering and adopting. By opening our hearts and homes to him, we not only gave Coquito a new lease on life but also found a way to heal our own wounds. He taught us that love isn't bound by time; it's bound by moments, memories, and the warmth of togetherness.
In the end, Coquito's story is a beacon of hope for countless other dogs waiting for their forever homes. It's a reminder that with a little patience and a lot of love, every dog can find its day in the sun. Here's to Coquito, the little chihuahua who taught us the immeasurable power of love, second chances, and the magic of new beginnings.


The Senate is currently examining a bill which would provide Israel with one of the biggest aid packages ever granted to the Jewish State. The United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012, a version of which was recently passed by the House of Representatives, will broaden military cooperation between the two countries and will supply Israel with additional aircraft and munitions. President Barack Obama has in the past been criticized for his weak pro-Israeli stance.
According to sources close to the discussions, Israel will receive refueling aircraft, which it will badly need if it decides to go ahead and launch a pre-emptive military strike against Iran,while the additional munitions is likely to include state-of-the-art bunker-busting missiles. In exchange for the very generous aid package, Israel is expected to open up its air space to the U.S. so that it can conduct aerial exercises.
The new legislation is being examined by the Foreign Relations Committee at a time when world powers negotiators are meeting in Baghdad to attempt to break the deadlock between Iran and the West.
The United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany are trying to convince Tehran that it needs to put a stop to some of its nuclear fuel enrichment, which the Obama administration and other Western leaders believe is a precursor to the building of a dirty bomb. Iran, on the other hand, wishes the U.S. and Europe to lift the economic sanctions on its oil exports in exchange for granting U.N. inspectors a freer rein when visiting the country’s nuclear installations.
“This bill has received the blessing of the Obama administration, which sees it as a conciliatory gesture towards Israel in advance of the agreement with Iran, about which Israel has already begun to express reservations,” the source told the Globes.
Republican presidential candidate and Texas Congressman Ron Paul strongly opposed the bill while it was being examined by the House of Representatives, describing it as “another piece of one-sided and counter-productive foreign policy legislation.”
“This bill will not help the United States. It will not help Israel. And it will not help the Middle East. It will implicitly authorize much more US interventionism in the region at a time when we cannot afford the foreign commitments we already have. It more likely will lead to war against Syria, Iran, or both,” Dr. Paul said at the time.
On Wednesday, Israel’s defense minister Ehud Barak indicated that a pre-emptive strike against Iran’s nuclear sites would remain a possibility even if Tehran agreed to grant greater access to United Nations inspectors.


This week, life sciences company COMPASS Pathways announced that it has received “Breakthrough Therapy” designation from the United States Food and Drug Administration for its psilocybin therapy aimed at individuals with treatment-resistant depression.
Psilocybin, the main active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, is also known as Little Smoke, Magic Mushrooms, Purple Passion and Shrooms, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Like many other hallucinogens, the drug can alter one’s perception, thoughts and feelings or cause hallucinations.
The FDA’s new designation is a significant milestone for psilocybin therapy, highlighting “the importance of supporting early research that can be translated to clinically meaningful outcomes,” company officials wrote in a news release. The designation will fast track the FDA’s review of the treatment for possible approval.
Researchers from Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the U.S. have been studying the therapy for many years. In fact, a study published in January found that the psychoactive compound helped revive emotional responsiveness in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Another showed that patients’ mental benefits after two psilocybin treatments lasted for weeks.
COMPASS Pathways will begin running the first large-scale psilocybin clinical trial for treatment-resistant depression in Europe and North America within the next two years. The company’s version of psilocybin comes in powder form, synthesized in the laboratory.
"This is great news for patients,” COMPASS executive chairman George Goldsmith said in a statement. “We are excited to be taking this work forward with our clinical trial on psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression. The FDA will be working closely with us to expedite the development process and increase the chances of getting this treatment to people suffering with depression as quickly as possible.”


- ETH Zürich, CH
lunedì 19 ottobre 2020
We advertise the Public Opening of the 2020 Fields Medal Symposium, to be held on Monday 19 October 2020 and hosted by The Fields Insitute for Research in Mathematical Sciences.
The event features an interview between Hannah Fry and Alessio Figalli (Fields Medal 2018) and a panel of distinguished mathematicians discussing his work.
Detailed program and registration link at: http://www.fields.utoronto.ca/activities/20-21/fieldsmedalsym-opening


08:30 – 09:00
In this HI Design Europe opening presentation, STR’s Alexander Robinson explores the state of the market – using a combination of data and forecasting to chart the forces shaping hotel design and development, both locally and regionally.
09:00 – 09:40
We look ahead as our panel of industry experts imagine the hotel of the future (with a little help from the audience), offer their thoughts on how hospitality and design will evolve to deliver relevant, compelling experiences, speak to changing audiences, and showcase innovation and progressive ideas.
14:30 – 15:00
As Creative Director of LORE Group and Founder of LORE Studio, Jacu Strauss has made understanding people his business – concepting and design pioneering hotel projects that have shifted the needle of hospitality, from London’s One Hundred Shoreditch and Sea Containers to Amsterdam’s Pulitzer and Kimpton De Witt. He explains what it means to unpick how people travel, work and socialise today, and deliver hotels that resonate.
15:00 – 15:30
Sustainability is the most pressing concern of our times and yet the pace of change is often too slow; the will to take radical action not strong enough. In this HI Design Europe closing seminar, sustainable hospitality expert Juliet Kinsman shares her thoughts on why we’re all responsible for building a positive future.
08:30 – 09:30
In our regular HI Design’s Hot Topics discussion, we fearlessly tackle the biggest issues facing design and hospitality. With audience participation encouraged, be a part of the conversations genuinely shaping the region, alongside our panel of outspoken industry leaders.
13:35 – 14:35
Judith van Vliet is a global authority on colour and its psychology, through her work considering how colour can be used meaningfully and purposefully within the design of interiors and the built environment. Here, she looks to the dynamic surroundings of Marrakech, offering a masterclass on how colour can convey a sense of place and culture.
Judith Van Vliet


BAY AREA JOBS-HOUSING IMBALANCE GROWS
The Bay Area’s jobs-housing imbalance is getting worse, adding to the region’s affordability crisis and threatening to undermine the region’s strong economy. An analysis of regional housing and employment data by the Building Industry Association of the Bay Area shows that since 2011 the region has added 531,000 jobs while creating just 124,000 new housing units. This amounts to a ratio of 4.3 jobs per housing unit, a rate well in excess of a healthy balance of 1.5 jobs per housing unit. The Council has been working aggressively to advocate for statewide policy reforms that will encourage more housing production. Gov. Brown recently signed legislation the Council sponsored that will allow for up to 20,000 units of new housing near BART stations. The Council is also working to implement legislation we sponsored last year that has the potential to add hundreds of thousands of affordable granny or in-law units. To engage in the Council’s housing policy work, please contact Senior Vice President Matt Regan.


I work with sports leagues and teams around the world at Sports Geek.
Here are some recent episodes:
- Tinus le Roux on knowing your fans in the stands - 20 Aug 2018
- NBA 2K League season one – Brendan Donohue - 13 Aug 2018
- Global broadcast & digital trends with Nielsen Sports’ Glenn Lovett - 06 Aug 2018
- Quick Sports Geek Trip Update - 23 Jul 2018
- Bringing high performance to esports – Dave Harris, Dire Wolves - 16 Jul 2018


Protecting against blue light
By George Boyd
In the past, most worries about premature aging and skin cancer stemmed from the damaging UVA and UVB rays emitted by the sun. But over the past decade, scientists have learned that these may not be the only rays of visible light people need to be concerned about. Blue light — emitted by both the sun and digital devices — could be wreaking havoc on your skin health.
“The trend of blue-light blocking in skin care and wellness in general is increasing because we are all exposed to blue light more now with the use of smartphones and tablets,” says Nazanin Saedi, MD, the department co-chair of the laser and aesthetics surgery center at Dermatology Associates of Plymouth Meeting in Pennsylvania.
“Blue light is a portion of the visible light spectrum (380 to 500 nanometers) that is contained in sunlight, but it is also given off by indoor lighting [and] common electronic devices, like computer screens and smartphones,” says Jason Bloom, MD, a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Bloom Facial Plastic Surgery in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
“[Blue light] is thought to penetrate deeper into the skin than UV light but fortunately is not associated with the development of skin cancer,” adds Joshua Zeichner, MD, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in the dermatology department at Mount Sinai Hospital’s Department of Dermatology in New York City.
Most of the blue light people are exposed to comes from the sun, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The amount of blue light emitted by devices is “only a fraction” of that given off by the sun, explains Dr. Bloom — “but the problem is that we are constantly spending time on and carrying around these devices and keeping them close to our face and head.”
the average New Zealander spends more than 11 hours per day using digital media.
“Spending more time in front of our devices during the COVID-19 lockdown raised the question of whether our devices are contributing to premature skin aging,” Dr. Zeichner says. The truth is that our computers, tablets, and phones emit only low levels of blue light. However, as we spend more and more time looking at our devices, we do need to consider the effects of long-term, low-level exposure.”
So, if you’ve noticed your screen time has gone up thanks to work-from-home Zoom calls and ongoing virtual happy hours, or maybe the latest Netflix series drop, you may be wondering about the effect on your health.


A short blog about our first World Bicycle Day – Sunday 3 June 2018.
Bike SA wanted to celebrate this fantastic occasion with our members and friends so we decided to host a Free community ride.
The Bike SA team arrived at a very crisp Victoria Park in the morning to set up for the inaugural World Bicycle day celebration. It was beautiful day despite a chill in the air, perfect to celebrate cycling in South Australia, with a diverse community of riders arriving in a steady stream. The local cafes kept riders warm with drinks and breakfast snacks.
It was wonderful to see trikes, cruisers, trishaws, E-Bikes, tandems, kids, dogs, families, ride groups and even a skeleton out for the celebration.
Everyone gathered around to listen to our speakers address the community. We were lucky enough to have the HON Lord Mayor, Martin Haese, Katrine Hildyard MP – Shadow Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Michael Bails – President of Cycling SA And Nathan Petrus – Vice President, Bike SA to address our community.
After the formalities, we mustered the growing group with an escort kindly led by SAPOL and then Eco Caddy out onto Wakefield Street.
Children started out front with families and a colourful band of riders all out supporting the same cause continued through our beautiful city together.
A global day for those passionate about being on wheels and the fun, health, environment and community benefits that it brings.
The group was welcomed at Elder park by Katie Gilfillan – President of the Bicycle Institute of SA.
Ride participants were chatting, socialising, meeting new people and generally enjoying being out in the sunshine, which to us felt like the event had been a great success!
Thank you to all of you that made an effort to be a part of this event, you may find yourself in some of the images of the day.
If you would like to know more about World Bicycle Day click here.
To register to our e-news to find out more about future events or bike SA initiatives click here.


El Salvador signs a Cooperation Agreement with Koibanx to Develop the Government’s Blockchain Infrastructure on Algorand
August 31, 2021 — San Salvador, El Salvador — Koibanx, a leading Latin American asset tokenization and Blockchain financial infrastructure company, announced today that it has signed a cooperation agreement with the government of El Salvador, a sovereign nation that uses the US dollar, to develop its blockchain infrastructure on top of Algorand’s technology.
Koibanx chose to leverage Algorand’s blockchain in several recent national public and private initiatives across Latin America, including a national blockchain-based COVID certification program, a point-of-sale credit issuance system and various smart contract financing platforms. Designed for broad participation across a variety of use cases, Algorand’s technology provides the performance, scalability, security and functionality required to implement large scale projects around the world. Koibanx is making strides across Latin America to bring more efficient infrastructure and tools to the region’s burgeoning digital economy.
“El Salvador is paving the way for other countries to make the promise of blockchain a reality. We are honored to be working with the government to enable Salvadoreans to access a global digital economy and the potential for a more prosperous future,” said Leo Elduayen, CEO & Founder of Koibanx. “To make this possible, we needed technology that was robust enough to handle the needs of an entire nation. We found that in Algorand, a proven blockchain that meets our rigorous requirements for speed, security and stability.”
Founded by Turing Award-winning cryptographer Silvio Micali, Algorand’s public, open source blockchain infrastructure provides interoperability and capacity to handle the volume of transactions needed for defi, financial institutions and governments to smoothly transition into FutureFi. The technology of choice for more than 700 global organizations, Algorand is enabling the simple creation of next generation financial products, protocols and exchange of value.
Since 2015 Koibanx has helped banks and financial institutions integrate crypto into their banking cores while connecting financial products through Blockchain infrastructure. Payments, factoring, and the tokenization of a variety of financial assets can be executed more efficiently and securely on the Koibanx platform. The company seeks to connect the LATAM financial industry over a shared infrastructure for the benefit of all players. For more information, visit https://www.koibanx.com.


Since 2008, Gideon Entertainment & Media Productions has been treating young people between the ages of 7 and 17 like the stars they are. In 2023 we will make four short films, each starring up to 12 kids. The movies are custom made for the kids in the camp. Camps run Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm. Once camp ends, the movies are edited and premiere at a real movie theater in the fall. Campers and their families get the opportunity to see their film on the big screen at a Hollywood-style, red carpet premiere party.
The 2023 camps will all be held on location within 10 minutes of Newark, Delaware. Some of the locations where we have filmed in the past have included Milburn Orchards, Klondike Kate's Restaurant, Downes Elementary School, and the Newark Public Library.
To register for camp, fill out the form below. Check each week that your child would like to attend camp. As soon as the locations of the films have been confirmed (no later than March 1), you will receive an invoice for the non-refundable $100 deposit. The remaining balance of $199 will be due four weeks before camp.


Allendale Senior Living in Northern New Jersey is undergoing a multi-million-dollar renovation and rebranding led by Marquis Health Consulting Services, aiming to modernize its offerings for today’s seniors. The project includes redesigning physical spaces with a modern aesthetic, upgraded residences, and enhanced amenities like lounges, a bar area, private dining, and outdoor spaces. Notably, the Memory Care area is being relocated and upgraded. The focus is on creating engaging communal spaces with unique programs like Samba Fitness and the virtual reality platform Rendever. The community offers assisted living, memory care, respite care, and skilled nursing in a vibrant environment.
See the full press release here.


Once the new Gambling Control Legislation gets passed later this year, families will be able to apply to restrict their loved ones’ access to the Singapore Pools online account, which offers wagering on sports like football and 4D, and the 46 jackpot rooms in this city.
An individual forbidden by a member of his or her family from entering or gambling from any of the existing jackpot facilities here or opening an account online with Singapore Pools will face criminal charges if the Bill becomes law. A fine of up to $10,000 or a year in prison can be imposed on offenders.
A new gambling control law
As of February 14th, two bills aimed at regulating gambling in Singapore were introduced in Parliament. The two were called the Gambling Control Bill and Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Bill.
Renters in the Public Rental Scheme, which provides heavily subsidized Homes Board rental housing for low-income Singaporeans, would also be prohibited from gambling in casinos and jackpot rooms and from having a Singapore Pools online gambling account as of June 1, 2017.
According to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), this aims to lessen the negative impact gambling has on them and their families.
In addition to people on ComCare and other government aid and subsidy programs such as ComCare, these renters will be prevented from owning a home in the future.
Peculiar and brilliant at the same time
The recent order of family exclusion prohibits those who are excluded from participating in any form of gambling, including casinos, jackpot rooms, or online sports betting sites like Singapore Pools. A Ministry of Home Affairs spokeswoman stated in an interview that as of the end of last year, there were two casinos and 46 jackpot rooms.
For family exclusion rulings, a committee of evaluators will evaluate whether to restrict the individual based on considerations such as regularity of gambling, the family’s misery, and financial status upon receipt of the family’s application for exclusion.
NCPG can require those who were banned by his/her family members to undergo counseling or rehabilitation, according to a representative for MSF.
According to the MSF spokeswoman, proprietors of jackpot rooms and SGPool4D venues would also be disciplined by the Gambling Regulatory Authority, a new organization that will regulate all types of gambling.
It’s going to be a family effort
The jackpot rooms as well as Singapore Pools will also prohibit the offender from their products until the new Casino Control Bill takes effect, according to the MSF.
Families of gambling addicts should be eligible to utilize a self-exclusion order to ban their loved ones, counselors working with gambling addicts say because the addict is unlikely to file for one himself.
Family exclusion orders are a way for families to push their loved ones to deal with their gambling addiction, says Blessed Grace Social Services Executive Director Billy Lee.
Tham Yuen Han, executive director of We Care Community Services, said the move to allow families to block their dear ones from entering or gambling on an SGPool online account is necessary because gamblers are now gambling more frequently on gambling sites, whether it’d be legal or illegal ones.
Addicts frequently take loans from loan sharks and regulated money lenders in addition to losing huge numbers to a few million dollars on betting activities like jackpot and football. Families are often being torn apart as a result of a gambler’s problem, according to the counselors they see.
One of our recent clients at We Care Community Services is a senior executive in his fifties who lost $500,000 on a single bet on his Singapore Pools account online. According to Ms. Tham, his gambling problems developed as a result of the epidemic and the increased pressure he was under at work.
The individual had become suicidal since he owed over $400,000 to banks and regulated money lenders. His family did pay off most of his debts, but they insisted that he attend counseling in order to quit playing the lottery.


Following on from Ocean Colour Scene's Virgin Radio Takeover from 24th-28th July, our Sunday night headliners, Editors, will be recording a live session to be played in segments throughout next week. This week of exclusive tracks will also feature ticket giveaways so you can see Editors perform at the Beyond The Tracks finale for free!
As you may be aware, there is no camping at Beyond The Tracks. We know that this means some of you will be staying in hotels overnight, or driving straight home after each day. However, for those of you who will want to be using public transport after the festival each day, we have compiled a list of train times out of Birmingham to various locations across the country.


HOY broadcast three free TV channels 76, 77 and 78, providing round-the-clock content including news, entertainment, dramas, infotainment, travelogue and foods, and diversified varieties and enrichments content in Cantonese and English.HOY (pronounced as "Hoi" in Cantonese) carries the brand vision to support talents from all walks of life and enable them to tell the world our unique Hong Kong stories. As a human brand with rich personalities, HOY provides connected experiences through seamlessly integrating exceptional content and engagement, to inspire and empower people for a positive and happy life.
HOY International Business Channel (Channel 76)
provides round-the-clock financial news and information with programmes in both English and Putonghua. The Channel features news on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area and invites specialists from financial and political sectors to the programmes to share market insights and in-depth analysis, bringing viewers comprehensive and first-hand information in view of the market trend.
HOY TV (Channel 77)
aims to innovate and optimize content engagement experiences, providing round-the-clock content including news, entertainment, dramas, infotainment, travelogue and foods, and diversified varieties and enrichments content.
HOY Infotainment (Channel 78)
aims to provide all kinds of latest news information, bringing audience first-hand local news, global financial information, sports news, lifestyle and cultural highlights, and 360-degree real-time professional analysis of international and local events.


Around here, Valentine's Day is not the holiday it is in the States. The marketing people love it, and Valentine's displays pop up in the stores, but it's not really a Japanese thing.
I'll tell you what's universal, though... kindness. For example, here's a compilation of dash cam videos from Russia showing simple acts of kindness and compassion:
Notice how these acts don't have to be anything big or planned out. They don't have to cost anything besides a little thoughtfulness and a moment of your time.
I think it's ingrained in us to be kind to each other. Sometimes we're just caught up in working our way through our own days so we miss the opportunity to make someone else's. So I love it when we get a nudge to rise to the occasion. Take last week's Atlanta "snowstorm" traffic fiasco, for example. Wasn't it magnificent the number of people who went out of their way to show kindness to complete strangers? People walking the highways to pass out food and water to those stranded with their cars, businesses like Target and Lowe's offering shelter, others like Starbucks and Trussville Grill giving away free coffee and food. All the way over here in Japan I read about the SnowedOutAtlanta facebook groups, and the amazing offers of help, delivering food, even opening up homes to perfect strangers who needed to get out of the elements for the night.
What if we didn't wait for the next nudge to look for ways to be kind to those around us? Imagine if everyone decided to look for at least one opportunity to help someone this month. Or even better... We've got four weeks. I'll bet we could each dream up (and carry out!) at least one random act of kindness each week. Let's do it! Let's celebrate Valentine's Day all month long.
Best way I know to share the love!


This one-of-a-kind retreat is the brainchild of event designers Andrea VandeBerg and Sarah Sarbacker, co-owners of Madison, Wisconsin-based Cherry Blossom Events. They set out to offer respite for creatives following the busy summer wedding season as well as creative inspiration and small business tips to entrepreneurs of all kinds. Building on the success and rave reviews of their inaugural 2015 event, Camp Wed has become a much anticipated event. In 2017, they added Amy Johnson, owner/creative director/filmmaker of One Fine Day Productions to make this a very dynamic trio.
Ask any camper there, and you’re sure to hear they went above and beyond in creating an awe-inspiring environment where peers could learn, connect, grow, and unwind. Campers left with a pep in their step and a renewed sense of purpose of what the futures held for their businesses and budding new friendships.
Together, these three superwomen produce two other luxury wedding events in their home state of Wisconsin. They are viewed as industry leaders and recognized for their shared passion for this industry.
Sarah Sarbacker & Andrea VandeBerg / Cherry Blossom Events
Cherry Blossom Events is an award-winning creative event planning company founded in 2009. Andrea and Sarah craft magical moments within flawlessly-executed events. They have been voted Wisconsin’s Best Wedding Planner since 2011 and have been featured on many national wedding blogs such as Style Me Pretty, RUE Magazine, Ruffled, 100 Layer Cake, and many more. These two have been trusted by numerous couples and companies across the country to execute flawless events. .
Amy Johnson / One Fine Day Productions
One Fine Day Productions travels the world documenting love stories. Founded in 2002 by Amy Johnson, she has been trusted to capture the weddings of hundreds of couples, from friends next door to celebrity and elite clientele. She loves to document people in love! Amy has received numerous awards, including 6 Emmys for her commercial productions. She has been trusted by brands such as Martha Stewart Weddings, Fox Sports, and Major League Baseball to name a few.


Intimate wedding in galicia
Noemi and Antón were looking for a different, original and creative photographer for their wedding in Lugo, a city in Galicia. That is why, when they reached out to me, and as soon as they told me where they were going to have their ceremony, I couldn’t help but fall in love with their wedding venue.
Lenda do Quercus is a beautiful estate surrounded by an oak forest, making you feel truly submerged in nature. Without a doubt, it is the dream location for any photographer in Lugo.
If you want to experience it for yourself and reminisce those long summer days, click on the slideshow to see their wonderful wedding– and pay close attention to the surprise at the end
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Hi I’m Louis!
I’m a Videographer, Photographer, Graphic Designer and Animator based in Los Angeles, California.
I’ve been creating content professionally since 2013. I’m fluent and passionate about everything: behind or in front of the camera, capturing footage or working in the editing room, motion and still graphic design, etc.
While my passion has always been about movies and films with unique cinematography, I appreciate other styles of media and would love to be able to capture them all and bring your visions to reality, OUR visions to reality.
Let's create beautiful things!


BBC School Report March 2014
TWGSB have been taking part in the BBC News School Report for five years now and this year seems set to be better then ever with even more students from Year 8 and 9 taking part.
The BBC News School Report helps students develop their journalistic skills and become school reporters. In March we will take part in an annual News Day, creating video and text based news reports and publishing them on the school website, to which the BBC aims to link. The next News Day is on Thursday 27th March 2014.
This year we intend to focus our attention on the First World War Centenary and will look at local and national news stories as well.
If parents have any interesting contacts or are involved in any way with the Centenary we would love to hear from you or send our budding reporters to interview you.
Please put it in your diaries to take some time out to watch and read the stories on our website from the afternoon of the 27th of March.


2020 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Guides
The Springfield MRF’s 2020 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle guide, Hampden County edition, also known as “RRR South,” was featured in the April 17 Springfield Republican. Read it online by clicking here.
The Springfield MRF’s 2020 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle guide, Hampshire and Franklin Counties edition, also known as “RRR North,” was featured in the June 3 Daily Hampshire Gazette, Greenfield Recorder, and Athol Daily News, and the June 5 Amherst Bulletin. Read it online by clicking here.
Thank you to these local newspapers and advertisers for making these guides possible!
Have you heard our radio ads?
Continuing with our public outreach, the Springfield MRF Advisory Board is running 3 radio ads on local radio stations. The first one is about our unique local recycling facility; the second is about not putting plastic bags in your recycling bin; and the third is about the avoidance of “wishcycling;” the practice of putting non-acceptable items into recycling that we “wish” could be recycled. Putting non-acceptable items into recycling, such as plastic bags, can harm the equipment at our local recycling facility and cause safety hazards for the workers. Unwanted materials can lower the resale value of baled materials, or harm the end product. To learn more about what CAN be recycled, see “What’s Recyclable at the MRF” in the tab above.
First, listen to the introduction to the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility:
Second, “Don’t put plastic bags into your recycling”:
Third, “Please…No Wishcycling!”:


New online casinos in NZ are gaining popularity as more and more players are looking for exciting and innovative ways to gamble. These casinos offer a wide variety of games, from traditional table games to the latest video slots, and they are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. In this article, we will explore the latest trends in online casinos and how they are changing the landscape of gambling in New Zealand.
Find Advantages on New Casinos Online
One of the biggest advantages of playing at new online casinos in NZ is the convenience they offer. Players can access their favourite games from the comfort of their own homes, without having to travel to a physical casino. This is especially appealing to those who live in remote areas or have busy schedules.
Another advantage of new online casinos in NZ is the bonuses and promotions they offer. Many casinos offer generous welcome bonuses, free spins, and other incentives to attract new players. These promotions can help players boost their bankrolls and increase their chances of winning.
Exploring New Online Casinos in NZ
When searching for new casinos online in New Zealand, there are a few key factors to consider. It’s important to ensure that the casino is licensed and regulated by a reputable authority. This will ensure that the casino is operating legally and that your personal and financial information is secure.
Another important factor to consider is the selection of games on offer. A good online casino should offer a wide variety of games, including popular slots, table games, and live dealer games. It is also important to look for casinos that offer games from reputable software providers, such as NetEnt, Microgaming, and Playtech.
When exploring new NZ online casinos, it is also important to consider the bonuses and promotions on offer. Many online casinos offer generous welcome bonuses and ongoing promotions to keep players engaged and rewarded. However, it is important to read the terms and conditions carefully to ensure that the bonuses are fair and realistic.
New Online Casinos NZ 2023
As we look towards the future of casino online in New Zealand, we are excited to see what new online casinos will emerge in 2023. With the ever-growing popularity of online gambling, we expect to see more and more new online casinos launching in the coming year.
One trend that we have noticed in the online casino industry is the increasing use of virtual reality (VR) technology. We expect to see more new online casinos incorporating VR into their games, providing players with a more immersive and interactive gaming experience.
Another trend that we expect to see in 2023 is the use of cryptocurrency as a payment method. As more and more people become familiar with cryptocurrencies, we anticipate that more online casinos will begin to accept them as a form of payment.
In addition to these trends, we also expect to see new online casinos offering a wider range of games, including live dealer games and sports betting. We also anticipate that new online casinos will continue to offer generous welcome bonuses and promotions to attract new players
How to Discover New NZ Casinos Online
When it comes to finding new online casinos in New Zealand, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. In this section, we’ll go over what to look for when discovering new NZ casinos online.
New Online Casinos – What to Look For
- Licenses and Regulations: One of the most important things to look for when discovering new NZ casinos online is whether they are licensed and regulated. This ensures that the casino is operating legally and follows strict guidelines to protect players.
- Game Selection: Another important factor to consider is the game selection. Look for casinos that offer a wide variety of games from reputable software providers. This will ensure that you have access to high-quality games with fair odds.
- Bonuses and Promotions: Many new online casinos offer great bonuses and promotions to attract new players. Look for casinos that offer generous bonuses with fair terms and conditions.
- Payment Options: It’s important to make sure that the new online casino offers a variety of payment options that are safe and secure. Look for casinos that offer popular payment methods such as credit cards, e-wallets, and bank transfers.
- Customer Support: Finally, it’s important to consider the quality of customer support. Look for new casinos that offer 24/7 support through live chat, email, or phone. This ensures that you can get help whenever you need it.
Features of New Online Casinos NZ
New online casinos in New Zealand aim to provide players with a top-notch gaming experience. Here are some of the features you can expect to find when playing at new online casinos:
Wide Range of Games
New casinos offer a wide range of games to suit all types of players. Whether you prefer slots, table games, or live dealer games, you should be covered. You want games provided by top software providers in the industry, ensuring that you have access to high-quality games with great graphics and sound effects.
Generous Bonuses and Promotions
Everyone loves bonuses and promotions and more often that not, New casinos online have to offer great casino bonuses. This of course to make sure to get a lot new players to their new casino online.
Safe and Secure Gaming
New online casinos in New Zealand, needs to follow rules and regulations and take safety and security seriously. All new online casinos we list are licensed and reputable. They make sure to follow all rules and regulations so you can feel safe while playing and making your transactions.
Fast and Reliable Payment Options
New casinos online offer a range of fast and reliable payment methods to make it easy for you to deposit and withdraw your winnings. From credit cards to e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller, and pre paid cards like Paysafecard.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have researched and reviewed the top-rated new online casinos in New Zealand to bring you the best options available. These casinos have been thoroughly tested and are trusted by players in New Zealand.
To find the best new online casino in 2023, you should consider factors such as the casino’s reputation, game selection, bonuses and promotions, payment options, and customer support. Our reviews can help you make an informed decision when choosing a new online casino.
The most popular casino games available at NZ online casinos include pokies, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and video poker. Many online casinos also offer live dealer games, which allow you to play with a real dealer in real-time.
To choose a legitimate online casino in New Zealand, you should look for a casino that is licensed and regulated by a reputable authority, offers fair and secure games, and provides reliable customer support. Our reviews can help you find a legitimate online casino that meets your needs.
The best new online casino in 2023 should offer a wide range of high-quality games, generous bonuses and promotions, fast and secure payment options, and responsive customer support. The casino should also be licensed and regulated by a reputable authority and use advanced security measures to protect your personal and financial information.


Since its inception in 2006 the Fraserburgh based Moonlight Prowl has raised over half a million pounds for research into the prevention and treatment of breast cancer at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and the University of Aberdeen.
Event Chairperson Pamela Manett said, “Each year this event goes from strength to strength with the 2011 event raising just over £78,000. Work is already underway to make the 2012 event one to remember.
This year the Prowl will take place on Saturday 2 June 2012 which is the weekend of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth. We are confident the ladies of the Moonlight Prowl will want to celebrate in style.”
Registration for next year’s event will be launched at the Dalrymple Hall and Arts Centre on Saturday 21 January 2012, when ladies will be invited to join the Prowl Committee in a one mile walk to kick start their New Year training programme.
However, don’t worry if you can’t make the launch event. For the first time ladies will be able to register on line. Log on to www.moonlightprowl.co.uk for further information on how to take part.


If a funeral notice is required, we can assist the family with the wording of the notice and organise the notice's publication on the families behalf. Some mediums can be quite strict on the wording of notices, so we aim to structure a notice which is in accordance with the wishes of the family whilst remaining within the publishers guidelines.
There are three mediums usually used for publishing Funeral Notice:
- Newspapers - This is the most traditional method of publishing a funeral notice and still the most popular.
- Local Radio - Some families require a death announcement and funeral arrangements to be aired on local radio channels.
- RIP.ie - This is Ireland largest website for publishing funeral notices.


Article courtesy of MCAP.
Summer holidays can be a reflective time – a time to look at the bigger picture and think about long term objectives and realities. We all work hard. We all deserve a comfortable and fulfilling retirement. More and more Canadians are coming to terms with the prospect of retiring with debt – despite the fact that almost all of us realize that this is not an ideal scenario. So, why are some of us resigned to the fact that we will still be carrying debt into our golden years?
Recent survey data compiled for the by Bank of Montreal shows that 90% of Canadians feel that being debt free at retirement is very important. This ranks second only to the desire to have good health at retirement which 94% of Canadians feel is important. Leaving aside the intriguing question of the 6% who did not rank good health as being important at retirement, the 10% who did not rank being debt free at retirement as being important can surely find other things to worry about if they still have a mortgage or other consumer debt in later years. The survey data also shows, however, that just over half of us feel that we will likely still have a mortgage at retirement. This leaves a large cohort who could be disappointed because they predict that they will have a mortgage at retirement even though they also feel that it is important not to have one at that time.
Conventional wisdom says that a retiree will need about 70% of their pre-retirement income to retire comfortably. This is based on certain life stage assumptions such as the fact that most consumers who reach retirement will usually have slowed their purchasing of durable consumer goods like home furnishings and that financial support for dependents like children would usually have ended by then. It also assumes that the mortgage has been paid. If a retiree has not paid their mortgage in full but has perhaps built a large investment portfolio which can provide a healthy retirement income level, that strategy could be a perfectly sound one.
Faced with challenging employment prospects and reduced housing affordability, especially incertain large urban markets in Canada, many consumers are waiting longer before entering the housing market. That means that many still have mortgage outstanding later in life. According to the BMO survey, 50% of Canadians between the ages of 50 and 59 still have mortgages, as do 25% of those between 60 and 69. A typical baby boomer who purchased a home at age 25 with a mortgage amortized over 25 years would have paid that mortgage in full by age 50 – at the same time as children would have moved out of their fully furnished home and become self-sufficient. Then, the last 15 years of their working lives would have added to their sense of financial security through strong earnings and rising home values. For the many boomers who
experienced this kind of scenario, the world unfolded in an orderly and comfortable way. They had every reason to believe that they would be better off than their parents were. Survey respondents who think that retiring with a mortgage is less than ideal but who foresee that scenario for themselves anyway, might be applying the values of previous generations to their own very different circumstances. There are also surely others who know that they have been living beyond their means by using cheap credit and that the bills will come due later in life.
Now, for the good news from the survey: the average time remaining on a mortgage in Canada is 15 years. Only 12% of survey respondents had more than 25 years remaining on their amortizations and, similar to data reported by CAAMP, many Canadians are clearly making serious efforts to pay down their mortgages faster than their regular payment schedules require. Mortgagors in British Columbia, due probably to the very high prices in the Vancouver market, have the longest average time remaining on their mortgages and those in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where housing affordability is more favourable, have the shortest.
The BMO survey found that about one in five Canadians make lump sum mortgage payments and that over 40% increase the amount of their regular payments to pay their mortgages faster. The data clearly shows that many Canadians are working toward being mortgage free and it also seems likely that changes to mortgage rules which take effect today (July 9th) will amplify this even more.
Despite the fact that Canadians are entering the housing market later in life than previous generations did, and despite the existence of tax deductible mortgage strategies (like the Smith Manoeuver) and the use of HELOCs to convert high interest debt to low interest debt, consumers know that a debt free retirement is desirable. They say so in surveys and then they demonstrate their willingness to pay their mortgages quickly. But if half still foresee that they will be retiring with a mortgage, this looks like it could be the new reality.


Or for their children changing schools for the first, or second, or third time, as previous educational settings have become untenable or unworkable or detrimental to their child’s mental, emotional, social or academic health. Or all of those things. Our school year follows the calendar year, and I know many, many parents who are searching desperately to find the perfect fit for their Autistic poppet for the new year. Or, more accurately, who are searching for an adequate educational fit for their child.
I can’t help but think that the worry that this decision causes, and the burden that parents carry — the weight of whether their choice of school environment is the right one for their child and what harm it might do if they’ve got it wrong — speaks volumes to the state of education here.
Ostensibly, it may not seem like writing about schools is a good fit for me, since I homeschool my children after I withdrew them from school, and have no real intention of re-entering them into the mainstream (or any other) system unless they desire it (which, for the record, at this time they vehemently do not). But I am almost as passionate about all of the other Autistic children who find themselves in educational institutions as I am about my own children. And the fact that so many parents agonise as to whether to send their child to a mainstream environment or to a specialist support unit or school, the fact that I know parents who are selling their homes to relocate to the only school they’ve found that might cater for their little one’s particular needs… well, that is both tragic and emphatically unsatisfactory.
Truth be told, I find it deeply troubling, if not downright abhorrent, that many parents of Autistic children have become resigned to holding the educational system to the standard of ‘not actively damaging’ because their efforts of trying to achieve excellence for their children have been thwarted again and again. It’s not parents’ fault. It just speaks to the reality that, when the hope for an exceptional education for our children has been dashed time and time again, when that optimism has been ground away by years of benign neglect or outright bigotry, all that is the left is the ‘hope’ that our children’s schools do no harm, even if they do no good either.
Perhaps I sound bitter. I am. I think a systemic failure to see my magnificent, creative, unique boys as anything but wonderful is a travesty. But that’s not the point I want to make here. If I could fix – even just bring attention to the existence of – some of the pervasive and shockingly damaging practices that are prevalent in schools (usually born from ignorance or misguidedness rather than conscious prejudicial intent), other Autistic children may just fare better at school than my children did.
In Australia, our educational system is far from inclusive. Unlike in some other countries, we still have segregated Autism support units attached to schools, as well as specialist Autism schools. To be fair, there is such a gargantuan gulf between our country’s current mainstream educational system and truly inclusive schooling that parents need alternatives for if (and, all too often, when) mainstream schooling fails or harms their child. Or, indeed if they can’t see their children succeeding in mainstream in the first place because, well, did I mention that most mainstream schools are still so far from inclusive? So currently, those units and specialist schools serve a purpose, at least until we improve our mainstream services. And whilst we know that research shows that mainstream inclusive schooling is best for everyone and is preferable to segregated disability-specific support units or schools, many parents rightly question whether this research is applicable to them and to their child’s lived reality, when their local mainstream school may be a very far cry from inclusive.
The reality in Australia is that we have a very long way to go to make education optimal for our children. Inclusive education — the ideal that everyone is educated together — is not really even on the political and social agenda in Australia in any significant way, and we’re not really even discussing what might make mainstream schooling more inclusive. In a country that still questions climate change and has an abysmal record on many social justice issues, inclusive education is simply not a compelling or politically expedient topic here.
And, just to clarify, by inclusion I mean genuine inclusion for our Autistic community, based on Autism acceptance, a commitment to allowing Autistic children to claim their Autistic identity and to learn and socialise Autistically, and the deep pedagogical knowledge to implement methods of teaching and learning that suit Autistic neurocognitive processing. I don’t mean the superficial use of ‘inclusive’ to designate the unsupported integration of our children into mainstream classrooms, or the attempted assimilation of Autistic children to become more typical, more ‘normal’.
I should feel more optimistic about our children’s education: there are inspiring individuals and individual schools doing good work to make educational settings accepting and respectful of Autistic neurology and functioning. But I’m not especially optimistic. Or at least, my optimism is for my potential grandchildren rather than my own children, because the road to inclusion seems very long and rough indeed.
Perhaps my pessimism stems from a flaw I am observing in the current trend in educational thinking as it’s actually practised in schools. You see, there’s a glaring oxymoron in the current educational approach that tempers my confidence in the prospect of an educational revolution. Fairly recently there has been a shift in educational thinking that sees teachers identifying and utilising Autistic strengths and interests in the classroom. Awesome, I hear you say; surely not too much to complain about there. And yet… whilst I have absolute faith that some teachers are using Autistic strengths and interests to maximise our children’s enjoyment of, and engagement with, their education, there is simultaneously a certain undercurrent that makes me uneasy. Strengths and interests are too often used to counterbalance a deficits-based or pathologised approach to Autism. A teacher’s acknowledgement of Autistic strengths is too often laced with a paternalistic and patronising nuance, offered as a consolation prize, offered from a place of condescending superiority.
I don’t want to suggest that this is done consciously (or at least, not done consciously by everyone). But simply mentioning Autistic strengths doesn’t negate a deficits view of Autism. Benignly identifying strengths whilst concurrently treating Autism as a ‘disorder’ (however it may be identified in the DSM-5 or ICD-10) undermines the very idea of strengths. There appears to be a decidedly self-congratulatory mood among departments and systems that so many teachers have finally recognised the truth of Autistic strengths. And yet, the parents I talk to suggest that if you scratch beneath the surface, the idea of strengths is regularly used as a veneer to mask more prevailing, deficits-based approaches to Autism. As I said, I’m not sure this subtlety is always intended, but it strikes me that too many educators (and indeed researchers for that matter) still hold onto a basic ableism that sees Autism as different and less. But they reconcile themselves to that (very probably) unconscious bigotry and make it more palatable by what is necessarily a superficial reference to Autistic strengths.
Recently I was at a conference about Autism and education. The people who came to that conference were those who are dedicated to understanding best practice in education for our children. There were excellent speakers, inspiring presentations. And yet… I suppose what I really hoped for at the conference was to hear about how schools are supporting Autistic culture to flourish, about how they are respecting Autistic ways of socialising, about how they recognise that accepting their Autistic students exactly as they are, and accommodating their needs appropriately, is vital to each child’s self-acceptance and self-esteem, not to mention their learning and intrinsic motivation to attend school. I had hoped to hear those things in stereo, from different sectors, states, schools. It wasn’t reasonable to expect to hear those things, of course. As an Autistic mother, my priorities for education are not necessarily aligned with the priorities of schools and departments. But I had hoped that maybe somewhere I might hear someone offer the ‘silver bullet’ that would put us firmly on the road to genuine acceptance and inclusion. I had hoped that the number of speakers advocating for acceptance would outweigh those still holding onto Autism as disorder. I had hoped for more teachers, more principals, more learning support staff to attend, to show me that schools know that there is more to do, and what they currently do is simply not enough.
I’m not sure what my point is here. Expect excellence for your child? Accept nothing but the highest quality education? Unite our voices to demand more, better, best for our children? Or maybe just the simple reflection that, ultimately, however far we’ve come, there is so very far still to go.
The Reframing Autism team would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we have the privilege to learn, work, and grow. Whilst we gather on many different parts of this Country, the RA team walk on the land of the Birpai, Awabakal, Wattamattagal, Whadjak, Amangu, Bunurong and Kaurna Yarta peoples.
We are committed to honouring the rich culture of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this Country, and the diversity and learning opportunities with which they provide us. We extend our gratitude and respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to all Elders past, present, and emerging, for their wisdom, their resilience, and for helping this Country to heal.