17 Gold Medal
Chinese Snowball viburnum(Viburnum macrocephalum ‘Sterile’) is a large, deciduousshrub that grows 10 to 15 feet tall with an equal spread. Theshowy white flower clusters, up to 8 inches across, look likegiant snowballs, offering a virtual whiteout of flowers. Theflowers emerge green, then gradually fade to pure white.Eventually, they become light brown. They’re commonly cut andused, both fresh and dried, in floral arrangements. Amethyst Falls wisteria(Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’), is an improvedcultivar of our native American wisteria. It will climb 20 to 30feet. But it’s less vigorous, less invasive and much easier tomanage than its Asian relatives. And while the Asian types maytake 10 years or more to begin flowering, Amethyst Fallswisteria’s fragrant, lavender-blue flowers start cascading fromthe foliage at 1 year old.To learn more about on the Georgia Gold Medal Winners program,visit the Web at www.georgiagoldmedal.com. The site shows theplants the GPSC has chosen since 1994.(Dan Rahn is a news editor with the University of GeorgiaCollege of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.) By Dan RahnUniversity of GeorgiaFor 13 years now, the Georgia Plant Selections Committee, Inc.,has been recommending each year a new, short list of beautiful,proven landscape plants. Cuphea species are dependable,low-maintenance annuals. They tolerate the heat and humidity ofthe South with extended bloom periods, attracting butterflies andhummingbirds like magnets. Three stand out. Firecracker plant (Cuphea ignea),about a foot tall, has abundant tubular, scarlet-red flowersedged in black. Tiny mice(Cuphea llavea), up to 2 feet tall, has flowers resemblingthe face of a mouse, with two red petals tinged in purple. Andtall cigar plant (Cupheamicropetala) grows 3 to 5 feet tall with 2-inch-long,cigar-shaped, red-yellow-green blooms. Perennial plumbago(Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) grows just 6 to 10 inchestall and spreads 1 to 2 feet wide. A terrific groundcover, ittolerates drought and deer and has a long bloom period. The plantdies back to the ground each year, then leafs out late in thespring, with shiny green leaves that turn bronze-red in the fall.Its medium-blue flowers emerge in late summer and keep cominguntil the fall frost.
Volume XXXINumber 1Page 17 The committee, an elite group of people who are experts in theplant and landscape business, was organized in 1994 to break up avicious plant cycle: Deserving plants remained little knownbecause no nurseries propagated them, because no customers askedfor them, because they were relatively unknown. …Each year the committee selects one plant from five classes –annual, perennial, shrub, tree and vine — from a long list ofnominees and awards them Georgia Gold Medals.”The selection process is tedious, sometimes resulting in heateddebates prior to the final secret ballot,” said Gary Wade, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension horticulturist whohelped get the program started. “But the cream always rises tothe top. In the end, the honors are always well deserved.”The committee decides the winners based on seasonal interest,outstanding or unusual qualities, ease of propagation, hardiness,adaptability, durability, pest tolerance and lack of invasiveness.They announce the winners first to growers so they can have themavailable when the public promotions begin.Here are the 2006 Georgia Gold Medal winners: Overcup oak (Quercuslyrata) grows well on dry, upland sites and adapts to manysoils and growing environments. It also grows fast, particularlywhen it’s young. It typically grows 50 feet high and equally widebut has been known to reach 125 feet in the wild. Its acorns, withwarty caps almost covering the nut are a good food source forwildlife.
Taking advantage of the international attention on relevant matters, such as the conflicts in Syria, political instability in Egypt, the French intervention in Mali, resumed peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, and Iran’s nuclear program, they established themselves in these areas and get support from other radical Islamic groups, creating excellent opportunities for training and recruitment without external interference. Increased security levels at diplomatic and military facilities using new technologies has also contributed to hampering attacks from taking place, in addition to having intelligence agencies constantly monitor and intercept communications making these more predictable. However, the scenario that has been closely observed by analysts has been taking another direction. Years of strong military opposition by the U.S. and the coalition forces against radical terrorist groups in the Middle East forced part of them to migrate to new regions that are traditional centers of conflict, where weak governments are plagued by economic decline, creating beneficial conditions for them, particularly in North Africa. There are, however, many other groups operating in that region, such as the Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, who own modern arsenals of explosives from Libya that are more powerful and difficult to detect. In most cases, the name Al Qaeda, internationalized by Osama Bin Laden, would be used to increase the importance and latent power of their actions, which in some aspects worked as efficient propaganda to maintain the ghost created by the former feared leader of the organization alive. I believe that chances are slim for the terrorist network Al Qaeda to perform large scale attacks or even a single attack that resembles the scope of what happened in the last decade. The majority of their leadership has been dismantled; many were killed and some of their older members, especially the more experienced ones, are incarcerated. 
By Dialogo August 14, 2013 These factors led to a reduction in their operations since the second half of the last decade, which was characterized by isolated actions from so-called “lone wolves,” or people who were not necessarily linked to the network, and many times never even had any contact with them, but perpetrated attacks based on extremist ideology. The latest attacks in Yemen show that many suicide bombers have improved their techniques, resorting to carrying explosives inside their own bodies, making them look harmless. In this context, there is the possibility that North Africa may now become an important operating base for regionalized attacks, which would also strengthen the extremist groups in the Middle East. It is possible that the international community is facing a new phase of radical terrorism with bold and extremely lethal actions.
Perhaps it is finally the time when the CU has enough money to build its dream headquarters.Maybe the call center AND lending can be in the same building. Or maybe it is time to refresh and create new vibe for employees to do their best work.Either way, building a new Headquarters is an expensive proposition for any credit union.To budget for a new HQ there are three key elements you should consider. These include:Physical Building – this is going to be a big part of your future. Start with an Architect, survey your departments and find out what they really need. Most likely you will use some multiple of square footage to figure this out – say 200-400 a square foot. Within that will be architecture fees, construction costs, decorators, and materials. The good news is this going to serve you for years to come. As always – you will have to balance between what you need now, 5 years from now and 10 years from now. All it takes is one overbuilt building and one economic downturn to spend the next 5 years treading water expense ratio wise. continue reading » 27SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr
MHANYS is offering workshops and online resources for teachers and families to use in the classroom and at home. Usual activities for students have been moved online to be more accessible. (WBNG) — The Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS) is expanding its wellness tools to help families and educators cope with the stress of schools reopening in the fall. They are holding a panel discussion to allow teachers and families to send and receive advice from professionals. The first panel discussion for families will be held Sept. 3. Director of the School of Mental Health Center Amy Malloy says during these discussions, teachers mentioned the challenges but also many mentioned the flexibility to be creative.
Jokowi also asked that his ministers and the hospitals involved in treating the two patients avoid disclosing the patients’ private information.“I instructed the ministers to remind the hospitals and government officials to avoid disrupting their privacy. We should respect their rights,” he said.He added that the press should also respect the patients’ privacy so that they could focus on recovery without experiencing psychological pressure. Jokowi had previously announced that two residents of Depok, West Java tested positive for COVID-19, a 64-year-old woman and her 31-year-old daughter.Activists and lawmakers have called for more considerate reporting on the country’s first confirmed coronavirus cases following the unprecedented disclosure of the patients’ personal information on social media platforms on Monday. (dpk) Topics : President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo requested that the Indonesian people remain calm and to respect the COVID-19 patients’ privacy following his announcement of the first two confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease. “The fact is that most of the patients – including those in China, Japan, Italy and Iran – have been able to recover from the disease. So we don’t have to fret but we should remain vigilant,” Jokowi said on Tuesday.
The move, he added, was simply a precautionary measure.“They are now in good condition.”Following the increasing number of patients under COVID-19 observation at the hospital, Sudana said, the medical team had had to work harder. “We have a limited team, so they are all very tired,” he added.Read also: Four Seasons Resort Bali quarantines 54 staffers as precaution against COVID-19Sanglah Hospital has asked the Bali Health Agency for more nurses from other hospitals in Indonesia. “We have tried to add the number of personnel in our team. But it has not been enough,” Sudana said.The hospital requires 36 nurses to handle patients under observation for COVID-19 but currently has only 20. “We’ve asked for 16 more nurses, so as not to overtire our team,” said Sudana. Two nurses working at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar, Bali, have been placed in the hospital’s isolation ward after showing symptoms of COVID-19. The two nurses came down with a fever and experienced coughing. Hospital management decided to isolate them as they had had contact with Case 25, reportedly a British woman, who had died of COVID-19 on Wednesday. “They have a history of handling the patient with COVID-19,” Sanglah Hospital director Wayan Sudana said on Thursday. He suspects, however, that the two nurses were simply overworked from handling a rise in patients placed under observation for the new coronavirus.Read also: ‘We didn’t know’: Bali authorities in the dark as COVID-19 patient dies on resort island“As [our] workload here has increased. Two of our staff members have developed a fever and a cough – maybe because they are too tired. However, because they have a fever, we placed them in isolation.”
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63 Drysdale Cr Bookfield.This Queenslander home has been excellently maintained.Owners Peter and Diane Cox bought the property at 63 Drysdale Crescent, Brookfield 22 years ago, after searching for the right home to raise their family in. Inside 63 Drysdale Cres, Bookfield.Mr Cox said the new owners would enjoy the separate accommodation offered downstairs.“If the buyers are a family, it gives them the opportunity to enjoy some privacy. It’s a great retreat for teenagers,” he said. Inside 63 Drysdale Cres, Bookfield.“We must have looked at 60 homes before finding this one,” Mr Cox said. “It was exactly what we were looking for. It just instantly felt like home.”The two-level home sits on 913sq m of land and has traditional Queenslander features such as high ceilings, timber floors and a large wraparound veranda. More from newsParks and wildlife the new lust-haves post coronavirus22 hours agoNoosa’s best beachfront penthouse is about to hit the market22 hours ago Inside 63 Drysdale Cres, Bookfield.Mr Cox said the veranda was his favourite part of the home. “No matter what time of the year, it’s always enjoyable to be out on the veranda taking in the sunshine and enoying the breeze.”The self-contained lower level of the home has its own entrance, kitchenette and bedroom, spacious lounge and dining area and study or potential bedroom. There is also a laundry and a three-car garage. The home at Drysdale Cres, Bookfield.The main level has two bedrooms plus master suite with a walk-in-wardrobe and ensuite. There is also family, living and dining rooms, kitchen and bathroom.
FSP merged with AP Pension in 2012. The authority also said it was ordering AP Pension to send out information to all former FSP members who had switched pension product, describing the background to the decision to award compensation. This should be done in the second quarter of 2014, it said.AP Pension said that at the time when customers had agreed to forgo their guarantees, all scheme members had been compensated equally. “But even though this was the practice, it was not necessarily reasonable,” AP Pension said.In order to make the division of reserves fairer in such situations, Finanstilsynet introduced so-called contribution groups – grouping people together based on age – at the start of 2011, the pensions firm said.But AP Pension said this had not been the case at the beginning of 2011 when FSP offered its customers the opportunity to switch from a with-profits pension product to a unit-linked one.As part of its discussions with Finanstilsynet over the issue, it said that in 2013 it had earmarked DKK131m including pension tax (PAL) for compensation. As a result of the latest talks with the regulator, it had now decided to compensate customers from the former FSP Pension with DKK170m including PAL, it said.Finanstilsynet said it has referred the case to the Council of Finance (Det Finansielle Råd).Many Danish pension funds, which are incorporated as life insurance companies, are trying to move customers with older with-profits pension products, which include yield guarantees, to non-guaranteed plans which carry lighter reserve requirements. Denmark’s AP Pension has been censured by the financial regulator for failing to pay enough compensation to some scheme members when they gave up their pension guarantees.The mutually-owned commercial pensions firm has agreed to pay DKK170m (€22.8m) to customers of the former Finanssektorens Pensionskasse (FSP). The members either relinquished their yield guarantees on with-profits pension plans when they took part in a product switching push in 2011, or when they moved their plan to AP’s unit-link product AP NetLink.The regulator, Finanstilsynet, said it had reprimanded AP Pension. In the product switching exercises for members of FSP Pension — which existed at that point — in 2011, 2012 and 2013, AP Pension failed to pay out the extra reserves for expected longer lifetimes, which had applied at the time, the regulator said.
MORE NEWS: Coast’s first skyhome hits the market It will be sure to make a splash. There’s so much room for activities.The property’s 0.51ha block means there’s ample room for outdoor activities with the backyard also offering a playground, firepit, space for a trampoline and the mini cricket pitch.A cabana will make entertaining poolside a breeze thanks to its built-in kitchen, bar fridges, television and fan. That’s one way to make an entrance. The owners are seeking offers more than $899,000.There’s also a fun addition inside the house, with a water feature, fish pond and bridge part of the entry foyer. “It’s also has a fish pond inside the house which is very unusual,” Ms Doleman said. “It’s very private acreage which sits behind a nice electric gate and fencing.” The house also features an open-plan design, high ceilings, large bedrooms a rumpus room, wet bar and even a bidet in the main bedroom’s ensuite. Ms Doleman said the current owners innings at the home were over with the family planning to move into another of their properties. She said it would likely be passed on to a local family looking to upsize. The fun house at 19 Pascoe Rd, Ormeau, has a price guide of more than $899,000. Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayNext playlist itemMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 1:35Loaded: 0%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -1:35 Playback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedQuality Levels720p720pHD432p432p288p288p180p180pAutoA, selectedAudio Tracken (Main), selectedFullscreenThis is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.PlayMuteCurrent Time 0:00/Duration 0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time -0:00 Playback Rate1xFullscreenFive things to consider when buying into a regional area01:35 Welcome to 19 Pascoe Rd, Ormeau. The cricket practice net will likely be a hit with families.Doleman Property Group director Donna Doleman, who is marketing the property with Claire Hester, said the pool was the highlight with its impressive waterslide, which exits through a mini cave and waterfall, ensuring hours of fun. More from news02:37International architect Desmond Brooks selling luxury beach villa11 hours ago02:37Gold Coast property: Sovereign Islands mega mansion hits market with $16m price tag2 days ago“It’s like having Wet’n’Wild in your own backyard,” Ms Doleman said. “It cost over $100,000, he (the owner) is a pool builder so it has all the ins and outs. MORE NEWS: Sellers spending much longer searching for a buyer This Gold Coast backyard is full of fun!The classic backyard slip ’n slide has been taken to the next level at this Gold Coast home, which is set to bowl buyers over with its fun, and unexpected, inclusions. A winding waterslide will ensure the four-bedroom Ormeau house makes a splash on the market and cricket fanatics will be hit for six when they see the practice net in the backyard. There will be no need to leave the house on the weekend. The classic backyard slip ’n slide has been taken to the next level.
The very large gas carrier sector is expected to enter the recovery cycle from the second half of 2018 amid a slowdown in fleet growth, shipping consultancy Drewry said.2017 was one of the toughest years in the history for VLGC shipping as ample vessel supply squeezed the freight market. VLGC earnings in the spot market, on the benchmark AG-Japan route, averaged USD 12,500pd, way below the break-even rate of USD 21,000pd.Shipowners are hoping for a better future as annual fleet growth is set to slow down from 16% in 2016-17 to a more manageable 5% over 2018-19. However, new ordering is also picking up, with seven VLGCs ordered in the first month of 2018 as owners look to position themselves for the next upswing in the freight cycle.According to Drewry’s freight rate forecast for VLGCs over the next three years, rates would improve from this year and strengthen further in 2019-20. However, rates are unlikely to touch the highs seen in 2014-15 when the bull run was led by a sudden pick-up in propane demand from new PDH plants in China.“Our outlook for 2018-20 suggests an average freight rate of USD 23,400pd, below the USD 28,800pd that was recorded between 2011 and 2013,” Shresth Sharma, senior analyst for gas shipping at Drewry, said.Sharma explained that the reason for the difference between average historical and future rates is that VLGC fleet ownership has become more fragmented since 2013 as many new players entered the market during the boom period of 2014-15.At the end of 2017, there were 62 companies in the VLGC sector, 17% more than at the end of 2013.