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記者祝君壁本報訊 記者祝君壁報道：2013年以來，儲存食品藥品監管總局切實轉變作風，提高監管效率和質量，著力解決群�反映強烈的食品藥品安全問題。在保健食品“打四非”行動中，食品藥品監管總局督查督辦保健食品重大違法案件共62個，涉及全國17個省（區、市），提振了公�的消費信心。截至10月底，全國食品藥品監管部門共檢查保健食品企業49.01萬家次，發出協查8111批，立案10698起；查扣違法保健食品136.5萬盒（瓶）、192.6萬粒散裝膠囊和4000公斤原料，涉案貨值5億多元，罰沒金額近8萬元；責令停產停業797家，吊銷保健食品生產經營許可證47家；移送公安部門違法案件468件，移送工商部門非法宣傳案件3907件；抽驗保健食品13669批次，檢出不合格產品1688批次。藥品安全是人民群�高度關切的問題。食品藥品監管總局于7月17日召開全系統電視電話會議，全面部署藥品領域“兩打兩建”行動。截至9月底，全國食品藥品監管部門共立案4794件，其中58個案件被總局列為重點案件，並對20個重大案件進行掛牌督辦。專項行動期間，食品藥品監管總局將194家境內違法網站移送工業和信息化部予以關閉；對609家境外違迷你倉網站移送國家互聯網信息辦公室予以屏蔽；利用中美合作機制，向美國食品藥品管理局（FDA）駐華辦公室移送處理服務器設在美國的非法網站167家；公開曝光47個嚴重違法網站。乳製品質量安全是重大民生問題，也是重大經濟社會問題。食品藥品監管總局把嬰幼兒配方乳粉質量安全工作作為重中之重，加大統籌協調力度，著力建章立制，嚴格加強嬰幼兒配方乳粉質量安全工作。6月16日，食品藥品監管總局會同工業和信息化部、農業部、質檢總局等9個部門共同起草制定的《關於進一步加強嬰幼兒配方乳粉質量安全工作的意見》正式對外發佈。《意見》對嬰幼兒配方乳粉企業、經營單位、監管部門的責任以及工作重點提出要求，明確了“五不准”政策，即不准委托加工、不准貼牌生產、不准分裝生產、不准用同一配方生產不同品牌的嬰幼兒配方乳粉、不准使用牛羊乳（粉）以外的原料乳（粉）生產嬰幼兒配方乳粉。《意見》同時提出嬰幼兒配方乳粉試行藥店專櫃銷售等政策，受到公�廣泛關注。為全面加強嬰幼兒配方乳粉質量安全工作，各級食品藥品監管部門積極行動，依法從嚴監管，與有關部門加強執法檢查，進一步暢通投訴渠道，落實有獎舉報制度，鼓勵支持媒體和消費者參與監督，努力構建社會共治格局。儲存倉

2013年，self storage影響或改變世界的發明有哪些？時值年末，英國廣播公司（BBC）、美國《時代》周刊、《大�科學》、CNN等媒體紛紛公佈了全球年度發明榜單，內容涉及醫藥、衛生、食品、生物、軍事、太空探索等多個領域，記者選取其中跟人類健康和生活密切相關的十個既有趣又有用的研究以饗讀者。最環保重力燈：給點重量就發光這項發明意義重大，能夠造福全球15億缺少電網照明的人，尤其適合發展中國家使用，所以《大�科學》和《時代》都將其選為年度發明。倫敦設計與創新組織Deciwatt的工程師花了4年時間設計出的這種重力燈並不復雜：先將裝置掛起來，往配套的口袋中裝入約15公斤重的重物，袋子的重力慢慢地拉動打孔帶，帶動一系列齒輪驅動一個小馬達，為一盞LED燈連續提供電能。發明者稱，升起沙袋拉繩子3秒鐘可使LED燈泡發光最長30分鐘。除了邊遠鄉村，重力燈還適用于野外露營，或是任何沒有電源插座的黑暗空間。目前，設計小組利用從網絡籌集到的資金生產了1000個重力燈，準備送到發展中國家接受檢驗。按照設計者的計劃，未來這種燈的售價不超過10美元。最離奇物種復活術：讓滅絕的物種重現澳大利亞紐卡斯爾大學的研究人員從青蛙冷凍標本提取DNA，成功復活一種已經在1983年滅絕的特殊蛙類——胃育蛙的胚胎。胃育蛙的特別之處在於，當雄性胃育蛙在體外為卵子授精之後，雌性會將受精卵吞下在其胃里孕育，最後從口里吐出小青蛙。雖然這次克隆的胚胎存活幾天後全部死亡，但科學家們相信，這項研究是新科學“逆滅絕”的里程碑。最科幻盜夢術：消除不好的記憶美國麻省理工大學科學家借用“盜夢空間”這個概念，將該研究稱作“盜夢計劃”。通過追蹤和觸發與記憶相關的腦細胞，科學家成功地為實驗鼠移植了一個假記憶，讓老鼠產生自己曾在某一個地方接受過刺激的錯覺反應，而實際上它是在另一個地方受到刺激。研究者稱，未來這項研究可能可以幫助那些患有抑鬱症、創傷後應激反應障礙的人消除或減輕痛苦的記憶。最先進人形機器人：會用螺絲刀的“大力神”2013年7月，波士頓動力公司為美軍研製的世界最先進的類人機器人“阿特拉斯”亮相。“阿特拉斯”是希臘神話中的大力神，發明者希望它能夠像大力神一樣在危險環境中發揮大作用。它身高1.9米，體重150千克，身軀由頭部、軀幹和四肢組成，“雙眼”是兩個立體感應器，有兩只靈巧的手，能夠像人一樣直立行走，能單腿站立，不會被從側面飛來的球撞倒。它具有超強的能力，能夠使用螺絲刀等工具，能在實時遙控下行動自如地穿越崎嶇複雜的地形，能開門、爬樓梯，能用攝像機迷你倉激光測距機定位物體。發明者希望，這一機器人將來能夠像人類救援者一樣在災難發生後的危險環境中進行救援工作。最給力外骨骼機械服：讓癱瘓者“重新行走”一名41歲的前以色列傘兵在癱瘓20年之後，竟然借助一種神奇的機械服裝置重新站立了起來。這種神奇的外骨骼機械服被命名為“重新行走”，是由以色列亞戈醫學科技公司創始人艾米特·高弗爾發明的。“重新行走”由電子機械腿、身體感應器和一個背包組成，背包中裝有電腦控制盒和可充電電池。使用者可以用遙控腕帶選定某種設置，譬如站立、坐下、行走、爬樓梯等，並需要通過一副拐杖維持身體平衡。目前，“重新行走”已經在歐洲開售，美國FDA正在對其安全性進行審核。最保險密碼膠囊：黑客也拿它沒轍 在人們越來越依賴網絡的時代，網絡安全尤其是密碼安全成為一個不可忽視的問題。這個由摩托羅拉公司新研發的密碼膠囊內含有能以胃酸為動力的微芯片，只要吃下肚被激活後就可以將密碼以18位心電圖的方式傳送到認證手機或網絡平台上。目前，這一膠囊已經獲得了美國FDA的批准，很可能以維生素補充劑的形式上市。最實用紙板自行車：既輕便又環保以色列工程師伊扎爾·加夫尼用了三四年的時間，反複探索硬紙板的功能，終於設計出一款名為“阿爾法”的紙板自行車。“阿爾法”重12.7千克，生產成本約16美元，全部由可回收材料制成，除了剎車和鏈條，其他部分都是硬紙板。這種自行車可以承擔一個500斤重的大胖子。目前，加夫尼希望每款車的成本能控制在12美元以內，售價不超過30美元。最火爆羊角甜甜圈：征服世界的麵包法國人愛吃羊角麵包，美國人愛吃甜甜圈。紐約一位廚師用甜甜圈的“皮囊”裝了羊角麵包的口味，創新出一種羊角甜甜圈麵包。它今年5月份才面世，售價10美元兩個。這種新口味的麵包迅速征服了世界。在紐約，來自世界各地的人都愛上了這種麵包，每天麵包店門口都排著長龍。顯然，這款羊角甜甜圈麵包也征服了《時代》周刊編輯的味蕾，一種配方並不復雜的食品入選《時代》周刊年度最佳發明而且還躋身前五實屬罕見。最智能牙齒文身：呼吸間能測出病菌美國普林斯頓大學的科學家研究出一種能探測人體體內病菌的牙齒傳感器，它被媒體形象地稱為“牙齒文身”。“牙齒文身”不是一種雕刻在牙齒上的圖樣，而是一種由高科技石墨烯材料製作的平面電子芯片傳感器。這種“牙齒文身”可以在病人的一呼一吸間搜集口腔內的“細菌情報”，並將其通過內置的無線網信號裝置報告給與之相連接的監控電腦，從而方便醫生找到牙病的原因，並分析這些細菌是否有可能進一步感染或擴散。（據《廣州日報》）迷你倉西貢

儲存倉 cqcbepaper.cqnews.net/cqcb/html/2013-12/29/content_1706402.htm...“重慶公交電子站牌”手機客戶端昨上線，可查主城區230條公交線路、2300個停靠站點 重慶晨報訊 公交車還有多遠就能到站？附近有哪些公...迷你倉最平

Source: The Philadelphia InquirerDec.self storage 29--SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Villanova looked more than ready Saturday for its duel against No. 2 Syracuse, taking an 18-point lead over the Orange with the game barely nine minutes old.But the Orange, fueled by a loud throng of 28,135 at the Carrier Dome, erased the deficit in about 51/2 minutes; played a solid second half; and defeated the eighth-ranked Wildcats, 78-62, in a battle of unbeatens.James Bell kept the Wildcats (11-1) in the game for much of the second half, scoring 25 points, including six three-point baskets, before fouling out with 1 minute, 42 seconds left to play.But the Orange (12-0) got big games from Trevor Cooney, Tyler Ennis, and C.J. Fair, with the three combining for 58 points: 21 by Cooney, 20 by Ennis -- a freshman and the younger brother of Villanova guard Dylan Ennis -- and 17 by Fair.Villanova got off to a sizzling start, hitting its first four three-point attempts and connecting on 8 of 12 field-goal tries, to open up an early cushion. Freshman Josh Hart knocked down a three-point basket and a dunk to end a 16-2 run that increased the Wildcats' lead to 18, 25-7, with 10:55 left in the half.But the Cats didn't score again for nearly seven minutes, and the Orange went to work on the sizable deficit. Cooney hit a pair of threes and two free throws to touch off w迷利倉at would become a 20-0 run, and Fair contributed a three-ball, a dunk, and free throws.Jerami Grant hit both ends of a 1-and-1 with 5:36 to play to tie the game at 25, and then Tyler Ennis sank a reverse layup the next time downcourt to give the Orange their first lead. Dylan Ennis broke the 'Nova drought on a basket with 4:07 to play.After going down by 18, Syracuse outscored Villanova BY 31-9 and took a 38-34 lead at the half.Bell sank a three-point basket on the Wildcats' first possession of the second half to make it a one-point game, but the Orange tallied the next nine points, capped by Cooney's three-point basket that increased their advantage to 10.The Wildcats never were able to get the deficit under five points until Bell's three-point basket with 7:21 remaining made it 56-52, and 'Nova knocked another point off when Daniel Ochefu made the front end of a 1-and-1.But the Orange struck for the next five points on Cooney's three and two free throws by Fair to make it 61-53 with 5:24 to play. The Wildcats were able to get to within five later on Bell's final three of the game, making it 64-59 with 3:26 to play, but Syracuse spurted, 14-3, at the end thanks to free throws.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Philadelphia Inquirer Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at .philly.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉

密雲縣古北口村堅持“不添一磚一瓦、不動一草一木”的原則，迷你倉最平原汁原味地保護村域內古民居。通訊員 呂吉 攝 新京報訊 （記者饒沛）密雲縣今年全年旅遊接待人次預計將達到913.1萬，幾乎相當于每兩個生活在北京的人就有一個在今年前往密雲旅遊，旅遊綜合收入38.33億元。密雲並沒有很多著名旅遊景點，為何能吸引如此�多的遊客前往？依托鄉村資源打造特色旅遊，成為密雲旅遊崛起的關鍵。按照“十二五”旅遊發展規劃，到2013年底，密雲全縣鄉村旅遊將實現發展民俗戶3000戶、高標準床位2萬張，萬名農民就業；到2015年底，全縣鄉村旅遊實現發展民俗戶6000戶、高標準床位4萬張、2萬名農民就業，力爭實現“百村萬戶”目標。硬件設施恢複北方民居自然純樸風貌按照2011年提出的目標，密雲開始以恢複北方民居自然、純樸的鄉村風貌為主旨，對主要交通幹線兩側村莊和重點迷你倉俗村環境進行整體提升，實現“六無三統一”目標，即：無白色垃圾、無積存垃圾、無侵街占道、無亂堆亂放、無汙水亂排、無亂設廣告牌；統一村莊外立面、統一門頭牌匾、統一綠化美化，旅遊環境明顯改觀。民俗戶床上用品統一洗滌配送為了讓遊客享受到星級賓館的住宿條件，“密雲縣民俗戶床上用品統一洗滌配送中心”應運而生，對全縣民俗戶床上用品進行統一洗滌、熨燙、消毒及配送，並以此為契機從整體上提升民俗接待標準化、規範化水平。同時，密雲縣狠抓旅遊合作社建設，改變民俗戶一家一戶獨立經營、各自為戰的傳統經營模式，逐步規範鄉村旅遊市場秩序，實現“統一宣傳、統一策劃、統一接待、統一分配客源、統一價格、統一結算”。密雲全力助推“鄉村酒店”品牌建設。通過抓典型示範，石塘路村、古北口村、司馬台新村、幹峪溝村已基本實現了“鄉村酒店”的發展模式，帶動鄉村旅遊產業發展效果顯著。mini storage

位於濟州的漢拏山，self storage是南韓第一高峰，為方便旅客前往賞雪，濟州旅遊發展局首度推出免費賞雪交通車，由即日至2014年1月26日，每逢星期六、日，都會有3班由濟州市塔洞旅遊諮詢中心出發，來回漢拏山禦里牧廣場的巴士。在上述日子，禦里牧廣場更會舉行冰雕展、小型冬季運動會、韓國傳統遊戲等多種體驗活動，讓你過一個好玩又美麗的白色冬天。OL免費賞雪交通車日期：即迷利倉~2014年1月26日（逢星期六、日）班次：9:00am、11:00am、1:00pm（濟州市塔洞旅遊諮詢中心開出）11:00am、1:00pm、3:00pm（禦里牧廣場開出）路線：塔洞旅遊諮詢中心、龍頭岩、濟州市長途汽車站、濟州國際機場五號出口、新濟州寶健路旅遊諮詢中心、漢拏山禦里牧廣場網址：.ijto.or.kr/english/撰文：袁美姍迷你倉

一連四日的香港冬日美食節結束，儲存入場人次達105萬，廉價美食攤位大收旺場，有參展商指生意額按年增15%。不過，有貴價海味店、紅酒商趁展期尾聲割價傾銷，但生意仍遜預期，並認為今年的展期被安排在聖誕之後欠妥，故令人流稍遜。本報記者曾敏捷實習記者陸思靜冬日美食節昨日閉幕，不少商家在最後一天出盡法寶清貨，幾乎每個攤位都免費試食，更有參展商安排員工悉心打扮招客，拿�自己的商品在入口處宣傳，以求先聲奪人，部分商戶下午開始減價促銷，吸引不少市民入場掃貨，揚言要在最後的促銷時段「血拚」一番。限購一毫子鵝肝多士「龍蝦燒」下午推出一毫子份的鵝肝多士，限售30份，吸引不少市民排隊。排頭位的黃小姐表示，對成功購得感開心，指自己過往多屆美食節都有參加，主要目標是買酒和急凍海鮮，今次料會花費幾千元。攤位負責人林年表示，攤位以一毫子份燒龍蝦及鵝肝多士作招徠的宣傳十分成功，連日來的生意都十分理想，估計生意額按年上升至少15%，生意幾乎從未間斷，多款熟食包括燒龍蝦、牛柳粒、羊架及鵝肝多士都大受迷你倉迎，明年會繼續參展。入場人次達105萬鴻星集團除參加工展會外，今年首度進駐美食節，該公司市務副主任凌婉婷表示，鴻星在美食節的賣點是每日首100包黑松露臘腸只售一元，吸引不少捧場客，其餘產品的銷情亦理想，最受歡迎的產品是楊枝甘露等飲品，因為較市面便宜一半，整體營業額較預期高10%至20%。主辦機構公布冬日美食節及冬日購物節的入場人數指，四日累積入場人次達105萬，總銷售額估計超過6億元，人均消費達1200元，較去年上升。不過，今年美食節的入場人數及總銷售額均略遜去年，有參展商就估計與展期安排在聖誕之後有關。酒商割價望平手離場香港葡萄酒會的負責人郭先生表示，連日的人流不算太多，最後一日「買一送一」割價傾銷估計亦只能平手離場， 「消費者的心態是節日前購物會豪氣些，但今年展覽室聖誕才開始，大家都玩到不想逛了，而且周六完，可能有人沒有假，逛的人肯定會少些，生意一定有影響」。此外，有售賣貴價海味的參展商指，今年來美食節的內地團減少，生意亦較去年差，希望主辦機構下次多做宣傳。self storage

（柔佛 新山26日訊）公正黨副總秘書鍾少雲今日聯同全國銀行僱員職工會（NUBE），迷你倉最平以及大馬職工總會（MTUC）代表召開新聞發佈會，聲援豐隆銀行全國被裁退的27名職員。鍾少雲說，豐隆銀行是從今年2月起，將國內部份員工轉調中央，有近50人涉及。他表示，全國銀行僱員職工會向他投訴，指受調職影響的員工在職期間，遭到不合理對待，包括銀行內沒辦公座位、被禁使用銀行廁所、不獲時間祈禱、年假被取消、不獲花紅。他表示，全國銀行僱員職工會曾協助這些員工，把事件帶上工業關係局，惟談判無結果，人力局也不願插手協助。入稟法庭排期聆審他說，全國銀行僱員職工會已將此事入稟法庭，目前正排期聆審。他指出，該銀行全國共有27人因拒絕調職被裁，當中，10人來自吉蘭丹，13人來自吉打和檳城，3人來自彭亨，1人來自柔州。他指出，大馬商業銀行協會曾與全國銀行僱員職工會簽署協議，勞資合約一項條文說明須員工答應，才能將迷你倉調職。公正黨柔佛州法律事務局主任潘偉斯表示，公正黨將分別發函給豐隆銀行和人力局，聲明公正黨會支持和援助有關員工。公正黨柔佛州副主席哈山卡林建議，全國銀行僱員職工會向法庭申請司法檢討，以檢討人力局為何不插手有關事件。全國銀行僱員職工會柔州分會秘書莫漢指出，受影響的主要是那些工資較少的職員，若資方要這些員工調職，他們的生活會變得更加辛苦。全國銀行僱員職工會南馬分會副主席陳小燕透露，全國銀行僱員職工會從12月初至今，在豐隆銀行總部展開糾察行動，時間為每日早上9時至晚上7時。莫哈末：拒調職被開除莫哈末阿茲祖固納英（31歲）被裁退之前，於峇株巴轄豐隆銀行分行任普通職員，每月工資為1千150令吉。他在豐隆銀行服務4年，因不接受調職而於今年12月20日被開除。他表示曾向資方建議調到附近分行，但被拒。他和妻子育有一名3歲的孩子，妻子是一名書記，收入微薄。他聲稱被開除對家庭帶來很大的打擊。;mini storage

A short story by BALLI KAUR JASWALMR SUNDARAM wakes to find his daughter sitting on the floor surrounded by a pile of his shirts.儲存倉 He coughs to catch her attention but she is too busy sewing to look up."What are you doing?" he asks."Making sure you don't get lost trying to find your way home again," Sushila replies.He picks up one of the shirts. A tag printed with his name and address has been sewn into it. The stitches are fine because Sushila inherited her mother's thin fingers, but Vanitha never wasted her time like this, looking for things to mend."The first time I met your mother, she was wearing an emerald green sari. A man who is losing his memory would not remember such details."Sushila's white hemming thread is ablaze as sunlight enters the room. "It doesn't work like that," she says. "I read about Alzheimer's Disease online. You might retain memories from a long time ago but you forget simpler things.""A little forgetfulness is expected at my age.""Your memory loss is not little.""My memory is not your concern.""It becomes my concern when you nearly kill us both by leaving the stove on.""It wasn't me!" he cries. Last Sunday, she burst into his room shaking a charred kitchen rag at him. He had no memory of being in the kitchen in the first place.Sushila picks up the shirt and carries on sewing. Stubborn like her mother, he thinks. "Have I told you this one? Your mother and I were having an argument when you were born. We hadn't spoken for two days..."Sushila pushes herself to her feet with a sigh and leaves the room. "Wait," he calls out, but then he forgets the rest of the story.SINCE the stove incident, there are few places that Mr Sundaram is allowed to go. 'Stay within eyeshot," Sushila reminds him as he leaves for the temple.The temple is nestled between an abandoned railway track and overgrown shrubs. Raindrops stutter against the tin roof. Praying should be simple like this; everything else is complicated. Vanitha's death was messy - appointments, treatments, bills, funeral arrangements.She'd gone to the hospital at the first sign of illness but punctuality didn't ease the shutting down of each organ, like lights going off in an emptying house. After she died, he kept finding her old prescriptions - useless papers which could not save her, but only promised to make dying easier.At the temple's entrance, shoes must be removed before worshippers descend a long flight of stairs into the thicket of jungle leaves and dismantled machinery. Often during prayers, Mr Sundaram is distracted by the thought of his shoes lying vulnerable to passers-by.His friend Mr Gopal is already there. "Woke up late today?" Mr Gopal asks."Another argument with Sushila."Mr Gopal shakes his head in sympathy and wanders off to pay respects to the idols. Mr Sundaram follows at a distance. He attempts a prayer but the words don't come to him, even as he squeezes his eyes shut and drowns out the nearby roar of city traffic. At least the rooftop drizzle has ceased but he predicts that the rain will return within minutes."Stay patient with your daughter," Mr Gopal advises afterwards as they make their way up the stairs."It's frustrating," Mr Sundaram says. "She keeps insisting that I see the doctor."Both men are breathless when they reach the top of the steps. When Mr Sundaram can't locate his shoes, panic seizes his chest. His expensive shoes! He notices a small crowd of youth across the street. Their laughter darts across the open air like arrows."Give back my shoes. Why you steal from old man?" he shouts in broken English. Two boys look up in surprise. Mr Sundaram spits angrily in their direction. They begin to shout, advancing towards him."What are you doing?" Mr Gopal cries. From a safe distance, a crowd of hawkers and customers have gathered to watch. Mr Gopal steers him back to the temple entrance and points to a pair of scuffed brown loafers. The soles have come slightly unglued and the leather is peeling like a scab."My shoes are black and so polished you can see your reflection in them," Mr Sundaram says."You wear these loafers every day. You stopped wearing the black shoes when you retired."Mr Sundaram crouches and inspects the loafers. Why doesn't he recognise them? He pushes his feet into them and feels the leather迷你倉最平collapse softly against his skin. They are comfortable but not familiar."Maybe a doctor's check-up won't be such a bad thing," Mr Gopal tells him on the walk home. They part to enter their separate estates. A late morning heat presses into Mr Sundaram's face and neck. He was wrong about the rain. The clouds have rolled away and the sky is wide like an ocean.AS THE taxi rolls into the hospital lobby, Mr Sundaram is reassured to know that this is not the same place where Vanitha died. From the window of her room, he used to watch schoolchildren stream across the overhead bridge. The waiting room here has smaller windows and the walls are painted a cheery blue. A petite nurse comes to take his weight, height and blood pressure and then takes him to a room to introduce him to Dr Ram."How are you?" Dr Ram asks."I'm fine," Mr Sundaram says. "My daughter made an appointment for me. She thinks I'm ill because I'm a bit forgetful."Dr Ram asks simple questions and takes notes. "Do you remember brushing your teeth this morning? Do you remember getting dressed?"Then he says he will do a test. Mr Sundaram expects to be escorted into a room full of whirring machines but they stay seated. "Repeat the following words after me," he says. "Cloud.""Cloud," Mr Sundaram says."Surprise.""Surprise.""Tiger.""Tiger."Dr Ram hands him a pen and pad. "Please draw a clock, with numbers and hands. The face must show it is ten past eleven," he says.Mr Sundaram is beginning to feel foolish but he does as he is told. Before he can look over his drawing, Dr Ram takes the paper from him and asks him to recite the words again."Surprise," Mr Sundaram says. "Tiger." His mind goes blank. "There is another word," he says feebly. Dr Ram does not respond. He is looking at his clock drawing and making more notes in his folder. "What does this mean?" Mr Sundaram asks."We'll need to do more tests," Dr Ram says. "In the meantime, I'll write you a prescription. The nurse will have it filled for you while you wait.""You did nothing," he protests as the nurse opens the door for him and leads him to the pharmacy counter. "A kindergarten drawing - that's what I came all the way here for?"The nurse glances around nervously and signals to her colleague, who comes marching over. He doesn't have a chance to complain before she hands him a bottle of pills. They are to be taken after each meal, she explains. Prescribed pills. This was the start for Vanitha. This was how she began to die."Sir," the stern nurse's voice breaks his thoughts. "Please listen."He takes the bottle from her and pushes it into his pocket. "Just tell me how much I have to pay," he says. She leads him to the cashier's desk to settle his bill."Is somebody coming to pick you up?" she asks."I'll manage." In a huff, he leaves the clinic. A line of taxis in the lobby inch forward, but he makes his way to the bus stop. Who says I'm losing my memory? I know I can take the 77, he thinks as the bus approaches.It is only after boarding that Mr Sundaram realises he does not have his wallet. He pats his trouser pockets - perhaps he left it on the pharmacy counter. He steps off the bus and retraces his steps. Through the glass doors, he glimpses the nurses chatting urgently with one another. The petite one looks up suddenly and notices him. Turning away, Mr Sundaram hears the bottle of pills rattling in his pocket.He takes out the bottle and considers these tiny white pills. A memory drifts into his mind: once, he ate a spicy meal and discovered he had run out of fennel seeds to chew afterwards. Vanitha offered him a mint but he rejected it."How did I ever end up with such a stubborn man?" she asked in mock exasperation, her face bright and beautiful as she lifted it to the sky. He finally tried it, but it was impossible to enjoy the stinging flavour. It was unnaturally strong and sweet - a guess at what breath must taste like to somebody who had never breathed before.The writer is a Singaporean who lives in Melbourne. Her debut novel Inheritance - about the unravelling of a Punjabi migrant family - was published to critical acclaim in Australia earlier this year. The novel is available in Books Kinokuniya and Books Actually.Next year, she will be a writer-in- residence at Nanyang Technological University.迷你倉

Source: Pioneer Press, St.迷你倉最平 Paul, Minn.Dec. 27--A company that owns 17 low-income apartments in St. Paul is challenging the city's right to demolish the rentals or force housing improvements.The premise, which has been repeated by several landlords since at least 2004 in various courts, is that strict code enforcement makes it too expensive to provide affordable housing to the city's poor.Raven Financial, which owns rental units in eight St. Paul properties, recently filed a federal complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development against St. Paul, the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and the Payne-Phalen District 5 Planning Council.The landlord is challenging the city's order in early 2013 to either improve or tear down a six-bedroom duplex on Maryland Avenue.The complaint also contests orders issued for three other rentals, including two homes that remain vacant because they do not meet city housing standards.According to the complaint, three licensed contractors and a state building official estimated that the Maryland Avenue duplex needed from $5,000 to $16,450 in improvements in order to meet the state building code.The city, however, ordered at least $45,000 in repairs, and when the improvements, were not made, it ordered the duplex demolished.The properties are on Maryland, Maria and Reaney avenues, as well as Burr Street -- East Side areas with high concentrations of poverty.The costs of unnecessary repairs would be passed on to tenants through rent increases or the units would be demolished or sold, hurting rather than helping the poor, according to the complaint."The city's housing policies act as a major disincentive to continuing to provide low-income housing in St. Paul," Raven Financial's attorney, John Shoemaker, said in a statement.More than a quarter of St. Paul's population lives in poverty, according to the complaint filed Nov. 20.In response to previous lawsuits, Mayor Chris Coleman and other city officials have maintained that city housing inspectors have found too many rental units with no heat, mice infestations and other evidence that the poor are being taken advantage of by unscrupulous landlords eager to get federal housing vouchers.City officials said many of the properties in the latest complaint have been notorious problems for years."If you Google any of these addresses, you'll get the full (city) council files on all of these properties," said City Attorney Sara Grewing, who said she had yet to receive a copy of the complaint."We have spent thousands of hours and countless city resources defending against the landlords who retain Mr. Shoemaker."An order issued in December 2012 declared the duplex at 758 Maryland Ave. an official nuisance property and ordered Raven Financial to make more than 50 improvements, from tuck pointing the house's exterior to installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that meet state codes. The duplex was ultimately ordered demolished.Al Oertwig, president of the Payne-Phalen planning council, said many residents believe the city is still too easy on owners of East Side problem properties."My feeling is they don't come down hard enough," Oertwig said.But Raven Financial says city standards far exceed state standards and are among the most rigorous in the country. The company says the result is increased housing costs and fewer affordable rentals available to people identified as vulnerable under federal law -- "protected class" residents such as low-income minorities.To make its case, Raven Financial pointed to recent legal decisions and fees.In response to a complaint from the Builders Association of Minnesota, for example, the state Court of Appeals last year determined that St. Paul's standards for egress windows ran contrary to the state building code.State rules allow homeowners to replace windows with "the largest size that will fit into the existing frame or rough opening," but the St. Paul Safety and Inspections Department in 2009 adopted minimum sizes for replacement egress windows that are in迷你倉many cases larger than those found in the city's century-old housing stock.In addition, the appeals court determined in 2010 that a demolition order against a low-income rental home owned by Bee and Lamena Vue was "arbitrary and capricious."Raven Financial's complaint also challenges the city's building and housing code fee and assessment system."St. Paul issues heavy fees on low-income housing providers for inspections, vacant building fees, code compliance inspection fees, administrative fees, fees for claimed clean-up, fees for claimed excessive services, and other miscellaneous fees," Shoemaker wrote.Raven Financial says it has sold off rental units in order to keep up with repair costs, fees and property taxes."In just the last two years, Raven has been required to pay to St. Paul over $20,000 in fees and assessments," Shoemaker wrote. "This is in addition to the costs of materials and labor for the city-forced renovations to Raven's older homes and other regular maintenance and repair costs to the rental units."Since 2009, the city has received federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program grants through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.The agency "as a recipient of (federal) NSP funds must monitor the planning, analysis and performance of its participating jurisdictions, including St. Paul, and take appropriate actions," according to Shoemaker, who believes the state agency has fallen out of compliance.The St. Paul Public Housing Agency had 8,622 families on its waiting list for public housing as of Sept. 30, up from 5,790 in July 2011.This isn't the first time that property owners have complained that strict code enforcement actually hurts rather than helps the poor.In September 2010, the 8th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in a similar housing lawsuit against the city of St. Paul, Magner v. Gallagher.Recognizing sufficient evidence to go to trial, the court found that a group of landlords could proceed with the legal argument that the city's housing policies and code enforcement had a "disparate impact" upon St. Paul's low-income residents and minorities, a violation of the Federal Fair Housing Act.St. Paul challenged the ruling in the U.S. Supreme Court in 2011 but took widespread criticism from housing advocates and withdrew the challenge in February 2012, 20 days before oral arguments were scheduled to begin.Legal observers, including Walter Mondale -- the original author of the Fair Housing Act when he served in the Senate -- had worried that the more conservative members of the Supreme Court would use the opportunity to gut the act, eliminating "disparate impact" as a legal protection for minorities in housing, lending and other areas of federal law.Rather than going to trial, the case was put on hold while a similar case in New Jersey moved forward. That case, Township of Mount Holly v. Mount Holly Gardens, was recently settled, opening the door for Magner v. Gallagher to proceed to trial.Shoemaker says the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency failed to include the September 2010 decision in Magner v. Gallagher in its analysis of housing policies the next year, the 2011 "Minnesota Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice," even though a landlord case from Detroit Lakes, Minn., was included.The analysis mentioned that the Gallagher lawsuit was dismissed in December 2008, but not that the dismissal was later overturned.Shoemaker pointed to two other lawsuits filed against the city in the past two years, both of which allege violations of the federal False Claims Act. Ellis v. City of Minneapolis and City of St. Paul challenges St. Paul's right to millions of dollars in federal housing grants. The case is pending in U.S. District Court, and a hearing on motions to dismiss is scheduled for Jan. 7.Frederick Melo can be reached at 651-228-2172. Follow him at twitter.com/FrederickMelo.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) Visit the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) at .twincities.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesmini storage