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I The Western Balkans: a region where France has a priority commitment
1 - A region marked by historical events ....
Arising in 1918 from the ruins of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and of the Ottoman Empire, split up for the first time under tragic circumstances during the Second World War, Yugoslavia's post-war configuration was wiped off the map in 1991, opening the way to a decade of armed warfare in the Western Balkans.
in June 1991, following on from referendums, Slovenia and Croatia simultaneously proclaimed their independence.
the Bosnia-Herzegovina war, fought between Serbs, Croats and Bosnians, broke out in March 1992 and constituted the most dramatic page in the annals of this war. It was brought to an end by the Dayton agreements signed in Paris on the 14th December 1995 after producing approximately 200 000 fatalities.
between May and August 1995, Croatia launched a military offensive to recover the territories lost after 1992;
the Kosovo crisis that began in 1998 was ended in Spring 1999 through the deployment of a NATO led (the KFOR) multinational force and the UN mission to Kosovo which took over the administration of the territory (the UNMIK);
the signature of the Ohrid agreements on the 13th August 2001 signalled the end of the seven-month long conflict between the Albanian minority and the Slav majority of the erstwhile Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
2 - ...that has opened up to democracy and to a European rapprochement ...
The coming to power of the democratic forces in Croatia (following the death of President Tudjman in December 1999) and in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (on the fall of Milosovic in Autumn 2000) turned a new page in the history of the Balkans which were finally embarking on their democratic and economic transition.
A European Union initiative under its French presidency, the Zagreb Summit (24th November 2000) brought the countries of the European Union and of the Western Balkans together for the first time. This indicated that the path to a European rapprochement had been opened to the countries of that region. This powerful lever provides firm support to the democratic and economic reforms initiated by the new teams in power.
3 - ... and constitutes a challenge for France and for Europe
Since the 19th century and the birth of the Balkan nationalisms, France has worked hard for the future of this region, at the cost of a diplomatic and also, occasionally, a military commitment of some significance.
Located at less than 2 hours flight time from Paris, connected to the European continent through strong geographical, economic and cultural links, the Balkan countries are fully capable of becoming members of the European family. In 2005, Croatia will be the first to embark on negotiations for joining the European Union.
II A fundamental objective of France's foreign policies: stability through democracy and through a European rapprochement
For almost ten years, France's commitment in the Balkans has been governed by a global strategy: ensuring the region's stability and prosperity by incorporating it into the European Union. Our entire action hinges on this objective and follows three major paths: stabilisation, democratisation and preparing the region's country for EU membership.
1 - Stabilisation: crisis management
During the past decade, France has been involved politically, financially and militarily in all the crises that have affected the region. It did not stint its efforts, through its own channels and through the EU and international organisations, to prevent, defuse and resolve Balkan crises.
Resolving a crisis as it breaks out: This was the particular reason that caused it to enter into the fray from the start of the Bosnia conflict in 1992. Through its diplomatic approaches within the EU and the contact group founded by France, the Security Council, the ECSO, by the massive presence of its contingent in the United Nations international security force and then as part of NATO in Bosnia Herzegovina, France has been tireless in its efforts to secure peace in this country.
Defusing a crisis as the warning signs appear and promoting a peaceful settlement of disputes: The French diplomatic action undertaken in Southern Serbia in February and March 2001, in association with its European Union partners, the ECSO and NATO, meant that the crisis could be resolved through a policy supporting and assisting the peace plan adopted by the Serb and Yugoslav authorities.
Preventing a crisis by promoting the controlled progress of institutional changes: its efforts to achieve a peaceful and negotiated settlement to the Serbia/Montenegro dispute in January 2001 contributed to the signature of a tripartite agreement between the Serb, Montenegro and Federal authorities on the 14th March 2002, resulting in the creation of Serbia-and-Montenegro in February 2003. Similarly, France, with its European Union and USA partners, played a decisive part in persuading the Macedonian leaders to sign an "outline agreement" (Ohrid Agreements) on the 13th August 2001. This laid consensual foundations for in-depth reforms within the ex Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, enabling it to bring an end to civil war.
2 - Supporting democratisation
France, as part of its bilateral cooperation and of the backing it provides to international organisations such as the ECSO,
helps to organise free and democratic elections;
gives its backing to current or future democratic teams;
assists with the setting up of States endowed with modern, effective and democratic laws, primarily through institutional cooperation, training for the new generations and the future elite, through initiatives designed to allow an inter-ethnic co-existence.
France is also promoting democratisation at a regional level: The aim is to convert nationalisms into patriotisms that are compatible with the values of regional tolerance and cooperation, recalling the message broadcast by the Zagreb Summit ("Democracy and regional reconciliation and cooperation on the one hand, the rapprochement of each of these countries with the European Union on the other, form a whole"). Cooperation with the ICTY constitutes one of the essential pre-conditions: the page covering the dark years can only be turned when those indicted by the ICTY have been arrested and handed over.
3 - Working towards a European rapprochement
The European rapprochement of each of the countries in the Western Balkans, the core of the French support policy for the region, is now well and truly under way.
In effect, the European Union has established a global policy for the region by offering these countries the possibility of association and, eventually, European integration. Once the South-Eastern Europe stability Pact had been put in place in May 1999, the Zagreb Summit together with the launch of the stabilisation and association process under French presidency in November 2000 signalled the setting up of a true European Union Balkan policy.This process has a regional dimension (respect for borders, need for cooperation between the States that had emerged from the old Yugoslavia ...) and bilateral actions undertaken with each of these States, offering them the possibility, in time, of joining the European Union.
It led to the negotiation and signature of stabilisation and association agreements with several States in the region. In 2004, supported by France and Germany, Croatia submitted its application for European Union membership. This application was approved and membership negotiations are due to commence in 2005, marking the start of the final stage of the Balkan States' integration into the European Union.
Security Council open debate on the victims of ethnic and religious violence in the Middle East (27.03.15)
The minister called for the urgent mobilization of the international community in the face of the systematic persecution of Eastern Christians and other minorities by terrorist groups.
Christians in the Middle East - Interview given by Laurent Fabius to the newspaper La Croix (27.03.15)
"The protection of Christians in the Middle East is part of France's history, which bridges the political divide. It is my intention for us to remain faithful to that tradition. By convening the Security Council and calling on the international community to act, France is defending a just cause."
Fight against Daesh – United Nations – Draft Security Council resolution (12.02.15)
A new draft resolution on the financing of terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, notably Daesh and the Al-Nusra Front, will be put to a vote at the Security Council this afternoon. France has decided to co-sponsor this draft resolution, which falls under Chapter VII of the Charter.
Taiwan – Plane crash (04.02.15)
We were deeply shocked to learn of the tragic toll exacted by the plane crash which killed several dozen people yesterday.
Africa – African Union – Mobilization against terrorism (30.01.15)
France welcomes the statement by Ms. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, on the commitment of the African Union and of all African states to the fight against Boko Haram in Nigeria and in neighboring countries, notably in Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Fight against Daesh – Ministerial meeting of the international coalition (22.01.15)
Alongside our coalition partners, we are taking action on several fronts. On the military front, we are lending support to the Iraqi armed forces, the Peshmerga and the Syrian moderate opposition. We are also combating the movements of foreign fighters, the sources of financing and supply for the terrorist group as well as its sectarian propaganda. We are also lending support to the populations that have been affected by the humanitarian crisis in Iraq as well as in Syria.
Meeting between Laurent Fabius and Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Saint Egidio (20.01.15)
Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, will today receive Professor Andrea Riccardi, former Italian Minister for International Cooperation and founder of the Community of Saint Egidio. This Catholic organization is very active in many countries in the areas of inter-faith dialogue, humanitarian action and peace mediation.
Commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the tsunami of December 26, 2004
Ten years after the tragedy that left more than 280,000 people of 37 different nationalities dead or unaccounted for and several million homeless, France pays tribute to all the victims of the tsunami of December 26, 2004.
Fight against Daesh – Laurent Fabius's participation in the ministerial meeting of the international coalition (03.12.14)
It will provide an opportunity to review our overall strategy. In addition to the use of military means alone, this strategy includes actions to prevent the recruitment and movement of foreign fighters, to cut off Daesh's funding and supply sources, and to combat its propaganda. Support for the populations affected by the humanitarian crisis is an integral part of this strategy.
Meeting between Laurent Fabius and the Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East (20.11.14)
This meeting will provide an opportunity to review the situation in the Middle East and with respect to the minorities persecuted by Daesh, notably the Syriac Catholics in Mosul and Qaraqosh. It will provide an opportunity to reaffirm France's support for all minorities who are being subjected to the crimes of Daesh, notably Middle East Christians.
Agence France-Presse - First African Fact-Checking Awards (14.11.14)
We congratulate Ghanaian video journalist Edem Srem and his multitvworld.com team on winning, on November 14, the first African Fact-Checking Awards, created and sponsored by the Agence France-Presse Foundation.
African Union – Meeting between Laurent Fabius and Smail Chergui, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (03.10.14)
This meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen the close dialogue between France and the African Union on issues relating to peace and security in Africa, notably in the Sahel-Saharan strip and the Central African Republic. Mr. Fabius and Mr. Chergui reaffirmed their shared commitment to supporting the fight against terrorism on the continent.
Africa – Terrorism – Meeting of the African Union (02.09.14)
France welcomes the meeting on September 2 in Nairobi that the African Union Peace and Security Council devoted to the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in Africa, under the chairmanship of Idriss Déby, President of the Republic of Chad, in which it participated.
Golan Heights – Kidnapping of blue helmets (29.08.14)
France condemns the detention by armed groups of 43 Fijian blue helmets deployed within the framework of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force on the Golan Heights (UNDOF), as well as the surrounding of Filipino blue helmets.
Situation of the Eastern Christians - Communiqué issued by Laurent Fabius and Bernard Cazeneuve (28.07.14)
The situation of the Eastern Christians is unfortunately dramatic. The ultimatum issued to these communities in Mosul by ISIS is the latest tragic example of the terrible threat facing these people – who have historically been an integral part of the region – by jihadist groups in Iraq as well as Syria and elsewhere.
5+5 dialogue - 11th Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Western Mediterranean (22.05.14)
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss regional issues and the common challenges faced by the 10 countries – both in the area of security, with the situation in the Sahel-Sahara region, and in the economic field.
Summit of the Association of Caribbean States (28-30.04.14)
The 6th Summit of the Association of Caribbean States took place from April 28 to 30 in Mérida, Mexico. It marked the 20th anniversary of this regional organization of which France has been an associate member since it was established in 1994.
Ibero-American General Secretariat – Election of Ms. Rebeca Grynspan (01.04.14)
France welcomes the unanimous election of Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, former Vice President of the Republic of Costa Rica, as head of the Ibero-American General Secretariat.
ECOWAS – Election of the Ghanaian chair (29.03.14)
France congratulates President John Dramani Mahama on his election as chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Presidency of the African Union in 2014 (30.01.14)
France warmly congratulates Mauritanian President, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, on his election as chairman of the African Union in 2014. It expresses its full trust in the new chairman and wishes him every success in carrying out his mandate.
Support for independent Arab media: CFI, operator of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, strengthens its position (January 2014)
Canal France International (CFI), the French cooperation agency and media operator of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recently signed two substantial contracts (worth €2.7million) with the European Union to develop projects in support of independent media in the Arab world.
African Union - Presentation of border archives (29.11.13)
These documents concern 45 treaties and maps of countries in West, North and East Africa during the period of 1845-1956.
Laurent Fabius's participation in the Regional Ministerial Meeting on Border Security (14.11.13)
The challenges posed by trafficking, illegal immigration and terrorism concern us all and require more effective control of Libya's border areas, and more generally the Sahara-Sahel region.
Visit to Paris by José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) (21-22.02.13)
The discussions provided an opportunity to confirm France's determination to deepen its political relations and strengthen its cooperation with all countries of the region.
"Latin America – a major foreign policy objective" - Op-ed published by Laurent Fabius in the French newspaper Le Figaro (20.02.13)
Starting on February 21, I will travel to three Latin American countries – Colombia, Panama and Peru – to work on revitalizing our relations with this continent. My visit to the region, following those by the president and the prime minister, has a clear purpose: we want to foster a lasting rapprochement with Latin America; this is a major foreign policy objective for us.
Election of Hailemariam Desalegn as chairman of the African Union (28.01.13)
France welcomes the election of Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn as chairman of the African Union. It commends the exemplary work of the outgoing presidency held by Benin, notably with respect to Mali, for which it encouraged the mobilization of the African and international community.


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It probably comes as no surprise to hear that Nutella, the chocolate and hazelnut spread that tastes more like frosting, chocolate sauce and all those things that aren't exactly healthy, is not good for you. The labels on Nutella suggest that it contains high percentages of vitamins and minerals (40 and 78 percent) but a low percentage of fats and carbohydrates (7 and 3 percent). But German consumer advocates point out that the fat and carbohydrate content on Nutella's labels is based on a 15-gram portion, while the vitamin and mineral content is based on a 100-gram portion.
In other words, to get the nutrition benefits of Nutella proclaimed on the label, you would have to eat a quarter of a jar of Nutella.
A German court in Frankfurt has ruled that Ferrero, which manufactures Nutella, must change the label or incur a fine of 250,000 euros per transgression. The labels for fats and carbohydrates are printed in a different color than those for vitamins and minerals but, as consumer advocates point out, people would "not generally have the time while shopping to realize the difference between the measures referred — creating a relevant deceit."
Ferraro Deutschland argued (not surprisingly) that it feels the current labels are sufficiently clear and plans to appeal the court's decision. The company also said that it will change the labels at the end of the year.
Other Ferraro products have come under fire by consumer advocate groups for containing misleading nutritional information:
Ferrero's KinderRiegel little chocolate bars are sold with the slogan, "Extra portion of milk with much good calcium" – but consumer protection group Foodwatch has calculated that a child would have to eat 13 of the bars to get a daily requirement of calcium. This would also involve consuming the equivalent of 48 cubes of sugar and half a packet of butter, the group claimed.
The popular Milch-Schnitte bars, also made by Ferrero have too come under fire from Foodwatch, which has described them as "calorie bombs."
Germany's Ministry of Consumer Protection is starting a new website, www.lebensmittelklarheit.de — the name translates to something like "food transparency" — through which consumers can submit the names of foods that they find misleading.
In addition, consumer advocates have critiqued Ferraro for its sponsorship of sporting events and its use of athletes (including Germany's national soccer team) in its advertising as doing so creates a link between "fundamentally unhealthy products" and sports and health.
Nutella definitely tastes good. But so does a candy bar — and consumers need to be aware that there's not much of a difference between the two.
Related Care2 Coverage
Is Cheap Chocolate Frosting Healthier Than Nutella?
Taking Nutella to Court Over Nutritional Claims
Do You Know What You're Eating? FDA Should Label GE Foods
Read more: advertising, chocolate, misleading labels, misleading product information, Nutella, nutrition, real food
"The healthy spread": Photo by Markusraum
Thank you for sharing.
I never liked Nutella. I always prefered peanut butter and that with moderation. Thanks for the article.
MMMM. Nutella! I love to mix it with peanut butter or cream cheese and put it on a bagel~
Personally I cannot stand Nutella. When I was a child my mother used to buy a chocolate spread that was dark in colour and strongly chocolate. It has been a few years since then (okay quite a few years) and I cannot find anyone who sells what I assume was a plain-chocoate spread - if I did maybe I wouldn't like that either but I wouldn't mind giving it a go.
I have not tried this. A chocolate sandwich sounds awful to me.
Also extremely high in sugar.
somehow I doubt that woman got fat from nutella.
This is what they're worried about? Sure, labels shouldn't be allowed to state different counts for different portions, but if anyone thought they were relying on Nutella for their daily vitamins and minerals, that's their fault. And the chocolate bar label about calcium in NO WAY claims that you should be relying on it as your daily source of calcium! Again, anyone who would assume such a thing is not making any reasonable conclusion at all. I'm surprised at the comments like Sam T's, who states that she buys it as a "junk food" anyway, which it is, so how does this non-news change anything? It doesn't!
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
"The good thing about schools is that they have secretaries to facilitate emergency calls, so parents…
noted, and agree with most of the comments
So true! And so funny too! Loved it, ty :)

subset: commoncrawl


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This one should be great and interesting, i like both fighters so best of luck to both
The UFC announced today UFC 99 "The Comback" at a press conference in Cologne Germany. Headlining the card will be former UFC middleweight champion Rich "Ace" Franklin taking on PRIDE veteran Wanderlei Silva at a catchweight of 195lbs.
UFC President Dana White:
"June 13, 2009, is a huge day in the history of the UFC. It has been a long time coming, but the best fighters on the planet are finally heading to Germany for our first event ever in mainland Europe … We are coming with a stacked card and a unique main event. Rich Franklin v Wanderlei Silva is another of those dream fights fans never thought they'd get to see – but we are making it happen in Germany."
"Everyone knows Rich moved up to light heavyweight a couple of fights ago while Wanderlei is planning on fighting at 185lbs from now on, but this fight is too exciting a match not to happen and both these guys deserve a ton of credit for taking this fight at 195lbs."
Tickets for the event go on sale next Monday to UFC Fight Club members.
For the latest on UFC 99, check out our UFC Rumors section.
This one should be great and interesting, i like both fighters so best of luck to both
this is a good card, i am kinda suprized since the overseas events are usually weak, with that said i think this should be the co main event with one more big fight this card will be stacked plus both guys are coming off a loss.
I wonder who is the co main Because this fight was the co main Event and it was going to be BJ vs Ken flow but now its Rich vs Silva so who is the Co main??
I hope rich can get a won
Me too, i like Rich but if Silva wins good for him.
Wandi is fighting everone latlely isn't he ? seems like he's fighting all the time .
With this one in Germany they needed a major draw and frankly BJ wouldnt be the kind of draw that Silva would be as he is an international star.
i bet the co main will be do santo vs kongo
I think this card looks great. All the fights interest me, some more than others.
does anyone know what ever happened to David Terrell
David Terrell has tried to make a comeback but has been injuried not once not twice but thats right 3 times having had to pull out of each. He pulled out 2 times against Okami in 2006 I believe and then in 2007 he was supposed to fight Ed Herman at UFC 78 and got hurt training. So yeah thats pretty much what happened to him. INJURY.
thanks Steve


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The shelter cats like the friskies dry.
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The cats at the shelter like friskies dry cat food and this is the cat brand that I try to keep them on a regular basis. They don't like the IAMS or Kirkland dry food. I would recommend this cat food to other pet owners.
Pros: good product
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text: GamesBeat GamesBeat's massive Street Fighter tournament: 32 fighters enter, 16 leave Image Credit: GamesBeat October 15, 2012 12:45 PM Mike Minotti 0 Ignore that feeling of déjà vu! Yes, we started voting on the 32 character Street Fighter tournament last week, but we're restarting things due to some technical issues. While we're at it, we're also going to speed the proceedings up a bit, presenting all of the remaining fighters in four polls below. You simply have to vote for your four favorites from each, and then we'll present the remaining 16 for another round of eliminations. Take Our Poll Take Our Poll Take Our Poll Take Our Poll


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The olinguito, from Columbia and Ecuador, is the first new carnivorous mammal described in the western hemisphere in 35 years. A smaller cousin of the raccoon, weighing about 4.5 lbs, it is threatened by deforestation.
Other new species on the list include a ghostly looking skeleton shrimp from California, a super-camouflaged "leaf-tailed" gecko from Australia, and a bright orange soil fungus from Tunisia. The largest discovery is the 40ft Kaweesak's Dragon Tree, which somehow remained unnoticed until it was found in the Loei and Lop Buri mountain regions of Thailand.
At the other end of the scale is the "clean room" microbe Tersicoccus phoenicis, from the US and French Guiana, which was found to have infected spoacecraft assembly rooms and could contaminate other planets..
The list of 10 was chosen by a committee of experts from around 18,000 new species named in the past year. It was released to coincide with the birthday on May 23 of the 18th century Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus, who is considered the father of modern taxonomy.


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This is an exclusive preview of the Wohlers Report 2015, which has provided an annual summary on the state of additive manufacturing, with estimates and forecasts, for the past two decades. The additive manufacturing industry has entered a new era, propelled
forward by expiring patents, bursts of new investment, and increasing
demands on quality, price, and performance from every segment of a
rapidly growing user community. Full Article


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U.S. Steel CEO Says U.S. Manufacturing in Crisis
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 20 October 2010 12:08
"There is a crisis in U.S. manufacturing ... that transcends the current global economic downturn. The crisis is real. It's not cyclical, it's not imagined, and it's not going away on its own," John Surma said at a World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh event in the Duquesne Club, Downtown.
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review


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Sampras retirement after he won 02 US Open was a big mistake.
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Originally Posted by
Sampras felt he had given his all to his career, and wanted to leave on top--winning a major. It be pointless to continue in major after major, revealing to all the worlds that many have your number and your "prime" is just a distant memory of the past. Think of Federer: he barely won another major after two year bust, and then USO '12, AO '13arrived and passed, with Federer's skills dulled in both. then, there was the Olympics, where he was soundly defeated. He is at the exact point of Sampras--more or less--and needs to consider his legacy.
Hiis legacy means continuing to get to the semi-finals on a regular basis.
It's another record that you will never see the likes or Rafa achieve as his body breaks down, and it remains to be seen if Djokovic can pull off anything remotely similar.
I'd say as long as he can stay in the top 5, what reason is there for Fed to stop unless he just gets tired of the grind? Since he still has just as much if not more hope of knocking off the other top 3 in comparison to the rest of the field, he can help to preserve his own legacy.
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الانتفاضة الإلكترونية
Khader Adnan's health deteriorates after three weeks of hunger strike; Israeli military court reverses order to release jailed legislator. MORE
PHOTOS: ActiveStills, APA images
Palestinian civil society in Gaza urges escalation of international activisim to hold Israel accountable for its "criminal behavior."
Israel is using lethal force as a matter of policy.
The end of the Zionist colonial venture remains the precondition for justice and peace for all the residents of historic Palestine.
Testimonies from Israeli soldiers remind me of my family's fear last summer.
A monthly roundup of photographs documenting Palestine, Palestinian life, politics and culture, and international solidarity with Palestine.
An Israeli judge, himself a settler, has given the green light for the destruction of 100 homes.
Protesters have been threatened with confiscation of Jerusalem ID cards.
Donors to the Jewish National Fund are often unaware they are helping to conceal the results of ethnic cleansing.
Corinne Silva's photographic exhibition illustrates how Zionists have tried to erase Palestine's identity and culture.
Your support helps us tell Palestine's stories every day. Donate Now
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Greenbush Township Road Levy Increase (August 2012)
A Greenbush Township Road Levy Increase measure was on the August 7, 2012 ballot in the township of Greenbush, which is in Clinton County.
This measure was defeated
This measure sought to increase the current road levy by a rate of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value for a period of five years in order to further pay for road dust control services in the township.[2]
Text of measure
The question on the ballot:
|Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Greenbush Township, Clinton County, Michigan be increased and the Township Board be authorized to levy 1.00 mill ($1 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 5 years, 2012 through 2016 inclusive, to provide funds for roads and dust control; the estimate if the revenue the township will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2012 is approximately $71,900?[3]
- ↑ Clinton County Clerk, Augut Election Results
- ↑ Clinton County Elections, August Proposal List
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributed to the original source.
State of Michigan
Lansing (capital)
|Ballot measures
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You won't be able to dismiss this by usual means (escape or click button), but you can close it programatically based on user choices or actions.
"Changes requested were made quickly and correctly. Invitations are even more beautiful than they looked in the pictures. Arrived almost a week earlier than the quoted delivery date. Highly recommend."
"These invitations turned out beautiful. I was a little nervous about ordering online, plus with this specific invitation, I was unable to order a sample which made me really question how it would turn out. The photo I uploaded turned out good,as clear I think it could have since it was a far away picture, even after I zoomed in a little bit. I asked if they would capitalize the initials in the upper left corner, which they did. I also questioned the ink color about if it was coppery or what it would like on paper, I preferred that it be gold. She actually sent me a proof with marigold ink along with the ink shown on the website, I ended up choosing the marigold. It looked perfect. I love my invitations and am so excited to send them out! They are a great price too, compared to going to invitation shops in person, I saved a lot of money and got exactly what I wanted!"
"Loved these invitations. The quality of the paper was great. They turned out just as I had hoped for my daughter's wedding invitations."
"We had a lot of customization requests for the invitation, enclosure card and rsvp card and the designer who worked on our invitation suite was able to follow through with them all. Our invitation suite turned out absolutely BEAUTIFUL and exactly what my fiance envisioned!"
"Everything we ordered from Wedding Paper Divas was amazing! However, I was not impressed with the quality of glue on the envelopes. It would be handy for the glue to go all the way to the end of the envelopes for a secure seal."


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A Supporting membership is required to post items for sale in the classifieds
Welcome to TalkBass, the Premier Bass Player Community and Information Source. Register a FREE Account to post and unlock tons of features!
Please Read:Classifieds Rules, Usage Agreement, and FAQ for info on bumping, marking SOLD, and more.
In addition to the drop-down search menu at the top-right of this page, you may also do an advanced search for even more accurate results. See this thread for more info
For Sale/ For Trade 1981 G&L L-1000
Discussion in 'For Sale: Bass Guitars' started by wodock, Aug 11, 2011.
Can't find it on TalkBass?


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TANGEDCO cites monsoon, power from more units
Power managers are much harried these days. As a seasoned engineer of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) says, it is extremely embarrassing for him to interact with his relatives living outside Chennai. The reason is obvious – long hours of load shedding.
However, the TANGEDCO establishment strongly believes that it is only a matter of time that the severity of the shortage is bound to go down shortly.
As a senior official puts it, there is a "ray of hope." The onset of northeast monsoon [which is expected by this weekend] and availability of power from additional units of the Mettur and North Chennai Thermal Power Stations and one unit of the Vallur Thermal Power Project, a joint venture project of the TANGEDCO and NTPC, form the basis for the sense of optimism on the part of those who matter now in the State power utility.
The present shortage of 4,000 megawatt (MW) did not exist, as the "helping hand" of wind energy was available. The State got nearly 3,000 MW from wind mills even though there were violent fluctuations in the availability of this form of renewable energy. In fact, this is why wind energy is called infirm power. Still, but for this renewable energy, things would have been much worse as the State received 50 per cent more than what it got last year. As against about 6,000 million units (MU) during June-September last year, wind energy contributed 9,000 MU in the last four months.
But, what had compounded the situation was an abysmally poor rainfall during the southwest monsoon. As against the inflow of around 3,000 MU last year, hydel reservoirs received just 1,300 MU this year. This meant a loss of 1,000 MW.
According to indications from the Meteorological Centre, this year's northeast monsoon (October-December) will be normal. Once rains start, there will be a reduction of 1,500 MW straightaway.
Last week, the additional unit at Mettur attained its rated capacity of 600 MW. Efforts are on to ensure sustained generation. By December, this unit will give its full power to the State. Likewise, one unit of Vallur, synchronised in March, is likely to supply its share of 348 MW by the end of this month. Another 600 MW unit at the North Chennai plant will start its full generation in a few months.
Based on these calculations, the senior official is hopeful that the State will have at least 1,250 MW additionally by April 2013. This will ease the problem of shortage considerably during the next year's summer.
Apart from these projects, the authorities are working on the early commissioning of two more units of 500 MW each at Vallur and one more unit of 600 MW at North Chennai.
The State's position will be better if one unit of the Kundankulam Nucelar Power Project were to get commissioned by then as it would give about 460 MW.
Keywords: TANGEDCO, power managers, load shedding, power situation


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A gift the whole family can enjoy.
No family Christmas is complete without a few game nights. Give Cranium a rest this year and go back to classic dominoes. Not only does this gift promise a fun night around the fireplace, but the sleek case and vibrant orange and yellow pieces will look good on your coffee table long after the last victory cry.
Lacquer Domino Set, $138. At Jonathan Adler.
Get more great holiday gift ideas in our photo gallery.
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Formula One not close to NASCAR's popularity in U.S.
That said, the Formula One season ends Sunday in Brazil with Sebastian Vettel seeking a third straight World Championship at the ripe old age of 25. Vettel enters the season finale with a 13-point leader over Fernando Alonso, another two-time World Champion, in one of the most competitive Formula One seasons ever.
The youngest driver ever to win a Formula One title, Vettel is already one of the world's most recognizable athletes. But in the United States, he's not nearly as well-known as Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon or Brad Keselowski. Even Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti have more star value in the U.S. than Vettel.
That's not saying we're right or wrong. It just happens to be the way that it is.


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Lucky Me
Share this:
"Lucky Me"
The current global financial crisis involves a lot of complicated technical matters that I'm not very familiar with. Thank God someone had the brilliant idea to bring Bernard Henri Levi's considerable expertise to bear on the matter. That's editorial judgment I can believe in!


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Violet LeBeaux- Tales Of An Ingenuehttp://www.violetlebeaux.com
Violet spends most of her time trying to think of ways to make life prettier, posting said ways on her blog and drinking very strong tea. She lives with her adorable boyfriend Jimmy, fluffy puppy Miss Lottie and Bergamot Bunny in Melbourne, Australia. Tales of an Ingénue features clever tutorials on making life cuter. It includes videos, hair and beauty, nail art, styling tips, reviews and fashion awesomeness.
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The Reformation Study Bible (2015) notes are now available on Bible Gateway! Click to learn more.
An arch of colours in the sky, formed by the sun's rays passing through raindrops. It was the sign of God's covenant with Noah, established in the aftermath of the great flood.
Ge 9:12-17
Eze 1:28; Rev 4:3; Rev 10:1


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Most People think MLMs are a Scam. One of the newest ones to launch involving Orrin Woodward, Chris Brady, Mark Haas and many others recently is
The LIFE business.
Here is a Cartoon I made which details many misconceptions I have experienced in the Ten Years I have been exposed to this industry.
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News from WTOP
News from the AP
Mike Causey
Shows & Panels
Shows & Panels
- Agency of the Month
- Business of Government Hour
- The CFO Agenda: Delivering value from financial transparency and audit efforts in the public and private sector
- Cloud-Driven Data Insights in Government
- CXO Surveys
- Disaster Resilience for America
- Federal News Countdown
- Government Perspectives on Mobility and the Cloud
- Reducing Risk in the Cloud
- Reimagining the Next Generation of Government
Shows & Panels
- AFCEA Answers
- American Readiness: Renewable Power and Efficiency Technologies
- Ask the CIO
- The Business Case for Cloud Computing in Government
- Cloud-Driven Data Insights in Government
- Connecting the Dots: Digital Authentication in Government
- Cybersecurity Game Changer: Real-Time Event Processing in Government
- Data-Centric Approaches to Government in the Cloud
- Delivering the Digital Government Mission
- Federal Executive Forum
- Federal News Radio's National Cyber Security Awareness Month Special Panel Discussion
- Federal Tech Talk
- The Future of Government Data Centers
- Government Perspectives on Mobility and the Cloud
- Industrialized, Interoperable and Insight-driven Federal Health Panel
- Innovation and Tech Superiority through Acquisition Reform
- Mitigating Insider Threats in Virtual & Cloud Environments
- Moving Agency Applications to the Cloud with PaaS
- Reducing Risk in the Cloud
- Security in the Age of Targeted Attacks
- Air Traffic Management Transformation Report
- The Business of Cloud
- Cloud First Report
- Data Driven Cloud Series
- Disaster Resilience for America
- General Dynamics IT Enterprise Center
- Gov Cloud Minute
- Government in Technology Series
- Homeland Security Cybersecurity Market Report
- The Intersection: Where Technology Meets Transformation
- Modern Mission Critical Series
- National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- The New IP for Federal IT
- The Social Platform Solution for the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Technology Insights
- The Cyber Security Report
- The Next Generation Cyber Security Experts
Shows & Panels
- Cloud-Driven Data Insights in Government
- Disaster Resilience for America
- F-35 Lightning II Program
- Government Perspectives on Mobility and the Cloud
- On DoD
- Pentagon Solutions
- Reducing Risk in the Cloud
- Reimagining the Next Generation of Government
- Transforming Business Operations at the Defense Department
FAA warns public against shooting guns at drones
Saturday - 7/20/2013, 10:02am EDT
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) -- People who fire guns at drones are endangering the public and property and could be prosecuted or fined, the Federal Aviation Administration warned Friday.
The FAA released a statement in response to questions about an ordinance under consideration in the tiny farming community of Deer Trail, Colo., that would encourage hunters to shoot down drones. The administration reminded the public that it regulates the nation's airspace, including the airspace over cities and towns.
A drone "hit by gunfire could crash, causing damage to persons or property on the ground, or it could collide with other objects in the air," the statement said. "Shooting at an unmanned aircraft could result in criminal or civil liability, just as would firing at a manned airplane."
Under the proposed ordinance, Deer Trail would grant hunting permits to shoot drones. The permits would cost $25 each. The town would also encourage drone hunting by awarding $100 to anyone who presents a valid hunting license and identifiable pieces of a drone that has been shot down.
Deer Trail resident Phillip Steel, 48, author of the proposal, said in an interview that he has 28 signatures on a petition -- roughly 10 percent of the town's registered voters. Under Colorado law, that requires local officials to formally consider the proposal at a meeting next month, he said. Town officials would then have the option of adopting the ordinance or putting it on the ballot in an election this fall, he said.
The proposed ordinance is mostly a symbolic protest against small, civilian drones that are coming into use in the United States, Steel said. He acknowledged that it's unlikely there are any drones in use near Deer Trail.
"I don't want to live in a surveillance society. I don't feel like being in a virtual prison," Steel said. "This is a pre-emptive strike."
He dismissed the FAA's warning. "The FAA doesn't have the power to make a law," he said.
The FAA is working on regulations to safely integrate drones into the skies over the U.S., where manned aircraft are prevalent. The Congress gave the FAA until 2015 to develop the regulations, but the agency is behind schedule. FAA officials have estimated that once regulations are in place, thousands of drones will be in use across the country for a wide variety of purposes, from helping farmers figure out which crops need watering to tracking sea lions in remote rocky outcroppings to aiding search and rescue missions.
But the Deer Trail proposal is the latest ripple in a spreading backlash against drones. Dozens of laws aimed at curbing the use of the unmanned aircraft have been introduced in states and cities. Privacy advocates have expressed fear that police will use drones to cheaply and effectively conduct widespread surveillance without warrants.
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, a drone industry trade group, was concerned enough last year about people threatening to shoot down drones that it issued a statement warning that such comments were "irresponsible, dangerous and unlawful."
Michael Toscano, president and CEO of the group, expressed similar concerns Friday, saying drones "are being designed to serve the public good....The myriad of important uses will be imperiled if they become targets. ... The suggestion that Americans take up arms against unmanned aircraft also endangers citizens on the ground."
Follow Joan Lowy on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/AP_Joan_Lowy
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Spent millions don't add to most students' success
Costly programs used by school district yield mixed results for raising test scores
VISTA Nearly three years after they were hailed as critical tools for boosting Vista students to their grade level in reading and math, two intensive and expensive educational programs are showing mixed results.
The programs, Lindamood-Bell Reading Processes and SuccessMaker, appear to be reaching many students, helping them advance on the state's English and math grade-level exams.
But many students in the Vista Unified School District, which enrolls about 27,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, also are falling flat or moving backward, a new district study shows.
The study doesn't give the school district a clear picture of whether to continue spending millions of dollars on the two programs.
The district targeted the lowest-performing students in reading for Lindamood-Bell instruction.
Out of 613 students from third through ninth grades who were studied for the analysis of the reading program, 29 scored "proficient" or better on the state's grade-level exam for English/language arts.
All 613 students were tested after receiving some amount of Lindamood-Bell instruction. Many of the lessons were taught in eight-week segments.
The study also found that:
42 percent raised their performance one or more levels.
44 percent had no change.
14 percent declined in performance.
Students who do well in the SuccessMaker math program go on to do well on the state's grade-level exam for math, according to the study. But large numbers of students who are in the program – as many as two out of three at some schools – are failing SuccessMaker's own assessments.
Administrators say part of the reason is that the programs are still ramping up.
Teachers are still being trained in Lindamood-Bell teaching techniques. Computer resources for SuccessMaker, a predominantly computer-based math program, are still needed at five campuses.
Sandy Gecewicz, Vista Unified's chief academic officer, said both programs should yield progressively better results as they mature.
"This should be the year that we send the majority of students into the next level," she said.
District Superintendent Joyce Bales persuaded the Vista school board to buy the Lindamood-Bell and SuccessMaker programs when she arrived in 2006. She said that she had experienced success with Lindamood-Bell as a superintendent in Colorado, and that the Vista board hired her in part to improve district students' literacy and math skills.
The programs aren't cheap. During the current fiscal year, Vista Unified is spending more than $3.4 million on Lindamood-Bell, and it has spent $6.7 million more on the program since fall 2006.
Gecewicz said the cost should drop as more teachers complete the training.
In 2007-08, 934 students in kindergarten through ninth grade received Lindamood-Bell reading instruction, and the district spent about $3.4 million on the program. That translates to $3,652 for every student served.
Meanwhile, the district is spending about $2.7 million over three years for the license to use SuccessMaker. It has spent $700,000 so far and is scheduled to pay an additional $1 million in June and $1 million in June 2010.
SuccessMaker in 2007-08 reached far more students, about 7,910, making the cost per student far lower, about $341.


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Morning Brief: March 19th
Today, cloudy with a chance of rain in the afternoon, high of 45, and tonight, scattered showers with a low of 41. [Full Forecast]
Need to Know
The US is warning Russia that more sanctions are coming. [CNN]
New York City will pay $98 million to settle a case alleging FDNY discriminated against minority applicants. [NY Daily News]
A New Jersey lawmaker is seeking to raise the gas tax to pay for roads and bridges. [CBS News]
The Brooklyn Nets host Charolette at 7:30.
The New York Knicks welcome Indiana at 8.
On Stage Tonight
• The Allman Brothers Band @ Beacon Theatre


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How about some afro-gothic-futurism? Spoek gives it to you hard.
LISTENING POST: Frank Ocean — "Swim Good"
A peek at what the Odd Future singer was doing before he fell into Jay and Kanye's court.
Why Is The N.Y.P.D. After Me?
A 23-year-old New Yorker talks about having been stopped and frisked by NYPD at least five times.
The Siwe Project's Global Black Mental Health Initiative
A new effort to erase the stigma of mental illness within our community.
The Rise of the New Confederacy: How America-Hating Right-Wingers Took Over The GOP
Those on the extreme right are different. Here's how and why.
Christian Wikane's 10 Reasons Donna Summer Belongs In the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame
10 reasons NOT including Donna Summer is a HUGE oversight.
VIDEO: Janelle Monae — "Cold War" (Live at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert)
Our favorite cybergirl in Oslo with her band, and an orchestra. And the Nobel Peace Prize. #winning
VIDEO: Van Hunt — "Eyes Like Pearls"
A new video from indie soul rocker Van Hunt
TOUR DATES: Saul Williams's "Volcanic Sunlight Tour" 2012
Catch Saul when he hits the road in North America in 2012!
VIDEO: "Film The Police" feat. B. Dolan, Sage Francis, Toki Wright, Jasiri X
Committed MCs remind us that keeping our cameras ready is a powerful weapon against repression all over the world.


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Dell Latitude Z revealed
Dell has revealed the new Latitude Z, apparently the world's thinnest and lightest 16-inch laptop.
With no internal optical drive, the laptop starts at just over half an inch thin and weighs in at 2kgs.
Specs include Intel Core 2 Duo, Windows Vista, up to 4GB RAM, up to 256GB SSD, optional mobile broadband and Bluetooth and up to an 8-cell battery.
The "premium" Latitude Z offers a soft-touch finish and a "silky-touch backlit keyboard" while the 16-inch display is widescreen and backlit with HD capabilities.
It also launches as the world's first laptop with a wireless inductive charging stand and wireless docking. Pricing is from £1319 - a figure that does not include VAT and shipping.


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6600GT black pixel dots in 2D; stuttering games
I have purchased a Club3D Geforce 6600GT and I get black 1px artifacts in windows when there is movement on screen - eg. I drag windows or icons or around files are being copied animation. These pixels flicker.
I had no such problem with 4200ti card. Power supply is 400W. Thirst assumed it was power related - changed the PSU - but nothing! The card is not overheating as well. Sometimes the black pixels form lines (when scrolling the webpages) and even sometimes the computer freezes for some time and there are many of these annoying lines on screen.
I also have an another problem. In games (NFS Most Wanted for example) I get stuttering - the game runs fine and fast but every two second it hangs for some milliseconds - it is not smooth. This happens every time HDD indicator lights. I have checked the guide on fixing the stuttering - BIOS settings and DMA. No help. 512MB Ram and Athlon XP 1700+ should be enough to run it. The stuttering remains also when I play the game on the lowest settings.
Thanks in advance!
Re: 6600GT black pixel dots in 2D; stuttering games
I would suggest you try reloading your windows. Had this problem once, but it ended up being a win problem.
Re: 6600GT black pixel dots in 2D; stuttering games
new drivers might fix dot problem and check your page file usage while the games running, if its over 300mb its mostlikely you need more ram or need to defrag your hd, you can set pagefile to non then back up to past setting might help as well, if not just turn it down to force some rammage :)
Re: 6600GT black pixel dots in 2D; stuttering games
Try underclock your mem clock.
I've got this before from a dying ram chip on 6800GT
Re: 6600GT black pixel dots in 2D; stuttering games
Did you buy the card new? Id do a proper driver install using driver cleaner with a different set of drivers. If it still persists then I'd return the card. I would assume that it isn't windows as you didn't have this problem with your old card
Re: 6600GT black pixel dots in 2D; stuttering games
Exactly the same as me , BUT i dont get any artifacts and to tell ya the thruth
it is really stressing me out, i never had this with my ati card :thumbdwn:
Re: 6600GT black pixel dots in 2D; stuttering games
Thank you for your replies
- It should not be windows problem - I also made a fresh install to be sure
- It is not driver-related as well I think
- the stuttering in some games might be ram-related. I tried the no pagefile trick and cleaning ram before playing and it did not stutter at all untill I got the message that windows is low on virtual memory.
the black artifact pixel problem. GRRR!
Sometimes the noise becomes so violent (at least once in 10 minutes in when using Windows) - corrupts visually open browser windows etc that the computer freezes and then makes a beep-sound, screen goes black and after a second the picture comes back as okay as it gets (only some black dots). In games there is no visual corruption, no restarts, no black screens or freezing.
I have done no overclocking on the card/system. Tried lowering the clocks but the coolbits would not let the card run on substandard clocks (500core/900mem).
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Shows & Panels
- AFCEA Answers
- American Readiness: Renewable Power and Efficiency Technologies
- Ask the CIO
- The Business Case for Cloud Computing in Government
- Cloud-Driven Data Insights in Government
- Connecting the Dots: Digital Authentication in Government
- Data-Centric Approaches to Government in the Cloud
- Delivering the Digital Government Mission
- Federal Executive Forum
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- Federal Tech Talk
- The Future of Government Data Centers
- Government Perspectives on Mobility and the Cloud
- Industrialized, Interoperable and Insight-driven Federal Health Panel
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- Mitigating Insider Threats in Virtual & Cloud Environments
- Moving Agency Applications to the Cloud with PaaS
- Reducing Risk in the Cloud
- Security in the Age of Targeted Attacks
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Austerity rules in Congress budget talks
Congress returns to sessions with new members and a new agenda of how to cut spending and the deficit.
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A viable alternative for numerical simulation of complex turbulent flows is the large-eddy simulation (LES). This approach is gaining popularity over the traditional RANS simulation. The LES success rests primarily on the rapid advancements in supercomputer technology as well as the recent developments in the methodology itself. Unlike the full-scale modeling inherent in a RANS technique, the LES method requires resolution of the dominate energy-bearing scales of the turbulent field while modeling only the remaining finer eddies which tend toward homogeneous and isotropic characteristics. Demarcation between the resolved and modeled scales is formally instituted by spatially filtering the basic governing equations of the fluid motion. In most computations however, this filter is actually treated implicitly through the spatial resolution of the implemented grid. Those physics lying beneath the grid resolution embody the subgrid scales (SGS) of the turbulent field and usually encompass most of the equilibrium range of the kinetic energy. Under this premise of an energy balance, today's SGS models are much simpler in form and better delineate the turbulent physics of their assigned scales as opposed to the typical full-turbulence models used in the RANS computations.
Studies of the turbulent vortical formation behind bluff bodies and the subsequent transport of the vorticity downstream has many important and practical Naval implications. Resolution of the turbulent vortical characteristics within the bluff body wake poses an excellent challenge for the large-eddy simulation. Except for only minor dispersion, the large scale motion usually remains strongly coherent for many characteristic lengths downstream of the bluff body. Since the impetus of LES is full resolution of the large scale motion, the results can provide specific information regarding the cyclic formation and downstream transport of the vortical motion including the local turbulent physics.
The formation and the downstream transport of the Strouhal vortices in the near wake of a circular cylinder is an excellent example of a difficult bluff body flow. The vortices themselves derive most of their large-scale vorticity from the separated shear layers and they organize downstream to form the well-known Karman vortex street. The upper and lower separated shear layers constitute the transverse outer regions of the formation regime. Both layers lie between the point of separation and the initial formation of the shed Strouhal vortices. Besides these shear layers, the fluctuating base pressure near the downstream stagnation location contributes to the Strouhal vortex formation as well. A sketch illustrating these features is depicted in Figure 1.
Our understanding of the cylinder shear layer physics improved significantly due to the experimental investigation by Bloor (1), Unal and Rockwell (2) and Wei and Smith (3). Bloor hypothesized that transition from laminar separation to turbulent vortex formation occurs within the separated boundary layer. This process occurs in two phases. Soon after separation, two-dimensional small-scale instabilities arise within the separated layer that amplify into Tollmien-Schlichting waves and eventually lead to turbulence. Due to the three-dimensional nature of the flow, these instabilities experience substantial spanwise distortion which also contribute to the transition mechanism. Unal and Rockwell also found high-frequency instabilities to exist, but for only Re≥1900 with pronounced amplification at specific Reynolds numbers of Re= 3400 and Re=5040. At the latter Re in particular, they showed the spectral amplitudes to vary significantly across the shear layer at the predominant frequencies of the small-scale instabilities as well as the frequencies of the much larger scale Strouhal vortex.
Through flow visualization testing, Wei and Smith proposed a different phenomena for the separated shear layer physics. They observed creation of small-scale secondary vortices between separation and the initial large-scale Strouhal vortex formation. These secondary structures evolve from the same two-dimensional instabilities described by Bloor. The Strouhal vortices receive the majority of their vorticity from the secondary structures which


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Carnival Canada & New England Cruise Reviews
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Cruise Critic Overview
- Cruises are for families and fun-lovers of all ages
- "Fun Ships" offer great value-for-money
- The world's largest cruise line -- big ships with panache
- Read full overview >>
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Rating Summary
I just returned from a 7 day New England/Canada cruise departing Manhattan. I can never become bored with that ... Read more
Just returned from Carnival Glory 7 night from New York to Halifax. Halifax was 88 degrees. I have personal ... Read more
Labor Day Week Cruise on the Carnival Glory In July it was time for my wife and I to decide where to go for our annual ... Read more
I travel frequently and found this cruise perfect for a short get away. This was cruise 81 for me, so coming from a ... Read more
Dismal weathered vacation from NYC to Canada on a traditionally older ship with nondescript food but excellent ... Read more
Compare Prices on Carnival Canada & New England Cruises
This was our first time aboard the Carnival Glory, and it turned out to be a pleasant ship to sail on. It was a very ... Read more
Note: The room I stayed in, 9201, is a 6K Scenic Grand Ocean View stateroom, but that category was not an option when I ... Read more
After a really AMAZING 8 night cruise in May on the Carnival Splendor, my boyfriend and I decided we HAD to go on ... Read more
This is actually a very positive review, read on. We sailed with CC a few years ago and that left a very bad taste in ... Read more
I have cruised many times on Carnival with my husband and adult children and have also had the opportunity to cruise ... Read more
Compare Prices on Carnival Canada & New England Cruises
When my wife and I booked this cruise we didn't expect much. We had heard recent grumblings about how the service and ... Read more
Carnival Glory 5 day cruise from Manhattan to Canada. ..Arrive early on the day of your cruise. We were on board ... Read more
I always read the reviews on cruisecritic for tips and to see other people's views on a trip before I take it. All I ... Read more
I am not a frequent cruiser but my friend had never been on a cruise, so I thought a short one would be a great ... Read more
Most memorable: We went on the July 14-21 cruise. As it was our wedding anniversary, I booked a cake for the July 14 ... Read more
Compare Prices on Carnival Canada & New England Cruises
My first cruise was on Norwegian Sky, so unfortunately the bar was set pretty high. My second cruise was on Carnival ... Read more
We did the June 25 NE/Canada cruise from Boston; so this review is a little late. Since we are from the Boston suburbs, ... Read more
After reading about the physician who had the worst cruise ever (one of the reasons was they called him by his first ... Read more
We traveled on the carnival glory in June of 2013, the trip left from Boston, ma and travelled to Canada. I traveled ... Read more
We booked this cruise on short notice. It was inexpensive ($619 balcony pp) and out of NY which were 2 big items since ... Read more
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This cruise to Canada was "adequate". Pros: stateroom with oceanview balcony with one very comfortable king bed. 6th ... Read more
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text: A team at Stanford University is closer to creating a functional implant that can restore sight to the blind. The rig recalls Geordi LaForge's visor from Star Trek: The Next Generation, with a pair of glasses fitted with a video camera beaming near-infrared light onto a chip implanted in retina. This implant stimulates nerves in the back of [Read More...]


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How To Prepare and Develop Talent for Big Data
Solution providers that can analyze customers' Big Data repositories have often discovered information that have a large impact on the direction of their clients' businesses.
This year, CRN honors 440 women whose channel expertise and vision are deserving of recognition. Watch this page all month for Women of the Channel coverage.


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Yumi Media Says Horsemeat Scandal Will Help Vegetarian Cause
After the horsemeat controversy in Europe, proposed American legislation is pushing for a ban against horse slaughtering for meat consumption. Yumi Media responds, encouraging consumers of meat to adopt vegetarian principles.
Bohemia, NY (PRWEB) March 15, 2013
On March15, Yumi Media, a food website devoted to delivering the latest and greatest in food news, recipes, and products to incorporate into your own healthy lifestyle, responds to a proposed American ban on horse slaughtering for meat consumption.
According to the Wall Street Journal, "with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and animal-rights groups, a bipartisan group in Congress is pursuing legislation that would stop the operation of proposed slaughtering facilities, including one by Valley Meat Co. in Roswell, N.M., that hopes to soon begin producing meat to export for human consumption."
The Wall Street Journal reports the bill would block the U.S. from exporting the animals for slaughter to its neighbor nations Mexico and Canada. According to the Wall Street Journal, approximately 170,000 horses were sent to slaughter in those countries in 2012.
"We will find any means appropriate to try to get its passage," said Sen. Mary Landrieu (D., La.), of the ban. Lendrieu is one of its sponsors, according to the article.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Congress´ actions come as European companies have pulled food from store shelves after traces of horse meat were found in products marked as beef.
"The horsemeat controversy has a lot of people shaken," comments Justin Maas, Yumi Media spokesperson. "Quorn complaints have given some people a fear of trying meat alternatives, which is absurd. Now, this horsemeat scandal has given people a real and legitimate fear of eating meat. Quorn offers a suitable alternative to eating meat that anyone can trust."
Yumi Media is a food website devoted to delivering the latest and greatest in food news, recipes, and products to incorporate into your own healthy lifestyle. Launched in 2012, Yumi Media was founded by a group of friends as a way to explore their mutual love of food while sharing that love with the community at large. Whether you´re looking for something cutting-edge, comfort food like mom used to make or something in between, Yumi Media is your one-stop resource.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/3/prweb10532836.htm


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A Necromancer's Grimoire: The Wonders of Alchemy (PFRPG) PDF
Craig Bonham 141
GM's Miscellany: Wilderness Dressing (PFRPG)
Wayfinder #13 (PFRPG)
Joe Hex
Age of Electrotech (PFRPG)
Book 2: High Guard (Traveller)
Megan Robertson
RPG Superstar 2013 Star Voter, 2014 Dedicated Voter, 2015 Dedicated Voter. Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber. RPG Venture-Captain, Washington—Eastern Washington. 2,720 posts (2,815 including aliases). 12 reviews. No lists. No wishlists. 22 Pathfinder Society characters.
Palouse Games
Walter Sheppard
Shopkeeper / 3
Melissa McCallum
Pullman, WA
Owner of Palouse Games
A good bit of advice from the prophet (Gygax):
"No single character has all the skills and resources needed to guarantee success in all endeavors; favorable results can usually only be achieved through group effort. No single player character wins, in the sense that he or she defeats all other player characters; the goal of the forces of good can only be attained through cooperation, so that victory is a group achievement rather than an individual one."
I can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com
The Pullman Pathfinder Society is currently meeting twice a week at Palouse Games (the best FLGS ever, btw) in downtown Pullman. Sign up for games is now on Warhorn and games start at 6:30 -- Wednesday and Sunday. I hope to see you there!
If you are interested in PFS elsewhere in the area, try contacting Stephen Huffstutler (Pullman) , Preston Hudson (Spokane) / Jeremy Mayr (Spokane) or Richard deMorris (Tri-Cities).
My Adventures
Doom of the Sky Sword
The Silverhex Chronicles
My Guides
Guide to Deific Obediences
Guide to the Magus (woefully out of date)
Good Reads
PFS GM Shared Prep!
Pathfinder Society Survival 101
Special Materials and Ammo Costs
The sad truth behind Titan Maulers
Frostfur Captives goblin song
Proud Moments at the Table storytime thread
Who Wants to Win a Race Boon?
What if Hale was a villain?
Post something cool that you know!
My Current Favorite Games to GM from each Season
1-40, Hall of Drunken Heroes
2-07, Heresy of Man pt. 2
3-26, Portal of the Sacred Rune
4-15, The Cyphermage Dilemma
5-11 Library of the Lion
6-15 The Overflow Archives
Cult of the Ebon Destroyers
While horrific, patchwork cats are popular within certain circles. A witch can form a bond between her current familiar and a patchwork cat in a ritual that takes 8 hours to complete. During the ritual, the witch imbues the inanimate cat with a record of her spells known. This ritual can be repeated, doing so erases all previous spells stored within the patchwork cat.
At any point in the future, should the witch's familiar be killed, her patchwork cat animates and functions as a proxy until a new familiar is found. When animated, the patchwork cat is treated as a common cat with the zombie template. This proxy becomes the witch's new familiar in all respects, even gaining an Intelligence score. The animated patchwork cat deteriorates rapidly and falls apart after one week.
Spells stored within a patchwork cat can be transferred to another familiar during the normal ritual used to acquire a new witch familiar. Her new familiar learns all the spells her patchwork cat did. The patchwork cat is destroyed in the process.
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, blood transcription, marionette possession; six or more live cats; Cost 1,900 gp
As a free action, the user can clutch the gem in one hand while casting a spell. By doing so, he may choose to increase his effective caster level for the spell he is casting by a number no greater than his maximum HD. If two or more caster levels are increased, the spell is Intensified; if four or more are increased, the spell is Intensified and Empowered; if six or more are increased, the spell is Intensified, Empowered, and Maximized.
The user's own life force is siphoned into the sanguine gem, fueling its potency. After the spell is cast, the user is hit with a backlash of negative energy equivalent to the amount by which he increased his caster level. For each caster level increased, the user gains one negative level, as if struck by the energy drain spell (DC equal to that of the spell cast with the sanguine gem).
Most of the time, after a sanguine gem is used it fills with black vapor, turns chalky, and crumbles—becoming useless. However, if a user gains an amount of negative levels equal to his maximum HD by using a sanguine gem, the gem immediately kills the user, refills with swirls of crimson, and can be used once more.
A creature that is immune to energy drain or negative levels, or is protected by a spell or effect that prevents energy drain or negative levels, cannot use a sanguine gem.
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Empowered Spell, Intensified Spell, Maximize Spell, energy drain; Cost 1,750 gp
©2002–2015 Paizo Inc.®. Need help? Email email@example.com or call 425-250-0800 during our business hours: Monday–Friday, 10 AM–5 PM Pacific Time. View our privacy policy. Paizo Inc., Paizo, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, the Pathfinder logo, Pathfinder Society, GameMastery, and Planet Stories are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc., and Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Pathfinder Player Companion, Pathfinder Modules, Pathfinder Tales, Pathfinder Battles, Pathfinder Online, PaizoCon, RPG Superstar, The Golem's Got It, Titanic Games, the Titanic logo, and the Planet Stories planet logo are trademarks of Paizo Inc. Dungeons & Dragons, Dragon, Dungeon, and Polyhedron are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and have been used by Paizo Inc. under license. Most product names are trademarks owned or used under license by the companies that publish those products; use of such names without mention of trademark status should not be construed as a challenge to such status.


text:
Home » Articles » Record Label Profiles
You just gotta have a vibe, a certain consistent belief in what you're doing.
Tim Berne, Screwgun founder "
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Jamie Saft Special Quintet at Cornelia St. Café
Michael Formanek CD Release Show at Jazz Standard
Mark Feldman: Taking an Eclectic Path
West of Middle
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118 S 36th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
The Institute of Contemporary Art is part of the University of Pennsylvania, and investigates the way in which art and artists are able to inform and inspire their audience. This institution is free and open to all who wish to connect with the art of our times.
The museum offers guided tours in addition to the self-guided option, which are led by professional educators and Penn graduate students. The Institute of Contemporary Art has crafted a reputation for being on the cutting-edge of today's art scene.


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We currently host a growing number of blogs:
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Getting ahead of the game with analytics
There's no denying that 'analytics' is getting more and more airtime these days. The ability to harness raw data and turn it into analytical insight that can be used to drive business action means that the promise of analytics is...
MWD Advisors | By: Helena Schwenk, MWD Advisors | 28th May '15
Configuration Management Specialist Group: the Conference.
Once again, it's time for the BCS' Configuration Management Specialist Group (CMSG) to have its annual conference. This is only of interest to people who depend on good configuration management (CM), and its related disciplines, of course—but...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Tebbutt | 27th May '15
Adobe Summit: taking analytics up a gear
During its recent EMEA Digital Marketing Summit, analytics once again played a big role in the story Adobe was telling. This time round the digital marketing software giant introduced two new analytics additions: contribution analysis and customer...
MWD Advisors | By: Neil Ward-Dutton, MWD Advisors | 27th May '15
Optimisation considered harmful
Surely, optimising anything must be good? Who wants anything other than the best possible outcome? Well, in most practical circumstances, most of us are quite happy with something less than optimal, as long as it gets the job done.I'm not talking...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Tebbutt | 25th May '15
Just what is Chapter 11 bankruptcy?
Bankruptcy is a dirty word in neo-Dickensian Britain and the American idea of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy is sometimes not well-understood in Europe. The term refers to Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy code; it is most commonly used by corporate entities...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Norfolk, Bloor Research | 22nd May '15
Charting a course in the ERP clouds
For many SMBs, limited IT resources and budgets are the norm. This makes keeping pace with technology requirements an uphill battle. Over the past several years, cloud-based solutions have helped SMBs put technology solutions to work with less cost...
Laurie McCabe | By: Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 22nd May '15
What does Mobile Collaboration mean to you?
What do vendors and their customers mean when they talk about Mobile Collaboration—and is it always the same thing? We've talked to both sides with an interest in this emerging area to unpack what practitioners are looking for (and...
MWD Advisors | By: Neil Ward-Dutton, MWD Advisors | 21st May '15
MatsSoft: Simple, flexible BPM technology for supporting customer interactions
MatsSoft is a growing UK-based business process application technology platform provider with a fairly long heritage but a low profile. Now the company is setting its sights on reaching new markets with a radically overhauled platform and a new...
MWD Advisors | By: Neil Ward-Dutton, MWD Advisors | 21st May '15
Splunk Live 2015: real world use of machine data
Given the chance to address customers, partners, staff and the media en masse, any company likes to lay out its vision. This was certainly true when Splunk's CEO Godfrey Sullivan spoke to an audience of almost 600 at Splunk Live in the London...
Quocirca | By: Bob Tarzey, Quocirca | 21st May '15
Internet of Things - the OMG PoV
An interesting interview with Dr Richard Soley of the OMG arrived in my inbox today, concerning the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT). I think one important insight is probably to distinguish 'industrial' IoT from 'consumer' IoT—the latter...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Norfolk, Bloor Research | 15th May '15
The cloud comes full circle: Sage and Salesforce team up for Sage Life
If you had any doubt that the cloud has become mainstream, yesterday's announcement that Sage and Salesforce have inked a global partnership to bring Sage small business accounting and payroll solutions onto the Salesforce 1 Platform should...
Laurie McCabe | By: Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 14th May '15
Trends in Small Business Adoption of Mobile Solutions
Mobile technology is revolutionizing how small businesses get things done. Over the last few years, SMB Group has conducted detailed surveys to quantify the impact of mobile in the small business market. Having recently published our 2014 SMB Mobile...
Laurie McCabe | By: Laurie McCabe, SMB Group | 14th May '15
Governance - the changing role of the CIO
I took part in a governance workshop recently, put on by Bloor's partners the Winmark CIO Network, in which a group of governance experts and IT practitioners discussed the place of governance in the emerging business automation landscape. My...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Norfolk, Bloor Research | 14th May '15
Informatica conference update
Apart from discussions about the company's potential privitisation, the focus of this year's Informatica World conference has been on confirming the progress it announced last year with its Intelligent Data Platform (IDP) and the offerings announced...
Bloor IM Blog | By: Philip Howard, Bloor Research | 14th May '15
User experience as an input to development
DevOps is popular these days. It's all about enabling Freedom for the business users of automated systems, based on Trust that the automated systems will behave as the business expects—or would expect if it thought about the issues...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Norfolk, Bloor Research | 13th May '15
The rise and rise of bad bots - part 2 - beyond web-scraping
Anyone who listened to Aleks Krotoski's 5 short programmes on Radio 4 titled Codes that Changed the World will have been reminded that applications written in COBOL, despite dating from the late 1950s, remain in widespread use. Although...
Quocirca | By: Bob Tarzey, Quocirca | 12th May '15
The rise and rise of bad bots - part 1 - little DDoS
Many will be familiar with the term bot, short for web-robot. Bots are essential for effective operation of the web: web-crawlers are a type of bot, automatically trawling sites looking for updates and making sure search engines know about new...
Quocirca | By: Bob Tarzey, Quocirca | 12th May '15
Advizor Solutions
Back around the time that Qlik, Spotfire (TIBCO) and Tableau were first coming to prominence I researched and wrote a technical evaluation on Advizor Solutions' offering, which is in the same BI/analytics/visualisation space as these other vendors....
Bloor IM Blog | By: Philip Howard, Bloor Research | 7th May '15
Intel even more committed to parallel processing
The 10th Intel European software conference—ISTEP 2015—was in Sevilla this year. It is now several years after Intel announced the end of the 'free lunch', so perhaps now is a good time to look at this again. Crudely put, developers once...
The Norfolk Punt | By: David Norfolk, Bloor Research | 6th May '15
IBM's Customer Analytics proposition: it's complicated
You may already know that IBM has embarked on a major transformation programme. At the centre of this is an attempt to focus on a set of core strategic initiatives as a way of shifting its business to more lucrative, higher-margin...
MWD Advisors | By: Neil Ward-Dutton, MWD Advisors | 1st May '15
Published by: electronicdawn Ltd.


text:
BP arraigned in oil spill case, pleads not guilty
More News from Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS— A lawyer for BP PLC entered a not-guilty plea for the company as it was arraigned Tuesday on charges stemming from a deadly 2010 rig explosion and massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The plea in federal court was a procedural move paving the way for a later guilty plea. It doesn't signal that BP is backing away from its plea agreement, company and government lawyers said.
"Nothing in today's proceedings reflects any change in the plea agreement between BP and the government that was announced on Nov. 15," BP spokesman Scott Dean said in a statement. "In accordance with court procedures, BP will present the signed plea agreement to the presiding judge at the appropriate time for the court's consideration."
BP announced earlier this month that it will plead guilty to manslaughter, obstruction of Congress and other charges and pay a record $4.5 billion in penalties to resolve a federal probe of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Attorneys for BP and the Justice Department are scheduled to meet Dec. 11 with U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance to discuss a date for pleading guilty. Vance must decide whether to sign off on BP's plea deal.
A different judge presided over the arraignment and said he could only take a plea of not guilty.
"Anything further would be done before (Vance)," added U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle.
On Wednesday, two BP rig supervisors and a former BP executive are scheduled to be arraigned on separate criminal charges stemming from the disaster.
BP well site leaders Robert Kaluza and Donald Vidrine were indicted this month on manslaughter charges in the death of 11 rig workers. The federal indictment accuses them of disregarding abnormal high-pressure readings that should have been glaring indications of trouble just before the blowout of BP's Macondo well.
A separate indictment charges former BP executive David Rainey with concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil that was spewing from the well.
Their defense attorneys have said they will fight the charges.
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text:
UK References
'Transformative' platform helps award-winning insurer grow and prosper
Rapid growth, regulatory demands and calls for improved governance led this market leader to implement an entirely new approach in management information and IT infrastructure.
Providing specialist insurance products, this well-capitalised private company is a market leader in its area. Rapid growth, however, came at a cost: the business saw the need to implement a new technology infrastructure to handle increasing volumes of data and enable high-performance analytics, so delivering new levels of management information. Ensuring compliance with the European Union's Solvency II directive was the catalyst for change.
Prior to this, the company had no history with SAS, and instead used a range of piecemeal and standalone tools including Microsoft and specialist risk engines for actuarial purposes, rather than working with a strategic vendor able to provide both a platform and wraparound professional services. "The company decided to invest in our software for Solvency II, but it soon became clear its requirements were far more wide-ranging, leading to a 'transformative' project covering its entire IT infrastructure," says Joanne Baffoe, Consultant Project Manager. This involved the business moving from the mass of spreadsheets and manual approaches to a more rigorous, controlled, auditable and scalable approach. SAS was the first technology vendor to present such a forward-thinking view, moving beyond Solvency II requirements alone to propose a complete framework: a single platform able to provide the management insights required, so the company could better manage risk and also reduce costs.
Since that decision, Baffoe says, "SAS Professional Services have provided an extremely wide range of integrated services including solution architecture, data integration, installation, and testing to ongoing support, with programme management gluing it all together. When we started, the company only had a very small in-house team, although it's now developing its own MIS department, so our role was to provide the capability, skills and resources necessary to get things done." Her role included managing a blended team of 30 people.
"A core requirement was delivering that classic 'single version of the truth' based on all the data the company needed," says Andy Lawson, SAS Client Services Manager. "This meant creating a central platform against which all management information and business intelligence would subsequently run. They knew this wouldn't be an off-the-shelf, plug-and-play deal, and they would have to utilise our expertise to achieve what they wanted while they developed an in-house capability." From the outset, external data management expertise was crucial to handle data quality and data integration issues as effectively as possible.
"Using SAS Detail Data Store for Insurance technology, a vital early step was bringing in data from all the sources required, including underwriting systems, using our data quality expertise," explains Shane Flynn, Senior Implementation Manager, SAS. "In effect, it was bringing the company's entire portfolio into the platform for analytics, and to support activities such as forecasting and scenario planning. This was a far bigger job than they'd originally anticipated." Work included deploying SAS® Risk Management for Insurance solution for Solvency II model calculations and external reporting. Legacy processes were superseded by the new approach, while SAS® Enterprise Business Intelligence capabilities were also implemented.
Given the scale of the solution, Joanne Baffoe says the client company was "heavily dependent on SAS. We had the breadth of capability to provide whatever they needed, and to access different resources as required. Our professional services team gained a huge amount of institutional knowledge, and for periods of time our consultants were effectively running operations from a technical perspective. The customer does have a fledgling operational capability now, but we're still heavily involved." Shane Flynn adds, "We've had a significant impact on how they work. For example, there was little in terms of change control and change management previously, until we introduced proper controls and processes. They adopted our approaches and have since hired a Change Manager. So throughout, we played a far bigger role than simply delivering a technical solution. We were involved at so many levels, and are seen by this customer as a company that can deliver – and as individuals that can deliver."
The final word goes to Joanne Baffoe: "We'll continue supporting this client until they can 'fly' themselves. We do take on a number of large professional services engagements like this each year, so it's not a unique situation in that sense. What makes this special is this is a relatively new company and it's very open to new ways of doing things: it's not a legacy organisation, with legacy systems and processes to deal with. It's almost a greenfield site and an opportunity to get it right, right from the start: to work together to create new processes, and be as creative as we need to be to deliver what the client wants."
Copyright © SAS Institute Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Specialist insurer
Business Issue:
Expert resources needed to plan and deploy a new company-wide infrastructure to support rapid business growth and meet demanding management information requirements – plus specific defined needs (e.g. Solvency II)
SAS Professional Services including Phase Zero, technical/solution architecture, SAS Data Integration, implementation, testing, programme management, adoption services, education, and ongoing SAS Premium Support
Successful delivery of a strategic, scalable and future-proofed new platform, enabling greater risk controls through enhanced analytics/management information, allied with lower costs; external skills, expertise and resources enabled the customer to design and deploy the optimum solution whilst developing its own in-house capability
""What makes this special is this is a relatively new company and it's very open to new ways of doing things: it's not a legacy organisation, with legacy systems and processes to deal with. It's almost a greenfield site and an opportunity to get it right, right from the start: to work together to create new processes, and be as creative as we need to be to deliver what the client wants""
Joanne Baffoe
Consultant Project Manager
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