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Leon, Nicaragua
LEON, NICARAGUA 31st December 2012 N12° 26.031' W86° 52.722' Los Malinches campsite at Junquillal definitely rates as one of our top favourites, not least of all due to its charming and gentle owner Manuel who has owned the property on which it stands for some 30 years and went out of his way to make us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. He opened the door to his house to us, letting me sit inside in the cool and where I could get a reasonable wi-fi signal. He was always checking with us that we were happy and not in need of anything and in general gave a perfect demonstration that some younger and less experienced hospitality business operators could copy to their advantage. Thank you Manuel, we really found it hard to pack up and move on after our 5 nights at your lovely spot on the coast overlooking the Pacific. We wish you well with your plans for development of your property. We were a little unsure of where to go next out of the few places we knew about in the northern part of Costa Rica. It was either to be inland at the National Park at Rincon de la Vieja where based on some quite ancient data from other overlanders we believed we could camp, or further up the Pacific coast in the Santa Rosa National Park where we knew for sure there was a campsite. Or as a third possibility the town of Tamarindo not far up the coast from Junquillal beckoned with a multitude of hostels to choose from. We ended up staying at two out of the three – firstly at Rincon de la Vieja and later at Santa Rosa. But firstly we wanted to check out Tamarindo , just a short 30 kms or so from Junquillal. From the entries in the guide books it sounded as if it might be quite a "busy" place,and bearing in mind the time of year more than likely to be chock a block with holidaymakers, but it was worth a look. Our feelings turned out to be about right. A really nice beach with a creek bisecting the northern part but with every square metre of the landscape covered with businesses directed at the tourism market – cafes, surf shops, tour companies, quad bike rentals, hotels, hostels, souvenir shops, you name it. Not just a few of each but dozens and dozens in each category. Even with the busy times like Christmas and Easter how so many tourism related businesses manage to make a profit for the whole year is a bit of a mystery. No wonder the restaurants in many places for instance employ a "flag waver" to stand on the roadside by the restaurant doing their best to persuade passing traffic to pull in for a meal. So we saw Tamarindo, took it all in, and soon decided it wasn't our sort of place in which to spend a night or two. So onward to the next option, Rincon de la Vieja National Park, another park with a volcano smack in the middle of it and supposedly a campsite too. So it was back to the Panamericana, or as it also known in this part of the world the Carretera Interamericana, where we wriggled through the town of Liberia looking for the minor road that would lead us to Rincon de la Vieja. In fact there are two approach roads to the park and of course we had to pick the worse one in terms of condition. The tar soon ran out and then we were on a sort of chalk surface, white in colour but quite hard packed. The surface of the road was cut down into the surrounding rock strata which looked like solidified lava and which probably was originally spewed out of the volcano some 20 kms away. We climbed steadily upwards from 250 to around 750m ASL passing very little in the shape of other traffic stopping in the welcome shade of a large tree next to the track for our routine lunch stop. Once we got going again we p************* network of horizontal pipes, some small,some gigantic which we surmised were carrying either geothermal steam or hot water being tapped from the lower slopes of the volcano. Seems that they had similar ideas to the Kenyans in Africa who have tapped into the geothermal energy sources around Lake Nakuru to provide free or cheap hot water and a means of generating electricity at low cost. Just up the worsening track which by now was seriously rough (why is it so many National Parks in so many countries have lousy approach roads?) we came to the gate of the National Park. Our 6 year old GPS data indicated that a campsite was located inside the gate on some inviting looking green grass with a scattering of trees offering some shade. As it turned out this might have once been the case but now in 2012 was no longer true. The park rangers told us they had some basic showers and loos not far away inside the entrance but if we wanted to camp we could only do so outside in the parking area (N10 46.377 W85 21.024). Problem was they locked the entrance gate at night so we would have no access to the loos etc till the morning. Too bad, so we snuckered down in the far corner of the partly grassed car park after waiting for a day visitor to retrieve his car from "our" corner. We took a while deciding which way to face the car as by then a really nasty, blustery but at times quite violent wind had made its presence known. We would be wanting to cook on our MSR stove which we place on a folding base attached the car's rear door so keeping the wind at bay is quite important. Another and seriously irritating problem rapidly rearing its head as we parked the car was the presence of very persistent little black, flying bugs which we know can and do bite like hell. Oddly, they seemed quite capable of holding station in the attack zone inches from one's exposed skin even though the wind was by then gusting hard enough to rock the car. For the first time on this trip I was forced to pull out of my bag the ingenious hat I had bought in Norway a couple of years back which in its zipped crown has a drop down net like a bee keepers net to ward off the bees (in this case nasty biting bugs). Initially, we managed to erect both side and rear canopies but it soon became obvious that leaving the big EazyAwn side awning up was risking severe damage to it or us so down it came again. The rear one meantime flapped and flogged like an untrimmed genoa sail on a boat in spite of its guy ropes being taught and their pegs being well buried in the ground. Whilst this was in progress the bugs waged war on us big time causing plenty of English probably not used by Her Majesty to spill from my lips! At least it was cooler up there compared than at the coast and in spite of the wind doing its best to blow us right back to the coast we slept OK. Next morning it was into the showers as soon as the Rangers opened the gates. But the bugs were still with us, the wind was still being unfriendly and the volcano itself was well hidden in cloud so we decided to beat a retreat back down the tracks towards the coast without checking out the walking trails in the park. A pity but we didn't think it was going to be that enjoyable in the circumstances. Unlike the way up we managed to find the better of the two access roads from the Panamericana to Rincon de la Vieja for the trip back and were soon on the main road. A quick restocking and refuelling stop was needed so we drove the short distance back into Liberia, picked up some diesel which was a bit cheaper than in Costa Rica and a few items in the next door supermarket. Right across the street beckoned a Macdonalds and although we had our usual breakfast of cereal and coffee up at the windblown campsite a Macbreakfast seemed a good idea so in we were sucked. And like most big Macs around the world they had good wi-f too so took advantage of that to catch up on e-mails etc. Next stop we had decided would be a campsite in the Santa Rosa National Park back on the Pacific coast (yes, we do jump around a bit, don't we). Our overland friends from Life Remotely had stayed there and commented on the state of the access road to the beach camp site. So what's new? Anyway, we drive a Defender and words such as "4×4 needed" or "seriously bad track with steep slopes" etc are the next best thing to chucking down the gauntlet to a Defender driver. Sadly, we got ourselves navigationally screwed up getting to this park entrance first time around and ended up driving down a track from a gravel road hugging the coast which in turn emerged straight onto a small, rather appealing unspoilt beach . But this wasn't the campsite inside the National Park at Playa Naranjo. So back we went to the Panamericana and retraced our steps to the park entrance proper. There we handed over a total of $23 which covered entrance fees and camping for one night. The gate staff tried to persuade us to camp at the inland site closer to the gate rather than the one at the beach citing the state of the track from the first to the second. OK, we thought, so Kobus and co from Life Remotely were right after all. What a joke that track turned out to be. In most places max. speed was walking pace or less due to the crazily broken, rock surface. This was dry season, what it would have been like with a nice layer of slippery mud on top after a good downpour is anyone's guess. A few of the ascents and descents definitely needed 4×4 traction and our Traction Control certainly worked a bit on occasion. But the "best" bit was at the far end of this shocking 12 kms stretch of bump and grind and this was the timber bridge over the creek just before the entrance to the Playa Naranjo campsite. This involved a significant step up from the heavily eroded track surface onto the first sections of transverse timber of the bridge which even in the Defender needed all its considerable ground clearance to negotiate. But we made it OK and were somewhat taken aback once into the camp to see quite a few so called "soft roader" 4x4s parked there, all of which had also negotiated this same rubbish track successfully. But one visitor who had rented his little 4×4 Suzuki did say the running boards now looked a bit bent! The campsite (N10 46.782 W85 39.836) was to say the least basic. It had shade under the trees and it had a couple of water taps delivering non potable water. It also sported some shoddy and poorly designed long drop style composting loos which stank. Just 4 of them for a campsite with a capacity of perhaps 75 people… There were just two filthy cold water showers which I discovered were temporary homes once it was dark for an enormous toad in the one and a swarm of black bats in the other! A truly inviting place to wander in for a quick wash, especially after dark. The beach was some 200 metres away past the spot where the surfers pitched their tents (we had to stay with the car in the car park) and although an impressive 8 kms long was nothing wildly better than others we had camped on or near and usually for free. We stayed just the one night taking our chances when hopping out of the car for a leak in avoiding the many red crabs that scuttled around in the leaves all around our spot. Nothing if not eventful… Next morning we retraced our route back along that insane track (that is exactly how a local described it to us) and stopped at the entrance gate to pass on our comments there about why it seemed that zero maintenance had been devoted to improving the access road somewhat. "Lack of funds from government" was the expected response. This in a country with such a so called high standard of living and literacy rate. What happened? Once again it was westward ho (at least to start with) up the Panamericana towards the Nicaragua border. A Danish couple, Marianne and Erik in a green Mercedes Sprinter camper almost identical to the one belonging to our friends Laura and Heiri, and whom we had met at Los Malinches a few days earlier had told us of a finca (small farm) close to the border where they had stayed overnight. So we headed there and found another gem of a place. Finca Canas Castilla (N11 07.301 W85 35.645) is just that, a small farm owned by a Swiss couple and located down a quiet gravel road a few kms from the Panamericana just outside the village of Sonzapote. They started some years ago to add a few rooms and chalets to the existing farm and now have an idyllic spot to unwind and spend a few days by the river at the bottom of their garden. Not a river to jump into for a quick swim by the way as like some other rivers in Costa Rica it is home to a few crocs! Agi welcomed us when we arrived and was quite unflustered by us not having made a reservation, and showed us to a little bedroom with a bathroom shared by two others. We were soon established and after exploring the farm itself were ready for Agi's dinner offered to all of her guests. They didn't have a communal kitchen and although we could have camped in the car on the finca for just $5 pppn (and cooked for ourselves) the temptation of someone else serving up dinner and clearing it up afterwards was just too much. So we joined several others, many from Germany, some from the States and Canada, and were spoilt with an excellent dinner. Many of those staying there were booked in for the whole of Christmas week; had we not needed to push on a bit to the north we could well have done the same. It was the sort of place where one immediately feels both at home and part of the furniture and where it is hard to imagine moving out again. But after breakfast the next morning – another nice surprise – we had to do just that. Agi's parting words were "when you come to the first of the long line of trucks getting near the border just keep going and go to the front of the queue". We had seen this situation earlier on the Panamericana at several police checkpoints in Costa Rica with perhaps 75 trucks or more, nose to tail, stopped with engines off, their drivers in many cases propped against one of their 18 wheels under the trailer patiently waiting for some movement in their long queue. We did the same in these situations – just pass the lot and go to the head of the queue, the drivers of the trucks quite unconcerned. What all this horrendous hanging around presumably for the police or whoever to do their checking must cost the end user of the commodities the trucks carry is beyond imagination. But that's the way it's done here…. With Agi's words in the back of our minds we sailed past the first of the border queue of trucks but a quick look at the GPS confirmed we were still four kilometres from the actual border. Now bear in mind this was two days before Christmas Day, and having been told that many Nicaraguans work in Costa Rica and were more than likely going to be heading home to spend time with their families we should have been ready for the sight that met us as we rounded the last corner and arrived at the Costa Rican side of the border at Penas Blanca. There were perhaps 5,000 to 10,000 people laden down with bags, boxes, backpacks – anything they could carry, lug or drag through the border posts – standing patiently in an enormous queue that went twice around the sizeable compound in which the Immigration offices were housed. It was only around 9am yet busses were arriving in droves from Costa Rica unloading 40 or 50 more every few minutes, all rushing to get off the bus and take their place in the queue. We were ushered into a car park nearby already awash with cars, pickups, taxis, busses and big trucks. A quick conflab with an official confirmed our worst fears; we would be lucky to get to the immigration office in less than five hours! And that was just Costa Rican Immigration. We also had to clear customs before what would probably be another monster queue to do the same on the Nicaraguan side. We just said no, this is insane, let's head back to Finca Cana Castilla just down the road, wait there awhile and come back later. We drove about 5 kms back down the road, past all the waiting trucks and then common sense prevailed over impatience; the busses were still bringing Costa Ricans in droves so the queue at Immigration wasn't going to get any shorter, if at all for some time. But at some point the convoys of busses might just start to dwindle a bit and the queues might, just might also get a mite shorter reducing the waiting time to do all the paperwork. The big question was when would a change become apparent and when should we start to take our places in the queue. So back we went and to the amusement of the cops, the parking attendants and others in their cars in the car park we once again took up station there positioning Jambo so that we could keep an eye on movement in the queue, watching someone in an easily identifiable hat or T shirt and timing them as they shuffled forward around the compound fence. Out came our books, our drinks and later our lunch until around 1.30pm we could see the queue actually getting a mite shorter at which point we initially took in turns to man our spot in the queue. The temptation to quietly muscle in, perhaps next to some other gringos was indeed great, but it obviously was definitely not acceptable so far as the locals were concerned. Anyway the police were much in evidence around the lines of people to keep order so we behaved and were patient. At least on that side of the border, because when we were finally through Immigration and Customs and headed to the Nicaraguan side sure enough, there were the same monster queues waiting to get into the Immigration office. We parked the car not far away but then realised we had less than 2 hours before darkness and we still had to find a place to sleep that night. At that point our ethics and scruples quietly crept away to somewhere where such things go, and with papers in hand we surreptiously wheedled our way into the queue about halfway between the front and back. Initially, although nothing was said by those around us, we could detect a small helping of "these b——– gringos think they can do what they want, don't they" but that was it, we stuck to our guns and things remained amicable. It still took us another hour and bit to finish all the formalities which also included (although in a classic case of us not understanding what we were paying for at the time) mandatory 3rd Party insurance as our international policy from Holland didn't provide this. So as we finally headed out of the gate to get onto the road into Nicaraguan territory we suddenly thought we hadn't fixed 3rd Part cover. So to much consternation from the cops on the gate we headed back into the compound to find an office that would sell us a policy. In spite of waving bits of paper around in Spanish that described what we needed no one could understand what we were on about. In desperation, it now being almost dark, I said oh stuff it, let's take it carefully up the road and get it tomorrow. Just as well we didn't collect anyone on the road from there to San Juan del Sur…. As it turned out, after we had found a bank in San Juan del Sur next day and paid our $12 for a month's cover we discovered we HAD paid for and obtained exactly the same bit of paper at the border the previous evening……Twits. We had heard about Casa de Olas Hostel (N11 16.066 W85 51.243) on the edge of San Juan del Sur from several sources. What we didn't know as we headed for the town after turning off the Panamericana in pitch darkness was whether Casa de Olas would have a bed for us that night. We DID know from their website that they were offering a Christmas "all in special" for the five nights from 24th December, but would they have any space left? The thought of spending another lonely Christmas on our own in some grubby hotel with little or no Christmas festivities as we had done in Syria 2 years ago was just too miserable a prospect. So with a huge thanks to Fred and Carla who own Casa de Olas and their kind receptionist Field they managed to slot us in, just, with a bed in a private room for our first night and then bunks in a dorm for the next couple of nights. By the time we got there well after dark we would have found it very hard to keep going, looking for a bed had they been full. In fact, we first tried the adjacent Naked Tiger hostel at the top of the hill overlooking the town and the coast and were told that all they had was a single bunk in a dorm. It was they who suggested we try next door at Casa de Olas but not before we had a long overdue and much needed bite to eat there. One inmate at the Naked Tiger had got his Christmas lunch well planned in advance – he had bought a live pig in the local market for some $140 which he had named after himself, Joshua. This he had tethered to a post outside the bar and planned to slaughter without any experience in the fine art of culling or cooking bovines! We were also to enjoy Casa de Olas's breakfasts, but most of all the full spread Christmas lunch at 3pm laid on on Christmas Day by Fred, Carla and their staff. Thanks guys. You made it a special day for all of us. Every evening we were treated to grand sunsets far away beyond the end of the hostel's long infinity pool although the constant wind did its best to tone down the peaceful setting. Another fact of staying at Casa del Olas was Buzz, their tame spider monkey who ran up and down a tether line under the eaves showing off her amazing acrobatic abilities and sucking up to the male guests. For reasons unknown we were told that Buzz was not keen on females of the human species…. The other human guests at the hostel (and all of them were younger than us) were in some cases seemingly hell bent on drinking Fred's bar dry. They didn't succeed – Aussies are made of sterner stuff than that – but they sure looked somewhat sad every morning after! We walked some of the nearby beaches which were pleasant and good exercise for us and also explored the town of San Juan del Sur on foot, a town we think destined for much (we hope sympathetic) tourism development. After saying goodbye to Fred (sorry we missed you Carla) we headed back to the Panamericana and turned left for the old town of Granada. Here we were to spend several nights at the Hostel Hamacas (N11 55.801 W85 57.432). It was cheap enough at $25 a night for our room but that was the sole bonus. The room's aircon had obviously given up the ghost some time back as it and its neighbours had signs painted on the wall by the door announcing "A/C not working"! Being an inside room with just one small window it was hot in there all the time even with a large fan roaring away all day and night. Then there was the bathroom next door which looked very out of sorts. The hand basin was supported on a long piece of wood jammed into the floor and one morning a cockroach decided to commit suicide in the basin. Yuck! As one of the Irish lads also staying there said on hearing this "Now what exactly killed that cockroach!" But the worst aspect of the place was the so called communal kitchen. Only half of it was accessible the other half being blocked off by a large sheet of plywood (looking behind revealed a fridge in an advanced stage of corrosive melt down). The kitchen was filthy and grossly inadequately equipped. We tended not to go near it plain and simple. The hostel was listed on Hostel World's website as having parking which to us at last is an important facet. By parking one assumes it means off street parking of some sort. But no, when we got there the staff were not prepared to allow us to pull Jambo into the perfectly adequate and gated parking space at their entrance. They told us to park outside in the street which for some of the time was watched over by a guard. Luckily, Granada seems to be relatively crime free so we had no problems with the car being broken into. But Hostel World should remove "Parking" from this hostel's list of facilities. As for the kitchen….. Granada itself is a hugely atmospheric city in some ways like its famous sister city in Spain with gorgeous old pre-colonial buildings lining its grid of narrow streets. Founded in 1524 it was considered to be the first European style city to be established in central America. Its links to Spain in that era are strong and easy to see although the Moorish architecture found in its Spanish sister city is not seen here to any extent. Sadly, many of its old buildings and its streets and other infrastructure fell into serious disrepair during the time of the Sandinista troubles in the 70s and 80s. Thankfully, that is n


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By Susan Lulgjuraj | Beckett Football Editor
Topps started the tease at the 2012 National Sports Collectors Convention. Officials from the company handed out little beige stickers with a "V" emblem and were coy about the meaning.
Just spread the word, they said.
Then, a Twitter account popped up adding to the mystery @V_Is_For.
The Twitter account slowly released pictures of cards in association with inspirational quotes from some of history's greatest leaders and thinkers over the last two days. After reading the account and looking at new card images, one guess is the letter stands for 'Victory.'
UPDATE: We learned tonight with a change of the Twitter account, the V stands for Valor. The Twitter account, which has changed its name to @Topps_Valor_FB tweets the product is scheduled for February 2013.
One tweet read: "Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay it's price." – Sun Tzu."
That tweet was linked to a picture of an autographed Alshon Jeffery card that had the "V" logo with it.
There were four total tweets like that showing off pictures of a yet to be announced product, but playing up the victory theme with words on cards such as "Honor" and "Courage."
The Twitter account started on Aug. 5 and every couple of days just tweeted out thematic quotes.
""The only yardstick for success … is being a champion. No one remembers anything else." – John Madden"
Susan Lulgjuraj is the editor of Beckett Football magazine. You can email Susan here with ideas, comments and questions. Follow her on Twitter here.

subset: commoncrawl


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At first a few small voices objected, noticing that this contrivance was not only too expensive to build, but that once built it would not operate as promised. The apparatus would require continuing ever-increasing amounts of input. And it would be tremendously intrusive on the lives of thousands of residents. Not only would it fail to yield a net gain, it would become a net drain on taxpayers forever.
But the vision of something-for-nothing was too strong, and its promoters on the board of the California Perpetual-Motion Machine Authority (CPMMA) rushed ahead to undertake the project. In fact, the only "perpetual- motion" evident were the escalating estimates of construction costs and fare prices.
But doubts grew. The chorus of those opposed to the project increased steadily from hundreds to thousands, and anger flared as CPMMA board members refused to address the realities of the project and the concerns of the citizens.
Several thoughtful state legislators requested an independent study and contracted highly respected experts from a great state university to analyze the project. Their study concluded that perpetual motion violated the second law of thermodynamics and was, in fact, impossible. They reported that the numbers put out by CPMMA were, well, wrong virtually from one end to the other. Many people believed the numbers to be fraudulent, concocted to mislead the public and sell the project — no one could be so wrong so much of the time unless it was on purpose. When cities near where the machine would be built complained, they were labeled "NIMBYs" and "obstructionists" — never mind that perpetual motion was, in fact, impossible.
Yet, the promoters, of course, favored the wondrous machine. Consultants and engineers favored it; they made enormous profits. Construction unions favored it, even though the machine itself would be built in distant China or France and little of the specialized labor would be performed by local workers.
Unions believed that the promised 600,000 "jobs" meant 600,000 individuals working, while, in truth, it meant 60,000 men working 10 years, and that figure even included the foreign workers — an example of perpetual-motion mathematics. Environmentalists favored the machine, believing it would reduce energy consumption and air pollution — never mind the findings of another independent professorial study that energy payback on construction and operation would require 71 years even if the machine performed as billed (already proven impossible).
So, construction began. As is usual for such projects (such as Boston's infamous Big Dig) the cost of construction more than doubled. The original $43 billion estimate ballooned to more than $100 billion (10 percent of a trillion dollars!).
The project, thinly funded from the outset because private investors were too smart to put money into it, ran out of funds. Construction ground to a halt.
People were horrified. Thousands of acres had been cleared of lovely trees, venerable homes and businesses had been demolished, enormous ditches had been gouged in the earth, and towering structures of concrete and steel erected.
They loomed, now, over the countryside, dark, desolate and abandoned. People wailed at the blight. Some said, "Tear it down." Others argued, "At least finish it so we can enjoy some benefit from this eyesore." Because tearing it down would cost too much and leave egg on the face of those who had favored it, the California Legislature voted to take on more debt and continue construction.
It was completed. Politicians and others in bespoke suits stood tall and proud at the ribbon cutting while their pictures were taken — pictures they would hang prominently in their offices. Then they moved out of the state; they knew what was coming.
The perpetual motion machine did not work. Yes it ran, all right, but it was not self-sustaining: It required ongoing taxpayer subsidies to keep it operating.
At the outset, voters had mandated that the machine must run with a net gain without support from citizens. When faced with the truth that the perpetual-motion machine would bleed them forever, taxpayers demanded it be shut down. But legislators decided they could not simply walk away and allow these looming structures of concrete and steel, costing 10 percent of a trillion, to be abandoned to weeds, rust and decay. They found a way to bend the law and sidestep the voters' anti-subsidy mandate.
Taxes skyrocketed to support the machine's operating costs and to pay the enormous compounding interest on the tenth-of-a-trillion-dollar construction loans. Expenditures on vital projects such as education, health care, local infrastructure and social services were cut repeatedly to feed funds into the voracious machine. The rumble of the machine was head for miles, and property values plummeted, undermining California's tax base and further escalating everyone tax bills.
With high taxes and without good education to produce bright and creative citizens, California withered, no longer a favorable place to live or do business. Unemployment increased, especially for the construction trades that depended on both education and a vibrant business environment. In cruel irony, these same construction workers had wasted their abilities on the short-term promise of the perpetual-motion machine instead of building schools, hospitals and essential local infrastructure.
In the end, California became a poor backwater state bought low by clever propaganda, by the misplaced priorities of its Legislature and by a seductive but fatally flawed dream. The persuasive power of a multi-million-dollar PR campaign and derisive cries of "NIMBY" and "obstructionist" cowed the citizens and legislators, who chose in the end to lie down and be "civil." They failed to reorganize their priorities and take timely action in order to save themselves and their once-prosperous state.
Yet, their gravestones proudly proclaim, "We were civil to our end."
This story contains 988 words.
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West Brom are reportedly ready to challenge a host of clubs attempting to sign Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen this summer.
The 26-year-old, who has impressed with Wales at Euro 2016 as Chris Coleman's side have progressed to the quarter-finals where they will face Belgium on Friday, has been heavily linked with a move away from Anfield in this transfer window.
Allen has struggled for regular game time under current Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and is certain to be made available by the Merseysiders.
His former club Swansea are believed to have seen a bid in the region of £8million already rejected as they ponder a second offer of £10million, while fellow Premier League outfit West Ham have also been linked.
Allen's former Swansea and Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is also interested in taking him north of the border to Celtic with Inter Milan and Sevilla making up the list of potential suitors.
However reports claim Albion boss Tony Pulis is looking to beef up his midfield options and will make an offer to Allen which will also guarantee him regular first-team football at The Hawthorns.


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Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) Shares Bought by Swiss National Bank
Swiss National Bank grew its holdings in shares of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) by 1.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 676,907 shares of the transportation company's stock after purchasing an additional 11,300 shares during the period. Swiss National Bank owned approximately 94,941.86% of Delta Air Lines worth $32,640,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of DAL. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 44,951,865 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $2,415,714,000 after purchasing an additional 274,997 shares during the period. Boston Partners boosted its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 2.5% in the 2nd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 7,774,829 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $417,820,000 after purchasing an additional 190,531 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 7.6% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 7,570,963 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $406,892,000 after purchasing an additional 531,518 shares during the period. AJO LP boosted its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 21.2% in the 2nd quarter. AJO LP now owns 5,637,157 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $302,941,000 after purchasing an additional 986,803 shares during the period. Finally, TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Delta Air Lines by 77.6% in the 2nd quarter. TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC now owns 5,364,934 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $288,312,000 after purchasing an additional 2,343,531 shares during the period. 87.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
In other Delta Air Lines news, EVP Joanne D. Smith sold 33,863 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $53.61, for a total value of $1,815,395.43. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Edward H. Bastian sold 159,240 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $53.06, for a total value of $8,449,274.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 200,001 shares of company stock valued at $10,630,333 in the last quarter. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) opened at $50.45 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 0.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The firm has a market capitalization of $35,170.96, a P/E ratio of 10.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 1.28. Delta Air Lines, Inc. has a one year low of $43.81 and a one year high of $55.75.
Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 11th. The transportation company reported $1.57 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.53 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $11.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.03 billion. Delta Air Lines had a return on equity of 26.50% and a net margin of 8.97%. The business's revenue was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.70 earnings per share. research analysts predict that Delta Air Lines, Inc. will post 5.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 8th. Investors of record on Friday, November 17th will be issued a $0.305 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 16th. This represents a $1.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.42%. Delta Air Lines's dividend payout ratio is presently 24.50%.
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY WARNING: This article was reported by The Cerbat Gem and is the property of of The Cerbat Gem. If you are reading this article on another domain, it was copied illegally and republished in violation of United States and international trademark and copyright law. The correct version of this article can be read at https://www.thecerbatgem.com/2017/11/17/delta-air-lines-inc-dal-shares-bought-by-swiss-national-bank.html.
A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on DAL shares. Deutsche Bank AG decreased their price target on Delta Air Lines from $62.00 to $59.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, September 6th. BidaskClub lowered Delta Air Lines from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Friday, August 25th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an "overweight" rating on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research report on Tuesday, September 12th. Vetr upgraded Delta Air Lines from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and set a $57.50 price objective for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 25th. Finally, Cowen and Company restated a "buy" rating and set a $60.00 price objective on shares of Delta Air Lines in a research report on Tuesday, September 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $63.39.
About Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo throughout the United States and across the world. The Company's segments include Airline and Refinery. The Company's route network is centered around a system of hub, international gateway and airports that the Company operates in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, London-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St.
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DAL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL).
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This spring was the fourth hottest on record in Oxfordshire.
The average temperature from March 1 to May 31 was 10.06C.
The hottest on record was 10.5C in 2011.
However, this year's Banbury and District Show, due to take place on Sunday, has been cancelled after last week's torrential rain prompted safety concerns.
Chairman of the general services committee, Colin Clarke, said: "Underfoot conditions in the park are poor."
Our top stories:


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While it was impossible to immediately verify the claims, they were indicative of the results expected by Hamas - and greatly feared by Israel's political leadership.
For all the Jewish state's military might, a ground offensive could prove very costly - as its 2006 war against the Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas proved.
In that conflict, the Lebanese militia used state-of-the-art technology combined with an incisive tactical nous to embarrass the supposedly superior Israeli Defence Force (IDF).
Over the subsequent two years, both Hamas and the IDF have trained for a similar confrontation - substituting the dense urban environment of Gaza for the forested hills of southern Lebanon.
Speaking as Israeli columns entered the territory at three points, the IDF laid out some of the rules it would be using for the coming engagement.
"Anyone who hides a terrorist or weapons in his house is considered a terrorist," an army statement said.
Given the density of Gaza's population - 1.5 million people in a territory 30 miles long by only a few miles wide - the message was intended to protect Israel from accusations it was targeting civilians.
For Hamas, intent on affirming its doctrine of armed struggle and proving itself in battle against Israel, the warning is unlikely to be prohibitive.
Before the ground war began, Hamas spokesman taunted the Israeli leadership, apparently trying to tempt them out of the skies and into an assault.
The organisation's fighters will be on home turf, while Israeli troops search for weapons caches and rocket launchers in concrete warrens of alleyways and back streets.
Such guerrilla-style fighting will in some ways be easier for Hamas than responding to air strikes.
At first glance, the Hamas strategy appears based on nothing but bravado.
Yet analysts believe its strategy is based on a considered appraisal of its long term goals.
Despite the immense power of Israel's air assault last week, long-range Hamas rockets continued to soar over the territory's dust and rubble ever deeper into Israeli towns and cities.
On one level its missile attacks were intended to affirm the organisation's doctrine of armed struggle and prove that its forces cannot be crippled by Israeli air strikes.
However, analysts believe they were also meant to strengthen Hamas' hand in future cease-fire talks with Israel.
"It has shown that with a relatively small amount of missiles it can paralyse half a million Israeli lives," said Saul Mishal, an expert on the group at Tel Aviv University.
Gaza has been run by Hamas since the Islamic militant group won parliamentary elections in 2006. A year later it expelled the more moderate Fatah party, which still runs the West Bank.
Gaza has since has been largely cut off from the world and Hamas is relishing the opportunity to prove that it is the true champion of Palestinian rights.
Hamas also hopes to capitalise on the outrage in the Arab and Muslim world against the Israeli strikes.
Over 400 Gazans had been killed and about 1,700 wounded since Israel launched the raids last week. Four Israelis have been killed.
The graphic pictures and video footage seen around the Arab world of the destruction in Gaza has prompted demonstrations from Indonesia to the West Bank..
Hamas may have underestimated the force Israel would use after a six-month ceasefire ended, but it had stockpiled a large cache of rockets - now the target for Israeli operations.
"I think they were planning for a confrontation," said Robert Blecher, a senior Middle East analyst for the International Crisis Group. "I think they got one that is a little bit bigger than expected, but given the situation they will go with it."
The group had taken advantage of the ceasefire to smuggle weapons into Gaza through an enormous network of underground tunnels along the border with Egypt.
Their arms include Chinese and Iranian missiles with a range of more than 25 miles.
Smugglers brought them through piece-by-piece before concealing them in secure hide-outs.
It is not clear how many missiles Hamas has amassed, but it is believed to have enough to continue its current rate of fire for several more weeks.
Last week Israel bombed a mosque that officials said had been a major storehouse for missiles and other weapons. Most of the Hamas military leadership is hiding out underground.


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(CBS) Stanley Cup Finals ratings were naturally going to take a hit when the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals, but who knew they would be this low?
Game 1 ratings hit a five-year low by a considerable amount. Only 2.9 million viewers tuned into NBC for Game 1, down from the 4.53 million that watched last year's Game 1 between the Bruins and Canucks.
In fact, ratings were so low that more people tuned into the NBA Draft Lottery Show. That's right, 2.95 viewers watched a bunch of ping pong balls instead of the Stanley Cup Finals. Ouch.


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I have been trying to get the game to recognize my 770 Ultra as the 3D card I'm using but it won't. I've downloaded the most current stuff, and I have forced it to run in D3D, but I'm only offered 16 bit w/800x600 the highest resolution.
I've been looking all over the web for information about this, but I'm draw a blank.
I stumbled across a site one night while I was trying to get my VooDoo2 2000 to work, and it needed a special patch. Is there one somewhere for the Ultra 770's?


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Micro-strategies of Contextualization Cross-national Transfer of Socially Responsible Investment
This paper examines how individuals select and mobilize local institutions when they transfer business practices across societies that are construed as dissimilar to one another. We investigate empirically how the American business practice of socially responsible investment (SRI) was transferred to France and Quebec. Our analysis identifies five micro-strategies that were employed to contextualize SRI, namely filtering, rerouting, stowing, defusing, and coupling. This repertoire of micro-strategies extends previous research on contextualization, translation, and institutional transfers and links them to one another. They may also help explain why some transfers succeed while others fail.
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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|PCT number
|Publication date
|1 Jan 2002
|Filing date
|1 Apr 1997
|Priority date
|5 Apr 1996
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Marc Mourier
|Original Assignee
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (3), Referenced by (3), Classifications (8), Legal Events (7)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
The present invention relates to a device for estimating the loss ratio of data cells in a digital transmission network switch. It applies in particular to the construction of local area networks operating in the transfer mode known by the abbreviation ATM for "Asynchronous Transfer Mode such as described in European Patent Application No. 0 0650 276 A1".
In a network operating in ATM mode, the digital information is exchanged between nodes of the network in the form of fixed-format packets of bits called "cells". Each cell is composed, on the one hand, of a header serving to identify the cell and the communication to which it belongs and, on the other hand, of an information field containing the useful data to be conveyed. The nodes of the network are responsible for routing the ATM cells applied to their inputs to one or more outputs. These nodes consist of switches, structured for example around a data transfer bus coupled to incoming highways and outgoing highways by way of shift registers organized as a stack, so as to store the temporarily surplus cells when several cells applied to different incoming highways are intended to be broadcast on the same output. However, the limited size of the shift register stacks incurs a risk of the loss of cells through overflow. Since the loss ratio of cells is directly dependent on the size of the stacks of registers, the latter are dimensioned so as to guarantee excellent loss values, of the order of 10−10 for example. However, regardless of this size, it is always possible for the register stacks to overflow, causing the loss of the relevant cells. Supervision of this phenomenon can consist in counting the number of cells actually lost, and in then deducing the loss ratio from this by comparing with the number of cells actually transmitted. However, the smallness of the ratios to be measured means that the confidence interval of the statistical estimate is too large for it to be easily coped with.
Another method consists in likening each of the traffic flows of cells which have passed into the switch to a more or less simple statistical model for which it is possible to calculate the multiplexing characteristics in an ATM queue.
The method introduced is novel in that it uses the actual traffic directly to estimate the occupancy of the stacks of output registers. The assumption which is made regarding the profile of the sources is minimal since it amounts simply to assuming that the traffic which has flowed can be estimated, the sources being regarded as stationary and ergodic.
The basis of the method resides in the existence of a scaling relation in the formula giving the loss ratio for a register of finite size B whose flow capacity is c cells per second and which is subjected to the traffic generated by N identical connections. This relation which is known in particular from the article in the IEEE Transactions on Communications Vol. 43 no. 2/3/4C. Courcoubetis et al entitled "Admission Control and Routing ATM networks using Inferences from Measured Buffer Occupancy" is as follows:
Estimation of the second term in relation (1) is possible by emulating the register stack corresponding thereto. This amounts to incrementing a counter at the rate of arrival of the cells and in decrementing it at the service rate c/(1+ε).
The function F is approximated by the relation
in which the coefficients A,ε and ε are determined by giving B three different values of sizes of registers and by solving the corresponding equation system with three unknowns.
The error ratio estimated by this method is of the same order of magnitude as the actual loss ratio, however these good results are obtained only by virtue of good knowledge of the current state of the link traversed, of the profile of the calling traffic and regarding the quality objective demanded by all connections established and to be established, given that in an ATM network the decision to admit or to reject a connection may have weighty consequences, since any excess traffic is a potential source of degradation of the quality of the service offered to the connections already established.
The purpose of the invention is to alleviate the aforementioned drawbacks via a method of processing which demands no assumption regarding the statistical nature of the traffic.
To this end, the subject of the invention is a device for estimating the loss ratio of data cells in a digital transmission network switch comprising means for routing cells present on incoming highways to outgoing highways through stacks of registers, characterized in that it comprises a traffic summator for summing the number of cells which are present on each incoming highway during each cell instant and are destined for one and the same outgoing highway, a highway emulation group allocated to each outgoing highway and composed of a specified number of counters simultaneously loaded with the total number of cells which are destined for this highway and are presented on the incoming highways of the switch, the respective counts of each counter being limited by thresholds so as to estimate, when the number of cells totalled up in a counter exceeds a threshold, the number of cells which may be lost on the corresponding outgoing highway.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge with the aid of the description which follows in conjunction with the appended drawings which represent.
FIG. 1 an organization of stacks of virtual registers for the implementation of the invention.
FIG. 2 an embodiment of a complete device allowing estimation of the loss ratio of cells from an ATM switch according to the invention.
The device which is represented in FIG. 1 makes it possible rapidly to evaluate the loss ratio of cells applied to the inputs of a switch and which are destined for one and the same output highway. This device comprises, apart from the register stack B required for queueing the cells destined for the output highway, a set of n counters referenced from B1 to Bn, respectively having sizes T1 to Tn and different counting thresholds Si(i=y . . . n) such that Si−1<Si<Si+1. According to this arrangement, each time that N cells enter the switch destined for the output highway an identical number N of cells is added to the contents of each counter Bi. Each time the number totalled up in a counter Bi exceeds within each cell time interval the threshold Si allocated to it, the difference Li is reckoned up in an exterior register (not represented in FIG. 1), and then the contents of the counter Bi are reset to the threshold value Si. The gradation of the various thresholds Si makes it possible to obtain a relatively accurate estimate of the number of cells lost Li regardless of the greater or lesser number of cells which are present simultaneously on the input highways of the switch. Since the total number of cells which may be routed over an output highway during the time of transmission of a cell is assumed to be bounded by the total number of highways N of the switch minus one and since the value totalled up in a counter Bi cannot exceed that value of the threshold Si which is allocated to it, the size Ti of a counter Bi is determined by the relation
The contents of a counter Bi are decremented by a unit with each period of a time base Ci whose tempo is calibrated by the speed of transmission of each virtual register stack associated with each counter Bi.
Evaluation of the loss ratio of cells over the switch as a whole takes place in the manner represented in FIG. 2 which represents a switch furnished with means of internal routing 2 of incoming cells on highways A1 . . . AN to an outgoing highway p through a register stack 3. For each highway p of the switch, a traffic summator 4 maintains a variable Σp equal to the number of cells which are destined therefor during each current cycle time of a cell. At the following cycle time, the value Σp is transmitted to a highway emulation group 5 at the same time as a cell is transmitted, destined for the register stack 3. The emulation group 5 comprises N counters Bi of the type which are represented in FIG. 1. These determine each difference Li as a function of the value Σp and transmit them to a device 6 for calculating the actual loss ratio of cells on the highway p. In this calculation the number of cells lost is obtained from the relations
in which M is the number of cells which have appeared on the input highways and which are destined therefor, Li is the number of virtually lost cells and Ki is the value of the counter Bi. In this way the loss ratio can be estimated in a simple way at each cycle time by forming the ratio between the number of cells regarded as lost by the counters Bi and the cells which have been counted by the traffic summator. The advantage of this solution is that it allows evaluation of the losses which might be experienced by the register B linked to the highway well before the L cells giving rise to overflow of the register B are actually lost.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|23 Sep 1991
|18 Aug 1992
|Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
|Packet communication system and method of controlling same
|14 Jun 1996
|7 Apr 1998
|Hitachi, Ltd.
|ATM exchange, ATM multiplexer and network trunk apparatus
|16 Dec 1996
|1 Aug 2000
|Cascade Communications Corporation
|Cell loss balance system and method for digital network
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|14 Apr 1999
|15 Oct 2002
|Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd.
|System and method for optimizing forward power control in a personal communication service (PCS) code division multiple access (CDMA) system using a laboratory test
|29 Jun 2000
|22 Nov 2005
|Cisco Technology, Inc.
|Method and apparatus providing improved statistics collection for high bandwidth interfaces supporting multiple connections
|15 Feb 2002
|20 Jun 2002
|Leblanc Wilfrid
|Jitter buffer and lost-frame-recovery interworking
|U.S. Classification
|370/241, 370/250, 370/229
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|16 Nov 2001
Owner name: THOMSON-CSF, FRANCE
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MOURIER, MARC;REEL/FRAME:012309/0104
Effective date: 19980921
|6 Jun 2005
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|21 Sep 2005
Owner name: REMOTE ACCESS, LLC, CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:THALES SA;REEL/FRAME:016561/0567
Effective date: 20050420
|15 Nov 2005
Owner name: THALES, FRANCE
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Effective date: 20010516
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Year of fee payment: 12
|26 Oct 2015
Owner name: XYLON LLC, NEVADA
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:REMOTE ACCESS, LLC;REEL/FRAME:036954/0361
Effective date: 20150813


text:
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A public forum will be held tomorrow to discuss a proposal to close an elementary or middle school in the Lemon Grove School District because of budget troubles.
The forum will be held at 6 p.m. at the Lemon Grove Middle School, 7866 Lincoln St., Lemon Grove.
Superintendent Ernie Anastos said the district is considering closing a school because the district may lose $4 million of its $33 million annual budget from the state. Closing a school would save the district between $400,000 to $500,000 a year, he said.
One consideration is closing Lemon Grove Middle School for two years during construction to upgrade the school's science labs and fitness room, and to build a new school-community library. Money for those projects comes from voter passage last year of Proposition W, a $28 million bond measure.
Another possibility would be to close one of the district's six elementary schools, Anastos said. A school has not been identified, he said.
The school board is expected to make a decision within two months.


text:
At Pinnacle Search Partners, we know that you are only as good as your top talent. With a global network that spans industries across continents, we deliver game changing executives and build the right teams to take your organization to the next level and help you become the organization you want to be.
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To deliver world-class talent to organizations seeking game-changing executives for specialized industries around the globe.
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We become a part of your team. We get in the trenches to understand the culture, organizational structure, and long-term needs of our clients in order to take their business to the next level. Our accomplishments are rooted in delivering sustainable results across the entire organization seamlessly and efficiently, and our unyielding desire to earn the trust and confidence of our clients solidifies our success.
Our Approach
By investing in an immersive process up front – discovering our client's culture, industry, and vision for the future – we build enduring partnerships that lead to sustainable results.
Jim Scapin brings more than 25 years of niche executive search experience to Pinnacle Search Partners. Specializing in developing effective recruitment strategies in the Information Technology arena
Pinnacle continues to expand both their national and global reach and is positioned for continued growth. This new position reflects a continuing trend of further
Pinnacle Search Partners LLC, a global executive search firm headquartered in Atlanta, GA is pleased to announce the addition of Eryn McHugh to their search
William S. Creekmuir, President of Pinnacle Search Partners, LLC. has agreed to serve on the Board of Directors for the Sandy Springs Chamber of Commerce. The Sandy Springs
Jim Harrison, CEO of Party City Holdco Inc. said, "Bill brings to Party City's Board of Directors more than 25 years of successful executive leadership
We are proud to announce that effective December 4, 2015, we are now located at Six Concourse Parkway, Suite 3300-A
Pinnacle Search Partners, LLC, an Atlanta-based executive search firm, announced the company has been acquired by
Six Concourse Parkway | Suite 3300 - A | Atlanta, GA 30328


text: So I have been looking around for a while for a back rack that will also hold shovels and rakes and such. Long story short they don;t exist. Here is what I am looking at having built by a local shop and they should be able to do it for under $500 out of aluminum. "Backracks" around here start about 250-300 and I would have to do alot of mods to make it how I would like. Give me your thoughts, So far I have spacing to accommodate various handle sizes as well as flush mount lights. I might do mesh instead of the bars, i am not sure I like the 'Jail" look.


text:
Danish firm Rønne & Lundgren has added four partners to its ranks, including a team from rival domestic firm Accura.
The firm has hired corporate partners Michael Vinther and Thomas Kraemer, along with capital markets specialist Karsten Pedersen, from Accura. The trio bring with them seven associates and support staff.
Meanwhile, Bech-Bruun real estate partner Thomas Stampe has also joined Rønne & Lundgren.
The hires bring the number of partners at the firm to 25, with a further 35 fee-earners.


text:
Dozens of families receive turkeys and Thanksgiving fixings from Family in Need effort
This morning, dozens of Boston-area families and seniors were given Thanksgiving groceries from the Family in Need effort, organized by three West Roxbury organizations and the Boston police department.
For each of the last 15 years, a list of families is compiled by the police, West Roxbury Business and Professional Association, West Roxbury YMCA and Ethos/AgeWell West Roxbury. They work with grocery store Roche Bros., which provides discounted groceries to be distributed to the families, said Mary Mulvey Jacobson, president of the West Roxbury Business and Professional Association.
The groups ensure that each family gets not just a turkey, but also the makings for a holiday feast.
"There's an apple pie, gravy, a bag of onions, potatoes, everything you would need for a Thanksgiving dinner,'' Mulvey Jacobson said. "We all meet at Roche Bros. at 9:30 a.m. and then start doling out the deliveries.''
However, just delivering the turkeys to families isn't always enough. The group has even arranged special accommodations to those in their community with unique needs.
"An elderly woman just came home having colon cancer surgery and said she couldn't prepare or lift a turkey,'' Mulvey Jacobson said. "So I talked to the manager [of Roche Bros.] and explained the situation, and they cooked a turkey for her. She was so delighted that someone would take the time to care. ''
Now that that the Thanksgiving groceries have been distributed, the volunteers will start collecting donations for their Christmas efforts and will "adopt'' a few families who may need a little extra help around the holidays.
"One year, somebody made a very generous donation of $500 for families with children,'' Mulvey Jacobson said that the money went toward new clothes for the children. Another year, the YMCA cleared the daycare debts of a mother of three who was in a financial bind.
"We definitely depend on the community to help pay for the groceries,'' she said, but added that, "It always seems to come together.''
Donations for Christmas groceries can be made to "Family in Need'' and mailed to the West Roxbury Business and Professional Association, P.O. Box 320113, West Roxbury, MA 02132.


text:
Unfortunately, this job is expired as of 8/12/2015.
To continue in your search through the appropriate job categories, click either Administrative Staff, Higher Education Executives, Faculty, Post-Doc and Graduate Assistants, . You can also utilize "guess-free" keyword search tools with up to eight pre-defined criteria. Search for and Apply to academic postings directly from the site. Post your background either confidentially or overtly. Stand out and be discovered!
The Department of French at the University of Toronto invites applications for a three year Contractually Limited Term Appointment in French Linguistics at the rank of Assistant Professor. The expected start date of the appointment is September 1, 2015, ending on August 31, 2018.
The successful candidate must be a native or near native speaker of French, be able to work in an English-speaking environment, and hold a PhD in French Studies with a specialization in Linguistics or a PhD in Linguistics. Duties include teaching undergraduate courses in introductory linguistics, quantitative & experimental methods, second language acquisition and bilingualism, sociolinguistics, or theoretical syntax and morphology. The successful candidate will also coordinate tutorials and train and supervise teaching assistants. Salary to be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
The Department is seeking applicants with a specialization in any area of French Linguistics but preference will be given to those able to teach courses in the areas mentioned above. The successful candidate must demonstrate excellence in teaching, strong knowledge of the fields mentioned above, and have excellent organizational and communication skills. An established or emerging record of scholarly accomplishment as evidenced by refereed publications, conference presentations, and grants and awards is required.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply online by clicking the link below. Submission guidelines can be found at: http://uoft.me/how-to-apply. Applicants should submit the following compiled in a single PDF file:
a cover letter of no more than two single-spaced pages;
a curriculum vitae;
a teaching dossier containing a list of courses taught, course syllabi, teaching evaluations, and the detailed description of a possible research-oriented course intended for fourth-year undergraduate majors and specialists;
a sample of published work; and
the names and email addresses of three referees
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More information on the University of Toronto (www.utoronto.ca) and the Department of French (www.french.utoronto.ca) can be found on their respective websites.
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text:
I am trying to work on self-registration application for Lotus Connections. It should create the user account in LDAP and the Profiles for managing their profile in Connections. So a user should go to a registration screen, enter mandatory details and sign-up, the app should create the LDAP account and generate a profile.
The requirement is to run this application only on the WAS console or on the Connections server. I understand WebSphere Member Manager API could be used as an option to authenticate a user via LDAP(https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/mydeveloperworks/wikis/home?lang=en#/wiki/Virtual%20Member%20Manager/page/Sample%20virtual%20member%20manager%20plug-in%20for%20WebSphere%20Application%20Server%20Version%206.1%20and%20above). Another option could be use some JNDI code to authenticate via LDAP. Could some one suggest an approach please.
Thanks for your time!
SystemAdmin 110000D4XK
6 Posts
Pinned topic Self-registration application for WAS/Connections
Answered question This question has been answered.
Unanswered question This question has not been answered yet.


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"This is not sweet like other polynesian chicken recipies. The recipe is low in fat and the original recipe came from AHA Meals in Minutes. It felt like it needed something so I made a few tweaks. I spoon the chicken and sauce over rice and cooked veggies like broccoli and zucchini). The sauce is not thick, but the rice soaks it up and it is so flavorful! Delicious and healthy!"
Healthy Slow Cooker Polynesian Chicken
1 recipe photo
READY IN:5hrs 10mins
Ingredients Nutrition
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
- 6 ounces pineapple juice
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 -2 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (or more if desired)
- 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cups rice, cooked
- nonstick cooking spray
- Spray inside of slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place chicken on the bottom of the slow cooker. Add all other ingredients into slow cooker, cover.
- Cook on high heat for 4 - 6 hours (or until chicken is cooked through). As slow cooker temperatutres can vary, you may need to cook for more or less time.
- Chicken pieces will break apart durring cooking. Spoon chicken and sauce over rice (and veggies if desired).
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text:
Re: Was our name Kinsborsky?
In reply to:
Re: Was our name Kinsborsky?
Keith, thank you for the information about the possible derivation of this name.It's interesting to me, especially, as I have learned from my great-grandfather's book that his mother's family lived in Koenigsburg, Germany (now Kaliningrad, Lithuania).
Also, another source for alternative spellings of Ginsburg is Jewishgen; I find many very intriguing possibilities on their site.


text: Me offended? "You" have been attempting to pick it apart for many years. "You" try new tools, new theories, etc. yet each is an epic fail. Offended? The only hole is in your logic. What puzzles me is why a raging atheist would enter a RI room. Is it because you are not secure in your beliefs? So are "your" theories open to examination and found to be lacking in anything other than the latest non-existent article of clothing for the emperor. Oh that's right; we are "star stuff or some such twaddle according to Carl Sagan.


text:
Free British soccer clinic at the Kirksville YMCA Sunday June 8th
Wed, 04 Jun 2014 20:56:06 GMT —
Adair County Family YMCA
Free British Soccer Clinic
This Sunday from 5-6pm at the YMCA Soccer Fields
Featuring Challenger Sportsâ?? British Coaching Staff!
This special free clinic is designed for your child to meet the British coaching staff and learn new soccer skills.
Anyone is welcome to attend â?? invite your friends and team mates! Clinic is for ages 3-16 years old.
PLEASE BRING A SOCCER BALL AND ARRIVE 10-15 MINUTES EARLY TO CHECK IN â?? NO PRE REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
Note: These wonderful coaches are conducting a Mon-Fri camp.
If you havenâ??t yet signed up, you can register at Sundayâ??s clinic.
Check payment preferred.
Courtesy YMCA


text:
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|9th May 2008, 10:58 PM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Hampshire
Quad 34 - parts clarification
Hi folks!
Could any Quad 34 experts out there please tell me what the following components do, AND if they can be omitted/bypassed:
N1 - switch noise supression?
C77 and C78 (am aware of the orientation issue )
IC23 (in PSU compartment) - is it worth changing this for something more modern, and if so.... any recommendations?
IC21 (PSU compartment again) - is it worth replacing this regulator? Again any tried and tested suggestions for a cleaner PSU?
Should add at this point all the usual Quad 34 mods (most are mentioned here on DIY Audio) have already been implimented to great effect. It's just the above I need to address for the last nth percent of improvement (well... a hopeful improvement ).
Many thanks.
- John
P.S. The circuit diagram may be found here: http://www.dc-daylight.ltd.uk/Valve-...ic-Circuit.pdf
|10th May 2008, 08:43 AM
diyAudio Moderator
If it were me I would look at replacing all electrolytics on something this age. Use low E.S.R. 105 degree types, they are cheap enough, and make sure they are correct phsyical size.
IC 21 and 23, I don't think you will find any difference whatsoever swapping these. You need to use a scope and measure the rails to see how clean they are. A couple of inches away from the regs and it's the quality of the decoupling and the layout that matters most. N1 could not see it !
The OpAmps in the audio side of things, very definite yes here, I have my own favorites (OPA604 and OPA2604) they do sound good. Remember to check the current drawn by any OpAmps you swap, some types are very power hungry and it soon adds up.
Have fun
|10th May 2008, 12:04 PM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Hampshire
Thanks for your reply Carl.
Yep the electrolytics have been replaced by low ESR Panasonic FM units. Input cap for CD/Aux is also changed to Black Gate N type. new op-amps are OPA627's and OPA227s. They really improved the sound. Th ebiggest upgrade came from taking out ALL the poorly matched carbon film resistors, and replacing with hand-matched metal film types. I wouldn't want to do all this work ever again, but the results were well worth it. I also by-passed the balance control and this improved things also.
- John
|10th May 2008, 12:12 PM
diyAudio Moderator
Thats good, interesting about the resistors as well. The only tweak I can think of is adding a small value cap soldered directly across the OpAmp supply pins (not each pin and ground). It's something I do, but as ever, does it really help ? nice to think so though.
|10th May 2008, 12:21 PM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Hampshire
I added 0.1uF ceramic bypasses on the OPA627s only - the OPA227s seem fine without them.
Replacing the other ICs is beneficial as well (the ones that deal with switching).
|10th May 2008, 12:27 PM
diyAudio Moderator
Think you have covered most items really. I am not a Quad owner by the way . A chap down the road had a Quad set up , it would have been the 34 and the 405 together with Gale 901's I think. He has Sugden gear now.
How do find the Quad musically speaking ?
|10th May 2008, 12:45 PM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Hampshire
Before the mods it was best described as 'warm and woolly' as the saying goes. Nice liquid midrange, but not much in the way of accurate bass or treble reproduction. Stock it really isn't much to write home about and I can see why some people dismiss it.
The mods have completely transformed it into a modern device which has bested my KingRex Pre-Amp and - to my ears at least - sounds better than a passive ALPS Blue on a box. But there's never any solid state harshness - it just sounds correct.
|10th May 2008, 05:55 PM
diyAudio Moderator
Thats interesting, I think I would agree with that from what I remember of it.
Happy listening,
Regards Karl
|10th May 2008, 11:03 PM
diyAudio Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Auckland, NZ
>>N1 - switch noise suppression?
Can you give a clue as to where this is on the schematic?
>>C77 and C78 (am aware of the orientation issue )
As suggested, replace with a good modern 105 degree low ESR electrolytic. Or use a RC network ( 100uF electrolytic in series with, say, 100 Ohms) paralleled with a film cap (say, 100nF polypropylene). I suggest these values as the RC network means that the electrolytic is 'working' in the bass region (below ~ 66 Hz) and the film cap covers the frequencies above that. Also the suggested values are likely to fit i the case - always a concern when modifying an existing piece of kit.
>>IC23 (in PSU compartment) - is it worth changing this for something more modern, and if so.... any recommendations?
This opamp sets the 'ground' reference because Quad was too cheap to install a transformer with multiple secondary windings. If you think about it, ALL signals must pass through this opamp. So it is as important any other in the preamp. Think of it like a dc servo. So an opamp with good dc precision is important (low Vos in particular - R123 1nd R124 are too low for bias currents to have any impact. Certainly for any reasonable opamp choice) - so select your favourite FET input opamp.
>>IC21 (PSU compartment again) - is it worth replacing this regulator? Again any tried and tested suggestions for a cleaner PSU?
The 7918 is certainly ancient but capable of excellent performance if implemented in an exemplary manner. You could replace this with an LM317 but this is NOT a drop in replacement as you would need to add extra feedback resistors and bypass caps. And the pinout is different which makes life awkward. Or you could one of the many 'super' regulator options that are available hereabouts - it depends on how much you wish to expend in terms of time and effort.
If you are looking for a less intrusive but still effective improvement, then add a series RC network ahead of the 7918 to improve its ripple rejection. C74 (1000uF) is already there so all you need to do is
1. Break the connection between the positive terminal of D34 and the positive terminal of C74 and insert a 22 Ohm resistor.
2. Break the connection between the negative terminal of D34 and the negative terminal of C74 and insert a 22 Ohm resistors.
This will increase the ripple rejection by > 20dB which is pretty much the performance gain you would get by replacing the 7918 with an LM317. I would mark up the schematic for you but the pdf is protected.
Hope this is of some help.
"If you can not measure it, you can not improve it" - Lord Kelvin
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EE Graduate Student Nicolas Bruque Wins 3rd Place at SHPE National Technical Career Conference
EE Graduate Student Nicolas Bruque Wins 3rd Place at SHPE National Technical....
Professor Roger Lake's graduate student, Nicolas Bruque, won 3rd place in the graduate student technical paper competition at the Society of Hispanic Engineers (SHPE) National Technical and Career Conference. The conference took place at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Florida this past January. The competition involved submitting a technical paper and giving a 15 minute presentation judged by representatives from IBM, Intel, Chevron and GlaxoSmithKline. The award included a $500 cash prize and a portable DVD player. The winners will be featured in the next national SHPE magazine in March.
More in News


text:
|Bookshelf Home | Contents | Index | PDF
Security Guide for Siebel Business Applications > Security Adapter Authentication >
Configuring Database Authentication
If you do not use LDAP/ADSI authentication, then you must create a unique database account for each user. When an administrator adds a new user to the database, the User ID field must match the username for a database account. The user enters the database username and password when the user logs into a Siebel application.
Database Authentication Process
The stages in a database authentication process are:
Features Not Available for Database Authentication
Some of the features that other authentication strategies provide are not available with database authentication, including:
Implementing Database Authentication
If you implement database authentication, it will typically be for a Siebel employee application, such as Siebel Call Center or Siebel Sales.
Database authentication is configured as the default, and is the easiest to implement of the authentication approaches presented in this book.
Although configuration may not be required, parameters for the database security adapter can be configured using Siebel Server Manager. To do this, you specify parameter values for a named subsystem (enterprise profile). For Developer Web Client, parameters are configured by editing the application configuration file.
The database security adapter is specified using the
CAUTION: If you want to configure a server component or a Siebel Server to use different database authentication settings than those already configured at a higher level (that is, configured for the Siebel Enterprise or Siebel Server), then you should create a new database security adapter. Otherwise, settings you make will reconfigure the existing security adapter wherever it is used.
For more information about parameters for the database security adapter, see Configuration Parameters Related to Authentication.
An administrator must perform the following tasks to provide a new user with access to Siebel Business Applications and the Siebel Database in a database authentication environment:
The following option is available if you implement database authentication:
|Security Guide for Siebel Business Applications


text:
Thanks again for the help folks. The way things are going, health improving and some donations that have already come in thanks to a few reg readers, I'll probably avoid humiliation, the ER, and homelessness for at least another month.
Speaking of health, what the hell is up with Toronto mayor Rob Ford? The guy has been busted on video doing all kinds of crazy things including bragging about how he would whack someone with his bare hands in the midst of a drunken crack binge. He's now under fire for lewd comments made after that confession and promise to clean up:
NY Daily News — In another bizarre day for Hizzoner, Ford began with an obscenity-laced denial that he asked a city staffer for oral sex. While on live TV, Ford used a vulgar term to describe a private part of the female anatomy, adding that he was "happily married" and "got more than enough to eat at home."
You guys have seen all this no doubt, but here's a good time to mention of the role genetics can play in morbidity. So there's healthy as shit lean me and there's hard partying blob Rob Ford. Which one of those guys had the sudden massive heart attack again? Given the risk behaviors he's admitted to already, how is Ford still alive and undamaged? The answer is he hasn't escaped and has almost certainly damaged himself. My guess is Ford is cardiovascular blockage walking on two varicose legs, heading for all kinds of long term health issues, assuming he doesn't just blow a gasket and drop dead any day now.
Since Ford lives in Canada, where residents enjoy a world-class single payer healthcare system, and presumably has some personal and professional resources being the mayor of the largest city in the country, help is available. He should take advantage of that, before it's too late. It's tempting to laugh along, especially when the Kewl Kidz on cable news are having a ball cackling and giggling at the fat guy, but this isn't funny. He's gonna kill himself.
Rob Ford's career isn't at risk, that's done for. It's his life that's in immediate danger if he doesn't get checked in to a medical rehab facility somewhere real quick.


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Were there crimes against humanity committed in the Balkans? Probably, by all sides, but is the UN, the main abortion-promoter in the world, in any position of moral superiority to judge that? For Heaven's sake, there are handicapped babies being euthanized at the present time in the Netherlands, a few dozens of miles away from this useless Court!
Where is the United Nations' court which is ready to judge Dr. Eduard Verhagen, the main author of the Groningen Protocols, ready to "terminate" the life of any baby and child not "fit to live"? Where is the new Nuremberg Court to judge the government of Christian(!!!)-Democrat Prime-Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, ready to make the Groningen Protocols for the euthanasia of children normative throughout the Netherlands? Thank God that there is at least one reasonable politician left in Europe, Carlo Giovanardi, Italian minister for Parliamentary affairs, warning the putrefied continent that the Dutch baby euthanasia protocol is the resurrection of the Nazi spirit and thought.


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Michaels Stores Inc. has named MOL, Ltd. one of its top two transport carriers for 2006. The announcement took place at the Irving, Texas based company's 10th annual Vendor Strategy Conference.
Michaels Stores, Inc., the world's largest specialty retailer of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall d'cor and seasonal merchandise, presented the award at their annual Vendor Strategy Conference on August 26, 2006. Michaels currently owns and operates 909 Michaels stores across the US and Canada. In addition to Michaels Stores, the company owns and operates 165 nationwide Aaron Brothers Stores, specializing in framing supplies and services. MOL transports merchandise for Michaels Stores Inc. to ports of call worldwide as well as managing the intermodal transport to inland bound points.
The carrier of the year award recognizes Michaels' key partners and the contribution they play in helping the company achieve its goals. Although selection was based on a wide range of exacting criteria, MOL's overall customer service and support as well as the availability and condition of equipment, set the company apart from its competitors. MOL's commitment to a new TraPac terminal in Jacksonville, Florida near the site of Michaels' new distribution center also played a role.
'We're extremely pleased to have been named a top carrier for Michaels Stores,' said MOL (America) Inc.'s EVP/COO, Tsuyoshi Yoshida. 'We're proud that we were able to meet the standards necessary to achieve this honor. It's wonderful to be recognized and appreciated by our customers as quality service is a key objective of MOL and its employees.'


text:
Home » Organic Food Stores » North Dakota
Find North Dakota Organic Food Stores in Your Area
If you're going organic you're in the right place. OrganicAgInfo.org has information on every organic food store in North Dakota. Use our easy-to-read, comprehensive directory to quickly find local organic food stores across the state.
Choose a city below to get detailed listings of organic food stores in your area. Find locations, contact information and more in a matter of minutes.


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NFL Scores Week 12: Most Surprising Results from Sunday's Early SlateNovember 25, 2012
The great thing about the NFL is that it never fails to surprise people. Week 12 was no different, as the early games produced some interesting results.
Division leaders like the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons struggled at times, but each took care of business and got wins.
However, a few other contests should make people turn their heads on this Sunday full of important games.
Cleveland Browns 20, Pittsburgh Steelers 14
Pittsburgh had to deal with playing without the injured Ben Roethlisberger, with third-string Charlie Batch getting the start at quarterback. However, there is no excusing this performance.
In addition to the three interceptions, four different Steelers' running backs fumbled. Altogether, the team lost eight turnovers on offense.
It doesn't matter who is playing—it is almost impossible to overcome this many mistakes.
As a result, the defense had a short field behind it all game and allowed 20 points despite holding the Browns to 3.7 yards per play.
At 6-5, the Steelers have a lot of work to do if they want to reach the playoffs.
Miami Dolphins 24, Seattle Seahawks 21
After a three-game losing streak and a quarterback who has thrown almost twice as many interceptions as touchdowns, it would be easy to count out the Miami Dolphins.
However, it seems like traveling is the thing that will continue to hold back the Seattle Seahawks.
Seattle fell to 1-5 away from home, with this game being the farthest it will travel all year.
This was mainly due to the ineffectiveness of Marshawn Lynch, who was only able to rush for 46 yards on 19 carries. He failed to break the 100-yard mark for the first time in five games.
With the win, the Dolphins remain alive in the playoff hunt. They currently stand at 5-6 and are one game back out of a wild-card spot. This young team should be proud of their effort to this point.
Cincinnati Bengals 34, Oakland Raiders 10
There are not many people who believed the Raiders would be able to pull out a win on the road, but the final score should still be surprising.
Cincinnati dominated Carson Palmer in his return to the city, as the quarterback finished with only 146 passing yards.
Meanwhile, second-year quarterback Andy Dalton continued his hot streak with three touchdowns. After throwing an interception in each of the first eight games of the year, he has now thrown nine touchdowns compared to zero interceptions in the last three.
In that time span, the Bengals have outscored opponents 93-29. This is far from the team that lost the four games prior.
The Bengals would miss the playoffs if the season ended today due to a tiebreaker, but considering the struggles that the Steelers are currently going through, this team should be on its way to the postseason for the second year in a row.
Full Scoreboard
New England Patriots 49, New York Jets 19
Washington Redskins 38, Dallas Cowboys 31
Houston Texans 34, Detroit Lions 31
Jacksonville Jaguars 24, Tennessee Titans 19
Atlanta Falcons 24, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23
Miami Dolphins 24, Seattle Seahawks 21
Denver Broncos 17, Kansas City Chiefs 9
Indianapolis Colts 20, Buffalo Bills 13
Cleveland Browns 20, Pittsburgh Steelers 14
Cincinnati Bengals 34, Oakland Raiders 10
Chicago Bears 28, Minnesota Vikings 10


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A Free Speech Victory for the Pro-Life Movement
In a strongly worded unanimous U.S. Supreme Court opinion in McCullen vs. Coakley, a Massachusetts law aimed at pro-life activists seeking to counsel women seeking an abortion was struck down due to its "truly exceptional" and "extreme" approach to limiting free speech.
The law created a 35 foot "buffer zone" around abortion facilities that prevented peaceful engagement with women seeking an abortion.
The case was brought to the court by Eleanor McCullen, who has been credited with saving hundreds of lives through her peaceful conversations outside abortion facilities, informing them of alternatives to abortion.
"Many women have abortions because they feel they have no other option or because they are pressured by a boyfriend or parent," McCullen said in a press release. "Today's ruling means I can offer loving help to a woman who wants it, and neither of us will go to jail for the discussion. I am delighted and thankful to God that the Court has protected my right to engage in kind, hopeful discussions with women who feel they have nowhere else to turn."
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/unanimous-supreme-court-calls-law-restricting-pro-lifers-extreme-122321/


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Cowboys defensive end Anthony Spencer is confident his comeback from microfracture knee surgery will have a happy ending, with him on the field at some point in the 2014 season.
"I'm sure some other people have their doubts, but I don't have any doubts, no," Spencer said Thursday.
Spencer, who played only 34 snaps last season before undergoing surgery, has started running. He said his two runs on the field over the last week have left him encouraged. He will continue the same rehab schedule for the next couple of weeks, and the plan then is for him to start some change of direction movement.
But he concedes he is a long way from getting back to practice.
"It's one thing to be able to run and then another whole thing to play football, so I've got a little ways to go," Spencer, 30, said. "But it's progress and that's basically what I've been showing this whole time."
He said he could open training camp on the physically unable to perform list. Active/PUP would allow him to return to practice anytime before final cuts. Reserve/PUP would force him to miss the first six games.
Spencer said his rehab has him convinced he will be back.
"Because of the progress that I see, I've seen not being able to walk to being able to walk to being able to run," he said. "I feel good about it."
-- Charean Williams