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Walkera QR X350 PRO (New v1.7)
WALKERA INSIDE: We were looking for a low cost, quick to assemble quadcopter, to be modified with FPV gear, something to travel with, overseas on rescue projects. So we purchased the Walkera QR X350 which can be assembled in 2 minutes, with no tools on hand. Today, our SAR teams were informed of another exciting version of the 350 size, the QR X350 Pro, compatible with Arducopter Mission Planner. We have included some photos of the final development. This new thread is designated for QR X350 Pro. Jan 2014
QR X350 Pro.: Farther, faster, longer, gimbal, FPV, Fatshark goggles and more!
• Quick assembly
• Completely Ready to Fly
• Up to 2 km / 1.24 miles
• Up to 25 minutes flight time
• Gimbal ready for camera anti-vibration 2-axis stabilization (new Walkera Quick Release G-2D)
• New FPV camera called the ILook included in the FPV1 Pro package
• First Person View (FPV) flight
• FatShark compatible
• GPS and "One Key" Return to Home
• GPS Auto Pilot functions
• Failsafe auto RTH and Land
• Low voltage protection
• Devention DEVO F7,10 computer radio
• Easy to see LEDs
• Balance charger with world compatible wall adapter for travel
• + Waypoints and all the core functions of Mission Planner.
Latest Firmware Updates zip/pdf: Mar 2015
First Impressions: I must say Walkera has done a great job tuning X350 Pro with a variation of Arducopter firmware, as it flies very well stock, out of the box with g-2D gimbal. No tuning needed. If you don't want to spend weeks.. months.. tuning an DIY arducopter, this may be for you. In addition, for those who want to expand beyond the hobby of Ready To Fly (RTF) x350 Pro, will also find it even more interesting to explore the open source DroneCode.org APM Copter, Mission Planner and Telemetry.
Additional Info: The x350 Pro Devo F7 package does not allow you to start/stop recording. This is due to the 7 channel limitation. However a FP Convertor has been included for the iLook+, so if you choose to either upgrade to a 10 or 12 channel radio, you can assign that function to a switch. This other option is to sacrifice the gear switch or gimbal pitch for a record switch. There are several videos out showing you just how to do that.
Mission Planner Compatible: For the DIYDroners.
• Here is the default Full Parameter List to review: [ parameter-full-list-qrx350pro.param]
(if you restore this backup, remember to recalibrate, as your compass declination may be different to China
Note: We don't recommend that you use Mission Planner to do any tuning unless you are a Ardupilot developer, as this is only a variation of arducopter coding with custom codes, not arducopter. Changes can make your x350 unflyable.
• Everything about Waypoint Missions: http://planner.ardupilot.com/wiki/co...ts-and-events/
This is what Mission Planner brings to you:
Hundreds of GPS waypoints, free (the exact number depends on the memory of the hardware you're using. Just point and click waypoints in the Mission Planner, and x350 Pro will fly itself to them. No distance limits! You can script entire missions, including camera control!
"Loiter" anywhere. Just flip the toggle switch and your copter will hold its position using its GPS and altitude sensors.
Automatic takeoff and landing. Just flick a switch and watch x350 Pro execute its mission completely autonomously, returning home to land by itself in front of you when it's done.
Auto waypoints: allows you to map flight paths on computer for autopilot
Advance Failsafe: auto return home when radio signal loss or battery low
Circle: circle around by radius
Altitude Hold: stay on fixed altitude
Loiter: combination of position and altitude hold, hovering
Land: auto land
Simple: fly by compass
Simple GeoFence: user-defined box that if breached forces the copter to return
Ground Station Telemetry
Tuning and Auto Tuning
and many more...
The How To Mission Planner video is available now or you can watch all other 10 episodes about Arducopter/Taranis at DIYdrone [ youtube.com/diydrone ]
Rock on.. at www.walkera.rocks
• Walkera Parts Warehouse in USA: http://www.ucdrone.com/parts
• BNF $279 tmart.com/~bnf
• BNF $310 bg.com/~bnf
• Devo F7 bg.com/~f7
• Devo F7 tmart.com/~f7
• Amazon: amazon.com/~x350Pro
• WiFi hobbywow.com/wifi
• Devo 10 G-2D http://bg.com/~devo10
• Complete FPV with Monitor http://banggood.com/~devo10FPV
Video Log:
Co-Pilot Wireless. 2 Operators on one x350 Pro
Short story with stock training footage, out of the box x350 Pro, iLook+ and G-2D
QR X350 Pro with the iLook+..... sweet.. heavy foliage and high speed looks great.. your settings view at 720p and up.
Return to Launch (RTL) Test with iLook+
Remember to watch in HD where possible, or be pleased that the 360p is good.
FatShark goggle compatible
For those who submitted your questions about the QR X350 PRO to Walkera
here are some of the Q&A Updates from Walkera back in Jan 2014. We have transferred the original blog to this discussion.
ref.: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=2077292
• What high capacity battery size will it come with the QR x350 Pro for 25 minutes?
5200-5800 mAh LiPo
• What is the advantage of the new propeller design?
Faster and longer flight time
• Can you control the gimbal from the Devo F7 and 10 transmitter?
Yes you can and the new version will be set with the new design DEVO 10 transmitter in White color, DEVO 10 white would get 2KM control range.
• Can existing owners easily upgrade from the QR x350 to the QR X350 PRO with the parts?
Yes, upper cover is completely the same, but you will need to replace many parts to make a PRO. It will be available to the public when the PRO is available.
• Other Related Releases
2015 x350 Premium: 2 GPS and OSD https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=2339777
Devo F12E: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=2174140
Unlocking a Devo - Deviation: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=2130645
Scout X4: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=2251486
X350 Pro Race
Coolest GCS with Devo F12E
6 flights modes with Taranis.
* DroneMission is a search and rescue team based in the USA. A DM archive project 写评论文章 *
ImagesView all Images in thread
Last edited by tvdrone; Mar 17, 2017 at 01:50 AM.
About X350 Pro, OSD, Telemetry, DroidPlanner
Jun 3, 2014. iUAS, a Walkera company designated to support selective products in the North American market X350 Pro, Tali H500 US Edition, Scout X4 and X800. You can see their first releases at .. |more about iUASinc.com| and iUAS University https://www.facebook.com/iuasnews
great contribution from Taz007
Information about Droid Mission Planning
2016 Updates Compatible and Supported HD cameras
Last edited by tvdrone; Jan 21, 2016 at 01:25 PM.
Beside the longer arms from the X800, what are the other differences between X800 and X350 Pro, both being quad?
What are the differences for a person to consider which to buy?
Would you say the 350 is more like a Sport FPV and 800 is more more for AP/AV?
Last edited by tvdrone; Jun 30, 2014 at 12:54 AM.
Thanks for replying but I'm talking according to the official specs, what should I buy in order to make the 2 kilometer video range?
Thank you
The official specifications are:
Right out of the box devo F7 has a very crappy internal antenna that doesn't even reach the promised 250 meters, you have to mod the F7 to connect external antennas.
You can also use Devo 10 and use a video receiver compatible with VTX5803 such as the one on the fatshark goggles but to maximize the range you will have to use after market antennas.
The QR X350 PRO will be available in these two days in BG.
QR X350 PRO Manuals & Parts List
Hi All,
If you are looking for the QR X350 PRO Manuals & Parts List have a look at the Walkera web site now here.
Personally, this new QR X350 looks good but so did the first version when I bought early. I am not going to beta test another Walkera product. I choose to wait this time to see what other users experience.
|Thread Tools


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Pastor Jeff Countryman
Jeff Countryman is the Lead Pastor at Cape Christian. He has been in active ministry for over 24 years communicating the grace of Jesus in a creative way that will at times make you laugh, usually make you think, and always challenge you to apply truth to your everyday life.
He is a visionary leader who believes the church is called to reach people with the love of Jesus, teach people to love others, and raise up multi-generational leaders. Jeff also speaks frequently at camps, conferences, and events.
Jeff has been married to Tyann, his high school sweetheart and partner in ministry for 22 years. Together they have raised three amazing young men. Outside of ministry he enjoys golf, working out, and spending time with his family.

subset: commoncrawl


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One of the biggest female artists in country music history has been head-over-heels in love with her husband for nearly three decades, and nowhere is that more obvious than inside the lyrics of her latest single, "Reckless".
During an interview with Access Hollywood, Martina McBride confesses that the song is, in fact, a love letter to her beloved husband, John.
The pair met when Martina was just 20 years old, and he was able to "pull her from the fire" as the song describes.
They met in early 1987 and started dating not much long after. By May, they were engaged, and they wed just a year later.
Both Martina and John still get giddy talking about one another, and they both say that they couldn't have been more blessed.
"I'm not a religious guy, but I always felt God put us together," John revealed to The Boot. "It's crazy. I'd never had that feeling before. This girl - she's incredible! And I love her more [now] than I ever have."
From Martina's perspective, it sounds as if they're living the same fairytale dream.
In an article for NBC's Today Show, she wrote, "I married a man who is a great partner. He is thoughtful, kind, considerate, romantic, handsome and really funny. We love each other's company, our personalities complement each other, and we respect each other. He thinks I'm smart and funny, and I think the same about him. We are a great team."
She revealed that her April 29th release, "Reckless", is about "being grateful for unconditional love; for somebody to reach out, and love you unconditionally."
And that's just what they have done. Loved each other unconditionally for nearly three decades. What an incredible love story!
Watch Martina McBride sing her stunning hit, "Reckless" in the video below!
Interested in becoming a partner?
Contact us for more info.


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Event Photographer NY, CT, MA, NYC, NJ
Event Photographer who instantly prints event photos On the Spot!
Having a professional event photographer capture your event is very important. On the Spot Photos enhances events by capturing the special moments before they are gone for event is NY, CT, MA, Long Island, NJ and beyond. In addition to having an eye for photography, On the Spot Photos prints their professional photos instantly at the event with a the highest quality printers using the best in class technology, by a team of experienced event photographers and assistants. Check photographer off your "To Do List", because once you contract OTS Photos, we're part of the team from start to finish and beyond.
Some events we have photographed:
- Lake George Polar Plunge
- Saratoga Chowderfest
- Albany Oktoberfest
- Taste of Elegance in Albany, NY
- Making Strides of Albany
The printed photos are either inserted into a magnetic sleeve, giving your guests instant gratification during the event in addition to taking home a lasting event memorabilia. Johnny Miller, an experienced event photographer, founded and manages On The Spot Photos, a professional event photography and photo booth service, located in New York. We have experience way beyond most photographers, with over 125 first class events a year for the past 8 years. Our portfolio of events is top notch from the Belmont Stakes to Jordan Brand Classic, from Mariano Rivera Golf Classic to Ridgewood Country Club. The list goes on and on, from the Stanley Cup promotion to McDonald's All American Games in Chicago. We've been invited to Winged Foot, Saratoga National Golf Club, Tamarack Country Club, to Trump Westchester and Bedminster. With first class hospitality and high fives all around, your guests will not only go home with great printed photos, they will go home with great memories from your event.
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Based out of Saratoga Springs, NY, the OTS Team of professional photographers travel to events locally in the Saratoga Springs/Albany Capital Region and regionally in the NY, NJ, CT tri-state area, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Long Island. OTS Photos has national capabilities and is often booked around the USA, including Chicago, Washington DC, Vermont, PA, and Puerto Rico.
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Our Event Photographer guarantee is as simple as a handshake. We guarantee that we'll hold up our end of the deal – take great photos and print them out for all your guests in a timely manner with a high level of professionalism and hospitality. It's just how we do business. We pay attention to details and quality, so you can pay attention to your guests.
Even though OTS photos hasn't ever had to issue a full refund we still want you to know that if you're not happy with our service, then we're not happy taking your money. Since 2009 and over 400 events later, we still work as hard as ever to make sure everyone is happy.


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The Siemens Pakistan Engineering Company Limited has teamed up with the Flying Cement Company Limited to manufacture a state-of-art 132 KVA grid station to power its cement plant in Khushab.
The contract, a 26-MVA grid station with service and maintenance provided by the Siemens Engineering Company Limited, is the first part of a three-point strategy by the Flying Cement Company Limited to tackle high-energy costs. This station will cut the cost by more than 50 percent, enabling larger profits for its shareholders.
The cement plant is using furnace oil, but expects to switch over to the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) in the next three to four months. Cement company Project Director Yousaf Kamran said further upgrades, including the installation of a vertical raw mill, was in the pipeline to further cut the energy consumption by 20 percent. This would give the company one of the lowest costs of production per bag of cement in the industry, he added.
Published under Cement News


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Book Report Rescue (4th Grade), Room 260 - 12:30 PM
Jun 26 - Jul 21
Shelton School
Starting at
Meeting Dates
From Jun 27, 2016 to Jul 21, 2016
About This Activity
COURSE DESCRIPTIONAvoid the last minute rush to complete those summer book reports. This class will guide students through the procedures of reading and coding a novel, and preparing a book report. Books will be chosen from summer reading list and provided the first day of class. This report will fulfill Shelton's requirement for the written summer book report. Grade levels refer to the grade your child will be entering in the fall. Students missing more than 2 days, none the first week, may be required to do outside work to complete all requirements. A minimum of 7 students is required for all classes. Enroll early to prevent cancellation of of classes. Class closures will be determined by May 1, 2016
Organizer Info
The June Shelton School & Evaluation Center


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National delivery only. If this is not your country, please change country.
A targeted formula for both men and women to support the urinary tract—the kidneys and the bladder*
Primary Support: Urinary Health
Secondary Support: Immune System, Antioxidant, Cleansing & Detox*
4Life Transfer Factor KBU is formulated to support the entire urinary system for both men and women. Targeted ingredients such as cranberry, blueberry, dandelion leaf, and juniper berry give you the support you need for healthy bladder function. It also promotes the healthy filtration process of the kidneys, helps maintain healthy fluid balance, and provides valuable immune system education with 4Life Transfer Factor® Tri-Factor Formula.*
At 4Life, we've made a commitment to uphold the highest standards of product quality. We certify all 4Life Transfer Factor products and will always strive to create products of the utmost quality and efficacy. We pledge to uphold the product design and manufacturing for every product we sell. When you purchase 4Life Transfer Factor products, you can rest assured that you're getting the very best. In fact, we guarantee it.
"4Life Transfer Factor KBU fills a great need for people in today's fast-paced world. The urinary system is charged with removing waste from the body, and often is overtaxed with the junk food we eat and drink. The ingredients in 4Life Transfer Factor KBU were carefully researched and selected to support the entire urinary system, including the filtration needs of the kidneys and healthy bladder tone, ultimately helping keep the urinary tract clean and healthy."*
Shane M. Lefler, MS Senior Director of Product Development Health Sciences Advisory Board Member
Single Items: $44.95 USD
Bulk Items: (12 for 11) $494.45 USD
Once your payment has been received, your order will be processed and shipped the same day or the next working day. You will receive a unique tracking number. Estimate delivery time: 3 to 5 working days.
To order this product you can use your Debit/Credit Card (VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS) or Paypal. Contact our customer service support for help.
Copyright Buyandsell4life.com: group of 4Life independent distributors.


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You have a 35 mm. camera and want to take clear, sharp, interesting pictures, maybe even comparable to those you see in newspapers or magazines.
But you don`t take good pictures, in spite of the fact that you have a keen interest in photography and work hard at it. You`ve read the camera`s instruction booklet carefully and have mastered the mechanics. You know how your camera works. That`s not the problem.


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Politics and the Scoring of Race to the Top Applications
September 24, 2010
The Obama administration's education legacy could hinge on the success of the Race to the Top program. While conditional federal aid is nothing new in K-12 education, Race to the Top is unusual in that it incorporates rigorous competition into the application process with a substantial amount of money at stake, says Daniel H. Bowen, a distinguished doctoral fellow of education policy at the University of Arkansas.
While previous research has dissected the shortcomings of the Race to the Top application process, the extent of Race to the Top's subjectivity remains unaddressed. Using independent studies of states' education-reform track records on certain Race to the Top criteria to examine disparities between projected and actual scores for the first round of Race to the Top, Bowen finds a disparity between these scores that raises red flags about the objectivity of the process. Of particular concern are suspicions that scoring may have been driven by political influences, says Bowen.
- Having a track record of education reform mattered, but, even after controlling for such considerations, a state with a seat that the Democrats could lose or take away from the Republicans (based on the CQ Politics handicapping of election races) scored up to 77 extra points on its first round application.
- This would have been enough to vault Washington, D.C., from last place among the round-one finalists to first place, given the right political context.
These political influences are mainly possible because of Race to the Top's ambiguous rubric. Effective rubrics explicitly state the criteria of the evaluation, specify the weights given to them, and establish methods for measuring the extent to which they are met. For the most part, the Race to the Top rubric fails to provide objective methods for measuring the extent to which states meet criteria, leaving significant discretion in the evaluation, says Bowen.
Source: Daniel H. Bowen, "Politics and the Scoring of Race to the Top Applications," American Enterprise Institute, September 2010.
For text:
Browse more articles on Education Issues


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I have some fabric oven gloves, but they are pretty lousy.
I am open to suggestions for the very best oven gloves/mitts out there.
Must have the following properties:
heat resistant (natch!)
flexible enough to handle any size hot dish
I don't like the look of those silicone ones -- they don't apprear to be flexible enough.
Your input is welcome.


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Hikes in the Region
2: Gaa' Mriebed to Wadi al-Saif
5: Wadi Aheimar to Humeima
2: Gaa' Mriebed to Wadi al-Saif
5: Wadi Aheimar to Humeima
To download the Jordan Trail GPS tracks, Click here..
After retracing your steps up Wadi Gseib for about 1km, the route makes its way back into the mountains heading South East for about 3km through a beautiful colored sandstone Wadi, then descending easy cliffs and continuing South then South West across a sandy area into the wide valley of Wadi Al-Seeq. It then rises over and crosses an expanse of dunes, descending into Wadi Rakiya which joins Wadi Aheimir 1 km South West. Nice camping area with sand dunes a little further on above the West side of Wadi Rakiya.
Bus from Humeima, Jebel Kharazeh accessible by jeep only
Wild camping is possible virtually anywhere along the stage
Abu Lu'ay Nawafleh: 0772177133/0772609093 (Guide & Moving Support)


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Network File Storage
Connect your dedicated and virtual servers to durable, fast, and flexible NFS-based file storage.
In this Network Attached Storage (NAS) environment, you have total control over your file shares function and perform. Create file shares with your desired capacity—from 20GB to 12TB—and choose whether you want those file shares to be provisioned with the flexibility of Endurance or the raw power of Performance.


text: I have heard that this is very common with electric starters on Kawasaki engines and the dealer said to spray lube on the top of the starter gear from top, it did nothing. Then had the cover off of the engine and sprayed it with fluid film up under the gear while holding it up and then it would just spin and not engage the gear and then finally it started to engage again but the darn noise is still there when you let off of the starter. Anyone have this problem?


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Multiple World and Olympic champion German speed skater, Claudia Pechstein puts the Court of Arbitration for Sport to perhaps its greatest test to date.
How the case 'broke away':
Lap 1: During the period between 4 February and 30 April 2009, Ms Pechstein had been the subject of numerous in-competition anti-doping controls, none of which had resulted in an adverse analytical finding for a prohibited substance. In the same period, the International Skating Union (ISU) had collected in excess of 90 blood samples from Ms Pechstein as part of its blood profiling programme, sufficient to compile a 'biological passport' for her. This enabled the ISU to monitor changes to Ms Pechstein's biological character, making it easier to detect the effects of any use of prohibited substances. Subsequent analysis of blood samples collected from Ms Pechstein at the World Championships in Hamar in February of 2009 were deemed to be inconsistent with her biological passport and, on 1 July 2009, the ISU issued a decision finding Ms Pechstein guilty of blood doping. The ISU imposed a two year ban on her, with retrospective effect from 7 February 2009.
Lap 2: Ms Pechstein appealed the ISU's decision to CAS, relying on the arbitration agreement that was included as part of her license and also formed part of the competition conditions imposed upon her by her national and international skating federations. At a hearing four months later, her appeal was dismissed by CAS.
Lap 3: Not satisfied with the ruling from CAS, Ms Pechstein launched a further appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, seeking cancellation of the CAS decision (to uphold the two year ban) and seeking a re-hearing at CAS, where she hoped to present new evidence that her abnormal blood results were due to a genetic blood disorder. At a hearing on 10 February 2012, the Swiss Federal Tribunal denied Ms Pechstein's requests.
Lap 4: Frustrated by the sports resolution process, Ms Pechstein launched an action for damages (in the region of €4.4 million) before her local civil court in Munich (Landesgericht). The Munich court held that the arbitration agreement signed by Ms Pechstein was unlawful because, in order to be able to compete in ISU competitions, Ms Pechstein had no other option but to sign the agreement. The court held that this was contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights (in particular Article 6 - the right to a fair trial). Notwithstanding this finding, the Court still rejected Ms Pechstein's claim since she had not contested the competence of CAS when she had first appealed the ISU's decision. The Court therefore felt bound to recognise the CAS award's res judicata effect and the CAS decision was duly upheld under the New York Convention.
Lap 5: Her last throw of the dice came in appealing the Landesgericht decision to the Munich Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht) and the latter court's decision was handed down on 15 January 2015. This time, the Court overturned the first instance decision, finding that the arbitration clause between Ms Pechstein and the ISU was contrary to German anti-trust law which is part of German public policy. Its reasoning was based on the premise that international sports governing bodies are to be considered as monopolies because they control international sports competitions that no professional athlete, if he or she wants to make a living, can afford to miss. German anti-trust law prohibits undertakings in a dominant position from imposing contractual conditions that are more restrictive than the norm and the fact here that the ISU required Ms Pechstein, as part of the arbitration agreement, to defer exclusively to CAS to the exclusion of the ordinary courts fell within such a prohibition.
So why did this make a difference?
This ruling made a key difference because, having found Ms Pechstein's arbitration agreement with the ISU to be in breach of German anti-trust law and thus incompatible with German public policy, the Munich Higher Regional Court refused to recognise the CAS award under Article V(2)(b) of the New York Convention[1] and deemed the original ISU decision to be void. As a result, subject to the Higher Regional Court's decision being overturned on appeal by Germany's highest civil court (the Bundesgerichtshof), Ms Pechstein's guilt could now fall to be re-examined by the German Courts. If she were eventually to be exonerated of doping, a claim in damages might follow against the ISU.
Why is this potentially a problem for CAS?
The decision potentially has profound implications for CAS as an arbitral institution and for the many national and international sports federations that rank amongst its most frequent users. If other national courts were to follow the Munich Higher Regional Court's lead by refusing to recognise CAS awards, re-litigating the merits of cases and then handing out punitive damages awards against sports organisations, it would surely sound the death knell for CAS as an institution and for the international sports arbitration system as we know it.
But how likely is all this to happen?
The Higher Regional Court's decision acknowledged in fact that an arbitration clause imposed by a sports' governing body does not constitute per se an anti-trust violation. To the contrary, the Court expressly found that there are good reasons for requiring athletes to sign arbitration agreements, based on the specific need to find quick solutions in disputes arising between athletes and sports governing bodies.
The main problem for the Higher Regional Court lay in the composition of the CAS list of arbitrators and the way in which CAS panels are routinely constituted. In particular, the court disapproved of the fact that, at the time of Ms Pechstein's case, CAS had a closed list of arbitrators. This pre-defined list was appointed by the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS), a body which is comprised of 20 members, 12 of whom are nominated by the IOC, and 3/5 of the arbitrators on the list at the time were appointed upon proposals made by sports governing bodies. Moreover, the chairperson of each CAS panel was appointed by the president of the Appeals Arbitration Division who himself was nominated by ICAS. This all led the Munich Higher Regional Court to conclude that CAS is institutionally biased in favour of sports governing bodies and against athletes.
The position of the CAS list has already changed since the time of the Pechstein case. As from 1 January 2014, the ICAS is no longer bound to appoint a certain number of arbitrators proposed by federations but is free to appoint whomever it wishes, provided they have appropriate legal training, recognised competence with regard to sports law and/or international arbitration and have a good knowledge of sport.
The Future of CAS
Some commentators have heralded the Munich Higher Regional Court decision as the new 'Bosman', a decision that is capable of bringing world sport to its knees.
The authors think this unlikely even if the significance of the Munich Court's ruling should not be taken lightly. CAS has already sought to address some of the perceived institutional weaknesses it has and, if further tweaks to the system are required, then we feel sure that these too will be made in good time. Whilst this institutional reform goes ahead, CAS nonetheless continues to perform a vital function in international sport. As the Munich Higher Regional Court itself recognised, CAS offers an expedient, flexible and expert recourse for settling disputes in the sporting field. This is an institution that must be preserved, not destroyed.


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On Thursday, the historic Vic Suhling / Gas for Less sign along Route 66 in Litchfield, Ill., was removed for the first time in decades so it can be restored and reinstalled next to the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center.
A St. Louis shop is doing the work. Plans are for the refurbished 12-by-12-foot sign to be relighted during a ceremony at the museum sometime in late October.
Vic Suhling's former 24-hour gas station in Litchfield, which opened in 1957, has been gone for more than two decades, although the sign had stood for the entire time until now. The station itself closed in 1973, shortly after the opening of Interstate 55.
Museum officials had planned to restore the sign and join it with the building's decor. A few weeks ago, the museum was awarded a $11,275 cost-share grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program for the sign's restoration. The Neon Heritage Preservation Committee of the Route 66 Association of Missouri is working with the Litchfield group on the project.
(Photo courtesy of Jim Thole)


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Type: New Feature
Status: Open
Priority: Critical
Resolution: Unresolved
Affects Version/s: None
Fix Version/s: None
Component/s: None
Issue Links
- is related to
APEXMALHAR-2142 High-level API window support
- Closed
- relates to
APEXMALHAR-2099 Identify overlap between Beam API and existing Apex Stream API
- Closed
APEXMALHAR-2085 Implement Windowed Operators
- Closed
- All
- Comments
- Work Log
- History
- Activity
- Transitions
Siyuan Hua This JIRA could need more information.
First iteration of Java Stream API.
Java Stream API is following the popular functional programming paradigm to construct an Apex Application.
The goal for this API is:
- Easy to construct a dag
- Easy to migrate other streaming application to Apex
- Fully compatible with existing DAG API
- Provide useful build-in transformations with abstracted pluggable components in one place
To achieve the goal and split the work, we categorize all different kind of transformations into 2 different types:
- 1 input, 1+ output (map, filter, flatmap);
- Multiple input, 1 output (Aggregations, Joins, Unions)
This first iteration is only about the first category, which is, 1 in, 1+ out. For transformations like this, it is just like distributed function call. So we abstract out some function types instead of operators. Internally, there are some pre-build function operators which wrap the function and connect together.
The core interface is the ApexStream. The ApexStream is designed in a method chain fashion, which all transformation method returns a new ApexStream object with new output type.
Here are some examples, if you want to do a filter then a map, you can do
stream.filter(new FilterFunction()) .map(new MapFunction())
You can also mix this with existing operator API. For example, if you want to add a operator after map, you can do this
.addOperator(opt, opt.input, opt.output)
// the opt.input here is to connect to the output of last stream and opt.output is going to be connected to the next)
If you want to set the locality or attributes for operator/ports/dag, you can use *with* clause, for example you want filter and map to be container local and you want to set checkpoint window count for the new operator you just added, you can do something like this
.addOperator(..).with(OperatorContext.CHECKPOINT_WINDOW_COUNT, 5)
.with(someProp, someVal)
//(ps:engine will figure out which operator/ports/dag this attribute applies to)
Like the dag API, you can run the stream in a distributed mode or local mode, For example,
stream...populateDag(dag) //distributed mode stream...runEmbedded(...) //local mode
The stream is implemented in a lazy build mode, which means until you call populateDag or runEmbedded, all the transformations and the order of them will be kept in memory in a graph data structure (DagMeta). This will allow us to solve some technical difficulties such as logical plan optimization etc.
Also the stream is flexible to extend to fit you needs in your organization. For example if you want to provide a filter and map transformation in one operator. Instead of repeating the work of connect filter and map operator together in a thread_local mode. You can add first-order function to ApexStream interface, by simply extending the default implementation ApexStreamImpl
public class MyStream<T> extends ApexStreamImpl<T> { public MyStream(ApexStream<T> apexStream) { super(apexStream); } <O> MyStream<O> myFilterAndMap(Function.MapFunction<T, O> map, Function.FilterFunction<T> filterFunction) { return filter(filterFunction).map(map).with(DAG.Locality.THREAD_LOCAL); } }
Then you can use your new Stream like this
new MyStream(stream).<..,MyStream>.flatMap(...) // existing build-in transformation .*myFilterAndMap(...)* // your transformation for your org .print()
Roadmap for next phase
In next phase, we will focus on windowed transformations with following features
- Watermark - Ingestion time watermark / watermark from tuple
- Early Triggers - How frequent to emit real-time partial result
- Late Triggers - When to emit updated result with tuple comes after watermark
- Customizable trigger action - What to do when trigger is fired
- Spool window state - Large In-Memory state could be spooled to disk
- 3 different accumulation models: ignore, accumulation, accumulation + delta
- Window support: Non-Mergeable window(fix window, sliding window), Mergeable window(session window)
- 3 tuple time support: event time, system time, ingestion time


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Welcome to the world of contemporary technology. We at 3nStar is the leading provider of modern technology gadgets like smartphones, tablets, speakers, power banks, cases and many more. Our aim is to promote hottest technology through diversified products to the customers with affordable prices. The object of 3nStar is to connect people and deliver ultimate satisfaction to the end users. For details, please contact one of our executive by telephone or visit our company website http://www.3nstar.com/
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2017 is off to a rough start for rapper Meek Mill! He started off the year by getting dumped by Nicki Minaj. Now there's footage of him slipping on ice and falling hard right into the snow at his mom's house! Ouch!!!!
Meek Mill took it in stride, and posted the video on his Instagram with the caption, "They spoke a L into existence…Leaving out my mom house was tragic for me! Icey ass steps!!! U fall get right back upppp!"
LOL- At least he has a good sense of humor about it!


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"Bladder Cancer"
About: Royal Stoke University Hospital / Urology Royal Stoke University Hospital Urology ST4 7LN Stafford Hospital Stafford Hospital Stafford ST16 3SA Stafford Hospital / Urology Stafford Hospital Urology Stafford ST16 3SA
Posted by Shinab (as ),
On diagnosis at Stafford Hopital at the end of last year the care I have received has been first class. My first surgical treatment was in December last with follow up investigations and treatment in three times this year with further Outpatient consultation at the end of last month.
At the same time because of my heart condition cardiac investigations have taken place. I have been kept well informed at all times by the Urologist and his staff, they have always been available by phone.
As of yesterday my situation have been referred to University Hospital North Staffs for further surgery with an Outpatient appointment in early September.
Response from Head of Patient Experience, Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust 5 years ago
Dear "Shinab"
Thank you so much for taking the time to provide this valuable feedback. We are delighted that you have been happy with your experience of our hospital during what must be a very difficult and worrying time. I wish you all the best with your future treatment and a speedy recovery.
Kind Regards
Angela Grocott
Head of Patient Experience
- {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
- Was this response helpful? Yes
Thank you for your feedback.
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Welcome .
Yes. TL;DR
tip: Keep it short and sweet.
hey everyone
so there i was, sniffing around the internet trying to find some romhacks and help on spriting, and then i stumbled across this forum right here(in fact i found a topic that related to neither of those subjects, it was about roms in general), so i went to look around a bit and i thought "this place looks awesome" so i registered and here i am :P
*yay for useless stories*
anyways, yes, it looks like this is a really active community, by the looks of it, there are several thousand people online at this very moment, which probably makes this one of the most active forums i've ever registered on,
so, my nickname is sirius)(black, which it has been for nearly 10 years(as a wild guess), yes, it is from sirius black from the HP books, but the brackets are from someone's nickname who was a friend of mine around the time i made the nickname, which was jack)(ass,
anyways, apart from that i'm an it student, 19 years old, kind of ranty in this post, bad at audio/graphics design, yet still an indie game designer(even though i've never actually finished a one-man game project (because of the game/audio design stuff), HOWEVER, i have a (more or less) finished serious game which i made with a small group of people as a school assignment, 2 games in-the-making (1 is in beta stages but it has ripped sprites, and 1 in pre-alpha which has a lot of non-sprite based graphics), a demoscene demo in the making for which a friend of mine should be making a song to sync to and a mostly abandoned 3d game engine(i got stuck at implementing a physics engine and was working on that with a partner that until that point had not only not written a single line of code, but has also refused to draw a simple background for the console i'd made for debugging
and now i will stop ranting because i think this explains who i am more than enough
i guess i'll be getting a lot of TL;DR's for this, but oh well,
Welcome to MPGH.
Welcome to mpgh have fun.
btw tl;dr
"Religions are, by definition, metaphors, after all: God is a dream, a hope, a woman, an ironist, a father, a city, a house of many rooms, a watchmaker who left his prize chronometer in the desert, someone who loves youeven, perhaps, against all evidence, a celestial being whose only interest is to make sure your football team, army, business, or marriage thrives, prospers, and triumphs over all opposition. Religions are places to stand and look and act, vantage points from which to view the world. So none of this is happening. Such things could not occur. Never a word of it is literally true.
Welcome to MPGH, hope you enjoy in your stay.
Former Middleman
07-07-2011 - 09-13-2011
Skype: mpgh.flash
MSN: email@example.com
I don't care if you're black, white, straight, bisexual, gay, lesbian, short, tall, fat, skinny, rich or poor. If you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you. Simple as that.
- Eminem
Welcome to MPGH. Hope you enjoy your stay.
Crossfire Minion: 28 October 2010Official Middleman: 20 September 2012Trusted Member: 15 February 2013
Official Middleman: 11 April 2013
Official Middleman: 10 January 2015---------------------------------------------------
Global Moderator: 25 December 2012
Head Administrator: 21 March 2013
thanks for the welcome i'm usually not that ranty, only when starting topics, i guess that's because i want to have something useful to add
Welcome to mpgh
Welcome to MPgh
welcome and enjoy your stay
Welcome to MPGH hope you enjoy your stay
ỳô шнатŝ чр, §üçжа
Most Trusted Buyer/Seller on MPGH is nysm1
Previous names: yoyobasha


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Football' started by ChrisMWilliams, May 12, 2014.
Next upgrade needs to be the pressbox IMO.
Welcome to Cyclone Fanatic, would you like some cat gifs?
ISU has enough press space... however, more suites are needed to keep up with every other school in the league except Kansas.
Great work by ISU and all the teams involved. The plans/renderings are simply fantastic. No way I expected it to look this good and include so many things. Can't wait for this to become reality.
I think once they get official approval from the regents we'll see more renderings and the floorplans. I'm sure there will be a page on cyclones.com that has the project info, updates, progress photos, etc much like when the did the additional to the practice facility. In the big picture scheme of a $60 million project another 30 grand for some more renderings isn't all that much (especially when they could be used to build excitement like has been mentioned).
Looking at it from a construction viewpoint, I'm very curious to see what Weitz can get done during the football season. They've got a fair bit of earthwork to do in order to bring the ramp up to grade and all the foundation work for the new decks would take away from hill side seating (although I can see them simply closing down one hill side during the season).
Also, I wonder what they are going to put in the secret bunker entrance they have under the southwest corner? Is that where we are going to put all of Hoiberg's clones in suspended animation so we can keep him even if he decides to jump for the NBA at some point?
I thought I have heard more then one media member complain about ISU's press space at JTS?
Looking forward to see this completed.
It needs a massive renovation at minimum. I think most fans don't see the need for a press box renovation because 90%+ of them will never go up there. It is about more than press space. The suites although nice most of our man caves can top and it is not even close. Press space (2nd floor) is somewhat outdated and just needs a face lift. The third floor which houses TV, radio, coaches boxes, game day ops and visiting AD is absolute crap. Our press box is the definition of upgrading as you are able. It fits the need but it is very easy to see the short comings. As we upgrade and build the rest of our facilities to a higher standard the tower will become more of an eye sore compared to the rest of the facilities.
Great looking drawings of the SEZ....I can't wait!!!!
You had me at cup holders
I'm honestly surprised it took this long. I thought it would begin by page 4. I was actually hoping to be the first to start making awful jokes about how great it will be to watch a 3 win team from the new club seats.
But yes, this is legitimately exciting.
Why would they give people that are sitting in the end zone first chance at the club section? Not hating but just seems odd to me.
some people just have to pick scabs
Why not? They are being displaced. Give them a shot first. How many of those $175 season ticket holders do you expect to take the jump to paying $750 each PLUS the required donation to sit in those seats?
Pretty safe to say that there will be plenty of End Zone Club seats after they purchase theirs if they wish.
Can anyone explain what is going on here?
Architects gon Architect.
I'm thrilled that the response has been so positive. That's really all that matters...but the outside is glass...glass. Nebraska, KSU, OSU, pretty much everyone builds awesome stone entrances and we get a second coming of the Jacobson building. Ahh, I'm just disappointed. I thought the 2008 renderings were amazing, can't say I'm in love with what was released today. That said I'm sure I'll love everything when I walk in fall of 15'.
Zooming in... it looks like the stairs come up to those open areas... they most likely represent the tunnell/access from below to get the seats in those sections.
Basically, it is the opening of the stairs to go down into the concourse. In real like there is stuff behind there like concession stands but they probably skipped rendering that stuff so it acts as "open" so it will just show the sky behind it. In a better rendering or in real life it would barely be noticeable because of shadows. There is barely any shadowing in this rendering.
Heres to hoping that they dont waste 1/2 the new video screen with Istate logos on both sides. I know its on the renderings, but you might as well have a smaller screen, or at least advertisers.


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Silt patch produces four fish haul for Duncan Arrandale
This 33lb 3oz common was the highlight of a four fish catch for Duncan Arrandale during a 36 hour session on the Carp Society's Farriers Lake.
The 37-year-old Wychwood and Mistral Baits consultant targeted a silty clearing among the weed at 65yds range and baited the feature with 4kg of Mistral Baits i40 Red boilies over the duration of his trip.
He also landed carp of 32lb, 27lb 3oz and 25lb 12oz using pop-up hookbaits on stiff-hinged rigs tied with Korda Mouth Trap and PB Products Jellywire hooklinks and size 5 ESP Stiff Rigger hooks.


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Question: The right timing is an important thing in most contact sports … including layoffs. And suspicious timing is always a red flag to employees and to the courts, as new lawsuit against Boeing shows.
If your organization suddenly changes its employee-scoring rules (to the employee's detriment) prior to a layoff, it will undoubtedly raise eyebrows that something fishy is going on. The courts call it "pretext" for discrimination … your employees will call it something worse.
Case in Point: Eileen McKee, 52, was a Boeing employee for more than 30 years when the company initiated a RIF. About that same time, the company started to use a new employee rating system to compare employees in comparable positions. The new system placed McKee toe-to-toe against a 36-year-old female employee. McKee received a losing score of 17 to the other woman's rating of 39. As a result, Boeing cut McKee loose as part of the RIF.
McKee shot off a state age-bias claim and lost. Undeterred, she filed a federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) lawsuit and the court last month sent the case on to trial.
The big reason: the court was especially skeptical of the rapid decline in McKee's performance rating. Only months before she lost the ratings game in the RIF, McKee had scored a "glowing" performance report. In fact, the category in which McKee scored the highest on her earlier evaluation was removed, which resulted in her receiving a lower score before the RIF. (Cotter v. Boeing Co., E.D. Pa. No. 05-5053, 6/26/07).
What does this new ruling mean to you?
Be aware that it doesn't take much to get an ADEA case to trial. McKee only needs to show these four elements to get her case before a jury: 1) She's over 40 years old; 2) She was fired; 3) She was qualified for the job she lost; 4) A "significantly younger" employee was retained.
Here are two key lessons to be learned from this case:
1. Don't change your evaluation processes during a layoff. It'll look suspiciously like a strategic plan to get rid of some people. Maybe because of their age? Gender? Race? Don't worry … employees will show the court and jury the connection.
In this case, the court commented that, "This change in criteria, in the absence of a reasonable explanation, may raise an adverse inference that the change was initiated to adversely handicap McKee's final score."2. Train managers and supervisors on performance management. Giving an employee years of glowing evaluations and then suddenly—before or at the time of layoffs—handing down a poor score is certainly suspicious. Performance management is based on the employee's performance and not the company's strategic plan to reduce the workforce.
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One 'om' at a time, veterans beating PTSDAugust 14, 2015 Updated: August 15, 2015 4:13pm
Photo: Gary Porter /For The Express-News
Sometimes, when Pedro Meza is confronted by memories he can't understand, the monster comes out.
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Refers to owning, organizing, and managing your own business by providing a necessary product or service
Contestants must provide a laptop.
NOTE: The deadline for submission of national registration documents is the first Friday in May. No materials or copies will b e accepted at the National Competition.
Contestants Will Be Judged By The Following Criteria:
The creative practice of cooking. One who engages in the culinary arts, or a culinarian, is either called a cook or a chef depending on their level of expertise.
Each participant must be a high school junior or senior and is required to have previous or current formal culinary education, training or experience.
Each participant must dress in full professional chef whites, including toque and apron throughout the competition.
1(one) written Menu Plan is required per student. The Menu Plan will consist of the student's plan for executing their competition menu. Six (6) copies of a typed 8-½-inch by 11-inch double-spaced Menu Plan are required. The Menu Plan should be a maximum of 2 pages and include the guidelines identified in the Menu Plan template. The student's name and page number should appear at the top of each page. The six (6) copies must be submitted on or before the specified deadline.
Prior to the start of competition, the student is required to make an Oral Presentation, not to exceed five (5) minutes, explaining his/her Menu Plan. Contestants should be familiar with business terminology in general and about terminology related to their selected menu. Contestants are required to have personally conducted the Menu Plan analysis and have been involved with the production of any prototype product or service trials.
Each participant will present a Culinary Skill Demonstration following all HACCP guidelines and will have 2 hours and 30 minutes preparation and clean up time to complete the following:
No advance food preparation or cooking is allowed – this includes pre-measured items.
NOTE: The deadline for submission of National Registration documents is the first Friday in May. No materials or copies will be accepted at the National Competition.
Contestants Will Be Judged By The Following Criteria:
Written Menu Plan (15 points)
Oral Presentation (25 points)
Culinary Skill Demonstration (60 points)
ACT-SO Expanding The Minds Of Our Youth


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Prices, promotions, styles, and availability may vary. Our local stores do not honor online pricing. Prices and availability of products and services are subject to change without notice. Errors will be corrected where discovered, and Lowe's reserves the right to revoke any stated offer and to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions including after an order has been submitted.
Turn inexpensive boards into a classic Americana decoration for the holidays.
Items may be Special Order in some stores. Product costs, availability, and item numbers may vary online or by market. Paint colors may vary slightly from those shown. Availability varies by market for lumber species and sizes.
Missing anything? Shop Online
Cut the top/bottom rails (A) to length from a 1 x 2 and cut 1/2-inch-thick pine boards to the same length for the slats (B). (Project Diagram, Cutting List and Cutting Diagram). Lightly sand the parts with 150-grit sandpaper.
Glue and nail the top rail to the edge of a slat with the ends even and the back edge of the rail even with the back face of the slats (Project Diagram, Drawing 1). Repeat for the bottom rail and another slat.
Place the slats against each other edge-to-edge with the ends flush to form the panel. The rails should be at the top and bottom. (The faces don't need to be flush -- variations add to the rustic look.
Cut the sides (C) 36 inches long and place against the ends of the slats with one end flush with the outside face of the top rail. Mark where it meets the outside face of the bottom rail and cut it to length. Screw or nail the sides to the slats and rails.
Flip the panel so the back faces up and add mending plates spanning the joints between the boards (Project Diagram, Drawing 1). The mending plates should be centered on the length of the slats, these plates assist in keeping the panel flat. To avoid breaking through the front of the slats with long screws that come with the plates, use 1/2-inch long screws instead
Flip the panel face up and mark out the five points of the star (Project Diagram, Drawing 2. Then draw light pencil lines across the panel to create the star outline. The points are intentionally asymmetrical for a more handmade look. Drill a 1/8-inch hole 3/8 inch deep at each point and each intersection.
Wrap a piece of tape around the drill bit as far from the end of the bit as hole depth you want -- 3/8-inch-deep holes in this case. This keeps the holes consistent and prevents you from drilling through the boards.
Twist the screw eyes into the pilot holes (Project Diagram, Drawing 3). Then place a corner brace on the outside corners of the sides and rails. Use a self-centering bit to drill pilot holes through the corner braces into the wood. Drive the screws that come with the braces.
Remove the corner braces and the screw eyes from the project and lightly sand the completed panel to remove any sharp edges.
To add a weathered patina to the wood, soak two pieces of steel wool in 1–2 cups of white vinegar in a clean glass jar. Let sit overnight, remove the remaining steel wool, and pour the mixture through a coffee filter to remove any loose debris. Using a sponge brush, apply a liberal coat of the solution on all visible areas of the wood and let dry. In a couple of hours, the wood will develop a naturally aged look. If the dried solution leaves a powdery residue, wipe it off with a dry cloth.
Every piece of wood will react differently to the solution, even boards from the same species. You may end up with dark gray pieces, but random shades look more authentic.
Soak the corner braces, screws, and the screw eyes overnight in 2 cups of toilet bowl cleaner in a non-reactive container. After soaking, rinse the hardware with soap and water, and lay the pieces on a damp disposable cloth to dry. The hardware will continue to rust during the next 24 hours. Then reinstall the hardware.
Inside the star-shaped area formed by the screw eyes, lightly sand the weathered surface with 150-grit sandpaper to lighten the oxidized finish. If you do this using an orbital sander, set it to a lower speed to avoid sanding down to the raw wood.
Gently fold the burlap ribbon in half without creasing the material to produce a tube-like form. Start at the top and weave the ribbon through the screw eyes (Project Diagram, Drawing 3). Leave a few inches of ribbon at the first screw eye as you pull the ribbon taut. Tie both ends of the burlap to the screw eye where you began to complete the star.
Next, wrap a smaller red ribbon around the burlap ribbon in a spiral with evenly spaced passes. Then tie it off like you did with the burlap.


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Tag Archives: Kevin Huizenga
Getting Material: A Short Interview with Ben Katchor
Comics, unions, and process with the author of Cheap Novelties. Continue reading
THIS WEEK IN COMICS! (2/17/16 – The Real Date Today)
"Oh thank god I got this done on time, my readers almost missed out on Franken Fran!" Continue reading
The Kevin Huizenga Interview
Baseball, Buddhism, comics, and philosophy with the author of Ganges. Continue reading
Comics Survey: Word / Art, Part I
In Part I of this two-part survey, Ken Parille reviews twelve comic books and graphic novels, paying attention to the words they use. Continue reading
2011: A Year in Comic Ambition.
The first GRID of the new year looks at a handful of comics and graphic novels from 2011. Continue reading
St. Louis Shuffle
On the road. Continue reading
Life gets in the way sometimes, so it's story time. Continue reading


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Mnt Goat Friday Morning Update - "Corruption Reforms VS Currency Reform" - Part 1 of 2
(Thank you George for emailing this to Dinar Recaps.)
UU6733 – "Corruption Reforms VS Currency Reform" by Mnt Goat
Hello Everyone,
WOW ! Just soooo much news from Iraq again. I can hardly keep up with it.
We are now seeing these reform laws we have waited for so long. These past couple weeks have been amazing and, as I told you, the next couple weeks could be even more amazing, if that could be possible.
Tic Toc Dr Abadi, Mid September is almost here.
So today I sit high on the perch of a large stone boulder, me feet dangling with my computer on my lap. I write this heartfelt news as I truly see the light at the end of the tunnel in the RV saga. I have written hundreds of these news letters in te past and I know now my days are numbered and I will not be with you much longer as I know the purpose of my news letters will end shortly.
I say this today since, for the first time, I see the progress I have been told SHOULD and MUST happen to get us to the completion of the currency reforms we all wait for and desire. We know this will get us all to the bank. I have been trying to explain this plan to all you dinarians over the last many months and now you see truly what mnt goat has been telling you.
However there is a stronger, a more spiritual side to the ending of this RV saga. Since this light at the end of the tunnel is the end of the corruption, the end of Maliki and the Iranian influence in Iraq. It is the end of many of the leaches, who were bent of bringing the country of Iraq down while they filled their pockets with loot, causing death and despair to countless of civilian citizens in the process. Yes – we can now see an end to these days and a new light for the people of Iraq.
This is really my message today. A message of HOPE and great JOY.
So I need to begin today's news letter with a couple paragraphs from Osama al Sharif's article
Published — Wednesday 26 August 2015, in the Arab News.
I did not include the entire article since today's news letter is already is very, very long and it is enough to read. Like so many of my long news letters, please print it out, pour yourself a cup of hot coffee and relax in you favorite arm chair. You are going to be here for a while.
No – I am not going to give you a quick date and a rate since you caneasily get this from these other so called intel "gurus" you trust and admire so much.. So go to them and ask for their date and rate and "exchange procedures". Go to their Q & A and ask them about Vegas. This news is not for you since we seek truth here and real intel.
However for today I tried to slice out the important parts of this article and I hope you can now understand more clearly just what is going on in Iraq. This is my purpose. As you will see it has been a power struggle and now has many faces. It started just prior the 2014 elections but it has been stirring for the last 4 years of the Maliki administration. One side is political, another face is economic and yet another is security.
There are the good Sheites (Abadi patriots) and the other side is the Maliki Sheites (Iranian backed). Yes –Maliki still holds much power and this is why he is still around. There are also the Kurds and the Sunnis who seem to be joining Abadi by the thousands more and more each and every day as these reforms take shape. Everything is changing and the speed is now on warp drive.
But kindly read what I have included below since it explains it all in more detail. Thanks.
Piece of Article below:
Al-Abadi was almost certainly Al-Maliki's choice it the 2014 elections. Both belong to the pro-Iran Al-Dawa party, which is headed by Al-Maliki. The latter had hoped to continue to run things after he was appointed vice president. Even after his ouster he still controls 93 seats in the parliament.
But Al-Abadi soon realized that Iraq was on the brink of collapse as a result of sectarian divisions, rampant corruption, failing public services, poor relations between Irbil and Baghdad, ill-trained army and the looming threat by Daesh. For him to rally the Iraqi people behind him he had to demolish Al-Maliki's legacy of corruption and sectarianism. The public protests provided him with an opportunity.
But Al-Abadi must brace himself for a backlash, especially from influential behind-the-scene players. The question is can he carry out his reforms agenda to the end? The fact that religious Shiite parties are divided may help him in the short run. He has the backing of Al Sistani and the charismatic cleric, Muqtada Al Sadr, among others. But the biggest challenge will be to restructure the judiciary if his pledge to hunt down and prosecute corrupt officials is to be taken seriously.
Al-Maliki is already fighting back. He has important influence over the Shiite militias, the Popular Mobilization, who are supporting the army's campaign to liberate Al-Ramadi and Fallujah in Al-Anbar province from Daesh militants. The militias have been accused of committing atrocities against the Sunnis and are being led by Iranian advisers.
For Al-Abadi to succeed he must first win the confrontation between pro-Iran factions, under Al-Maliki, and the nationalist flank that is supported by the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council and the Sadri movement and backed by Shiite clerical authorities in Najaf. The outcome of this showdown could determine the future and integrity of Iraq.
Article Ends
Today's News
Today is Friday August 28th and still we have no news of an RV, nor will there be a window for one at least until mid September when they hold the PTB hold the next review of Dr Abadi's progress, as was planned for in the last Paris Conference in June. I am not saying an RV in mid September so please do not put words in my mouth.
But I will say there is just so much progress being made in Iraq I hardly know where to start telling you about it today. This is very apparent by all the news articles I bring to you today. Don't want to read the articles? Then how will you know what is truly going on in Iraq. Oh- you have a secret government contact. Really? He is bringing you all the news you need and its going to RV this weekend. Really? So tell the news then and why you feel it going to RV this weekend.
Many of you might think some of this news is gloomy but then again is the glass half full or half empty?
I tend to look at it this way – We had to bear the Maliki gloom and doom, the stalling and procrastination over the last eight years of the Maliki administration. There were days when only a third of the members of parliament showed up for a session. Now at least someone (the new prime minister Abadi ) is shaking things up and the status quo has definitely been changed. The pendulum is swinging in the other direction now and Iraq now has much more momentum in the right direction.
How long will it take to get to the end of these reforms? At least long enough for them to complete the currency reforms we are waiting for. Who knows for sure but we do know this week they have told us they would like to put the dinar on a currency float and at least are considering it seriously with all the pros and cons of the subject matter. WOW !
They are also telling us that money laundering and corruption in regards to the currency float is the major obstacle. WOW !
They have passed the Parties Law this week (amazing! ) and they are pushing aggressively towards the Judicial Reforms next week, the National Guard Law (maybe tomorrow). We know by passing the Parties law anyone alleged of criminal activity (or under investigation) can no longer hold office or receive immunity. This is HUGE for insuring the downturn of Maliki.
I personally feel once we get these other laws passed we will see the Federation Council announced and the official announcement of Dr Allawi as the president of it. You see there will then be 4 presidents residing in Iraq. We are seeing right before our eyes this new government take shape.
We heard about this money laundering years ago too and so on the surface this is nothing new to us. Supposedly Dr Shabibi maintained a steady dinar value and found ways to stabilize the currency, fighting the laundering was part of the process. But it was always an ongoing battle. When he sucked in the 3 zero notes he seemed to be able to control it but this problem keeps resurfacing. Why?
But this time it is different. A new spin is being taken to the anti-corruption process of money laundering. There is now support from the government (GOI) this time. How is this any different from the past?
Well in the past the CBI could not get any support from the Maliki administration to combat money laundering.Why? BECAUSE IT WAS HIS PEOPLE DOING THE MONEY LAUNDERING! He stood to make billions.
This week the CBI is also telling us there is plans for a near future bond drive, that will be issued to raise capital for the economic crisis and try to balance the budget. Iraq needs funds in local currency and not in hard currency, so the central bank is preparing to launch bonds in local currency for sale in order to strengthen the local currency.
These are NOT international bonds but are to be sold within country only meaning "nationally" sold bonds. So don't get carried away and put on your RV glasses as of yet.
How will the Iraq citizens pay for these bonds? They will pay for them using the large 3 zero notes, thus the CBI will suck in yet more of the provisional currency. The CBI told us they have a surplus of foreign currency (US dollars) so they will pay out the premiums on the bonds in US dollars. What other foreign currency does the CBI have in surplus? What other foreign currency do they dare introduce to the Iraqi citizens?
US Dollars of course is the only logical choice since they country is all but re-dollarized once again anyhow.
This is good since then eventually, when the lower denominations come out, they can exchange the US dollars (now almost 80-90% of Iraq currency) for the lower denominations, thus flooding Iraq with hard Iraqi lowe denom dinars with higher revalued currency (when the timing is ready).
Since money laundering is ramped for the old 3 zero note dinars, the CBI is telling us this will get yet even more of these large 3 zero notes off the streets, out of corrupt hands and back to the CBI. A win win for the country of Iraq in the process of currency reform. Thus will also help eliminate or lessen the money laundering of the dinar. They have done this tactic in the past too and it always seems to work.
But they also need now to clean up the cause of the corruption or it will only begin again once the new lower denoms are out on the streets and is traded INTERNATIONALLY. This would be a HUGE problem. So do you see how this combating money laundering is yet another one of Abadi's reforms but not just a tactic for the CBI but also now a GOI reform since this time they want to clean up also the ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. No temporary fixes.
This time they also expect the CBI's plan to clean up the money laundering it to work but there is a difference spin in it. The difference now comes since they know the ROOT CAUSE, the three ring leaders (referred to as the "three whales" or "kings of the market") of the money laundering. Oh no! They are actually political figures? Does this surprise you?
Abadi is going after these three political figures on money laundering charges. Will Iran like this? Will this also shake up Iran? Maybe this will lessen the continuance of these corrupt practices when they are prosecuted and used as an example. This money laundering HAS TO STOP. Iranian influence HAS TO STOP.
So why is money laundering so important all of a sudden?
Do they want billions of dinar going into the wrong hands when the value increases? Is the RV then dependent on this part of currency reform? Do you get my point?
Are the reforms then important? Are you kidding me? YES, YES and YES again…..I rest my case….
So can we all now agree to stop this frugal argument between intel providers in our community once and for all and at least come to mutual agreement on this subject matter?
So here are the many articles today on all of these topics I have just talked about above in my summary for you. I included them for all those bozo the clown intel gurus who seem to call me crazy and a liar. Read them for yourselves since they are not my words but the words coming from Iraq itself. No RV hype, just the facts. Plain and simple !
Article Follows:
How a Currency Crisis in Iraq Risks Fight Against Islamic State (Bloomberg)
Falling oil price is reducing revenue used to fund military.
Dollar reserves have tumbled 20 percent as dinar weakens.
Any currency crisis usually comes with dire consequences for a country, and the threat of one in Iraq shows how the impact can go beyond the economy and markets.
A foreign-exchange crunch because of a drop in oil prices could force a devaluation of the dinar and risk making the fight against Islamic State militants even tougher. The nation, currently OPEC's biggest producer after Saudi Arabia, is dependent on oil revenue to fund its operations on the battlefield and quell growing unrest over the economy.
Iraq's Looming Dollar Shortage
Dollar reserves tumbled about 20 percent to $59 billion as of July 23 since the fighting escalated a year before, and the losses are accelerating. In the first 25 days of August, the central bank sold $4.6 billion of currency to keep the dinar at a pegged rate, a daily outflow of about $184 million, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
"Iraq's perfect storm means the country will continue to lose reserves until the government of Iraq decides to devalue the dinar," said Frank Gunter, author of "The Political Economy of Iraq." The currency could weaken as much as 20 percent over the next year, he said
Global Wave
It raises the prospect of Iraq joining other developing nations in a new wave of devaluations as emerging markets take a hammering this month, led by China. The Iraqi dinar is one of those most at risk in the Middle East from that happening, though the current exchange-rate regime is likely to remain, according to research published on Tuesday by Emirates NBD, the biggest bank in Dubai.
Saudi Arabia's central bank this week said it's committed to the riyal's dollar peg, the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television reported, amid speculation the country would devalue its currency after the plunge in oil prices.
In Iraq, market forces are complicating Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's efforts to win back territory from Islamic State. Military success has been piecemeal as the government has struggled to enlist support from mainly Sunni communities in parts of the country ravaged by attacks.
The U.S. and its allies have sent arms to the Kurds in northern Iraq and PresidentBarack Obama's administration plans to spend another $700 million in 2016 on support for the military. The government in Baghdad, though, pays for the bulk of the operations from its budget since the Americans pulled out their troops in 2011.
Selling Dollars
A collapse in the value of the dinar would raise the cost of living for Iraqis already protesting against government corruption, power cuts and water shortages.
"The policy now is to meet the demand for dollars," Waleed Eedi, a director general at the Central Bank of Iraq, said by telephone on Monday. The reserves won't be depleted because of oil sales and the dinar won't devalue, he said.
The Iraqi central bank's fixes the dinar's exchange rate at 1,166 per dollar and there's pressure on the peg. As a result, Iraq's foreign-currency reserves may drop to about $45 billion by the end of 2016, according to Exotix Partners LLP, a London-based investment firm specializing in frontier markets.
"The authorities will try to hold on to the peg as long as possible, but may be forced to devalue if pressures continue," said Jakob Christensen, a director at Exotix.
Few Choices
The central bank has so far resisted government pressure to print money to meet an estimated $30 billion budget deficit. It announced plans for a $6 billion bond program last week, which follows about $1.2 billion from the International Monetary Fund, though neither is big enough to plug the shortfall.
Iraq's Oil Economy
That leaves the Finance Ministry with few easy choices. The government is seeking to cut spending and tackle corruption. Other options include borrowing domestically from public banks or even forcing the central bank to buy dollar-denominated bonds from the Finance Ministry, said Gunter.
"Iraq will be able to finance its 2015 deficit, but if the battle against Islamic State and low oil prices continues, Iraq will then hit a wall," he said.
Article Ends
Link to PART 2
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