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'Raag Shayari' to mark Kaifi Azmi's centenary celebrations
Mumbai : Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan, lyricist Javed Akhtar, actor Shabana Azmi and filmmaker Feroz Abbas Khan have come together for a special premier show called 'Raag Shayari' to mark the beginning of centenary celebrations for renowned poet and activist Kaifi Azmi.
Kaifi Azmi's birth centenary falls on January 14, 2019.
'Raag Shayari' will be a special evening of music. It will be a show directed by Khan, with production design by Anuradha Parikh, and will have three shows -- two in Mumbai and one in Kolkata.
"It's a tribute to the greatness of Kaifi Azmi interpreted in different ways yet with a single thought running through the entire performance. With music, verse and song we are attempting to share the universality and timeless quality of Kaifi Saheb's poetry," Khan said in a statement.
Shabana said: "It will be an evening of archival value because Shankar Mahadevan will sing a selection of Kaifi Azmi's poems. Javed Akhtar will recite them in Urdu and I will recite the English translations with Ustad Zakir Hussain interpreting the same on the tabla.
The idea to get a cross-section of people to join the celebration was to show how Kaifi Azmi's work "transcends boundaries of language and medium", said Javed.
Hussain said Kaifi Azmi was a "unique human being", and Mahadevan said "he was a multifaceted, true legend in the true sense."
Kaifi Azmi, one of the finest Urdu poets of the subcontinent, was born in Mijwan, Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. As a poet, he grew with influential poems including "Aurat" and "Makaan". Having written some of his most celebrated songs for films "Kaagaz Ke Phool", "Shola aur Shabnam", "Hanste Zakhm", "Haqeeqat" and "Arth", he is also famously known for writing some of the best screenplays and dialogues for films "Heer" and M.S. Sathyu's masterpiece, "Garm Hawa".
Throughout the year, Kaifi Azmi will be celebrated in the country and abroad with mushairas, plays, seminars, a pen festival and three book releases.


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Location: northwest Bosnia and Herzegovina
Spring: Gornja Sanica
Characteristics: mountain river, 10 m wide, 1-2 m deep
The River Unac is a perfect specimen of a mountain river, in that it has a great water capacity and flow rate. It merges into river Una near Martin Brod. Upstream of the mouth of river Unac is the best fly fishing location under the special fishing regime.
At this part Unac is 30m wide and 0.5-4m deep. Unac is extremely rich in large rainbow and brown trout. Many of the fish caught weigh between 2 and 6 kg, although some fish caught in whirlpools can often weigh up to 10 kg. Besides trout in Unac graylings can be caught. Trout can be caught using dry flies, nymphs and streamers. Fishermen should note that the fish are active all day on a dry fly and that Unac is famous for the extraordinary number of fish caught in the early evening.

subset: commoncrawl


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PI Country:Japan
PIs:T. Yamanaka
Ocean:N. Pacific
Region:Okinawa Trough
Start Date:2 April
End Date:12 April
Geoscientific and biological investigation using submersible for unexplored hydrothermal fields in the Central~Southern Okinawa Trough. The major objective of this dive is finding hydrothermal venting site of the Tarama knoll, then we plan to sample hot fluids, organisms, hydrothermal precipitations and rocks.
Ship:RV Natsushima/3K
Equipment:ROV Hyper Dolphin


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If You've Never Had Sex, Don't Freak Out, Sexperts Say There's Nothing To Worry About
I recently learned that one of my adult friends had not yet had sex. My first reaction was surprise, because I remember how much pressure there was to lose your virginity in my teens — and then I was honestly impressed. Not because I thought it was some sort of moralistic victory for her to have never had sex, but because she had confidently made that choice based on what was best for her despite all the (crushing) social pressure to make a different one. But mostly, it was really no big deal; the subject changed and we went about our day.
However, that was my experience with that conversation, but it may very well have been hard for her to share that with me. It could be something she choose to keep private before, for whatever reason. While I can't say for sure exactly what was in her heart and mind at that moment, I do know one thing: If it was something she was worried about, she didn't have to be, because there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of if you haven't had sex yet. And that's not just me saying so — I reached out to experts for their take on why not having sex is nothing to be worried about. Here's what they had to say.
It's nothing to be ashamed of.
Whether you decided to have sex in your teens, or wait until you're well into adulthood, or never have sex, period — that should be a choice that you feel totally empowered to make without judgment. Which is why when I asked licensed marriage and family therapist Nicole Richardson if not having sex yet was something to worry about, her response was clear. "Not at all," she tells Elite Daily. "No one should be ashamed of respecting themselves and putting what they need ahead of keeping up with what other people are doing or FOMO. No one can love you if you don't love you first!" says Richardson.
Dr. LeslieBeth Wish, licensed clinical psychotherapist and founder of Love Victory, agrees. "Is there something wrong with you if you are over 21 and haven't had sex yet? The quick answer is: No. The longer answer is: Still no," Dr. Wish tells Elite Daily.
Your virginity does not define you.
People are complex, and while our sexuality is an important part of who we are, it's important to remember that it is only one part. "You are many things, you probably have many different skills, accomplishments, interests, and contributions to society, family, and friends. None of these pluses has anything to do with whether you've had sex or not," says Dr. Wish.
The same thing goes for when and if you do decide to have sex. "One thing should not define a person," says Richardson. "Virginity should not define you just as your job should not define you. You are the sum of your parts. If you feel good about you, you don't have to give anyone the power to make you feel badly about your choices."
Do what feels right for you.
Some people chose to wait to have sex, and others don't. Neither of these choices are "better" than the other. What actually matters is making the right choice for you — and whatever you choose is not something to be ashamed of. "Respecting your body will never go out of style," says Richardson. If you've decided that that, for you, means waiting to have sex, or not having it at all, then Richardson says that's great. "Be proud of the fact that you don't cave into peer pressure and you have a mind of your own, that is beautiful and sexy."
Ultimately, Dr. Wish says it best in the most simple terms. "Regardless of the reason for your virginity, there is nothing to be ashamed of," she assures, and warns not to let outside influences like peer pressure or modern culture make you feel any differently. It's your body, so it's your choice. Period. That isn't just something to not be worried about, it's something to be proud of.


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Are you tired of being run down and tired all the time?
Lack of energy?
Can't do the things you used to do?
Feel like there's just very little 'you time'?
Are you tired of being in pain?
Or maybe you just need that little 'nudge' to get you moving again?
We get it.
We have something for everyone here at SMASH's Strength Lab.
So here's how to get started at SMASH's Strength Lab.
Shoot us a quick email below with your contact information and what you're looking for in as far as your training and we'll get back to you to set up an assessment time!
Everyone gets a one-on-one private assessment so we can chat about goals, health history, overall training experience. We'll do a Functional Movement Screen to target any problematic areas and then set up an ideal training program that's perfect for you!
Fill out this email below and we'll get back to you ASAP!
Jesse "Captain Smash" Howland is the owner of SMASH's Strength Lab, which offers targeted personal training to reach a variety of fitness and physique goals. A natural bodybuilder, competitive powerlifter, certified personal trainer, and nutrition coach, Jesse is often the go-to resource for personal training Ottawa. He studied Exercise Science at Oregon State University and even trained at the world famous Gold's Gym. He's a former US Army Captain with the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, a former blog writer at Veterans Fitness Career College, and former Chief Executive Officer at U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM). His workouts and personal training are army-inspired to help reach your weightloss, athletic, or physique goals.


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I can't believe another week has gone by already! Despite being particularly busy, I took a lot of photos this week. Let's go!Read more
OK SO THIS WEEK: I did some things and ate some food and you know, the usual. Prepare yourself for an exceptionally basic recap of the past week.Read more
This past week started off in the swamp before incrementally getting better with each passing day.Read more
In this week's recap you'll see some shots from Loch Raven, a lot of food and my poor photography skills. Excited??Read more


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Guinness Winter String Beanie$19.95
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This Pongal/Sankranti is going to be a real treat for cinema lovers in the South as at least four biggies are set to release in the coming weekend.
Ajith's "Veeram" (Tamil), Vijay's "Jilla" (Tamil), Mahesh Babu's "1 Nenokkadine" (Telugu) and Ram Charan's "Yevadu" (Telugu) are all gearing up for a massive release during the Pongal/Sankranti festival period.
The highlight of all these films is its lead actors who enjoy a massive fan following worldwide. With the presence of superstars, all four films are assured of a fantastic opening on the first day of its release, though they will be clashing with each other at the box office.
However, critics' reviews and audience feedback play a crucial role in a film becoming a hit. Though all four films will kick-off with a good start, it needs to be seen how many of them will impress the audience and sustain at the box office.
After a long time, Ajith has returned to do a rural film, set in the backdrop of a village. The actor will be appearing in dhoti and will sport his trademark salt and pepper look.
For the first time Ajith has teamed up with director Siva, who gave the commercially successful "Siruthai" in 2011.
The teasers and the trailer of "Veeram" indicate that the film will be an action-packed mass entertainer. "Veeram" revolves around Ajith and his five brothers played by Bala, Vidarth, Suhail and Munish. Tamannaah, Nassar, Pradeep Rawat, Santhanam, Ramesh Khanna and Appukutty also appear in pivotal roles.
The film has received a clean "U" certificate from the censor board.
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
Cinematography: Vetri
Editing: Kasi Viswanathan
Production: Bharathi Reddy, Vijaya Productions
Release Date: 10 January
Vijay's "Jilla" is also set in a rural back drop and has been deemed as an action entertainer.
"Jilla" is creating positive pre-release buzz not just in Tamil Nadu but also in Kerala as Malayalam superstar Mohanlal appears in a pivotal role in the film.
The film, directed by RT Neason, will have Kajal Aggarwal, Poornima Bhagyaraj, Mahat Raghavendra, Sampath, Soori and Niveda Thomas in important roles.
"Jilla" has received a clean "U" certificate from the censor board.
Music: Imman
Cinematography: Ganesh Rajavelu
Editing: Don Max
Production: R. B. Choudary, Super Good Films
Release Date: 10 January
1 Nenokkadine
Mahesh Babu's Telugu film "1 Nenokkadine" is deemed a stylish action thriller.
Looking at the trailer, one can expect a lot of stunt sequences in the film. Directed by Sukumar, "1 Nenokkadine" has newcomer Kriti Sanon as the female lead. The film also has Nassar, Anu Hasan, Anu Hasan, Pradeep Rawat, Kelly Dorji and Posani Krishna Murali in pivotal roles.
"1 Nenokkadine" has high production values and the film is technically sound. It is expected to appeal to urban audiences.
The Mahesh Babu starrer is yet to be censored. According to reports, the film will go for censor formalities only on Monday (6 January).
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
Cinematography: R. Rathnavelu
Editing: Karthika Srinivas
Production: Ram Achanta, Gopichand Achanta and Anil Sunkara, 14 Reels Entertainment and Eros International.
Release Date: 10 January
Ram Charan's "Yevadu" is also confirmed for a Sankranti release. The film was expected to hit the screens last year but it did not materialise due to different issues.
The film will finally see the light of day in the coming week. Directed by Vamshi Paidipally, "Yevadu" is touted to be a action, masala entertainer. The film will appeal to the masses as it has all the commercial elements - action, romance, punch dialogues, heroism and comedy.
Shruti Haasan and Amy Jackson appear as female leads. The film also boasts of an interesting cast including Allu Arjun, Kajal Aggarwal, Brahmanandam, Jayasudha, Kota Srinivasa Rao and Sai Kumar.
"Yevadu" has reportedly got "A" certificate from the censor board, considering that the film has a few violent episodes.
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
Cinematography: Shyam K. Naidu
Production: Dil Raju, Sri Venkateswara Creations
Release Date: 12 January


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I want to draw two lines from the same origin but at specific angles relative to an original line (to form a field of view). How do I do this? In 2D space FWIW.
In the image below, the three lines (purple, 2x orange) would extend from the 'eye' transform at the tip of the triangle. The purple line is directly 'up' or 'forward' with the orange ones at 65 degrees on either side. The lines need to rotate with the parent transform.
The purple line is just a direct line drawn between the tip of the triangle and another child transform, which I achieve at runtime using a simple Debug.DrawLine.
I've seen a few answers on here for similar queries, but they have not been exactly the same problem, and since I don't understand quaternions very well I can't adapt those answers to my problem.
I think Quaternion.AngleAxis is the key, but I can't figure out what to give it to get the results I need.
I've tried the code given here: http://answers.unity3d.com/questions/42300/draw-line-to-a-specific-angle.html, but it doesn't seem to work (I don't understand exactly what the code is doing so I can't adapt it to my needs).
Maybe you can use Quaternion.Euler if you understand angles?
Edit the link, there's an unwanted appended comma there.
Also a note: you can use vectors ins$$anonymous$$d of angles to draw lines.
Answer by daneislazy
Feb 05, 2015 at 02:44 PM
So I wrote a long thing about using the example you gave and Debug.DrawLine to accomplish your task. Then I realized that you probably don't want to use Debug things in final code so that isn't helpful. And then I realized that there are other easier solutions to your issue that I was ignoring because I was trying to explain Quaternion.AngleAxis.
Firstly tldr of what I initially wrote:
-in the Quaternion.AngleAxis example the transform.up is the vector to be rotated around so you would need Vector3.forward instead. Then multiply it by the line(he's missing an *)
-the line vector just needs to be whatever is your local facing/forwards, so in 2D it's probably transform.up because that's what it looks like in your image(green gizmo line).
-assuming you are rotating the whole game object that should be correct it will probably be length 1 so you can multiply it by a float to change the length.
But you don't really need to worry about that.
Actual Answers:
Since you are working in 2D you could just make a sprite image of the lines you need and make them child objects of your main gameObject. So that when it rotates they do as well, and are in the correct locations/rotation.
You can also do almost the same thing with the Line Renderer http://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/class-LineRenderer.html
Just add a couple of these and set up the points to where you need them. Remember to uncheck Use World Space at the bottom of the component in the inspector. If you don't they will just be stuck at the world space co-ordinates.
Use World Space
Hope that helps/works!
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Finding the angle between 2 clicked points
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How to add spray to a weapon script


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Tag: skin
You've taken a fall and now you've got scars to show Q: What's the best scar treatment?
This question comes from Iman who asks what scar creams are available apart from Vitamin E and Silicone?
This is an age old question and surprisingly it's still a new field of dermatology that is yet to be revolutionized.
We're still using old technology from the 70s aka the humble silicone gel sheets. But that's because it works.
Scars are bothersome to us humans because they affect our self-esteem in public. Scars can be large, look red, itch like hell, and feel hard to the touch which can affect our dexterity.
Scarring is the end process of skin healing following trauma be it a cut, burn, graze etc. Skin goes through three stages:
1) inflammation (things get swollen through extra blow flow to the area, pus forms as a by-product)
2) granulation (new blood vessels form, the structural components are laid down) and
3) matrix remodeling (a fancy word for collagen being packed down)
It's this third stage that causes often gets out of hand and produces excess collagen and hence the raised look of a scar. The story gets worst in the case of keloid scars as they not only regrow but grow beyond the border of the original damage. See images :
(Left) Keloid Scars often overgrow the border of the damage site whereas (Right) Hypertrophic scars stay within the border and are less aggressive in growth.
Why do scars even occur? From a cave-man survival perspective…should we ever get a laceration or trauma, the best thing to ward of infection and ensure quick receovery is to have an inflammatory response that tells the body to lay down plenty of collagen to fill up the exposured areas. It's a biological response. I read somewhere that only certain reptiles can actually rebuild skin to the exact specifications as the original!
So back to humans. Silicone gel sheets are the go-to. They work by occluding (form a protective barrier) the scar and adding hydration. Left on for at least 12hours a day for 6-12months. Downside is the impracticable nature of strapping on a silcone sheet to your body. Especially if it's on flexure points like elbows or chin.
Compression Garments/Pressure therapy has been proven to reduce the size of scarring especially those across large areas of the body. They are thought to work by mechanical pressue on the underlying blood vessels thereby restricting blood flow and hence collagen formation at the damage site. Another theory is they provide the shear forces to help re-organize new collagen. The downsides include the tedious nature of putting them on and off-they're tight!; must be worn for 23 hours each day for up to one year; needs replacing every 2-3 months to maintain their pressure ~25-30mmHg. Here are some photos:
The combination of compression with silicone is superior to either alone and so there are brands they incorporate silicone into pressure garments.
Now for the white elephant in the room: Vitamin E oil. Known as an antioxidant, the main one in the skin in fact, people including doctors have always used it on anecdotable eveidence that it helps scars-but does it? I read lots of articles on it and nowhere is there solid proof that it works.
If anything it may cause some irriation. If used too early on fresh scars it can actually weaken the scar and cause the scar to widen. Its possible the type and strength of Vitamin E count for something…one study was using 320 IU per gram of cream. Typical Invite E cream in pharmcies is only 100IU per gram (Invite E oil is 25IU per drop).
Not surprisingly scientists decided to use Vitamin E with silicone gel sheets to see what wopuld happen and results blew them away-the combo dramatically improved scar colour, size and appearance.
Now I could go on about the various other remedies out there but not much evidence exists so I'll just briefly list them here:
- Onion extract (only slightly better than using Vaseline!)
- Imiquimod 5% (needs more research, some promise)
- Vitamin A (aka retinoic acid; reduces scar sizes, can be a teratogen if absorbed into the body, needs more research)
More invasive options do exist however…
- surgical excision (cutting it out) but for keloids, they recur in 45-100% of cases (reserve for resistant scars)
- Steroid injections (corticosteroids): first line therapy for keloids. Response rate 50-100%, Recurrence of 9-50%. Painful. Side effects: discoloration, dimples, spider veins.
- Radiotherapy: most effective treatment for keloids but high exposure to radiation. Response rate: 10-94%, Recurrence rate: 50-100%.
- Laser (carbon dioxide, argon, flashlamp-pumped pulsed-dye): conflicting results. more research needed.
- Cryotherapy: flattens keloids after two sessions. Side effects: permanent skin discoloration, pain, skin shrinkage. reserved for small scars.
An unusual observation is the use of paper tape to hold together fresh incisions made by a surgeon, used for several weeks, seemed to be "useful". albeit not as effective as silicone, it could serve the purpose of prepping the skin prior to silicone gel sheets.
So for our friend Iman, I think sticking to silicone gel sheets like Scar FX or Cica-Care is her best bet with the addition of some Vitamin E oil (optional) and a pressure garment.
Scar FX 1" x 22" Self-Adhesive Silicone Sheeting
Kid's Hives: the most frequent concern among Young Parents
The most common issue I see in pharmacy no matter where I work is hives aka rashes-both in kids and adults.
It's the freakiest thing-to see your kid's skin angry and red, blotchy and spread.
In the video above I'm gonna share my personal experience with never before seen photos of my hives.
I'll explain why hives occur and a simple method to find the root cause.
"Often it's rarely what you did today, but rather the factors leading up to it. The stresses on your immune system."
Our immunity is like a battery and it can quickly run flat. Charging it up is simple but so many times we get it wrong. We try quick fixes like buying a new battery!
The pillars for charging this battery are: 8-10hrs sleep , good nutrition , hydration .
Where a boost is needed, I always turn to a good probiotic powder* for kids. (*See below for my recommendations)
Watch out for unwitting stacking of stresses on our kids. These include recent colds, ear infections, gastro, off ones food, dehydration.
On their own the stresses won't cause hives but together they set the scene for a weakened immune system.
When our body reaches a tipping point, that's when it will "react" with inflammation aka hives aka redness, itching, swelling.
This is when we reach for anti-histamines (anti-inflammation) but notice the initial gap in treatment. We haven't dealt with underlying stresses when we pop a Zyrtec or other.
The pillars for charging this battery are: 8-10hrs sleep, good nutrition, and hydration.
That's why I always take a full history whenever mums and dads come in with their kids. Sure I'll give them the quick fix but I always address the underlying issues too.
If you found this informative leave a Reply below and Share it on. Bless ur health. Vien
*There are so many brands of probiotics now, some kept in the fridge others outside. Exciting indications exist claiming to fix eczema, improve allergies, moderate cholesterol etc..I stick with what I know and that's: Inner Health for Kids Powder 0-12yrs. It's got the three main bacterium that normally colonize our guts.
Would like to know where to get probiotics?
Call us on 02 8068 7131
Follow us at:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/canterburylatenightpharmacy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/canterburylnp
Facebook: https://facebook.com/canterburylatenight


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The beauty (and challenge) in bike touring the Philippines is that the country is comprised of several islands. Being an archipelago, each region of islands possesses interesting characteristics.
Marinduque which is considered as the geographical center of the Philippines (Region 4-B), is dubbed as the heart of the country. I have heard of several bikers who have done the loop and they claim that the island's beauty can be attributed to its (relatively) untouched beaches and neighboring islands as well as its lush vegetation.
The succeeding sections are some notes from our recent bike tour around Marinduque. While others have documented this in detail, we provide our own account which may be helpful if you intend to go around by bike.
Day 1 (approximately 75-80km of biking)
(Boat at Dalahican port, Lucena)
Taking a bus from South Station Alabang, we traveled all the way to Dalahican Port in Lucena Quezon (Bus from Alabang to Lucena is 180 pesos). Some of our co-riders took the JAC liner at Buendia and we all met at the port before 12 midnight
Depending on traffic and other conditions, expect the trip to last about 3-4 hours. We arrived at the port around 1130 and got tickets for the boat ride at 330am (Take the Seahorse, it's 260 pesos for the trip).
Loading our bikes at Dalahican Port, Lucena City
Parking our bikes at the loading dock for vehicles, we had to get rest for the trip which lasted about 4 hours (the waved were rough). Arriving at the port, we started pedaling at 8am. Our goal for the day is to reach Poctoy White Beach at Torrijos-one of the towns in Marinduque. We took the counter clockwise route-the longer yet less brutally harsh choice (a few climbs a lot of flats and plenty of view)…pedaling to the different towns, it was unavoidable to take pics of the beautiful seaside
As we pedaled our way to Mogpog-Boac, we got to see two bike shops, one even had a small eatery where took breakfast. People in Marinduque seemed very warm and welcoming as they mentioned several places to visit
Ride out from the port
Bike shops along the road and Breakfast at Imbiz canteen just beside Procycle Bikeshop
After breakfast, we continued our journey to the town of Boac, the capital of the island and visited the famous cathedral which was built in 1792.
Proceeding further, we biked to Buenavista and as locals claim, there lies the seawall-several kilometers of roads along the seaside…While the road was fairly good, there are several stretches of unfine contours of asphalt which may tend to be annoying if you're going downhill as you really feel vibrations! Much of the climbs were encountered in this day and while I can say they aren't as tough as the road to Baler, we definitely had a good sweat!
Sights along the seawall
Further into the seawall, you get to see the hotel that rests on an island. The Bellaroca is one of those exclusive and pricey hotels for those wanting privacy and an exotic experience.
The Bellaroca within view
Reaching Poctoy white beach in Torrijos around 530pm, we checked in one of the resorts. True to what others say, the resort isn't too crowded (probably because it's the off peak season) and they charge a relatively affordable rate (1500 for a rooms which fits 5 people). There's a restaurant and a couple of amenties provided.
Finally at Poctoy Beach!
Five guys Fit Fine!
Extrajudicial Charging
Day 2 (27-30km)
(island hopping and bike to Sta Cruz)
On our second day, we woke up early to take pictures of the sunrise…beautiful indeed!
As the Sun Rises
Though we planned to rideout for Sta Cruz for our boat ride, we were advised by the locals at Poctoy to rent a private boat at the beach (costing 2500 for 5 people, but the boat can hold about 8-10)- so they can take us to two places as well as take our time…and that was one of the best decisions we've made…
boat ride to the sandbar
The first was the popular sandbar at the middle of the sea…this was the first time that I took a dip in that clean, blue water!
And the second was at Maniwaya island which had finer white sand and much fewer people (I think we were only ones at the resort as there was a scheduled wedding late in the afternoon!)
One of our friendly hosts who wanted our lunch
We got back to Sta Cruz port around 4pm and took a jeep to go back at Poctoy's and pedaled our way to Sta Cruz again hahaha! While I admit that riding in the dark in an unknown place makes me a bit concerned, Marinduque is a wonderful place to do a nightride because there are very few vehicles…motorists are VERY careful (they don't speed up and they wait for the right opportunity to overtake), almost no dogs chasing you (except one who was probably excited to guard his territory!)-one caveat though is that you have to bring really bright lights and blinkers to make sure you see the road as certain patches are under construction.
Blair witch cycling in Marinduque (courtesy of Rahnel Sison)
Reaching Sta Cruz around 8pm, we had dinner at the audition café (the food is great but you just have to bear with the unlimited karaoke sessions done while eating)…
We checked in at Jared's hotel and while the staff wasn't too welcoming (they inspected our stuff and needed IDs and didn't want to have our bikes parked inside the building but instead at the gated parking lot), the experience was fairly ok…
Day 3
Sta Cruz to Balanacan Port (38-40km)
We left the hotel at 730am after a light breakfast of pandesal and coffee and proceeded to Balancan port…Compared to the second day-several climbs were encountered…while they have similarities with the Sierra Madre route in the east, the climb is manageable…we reached the port around 11am and had to make three quick stops—don't forget to try the pancit in Mogpog-it's 40 pesos good for two people and it tastes great!
Before heading to the port, the owner of the panciteria told us to try visiting the Luzon Datum- the geographical center of the country…though we settled for the view deck as we saw several kilometers of elevation to the route, we satisfied ourselves with photo ops at the view deck a few meters before the port…
So much to view, so little time
View of Luzon Datum from the View Deck
Here are some additional points if you'd like to bike tour Marinduque
- Some tourers claim that a budget of 3000 is adequate…while this may be true, the individual rider's eating habits, lifestyle and other quirks will definitely affect your budget. I ended up spending 3500-and I tell you I constantly eat hahaha. It will help though if you tour as a big group so you can get the hotel and boat rates much lower.
- Marinduque has a lot of bikeshops in Boac and Mogpog so don't worry if you forgot small stuff or need mechanical repair—but it appears to be costly
- Locals are very helpful and courteous. Much like in other regions in the Philippines, they are excited when they see bikers coming from the metro touring the place…in fact, a motorcycle group escorted us to the audtion cafe and hotel in Sta Cruz
- Among the places we've toured, Marinduque is the only one we've seen where hogs and pigs roam free-as one friend says, "they're like one of the dogs". True enough, you get to see all sorts of shapes and sizes…
- One refreshing thing about Marinduque is that we didn't get to see any convenience stores (I didn't miss 711 one bit!) but there's a lot of water refilling stations if you need a supply of hydration during the trip.
- I felt that 3 days is just right for you to get around the place to get a feel of the locale and get to know the people
- Some may wonder if newbies or a specific type of bike is needed for this route…while something geared is preferred, I believe that newbies can definitely finish this 140+km route given that the total distance is divided in 3 days
Overall, I felt that our Marinduque loop was a pleasant experience. true to its name as the heart of the Philippines, it breathes with life, nature and amazing scenery
You may check the strava route here


text:
—— Alex Welsh
—— Vlado Ricardo
—— Tim Flavio
HUALI GROUP spaecializing water chiller more than 15 years
1. Danfoss/Copeland compressor
2. Minamoto iron pump, and Stainless steel CNP pump for operation
3. Copper coil type evaporator, shell and tube type for option
4. Stainless steel tank
5. Original Schneider electrical components
6. All nessesary safetey devices.
Refrigerant can be R22, R407C, R410A, R134A optional.
Voltage 3pH 380V/50Hz, or 220V-3PH-50,60HZ.
Huali water cooled chillers apply to many industries, such as laser industry, electroplating industry,
chemical industry, PCB industry, injection molding industry, food & drink processing industry, etc. Besides, water
cooled screw chiller can be used for some place such as hotel, mall, etc. as the main engine of central
|Factory Address:No.338, Yangxin Road, Dalang Town,Dongguan City, Guangdong, China
|Sales office:No.338, Yangxin Road, Dalang Town,Dongguan City, Guangdong, China


text:
Fog Causes Crash with Street Sweeper
As the weather gets colder, our weather changes and can become even more unpredictable. Whether it is on the daily commute or going to see friends and relatives during the holidays, rain, sleet, snow and even fog can play a significant role in driving safety and can increase the chance of getting into an accident.
That is what happened early Wednesday morning when a woman crashed her jeep into a street sweeping vehicle leaving one man injured.
In an article that appeared on the Chron.com website, the crash happened at approximately 2:20 a.m. on North Freeway at Richey Road in North Harris County. Not only did the thick fog that morning obscure the woman's view but the dust that the sweeping vehicle threw off also contributed to the crash.
Harris County Sheriff's deputies arrived on the scene to find the woman's Jeep Wrangler lodged behind the sweeper. The woman driving the vehicle was uninjured in the collision.
Authorities indicate that the man who had been driving the street sweeper was injured in the accident and was transported to Northwest Hospital where he was treated for neck and back injuries.
A special wrecker had to pry the two vehicles apart in order to clear the scene.
While poor visibility due to fog and dust were determined to have played a significant role in the crash, investigators believe that speed may also have been a factor.
When driving in fog or other weather conditions where visibility is poor, there are ways to lessen getting into an accident. Some of the precautions that driving and safety experts recommend doing are:
- Reduce your speed. In addition, it is also a good idea never to use cruise control when road conditions are less than ideal.
- Use your low beams in foggy conditions. Fog is highly reflective and high beams can reduce your visibility even more.
- Turn on your defroster and windshield wipers to increase your visibility as much as possible.
- Don't tailgate other vehicles in front of you. If necessary use road markings in order to help you stay in your lane or on your side of the road.
- Avoid the temptation to pass other vehicles in the fog.
- Except in cases of an emergency, try to avoid going out on the road until the fog lifts or dissipates.
If you live in Houston or within Harris County and have gotten into an accident, having an attorney who will look after your best interests is important. If you or a loved one has been hurt, you may be entitled to compensation for any medical bills or damages you may have incurred in your accident.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and legal analysis and find out how we can help.


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Installing a Windows VM
Simple Windows install
If you just want something simple and you can live without some features.
- display (1440x900 or 1280x1024 are a nice fit onto FHD hw display)
- keyboard (incl. correct mapping), pointing device
- network (emulated Realtek NIC)
Does not work:
- copy & paste (the qubes way)
- copying files into / out of the VM (the qubes way)
- assigning USB devices (the qubes way via the tray applet)
- audio output and input
- PCI device 5853:0001 (Xen platform device) - no driver
- all other features/hardware needing special tool/driver support
Installation procedure:
- Have the Windows 10 ISO image (I used the 64-bit version) downloaded in some qube.
- Create a new Qube:
- Name: Win10, Color: red
- Standalone Qube not based on a template
- Networking: sys-firewall (default)
- Launch settings after creation: check
- Click "OK".
- Settings:
- Basic:
- System storage: 30000+ MB
- Advanced:
- Include in memory balancing: uncheck
- Initial memory: 4096+ MB
- Kernel: None
- Mode: HVM
- Click "Apply".
- Click "Boot from CDROM":
- "from file in qube":
- Select the qube that has the ISO.
- Select ISO by clicking "…".
- Click "OK" to boot into the windows installer.
- "from file in qube":
- Basic:
- Windows Installer:
- Mostly as usual, but automatic reboots will halt the qube - just restart it again and again until the installation is finished.
- Install on first disk.
Windows license may be read from flash via root in dom0:
strings < /sys/firmware/acpi/tables/MSDM
Alternatively, you can also try a Windows 7 license key (as of 2018/11 they are still accepted for a free upgrade).
I first installed Windows and all updates, then entered the license key.
- Afterwards:
- In case you switch from
sys-whonix, you'll need a static IP network configuration, DHCP won't work for
- Use
powercfg -H offand
disk cleanupto save some disk space.
- In case you switch from
Qubes 4.0 - importing a Windows VM from R3.2
Importing should work, simply make sure that you are not using Xen's newer linux stubdomain and that the VM is in HVM mode (these steps should be done automatically when importing the VM):
qvm-features VMNAME linux-stubdom ''
qvm-prefs VMNAME virt_mode hvm
Note however that you are better off creating a new Windows VM to benefit from the more recent emulated hardware: R3.2 uses a MiniOS based stubdomain with an old and mostly unmaintained 'qemu-traditional' while R4.0 uses a Linux based stubdomain with a recent version of upstream qemu (see this post).
Windows VM installation
An unofficial, third-party tool for automating this process is available here. (Please note that this tool has not been reviewed by the Qubes OS Project. Use it at your own risk.) However, if you are an expert or want to do it manually you may continue below.
qvm-create --class StandaloneVM --label red --property virt_mode=hvm win7new
qvm-prefs win7new memory 4096
qvm-prefs win7new maxmem 4096
qvm-prefs win7new kernel ''
qvm-volume extend win7new:root 25g
qvm-prefs win7new debug true
qvm-features win7new video-model cirrus
qvm-start --cdrom=untrusted:/home/user/windows_install.iso win7new
# restart after the first part of the windows installation process ends
qvm-start win7new
# once Windows is installed and working
qvm-prefs win7new memory 2048
qvm-prefs win7new maxmem 2048
qvm-features --unset win7new video-model
qvm-prefs win7new qrexec_timeout 300
# with Qubes Windows Tools installed:
qvm-prefs win7new debug false
To install Qubes Windows Tools, follow instructions below.
Detailed instructions
MS Windows versions considerations:
- The instructions may work on other versions than Windows 7 x64 but haven't been tested.
- Qubes Windows Tools (QWT) only supports Windows 7 x64. Note that there are known issues with QWT on Qubes 4.x
Create a VM named win7new in HVM mode (Xen's current PVH limitations precludes from using PVH):
qvm-create --class StandaloneVM --label red --property virt_mode=hvm win7new
Windows' installer requires a significant amount of memory or else the VM will crash with such errors:
p2m_pod_demand_populate: Dom120 out of PoD memory! (tot=102411 ents=921600 dom120) (XEN) domain_crash called from p2m-pod.c:1218 (XEN) Domain 120 (vcpu#0) crashed on cpu#3:
So, increase the VM's memory to 4096MB (memory = maxmem because we don't use memory balancing).
qvm-prefs win7new memory 4096
qvm-prefs win7new maxmem 4096
Disable direct boot so that the VM will go through the standard cdrom/HDD boot sequence:
qvm-prefs win7new kernel ''
A typical Windows 7 installation requires between 15GB up to 19GB of disk space depending on the version (Home/Professional/…). Windows updates also end up using significant space. So, extend the root volume from the default 10GB to 25GB (note: it is straightforward to increase the root volume size after Windows is installed: simply extend the volume again in dom0 and then extend the system partition with Windows's disk manager).
qvm-volume extend win7new:root 25g
Set the debug flag in order to have a graphical console:
qvm-prefs win7new debug true
The second part of the installation process will crash with the standard VGA video adapter and the VM will stay in "transient" mode with the following error in
qemu: /home/user/qubes-src/vmm-xen-stubdom-linux/build/qemu/exec.c:1187: cpu_physical_memory_snapshot_get_dirty: Assertion `start + length <= snap->end' failed.
To avoid that error we temporarily have to switch the video adapter to 'cirrus':
qvm-features win7new video-model cirrus
The VM is now ready to be started; the best practice is to use an installation ISO located in a VM:
qvm-start --cdrom=untrusted:/home/user/windows_install.iso win7new
Given the higher than usual memory requirements of Windows, you may get a
Not enough memory to start domain 'win7new' error. In that case try to shutdown unneeded VMs to free memory before starting the Windows VM.
At this point you may open a tab in dom0 for debugging, in case something goes amiss:
tailf /var/log/qubes/vm-win7new.log \
/var/log/xen/console/hypervisor.log \
The VM will shutdown after the installer completes the extraction of Windows installation files. It's a good idea to clone the VM now (eg.
qvm-clone win7new win7newbkp1). Then, (re)start the VM with
qvm-start win7new.
The second part of Windows' installer should then be able to complete successfully. You may then perform the following post-install steps:
Decrease the VM's memory to a more reasonable value (memory balancing on Windows is unstable so keep
memory equal to
qvm-prefs win7new memory 2048
qvm-prefs win7new maxmem 2048
Revert to the standard VGA adapter: the 'cirrus' adapter will limit the maximum screen resolution to 1024x768 pixels, while the default VGA adapter allows for much higher resolutions (up to 2560x1600 pixels).
qvm-features --unset win7new video-model
Finally, increase the VM's
qrexec_timeout: in case you happen to get a BSOD or a similar crash in the VM, utilities like chkdsk won't complete on restart before qrexec_timeout automatically halts the VM. That can really put the VM in a totally unrecoverable state, whereas with higher qrexec_timeout, chkdsk or the appropriate utility has plenty of time to fix the VM. Note that Qubes Windows Tools also require a larger timeout to move the user profiles to the private volume the first time the VM reboots after the tools' installation.
qvm-prefs win7new qrexec_timeout 300
At that point you should have a functional and stable Windows VM, although without updates, Xen's PV drivers nor Qubes integration (see sections Windows Update and Xen PV drivers and Qubes Windows Tools below). It is a good time to clone the VM again.
Windows update
Depending on how old your installation media is, fully updating your Windows VM may take hours (this isn't specific to Xen/Qubes) so make sure you clone your VM between the mandatory reboots in case something goes wrong. This comment provides useful links on updating a Windows 7 SP1 VM.
Note: if you already have Qubes Windows Tools installed the video adapter in Windows will be "Qubes video driver" and you won't be able to see the Windows Update process when the VM is being powered off because Qubes services would have been stopped by then. Depending on the size of the Windows update packs it may take a bit of time until the VM shutdowns by itself, leaving one wondering if the VM has crashed or still finalizing the updates (in dom0 a changing CPU usage - eg. shown with
xentop - usually indicates that the VM hasn't crashed).
To avoid guessing the VM's state enable debugging (
qvm-prefs -s win7new debug true) and in Windows' device manager (My computer -> Manage / Device manager / Display adapters) temporarily re-enable the standard VGA adapter and disable "Qubes video driver". You can disable debugging and revert to Qubes' display once the VM is updated.
Xen PV drivers and Qubes Windows Tools
Installing Xen's PV drivers in the VM will lower its resources usage when using network and/or I/O intensive applications, but may come at the price of system stability (although Xen's PV drivers on a Win7 VM are usually very stable). There are two ways of installing the drivers:
- installing the drivers independently, from Xen's official site
- installing Qubes Windows Tools (QWT), which bundles Xen's PV drivers.
Notes about using Xen's VBD (storage) PV driver:
- Windows 7: installing the driver requires a fully updated VM or else you'll likely get a BSOD and a VM in a difficult to fix state. Updating Windows takes hours and for casual usage there isn't much of a performance between the disk PV driver and the default one; so there is likely no need to go through the lengthy Windows Update process if your VM doesn't have access to untrusted networks and if you don't use I/O intensive apps. If you plan to update your newly installed Windows VM it is recommended that you do so before installing Qubes Windows Tools (QWT). If QWT are installed, you should temporarily re-enable the standard VGA adapter in Windows and disable Qubes' (see the section above).
- the option to install the storage PV driver is disabled by default in Qubes Windows Tools
- in case you already had QWT installed without the storage PV driver and you then updated the VM, you may then install the driver from Xen's site (xenvbd.tar).
Installing Qubes Windows Tools:
- on R3.2: see this page
- R4.0: you'll have to install QWT for Qubes R3.2. Be warned that QWT on R4.0 is a work in progress though (see issue #3585 for instructions and known issues).
With Qubes Windows Tools installed the early graphical console provided in debugging mode isn't needed anymore since Qubes' display driver will be used instead of the default VGA driver:
qvm-prefs -s win7new debug false
Further customization
Please see the Customizing Windows 7 templates page (despite the focus on preparing the VM for use as a template, most of the instructions are independent from how the VM will be used - ie. TemplateVM or StandaloneVM).


text:
Latest News
News Archive
2011 News
2010 News
News - 1st Team
News - 2nd Team
News - Juveniles U14/u17
Social Club
Quiz League
Skye Camanachd Gym
Under 14 Shinty
Primary Shinty
Cuairt Gu California
Results 2008
Registration Form
Club History
The View From The Touchline
Balliemore Cup Winners 2008
League Tables
University Shinty
What The Papers Say
Shinty Links
Shinty Lotto
Results 2009
Shinty Pitch Maps
|Listen To Skye Camanachd Live On Cuillin FM.
|29 July 2011
Tune in to Cuillin FM to listen to live match commentary from Skye Camanachd's crucial Marine Harvest North Division 2 match against Lovat at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 30 July 2011.
The commentary will form part of Cuillin FM's popular Saturday Sports Show which is sponsored by DA MacLennan, Kyleakin and starts at 3pm.
There will be match commentary of the last 15 minutes of the first half and the whole of the second half from this 2.30pm throw up. There will also be interviews with both teams after the final whistle and updates from other games throughout the divisions.
The Saturday Sports Show is hosted by Drew Millar, Hector Cormack and John Blamire and match commentary will be provided by Alasdair Bruce and Keith MacKenzie.
Cuillin FM is broadcast on 102.7FM and 106.2FM and can be accessed across the world at Cuillin FM


text:
Still the only restaurant outside of Louisiana from New Orleans celebrity chef John Besh, Lüke has amassed a steady following not only for the big name, but for the well-executed dishes from executive chef John Russ.
Besh and team have created a French-German brasserie with a New Orleans feel that also includes Texas touches and makes all the influences come together smoothly.
Experience the city's best happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. every day with 75-cent Gulf oysters and half-priced drinks (especially good is the French 75 made with cognac instead of gin) and stay for another round of drinks and some excellent main dishes. The restaurant also serves brunch.
More Information
125 E. Houston St.
Cuisine: French-German brasserie with Louisiana and Texas accents
Specialties: Lüke burger, shrimp and grits, grilled snapper on the half shell
Price range: $$$


text:
- Animal Factory Amplification
- >
- Coma Reactor
Coma Reactor
AFA is proud to announce a new beast in its menagerie - the Coma Reactor Eurorack Module.
Taking equal inspiration from gritty delays on cheap on board mixers, the sounds of dub and the fracturing of consciousness in time and space, the Coma Reactor looks like a deceptively simple delay module... till you start digging deeper.
The Coma Reactor boasts the crunchy sounds of the PT2399 chip, but adds a number of useful routing possibilities that really open it up for sound mangling that transcends the norm. Independent volume controls for dry, wet and effects return, allow you to blend in clean, delayed and effected sounds to suit your needs. The only CV input on the module increases or decreases the delay time, going from slight tape-echo warbles to some truly seasick pitch shifting. A buffered clean through allows you to pass an unaffected unity gain to a mixer or other device.
If that wasn't enough - a truly nasty bandpass filter lurks in the delay feedback path as a dirty cocked-wah effect of sorts, and the module is also capable of generating noises and oscillating with no input attached, making it a useful soundtrack generator for the end of the world.


text:
Now spend less and get more! Your favourite Oswaal Books are now available at a special offer. Buy the Super Saver Combo (Paperback + Ebook) at 40% and get instant access to the E-books.
You can also look at our Free Resources and Concept Videos
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Author: Oswaal Editorial Board
Edition: 16 Aug 2020
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• Chapter-wise/ Topic-wise presentation for systematic and methodical study • Strictly based on the latest CBSE Curriculum issued for Academic Year 2020 -2021, following the latest NCERT Textbook and Exemplar • Previous Years' Question Papers with Marking Scheme & Toppers' Answers for exam-oriented study • Remembering, Understanding, Application, Analysing & Evaluation and Creation Based Question based on Bloom's Taxonomy for cognitive skills development • Latest Typologies of Questions developed by Oswaal Editorial Board included. • Mind Maps in each chapter for making learning simple. • 'Most likely Questions' generated by Oswaal Editorial Board with 100+ years of teaching experience. • Suggested videos at the end of each chapter for a Hybrid Learning Experience.
It is very rightly said that if we teach today as we taught yesterday, then we rob our children of tomorrow.
With this vision, CBSE, the national level board of education in India for public and private schools, has yet again updated and released its curriculum for the upcoming Academic Year. With all the refreshing changes and updates, the way ahead looks exciting for students and teachers alike!
We at Oswaal Books, are also extremely upbeat about the recent changes. We have made every possible effort to incorporate all these changes in our QUESTION BANKS for the coming Academic Year. Oswaal Question Banks are available for all the important subjects like ENGLISH, MATHS, SCIENCE, HINDI, SOCIAL SCIENCE (SST), COMPUTER APPLICATIONs & SANSKRIT
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'Most likely questions' generated by our editorial Board with 100+ years of teaching experience.


text:
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Phone: 770-338-7392


text:
The the deadline to submit applications for SEE Education Foundation scholarships has been extended to May 12, 2017.
The SEE Education Foundation will award $73,000 to students pursuing degrees related to the explosives industry. Each year the Scholarship Committee receives, reviews and scores more than 70 applications.
This year there will be an award of $7,500 given to one well-qualified student! To be eligible, students must be pursuing a technical, undergraduate, master's or doctorate degree in fields of study related to the commercial explosives industry. Students will be assessed on their academic and professional achievements, goals related to the industry, personal challenges and financial need.
Download your application today.
The Ohio Drilling and Blasting Conference was held from March 29-30, 2017, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Columbus, Ohio. The conference was sponsored by the International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE), the Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association (OAIMA) and Ohio Coal Association and endorsed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mineral Resources Management.
More than 150 attendees participated in the event that featured 16 exhibit booths and a full day of presentations from explosives industry experts. This year's program began with opening remarks from ISEE Past President John Capers and included topics covering regulatory updates, blasting project case history, cap rock reduction in a limestone quarry, blasting basics, driller and blaster communication, applying UAV technology to blasting economics and how to improve coal extraction using signature hole analysis. Attendees qualified for blasters training recertification hours from several states.
The highlight of the event included presentations of the Blaster of the Year Award and Driller of the Year awards. This year's blaster recognition was awarded to David Lucas, Wampum Hardware. The driller award was presented to Dan Kourim, Oxford Mining.
The Ohio Drilling and Blasting Conference is a biennial event that serves as a platform for the exchange of the industry's best practices. This year's sponsors include the ISEE, Austin Powder, Nobel Insurance, and Dr. Edward J. Walter & Associates.
The ISEE Conference Program Committee is issuing an industry wide Call for Papers to be presented at the 44th Annual Conference and published in the Conference Proceedings. Here's your chance to share your techniques, strategies, solutions, product innovations and research discoveries with your peers.
Submit an Abstract View Your Abstracts
Ideas should be submitted in the form of a 200-400 word abstract (summary) highlighting the major points of your 8-10 page paper. Papers may not be commercial in nature. It should be written so that it makes sense standing on its own and should cover the work done, recommendations made, conclusions drawn as a result of the project, case or study.
Abstracts must be submitted using this submission site by May 12, 2017. Chapter sponsored papers must be submitted by the deadline.
Abstracts are considered by a committee of explosives industry professionals using a blind review process. The committee will determine the paper's relevance and substance based on the following criteria:
Abstracts will be used only for tentative selection. Final selection and acceptance is based on the completed paper submitted on time.
Detailed instructions regarding paper format and presentation requirements will be posted on the submission site after you receive the notification of abstract acceptance.
The program committee will assign each paper to a session upon acceptance of the completed paper. The paper will be assigned to a technical session or Blasters Forum Poster Session.
Papers must be submitted and presented in English, the official language of the conference.
Notification of acceptance or rejection of abstracts will be sent by June 15, 2017.
May 12, 2017 Last day for submission of abstract
June 15, 2017 Notification of abstract acceptance
August 15, 2017 Last day for submission of completed paper
November 1, 2017 Notification of final paper acceptance
November 30, 2017 Conference registration deadline for authors
Visit the ISEE Bookstore, and save an additional 50% on any item in the clearance section. Supplies are limited. Visit the clearance section, and start saving today. Be sure to use the coupon code isee50 at check out to redeem your discount. Standard shipping rates apply. The sale ends April 28, 2017.
The ISEE Membership Directory and Desk Reference is the most comprehensive who's who publication in the explosives industry. Now you can make your company shine and target explosives industry leaders by advertising in the Membership Directory Yellow Pages.


text:
I recently took part in an email question and answer session with Joe Milazzo (formerly of Bagatellen) w/r/t the Eleven Clouds project. This session covers a lot of ground and delves into quite a few of the concerns and ideas behind the project. While not by any means a complete deconstruction of the project it is the best place to begin for anyone interested in the whys and wherefores. This question and answer session has been published on the Drunken Boat internet concern and can be found here: Eleven Questions RE: Eleven Clouds.
Over the coming weeks I'll put in various bits of additional information about this project. If there are specific things that people are interested in, feel free to ask in the comments.


text:
Study Abroad Series: 51 Swedish Grades
The grading scale of my university in Sweden was different from the grading scale of my university in Italy. There were 7 possible grades: A, B, C, D, E, FX, and F.
In Thailand, we had only 5 grades: A, B, C, D, and F. So, I was not familiar with E and FX.
To pass the course, you needed to get A, B, C, D, or E. FX meant Insufficient or supplementation required, and F meant fail.
To be honest, I do not know why they had the FX grade and I still do not see the different of FX and F.
The same thing between studying in Sweden and Italy was students had 3 chances to take an exam. If a student was not ready, he/she would still have 2 more chances to take an exam. This was the thing that I liked much. One teacher told me that as a student it was great, but as a teacher it was not so great. Teaching was done in 2 months, but the teacher had to check the exam throughout the year.
There was one course that the teacher assigned a group assignment to students. I was in the same group with the other 2 Chinese students. The teacher was a little bit anxious with my group. He told me that he was not sure about studying in Thailand, but he knew that studying in China was different from in Sweden. He tried to explain us that in Sweden the study was not just about pass or fail. After submitting the assignment, the teacher would give us comments and we might need to redo the assignment and submit it again. It was how Swedish learned.
I had heard that a student submitted his assignment in one page A4 to a teacher, and he got comments in two pages A4 from the teacher. Such a long list of comments!
I did not like it much in the beginning; I did not like to redo the assignment again. But after doing the thesis, I found that the comments I got from my advisor were valuable and I learned a lot from them.


text:
Robotic Heat Exchanger Cleaning Comes to the USA via Tube Tech International Based in Houston
13 Jun, 2018, 17:53 BST
HOUSTON, June 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
In response to overwhelming demand to save heavily fouled heat transfer assets across U.S. Gulf Coast refinery operations, UK-founded Tube Tech International is launching a dedicated local base in Houston, Texas.
(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/705416/Tube_Tech_International_Logo.jpg )
The welcomed move, set to serve a client base who lose millions of dollars on lengthy and preventable shutdowns, will see Tube Tech develop strategic local relationships with operators in the region and extend its scheduled cleaning provision, alongside its well-respected portfolio of critical cleaning services.
Christian Chanel, Vice President of Tube Tech Inc., will be leading the operations in Houston. He said, "It has got to a point where the industry must evolve to tackle the downturn in oil prices - unnecessary shutdown is just not an option. Where clients may have been reluctant to try alternative solutions before, they are now forced to explore more efficient options and the results speak for themselves. We have worked in the U.S. for a while and the response to our technology and the immediate ROI it delivers has been overwhelming."
Unlike traditional cleaning methods, which typically only achieve two percent surface area contact, Tube Tech's remote, no man entry, robotic cleaning technology offers less environmental and human risk along with an incomparable cleaning standard.
Chanel continued, "The fact that even in the most challenging environments we consistently deliver more than ninety percent clean with a fraction of the downtime usually associated with heavily fouled assets makes us the go-to company across the industry."
Tube Tech's clients include global majors in oil and gas and petrochemicals such as BP, ExxonMobil, Shell and Texaco, earning its reputation through a process of relentless innovation and high-tech solutions to respond to new challenges facing companies with fouled equipment.
The launch of Tube Tech's U.S. base also comes with the announcement of the company's new partnership with Jetstream of Houston LLP. In an effort to deliver on-the-ground solutions to its customers, the alliance with Jetstream will ensure access to North America's leading pump equipment range, with logistical savings to be passed on to customers for further competitive advantage.
For more information, visit www.tubetech.com, or call +1-(832)-286-1322 or +1-(832)-286-1395.
About Tube Tech International
Tube Tech International is the global leader in research-led, high-tech cleaning and inspection services, constantly investing in and developing tried and tested, step change methods to solve heavy industries' most difficult cleaning challenges. Tube Tech's patented methods achieve significant savings, reduce downtime and CO2 emissions, increase throughput and improve safety standards.
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Spine injuries can be devastating and cause long-term specials needs that require a lifetime of treatment and help. The cost can be astronomical, which is why injury claims for spinal cord injuries frequently gather high settlements. In fact, it isn't really uncommon for legal representatives to recover $1 million or more for the plaintiff (the hurt individual) in spinal cord injury cases.
Medical malpractice throughout surgery, automobile accidents, diving accidents, sports accidents, assaults, falls, construction accidents, and more can lead to spine injuries. Motor vehicle mishaps trigger nearly 50% of these injuries, while falls been available in 2nd. Gunshot injuries and other violent acts are 3rd, and sports are 4th.
What is the spinal cord, and why is it so important? It includes nerves that bring impulses between the brain and the body. When the nerves of the spinal cord are damaged, individuals lose the ability to move or to know parts of the body. The vertebrae, making up the back bone, cover the spinal cord. Sometimes, the vertebrae are injured, but the nerves are not. Because case, people have a much better chance of healing without significant loss of movement.
These injuries are classified as total or incomplete. Complete spinal cord injuries render the person unable to move or feel below the level of the injury on the spinal cord.
Insufficient spinal cord injuries mean that the client preserves some ability to work listed below the level of the injury on the spine.
These "levels" can happen in any of three locations of the spine:
– Cervical spine, which refers to the neck. These injuries usually result in total paralysis and quadriplegia, which means loss of use of all four limbs.
– Thoracic spine, which describes the chest area. These kinds of injuries often result in paraplegia so that the lower body is immobile while the upper body remains functioning to at least some degree.
– Lumber/Sacral spinal column, which is the lower spinal column. Injuries in this area lead to loss of some motion and function and may have an influence on some organ systems.
Spinal cord injuries are more categorized as A, B, C, or D by the American Spine Injury Association and the International Spinal Cord Injury Category System. Complete spinal cord injuries are classified as A. Incomplete injuries are classified as B, C, or D based on the amount of function that is kept and the degree of damage to the muscles.
Spinal cord injuries cause all sorts of other problems with the body, some of which can be deadly. Actor Christopher Reeve, who suffered a spinal injury after being tossed from a horse, ultimately passed away from his complications. Although he had the best care readily available, he suffered pressure/bed sores from sitting in a wheelchair all the time. These sores, in time, break down the skin so that germs can enter the body. In his case, the bacteria ended up being systemic in the blood stream-a condition called sepsis-and he passed away from the infection.
The other potential complications are lots of, including:
– Breathing dysfunction, requiring a ventilator
– Absence of bowel and bladder control
– Sexual dysfunction
– Spacticity
– Muscle atrophy
– Osteoporosis
– Inability to control body temperature, heart rate, and high blood pressure
– Gall stones and kidney stones
Spine Injury Lawsuits
Because spinal cord injury suits can be pricey for the insurance company of the accountable party, specialists are usually needed to attempt to show causation and fault. Some of the professionals that might be called upon to offer reports consist of medical workers, as well as experts in the type of accident that triggered the injuries, professional experts to reveal that the injured party can no longer perform his or her job, and life care coordinators to assess the ongoing expense of dealing with disabling injuries. Witnesses might likewise be questioned in order to collect proof in support of the claim.
In order for fault of another celebration to be shown, somebody needs to have been negligent in such a way that brought about the injuries-for example, a driver of a lorry or a cosmetic surgeon. The responsible party likewise needs to have actually owed the hurt person exactly what is called a "duty of care." For instance, the driver of an automobile on the street owes all other drivers a responsibility of care to drive securely and comply with the rules of the road. A surgeon has a responsibility of care to offer a safe procedure without damage to the patient's body.
The injured individual is sometimes found to have actually been careless or to have participated in a hazardous activity that added to the injuries. In this case, the patient might bear a minimum of some of the fault for the accident. This is called "contributing negligence," and it can result in a minimized settlement quantity.
This settlement may be negotiated out of court or may be granted by a judge or jury if the case continues to trial. Attorneys for all celebrations will try to avoid court if at all possible since it is more expensive, but if they can not agree on a settlement amount, court may end up being necessary.
Individuals with these injuries typically declare medical expenditures, in addition to loss of incomes (present and possibly future if the injury has resulted in paralysis or perhaps partial loss of mobility), and the expenses of long-lasting care. Those expenses might consist of wheelchairs, changing the house so that it is equipped for people with specials needs, and the services of caretakers such as nurses, physical therapists, and housemaids.
Even if the person with a spinal cord injury is a stay-at-home mom and dad who is not utilized, she or he may acquire a settlement that covers the expense of hiring help to take care of the kids. The partner and children might likewise have a claim for money damages because of their losses when an injured person can no longer carry out spousal and adult duties. This is called "loss of consortium."
In some states, payment is also made for discomfort and suffering. This is based on psychological instead of a Ventura car accident lawyer. A specialist might even affirm concerning the injured individual's loss of satisfaction of life in order to accomplish a larger settlement.


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Coucou !
Sneak Peek june round starts today !
Yay !
The event moved to another location, so you might want to update your LM. Your new taxi is here .
As a VIP designer, i commited to make 6 exclusive items in total for the whole period of april/may/june. You know already my 4 first ones, remaining exclusive for the event till the end of this new round and here are my 2 new ones, needed to complete the whole 6 exclusives.
First there is this summerish long dress, perfect to wear after a long day on the beach. When your skin is full of sun and water. You know ….. after you come back home and take a long and fresh shower…. and you still feel the heat on over your skin. Then whatever are your plans for the evening, having a drink with friends, a dinner with a lover, going to party or theater, this dress is THE dress you ll want to wear.
The flower headpiece will complete the look if you want something more formal.
This dress is called Nonsense from the name of the artwork i used for creating the texture of it. You can see the original work here.
|Nonsense long dress + headpiece
Of course the texture has been created with a lot of care and it is materials enabled.
The 6th exclusive is a male bowling shirt. Thanks to my friend Rick who suggested me to create some as he needed one, i finally decided myself to create 3 versions for this shirt in order to make grow the new born male collection.
|Home Alley shirt Blue & White
|Home Alley shirt Red & Black
|Home Alley shirt White & Black


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Putting William to sleep last night Me: are you going to have happy dreams? W: yes Me: what makes you happy? W (as he touches my cheek): you Me: what things make you happy? (Figuring he'll say Star Wars or Disneyland) W: your eyes (as he touches my eyelids) Me: what else makes you happy? W: your nose (as he touches my nose) Me: you're such a little charmer!
Seriously, that kid gotta a double dose with his Great Grandaddy Billy's charm and his daddy's charm!


text: Research Find out all you need to know about research and research services for staff and students at UCL. Research newsFunnelback feed: https://cms-feed.ucl.ac.uk/s/search.json?collection=drupal-push-news-new...(Research)%22&meta_UclCommunicationType=%22News%22&meta_UclAudience_not=%22Students%22Double click the feed URL above to edit Research at UCL UCL is London's research powerhouse, with a commitment to enhancing the lives of people in the capital, the UK and around the world. Find out about all aspects of our research offer. Research support services Research Services at UCL provides a range of services and specialist advice in support of University College London's externally funded research portfolio including funding, contracts and studentships. Research IT services Discover what's available to support activities throughout the research life-cycle including safe data storage, custom software development, high performance computing, research management and Open Science services. Research integrity and ethics Policies and guidance governing the integrity and probity of UCL's academic research. Research impact curation The UCL Research Impact Curation & Support team provides guidance on research impact, monitors impacts emerging from excellent research at UCL, and manages the main UCL Impact site. Take your research out into the world Partner with business, access knowledge exchange funding, create a spinout or license IP, offer consultancy services, or develop a short course. Doctoral School The Doctoral School is committed to ensuring that the quality of research training at UCL is at the highest international level. Find out about internships, courses and interdisciplinary training. Global engagement funding opportunities Many sources of funding are available to UCL academics wanting to develop their overseas collaborations Most popularIRISDiscovery (Research Publications Service)Research Student LogResearch Themes and DomainsResearch ImpactGrand ChallengesTeams and departmentsOffice of the Vice-Provost (Research)Research ServicesResearch IT ServicesTweets by UCLResearch


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The Worlogog is part of the cosmology of the Fourth World, and apparently native to Earth.
The New God Metron used it to transport a group of Justice Leaguers and super villains from Apokolips through several other dimensions to Earth. It was later manipulated in Zero Hour by the villain Extant to cause disturbances in the Time Stream in 1994.
During the "Rock of Ages" it was found by Lexcorp's "acquisitions department" in the possession of a Colombian drug baron who was using it as a paperweight. Upon his death, it was stolen by Lexcorp and examined by Lex Luthor. Since it was resonating in sync with the thought-patterns of an alien in Lexcorp's custody, he used it to control the alien in part of a plot against the JLA. However, he soon discovered that the object's power was far greater: it reacted to all thought, and could alter reality.
Metron arrived, and told the heroes the deeper truth: the Worlogog was a map of the universe in four dimensions, and allowed the user a certain degree of control over time and space. In one possible future, its destruction allowed Darkseid to conquer the universe totally.
The Worlogog was eventually turned over to Hourman of Justice Legion A, in his role as Metron's successor. Part of its power was stolen by Amazo, and the two androids chased each other through time before Hourman regained the Worlogog's full power. Hourman may have been wearing the Worlogog when he died at the hands of Extant.
The Worlogog temporarily fell into the hands of Vera Black when she was under the control of a mental copy of Manchester Black, taking a humanoid form for the first time. It was used to cause great destruction by Manchester, until Vera's control was regained and the lives lost were restored.
See Also
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Bayleys news & articles
Ministry of Social Development branch sale has numerous benefits for property investors.
Tags: Commercial
The land and building housing the Wanganui branch of the Ministry of Social Development have been placed on the market for sale.
The property at 153 St Hill Street in Wanganui features a 2,074 square metre office building sitting on 3,872 square metres of freehold land with 39 car parks. The building has a 100 percent rating of New Build Standards (NBS).
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is the Government agency responsible for providing the administrative framework to support a vast array of social services – ranging from unemployment benefits and student loans through to disability payments and pensions. The Wanganui branch is one of 200 MSD locations throughout New Zealand.
The single-storey St Hill Street property is being marketed for sale by tender on June 28 through Bayleys Palmerston North. Salesperson Karl Cameron said the property was purpose-built for the Government agency, which took up occupancy last year.
"The brand new, low maintenance building with onsite car parking at the rear of the address is the epitome of prime investment-grade stock. It is the most modern building of its type in Wanganui," Mr Cameron said.
"It ticks all the boxes of being a quality build, with a good tenant in place on a long lease. Being only a year-old, the building and its supporting workplace infrastructure such as air conditioning, fire alarms and sprinklers, are all in immaculate condition."
St Hill Street is one of Wanganui's main central business district's retailing destinations – sustained by a high passing vehicle count and with nearby tenancies including the Wanganui Returned Servicemen's Association, Whanganui District Council, and Wanganui City College.. The location is zoned outer commercial under Wanganui Council's district plan.
The Ministry of Social Development is currently on a lease expiring in 3029 with three further three-year rights of renewal and generating a net annual rental of $479,981 with regular three-yearly rent reviews.
Mr Cameron said the premises had been designed with functionality as the foremost pre-requisite from the tenant.
"With such a broad 'customer' base visiting the premises on a daily basis, it's relatively easy to understand the demand dynamics for the internal layout of the premises, and for the necessity for the building to be located near the centre of town with a high degree of parking amenities for clientele," Mr Cameron said.
As well as parking at the rear of the premises, St Hill Street has substantial parking immediately outside the property.
Related articles


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As disciples of the Lord, we need to trust him and keep his ways. We need to persevere through difficulties. He is both tremendous and fascinating.
The Book of Sirach is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Catholic Churches
VERSE 1. My son, if you come to serve the Lord, Prepare your soul for temptation.
Prepare your soul for temptation. We are to consider it pure joy when we face any kind of suffering or temptation, difficulty or trial. This is not natural for most of us. Read more »
VERSE 2. Set your heart aright, and constantly endure, And make not haste in time of calamity.
VERSE 3. Cleave to him, and depart not, That you may be increased at your latter end.
VERSE 4. Accept whatever is brought upon you, And be patient when you suffer humiliation.
Accept whatever is brought upon you. We need to be willing to accept whatever befalls us. In the U.S., many Christians believe that only good things can happen to them. However, that is not a biblical belief. Nor is it consistent with the experiences of the overwhelming majority of believers worldwide.
Sirach 2:4. Accept whatever is brought upon you, And be patient when you suffer humiliation.
Sirach 40:1. Great travail is created for every man, And a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, From the day of their coming forth from their mother's womb, Until the day for their burial in the mother of all things.
John 16:33. I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.
1 Thessalonians 3:4. For most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know.
be patient when you suffer humiliation. If we suffer crushing misfortune, we are to be patient.
VERSE 5. For gold is tried in the fire, And acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.
We are to consider it pure joy when we face any kind of suffering or temptation, difficulty or trial. This is not natural for most of us. Read more »
VERSE 6. Put your trust in him, and he will help you: Order your ways aright, and set your hope on him.
Put your trust in him. We disciples are to trust the LORD God with all our heart. He offers us the path of true wisdom. Will you trust in him and act upon his leading? Read more »
VERSE 7. You that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; And turn not aside, lest you° fall.
VERSE 8. You that fear the Lord, put your trust in him; And your reward will not fail.
VERSE 9. You that fear the Lord, hope for good things, And for eternal gladness and mercy.
VERSE 10. Look at the generations of old, and see: Who did ever put his trust in the Lord, and was ashamed? Or who remained in his fear, and was forsaken? Or who did call upon him, and he despised him?
KJV translation. Look at the generations of old, and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded? or did any abide in his fear, and was forsaken? or whom did he ever despise, that called upon him?
Trusting in God is not in vain.
VERSE 11. For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy; And he forgives sins, and saves in time of affliction.
VERSE 12. Woe to fearful hearts, and to faint hands, And to the sinner that goes two ways!
VERSE 13. Woe to the faint heart! for it believes not; Therefore will it not be defended.
VERSE 14. Woe to you that have lost your patience! And what will you do when the Lord shall visit you?
VERSE 15. They that fear the Lord will not disobey his words; And those who love him will keep his ways.
those who love him. Do you love the Lord?
will keep his ways. Do you live as a disciple of the Lord?
VERSE 16. They that fear the Lord will seek his good pleasure; And those who love him will be filled with the law.
seek his good pleasure. Is your life pleasing to the Lord?
those who love him. Do you love the Lord?
will be filled with the law. We can help you be "filled" with the Scriptures. Take part in any (or all) of our projects. Their workload is light, and they are all free!
- Bible Reading Project: a chapter of the Bible each day
- Scripture Memory Project: memorizing a verse or so each week
- Gospel Bytes: nibbling from the gospels each day
VERSE 17. They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, And will humble their souls in his sight,
VERSE 18. saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, And not into the hands of men: For as his majesty is, So also is his mercy.
as his majesty is, So also is his mercy. The Lord's majesty is equal to his mercy.
The German theologian Rudolf Otto wrote a very famous book, called Das Heilige ("The Idea of the Holy"). It is about the counter-play between God's majesty and his mercy.
Otto used the term "mysterium tremendum" to describe God's majesty. When people have an experience of mysterium tremendum, their reaction is fear and trembling.
The opposite of mysterium tremendum is mysterium fascinans, which is God's mercy. When people have an experience of mysterium fascinans, they feel fascinated and drawn in.
Das Heilige is one of the most successful German theological books of the 20th century. It has never gone out of print.
« sirach 1 THE BOOK OF SIRACH sirach 3 »
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.


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– Jaihoon
A few years back, when mind was not as much ripe, I had a chance to get hold of Imam Gazzali's work, Mishkat Al Anwar. It was too 'heretical' for me then to accept the deeply mystical ideas expounded in it. And years after… attending a Tafsir gathering, I realized new meanings for the 1400 years plus revealed verses.
The verse of light has baffled both Ulama and Sufis since its revelation. At some point, after lengthy discussions, the thinkers become reluctant to go any further for the fear of their readers' faith. Although the verse has its apparent meaning, there is enough room for individuals to delve further without divulging their private thoughts with others.
While at a first glance of reading this verse, we would normally hurry to conclude the similarities between light and the Creator, it would be rather wise to understand the differences between both.
Light is a Creation
The first and foremost point to note is that light is among the creations of Allah. Therefore it is incorrect to say that the being of Allah is made of the light we see around us. The Creator cannot be same as His creation. While the literal meaning of the verse's first part "Allah is the light of earth and heavens", it would be more apt to understand it as "Allah's is the light of earth and heavens"
Light is Sensible, perceivable
Light is a thing which has color and also an amount of heat. Its speed is measurable in terms of time and space. Our senses of touch and sight perceive the nature of light in whatever little way possible. But Creator is free from all such limits of perceptions.
Light had a beginning
Since light is a creation, it had a beginning in time. Be it millions or zillions of years, but it did have a beginning. Unlike Allah who has been there before anything and everything ever began. And it also implies that since light had a start, it would have an end also. Again, this is impossible in the case of the Creator.
For the above reasons and more, light is not like Allah. But it is also to be noted that light is the fastest among the creations of Allah. Any instrument to measure the weight of light is also unheard of, at least until the moment of writing this piece. Also noteworthy is that fact that in all major world religions, light is a symbol of good and of virtue. It is always mentioned in reference to matters of man's faith and emotions. For instance, light of guidance or light on someone's face.
According to some scholars, the light mentioned can be the light of Allah's guidance for man. Mishkat or the niche, where the lamp is kept, can be compared to his senses. The lamp and the tree are his intellectual and discursive faculties respectively. Oil is the spiritual faculty which is self-lit before it is kindled.
While all other faculties are the provision for rest of humanity, the spiritual faculty is the asset of believers alone whom he guides to 'His Light". The sensual , intellectual and discursive faculties may help to enhance the convictions gained through the spiritual faculty, but not create it all together. In this context, without the oil, the niche, lamp and the olive tree are useless when it comes to the faith of man. To understand this better, take the case of countless thinkers and scientists who in their thoughts and observations spent years, but could not identify the Creator or his Merciful Messenger? Faith is not a result of imagination or observation. "Allah guides to His Light whomever He wishes".
What then is the light? What is the path of guidance?
It was only at the end of the Tafsir that I got (or so did it seem) the secret of the verse. From philosophy and theology, it became more personal and poetical. A lover praises his beloved in terms which confuse others as to who is the subject of his talk? Was Lord talking about Him or His Beloved? The source of guidance to Allah is none but His Beloved. Allah showed His Mercy through him and guided humanity through him. The message brought by His Beloved was His. The Light was referring to His Beloved. And why not? The Lord Himself called His beloved elsewhere in the Holy Book as Sirajul muneer, the Lamp spreading light.
I smiled.
It all began in love. And it ended too in the same.


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Magnificent, strong and once thriving in Appalachian forests, oaks now struggle to regenerate. As deadly diseases spread in other regions, a new alliance is emerging to protect this key species.
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Ruth Guo
Ruth's practice focuses on all aspects of finance.
Ruth represents domestic and foreign investment banks, companies, private equity, mezzanine funds and other financial institutions in complex commercial finance transactions. She also has extensive experience in structured finance including warehouse facilities, securitizations and repurchase arrangements.
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May 28, 2020
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TB Holdings
Sponsored By
Beagles Rescued From Labs In Bay Area, Nation After Being Used For Chemical TestingIt's biotech's dirty little secret: We discovered at least four companies in the Bay Area are testing everything from medicine to chemical products on dogs. Most won't survive. But for the ones that do, there is a chance at a new life.


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How we Unintentionally Joined the FIRE Movement
Not too long ago, every time my husband came home early from work, I would run to the door and fearfully ask,
"Did you get laid off?"
You see, his company was going though round after round of layoffs and we didn't know if my husband's job would be affected.
We did know that we were nowhere near financially ready to lose our only income.
It got so bad that he started preemptively texting me if he was coming home early. That way I would not go into a panic if his car unexpectedly pulled in the driveway.
After several looong months of stress, we had had enough.
We decided that we would aspire to a place where we weren't dependent on the whims of a crazy boss or a downsizing company. A place where we would have no fear if his job suddenly ended. A place of financial independence.
Unbeknownst to us, at the same time there was a quiet movement afoot. A movement that had not yet made the headlines. A movement called FIRE – Financial Independence, Retire Early.
And we had just inadvertently signed up.
The Backstory
My first job out of college paid $27,000 a year. I was saving at least 25% of that amount. From day one, I was maxing out my retirement contributions to a 401(k).
When my husband and I got married, our total annual household income was $50,000. My husband's salary was $23,000 a year.
We were living in a very inexpensive area of the country. We didn't care about what we drove or how much stuff we could accumulate.
Much like the scene from Mad Men where Don Draper meets Conrad Hilton,
"We're not much on fancy things or fancy people."
Avoiding fancy things makes it pretty easy to save money.
The small debt we had when we got married was easily knocked out within a couple of years.
Four years after we got married, we relocated to South Florida for a great job opportunity for my husband. The new job offered him a starting salary of $50,000.
We didn't have any children, so the move to a new place seemed exciting. Plus, my company offered to transfer me to a sales office in Miami.
During this time, we continued maxing out both our 401(k) accounts at our respective jobs. We were probably saving about 25% of our combined household income of $90,000.
After a few years, we had our first child. I didn't want to go back to work full-time and found a part-time job as a tech writer for a software company. Although we weren't making as much as we were when I was working full-time, we were able to live very comfortably on our household income.
Then we had another baby. At this point, I realized that mothers who work outside the home are truly Wonder Women.
I quit the part-time work to be a full-time stay-at-home mom. It was a leap of faith for us.
We found ourselves as a family of 4 living comfortably on my husband's salary of $100,000 per year. Although the high cost of living in South Florida left us little room for indulgences. Like when the A/C broke in August. During an incredibly hot Florida summer. But we survived just fine.
We lived in Florida for 15 years where our family expanded to 5 with the addition of a baby girl. My husband's career took off and he loved being a program manager involved with the latest technology in the world of mobile communications.
The Next Phase
In 2011, my husband got a call about a possible opportunity at the headquarters of a tech company in Canada. One of his early career mentors was an executive at the company and he was aggressively pursuing my husband to come and work there.
After an exhaustive 4-month negotiation process, we decided that this opportunity was worth relocating our family to Canada. The decisive factor was my husband's interview with the COO of the company. The enthusiasm of the COO and his passion for the job convinced my husband to accept the job.
Just 2 years later, the COO would become the CEO. That was good news for my husband because the men had always shared a close bond.
The Downward Spiral
The reason the COO moved into the CEO role was the company was starting to decline and the previous CEO had been pushed aside.
The company had lost its competitive edge as other companies surpassed its technology. The death knell in the fast-moving world of mobile communications.
It was shortly thereafter that the layoffs started. Not just a few layoffs. Eventually, the layoffs would affect more than 60% of the workforce. The company was gutted from over 15,000 employees to just under 5,000.
It was during this time that my husband saw many talented professionals get the "walk to the door."
There were new executives that would come and go during the next few years. With each, the strategic initiative of the company changed. But the downward spiral of the company continued.
My husband was able to adapt to the changes in the company. He identified a new business opportunity of potential growth and was put in charge of the initiative. But this change meant a lot of stress for us as a family. The ensuing long hours and constant travel (over 100,000 miles per year) meant he missed a lot of birthdays and special occasions.
We realized he could not keep up this pace indefinitely. The stress and the travel were beginning to take their toll on his health.
It was during this stressful time that we changed our mindset from just saving enough for retirement, to saving enough so that we wouldn't need to worry about the impact on our quality of life if the company declined even further.
We started purposely saving more (which increased our savings rate to approximately 30% of his income). We saved 100% of every bonus. He also received stock awards every year.
See related: Coulda, Woulda , Shoulda – The Tales of Selling Company Stock
Enter the FIRE Movement
Since our savings were automatic, we took advantage of dollar-cost averaging in our retirement accounts, as well as the company match in his RRSP (like a 401 (k)). We ramped up our investments in accounts that weren't tax-advantaged. We paid off the mortgage on our house.
I had always tracked our net worth annually. Over the years, we saw our net worth grow. And grow. And grow.
Thanks to a fantastic bull run over the past 10 years, we far exceeded where we thought we would be at this time.
We started to think that not only would we be financially secure if my husband lost his job, but maybe we had saved enough that he could quit his job and we'd still be able to maintain our standard of living.
Enter the FIRE movement. We set our eyes on a convenient date for my husband to say goodbye to his company (summer of 2020). That's when a lot of important dates coincide: our youngest child graduates from high school, our oldest son graduates from college and my husband's pension (from the company in South Florida) kicks in. It seemed like the perfect date to shoot for.
Over the past 3 years, we've made changes to our portfolio to protect some of the gains we've made during the bull run.
Thanks to many factors, like my husband's growing salary and bonus, a great bull run in the market, purposely building a large cash portfolio and paying off our home, we are confident that we have attained FI earlier than planned.
And that is a great feeling.
Knowing that no matter what happens, we can maintain our standard of living. Even if the A/C breaks, we know that this time, we won't have to wait several months to get it fixed. Or even worse, the heater breaks now that we've living in Canada. We've got enough to cover that and more!