text:
The MOC Monitoring project aims to (i) present a scalable monitoring platform to collect and retain rich information about the Mass Open Cloud (MOC) and (ii) make that information available for analysis. On this page, we present our design for a scalable cloud monitoring system that can collect, mediate, and expose data coming from multiple layers of the cloud, provide our roadmap for the coming months, and share the immediate team of researchers/engineers working on the project.
Cloud users today have little visibility into the performance characteristics, power consumption and utilization of cloud software and hardware components. The cloud has little visibility into user application performance requirements and critical metrics, such as response time and throughput. Through this project, we attempt to reduce this information gap.
Our fundamental goal is to provide a monitoring infrastructure that can expose rich information about all layers of the cloud (facility, network, hardware, OS, middleware, application and user layers) to all the other layers. In this way, we aim to reduce the need for costly reverse engineering or coarse-grained assumptions. We believe that such detailed, multi-layered information is key to developing intelligent, realistic performance and energy optimization techniques. For example, if the goal is to rapidly reduce data center power used while maintaining service level agreements (SLAs), we believe that it will be essential to identify candidate application components and their power/performance characteristics, and then determine the power saving technique to be applied to those components under SLA constraints.
Current MOC Monitoring Architecture
The current design of MOC's monitoring architecture assumes a standard Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud setup that is composed of switches, storage and servers on the physical layer, and managed by OpenStack on the virtual layer.
The figure above shows the main components of the current MOC monitoring architecture. Our architecture is composed of four layers:
- Data collection layer: Monitoring information from different layers are collected in a scalable and low-overhead manner
- Data retention & consolidation layer: Collected monitoring information is persisted and then consolidated in the time-series database InfluxDB
- Services layer: Houses IaaS services, such as alerting and metering, as well as privacy preserving Application Programming Interface (API) services to expose monitoring data to unprivileged users
- Advanced monitoring applications layer: Where a wide variety of value-added services that utilize the monitoring data operate
Virtual layer utilization information is collected using Ceilometer; the syslogs of the individual compute servers and the logs of the OpenStack services are collected using LogStash; and the physical server resource utilization (e.g., CPU, memory, disk utilization), power metrics (e.g., consumed power, fan speeds, temperature sensors) and switch network utilization metrics (e.g., incoming/outgoing traffic on switch ports) are collected using Sensu.
Ceilometer and LogStash are coupled with scalable storage systems MongoDB and ElasticSearch, respectively. Since Sensu is an alerting system, normally data collected by Sensu is not stored in any database. We use the time-series database InfluxDB for persisting the information collected by Sensu. We also correlate and consolidate various types of data collected by Ceilometer and LogStash in InfluxDB. This consolidated database enables formulating complex queries, such as queries that expose the cross-layer state of the components of the datacenter they are utilizing to cloud users, or queries that enable cloud administrators to understand the impacts of changes made in the physical layer on virtual and application-layer performance.
Data collected from different layers can be used for performing various services of MOC. A metering service queries the MongoDB database populated by Ceilometer to create user cloud usage reports for given periods of time. The logging data collected by LogStash and indexed/served by ElasticSearch provides a keyword-based search interface with various filters to the MOC admins to be used for debugging. Sensu goes through a set of checks and creates alerts if any anomalies in systems are observed.
In addition to the above mentioned fundamental services, we are planning to have the MOC monitoring system provide two APIs that enable querying of the consolidated data in InfluxDB. The Security API will provide detailed networking information as well as interaction and packet meta-data information of users who opt-in to supply this data. The Monitoring API will simply expose all correlated performance, resource utilization and power data.
A unique feature of our monitoring system design is transparency to cloud users and administrators for a number of applications. For example, we are working on providing end-users with privacy preserving APIs that expose the state of the physical resources over which their VMs are hosted. This will enable users to achieve and automate stable and repeatable performance. We are also working on correlating and exposing virtual layer performance and physical layer power utilization data to cloud administrators. This can enable more intelligent resource scheduling in data centers as well as participation of data centers in energy market demand-response programs.
MOC Monitoring Sub Projects
Monitoring for power management in datacenters:
In this project, we try to use MOC monitoring data for: (1) Participation in emerging smart grid demand response programs in order to reduce datacenter energy costs and stabilize power grid demands, (2) budgeting available power to applications via peak shaving.
Today's datacenters are capable of providing significant flexibility in power consumption owing to the advancements in dynamic power management techniques in servers as well as to the increasing diversity of cloud jobs ranging from latency-critical transactional jobs to delay-tolerant jobs. We believe that if we couple this flexibility with a systematic and accurate cloud power and performance monitoring infrastructure, cloud datacenters would be promising candidates for participating in emerging energy market demand response programs such as regulation service reserves (RSR) and peak power shaving. This participation not only can help stabilize the power grid and enable substantial electricity generation from renewables, but also could decrease rapidly growing energy costs of cloud datacenters due to the incentive credits offered by energy market operators for reserve provisioning.
A rich set of control knobs are available in a datacenter, including job scheduling or power capping of servers via voltage-frequency scaling and via changing resources allocated to each VM. In our initial analysis, we used the number of vCPUs allocated to a VM as an example, and also as a proxy to mimic a combination of various control knobs. Results of RSR provisioning and peak shaving studies we made on MOC using this control knob is presented in:
- A. Turk, H. Chen, O. Tuncer, H. Li, Q. Li, O. Krieger, A. K. Coskun, "Seeing into a Public Cloud: Monitoring the Massachusetts Open Cloud", in USENIX CoolDC'2016.
Security analytics to detect cloud attacks
Public IaaS clouds are subject to many security threats including data breaches, account compromises, denial-of-service attacks and abuse of cloud services. Traditional security controls such as encryption, data integrity, replication, and two-factor authentication are necessary to raise the cloud security posture, but not sufficient to mitigate against all these threats.
We propose an analytics-based security service (called MOSAIC) implemented on top of the monitoring platform that will use a variety of machine learning algorithms to profile the legitimate activity of cloud users and applications, and detect anomalous activities related to a wide-range of attacks. Our system aims to provide early warning to both the cloud provider and users of the cloud about possible threats experienced by the cloud infrastructure, and will complement existing security defenses.
We also plan to investigate possible mitigation techniques once suspicious activities are detected, for example migrating suspicious VMs in an isolated part of the cloud and performing more detailed monitoring to determine the root cause of the observed behavior.
Project Team
Core Project Team
• Prof. Ayse Kivilcim Coskun (Boston University) [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Prof. Alina Oprea (Northeastern University)[icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Ata Turk, PhD (Boston University) [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Raja Sambasivan (Boston University) [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Ruoyu Chen [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Jeremy Freudberg [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Nagasai Vinaykumar Kapalavai [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Rohit Kumar [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Lily Sturmann [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Trishita Tiwari [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Susanne Balle (Intel)
• Julia A. Santos (Intel)
• Hua Li (Wayfair.com)
• Qingqing Li (Boston University)
• Hao Chen (Boston University)
• Dimitri Makrigiorgos [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Gen Ohta [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Ugur Kaynar [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• Ozan Tuncer [icon name="envelope-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
• March 2016: Test of monitoring stack in Staging, Production deployment of Sensu+InfluxDB+Graphana
• April 2016: Visualization of MOC hardware utilization in Horizon; Evaluation of Monasca as alternative monitoring solution, decision to not proceed with Monasca for now.
• May–August 2016: Incremental backups of InfluxDB, formatted emails, calibrated thresholds for alerting system, complete testing of Ceilometer & ElkStack in staging.
• June–August 2016: Integration of datacenter layer large component (e.g. IRCs, water pumps, chilling towers, …) power usage into the monitoring system.
• September–November 2016: Exposing monitoring data to trusted researchers.
• September–December 2016: MOC monitoring show back system (virtualized resources per project)
• November–December 2016: MOC monitoring show back system (bare-metal resources)
• December 2016– March 2017: Collect network flow data from MOC switches to get detailed information on both internal and external network activity of cloud VMs.
• January 2017: Create monitoring working group
• February 2017 — Present: Re-evaluate Monasca due to performance issues w/Ceilometer.
• March 2017– April 2017: Evaluate different end-to-end tracing systems for integration into the monitoring infrastructure.
Planning and Getting Involved
To get involved in this project, please send email to (mail:email@example.com) and/or join the #moc irc channel on free node.


text:
It is January 1, 2012. It is that time when we traditionally , after looking back, look forward to new possibilities, awarenesses, and to insights that will make us better at whatever we do. I paint.
I have been reading The Accidental Masterpiece by Michael Kimmelman. The lessons of this writing are how the accidents, experiences, chance encounters, and all such moments are the stuff from which our honest images are born. The book begins with the story of the chance meeting of Pierre Bonnard and Marthe de Meligny (his wife to be) and how this encounter influenced Bonnard's life's work . It is just such serendipitous events that make up the personality of our work. We are either portraying the experiences of our own lives or we are imitating the experiences of others.
The sad outcome of painting like someone other than ourselves is that we miss the enjoyment of giving form to our uniquely personal experiences. Undoubtedly our work impacts how we perceive ourselves and influences our direction in the art we create. It is also true, and I believe even more so, that our art is a reflection of the events of our lives. To be a better artist pay attention to the happenings in your life!
I do not make New Year resolutions because they can inhibit exploration and discovery. The most exciting things in my life have come about organically, without plans. The longer I paint the more I enjoy the discovery.
New Year's Eve, Diane and I saw Hugo, a delightful movie set in Paris of the 1920's. It's about an orphan boy who secretly maintains all the clocks in a busy train station. Through a web of unexpected events and adventures he meets a forgotten genius film maker. But I won't spoil the tale. If you have a heart you will love the adventure of this boy and every other character in the story, as they solve the riddle of their purpose for living.
Here is one of many of Bonnard's gorgeous paintings of Marthe, his wife and muse. Just imagine if he hadn't happened to meet her in that train station that day…

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Promotions ....
Hye All, Salam... I've been getting questions whether the promotions are still going ON? Yes the promotions is still going. Go on.. email me should you are interested on them ya ;)
Oh ya... I have a new items to share with you, wasn't so new coz a few mommies has been using it... (and it works...*wink* *wink*).. and I have been using it since January this year, and love it but I got to find time to blog about it. Well I do not know when but I'll try to do it as soon as my 'patience tester' becomes a good baby girl.., and yes...its baby Nur. She's has been fussy ever since she was released from the hospital..and she can only be seated with me sitting. Huhuuu... But I just love it when she now are able to be breastfeed at any place at anytime, rather than lying down only.. this has just happen these few days. Praying hard this will last... Aminn
AND please email me kalau ada enquiries ya [at] ajasuakeem [at] yahoo dot com
For medela accesories or spareparts,mana2 spareparts atau accesories yg berminat, email lah ya ;)... kalau x de nanti Aja estimate date of arrival nyer
CALL lines 03-33932857 ONLY available from 7.30 pm to 11.00 pm (we apologised for the inconviniences...)
Thanks mommies (and daddies toooo... :D )
18 comments:
- szarihan said...
lama tak jenguk blog ko Aja :D
- October 22, 2010 at 4:23 PM
salamss nazzz/aja....kak mieja dtg tgk awak:):)
- October 22, 2010 at 5:37 PM
- Naza Sulaiman a.k.a Ajasu said...
hi Pah,Aja pun lama x update blog..hehee.. Nk bersiar2 kt mbw pun x sempat laling. Huhuu
- October 22, 2010 at 9:24 PM
- Naza Sulaiman a.k.a Ajasu said...
kak miejaaa...muahh.. Akak ari tu br org jenguk2 akak.. Ali iqbal dh beso,dh kurus..skit. Tingat dulu2 duk berjuang 'hgga titisan susu terakhir' hehe.. Syukur dpt terus continue bfeed baby lg kan? Alhamdulillah.
Kak miejaa,pah zarihan pun porumer cari jugak..guna nickname 'yagi-uda'. Ehehe..ke korg dh kenal (^_~)
- October 22, 2010 at 9:32 PM
- Solihin said...
Hi Ms Aja..saya nk tanya ada stok lg x medela fs ni? would like to buy 1 for my wife. pls email me: solihin.zuhali at gmail dot com
- January 13, 2011 at 12:04 PM
- Naza Sulaiman a.k.a Ajasu said...
Salam Mr, Solihin. Yes I still have them in stock. Will send email to you a.s.a.p. Thanks for the interest ;)
- January 13, 2011 at 12:12 PM
- ally said...
hi slm kak aja..sy nak tanya, medela swing ade lg tak??n skrg harga masih same or dah berubah??sy nk bli medela swing la..ape2 info please email me at email@example.com
- January 24, 2011 at 10:40 AM
- Unknown said...
kak aja, promosi ni still ade lagi ke?
- February 10, 2011 at 4:39 PM
- Naza Sulaiman a.k.a Ajasu said...
Salam Nora, ada lagi. Email Aja ya ;). Thanks dear
- February 11, 2011 at 3:47 AM
- Princess Cindellyna said...
medela harmony still harga rm199 ke..?ready stock ada tak..?
time kasih!=)
- February 12, 2011 at 12:45 PM
- Naza Sulaiman a.k.a Ajasu said...
Salam dear, Ada reasdy stok :)
Email me yeh ...Thanks
- February 16, 2011 at 2:23 AM
- Mami Naufal said...
medela swing package tu masih ada stock ke?
- March 13, 2011 at 5:13 PM
- Naza Sulaiman a.k.a Ajasu said...
Salam Nia, medela swing package yang rm849 tuh ada lagi, kalau nk bgtahu Aja ya.. ;) email pon boleh
Thanks for looking dear;)
- March 13, 2011 at 7:33 PM
- ibuaries said...
salam..interested dengan medela FS tu. ada stok lagi ke & is the promotion still available? plz email me email@example.com
- March 18, 2011 at 3:44 PM
- Naza Sulaiman a.k.a Ajasu said...
Hi Nia, in the breastpump box, usually they included a manual book, try slowly to follow the instruction to assemble and dismantle the parts... Medela guide book is usually the easiest one to follow.
If you have any problem, the best way is to communicate with the seller who sold you the packages, easier to track the pump history for warranty too ;) coz usually a seller would appreciate their customer to ask questions and disscuss problems ...that's what i do for my customers :D
- March 24, 2011 at 8:55 AM
- Unknown said...
promo medela harmony manual breast pump still on? I'm expecting next month to deliver my third baby..
Baby Diapers TUJOURS "A" promo!!
- May 6, 2011 at 5:28 PM
- lina said...
salam akak...medela harmony ade lg x?nak satu..pastu nak tnye akak ade x adpter medela PISA?adapter sy rosak la akak tgh kalut cr..saya plak Exclusive Pumping..duih ai..tolong sgt3 akak..kalu ade medela harmony hari ni..sekarang gak sy g amik..boleh x akak..ape2 bleh reply kat email sy
- May 18, 2011 at 11:36 AM
- ZNM said...
Salam Aja,
for Medela FS, does it come with a warranty? RM1699 nih is for the whole pckg la kn?
Dlm blog u ade mentioned psl KUTU? Camner cr bayar thru KUTU nih? Kindly email me for the details ye....firstname.lastname@example.com.
- June 9, 2011 at 11:11 AM


text:
Domestic help is important for every house hold those who can afford to pay for it. They clean the house, wash the clothes, and do the daily cleansing and previous pending works. Most of the house holds depends upon them for their daily work. In Puri in most of the houses domestic help used to do various home works like that of cleansing of utilities, For the last two years their wages now been on the rise and it is on the higher side in each year sometimes they increase the wages in the month of October and sometimes they increase the wages in the month of January in the new year.
Weird problems:
Now days the number of domestic helps in the decline due to some positive government policies. There lots of money to earn from various positive government policies and for this now the trend is changing. They are now getting more than two hundred days of earning opportunities apart from other earning from various government welfare measures. This adds to the problem for various house holds. Due to the scarcity of domestic helps , there salary is on the rise and they are also now more ad more demanding and also their work standards is on the decline.
They are now working at more than sixteen houses and this is obvious as how could they manage the house holds by going to various far and wide places of Puri town and the standard of work I on the decline. Every homes priority is for cleaning and for all the essential works is done by the domestic help but with increase in time the duration of the work is on the decline and the standard of the work is one the decline. Sometimes there behaviors are also rude and if you say some rude words or some mild rude words they will complain about everything. Now it seems that this being the most worrying factor.
How to get rid of it?
As the more you increase the wages of the domestic help they tend to reduce the work loads and try to finish the work in a hurry. The house holds works seems to be a difficult task and how it is to be solved and how easily it can be done and finished.
What should be the problem no one can solve it?
As the government can not solve it as it is doing the welfare works and that too it is also extending to richer people through Adhar cards and other welfare measures. Now the next problem I to find the persons who plucks the coconut from trees.
Now the new generation of coconut pucker s has been evading from their earlier possessions. Now their new generations not doing these coconut plucking professions and for this there is strenuous lack of these coconut pluckers. Now their fathers has been doing this profession and for this serious lack of coconut pluckers and all the house holds having the coconut trees is feeling the brunt of it.
Sources and References:


text:
County Cricket Round-Up: 6th September
LV County Championship Division One
At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire had to settle for a draw. Yorkshire were all out for 256 in their second innings, Nottinghamshire made 352 before Yorkshire batted on in their second innings, ending the game when they declared on 519 for eight. Jacques Rudolph top scored with 149 while there were half-centuries for Joe Sayers (86), Jonathan Bairstow (82), and Richard Pyrah (50 not out) and Paul Franks picked up three wickets.
NatWest Pro40 Division Two
Ian Bell thumped 105 in 101 balls and Jonathan Trott made a swift 36 as Warwickshire scored 246 for six against Derbyshire at Edgbaston. Bell hit 12 fours and a six before Greg Smith grabbed two wickets. The Bears then completed a crushing 110-run win by bowling their visitors out for just 136. Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Neil Carter both took three wickets as Derbyshire crashed to defeat.
Leicestershire reached 217 for eight against Glamorgan. Boeta Dippenaar (49) and Wayne White (46 not out) couldn't quite get to half-centuries as Huw Waters, David Harrison and Mark Cosgrove picked up two wickets apiece. Nevertheless, 217 proved to be a winning score as Glamorgan folded to be all out for 194. Will Bragg made 78 but White completed a fine day with four wickets to hand the Foxes another win.
Kent were bundled out for 162 by Lancashire at Old Trafford. Justin Kemp, skippering a young side, top scored with 44 as Steven Mullaney returned three for 36. Mal Loye then hit 55 and when rain stopped play early, Lancashire's score of 80 for one from 17.4 overs handed them the match by 15 runs.
© Cricket World 2009


text:
When I bought my car, it was a big deal that it could use bluetooth and sync to my phone for calls and music. The sales guy went on and on about it. I mostly listened to the radio on scan, so this was not a key feature for me, but I've come to love the hands-free calling. Last year, my friend bought a newer model of the car, and the bluetooth communication has expanded to maps, Pandora, and other apps. However, they are all still accessed via a cell phone. Now, cars and other vehicles are being designed with increasing connectivity and automation, making them a high-value addition to the IoT.
Features like real-time software updates, live feedback to drivers and insurance, predictive maintenance, and traffic management are all being developed and tested. However, wide scale deployment of these features requires connectivity solutions that aren't dependent on the driver's cell phone acting as a hub.
Using cellular connections for cars
Connecting a car to the internet provides a unique set of challenges since the device itself is generally in motion when you need network access. The easiest answer is connecting the car itself to a cellular network, since many of the potential problems, such as rapid connection handoffs, have already been solved.
The most common way to connect cars to the internet is via cell phones.
In order to make cellular connections in cars effective, 5G networks need to be widely deployed. 5G will provide a network that's about 100X faster than LTE, enabling connectivity with both the stability and data rates necessary for real-time information management under rapidly changing environmental parameters, like traffic, obstacles, or weather.
WiFi enabled vehicles
If you've flown recently, you may have had the opportunity to pay exorbitantly for use of their in-flight WiFi. Buses and trains frequently have WiFi access, too. Scaling these systems for cars is appealing, both for use in the vehicle and for connecting the vehicle itself to the cloud. In particular, WiFi networks over short distances to other cars or local systems, like dedicated short-range communications (DRSC), may supplement other network options when coverage is limited or unavailable.
Emerging automotive connection technology
Although cellular is definitely the incumbent, plenty of other companies are working to develop new communications infrastructure for vehicles.
Valeo: They are building secure, high-speed connection options using both onboard telematics, and mobile connectivity technology.
Cohda Wireless: Specializing in wireless communication for automotive safety, they've had some major interest and investments from companies like Cisco and NXP.
Huawei: China is probably the largest market for connected and autonomous vehicles, and Huawei Technologies is working with several Chinese automakers to cooperate on their technology development.
Connectivity in autonomous cars
"Connected cars" are different from "autonomous cars," although there's certainly overlap. For example, not all manufacturers are designing autonomous cars to utilize external navigation (most notably Tesla). Instead, these cars would be self-contained, not dependent on a network connection. Even so, vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication is likely to be a critical aspect for most autonomous cars, allowing them to update guidance and navigation for weather, traffic, and other obstacles that may not be immediately detectable by the vehicle.
Vehicle to vehicle communication will be a critical connectivity element for autonomous vehicles.
Standardization in communication protocols
Since vehicles from different manufacturers will all be sharing the road, it's critical to have interoperability in the networks between cars, or updates from roads and infrastructure. Without standardized communications, information like road updates or standard signage may not reach cars of every make and model. You could end up with some cars proceeding into bad traffic or poor weather conditions, while others make it safely and quickly onto other routes.
To start developing standards for these protocols, organizations like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Transportation have created policies and frameworks to help developers integrate their automotive IoT products and share the IoT road. Currently, these are only guidelines. There are no federal laws (yet) about "highly automated vehicles" on the road, as long as they pass the existing safety standards. It's likely that some proprietary networks will exist, giving certain consumers access to premium updates and information. However, general interoperability will require some overlap between vehicles to keep everyone safe and traffic running smoothly.
As vehicles become part of the internet of things, they'll communicate with roads, signs, bridges, and more while driving.
Developing the next generation of vehicles requires integrating hundreds of sensors. These will also require enough processing power and connectivity to make use of all that data on the fly. Compilers, like TASKING, can help you write efficient software for processing sensory data for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). To learn more about integrating vehicles into the Internet of Things, contact an expert at TASKING.


text:
Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality: Lectures on Medieval Russia
Paperback, 267 Pages
Price: $15.00
Prints in 3-5 business days
In this series of university lectures, Matthew Raphael Johnson provides a thought-provoking survey of medieval Russian history from a sympathetic vantage point to the old Russian way of life and provides historical lessons applicable to the present day. A must read for students of Russian history.
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Product Details
- Copyright
- Matthew Raphael Johnson (Standard Copyright License)
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- Hromada Books
- Published
- September 24, 2009
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 267
- Binding
- Perfect-bound Paperback
- Interior Ink
- Black & white
- Weight
- 1.01 lbs.
- Dimensions (inches)
- 6 wide x 9 tall
- Product ID
- 5487868
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Locust bean gum is taken from the seeds of the Mediterranean carob or locust bean tree. It is good at thickening liquids and stabilizing emulsions. It can be used by itself but is more often used to complement other ingredients.
Locust bean gum combines well with ingredients that make brittle gels and strengthens them by making them more elastic. This makes it ideal to use with xanthan gum, kappa and lambda carrageenan, and agar. It can also be used to help keep fruit fillings for pies from boiling out.
We always recommend ModernistPantry.com, they have great service and are really good to work with (because of this, we do have an affiliate relationship with them. We also recommend purchasing from WillPowder.
Typically 0.1-0.3% locust bean gum is used for fruit filling stabilization and 0.1-0.75% with other ingredients.
Locust bean gum can be dispersed in cold water with a blender and is hydrated in water above 90°C / 194°F. Once hydrated it is typically effective at temperatures below 85°C / 185°F.
minutes. Remove it from the heat and pour into molds. Let cool. You can now turn out the gel, cut it into any shapes you like, and serve.


text:
If you have been searching online for a Mattress reviews then we have what you are looking for !
Finding the right mattress to suit your particular requirements can sometimes be fairly lengthy process and this is especially true if you start out not really knowing what is currently available in the marketplace or if your knowledge is not great when it comes to the different types of mattress available and what the benefits of each different type might be. Bear Mattress Coupon Codes


text:
With multiple first round selections for the first time since arriving in Calgary, the 2013 NHL Entry Draft has been labelled by some as the "biggest day in Flames history". While that's a bit extreme considering Calgary has won a Stanley Cup in its past, I do agree that June 30, 2013, is pretty high on the list of big moments, with the potential to climb even higher if picks 6, 22 and 28 turn out as good as they could.
Here is my very subjective list of the 10 most significant days in the history of the Flames -- after their arrival in Calgary in June of 1980. Do you agree or disagree? How would you re-order? Where do you see the 2013 draft slotting in? Is there something you'd add to the list?
1. Thursday, May 25, 1989 - Doug Gilmour scored twice and Colin Patterson and Lanny McDonald also scored -- Lanny with the dramatic go-ahead goal, as the Flames won 4-2 in game six at the Montreal Forum to win its first Stanley Cup. Al MacInnis won the Conn Smythe as the playoffs most valuable player.
2. Wednesday, Apr. 30, 1986 - Calgary had a great regular season (40-31-9), posting the league's 6th best record. Unfortunately, being stuck in the Smythe division with the league-leading Edmonton Oilers (56-17-7) resulted in the 'Battle of Alberta' taking place in the second round of the playoffs. A tremendous series went to game seven with Calgary stunning the Oilers 3-2 on the most legendary goal in team history. Perry Berezan's dump-in is collected by Steve Smith behind the Oilers net. Smith's attempted pass hits the back of the leg of goaltender Grant Fuhr and ricochets in, putting the Flames ahead for good at 5:14 of the third period.
3. Monday, Apr. 19, 2004 - It had been 15 long years since the Flames had won a playoff series and they had missed the playoffs seven years in a row when as the No. 6 seed, they took No. 3 seed Vancouver to game 7. It looked like a case of "here we go again" when Matt Cooke scored with six seconds left in the game to tie it 2-2. But, 1:25 into OT with Ed Jovanovski in the penalty box for the Canucks, Martin Gelinas scored to win it and the Flames moved on to play Detroit.
4. Tuesday, Dec. 19, 1995 - Calgary GM Al Coates acquires 18-year-old Jarome Iginla, who was the 11th pick in the 1995 draft, as well as Corey Millen from Dallas in exchange for disgruntled holdout Joe Nieuwendyk. Iginla led the Flames to the Stanley Cup final in 2004 and in 16 seasons, he was the face of the franchise, playing 1,219 games and amassing a franchise-best 525 goals and 1,095 points.
5. Sunday, June 30, 2013 - Jarome Iginla is gone, so is Miikka Kiprusoff. After years of trying but failing to get back to the Stanley Cup to complete unfinished business from 2004, the Flames are finally in full-on rebuild mode and it begins on this date in New Jersey at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft with the team having multiple first round selections for the first time. Calgary will pick at 6, 22 and 28 and GM Jay Feaster needs to get it right or more so, not get it wrong, to re-stock the cupboards and get the franchise pointed back in the right direction. It's easily the most important draft in Flames history.
Update (July 2/13): My recap of the roller coaster ride that was draft day for the Calgary Flames.
6. Saturday, June 15, 1985 - At the NHL Entry Draft in Toronto, Calgary GM Cliff Fletcher traded Kent Nilsson to Minnesota in a deal that included getting the North Stars second round pick that year, 27th overall, in return. The Flames used that pick to draft Joe Nieuwendyk from Cornell. Nieuwendyk made an immediate impact scoring 51 goals his rookie year. He followed that with years of 51, 45 and 45 goals and as the team captain, the Flames went on to become Stanley Cup champions in 1989.
7. Sunday, Nov. 16, 2003 - Faced with an injury to starting goaltender Roman Turek, Calgary GM Darryl Sutter traded a second round draft pick to San Jose to acquire Sharks third-string goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff. What a pick-up that would turn out to be. He backstopped the Flames to the Stanley Cup final in 2004, won the Vezina trophy in 2006, and is the team's all-time leader in games (575), wins (305) and shutouts (41).
8. Wednesday, May 14, 1986 - Two days prior, looking to advance to the Stanley Cup final for the first time, the Flames suffered a colossal meltdown in game six in St. Louis. They blew a 5-2 lead with 12 minutes left and lost 6-5 on Doug Wickenheiser's overtime goal in what the Blues dubbed "The Monday Night Miracle". Back home for game 7, Calgary won 2-1 on goals by Al MacInnis and Colin Patterson and the Flames and Lanny McDonald were off to the Stanley Cup for the first time.
9. Tuesday, Sept. 6, 1988 - Calgary GM Cliff Fletcher swung a 7-player trade with St. Louis in which Mike Bullard went to the Blues and Doug Gilmour was the key piece coming to the Flames. Gilmour, a terrific playmaker, had a huge impact in his three-and-a-half years in Calgary and was an integral part of the Stanley Cup-winning team in 1989.
10. Saturday, Oct. 15, 1983 - After three seasons of temporarily playing at the cramped Calgary Corral before crowds of less than 9,000, the Flames finally moved into an NHL-type building, opening the doors on the newly built Olympic Saddledome, which would eventually boast a seating capacity of over 20,000.


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Nuvolo Receives 'Breakout ISV' and 'Highest Customer Satisfaction' PartnerNow Awards
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — August 1st, 2017 – In an era of continual business transformation, it has never been more important to maximize the value of enterprise assets, increasing asset availability, productivity, and longevity. Nuvolo, a cloud-based enterprise asset management platform, has built its business on helping global companies manage, track, measure and maintain assets in the clinical, laboratory, and facilities verticals, and has now been recognized for its successes with two prestigious awards from ServiceNow.
At the May Knowledge17 conference, Nuvolo:
The Americas' Highest Customer Satisfaction Award for 2016 presented to Nuvolo is a reflection of the company's strong customer relationships and demonstrated ability to exceed customer implementation expectations. The global Technology Partner award recognizes Nuvolo's success in achieving the highest revenue and total number of deals transacted via the ServiceNow Store. Nuvolo is a Gold Services Partner and a Bronze Technology Partner to ServiceNow.
"Nuvolo is a longtime partner of ServiceNow, and we're very pleased to recognize their success," said Avanish Sahai, vice president of Worldwide ISV/Store Alliances at ServiceNow. "Nuvolo's enterprise asset management solutions across healthcare, facilities and laboratory will continue to enhance the user experience of ServiceNow customers going forward."
"It's an honor to receive the ServiceNow awards as it demonstrates that Nuvolo is not only a strong contributor in the enterprise asset management sector, we also provide leading customer service," said Tom Stanford, CEO of Nuvolo. "In the IoT and digital transformation era, companies are making enterprise asset management a strategic competency, using cloud-based platforms to drive to insight, gain speed, and scale, and Nuvolo and ServiceNow can help them accelerate the path to results."
More information is available at www.nuvolo.com
Knowledge is where you experience IT, Customer Service, HR, and Security at lightspeed. Attendees learn how to deliver business services faster with 400+ sessions customized for attendees—and 80 perfcent of breakouts are delivered by indsutry peers. This event is the most efficient and fastest way to get practical advice, indepth training, and access to 13,000+ community experts driving the future of shared services and digital transformation.
Nuvolo is revolutionizing enterprise asset management by innovating on ServiceNow, the world's leading enterprise cloud platform. The company's vision is to be the global leader in cloud-based EAM, powered by a culture of innovation and a relentless commitment to customer service. Fully optimized for growing, mobile workforces worldwide, Nuvolo delivers a simple, intuitive and user-friendly online and offline mobile experience.
Privately held and founded in 2013, Nuvolo is headquartered in Jersey City, N.J. with offices throughout the U.S. and internationally in London and Pune, India. For more information about the Nuvolo EAM platform, please visit www.nuvolo.com.


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What We Do:
The DPMCDA plans and directs studies necessary to identify, evaluate, and develop medications to treat substance use disorders (SUDs). The Division develops and administers a program of basic and clinical research to develop innovative pharmacological (both chemical and biological) approaches to treat SUDs . This program is implemented through collaborations with academia, industry (pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies), and other government institutions (e.g., the Veterans Administration and the FDA). The Division also coordinates and provides leadership in the area of medical conditions associated with SUDs, including but not limited to HIV/AIDS.
Research Programs:
- The Addiction Treatment Discovery Program (ATDP)
- Cocaine Clinical Trials Program (CCTP)
- Opiate Clinical Trials Program (OCTP)
- Methamphetamine Clinical Trial Group Program (MCTGP)
- Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse and Co-occurring Infections Program
- Medications Research Grants
- Immunotherapy
Division Listings:
- Office of the DPMCDA Director (OD)
- Medical Consequences Branch (MCB)
- Chemistry and Pharmaceutics Branch (CPB)
- Medications Discovery and Toxicology Branch (MDTB)
- Regulatory Affairs Branch (RAB)
- Medications Research Grants Branch (MRGB)
- Clinical/Medical Branch(CMB)
Staff Listings:
Mailing Address:
Division of Pharmacotherapies & Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Boulevard
Room 4123, MSC 9551
Bethesda, MD 20892-9551
(301) 443-6173 (phone)
(301) 443-2599 (fax)
Featured Publication
Drugs, Brains, and Behavior - The Science of Addiction
As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both brain and behavior.


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Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel, the sponsor of the U.S. Team to the World Maccabiah Games in Israel, evolved from a dream shared by four visionaries: Harry Henshel, Charles Orenstein, Edward Rosenblum and Harold O. Zimman. Mere weeks after the establishment of a Jewish homeland in 1948, these leaders embarked on a two-fold mission: to help Israel develop as a nation through Sports, and to promote Fitness and Athletics among Jewish Youth. The organization was founded as the United States Committee Sports for Israel and evolved into Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel (MUSA) many years later.
Almost from the very beginning, the Organization has met and surpassed the goals of its founders. The first goal was accomplished when Israel was recognized by the International Olympic Committee, thus becoming eligible to participate in the Olympic Games in 1952. From there, the Organization continued to develop projects to increase Jewish identity, encourage Jewish pride, strengthen bonds among Jews worldwide and create a heightened awareness of Israel.
In furthering its mission, MUSA created the concept of a USA Cultural and Education Program called Pre-Camp in 1985 when a two-day program for Open and Juniors athletes was held at Rutgers University. From 1989 to the present, in order to enhance the Maccabiah experience, ISRAEL CONNECT (previously called Pre-Camp) is held in Israel before the Maccabiah begins. This intensive four-day educational, cultural and social experience introduces the athletes to the people of Israel and to their rich Jewish culture and traditions. The program has included visits to important cultural and historical sites, such as the Western Wall, Yad Vashem and Masada, interaction with Israelis and the opportunity to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah in Israel in a ceremony conducted by the USA Team Rabbi. In 1993, our Lev L'Lev program was established to strengthen the concept of Tzedakah among the athletes, who are given the opportunity to visit hospitals, schools and other facilities in Israel. These programs are designed to enrich the lives of the participants, to heighten their awareness of Jewish identity, to create lifelong bonds with Israel and the Jewish people and to foster a sense of Jewish pride. Strating 2009, ISRAEL CONNECT was increased to 6 days, including a Shabbat celebration.
Today, more than 50 years after its inception, Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel remains dedicated to enriching the lives of Jews in the United States, Israel and throughout the Diaspora through a variety of athletic, cultural and educational programs. Hundreds of volunteers, including large numbers of World Maccabiah Games alumni, immerse themselves in a wide array of activities, from golf and tennis tournaments to social events. Widespread volunteer participation assures that the organization remains relevant to Jewish men and women in the United States, Israel and throughout the Diaspora.
Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel, an adjunct member of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, is one of 50 territorial representatives of Maccabi World Union, the international governing organization. The Maccabi movement, with ties to the ideals of Zionism and named for Judah (The Hammer) Maccabee, symbolizes Jewish strength and excellence in sport. Maccabi World Union, founded in 1921, has a membership of more than 400,000 in 60 countries, making it the largest Jewish membership organization in the world.


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China Moves to Isolate Philippines, JapanPosted: August 31, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized 1 Comment
The Philippines and Japan's charm offensives towards China appear to have failed as Beijing seeks to isolate both powers within the region.
In recent weeks both the Philippines and Japan have made a number of overtures to China aimed at mending strained bilateral ties. Just this week, for instance, the chief of staff of the Philippine military, Emmanuel Bautista, pledged that his country would continue its no-confrontation doctrine in the South China Sea, while also saying that it would consider allowing Chinese naval ships to use the Subic port.
"Many foreign ships visit our ports and we welcome them, that is part of military diplomacy," Bautista told The South China Morning Post, referring to the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
Equally notable, Filipino President Benigno Aquino III announced earlier this month that he was accepting an invitation from China to attend a one day business expo in Nanning. He was expected to…
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China Steps up the Space Race: Lunar Rover by End of the YearPosted: August 31, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments Off on China Steps up the Space Race: Lunar Rover by End of the Year
China will launch a lander and rover to the moon by the end of this year, officials announced Wednesday, part of an ambitious plan to return samples from the lunar surface by 2017 and send humans within the next decade.
China will send a rover to the moon by the end of the year, officials announced Wednesday. Though it was originally slated for September, officials are now planning to launch early December 2 local time (December 1 in the US).
"The Chang'e-3 mission makes best use of a plethora of innovative technology. It is an extremely difficult mission that carries great risk," said Ma Xingrui, head of China's space exploration body and chief commander of the lunar program.
Unlike early NASA rover missions to Mars, the Chang'e-3 rover won't bounce or hang-glide its way to the surface (the latter wouldn't work anyway, as the moon has virtually no atmosphere)…
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China: Severe Anti-corruption Storm on the HorizonPosted: August 31, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: anti-corruption storm, Bo Xilai, China, Chinese politics, corruption, Criminal Law, govern by awe, Han Fei Tzu, intrigue, Legalist masterpiece, rule of law, trick, Xi Jinping 14 Comments
This is a section in Chapter 19 of the second edition of my book Tiananmen's Tremendous Achievements.
When the hearing of Bo Xilai's case was over, the chief judge said that a severe sentence should be given. The next day, People's Daily published a commentary that advocates persistence in fighting against corruption according to legal thinking and in the manner of the rule of law.
If the rule of law is persistently implemented, the following provisions of Articles 383 and 386 of China's Criminal Law shall be imposed:
Article 383 A crime of embezzlement shall, depending on the seriousness of the circumstance, be punished according to the following provisions:
1. If the amount embezzled is not less than 100,000 yuan, the punishment shall be fixed-term imprisonment of not less than ten years or life imprisonment and may concurrently be confiscation of property; and if the circumstance is especially serious, death penalty and concurrently confiscation of property.
2. If the amount embezzled is not less than 50,000 yuan, but less than 100,000 yuan, the punishment shall be fixed-term imprisonment of not less than five years and may concurrently be confiscation of property; and if the circumstance is especially serious, life imprisonment and concurrently confiscation of property.
3. If the amount embezzled is not less than 5,000 yuan, but less than 50,000 yuan, the punishment shall be fixed-term imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than seven years; and if the circumstance is serious, fixed-term imprisonment of not less than seven years and not more than ten years. If the amount embezzled is not less than 5,000 yuan and not more than 10,000 yuan may, and if, after committing the crime, there have been signs of repentance and the money embezzled has been returned of his own accord, the punishment may be a mitigated one with exemption from criminal punishment, and in such a case, the unit the criminal belongs or the competent superior department may impose administrative sanctions.
4. If the amount embezzled is not more than 5,000 yuan but the circumstance is relatively serious, the punishment shall be a fixed-term imprisonment of not more than two years or criminal detention; and if the circumstance is relatively minor, the unit that the criminal belongs or the competent superior department may impose administrative sanctions according to the circumstance.
More than one count of embezzlement shall be unpunished according to the accumulated amount embezzled.
Article 386 A crime of acceptance of bribes shall be punished, depending on the amount of bribes and the seriousness of the circumstances in accordance with the provisions of Article 383 of this Law. Crime of extorting bribery shall be punished severely.
In fact, verdicts have not been given so harshly in accordance with the Criminal Law. It is certainly due to the malpractice of officials shielding one another.
The day after the next day, CCP Politburo had a meeting that stressed investigating and dealing with the cases of CCP members' violation of law or discipline severely to fully strike awe. In order to strike awe and persist in implementing the rule of law, harsh punishment must be imposed, especially to those who like Bo Xilai resort to sophistry in their own defense.
Corrupt officials, especially high officials like Bo Xilai, are shrewd. They certainly will not accept gains in person, but rely entirely on their relatives or protégés to do so for them. That has become quite a common pattern of corruption now. If Bo Xilai's sophistry in shifting his corrupt crimes to his wife and child can free him from his liability, almost all corrupt officials will be immune. Then it will be utterly impossible to overcome corruption.
Previously in this book, I think that failure to conduct hearing of Bo Xilai's case 10 months after Jiang Zemin decided to punish him harshly on September 28, 2012, was due to conservatives' great resistance. Now, I see that Xi Jinping has delayed the hearing on purpose till the time he is going to launch the anti-corruption storm so that he can fully strike awe by severely punishing Bo Xilai.
The Legalist masterpiece Han Fei Tze teaches sovereigns to control their officials by awe, tricks and intrigues. Xi Jinping has precisely been doing so. First, he took blitz actions on December 4, 2012 to close all the black jails set up by local despots to strike awe among them. Then, he intensified the awe by prompt investigation and punishment of the corruption cases exposed by netizens and media. Soon afterwards, he launched the mass line education practice campaign to tell officials to examine themselves before the masses of the people and receive their criticism. By so doing, he will sweep away every bit of their prestige into the dust. When the campaign has gradually become effective, Xi Jinping conducted the hearing of Bo Xilai's case and gave Bo the chance to mount his feisty defense. At the same time he has detained protesters who demanded for asset declaration by officials. He tried to make corrupt officials arrogant by so doing. This will intensify the awe that his announcement of severe punishment of Bo Xilai will give rise to.
I have analyzed Xi Jinping's characters and believe he is a man of quick decision and quick action.
According to his wife, the well-known folk song star Peng Liyuan, forty minutes after Xi Jinping met her, he decided to court her. At that time, he had no idea that she was very rich and not even knew that she was the original singer of some of his favorite songs. They married 9 months later.
At that time Xi was a medium-rank official while Peng, 24 then, was a beautiful singer with national renown nine years younger than Xi. If Xi had not taken quick actions to court Peng, with such beauty and renown, Peng would have possibly been courted by lots of Xi's competitors such as well-known stars and scholars, high officials and wealthy tycoons.
I mentioned above that less than two weeks after Xi Jinping was elected as the general secretary, he put forth the China dream of the great revival of the Chinese nation to rally both the conservatives and reformists under his banner. Less than three weeks after being elected, he took blitz actions to close all black jails and thus began the political reform of democratic supervision. He began to promptly investigate cases of corruption exposed by netizens and media soon after he was elected and has launched with great fanfare a national campaign of mass line education practice. All these fully indicate his character of quick decision and quick action.
Moreover, he is a man who stresses doing practical jobs and refrains from empty talks. He did not talk about the political reform of democratic supervision, but took blitz actions to close all the black jails. As he refrains to talk about his next step, he makes it difficult for people to guess what his next actions will be. As a result his actions may give rise to sudden awe.
As soon as the trial of Bo Xilai's case was over, Xi Jinping called a Politburo meeting to examine, discuss and adopt the 2013-2017 Work Plan for Establishment and Perfection of the System for Fighting, Punishing and Preventing Corruption to make preparations for a fierce anti-corruption campaign. Therefore, a severe anti-corruption storm has loomed on the horizon.
When initial success has been achieved in the mass line education practice campaign in September, a national struggle against corruption will be carried out with the suddenness of a thunderbolt after a harsh verdict is given to Bo Xilai. By that time, the 45 central mass line supervision and guidance teams and 10 Central Corruption Inspection teams are working with full steam and have gained some working experience and established their authority. Xi Jinping will take advantage of the universal awe caused by the severe verdict to switch the teams' focus onto fighting corruption.
In addition, the meeting adopted "Opinions on Functional Transformation and Structural Reform of Local Governments" with a plan to vigorously reorganize local governments in order to better prevent corruption, streamline local governments and make them more effective in serving the general public.
The Politburo meeting decided to hold the third plenary session of the CCP Central Committee in November so that the corrupt officials found in the anti-corruption campaign may be expelled from the CCP in a timely manner and transferred to the judicial organs. It is estimated that those satisfactorily repentant will be treated leniently, but those who resist will be punished harshly. Perhaps quite a large number of officials will be imprisoned and a few will be put to death.
When there is an atmosphere of terror in fighting against corruption, quite a few officials will voluntarily surrender themselves. In order to reduce the percentage of people punished, many corrupt officials have voluntarily surrendered themselves will only receive lenient disciplinary punishment and have their illegal income confiscated. However, severe punishment will be meted out if they commit corruption again. The punishments provided in the Criminal Law were quite severe. A verdict of 10-year imprisonment or longer may be given for corruption involving an amount exceeding 100,000 yuan ($16,200). As it is quite a small amount, the provision will be quite a big restraint.
It seems that in order to give rise to fear, Xi Jinping has to give a sudden verdict of severe punishment to Bo Xilai so as to warn by example. That will create awe for the anti-corruption storm Xi Jinping will launch after the verdict. It seems that Bo Xilai's life is in danger.
Previously, I think that Legalist master's classic Han Fei Tzu is only useful for such tyrants as Shihuangdi of Qin and Mao Zedong. I now realize that my previous view was wrong. Under China's current circumstances with lots of local despots and extremely evil tendencies in the society, the Legalist classic is very useful for a wise sovereign in rectifying officials and the society. Chinese people are quite lucky that they have such rich legacy from their wise ancestors.
Source: the book "Tiananmen's Tremendous Achievements"
News Confirms Xi Jinping Chosen by Jiang Zemin as Successor Jiang as the CorePosted: August 30, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bo Xilai, CCP Dynasty, China, Chinese politics, core of leadership, Hu Jintao, Jiang Zeming, power struggle, ranking of leaders and elders, succession problem, Xi Jinping 295 Comments
I describe in the first edition of my book "Tiananmen's Tremendous Achievements" that China's current political system is CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Dynasty with a core of leadership equivalent to an emperor, that Jiang Zemin remains the core after full retirement and that it was Jiang who selected Xi Jinping as Hu Jintao's successor as the general secretary. I said that it was my speculation that Jiang selected Xi, but it was a well-based logical speculation.
There have been lots of debates whether Jiang remains dominant in the decade after his retirement, but the fact that Jiang presided over a Politburo meeting on September 28, 2012 and decided the date of the 18th CCP Congress and harsh punishment of Bo Xilai, has put an end to the debate. Jiang remains the core equivalent to an emperor.
In the section entitled "Succession to the Core Is the Trickiest Problem" in Chapter 6 "Succession to the Core, a Real Problem—Tiananmen Helped Jiang Become the Core", I said,
One thing quite interesting in Chinese politics is that there are no definition, codes or rules whatever about the power of an emperor in the past and the core of the Party now. In fact, even if there are some codes or rules, there is no institution or mechanism to enforce them.
An emperor could have absolute power like Emperor Shihuangdi of Qin (259–221 BC), but might have almost no power like Shihuangdi's successor Huhai, whose power was usurped by Zhao Gao, a eunuch.
That is why the art for being an emperor is so important for an emperor or core.
People, especially those outside China, think that it is unbelievable that Jiang is able to remain dominant years after his full retirement, but it is not difficult if one has mastery of the art for being an emperor.
In Chapter 1 of my book, I describe the emergence during the Cultural Revolution of a new generation of talented scholars with moral integrity who were making preparations for seizing state power. One thing they studied hard was the art for being an emperor. As a result, there are some scholars who have mastery of the art.
In the section entitled "Chinese Art for Being an Emperor" in Chapter 10 of the second edition of the book, I describe China's richest tycoon Zong Qinghou's art for being an emperor:
Looking back, I think that the art must be quite useful for an entrepreneur or executive because it in essence is an art of leadership.
When I read the report on the Sino-foreign joint venture disputes between Wahaha, a food giant in China, and Denon, a French multinational food giant, I was impressed that when Wahaha's head Zong Qinghou had resigned, Denon could not effectively control Wahaha's enterprises though it had a controlling shareholding of 51%. For years, all the managers, staff and workers in Wahaha remained loyal to Zong. Zong was just like the core in CCP. He remained in control though he was no longer the chief executive. Zong certainly has a mastery of the art for being an emperor that is indispensable for not only an emperor but also the core of CCP.
In Chapter 13 of the second edition "Fierce Battle for Succession to the Core—Xi Jinping's Position as Hu Jintao's Heir Precarious" there are the following passages and subheads on recent fierce power struggle for succession:
In the second edition, in Chapter 6, I said succession to the core was a real problem, but in Chapter 12, I said that Xi Jinping has proved his competence and has been selected by Jiang Zemin as his successor as the core of the leadership of the CCP Dynasty; therefore, if in the coming two decades, Xi remains alive and healthy, there will be no problem of succession to the core. However, as I am going to describe, Xi's succession to Jiang as the core has been the outcome of a fierce power struggle between reformists and conservatives.
Bo Xilai Began to Covet the Top Post
At Stake Was the Succession to the Core
It struck him that Xi Jinping was very lucky as when Xi took over from Hu Jintao, Xi would have the greatest chance to succeed Jiang as the core of party leadership as Jiang would be 86 by that time.
Evidence of Bo Xilai's Ambition to Grab the Right of Succession
SCMP described in its report the story given by businessman Chen Guixian about how he was arrested and tortured by more than 20 police under Bo's close assistant Wang Lijun.
Chen said that they kept custody of him in a motel room…. they beat him up repeatedly to force Chen to admit the framed-up crime of giving former Chongqing mayor Wang Hongju 2 million yuan in bribes. Chen refused….
Despite such tortures for 37 days, Chen remained defiant. He told the police what they did was illegal and they could not produce any documents for the arrest. In addition Chen told them, "The government has policy and law." SCMP says in its report: "Chen said the police replied that Bo Xilai was the policy and that his police chief, Wang Lijun, was the law."
"'Don't you realize that our secretary Bo Xilai will become the president in the future, and that our police chief Wang will become minister Wang,' they said. 'But you may not live to see that, you zombie. You're going to die if you don't confess.'"
In the section "Signs of Jiang Zemin's Intention to Have Xi Jinping Succeed Him as the Core" in Chapter 16, there is the following description:
In CCTV prime time news report on January 22, 2013, the wreaths placed in Jiang's name came behind that of President Hu Jintao, party general secretary Xi Jinping and other Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) members at the funeral service for General Yang Baibing, who died at the age of 93 in Beijing on January 15, 2013.
It was the first time that Jiang's name had been placed behind that of Politburo Standing Committee members other than the general secretary since he retired as general secretary at the 16th Party Congress in 2002 and stood down from his last official post as chairman of the Central Military Commissions in late 2004.
In Xinhua report earlier on the funeral of Bishop Ding Guangxun on November 27, 2012, Jiang's name remained behind Hu and Xi but ahead of PSC member National People's Congress chairman Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.
Xinhua says the change of order was done at Jiang's request. The CCP is very particular about the order of appearance of leaders' names in its official reports. The recent change in the order indicated Jiang's desire for Xi to take over as the core.
In fact, due to Jiang's position as the core that has the final say, no one dare to change the order except Jiang.
This new order is confirmed by Hunan Satellite TV's report on August 29 on the funeral service of Liu Xiyao, an official well-known for his contribution to the development of China's atomic bomb and ICBM. The order of names of the leaders and elders whose wreaths were shown on the screen is: current Politburo Standing Committee members Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejian, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan and Wang Qishan; and elders Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, Zhu Rongji, Wei Jianxing, Li Lanqing, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang.
Jiang Zemin has kept his promise to have his name moved behind the current Politburo Standing Committee members.
Chinese boy has his eyes gouged outPosted: August 29, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized 178 Comments
It's beyond horrifying: a six-year-old Chinese boy lured into a field has his eyes gouged out by an assailant, blinding him forever — even more unthinkably, the woman suspected of committing the monstrous crime may have been trying to harvest the child's corneas for cash.
According to Chinastate media via Reuters, the boy, who was from northern Shanxi province, was playing outside but went missing on Saturday, apparently led into a field by an unidentified woman, who then gouged out his eyes and left him bleeding for hours until his parents found him.
The child's eyes were discovered nearby and retrieved, but doctors were unable to use them to restore his vision. Initial reports noted the corneas had been extracted and passed along public speculation that they'd been removed to be sold on China's black market for harvested organs. But News.com.au reports that Chinese police say they have…
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Denial-of-service attack shuts down Chinese Internet on Sunday morningPosted: August 29, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized 6 Comments
The attack began at 2 a.m. Sunday morning and was followed by a more intense attack at 4 a.m., according to the China Internet Network Information Center, which apologized to affected users in its statement and said it is working to improve its "service capabilities."
The attack, which was aimed at the registry that allows users to access sites with the extension ".cn," likely shut down the registry for about two to four hours, according to CloudFlare, a company that provides Web performance and security services for more than a million websites. Though the registry was down, many service providers store a record of parts of the registry for a set period of time, meaning that the outage only affected a portion of websites for some users.
Denial-of-service attacks cause disruptions by overwhelming a computer or network with a high level of online activity. Usually the attacks originate…
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Chinese Boy Has His Eyes Gouged OutPosted: August 29, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments Off on Chinese Boy Has His Eyes Gouged Out
It's beyond horrifying: a six-year-old Chinese boy lured into a field has his eyes gouged out by an assailant, blinding him forever — even more unthinkably, the woman suspected of committing the monstrous crime may have been trying to harvest the child's corneas for cash.
According to Chinastate media via Reuters, the boy, who was from northern Shanxi province, was playing outside but went missing on Saturday, apparently led into a field by an unidentified woman, who then gouged out his eyes and left him bleeding for hours until his parents found him.
The child's eyes were discovered nearby and retrieved, but doctors were unable to use them to restore his vision. Initial reports noted the corneas had been extracted and passed along public speculation that they'd been removed to be sold on China's black market for harvested organs. But News.com.au reports that Chinese police say they have…
View original post 215 more words


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Wisbech Tennis Club prides itself on being a friendly local club, welcoming people of all ages and standards, including beginners.
We have four mixed, two men's and two ladies teams competing in both West Norfolk and the Huntington & Peterborough leagues for those members looking for a more competitive game.
At Wisbech Tennis Club we are lucky enough to have a variety of high quality courts and facilities.
We have 2 all weather, floodlit artificial clay courts, 2 traditional grass courts,
and an enclosed mini court which is suitable for our junior players and less mobile.
As well as a table tennis table, clubhouse and car park.
The Wisbech Tennis Club Committee are volunteers who help keep the club accessible to all. Current members are:


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"At Arizona State University, our research focuses on developing ink chemistries for additive manufacturing from the nanometer to the centimeter scales. To achieve this goal, we must precisely control the rheology properties of our inks. The RheoSense microVISC™ has been instrumental in our lab to measure and monitor the viscosity of our research inks throughout the day. The tool is extremely simple to use and its small sample volume saves money for some of the more expensive inks. Additionally, the use of affordable, disposable syringes saves us considerable time compared to cleaning a traditional rheometer ten times a day.
Overall, we would recommend this tool to other groups looking for an easy-to-use rheometer for daily lab use. "
– Professor Owen Hildreth, Arizona State University


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We are pleased to offer seminars, keynotes and consulting-
all customized to our clients' unique needs.
Naomi's programs are offered at the client's site, at conferences, by webinars and also at public sessions offered by professional societies.
Please call or e-mail to discuss how NBR can best customize a program to fit into your organization.
Seminars, Courses
& Webinars
Customized Keynotes
& Presentations
If your organization has special needs regarding its data presentation, Naomi will gather an understanding of your situation, and customize an informative, resourceful, entertaining keynote or speech to captivate and inform your audience members.
Naomi's consulting services include reviewing documents and presentations for clients, suggesting improvements or alternate presentations as appropriate. Contact Naomi if you have data you'd like plotted or if you have other special requests.


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Consumers turn to their favorite brands' customer care hotlines for guidance, a quick solution and hopefully a pleasant, concise interaction. So, imagine the frustration they feel when prompted to speak with multiple different agents who all seem to provide conflicting answers.
If you're shaking your head thinking that your contact center agents would never provide such poor service, it might be time for an audit, as recent research suggests this is a rather prevalent issue. In fact, a study conducted by CIO Insight revealed that the No. 1 pain point in customer care —according to 41 percent of 5,000 survey respondents—is different agents providing different answers.
This should be a major wake-up call for supervisors as this type of inconsistency can negatively impact your clients' contact center services ROI, since frustrated consumers aren't likely to return. While it's true you can't hold your agents' hands or be there for every single customer care interaction that takes place, there are still major holes you can fill to prevent this issue.
So, how can you fix this problem and prevent it from happening in the future? Here are few ways:
- Offer client-intensive training: Agents must know your brand like the backs of their hands. They must memorize even the most intricate details about product information and company background before they even think about getting on the phone with customers. In fact, your agents should become absolute experts before they officially represent your brand, as they will be on the front lines and the first point of contact for your company's consumers.
- Ensure consistency in ability: Agents must be trained to meet the performance of the strongest member on your team in terms of client knowledge, phone etiquette and problem solving techniques. When your agents can operate with a consistent level of proficiency your consumers won't have to speak with multiple agents to receive an answer as all of your employees will be able to handle the inquiry on their own.
- Ensure agents possess similar dispositions: It's important to ensure that your agents exhibit maturity and dedication to their work. When hiring agents, supervisors must thoroughly vet their candidates to determine whether or not they will take the role seriously. Your agents must be diligent and enthusiastic across the board as one dispassionate agent can negatively impact your contact center services reputation.
It's time to redirect your customers to agents with answers. Ensure your agents are knowledgeable and prepared to handle each call with self-assurance.
Steve Brubaker began his career at InfoCision in 1985. In his current role as Chief of Staff and as a member of the Executive Team, he is responsible for HR, internal and external communications, and manages the company's legal and compliance departments. Brubaker is a member of a number of professional organizations, including the DMA and PACE. He also donates his time to serve on several university boards, including the Executive Advisory Board for The Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing at The University of Akron and The University of Akron Foundation Board. He has also been honored with a number of awards and recognitions for his contributions to the call center industry, including the ATA's highest honor, the prestigious Fulcrum Award.


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About Pivmecillinam
Pivmecillinam (referred to as Amdinocillin Pivoxil in North America) is the pivoxil ester form of mecillinam (Amdinocillin), a semisynthetic, broad spectrum beta-lactam penicillin with antibacterial activity against gram-negative organisms. It is broken down to mecillinam (amdinocillin) in the intestinal mucosa. Amdinocillin specifically binds to and inactivates penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP 2) located on the inner membrane of the bacterial cell wall. Inactivation of PBPs interferes with the cross-linkage of peptidoglycan chains necessary for bacterial cell wall strength and rigidity. This interrupts bacterial cell wall synthesis and results in the weakening of the bacterial cell wall, eventually causing cell lysis.


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This recipe and comes to us courtesy of our friend Hannah at Eat, Drink and Save Money. It's so easy, but so good and perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall dinner. The secret is the bacon – because bacon makes everything better!
3 slices of bacon cut into bit sized pieces
1 C. brussel sprouts halved
1/2 C. cubed butternut squash
1 sweet potato cubed
1 russet potato cubed
1/4 red onion
1 small head of broccoli cut into pieces
1/4 C. of olive oil
2 tsp. course sea salt
1 tsp. pepper
1. Bake the bacon on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the bacon, but keep the grease on the sheet.
3. Add vegetables and oil, toss to cover.
4. Add salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 40 minutes, tossing at the 20 minute mark.
6. Serve in a baking dish and add in the bacon.
Find a great selection of baking dishes including the one Hannah used at Old Time Pottery and check out her blog for more decorating and recipes on a budget!


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BCCClub Sponsorship
The Beach Cities Cycling Club Sponsorship package is now available for your review and consideration.
510 The Village, Unit 304
Redondo Beach
Once the donation and contract are received, it will be signed, a copy returned to you along with a paid invoice.
Copyright owned by BCCClub
Beach Cities Cycling Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. 510 The Village, Unit 304, Redondo Beach, CA 90277


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CRED Team Trips have 3 partner organisations in Ethiopia; AHISDO & CBISDO, Berhan Lehetsanat and Ellilta-Women at Risk. Please see further information below.
Across 4 cities in Ethiopia, our partners AHISDO and CBISDO deliver a range of vital community services through community participation, including health care, youth services, libraries, elderly services, and special needs provision. These two independent organisations werecreated from IHA-UDP, a previous CRED Foundation partner.
This CRED Team Trip is an opportunity to travel to Ethiopia and deliver a five day activity week providing fun, creative and educational lessons and activities in a kindergarten and an after school club for local children and young people.
The week itself is of significant benefit to those involved, informed as it is by child development theory, good teaching practice, and a spirit of fun and play. Local staff appreciate the input and new ideas, as well as the resources that are left behind, and any fundraising is given straight to the host project.
Berhan Lehetsanat means Children of Light in Amharic and it's focus is to create good access to health and education for vulnerable children with a special emphasis on children with disabilities (CwD).
The Berhan Lehetsanat CRED Team Trip is an opportunity to travel to Ethiopia and deliver a 5- day educational activity week to pupils, some of whom are living with disabilities, at a rural primary school in Debre Zeit, south of Addis Ababa.
Berhan Lehetsanat helps disabled children access health and education services, and we will be working in one of their schools.
Disability is very stigmatized in many parts of Ethiopia, particularly in rural areas, and BL is carrying out life-changing work for many children who live with disabilities, and their families. Our activity week will provide the pupils at the school with a wonderful time of fun, creative and educational activities, as well as giving a strong message to the wider community about inclusivity of those living with disabilities
Working across 4 cities in Ethiopia, our partner Ellilta-Women At Risk (E-WAR) provides the means for women to gain meaningful employment and escape the trap of a dangerous lifestyle. They run a number of programs designed to address the rehabilitation of women working on the streets, preventative education to vulnerable youth and raise awareness.
The E-WAR CRED Team Trip is an opportunity to travel to Ethiopia and support the amazing work of this organisation. You will design and deliver a 5 day holiday club for the children of the women who are being supported by E-WAR.
In a country renowned for extreme poverty, E-WAR is not providing 'charity' but is equipping women with the skills to go from poverty to prosperity through new employment opportunities. They have the choice of training in a range of areas from food technology, to hairdressing, to soap or scarf making amongst others.
On a continent where HIV/AIDS is at an epidemic level, E-WAR is addressing the needs of a particularly vulnerable group – commercial sex workers – and in so doing is contributing to the reduction of the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Trips to Ethiopia are usually during October, to fit in with the local dry season – although a Team Trip to the secondand third Ethiopian partners listed here could take place in the Summer. Specific dates will be clarified upon application.
CRED Team Trips
The Kiln. Grange Road
Tongham. Surrey. GU10 1DJ
Tel: +44 (0)1483 810785
Online Contact Form