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Oakland, Berkeley, And East Bay News, Events, Restaurants, Music, & Arts
Last year, when Anne Kirkpatrick took over as Oakland's new police chief, OPD was reeling from a scandal that had left deep distrust between the city's residents and the department. Mayor Libby Schaaf touted Kirkpatrick as "the reform-minded leader Oakland's been looking for" and said she would "bring greater accountability, justice, and safety to our city."
But since taking the job, Kirkpatrick has faced controversy in Oakland, including for her decision to promote command staff implicated in the cover-up of the massive sex abuse scandal involving the underage daughter of a police dispatcher. The chief also has come under fire for allowing Oakland police officers to assist in an August raid by ICE agents that resulted in the arrest of a man for allegedly being in the country illegally — an incident that raised questions as to whether OPD's involvement in the case violated Oakland's sanctuary city law.
And a review of Kirkpatrick's record as a police chief in other cities reveals similarities to the troubles she now faces in Oakland. Over the years, she has been no stranger to scandal, she has a history of trusting cops who lie and of standing behind those who have engaged in gross misconduct, and her commitment to police reform has been less than stellar.
A decade ago, Kirkpatrick became chief of the Spokane Police Department in Washington just after a controversial in-custody death that eventually led to the indictment and conviction of two officers. When she left more than five years later, the incident still loomed over the department, and its relationship with the city was as damaged as ever.
Reviews of Kirkpatrick's performance there are mixed. A scathing U.S. Department of Justice report concluded that the Spokane Police Department lacked leadership and transparency under Kirkpatrick. And many basic police reforms like having officers wear body cameras were only enacted after Kirkpatrick's departure. But her allies from Spokane also contend that Kirkpatrick was as much a victim of a cover-up as anyone, saying she was repeatedly lied to by her own officers and even the city attorney's office.
Before arriving in Spokane, Kirkpatrick had been a police officer in Memphis, Tenn., in the early 1980s. She earned a law degree from Seattle University in 1989 and was a police officer in Redmond, Wash., from 1987 to 1995, according to her résumé. She first became a police chief in Ellensburg, a city with fewer than 20,000 residents in rural Washington, in 1996, and in 2001 became police chief in Federal Way, Wash., a Seattle suburb with 87,500 residents.
Kirkpatrick was announced as the next police chief in Spokane on July 20, 2006, and took over the job on Sept. 11. At the time, Spokane had a population of just under 200,000, about half the size of Oakland. And the Spokane Police Department was embroiled in controversy over the death of Otto Zehm, a 36-year-old janitor who suffered from a developmental disability. According to a Department of Justice press release, on March 18, 2006, Officer Karl Thompson Jr. attacked Zehm from behind in a convenience store with a baton, hit him in the head, deployed a Taser when Zehm was on the ground in a fetal position, and continued to beat him. Zehm died in a hospital two days later.
SPD provided shifting explanations for why the use of force was necessary against Zehm, saying he had lunged at Thompson and had refused to drop a plastic Pepsi bottle, prompting Thompson to react defensively. But the department also fought the release of security camera video and other public records related to the incident.
The FBI opened an investigation a few months later. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington at the time, James McDevitt, said in a recent interview that he was reluctant to step in but found that the local prosecutor was not handling the case properly. The city attorney's office and the police officers' union fought the investigation at every step, he said, withholding evidence and refusing to cooperate. When the U.S. Attorney's Office called officers before a grand jury, some had to return multiple times to revise their testimony.
McDevitt said he called Kirkpatrick when she came on as chief and alerted her to the ongoing FBI investigation as a courtesy. Kirkpatrick, he said, was also being lied to by her own officers and the city attorney's office, which led to her making public statements in support of Thompson. McDevitt said Kirkpatrick and Jim Nicks, the acting police chief who preceded her, "were the only two people that I thought I could trust" in the department.
But three years later, as the investigation went on, Kirkpatrick continued to give her "unequivocal support" to Thompson, according to the Spokesman-Review, the city's only daily newspaper. "Based on all the information and evidence I have reviewed, I have determined that Officer Karl Thompson acted consistent with the law," she said on March 1, 2009, less than four months before Thompson was indicted on charges of using unreasonable force and lying to investigators.
It took more than two years before the case went to trial. By then, there were unconfirmed reports in the local news that Kirkpatrick would be leaving the chief's position in the coming months. Thompson went on trial in October 2011, weeks before a mayoral election. On Nov. 2, Thompson was found guilty of civil rights violations and obstruction of justice. On Nov. 8, mayoral candidate David Condon defeated incumbent Mary Verner. On Nov. 11, Kirkpatrick announced her retirement, and on Nov. 16, Verner asked the Justice Department to conduct a review of the department.
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text: Home West Sussex Crawley Forge Wood Forge Wood An artist's impression of the street scene at Forge Wood Forge Wood sales office has now moved Typical Taylor Wimpey apartment A typical Taylor Wimpey home Typical Taylor Wimpey apartment Typical Taylor Wimpey home Sussex House Apartments CGI Typical Taylor Wimpey apartment Prev Next £255,000 - £630,000 View gallery Just launched Close window An artist's impression of the street scene at Forge Wood Forge Wood sales office has now moved Typical Taylor Wimpey apartment A typical Taylor Wimpey home Typical Taylor Wimpey apartment Typical Taylor Wimpey home Sussex House Apartments CGI Typical Taylor Wimpey apartment Prev Next Prev Next Overview Homes for sale Location Development Layout Community Video Offers Visit New homes in Crawley Our sought-after new phase has just launched. We have a new range of 2 bedroom apartments and 2 & 3 bedroom homes available for sale as well as a 5 bedroom home which is ready to move into this year. We have also just relocated into our new Sales Cabin on Somerley Drive. If you wish to reserve, please call to book an appointment. Forge Wood's tree-lined, rural location makes the perfect setting for your new home with stunning views of nearby woodland. Our Sales Information Centre is open for pre-booked appointments for customers who require a personal meeting or wish to view our new homes. Our main priority continues to be the safety and wellbeing of our employees and customers, and we have strict social distancing procedures in place - click here for more information. Our dedicated Sales team remains available for business remotely to ensure that you are able to register your interest via telephone or email and you can even complete your purchase from the comfort of your own home. You can also get in touch with our Sales Executives by calling us or you can email firstname.lastname@example.com to find out more about the homes we have available. Read more The health and safety of our customers and colleagues is our number one priority and we have taken proactive action to implement measures to assist in preventing the spread of Coronavirus. Find out more here. Community There's a real sense of community at Forge Wood. Many of the neighbours who have already moved in have joined local community groups ranging from dog walks to running clubs, ideal if you're looking for new companions. Design The homes at Forge Wood have been thoughtfully designed to take into account local surroundings and history. Each home has been designed for modern living and contains their own unique features. Green spaces With striking views of nearby woodland, Forge Wood's rural, tree-lined location provides the perfect walking or jogging route. Call 01293228949 Book an appointment Request a call back View a brochure Forge Wood - Somerley Drive - Crawley - West Sussex - RH10 3ZE Opening Times Today 10:00 to 17:00 More times Mon Closed Tue 10:00 to 17:00 Wed 10:00 to 17:00 Thu 10:00 to 17:00 Fri 10:00 to 17:00 Sat 10:00 to 17:00 Sun 10:00 to 17:00 Images include optional upgrades at additional cost 01293228949 Book an appointment Book app. Request a call back Call back View a brochure Brochure Homes for sale Sort by price Low to high High to low £630,000 The Wilton - Plot 401 5 bedroom detached house Show home for sale! 5 bedroom family home with a large open-plan kitchen/dining area, perfect for entertaining loved ones. Double garage and 2 parking spaces. Ready to move into this year! £255,000 The Foxglove House - Plot 267 2 bedroom apartment Ground floor 2 bedroom apartment which comes with an open-plan kitchen/living/dining area, two double bedrooms and a modern family bathroom. Plus, a parking space is included. £265,000 The Foxglove House - Plot 271 2 bedroom apartment 2 bedroom second floor apartment with an open-plan layout, perefect for entertaining and 2 double bedrooms plus a family bathroom. Parking space is included. £270,000 The Foxglove House - Plot 272 2 bedroom apartment Enjoy open plan living with two double bedrooms, one is equipped with an en suite and the other is served by the main bathroom. 788 sq ft second floor apartment, parking space included. £338,000 The Ashenford - Plot 321 2 bedroom end terrace Designed with both first-time buyers and downsizers in mind, with 2 bedrooms and an open-plan kitchen/lounge/dining area. Plus, 2 parking spaces. £340,000 The Ashenford - Plot 322 2 bedroom semi-detached house The heart of this home is an open plan kitchen/living/dining area, perfect for entertaining loved ones. Plus, two bedrooms and a family bathroom. 2 allocated parking spaces included. Show more... Location About Crawley Located close to Gatwick Airport, Crawley is one of the fastest-growing towns in the south of England. On your doorstep Crawley town centre, just 3.4 miles from Forge Wood plays host to a variety of amenities including a large selection of supermarkets and shopping centres, as well as restaurants, bars, cinemas, entertainment, sports and leisure facilities. There are also weekly street markets selling everything from accessories and quality plants to fresh fruit, vegetables and cuts of meat. There is also a selection of schools for all ages close by. Enjoying life at Forge Wood Situated on the outskirts of Crawley's animated town centre, Forge Wood is set in a tree lined rural location and has access to a range of amenities that will please the entire family. From a more immediate standpoint, you can take in the glorious countryside views from one of the local pubs and enjoy a bite to eat or head further into the town centre for something different. Getting out and about Getting out and about is simple from Forge Wood - Crawley town centre is only a few miles away while Gatwick Airport is less than a mile away, for those wishing to travel further afield. Gatwick Train Station is ideal for commuters as it offers quick services to London Victoria, Blackfriars and London Bridge. There is also easy access to the M23 motorway stretching from Crawley, Gatwick Airport and the M25 motorway with routes into London. Nearby No locations available Development Layout Zoom in Zoom out Show Hide map key Community Couple buy first home at Forge Wood Oliver Fowler and his fiancée are celebrating moving out of their family homes after successfully saving enough money to put a deposit down on a two bedroom apartment here at Forge Wood. Oliver said: "We were really drawn to the development because of its location. I have to travel for work so the accessibly transport links make this a lot easier. We were also really attracted to the idea of having greenery, shops and, most importantly, the huge range of options to customise our property." The couple used Help to Buy: Equity Loan to purchase their new home. Oliver said: "By being able to use Help to Buy: Equity Loan, we were able to buy a two bedroom new build rather than an older property that might have been smaller. We feel very at home here at Forge Wood and love how close we are to amenities such as shops, cinemas and bars. All of the staff were very helpful whilst we were purchasing and we are extremely thankful to them for making it so easy." Video Forge Wood next phase launching autumn 2020 Help to Buy: Equity Loan Offers Help to Buy: Equity Loan This is one of just a few homes that is still eligible for the current Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme, which is open to both first time buyers and existing homeowners and means you'll need just 5% deposit to buy a new home. From April 2021, the price cap for Help to Buy will depend on the area you live in, and the scheme will be offered exclusively to first time buyers. Find out more here. With the current Help to Buy scheme, the Government will lend you up to 20% of the value of your new build home via an equity loan. You will need to secure up to a 75% mortgage and put down a 5% deposit. You'll own 100% of your home from day one. Find out more about how the Help to Buy scheme works. Help to Buy: Equity Loan – Terms and conditions apply. Applicants should seek independent financial advice, and get information and guidance on applying for a Help to Buy: Equity Loan at www.helptobuy.gov.uk. Care Worker Discount Offer As a thank you for the heroic efforts shown by the NHS, and the key work they and other care and care support workers have been doing, we're offering you a special discount to the value of 5% of the purchase price of a new Taylor Wimpey home. 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If you think you could be eligible, why not find out more about our armed forces discount today? #TaylorWimpey Powered by Curator.io Book an appointment Our Sales Information Centres and show homes are now open by appointment only. Your appointment will be confirmed to you on the phone by our Sales Executive, who will ask you a series of questions to verify the purpose of your appointment. If your appointment can be conducted remotely, our Sales Executive may ask you to do so or may ask you to delay your visit. We have taken proactive action in implementing measures to protect the health and safety of our customers and colleagues and you can learn about them here. 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text: mingomango 0 Posted October 23, 2008 Hi I originally posted this in the Header Tags SEO forum (http://forums.oscommerce.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=298099&view=findpost&p=1326022), but Jack suggested I post it here instead (slightly edited so that it makes sense in this forum!): I installed the HT SEO as per the instructions and with STS turned off (and with the header code added to the pages) it works fine. Once I turn on STS and remove the header code (the if statement around the title tag) then all I get is the default store name. I have added the STS only file and the headertags.php filename to the "files for normal template" in sts admin. It seems to me (although I can't get my head around the order things are done in STS) that the capture code in the headertags.php file is not being run, or that the "headertags" output is being overwritten before it is inserted into the "headcontent" output. Any ideas? Another thing is that when you click the "view results" in the page control admin with STS off it shows the correct title/keywords/desc (all in yellow), but once it is on all you get is the default store name (in yellow) and blank keywords/description (in red). I have OSC 2.2rc1, STS v4.5.5 and HT SEO v3.0.8. Many thanks, Chaman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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text: technology RIP: Sennheiser HD-495 Posted onJanuary 19, 2008May 22, 2016Authorgurahamu Reading time: < 1 minuteAlas, after years of faithful service (about seven I think) my Sennheiser HD-495s finally went silent for the last time during a quick game of Assassin's Creed. I don't blame the game, or Sennheiser. It was just their time to go. I'll miss you.


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1 Answers
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Earlier this month ISO-New England (ISO-NE) released a report (Operational Fuel-Security Analysis) detailing the findings of a fuel-security analysis that was initiated to assess concerns with the region's increasing reliance on natural gas-fired electricity. This dependence is set to increase with the retirement of oil, coal, and nuclear power plants. Increased reliance on natural gas, with limited incremental development of the region's natural gas pipeline capacity is projected to increase fuel security risks for New England.
The report identified fuel security, in particular the availability of natural gas during the winter peak periods, as the region's greatest risk to power system reliability. The report makes clear that this is a very real risk for New England. However, we believe that the static nature of assumptions where market responses aren't fully considered, and the specification and selection of scenarios has caused the study to overstate these risks. The report indicates one goal is to improve the region's understanding of these risks and to inform subsequent discussions. This memo seeks to contribute to that discussion.
Fuel security is the ability of power plants to get the fuel they need, when they need it. In recent winters, ISO-NE operators have had to deal with the challenges of fuel security. The report identified five key fuel variables that will affect the magnitude of these fuel security risks.
These variables are first discussed, then the results of ISO-NE's analysis, followed by commentary on issues that may cause the analysis to overstate these risks or the likely incidence of the reliability events (e.g., load shedding and other less severe emergency actions such as public requests for energy conservation) identified in the report.
ISO-NE Identified Fuel Variables
The first variable is the retirement of coal, oil, and nuclear power plants. ISO-NE noted that by June 2021, 4,600 MW of non-natural gas-fired generation will have retired, representing more than 10% of the region's total generating capacity including the Vermont Yankee nuclear generating station (620 MW) and the Pilgrim nuclear generating station (690 MW). In recent winters when the supply of natural gas for New England's generation fleet has been limited, these resources have supplied a significant portion of the grid's energy. (See Figure 1 below, which contrasts two days this winter.) Retirement of these facilities increases the region's reliance on natural gas and heightens natural gas constraints, which in turn increases fuel security risks.
The second fuel variable identified in the report is the availability of LNG. There are two primary LNG facilities that serve New England natural gas-fired generators: (1) the Distrigas facility in Everett, Massachusetts, which has a storage capability of 3.4 Bcf and vaporization capability of .7 Bcf/day and is owned and operated by Engie;[1],[2] and (2) the Canaport LNG terminal in Saint John, New Brunswick, which has a storage capability of 10 Bcf and vaporization capability of .7 Bcf/day and is owned by Repsol and Irving Oil.[3] There is also two offshore LNG injection facilities: (1) the Northeast Gateway facility, which can inject .4 Bcf/day, but is rarely used; and (2) Neptune, which also can inject .4 Bcf/day, but has not operated since it achieved commercial operation.
The Distrigas and Canaport LNG terminals serve natural gas-fired generators in New England under a range of supply arrangements, but typically provide what is essentially a peaking supply. With LNG a global commodity, New England buyers must compete with buyers in distant markets. Given pipeline constraints into New England, during peak winter periods prices in New England are able to attract LNG supplies, but the short duration of these price events and limited storage capabilities of the LNG terminals do not ensure a sustained supply. Therefore, most cargoes of LNG need to be contracted and scheduled before winter begins. With the majority sourced from Trinidad and Tobago, once contracted the LNG won't arrive for at least five days. Delays from winter storms pose risks. ISO-NE noted: "Cold snaps can result in a sudden drawdown of stored LNG, and the rapid depletion of LNG combined with the region's limited storage facilities can challenge the region's fuel-supply chain, particularly if outages increase the need for LNG." (p. 16)
The third fuel variable is the supply of and maintenance of oil inventories at oil-fired and dual-fuel generation facilities. ISO-NE notes that with the retirement of oil-fired generating units, the infrastructure – barges and tanker trucks – to supply these facilities has withered. During a cold snap, winter storms can prevent tanker trucks from making deliveries, and federal restrictions on the number of hours drivers can drive can delay deliveries. These logistical issues pose the greatest risk to dual-fuel facilities given that they generally have the most limited on-site fuel storage capability. The operation of these facilities on oil is also constrained by air permits, which limit the number of hours of operation on oil. This became an issue in New England's recent cold snap. Given delays in fuel deliveries from winter storms and with some generators nearing emissions limits, ISO-NE took steps to conserve fuel by "posturing" units. Specifically, ISO-NE operated some facilities "out-of-merit" so that more economical generating units that had operating constraints would be available to operate later in the day or week. Recent regulations by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, which are being challenged in court, would ratchet down the operation of Massachusetts fossil units over time.
A fourth variable is the increasing penetration of renewable energy resources in New England. While renewables can help accommodate some of the loss in generation from coal, oil, and nuclear facilities, renewables are also contributing to the retirement of these plants by reducing the margins available in the energy market. With the renewable resources that are experiencing the fastest growth (i.e., solar and wind) having variable output, ISO-NE notes that they do not provide the same reliable supply offered by oil, coal, and nuclear units. Nonetheless, with renewable energy resources typically displacing natural gas-fired generation they are able to reduce electricity sector natural gas demand and the resulting natural gas constraints.
We believe that ISO-NE has significantly understated the likely contribution of renewables in two key areas: (1) no incremental on-shore wind generation is assumed in any of the scenarios; and (2) the reference case assumes no additional offshore wind beyond the Block Island Wind Project. In addition, the reference and more renewables cases reflect solar PV penetrations that are in line with ISO-NE's most recent solar PV forecasts, a forecast which has been increased each year since it was initially developed. The renewable energy totals do not reflect the 254 MW of solar PV projects or the 126 MW wind project that were awarded PPAs in the New England Clean Energy RFP.[4]
The final variable is electricity imports. The Reference Case assumed imports of 2,500 MW, with imports of 3,000 MW assumed in one scenario and 3,500 MW assumed in several scenarios. Electricity imports reduce the reliance on natural gas and depending on their delivery profile and commitments to firm winter deliveries, can significantly enhance the reliability of supply. Subsequent to the release of the fuel security report, Hydro-Quebec was subsequently selected in response to the Massachusetts 83D RFP to provide 9.45 TWh per year over a twenty-year term. This indicates that the reference case and many of the scenarios are too conservative. However, as discussed above ISO-NE did consider several scenarios with 3,500 MW of imports, which is consistent with such a contract. A study that Power Advisory performed for the Massachusetts Clean Electricity Partnership projected that such a volume of imports would reduce New England's natural gas requirements by about 5% by reducing the requirements for natural gas-fired generation.
ISO-NE notes that Hydro-Quebec, experiences the same or similar weather as New England, and that this is could limit its ability to export power during cold snaps when New England's needs are most acute.[5] The various winter deliverability provisions in the 83D RFP address this concern. With Northern Pass project delivering 9.45 TWh per year over a transmission line with a rated capacity of 1,090 MW, the project will be base loaded. Furthermore, Hydro-Quebec will be required to guarantee this delivery profile during the Winter Peak Period.
ISO-NE Assessment of Fuel Security Risks
To assess the risks posed by these variables, ISO-NE evaluated the operational risks posed under various future fuel-mix scenarios. The study consisted of 23 possible resource combinations for the winter of 2024/2025, that were tested to see if enough fuel would be available to meet demand. ISO-NE acknowledged that these 23 scenarios were not precise predictions of the future system or operating conditions, but were meant to illustrate a range of possible future conditions and risks that could accompany a winter fuel constraint.
The 23 scenarios included: (1) a reference case, which ISO-NE characterized as incorporating likely levels of each variable if the "power system continues to evolve on its current path"; (2) eight scenarios that increase or decrease the level of just one of the five key variables to assess its relative impact; (3) two boundary cases that illustrate what would happen if either all favorable or all unfavorable levels of variables were realized simultaneously. ISO-NE characterizes these as highly unlikely scenarios that provide outer bounds to the scenarios evaluated; (4) four combination scenarios that combine the five key variables at varying levels to represent potential future portfolios; and (5) eight outage scenarios that assume winter-long outages of four major energy or fuel sources.
In almost every scenario, the power system was unable to meet demand and maintain reliability without emergency action by grid operators. Load shedding became necessary in 19 of the 23 scenarios, in order to protect the grid. And all but 1 case, the best case, led to the use of emergency actions, including public requests for energy conservation. This is troubling and an indication of the fuel security risks faced by New England. Unfortunately, it is impossible to quantify how significant these risks are since there is no indication of the underlying probability of these events. We understand that assigning probabilities to such events is difficult and close to impossible. However, care needs to be taken when interpreting these results. We note that one party has wrongly interpreted the study as indicating that there is more than an 80% chance that some or all of New England would face rolling blackouts.[6]
Assessment of ISO-NE Scenarios
We believe that these scenarios overstate the fuel security risks faced by New England. The scenarios are overly pessimistic; fail to consider the ability of ISO-NE markets to respond to such conditions; understate changes to the region's generation mix that are likely to better allow New England avoid these system conditions; and fail to consider actions that the region and ISO-NE could take to respond to winter-long outages of critical elements of New England's energy infrastructure.
First of all, ISO-NE notes that the study did not consider prices, but it did "assume that the electricity and fuel markets send price signals sufficient to make full use of the existing electricity and fuel infrastructure as needed" (p. 20). However, in many scenarios the study made static assumptions regarding fuel supply availability. For example, in the reference case it assumed that (1) dual-fuel facilities would have their oil tanks filled only twice; (2) the maximum LNG available was 1 Bcf/day; and (3) imports were limited to 2,500 MW, with an additional 500 MW available from emergency actions. In the reference case, Operating Procedure No. 4 (OP 4), a series of increasingly significant actions that are called to balance supply and demand, would be called for 165 hours, with 53 hours when 10-minute operating reserve would be depleted. Under these conditions, ISO-NE energy prices can be expected to be at a level that attracts imports and additional LNG supplies and assures a high utilization of available LNG. Furthermore, the ISO-NE study indicates that system operating conditions become progressively dire as oil inventories decline. This suggests that there would be a clear signal to the markets to maximize the use of imports and LNG, very likely at levels that are higher than are assumed in many of these scenarios. Furthermore, there is also a longer-term price signal that has not been adequately considered in the study that is likely to influence the level of retirements. The ISO-NE study is a snap shot of the 2024-25 winter. If the conditions portrayed in the operational fuel-security analysis are to occur, one would expect that there would be similar, but less severe price events in prior years that would support the continued operation of oil units that are able to respond to such events. We believe that by failing to consider the strength of this price signal and the response that it engenders the study overstates fuel security risks.
With respect to the reference case, we believe that ISO-NE's characterization that the case reflects the power system continuing to evolve on its current path is inaccurate. The reference case reflects a largely static case, with over seven years little to no evolution of critical variables that would help to mitigate these fuel security risks. As discussed, the reference case fails to account for: (1) 380 MW of solar and wind projects that have been selected in the New England Clean Energy RFP; (2) the 9.45 TWh per year of hydroelectricity that was selected in the 83D RFP;[7] and (3) the prospect of any additional OSW projects being in-service as of 2024-25 winter. We estimate that these resources will produce almost 12 TWh of energy, resulting in an increase in renewable and clean energy supply of about 10% of ISO-NE's forecast energy demand for 2024.
While not an element of just the reference case, but an element of analysis that affects all the scenarios is the projected growth in natural gas demand for New England gas distribution companies of just under 2% per year. While some utilities are growing sale volumes by expanding their customer bases, we believe that energy conservation could be used to reduce this rate of growth. Furthermore, the study only considers pipeline expansions that were recently completed or are underway.
Second, with respect to eight outage scenarios that reflect winter-long outages of four major fuel or energy sources, these as well are unduly pessimistic. The outages evaluated were the winter-long loss of: (1) two units at Millstone representing 2,100 MW; (2) the loss of Canaport LNG; (3) the loss of Distrigas LNG; and (4) an outage at a compressor reducing natural gas deliveries by 1.2 Bcf/day.
The loss of both units at Millstone for the entire winter season is extremely unlikely. These are two separate units, which for safety reasons have separate facilities. While they share transmission facilities, under Nuclear Regulatory Commission rules there is redundancy and the loss of a transmission corridor as a result of a catastrophic event would result in an immediate mobilization of resources to replace the transmission facilities within the corridor.
With respect to the loss of the Canaport and Distrigas facilities, both have multiple vaporizers that provide redundant vaporization capacity. A season long loss of these LNG facilities would appear to be only possible through a failure of the LNG storage tank, which would represent a major safety threat and as such is likely to be appropriately monitored with adequate engineering safeguards. However, the Distrigas facility has two storage tanks and the Canaport facility three. While there could be temporary damage to offloading facilities that would preclude deliveries. It is difficult to envision damage so severe that it would remove these facilities from service for an entire season. Finally, New England has two offshore LNG facilities that each have a delivery capability of .4 Bcf/day. One of these is rarely used and then other has been never used. With the loss of either of these major LNG facilities, we would expect that these offshore facilities could be used to fill the void. We don't believe that this was adequately considered by the ISO-NE study.
The fourth winter long outage considered by ISO-NE is the loss of a compressor station for an entire season. This outage event is also highly improbable. The pipelines that serve New England have multiple compressor stations and the loss of any one compressor station is unlikely to have such a profound effect on natural gas deliveries. The natural gas pipelines that serve New England have been gradually expanded since they first entered commercial operation. The net effect of this is redundancy in the design of these systems such that the loss of any single compressor is unlikely to have such a profound impact. ISO-NE indicates that the Algonquin pipeline provides about 1.91 Bcf/day, such that a 1.2 Bcf/day reduction would represent 63% of the pipeline's total delivery capability. We believe it highly unlikely that the loss of such a compressor would be sustained for the entire season. Furthermore, as acknowledged by ISO-NE with the loss of such a large volume of pipeline capacity one would expect LNG deliveries to increase including the utilization of the offshore LNG facilities.
In sum, we believe these season long outages to be highly unlikely and as such not reasonable scenarios. An omission in the ISO-NE study is any reasonable level of policy response to what would presumably be viewed as a catastrophic event that likely engender a response to avoid the adverse consequences that ISO-NE's study identifies. We would expect such responses to include supporting the mobilization of existing offshore LNG unloading facilities, temporary relaxation of air permit limits of fossil generating units and potentially the mobilization of energy storage similar to what occurred in southern California after the Aliso Canyon natural gas leak.
A PDF version of this report is available here.
John Dalton, President and Tyler Sellner, Researcher, Power Advisory LLC
[1] Mystic units 8 and 9 are directly connected with the Everett LNG terminal, which supplies their natural gas requirements.
[2] In its report ISO-NE indicates that the Distrigas project has a maximum injection of 0.435 Bcf/d into the interstate pipeline system and the local gas utility system". The Distrigas project has an additional .3 Bcf/day interconnection with Mystic station, such that the full vaporization capability of the Distrigas project can be utilized and a significant portion is dedicated to power generation.
[3] The Canaport LNG terminal is connected to the New Brunswick Pipeline and then the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, which in turn can deliver natural gas into Maine and southern New England markets.
[4] While this wind project is in New York State, the PPA calls for the delivery of the energy and RECs to the ISO-NE grid such that this renewable generation will be displacing other New England generation.
[5] The report indicated that this study does not attempt to quantify these effects.
[6] https://commonwealthmagazine.org/energy/energy-study-draws-divergent-reactions/
[7] We understand that we could be considered as being overly critical and applying hindsight given that the results of the 83D RFP were released more than a week after the ISO-NE study. However, the 83D RFP clearly communicated a goal of contracting 9.45 TWh of clean energy.


text:
@robolink_leila Not yet. Please have someone email me:
Thank you!
@robolink_leila Not yet. Please have someone email me:
Thank you!
Hi there,
I am back at work after the winter break. I need four at the moment but would like to purchase more if possible. It seems to be a something that the students are breaking.
Thank you,
I am in need of replacing several of the serial wires that connect the smart inventor board to the bluetooth board. Is there a place to purchase these?
Thank you,
@robolink_arnold I did not receive the email. I can do today after 1pm or Friday after 1 pm
They are not the same addresses but similar. It seems that random drones are connecting for just a few seconds. And then many are not connecting at all.
I am available for a video call tomorrow if possible.
@robolink_wes Hi there. I am actually experiencing similar problems. I am piloting several classes in the Tustin Unified School District and have purchased many CoDrones. We are about to move forward at three more schools next year if we can figure out this issue. We are finding that everything works fine when there are 2-5 CoDrones in a room. But once there is more than that there are big problems.
I set each one up myself, found their unique addresses, and connected them all on my own before giving them to students.
Now some will not connect at all. I am troubleshooting to figure out if some of the drones got mixed up and am finding that the same address will connect to several different drones.
The addresses are very similar to one another. Can they be changed? Could this be the issue?
Looks like your connection to Robolink community was lost, please wait while we try to reconnect.


text:
According to the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), there is a major connection between the presence of mental illness and substance use. The combination of both mental health disorders and substance use problems is referred to as a co-occurring disorder and is also sometimes referred to as a dual diagnosis. Co-occurring disorders can be difficult to diagnose, given that the symptoms of addiction can mask the signs of mental illness and vice versa. If you or a loved one is struggling with mental illness and substance use, now is the time to take the first steps toward reclaiming your life through treatment.
Individuals who are diagnosed with mental health disorders tend to use substances like drugs or alcohol to cope with the symptoms of their disorder. For example, those who feel anxious might take something to feel calm. Unfortunately, using drugs and alcohol fails to address the mental health disorder and, instead, prevents the individual from developing proper coping skills and having satisfying relationships. Additionally, if one is trying to treat a mental health disorder with medication, the use of alcohol could interfere with it and aggravate the problem.
The warning signs of a co-occurring disorder tend to vary between individuals and depends on the type of substance that is being used as well as the severity of the mental health disorder. Below are some of the most common symptoms of a dual diagnosis:
Any mental health disorder can co-occur with addiction. However, some mental health disorders are much more common than others. They include:
Those who are diagnosed with a mental health disorder are generally twice more likely than the general population to suffer from a substance use disorder. Those who use drugs and alcohol are also likely to develop co-occurring behavioral or mental health disorders.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, now is the time to take the appropriate steps toward living a healthier, happier life that is free of substance use. At Turning Point in New Jersey, we offer a variety of alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs, which are all based on the patient placement criteria established by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).
Reclaim your life today and contact our facility at (973) 380-0905 to learn more about how we can help you.


text:
Sunglasses - Urban Outfitters, Blazer - Elizabeth and James, Suit - Orphan Bird, Boots - United Nude
Okay. Obviously by the title you get why I bought these sunglasses, or if you follow me on Snapchat (paulschneider) you also know why.
1. The Light reflection photo
2. So people can check themselves out when talking to me.
and after purchasing them, I discovered reason 3. Cause I can see behind me when I wear them.
anywho. I'ts been so fucking hot here lately that I've decided that I should probably ditch shirts, but continue to wear blazers as tops. SO it has come to my attention that I will now be layering blazers as tops all summer long!


text:
Hey DC area puppy owners, are you wondering what you've gotten yourself into with your new four-legged companion?
You did the research, had conversations with your family about the responsibility of adding a puppy to the family, and yet you're still struggling a little to balance it all! It's a good thing they're cute!
You're waking up at night to take them out, but you're just not sure if you're doing it often enough, or too often. You still end up with accidents in the house and are wondering what the deal is!
You THINK you're feeding them the right food, but again, you find yourself doubting.
They've got a basket full of toys, and yet they manage to find your shoes and furniture to chew on. And boy, those puppy teeth are SHARP when they decide to nibble on your hand!
You know they've got the potential to be the best family member and are willing to do the work, but you're not sure how to get them there, and don't want to screw this up! You want the puppy to be an awesome member of the family but aren't sure how to get there, even with the stack of puppy books on your coffee table.
Whether you're struggling with all these things and then some, or even just a few of these things, most of our puppy-owning clients are dealing with some variation of this.
Think about what life could be like once you find a SOLUTION though.
ReThe stress you once felt trying to figure out all this puppy stuff is gone.
You have a family member that chews on what they're supposed to, and all the accidents they were having are a thing of the past! You didn't think a dog this young was capable of such good behavior, but you know now and are loving it!
Everyone in the house ENJOYS taking care of the puppy, because you're all on the same page, and know EXACTLY what works to get the good behavior you want.
Now, you're looking forward to seeing the dog that your puppy will grow into, because you know you're laying an awesome foundation.
If any of this sounds like you and your puppy, our Puppy Jumpstart program is here to set you up for success.
Whether you want to get PREVENT puppy behaviors from the get-go, or are struggling with puppy behavior NOW, our program was made for YOU! You'll feel well-prepared for puppyhood, and know EXACTLY what to do so that your puppy grows into a well-behaved dog!
Basil's owner was exactly where you are now, and here's what she had to say:
Basil had no behavioral issues outside of those of a typical puppy but I knew that I wanted to jump ahead and get the training in early to mitigate any issues down the road. After training with Leila, Basil was like a completely different puppy. After training with Leila, Basil was like a completely different puppy. She knew all the basic commands, stopped picking up things off the ground, and walked on the leash without any issues.


text:
New version is here. Much earlier than I expected. I was preparing eQSL support but it is postponed because QRZ.COM decided to change their policy.
Changelog and files for download are at http://www.cqrlog.com/node/4
Re: CQRLOG 1.1.0
Submitted by ky7q on
Thanks for your continuing efforts!
The QRZ query works fast and better
than previous versions. Your program
is the best!!!
Best 73's, Richard ky7q
Another +1 for a great
Submitted by kb2ing on
Another +1 for a great addition to the program. Also have finally set up the telnet cluster and it is working FB as well.
Thanks for a great program!
Submitted by k8wdx on
Peter, hats off to you my friend, QRZ is great, way faster than before and more info as well, this is a great logging program, not as much eye candy as some of the windows ones but much easier to navigate and not full of a bunch of useless crap.
Re: QRZ
Submitted by ok2cqr on
Hi Tom,
glad to hear it is working, thank you! I drank a lot of coffee, hi.
73 Petr, OK2CQR
Scandinavian characters from QRZ.COM
Submitted by la4vga on
First of all, I will thank You for a great job and a great program.
There might be trouble receiving scandinavian character from QRZ.COM.
You can try my call, LA4VGA.
It seems to block the skip the special character "ø", and maybe also interrupt the fetch of QTH.
73 de LA4VGA Børge
Scandinavian QRZ
Submitted by k8wdx on
Borge, I just put in your call, no trouble at all. all info came up including grid sqaure.. Tom K8WDX
Scandinavian QRZ
Submitted by k8wdx on
Opps, you are right Borge, it missed the 0 with the slash in it. sorry about that.... Tom K8WDX
Telnet on VHF
Submitted by RU2FM on
DX de UR5FGI: 145500.0 UU5JAJ KN56NOTRKN64WS 57/57 1853Z
this is in Telnet Cluster on VHF, its wrong. In comment must be KN56NO < TR > KN64WS (MS, Es, EME and etc...)
P.S. Tks for VUCC in awards statistic.
One more:
DX de DM5JL: 145200.0 DB8AT JO70HXJO51CP Danke hr nix 1216Z JO70
The same spot in other software:
DM5JL 145200.0 DB8AT JO70HX::JO51CP Danke hr nix 1216z 2011-Jun-25
Bug Report
Submitted by k8wdx on
Hi Peter, when in Fldigi mode, the date does not change, in other words, when I am working stations and pass the midnight hour the time changes but the date stays on the prior day. I have all the off sets set right, we are at -4 UTC, So when I pass the 8pm hour 12pm UTC the date stays the same although the time changes to the next day. thanks for the nice logging program, I love it..Tom K8WDX
Re: Bug Report
Submitted by ok2cqr on
Hi Tom,
thank you for bugreport, I fixed it.
73 Petr, OK2CQR


text:
Wildlife Removal Ocean Township
Critter Removal Service offers wildlife removal Ocean Township New Jersey. Get rid of wild pest animal problems in Ocean County, NJ. Wildlife trapping, animal capture, and critter removal from your home or commercial property. Wildlife management for your home and business should be performed by experts rather than trying to solve them on your own. If you hear scratching in the walls or noises in the attic call immediately before your pest wildlife issue gets worse.
Call for commercial and residential wildlife removal done a safe and humane manner. Wild life animal removal experts can eliminate nuisance critter problems. Call now wildlife removal Ocean Township for nuisance animal removal and pest animal damage repairs.
Wild Animal Damage Repair Ocean Township
Need expert wildlife damage repair Ocean Township New Jersey? This is a critical step for keeping nuisance wildlife out. Wild animals are destructive and cause extensive damage rather quickly. Wildlife will try to get into your home, crawl space and garage whenever possible. Seal-up your home or commercial property to prevent costly wildlife damage repair. Fixing damage is visually pleasing in addition to helping with wildlife proofing.
We get calls all the time as clients go with a cheap, trapping-only price. Only to find wildlife back inside the house. Wild animal proofing and exclusion is critical to fighting wild animal invasion. Prevent critters from entering your home, attic or building in the first place. Wild animals will soil and contaminate insulation, tear drywall and chew electrical wires. Damage from wildlife can be extensive. We will replace feces stained insulation and fix any damage to your attic, crawlspace, or other areas of your home and property.
Bat Removal Ocean Township
Call for pest bat removal to get rid of bats in attic Ocean Township. Bats like dark areas to hide and your attic is perfect. Bat colonies create a huge amount of bat guano in a short time. In addition, bats can cause damage to your insulation and cause nasty odor issues. Bat removal needs have been on the rise for the last decade. The average cost to remove bats goes up significantly the longer the problem continues. Bats are are helpful to the environment and need to be protected whenever possible. We do humane bat exclusion.
Our trained experts can clean up bat guano as well as deodorization of infected areas. Bat exclusion will help control bats from re-gaining entry to your home and business. Expert Bat repairs including contaminated insulation from bat guano. We specialize in bat proofing. If you hear noises in your attic call for a bat inspection.
Squirrel Removal Ocean Township
Call for squirrel removal near Ocean Township particularly if you have squirrels in attic . If you hear scratching noises in the ceiling? It's possible you have squirrels in attic or on the roof. A squirrel in your house can cause a great deal of damage. Our experts can help with squirrel trapping, damage repair and attic proofing.
Squirrels seek your attic to build nests for their young. It is out of the elements and has a lot of nesting materials like insulation. Squirrels teeth are always growing. To keep them trimmed squirrels may chew on electrical wires causing a fire hazard. Squirrels tear insulation with urine and feces. Trap the squirrels, remove them and repair the damage.
Raccoon Removal Ocean Township
Another common problem is raccoon removal Ocean Township including raccoons in the attic or chimney and on the roof. Raccoons are clever and have adapted well to suburban environments. Raccoons dig through trash, dig up yards and destroy things to find food. Timely raccoon trapping is critical because they will attempt to enter your attic. If that happens, they can be destructive.
Call now for a raccoon specialist to help with emergency raccoon trapping, exclusion and contaminated insulation clean up. As a result of building nests in your attic, raccoons will tear and chew holes into your roofing. They will also build nests in chimneys, beneath houses, as well as in the attic. Let us get rid of pest raccoons today.
Rat Removal Ocean Township
Calls for Rat Removal Ocean Township are common as mice and rats are a popular species of rodents. We are experts in rat and mice extermination. Rat control is needed as soon as they have been discovered. Hearing scratching noises in the walls and attic may be a sign that you have a rat infestation problem.
Rats in the walls, mice and rats in the attic can cause a lot of damage. Mice and rats also have a habit of chewing electrical wires which can lead to fires. Mice and Rat control and removal should only be attempted by people who understand the danger these animals can present. Because these rodents carry diseases, which are communicable to humans, you should call today for an exterminator.
Bird Removal Ocean Township
Bird removal Ocean Township is commonly needed for birds in vents, feces cleanup as well as birds on the roof, commercial signs and solar panels. The need for bird control in Ocean Township is high because they can cause damage to your home and create a huge mess. Pigeons, doves, finches and sparrows are just a few common nuisance birds that get into attics, vents and soffits. We can help with pigeon, chimney swift and starling removal. Experts can install bird barriers, deterrents and bird proofing products to exclude birds.
Bird spikes, gel, electrical track, netting and falconry can be solutions to your pest bird problems. Birds will contaminate everything with their droppings. Call for nuisance bird removal and mess clean up today. We have bird control solutions for both residential and commercial customers. Contact us for bird abatement to stop birds from nesting on your commercial business.
Snake Removal Ocean Township
Contact us for snake removal Ocean Township NJ. Snakes in the home can be a little frightening and dangerous. Many people have a fear of snakes though there are only a few snakes that can be deadly. Therefore, you should have a professional sort out any snake problem. We can control snakes and help with snake trapping, removal and snake exclusion.
Snakes often find their way into your home as they search of food. They enter though an opening the same size that a mouse can. If you have small rodents or animals in or in close vicinity to your home you may also have snakes. Minimize the risk of snakes from getting into your home by doing exclusion work to prevent rats, mice, and other animals near your home. Sealing all crevices and spaces where pipes and electrical wires enter the building can prevent snakes from entering your home. Because of the danger snakes can pose, always call an expert for snake removal from your property. Don't try to handle a potential venomous snake on your own.
Skunk Removal Ocean Township
Call the experts for odorless skunk removal Ocean Township. Skunks dig to build nests under your shed, deck and porch. They damage your lawn and yard looking for grubs. Skunks dig to find this food. Call now to remove skunks from your home or garden. Skunks can be dangerous when they feel in jeopardy. Skunk spray, smell, odor can be very strong and to say nothing of the problem of removing odors. Don't let a skunk spray you.
We perform skunk trapping, exclusion and deodorization. Controlling skunks in your yard safely and humanely is our goal. In addition to odor, skunks can be quite destructive. Don't allow skunks overtake your home. Let the professional skunk trapping and removal experts solve your skunk issues for your home or business.


text:
Eken Park
|2407 Coolidge St.
|4:00am - 10:00pm
|Park Type:
|Drinking Water:
At this Park
Basketball Court
OPEN: (Updated 06/15/2020): Help us keep the courts open by following these adjustments and precautions.
- Play with members of your immediate household only
- Pickup games are not allowed with persons outside of your immediate household since it is not possible to maintain 6ft physical distancing
- Stay home if you are ill.
- Consider wearing a face-covering.
- Use hand sanitizer and avoid touching common touchpoints.
View COVID-19 for all impacted City services. More information: Public Health Madison & Dane County
Madison Parks ranks #1 in the nation for the number of basketball hoops per resident, come check out the hoops in your neighborhood! Most of the basketball courts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you are planning a new league or tournament see Athletic Field Reservations. View all Basketball Courts
Eken Park - Basketball CourtSurface: Asphalt
Lighted: No
Number of Courts:
Dog Free Park
Dog Free Parks provide a place to recreate or relax without the presence of dogs. In early 2020 Madison Common Council approved the revised ordinance (MGO 8.19) allowing dogs, on-leash in most Madison Parks. The following locations prohibit dogs and are approved by the Board of Park Commissioners (initial file 59475) and as such, locations can and may change as we continue to implement the policy.
In addition, a number of locations continue to prohibit dogs.
- Conservation parks
- Burial mounds
- City of Madison Golf Courses (during the golf season)
- Olbrich Botanical Gardens
- Playgrounds and areas within 20 feet of a playground surface
- Splash parks, fenced areas(s) surrounding a splash park, and areas within 20 feet of the splash park surface
- Goodman Pool and Breese Stevens Field (except for special events where dogs are specifically invited)
- Programmed sports fields and facilities that are enclosed or substantially enclosed by a fence, whether in use or not
- Programmed, non-fenced sports fields such as soccer, ultimate fields or softball/baseball diamonds while they are in use for programmed activities
- Inside of shelters or other buildings
- Groomed cross-country ski trails
- In the water or on the beach at designated beach locations
- Park special events except where the sponsor has requested to allow dogs, with the Park Superintendent's approval
Eken Park - Dog Free ParkLocation: 2407 Coolidge St.
Open Field
Madison Parks are a unique blend of active recreation and passive recreation spaces. Open Fields are just that - open, not pre-designed as a softball diamond, or football field. These open fields are available in these parks to spark your imagination, play a game of tag, or follow the leader - or anything you can think of! Enjoy your parks!View all Open Fields
Eken Park - Open Field Games
Picnic Shelter
Madison Parks offers smaller picnic shelters that may be reserved for exclusive use or are available on a first-come, first served basis when not previously reserved. Please call (608) 266-4711 to check availability and reserve your favorite shelter. Office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.
- Picnic Shelter Reservation: $35/day, including tax
- Amplified Sound Permit (optional): $60/reservation (6 hours maximum). Please ask when reserving
- Temporary Structure Permits: $110/day, including tax
- Alcohol Permit (optional): $55/reservation. It is required in select parks. Please ask when reserving.
- Additional large shelters are reservable online (except Gates of Heaven)
- Madison Parks does not guarantee absolute privacy to any group. Your reservation will reserve only the facility you are using, not the entire park or other facilities within the park. If you are interested in reserving the entire park, please visit Special Events.
- Alcohol is permitted in most Madison Parks. There are a handful that are alcohol-free. In order to have alcohol in these parks, you must have a reservation and an alcohol permit, which can be obtained when placing a reservation.
- All picnic shelters are open year-round, however, if the picnic shelter has restrooms, these are open seasonally (closed winter/cold months).
- Firearms or weapons are not permitted at any of the shelters. Violators may be considered trespassers and may be subject to forfeiture or arrest.
- **IMPORTANT**Public improvements and/or construction may be underway during the time of your reservation. The City of Madison Parks Division makes every attempt to schedule around events and shelter reservations whenever possible, however, this is not a guarantee. Please keep in mind improvements to parks and infrastructure continues throughout the year. Please visit the Park Projects website for a partial list of major capital improvement projects.
- Cancellation requests must be submitted to the Parks Administration Office in writing to:
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, #104, Madison, WI 53703 or by email.
- There is no charge to change the date and/or location, if the request is received 28 days or more prior to event date.
- Full refunds are given, at no charge for cancellation requests received at least 28 days prior to the event date.
- Cancellations and changes received 27 to 11 days prior to the event date (counting notice date and event date) will incur a $10 administrative fee.
- No cancellations or changes will be accepted 10 days or fewer before the event date (counting notice date and event date).
View all Picnic Shelters
Eken Park Picnic ShelterRestrooms: No
Lighted: No
OPEN: (Updated 06/15/2020) Playgrounds are open with the following precautions:
- Maintain at least 6' between people outside of your immediate household.
- Consider sanitizing common touchpoints.
- Use hand sanitizer after use.
View all Playgrounds
Eken Park - Playground


text:
Somali Islamist with $3 million U.S. bounty on head surrenders: Officials
A leader of Somali Islamist group al Shabaab, who has a $3 million US bounty on his head, has surrendered, a Somali government official and local media said on Saturday, although the militants said he had long left their organisation.
Zakariya Ismail Ahmed Hersi was one of seven al Shabaab leaders for whom the US State Department in 2012 offered a total of $33 million in reward money for information that led to their capture.
If true, Hersi's surrender would be the second major blow to al Shabaab's leadership in just a few months. In September the group's main leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane, was killed by a U.S. drone strike.
"Al Shabaab leader Zakariya Ismail surrendered to government forces in El Wak, Gedo region. He is expected to be flown to Mogadishu tomorrow," a senior government official told Reuters.
State radio website Radio Muqdisho also reported Hersi's surrender, describing him as "the general secretary of al Shabaab's finance (department)". It did not give reasons for his surrender.
But a senior member of al Shabaab's media team said Hersi left the Islamist group two years ago.
"The government exaggerates the story just to cover the recent attack at the AU base," the al Shabaab official told Reuters by phone, referring to this week's attack on an African Union base in the capital Mogadishu.
"(Hersi) cannot have impact on al Shabaab because he is not a member."
The government offered an amnesty to al Shabaab members in September, but key leaders have not taken up the offer.
The al Qaeda-aligned group wants to topple the Western-backed Mogadishu government and impose its own strict version of Islamic law in the country.
Although al Shabaab still controls chunks of the countryside in south and central Somalia, this year it has lost several key towns during two major offensives by African Union peacekeepers and the Somali National Army.
However, the group continues to carry out hit-and-run attacks in Somalia and in neighbouring Kenya, where it has killed hundreds of people over the past 18 months.
Source: Reuters


text:
I recently purchased a home that has a driveway encroachment. Now I understand that to be that my driveway goes over my neighbors property slightly. The problem is the neighbors claim it is a shared driveway and I have no information in my chain of title that states that and they have admitted that it was always just a "verbal" agreement and they have no proof of that in their title. I also have a seller's affadavit from the previous owners that distinctly states there is no common driveway or right of way.
Another problem is, is that in the past, I am not sure which previous owners of my property allowed it, but the neighbors paved from their house right into my drive, so at first glance it could appear as a shared drive. The neighbors have no garage back there and they actually have a driveway on the other side of their house. I have a lawyer working on it, but I am looking for some other advice. I am not sure what my legal rights are at this point. The problem stems from the fact that the property lines are not straight, but a slight angle. I am not worried about paying for another survey of the property or even some legal fees, but I am trying to find out exactly how complicated it could be. Thanks.


text:
Strategic Tips to Transform your Online Store
Sunday, 23 July 2017
Managing an online store is tough. The competition is massive and the online market is increasingly crowded. Major retailers dominate the scene (think Amazon, Alibaba and eBay) and if you are a small store starting out it's challenging trying to find your space on large marketplaces like Etsy or eBay. So how can you find
How to Take Content from Good to Great
Tuesday, 18 July 2017
If you are trying to grow your business it's likely that you've spent a good deal of your time on marketing. It's also pretty likely that a large proportion of that time has been designated to content marketing. Creating the right content – content that is unique, creative, on brand and targeted in just the
The Future Looks Like Star Trek
Wednesday, 28 June 2017
How is tech going to change and grow in near future and what will the future of tech look like in ten or twenty years? According to Jeff Pulver, VOIP expert, the future will look a lot more like Star Trek then we might expect. In a recent talk he described typing and interacting with
How UGC Influences Customers
Thursday, 22 June 2017
User-generated content (also known as UGC) is a great way to market a brand and create authentic and persuasive content. While beautiful ads, a strong spokesperson and convincing pitches from a company are important; UGC is often the most trusted tool for customers. According to studies, UGC is the most powerful type of media in
Why Native Advertising Works
Sunday, 18 June 2017
If you are looking to monetize your website or blog, then there are so many different types of advertisements to choose from. You can run paid banner ads, popups, retargeting email campaigns through your website or blog. You can run ads, boosted content or sponsored stories across social media. You can create sponsored content in
The future of advertising is all about big data
Wednesday, 14 June 2017
You probably know about big data. It has been heralded as a game-changing tool and has already transformed many aspects of many industries. According to Forbes, big data is a collection of data from traditional and digital sources inside and outside your company that represents a source for ongoing discovery and analysis. There are different
The Personalization of Advertising
Tuesday, 06 June 2017
It's 2017 and we are being constantly bombarded by ads. We see a pop up on every page we visit, there are banner ads on the sides of the blogs we read. When we log onto social media a large proportion of what we see is sponsored, and when we search Google the first few
How to Optimize E-Commerce Sales
Tuesday, 16 May 2017
E-commerce is a booming industry. Last year worldwide sales reached nearly 2 trillion USD. If you have a product or service to sell, e-commerce is an increasingly popular option and often preferred to brick-and-mortar stores. And even if you have a brick-and-mortar store, e-commerce is a great way to reach more customers and minimize expenses
How to Improve Your Blog Without Spending a Dollar
Sunday, 30 April 2017
If you have your own blog then you know there are a thousand and one things to worry about. Are you marketing it correctly? Are you using the right channels to advertise? Are your posts interesting and relevant? Is your design the best it can be? After a while a blog can seem like a
How to build a business reputation
Monday, 24 April 2017
Building a solid reputation is hard. There is no quick way or easy recipe to do it and every business is different. Building up a good reputation takes time and hard work, yet losing or destroying one can basically happen over night (just think of the recent United fiasco). In fact, the whole concept of