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Classic Guild | EU Alliance | PvP - Cyrus now recruiting!
DiaCyrus, in EU - English Speaking
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By raccscout
[A/H - Stormrage - US] <NashvilleWoW>
Hello everyone! NashvilleWoW is looking for all World of Warcraft players in Tennessee. We are building both an Alliance and Horde guild on Stormrage. All new or veteran, retail or classic, Horde or Alliance are welcome. This is a community for both in and outside of Azeroth!
Alliance: <NashvilleWoW>
Horde: <NashvilleWarcraft>
Also, feel free to reach out in-game! My battle tag is raccscout#1810.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NashvilleWoW/
By Ser3nity
Safety not Guaranteed is an English speaking Alliance raiding guild on Emerald Dream. We raid 3 times a week and are mainly focused on mythic raiding.
Current Progress:
12/12M Ny'alotha
We're currently recruiting the following classes for Shadowlands:
Ranged DPS: Priest, Warlock, Mage, Druid, Shaman
Melee DPS: None
Healers: None
Our raiding schedule is:
- Thursday: 20.00 - 23.00 (server time)
- Monday: 20.00 - 23.00 (server time)
- Tuesday: 20.00 - 23.00 (server time)
Apply here: https://safetynotguaranteed.wixsite.com/guild
Even if we are not actively recruiting your class, we will consider any exceptional applications.
About us:
Safety not Guaranteed (SnG) was initially formed by a small group of friends in early MoP, raiding 10man heroic. Later during the expansion we expanded our roster to a 20man team, where we cleared SoO mythic as a guild. Many of us have been playing together since as early as WotLK, and have friendships with each other that extend outside the game as well.
Our goal ever since the guild was formed has been to progress through content at a steady pace without hardcore hours, while having a good time. We aim to clear each tier before the next one is released, and have managed to maintain a steady raiding roster throughout the years, clearing most mythic content throughout all expansions, and finishing this latest tier with 12/12M cutting edge.
What we offer:
A structured mythic raiding team and raiding times. We start invites 19:45 and begin to clear trash so we can have the first pulls at 20:00 A steady guild with a good community and good guild atmosphere. You may encounter some trolling during your stay. A focused attitude during progression, and relaxed attitude during farm content. We like to chat and have fun, but focus during difficult content. A desire to raid. We often run an extra raid day on the 1st week of a new raid tier. This is 100% optional, but most people are excited to get into a new instance. Additionally we often run some sort of alt raids on the weekends (100% optional), and do a lot of mythic+ content within the guild.
What we want from you:
Attendance. We expect a minimum of 80% attendance, though most of our raiders have near to 100%. We run a small roster to minimize rotation, and want to be able to rely on you. Commitment. We don't want someone who is looking to join, get geared and then leave. We have a 2-3 week trial period during which we will control gearing while we get to know you. Honesty. If you're having problems within the guild, or have real life issues, we'd like to hear rather than you just disappearing. Talk to us. Be prepared! This means reading up on new fights, having consumables (flask, pots, food, runes), gemming and enchanting properly, and being on time! Communication. We want you to know how to communicate both verbally and in writing. We have a guild Discord we use for our raids and other games! Raiding awareness. We want you to not stand in fire, unless it's required... Progression oriented attitude. Everyone makes mistakes, but learning is part of progression, so we value people who continue to improve over time. Understanding. Sometimes, things don't always go smoothly. We may hit a wall on a specific boss for a while, or you may have to sit for someone else during a progression raid. This is part of mythic raiding. We try to treat everyone fairly, and are open to feedback.
For more information you can add an officer to chat: Joana#2806, Kitty#2896, Menetherin#2691, Cabbageman#21462
Or visit our website: https://safetynotguaranteed.wixsite.com/guild
By Athlios
Guild name: Gordian Knot
Faction: Horde
Realm: Draenor (EU)
Realm Type: Normal - PVE
Current progress: Ny'alotha 12/12M
Raid days: Wednesday, Sunday, Monday
Raid times: 20.00-23.00 CET
Website: https://gordian-knot.eu/
(Full application details on website)
High Demand
Paladin: Holy Medium Demand:
None at the moment Low Demand
None at the moment We are also open to discuss a possible merge and get a smaller group or guild that is struggling to get their raids going, or that they want to advance to the next level. Most of us are versatile people and we can possibly reroll to achieve a good composition after a merge.
Any social and friendly person who wants to join us for kicks and giggles is welcome. Just poke any of our officers online and you will get an invite for a social spot (no raiding spot).
Gordian Knot is a semi-hardcore raiding guild that consists of experienced raiders with some of them having raiding experience as far back as Vanilla.
We are a friendly group who enjoys World of Warcraft and loves raiding. We have fun and joke around but when bosses need to go down then all is serious! We wish for all our members to enjoy the game as much as we do and we expect raiders to maintain a 80% attendance per month.
We also enjoy a variety of other activities such as running a lot of Mythic+ dungeons doing alt-runs, achievement runs etc.
We generally aim to push Mythic+ to get +15 keys done for the weekly chests. We do this in spirit to help everyone in the guild getting their highest possible gear reward from their weekly cache (socials included).
There are a few things we hold in high value but above else we value friendliness and politeness towards guildies and other players and skilfulness when it comes to the more serious parts of the game.
We raid 3 nights a week, Wednesdays, Sundays and Mondays, from 20:00 till 23:00 server time.
Although we are a 20-man guild, we usually run an extra group in order to get more people to experience the joys of raiding, help new raiders learn the Knot's way to down bosses and gearing up. Usually, these runs happen on Saturdays. Also, every Friday and sometimes Thursdays too, we're on RBGs killing alliance scums or on other in game activities!
Our current guild progress is 12/12 in Ny'alotha mythic, and we're focusing on getting further Mythic progress in Shadowlands. Our aim is to always progress as much as possible but also to have a relaxed and fun atmosphere at the same time!
If you're interested in joining Gordian Knot, please fill in our application form, located at https://gordian-knot.eu/apply/, or join our discord https://discord.gg/FVR8HPB, alternatively please whisper one of our officers:
On Bnet:
Leleko - Leleko#2235
Narweena - Sephyra#2517
Skilhunter - SkilDome#2573
Snootdog - Demonic#2375
Kenney - Kenney#1124
Tia - Tialha#2798
On Discord:
Leleko - Leleko#7934
Narweena - Narweena#7029
Skilhunter - Skildome#8766
Snootdog - Snoot#1840
Kenney -Kenney#3930
Tia - Tia / Shívers#7750
PS. We're always open to group applications or guild merging discussions.
We are also open and welcome social applications.
By thefatkid
Welcome to Team IV
A group of friendly dedicated Raiders with multiple Cutting Edge kills.
The aim of Team IV is to keep an enjoyable no drama environment while being focused on progression.
We're looking for players that are interested in both playing the game at a high level and becoming an active member of the guild.
With a strong finish to Legion achieving cutting edge Antorus Team IV split from our original mega guild but found a rough start in BFA. After difficulties throughout Uldir we merged with another team and achieved some solid progression in both Dazar'alor 9/9 and The Eternal Palace 7/8. But in 8.3 the game wasn't looking good and with roster issues a decision was made to have a break until the next expansion. Now with Shadowlands getting closer and looking promising the team has pulled together ready to face whatever the new expansion has to throw at us!
RAID TIMES: Wednesday, Thursday and Monday 8:30 PM to 11:00 PM server time.
To apply, get in contact, or for more information, please join our Discord: discord.gg/sdMhTeQ
By tobby22
Hello Everybody, we are recruiting!
Our group is one of friends, who push each other towards excellence in-game while maintaining a healthy sense of humor and a clear sense of direction. We have a low tolerance for drama and do our best to develop a positive in-game environment.
Rocket Surgeons core is composed of Mythic-minded raiders. Some of us have been playing together for years, and some of us are new friends. We have a solid foundation for our dream team – we're searching for a few more to help round us out!
Currently, our main search is for Healers and ranged/melee DPS. Any interested applicants are also advised to reach out. As we move into the tail end of the expansion, we are looking to relax and build our roster for the upcoming (and hopefully exciting) changes in Shadowlands. BFA Raiding is taking a backseat for recruitment and team building. We normally maintain a 20-30-person roster for boss requirements and schedule changes accordingly.
We will also be working together to get everyone a decent key completed every week, and we will also open up for PVP. This includes mostly RBG's and WPVP.
Raiding days are as follows:
Beginning of expansion: 3 Days (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday (CEST/GMT+2))
Later through the expansion: 2 Days (Wednesday and Sunday – 8PM till 11PM (CEST/GMT+2) )
Experience with mythic raiding is preferred. All players will be given a chance upon proof that backs-up their intentions.
We are looking for dedicated and ambitious players. Commitment to our raid times is a must. We're interested in consistent players who are realistic and honest about their day-to-day schedule. Raiders and Trial Raiders are required to communicate any tardiness or absences via a Discord channel or through tells with an Officer. Schedules change, things come up and real-life always comes first. All we ask for is for a notification so planning can be done accordingly!
Trial Period
A trial period will commence from the first raiding day you will participate in. Feedback will be given at the end of the trial; you are free to contact an officer to check on your progression whilst ongoing the trial period.
What you can expect from us:
· Leadership
· Effective communication and understandings.
· Set goals to accomplish.
· A place that you can chill.
· Good attitude.
· Honest and helpful feedback
If you would like to contact an officer, kindly feel free to do so. We expect you to help us maintain communication about and needs and concerns.
What we expect from you:
· A very good/healthy attendance.
· Good communication skills.
· Survivability and understanding of mechanics while excelling at your role. Many players struggle to do one - we are looking for both.
· Ability to introspect regarding your play in order to be constantly improving.
Kindly reach out to us if you are interested, all communication will be done via Discord.


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We are officially releasing our next Chamber Trip, an 8-day tour of the Canadian Rockies featuring 2 Days aboard the Rocky Mountaineer Train starting May 3, 2018! This trip will include visits to popular destinations such as Lake Louise, Butchart Gardens, Stanley Park, and more, as well as overnight stays at the 3 nights at the famous Fairmont in Banff Springs, Banff. Please see the attached release for full details.
Space for this trip is very limited, and we can only accommodate 25 people.
For questions or more information, please contact Dave Hanks or Erin Keck at the Rock Springs Chamber, 307-362-3771.
You do not want to miss this one!

subset: commoncrawl


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Who shouldn't be fond of shopping for the latest client electronics devices? Gadgets consultants love its simplicity and unimaginable video high quality. Thankfully, there isn't any scarcity of cool devices out there designed that can assist you shave various strokes off of your recreation. With all the electronic devices coming out these days — seemingly each other day — it may be simple to get overwhelmed shortly, and, in truth, it's utterly understandable.
Gadgets There are forty four merchandise. The RIF 6 Dice is a mini projector measuring 2" x 2" x 2". It's designed to pair together with your smartphone or tablet, blowing up movies playing on the devices to tv-sized proportions. We think we've put collectively a few of the coolest devices for males women, boys and girls.
Specifically, you may want to take a look at the Technic vary of superior models with cool technical features. Males love devices. Good music sounds even better when you have got a terrific ambience to go along with it. A lightshow would do great and that is precisely what a lightshow speaker brings.
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Striking Out on Creating an Internet Hit
So when, if ever, will there be a truly bona fide Internet hit?
And please, pretty please, it just can't be "lonelygirl15" (pictured below) and some clever music videos.
The lack of lasting and profitable professional content online is once again in sharp relief with the writers' strike now taking place in Hollywood.
In a Wall Street Journal piece yesterday on the struggle between the Writers Guild of America and entertainment studios, Ken Hertz, a Los Angeles lawyer who has worked on digital music issues, made an interesting observation:
If anything, the strike could create an opportunity for the online world to step up and prove its value to the guild. A strike could in a strange way damage the studios by creating online competitors who come forward to offer the union writers a new model that no one would have otherwise had the time or effort to conceive of."
If only.
Because, while the main point of contention between the two sides is how to split future revenues from digital distribution, I am not sure exactly when it will become more than the middling revenue (and not much income) online content generates today, which is more like splitting up a tip jar at Starbucks than raking in big bags of dough from some Hollywood blockbuster.
That is likely to remain true for a while, given that consumers still are not used to paying anything much for what is considered entertainment on the Internet today (which is largely user-generated content) and that there is still a major piracy problem when it comes to premium stuff.
What's considered a hit? "Lonelygirl15" on MySpace TV? Its creators, who also produce the "KateModern" online serial for Bebo, put out a press release this week noting "more than 70 million views for the original hit show, 'lonelygirl15,' and the spinoff 'KateModern' reaching over 15 million views in its first two months online."
Not bad, and its attempts to integrate brands into the plot are well and good, if annoying, such as when "Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena became a brand integration with a character–Dr. Spencer Gilman, a scientist from the company–was featured across two months of programming."
There are scads of such projects now in production in Hollywood, all trying to recreate the kind of programming that made television a lucrative industry way back when.
But, so far, these are still baby steps, as are all attempts so far in getting a true payoff from online video, despite new ad paradigms from YouTube and others.
Also interesting are new online video sites like Hulu.com from NBC Universal and News Corp., as well as Joost from the creators of Skype.
But their efforts still fall well short of a system in which consumers can truly manipulate and control their content anytime, any place and from any device.
And even real offline hits don't cut it yet–NBCU's Jeff Zucker complained in his recent goofy attack on Apple's iTunes that the company only generated $15 million in revenue for its video fare on iTunes in its last year, including for its wildly popular series "Heroes" (which we certainly forked over cash money for!).
So what to do? I guess exactly what the writers are doing–banking on the hope that Hollywood will eventually get it right when it comes to digital distribution and asking for their fair share when it does.
Writers, quite reasonably, want to be paid more as their work moves online–to the Web, cellphones and anywhere else that gadgets send content in the future.
It's an especially pointed desire, given that they were essentially shafted in the last digital transformation when DVDs and videocassettes appeared.
As John Aboud, who is a strike captain for WGA, noted in a comment to my post last week on the strike, that even with all the money Hollywood has made, most writers are not well paid (although those at the tippy-top are copiously compensated).
"Median earnings of all members of the Writers Guild is only $5,000," he wrote. "How can that be? About 48% of members do not earn any money from writing in a given year. Of those writers who do make some money, one quarter earn less than $37,700 a year."
Still, he is entirely correct when he also added: "The distribution of entertainment over the Internet is not the future, it's NOW. If the producers succeed in gutting our right to compensation for digital reuse and delivery, that is income that's gone forever."


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CinemaBlend says:
I've arrived in Las Vegas for this year's Cinema Con, the annual gathering of movie industry executives and theater owners where the major studios take the chance to show off their goods for the coming year, especially summer movies. There will be a lot to see from the presentations from Paramount, DreamWorks, Disney and Warner Bros., but kicking things off in the goody bag, of all places, was Fox, which handed out a calendar featuring brand-new images from many of its upcoming films.
I only watched the originals in the last 5 years and instantly fell in love with the series. This movie is highly anticipated by this guy.
seems like serkis is becoming the go to guy for motion captured monkeys. :)
sorry, apes.
he's guaranteed work if they relaunch that pg tips ad campaign. :)
looking farward to this, i didn't think burton's version was too bad either, but this is sounding like it will be a better film.
I'm still waiting for a damn explanation for the ending sequence in the last apes film! Either way I'm really looking forward to this film, high hopes!
I didn't much like Planet of the Apes from Tim Burton but this movie does interest me.


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The weekend of 29th June to 1st July 2012, saw the birth of a dynamic new ministry captioned: Ministry of Healing and Prayer (MOHAP) which seeks to minister to the terminally ill and chronically sick people; whether churched or un-churched. Held at the De Vere venues, Denham Grove, Uxbridge, approximately 200 enthusiastic people attended the launch of this inaugural Ministry of Healing (MOHAP) weekend Retreat.
The Holy Spirit put the vision for MOHAP within the heart of Janet Hamilton. Janet shared her vision for MOHAP in December 2011 with Dr Emmanuel Osei (SEC Ministerial Director and Prayer Ministries Director) who embraced the vision and positively endorsed it.
The implementation
The Annual Prayer Coordinators' Weekend Retreat was amalgamated to include the launch of MOHAP. The programme comprised of praise, worship, prayer and anointing, devotionals, inspirational testimonies, lively discussion and health presentations.
Although check in was scheduled for Friday at 4:00pm, some eager individuals had been expectantly waiting in the hotel lounge as early as 2:00pm. There was a sense of excitement and anticipation as delegates were registered and emerged from their rooms to explore the venue. The beautiful lush green surroundings and idyllic picturesque scenery in Denham was just a delight to behold.
The majority of attendees were Prayer Ministry Coordinators (approximately 150) who were attending as part of their annual retreat. However with the launch of MOHAP, they were joined by several other individuals with various illnesses making the focus of the weekend one where the emphasis was on ministering to the terminally ill and those burdened with chronic diseases. The aim was two-fold: Firstly, to teach Prayer co-ordinators how to pray and minister effectively to those with serious, life-threatening or incurable conditions; secondly, to minister to the sick who were in attendance.
Friday evening was both uplifting and inspiring. After lifting our voices in a session of motivating praise and worship, led by Fen and Joy Braithwaite, Maureen McPherson shared her inspiring testimony of her battle with cancer. Dr Andrews Ewoo, our guest speaker eloquently and candidly challenged us in his sermon to have faith in God. By pointing out the awesome power of God our faith was strengthened. We were encouraged to affirm that if God was able to work wonders in times gone by then He could do the same today.
Sabbath provided a feast of heart-warming testimonies where accounts of personal journeys were shared. We heard the challenges and traumas, the battles and victories, the mountaintop and valley experiences all concluding that whatever we go, through God is still sovereign and will continue to reveal His love and care for His children.
Karen Jordan-Nicholls delivered an engaging presentation on emotional healing and explored the impact of unresolved negative emotions, the barriers to healing and how to move forward breaking strongholds in this area to receive healing.
A panel and audience discussion facilitated by Janet Hamilton; enabled an in-depth look at issues of sickness amongst believers, healing, faith and acceptance of God's will. This yielded lively participation from panel and audience and brought insight, wisdom and clarity to some of the difficult questions that we often grapple with and sometimes avoid.
The afternoon provided more opportunities for praise and testimonies and presentations on health. Anne Demercado, Chaplain and cancer survivor shared the efficacy of the CREATION Health programme and how following its principles can be life enhancing. Her positive personal story was a testament to the powerful impact of lifestyle change as indicated in CREATION Health. Equally, Dr Chidi's presentation titled: Blessed or Stressed was an insightful revelation about the negative impact of stress, unforgiveness and bitterness and how it affects, physiological, emotional, spiritual and social wellbeing. The presentation ended with a look at the healing that Jesus offers us in place of our brokenness.
Sunday continued with more health presentations to equip the delegates on how to look after their health. Leading the segment on lifestyle diseases Dr Chidi Ngwaba (medical lifestyle doctor) provided a thought-provoking presentation on how to prevent illness such as diabetes, fibroids, autoimmune disorders such as lupus and multiple sclerosis. The engrossed audience took notes, asked questions and reported that they would return home with valued information to implement.
The weekend culminated in a one to one ministry for individuals requesting anointing, pastoral counselling and prayer. A number of dynamic Conference and local pastors arrived on Sunday morning to join with Pastors Ewoo and Osei to assist in this personal ministry which was delivered to attendees individually in syndicate rooms adjoining the main hall. The members were ministered to by Pastors Cecil Perry, Terry Messenger, Patrick Johnson, Mohan Abbadasari, Jonathan and Mary Barrett, Humphrey and Ava Walters as well as Dr Chidi Ngwaba and Elder Carol Douglas. Simultaneously, in the main hall an inspiring and moving prayer, praise and testimony service was held led by Mrs Laura Osei to maintain the momentum for those not requesting an anointing or those waiting to be anointed, prayed with or requiring pastoral counselling. A corporate prayer session concluded this segment of the weekend and sealed the decisions made by the delegates to commit their lives and circumstances to Jesus the master healer.
The witness
As the hotel was solely booked by Adventists, a request was made for sacred music to be played in the restaurant over the weekend in place of the regular secular music to which restaurant staff agreed. The staff expressed their interest and pleasure with the sacred music and they could be seen at times waving their arms rhythmically in the air, particularly to one of their favourites with the lyrics "Lord I give you my heart, I give you my soul'. As a result of their positive response a recording of the music was promised to the restaurant team. They expressed delight that some of their favourite Christian songs were going to be given to them for their continued listening pleasure and the enjoyment of other diners long after the departure of the Adventists.
The response
Throughout the weekend the powerful ministry and uplifting devotions from Dr Ewoo was avidly discussed by many of the members. The depth and content of each message enriched the retreat and enhanced the focus of the weekend.
Three non Adventists who attended the retreat remarked on how blessed they were to be there as they enthusiastically participated in the testimony session. Having shared their needs with the group they were prayed for both corporately as well as privately and subsequently stated that they were going back to their local congregations and communities to share the vision. They were already planning to attend the next MOHAP event.
Several of our members signed up to gain more information in regards to the development of this ministry and to introduce MOHAP chapters in their local congregation. Others felt that this ministry was timely and long overdue and expressed interest in becoming more involved and receiving appropriate training to equip them accordingly.
Pastor Ewoo was so impressed with the concept of MOHAP that he promised to introduce its implementation into the Ghana Union Conference.
The future
It is envisaged that MOHAP will include an annual weekend retreat and quarterly day retreats. Additionally it is hoped that local MOHAP chapters will be formed within local churches and small groups to cater for the needs of the sick on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. MOHAP will continue to be shaped and formed over the coming months under the leadership of Dr Osei and Janet Hamilton.
Please continue to pray for this ministry that God's favour will rest upon it and in so doing many lives will be positively impacted both now and for eternity.
Dr Emmanuel Osei (SEC Ministerial and Prayer Ministries Director), Janet Hamilton (MOHAP Founder), Sharon Platt-McDonald (BUC Director for Health, Disability Awareness and Women Ministries)
The next MOHAP Day Retreat is on 25th Jan 2015


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Ipoh bean sprouts chicken is renowned to everyone and it has become a symbolic food that represents Ipoh. However, when we question about the history of its origin, how many people are clearly aware of how "bean sprouts chicken" come about?
As we all knew, during 1968, the year of Malaya (Malaysia independence day was in 1975), all states were packed with British army who enjoyed the night entertainment. They danced the night away and discotheques and pubs were formed everywhere. After dancing, night owls would look for supper at street hawker stall in the surrounding areas. This is how most of the street hawker stalls were created and it has become one of the cultural scenes in Ipoh.
Night owls not only helped the hawkers to keep their business going, night owls are also picky eaters. During food delivery, they instructed the hawkers to serve the chicken, bean sprouts and rice noodles(hor fun) separately to preserve the original taste of the ingredients. Thus, it forms today's "bean sprouts chicken".


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Underwater Glider Observations for Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Studies and Forecasts
Gustavo Jorge Goni, Scott Glenn, Jili Dong, Ruth Curry, Robert E. Todd, Travis Miles, Julio Morell, Hyun-Sook Kim, Becky Baltes, Glen G. Gawarkiewicz, and Joleen Heiderich
In the North Atlantic basin, tropical cyclones (TCs) originate and intensify from June to November with approximately 12 tropical storms and two to three hurricanes forming each year. These storms frequently affect highly populated coastal areas, causing large economic and social impacts (Figure 1). Under appropriate atmospheric conditions, TC intensification and weakening have been linked to ocean properties, such as upper-ocean heat content (Mainelli et al., 2008) and stratification (Seroka et al., 2016), which can be estimated using both in situ and satellite observations. Autonomous underwater gliders (Rudnick, 2016) offer cost-effective opportunities to assess these and other upper-ocean conditions by collecting targeted and sustained observations.
Several programs in recent years have used gliders to better understand air-sea processes during high-wind events, with a specific goal of improving hurricane intensity forecasts. Observations collected by these efforts are transmitted in real time to the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) and distributed through institutional web pages and the Integrated Ocean Observing System Glider Data Assembly Center. Delayed-time data are also used for in-depth analysis and studies of ocean-atmosphere interactions due to hurricane-force winds. Glider missions have already returned tens of thousands of profiles of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll. Data sets obtained from these missions include unique temperature and salinity observations sampled under tropical cyclone wind conditions for Tropical Storm (TS) Barry (2007), Hurricane Irene (2011), Hurricane Sandy (2012), Hurricane Arthur (2014), TS Bertha (2014), Hurricane Gonzalo (2014), Hurricane Fay (2014), TS Erika (2015), Hurricane Joaquin (2015), Hurricane Hermine (2016), and Hurricane Matthew (2016). This article describes these efforts and their principal scientific accomplishments with the intent of laying the foundation for a coordinated, distributed and sustained observation system to improve TC research and forecasting capabilities.
Caribbean Sea and Tropical Atlantic Ocean
Glider operations along predetermined tracks off Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea and tropical Atlantic Ocean are conducted by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) in conjunction with the Caribbean Coastal Association for Coastal Ocean Observations (CARICOOS). TC Gonzalo developed in the tropical North Atlantic on October 12, 2014, and then passed ~85 km northeast of the location of one of these gliders as it intensified from a Category-2 hurricane into a Category-3 hurricane. As Gonzalo passed north of Puerto Rico, sea surface temperature cooling was largely suppressed by the presence of a low-salinity layer in the upper 20 m of the ocean (i.e., a barrier layer). Maximum observed upper-ocean cooling was limited to 0.4°C when Gonzalo was closest to the glider. The presence of this barrier layer may have favored the storm's intensification; Gonzalo continued intensifying into a Category-4 hurricane (Goni et al., 2015). Glider observations collected before, during, and after the passage of Gonzalo were assimilated into the high-resolution Hurricane Weather and Research Forecast (HWRF)-Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) coupled forecast system at the NOAA Environmental Modeling Center to assess the impact of underwater glider and other ocean observations on Hurricane Gonzalo intensity forecasts. Results indicated that assimilation of underwater glider observations significantly improved the pre-storm thermal and saline model initializations, in particular of the barrier layer (Figure 2a,b). The main result of this work was that the errors in maximum wind speed and minimum pressure for the 126-hour forecast when its center was northeast of Puerto Rico were reduced by 50% to 90% (Figure 2c–e) by assimilating underwater glider data and conventional ocean observations, including satellite altimetry observations.
Subtropical North Atlantic
In October 2014, Hurricanes Fay and Gonzalo hit Bermuda during the same week. One glider deployed by the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) two days after the passage of Fay was directly under the eyewall of Category-3 Hurricane Gonzalo. Within the cold wake created by the two TCs, gliders observed a 4°C surface temperature drop, a 50 m deepening of the mixed layer, and breaking internal waves along its boundary. Each storm resulted in heat storage reductions of approximately 3–4 J m–2 in the upper 250 m. Surface heat flux was a factor in the intensification of Fay from a tropical storm to a hurricane as it passed Bermuda. A key result obtained from the glider observations is that Hurricane Gonzalo weakened from Category-4 to -3 as it traveled over the cold wake produced by Hurricane Fay (Figure 2a).
Middle Atlantic Bight Shelf
The passage of TCs over the continental shelf of the Middle Atlantic Bight has been observed by gliders for several years. Rutgers University conducted glider missions during hurricanes Irene (2011) and Sandy (2012). Observations during Hurricane Irene (2011) revealed that ahead-of-eye-center surface cooling and thermocline deepening may have contributed to weakening of this cyclone over the continental shelf (Glenn et al., 2016). In addition, onshore wind stress ahead of the storm caused two-layer circulation under stratified summer conditions on the continental shelf and resulted in shear-induced mixing across the thermocline that led to surface cooling. Sensitivity studies in an atmospheric model showed that this rapid surface cooling and resulting air-sea flux changes contributed to the weakening of Irene before landfall (Seroka et al., 2016).
A glider deployed five days ahead of the forecast landfall location of Hurricane Sandy (2012) on the New Jersey coast also carried an acoustic Doppler current profiler to measure vertical shear to assess the upper-ocean mixing. Observations showed that downwelling-favorable winds as Sandy approached limited the supply of cold bottom waters to be mixed upward, and surface cooling was limited to 1°–2°C (Zambon et al., 2014), contributing only slightly to the weakening of Sandy over the continental shelf. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the multi-institution TEMPESTS program was initiated to collect observations that would improve forecasts of the intensity of storms impacting the US Northeast. Rutgers University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of Maine, and University of Maryland each operated gliders in rapid-response mode during the 2014–2016 hurricane seasons. These gliders measured the continental shelf response to Hurricanes Arthur (2014) and Hermine (2016). Both storms caused cooling, mixed layer deepening, and westward flow over the continental shelf. Hurricane Arthur traveled through the region much more quickly than Hurricane Hermine, which stalled and dissipated south of New England; only Hermine produced inertial oscillations following its passage (Figure 3).
Gulf of Mexico
Several glider observational and analysis efforts are currently in place in the Gulf of Mexico. During the 2012 and 2013 summer seasons, a collaborative effort between NOAA, universities, and private industry included the validation of NCEP global RTOFS (global operational Real-Time Ocean Forecast System at the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction) forecasts using available glider observations in the northern central Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of this work was to carry out targeted observations of the ocean conditions before, during, and after the passage of a hurricane and to conduct assessments of RTOFS. Comparison results show that ocean model upper conditions agreed with the observations, having highly correlated sea surface temperature, mixed-layer depth, and depth of 26°C isotherm, with RMS differences of 0.4°C, 8 m, and 19 m, respectively. From 2010 to 2013, gliders operating under this effort collected more than 2,100 profiles to 1,000 m depth, and covered a distance of over 2,400 nautical miles in the Gulf. In addition to temperature and salinity measurements, gliders also collected water column salinity, dissolved oxygen, and chromophoric dissolved organic matter.
Outlook and Recommendations
Gliders deployed in the tropical Atlantic during hurricane season continue to provide key upper-ocean observations to initialize numerical ocean-atmosphere coupled forecast models, to properly identify areas that may be responsible for storm weakening and intensification, and to improve intensity forecast model output. In addition, gliders provide a means to better understand the processes responsible for the rapid evolution of the ocean and its important feedback on the atmosphere during the passage of cyclones. In 2017, glider deployments are planned in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, and along the entire US East Coast during the Atlantic hurricane season; observations collected under a variety of programs will be coordinated under the NOAA Hurricane Field Program.
Though gliders have been successfully deployed in rapid-response mode ahead of storms in the Middle Atlantic Bight, the logistical hurdles for such operations are significant. With lead times typically less than one week based on forecast accuracy, gliders used in rapid-response mode are usually deployed within two to three days of storm arrival. This short lead time prevents comprehensive measurement of pre-storm conditions (e.g., complete cross-shelf transects) and suboptimal placement of gliders during storm passage. Sustained glider operations during the storm season (such as in those currently in place in the Caribbean Sea and near Bermuda) have provided critical information to appropriately initialize numerical ocean models during pre-storm conditions. Given the positive impact of the upper-ocean observations collected by these projects, the following recommendations are provided to further increase their contributions with the aim of improving Atlantic hurricane intensity studies and forecasts:
- Continue to assess the impact of glider observations in conjunction with observations from other components of the ocean observing system, to determine the most appropriate and cost-effective sampling strategies
- Maintain or enhance the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and tropical North Atlantic glider network to enable impact assessment studies
- Further investigate the impact of implementing a comprehensive underwater glider rapid response to aid in the monitoring of upper ocean heat content assessments prior to the passage of Atlantic hurricanes
- Conduct numerical ocean simulation experiments to assess the impact of glider data, and all upper-ocean thermal data, on Atlantic hurricane intensity forecasts
- Include additional sensors on the gliders, when possible, to enable multidisciplinary studies geared toward assessing the impact of hurricanes on ecosystems, carbon dioxide fluxes, fisheries, etc.
Glenn, S., T. Miles, G. Seroka, Y. Xu, R. Forney, F. Yu, H. Roarty, O. Schofield, and J. Kohut. 2016. Stratified coastal ocean interactions with tropical cyclones. Nature Communications 7:10887, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10887.
Goni, G.J., J.A. Knaff, and I-I Lin. 2015. Tropical cyclone heat potential. In "State of the Climate in 2014". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 96(7):S121–S122.
Goni, G.J., R.E. Todd, S.R. Jayne, G. Halliwell, S. Glenn, J. Dong, R. Curry, R. Domingues, F. Bringas, L. Centurioni, and others. 2017. Autonomous and Lagrangian ocean observations for Atlantic tropical cyclone studies and forecasts. Oceanography 30(2):92–103, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2017.227.
Mainelli, M., M. DeMaria, L. Shay, and G. Goni. 2008. Application of oceanic heat content estimation to operational forecasting of recent Atlantic category 5 hurricanes. Weather Forecasting 23(1):3–16, https://doi.org/10.1175/2007WAF2006111.1.
Rudnick, D.L. 2016. Ocean research enabled by underwater gliders. Annual Review of Marine Science 8:519–541, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-122414-033913.
Seroka, G., T. Miles, Y. Xu, J. Kohut, O. Schofield, and S. Glenn. 2016. Hurricane Irene sensitivity to stratified coastal ocean cooling. Monthly Weather Review 144:3,507–3,530, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-15-0452.1.
Zambon, J.B., R. He, and J.C. Warner. 2014. Tropical to extratropical: Marine environmental changes associated with Superstorm Sandy prior to its landfall. Geophysical Research Letters 41:8,935–8,943, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL061357.
The NOAA/AOML component of this work was originally funded by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, also known as the Sandy Supplemental, and is currently funded by the NOAA research grant NA14OAR4830103, by NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, by CARICOOS (Caribbean Coastal Observing System), and by the NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). The TEMPESTS component of this work is supported by NOAA through the Cooperative Institute for the North Atlantic Region (NA13OAR4830233) with analysis additional support from the WHOI Summer Student Fellowship Program.
Gustavo Jorge Goni, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, USA, firstname.lastname@example.com
Scott Glenn, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, email@example.com
Jili Dong, Environmental Modeling Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Center, College Park, MD, USA, email@example.com
Ruth Curry, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, St. George's, Bermuda, email@example.com
Robert E. Todd, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA, email@example.com
Travis Miles, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, email@example.com
Julio Morell, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, email@example.com
Hyun-Sook Kim, Environmental Modeling Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Center, College Park, MD, USA, email@example.com
Becky Baltes, US Integrated Ocean Observing System Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA, firstname.lastname@example.com
Glen G. Gawarkiewicz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA, firstname.lastname@example.com
Joleen Heiderich, MIT-WHOI Joint Program, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA, firstname.lastname@example.com
> Lagrangian Observing
> Optical & Imaging Sensors
> Animal-Borne Instruments
> Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
> The Argo Array
> Small-Scale Processes
> Air-Sea Observations
> ALPS Network Design
> Arctic Ocean
> Antarctic
> Coastal Oceanography
> Boundary Current Obs
> Atlantic Tropical Cyclones
> Marine Robotics Fleet
> Data Services
> 1. Workshop Agenda
> 2. Workshop Participants
> 3. White Papers


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Collegium of the State Control Committee summed up the results of work in the first half of 2015
The State Control Committee summed up the results of work in the first half of 2015 at the meeting of Collegium that was held on 5 August 2015.
The meeting was chaired by head of the State Control Committee Leonid Anfimov.
During the session it was noted that the State Control Committee continued the work for strengthening of the economic security of the country, opening and suppress of systemic violations of the law, identification of negative trends and reserves in the economy and social sphere. SAI's efforts were focused on solving a range of issues in almost all sectors of the economy. In particular, the State Control Committee conducted the audits of the efficiency of work of the State authorities. The Committee monitored the implementation of significant investment projects, construction of housing, the procedure of admissions for study in educational institutions, the progress of the agricultural work, the state of the consumer and currency markets. The control in the social sphere is carried out continuously. The Committee monitors the payment of salary in time, insurance payments to the Social Protection Fund, compliance with social standards, and the provision of services to the population.
The bodies of the State Control Committee recovered to the budget from unscrupulous economic entities BYR 1.5 trillion in the first half of 2015. It's nearly 2 times more than in the corresponding period of 2014. The audits of the State Control Committee prevented unjustified payments from state funds in the amount of BYR 941 billion (their ineffective use was prevented).
The main efforts of the Financial Investigations Department and the Financial Monitoring Department of the State Control Committee were focused on countering false business activity (creation of a commercial organization without intention to conduct entrepreneurial or banking activity but to obtain loans, tax exemptions and other benefits or for covering prohibited activities).
From the beginning of 2015 the State Control Committee stopped the activity of 10 criminal groups in the sphere of false enterprise activity and liquidated more than 100 sham companies. False enterprises and their contractors have reimbursed to the state budget more than BYR 150 billion. Since the beginning of 2015 Financial Investigations Department of the State Control Committee revealed 749 crimes, 108 of them related to corruption.
Financial Monitoring Department worked actively for identification of suspicious financial transactions and combating money laundering. Using the information of Financial Monitoring Department the regulatory and law enforcement authorities revealed 229 crimes and reimbursed to the state budget BYR 150 billion.
In the first half of 2015 specialists of the State Control Committee held more than 300 "direct telephone line" and personal receptions of over 2,8 thousand citizens. The State Control Committee have considered 4,4 thousand of their written appeals. After the intervention of the State Control Committee, many private problems of people have been solved.
Great importance is given to control over the implementation of the President's executive orders. Today the Committee controls the implementation of 1760 such orders. The task of auditors is to prevent the failure of execution of the President's order and find together with executors the solution of the problem. This is the essence of preventive control.
Based on the priorities of the control activities determined by the President of Belarus the main attention is given to the final financial results of the enterprises.
The efforts of the State Control Committee are focused not only on the conducting of audits, but also on making appropriate proposals to correct the situation.
To accomplish its tasks the State Control Committee uses actively the principles of performance audit in the analysis of financial and economic activity of the audited entities.
In the second half of this year in the focus of the Committee will remain the issues of compliance of the land and environmental legislation. The Committee will also analyze the main factors of the formation of market of goods of light industry and the state of the sphere of services.


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Course description
Leads to NFQ Level 6 QQI Award in Business
This course is suitable for those who wish to use advanced business and computer skills in a twenty-first century work environment or who wish to progress to higher level studies. It is also an ideal preparation for those who wish to start their own business or those who wish to up-skill or retrain for a new career and a fresh start.
With the aim of maximising their future employability, students will be trained to the highest level in aspects of Microsoft Office, desktop publishing, web design, business management, computerised bookkeeping and payroll. The latest software is used on this course including Microsoft Office Suite 2013, Adobe CS Products, Sage 50, Sage Pay and Windows 7.
Entry Requirements
It is essential that applicants have a prior computing qualification, such as FETAC/QQI Level 5, Microsoft Office Specialist, City and Guilds or have relevant work experience.
Applicants without an existing qualification will be required to demonstrate that they have the required aptitude for this course. Since places are limited, applicants will be interviewed.
Students who successfully complete this course may apply to do the EDI (formally JEB) Teacher's Diploma in IT skills for those interested in teaching computer applications. Alternatively, they may apply through the Higher Education Links Scheme to do a range of third-level courses including Level 7 and Level 8 degree courses in Higher Education colleges.
For full information on progression through the Higher Education Links Scheme please go to www.qqi.ie and contact the individual universities and colleges.
Course Content
Word Processing
Business Management and Marketing Skills
Spreadsheet Methods
Desktop Publishing
Web Authoring
Bookkeeping Manual and Computerised using Sage 50
Payroll Manual and Computerised using Sage Pay
Personal and Professional Development
Employment Skills Workshops


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November 18, 2010
The Dorchester House Multi-Service Center has begun work on an expansion project fueled in large part by a $7 million federal stimulus grant that green-lighted the project last year. The new wing of the center will include a walk-in/urgent care clinic with 18 new examination rooms for primary and urgent care, a larger clinic pharmacy and laboratory. In total, between renovations and expansions, the project will transform about 40,000-square feet into more spacious and more accessible departments of the Dorchester Ave. health center.
Health center president and CEO Joel Abrams was joined by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and other officials on October 26th to break ground on the construction job for what's been dubbed "The Doctor Will See You NOW!" project.
About 25,000-square feet of existing space will be renovated in order to separate administrative offices from clinical rooms. The other 15,000-square feet of new space will result in 25,000 to 26,000 more patient visits annually and provide access and services for 6,600 new patients.
Part of the expansion will make room for a Wellness Center. As "part of our continuum of support," as Director of Planning and Community Affairs Ira Schlosser puts it, the main addition adjacent to the gym will be used primarily for yoga, taichi (for seniors, too) and exercise classes. New rooms will feature flexible use for dance and physical activities, and will have curtains for more private holistic services such as therapeutic massage, aromatherapy and other non-clinical wellness programs.
The NOW! Project would not have been put into motion as quickly if the Dot House had not been one of eight Massachusetts health centers who received funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The news came as a pleasant surprise, since the expansion plans weren't fully "shovel-ready" when the grant came down.
"That changed our whole world," Abrams says. "Reality has now set in and we now have to get this done. A lot of things have fallen into place and we're on track."
Since its inception in 1887, the Dot House has played a vital role in the community.
"We intend to see it continue that way and this project certainly helps us deliver on that commitment," says Abrams. He is well-versed in healthcare. After graduating college in Boston, Abrams launched his career in community-based healthcare, working for the cost and quality division of Medicaid, starting up the Tufts Health Plan with four colleagues and developing his expertise further at Dana Farber, among other Boston healthcare institutions.
"I finally landed in a place that felt like home," Abrams says of Dot House as he heads into his 24th year at the helm.
According to Abrams, being the provider of choice for the neighborhood and being able to fully integrate clinical with non-clinical care are his two top goals for the Dot House. Increasing the effectiveness of its partnership with the Codman Square Health Center — DotWell— is also an important objective.
"We hope we will be a model for other organizations in their neighborhoods - to collaborate, create partnerships, weave together these partnerships and to keep improving on that," Abrams said.
Originally a boys' institution, the Dot House eventually opened its activities and programs to people of any age and gender. The Gordon House, as it was known for its first 20 years of operation (it was previously located at 7 Gordon St. in Fields Corner), became the Dorchester House in November 1909 and gave the community resources such as a library, reading rooms, baby clinics, and shoe repair as well as a place for social gatherings and classes for such things as savings and gardening.
The Dot House moved to its current location on Dorchester Avenue on January 31, 1942 and was housed in a renovated building on two acres of land, bordering Dorchester Ave., Leedsville St. and Ellet St. In 1974, the new building was constructed on the same site, housing a health center, pre-school/daycare center, and a community center. In response to the demand for health services, a second floor was added in 1978 to include a dental office and to increase medical and mental health services.
A two-year complete renovation of the health center was launched in 2000, adding a third floor and increasing the number of clinical exam rooms from 19 to 33. The pharmacy was added about a year later. Mammography, optical service and a new dental facility also were offered in the new space. The remodeling allowed improvements on the Dot House's outdoor aesthetic as well; the 25,000-square foot facelift brightened the institution's entrance and made it more accessible.
"People should have an attractive, state-of-the-art facility that offers the highest quality care and our health providers come out of some of the best residencies. [The renovation is] a great testament to our top-notch care, an external expression," Abrams says.
For more information about the Dorchester House and the NOW! Project, visit dorchesterhouse.org.


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Just to mix things up a little bit, I'm also participating in A Mommy's Adventures "stART" meme. StART = story + art. We created an art project to go along with one of the books that we've been reading.
This week we checked out several monster themed books from the library. So far we've read The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone, illustrated by Michael Smollin; Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak; Leonardo, the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems and I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll (will review this one here on 10/17/09).
Both the kids really loved Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley. This monster book has become quite a popular classic. By turning the die cut pages kids "build" the face of a green monster and then make the green monster "Go Away!" piece by piece. Perfect for toddlers through early grade schoolers, the book helps teach colors and parts of the face (nose, eyes, etc.) For those children afraid of monsters, the book may help alleviate some of their fears because they can control the monster and make it disappear. The dazzling, sparkly cover on the newer editions really entices kids to pick this book up. Plus, it makes a great Halloween holiday read.
Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley. Little, Brown and Company (1992); 32 pages; ISBN 9780316236539
Book Source: Review copy from public library (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)
Go Away, Big Green Monster! Door Sign Craft
Turns out, the die cut pages of Go Away, Big Green Monster! lend themselves perfectly to a fun, educational and colorful monster craft project.
Black, green, red, blue-green, white, yellow and purple paper
Black marker
White crayon
Trace the monster face parts using the die-cut book pages as your guide. Cut the pieces out with a scissors.
Assemble the monster face using the cut pieces. (Discuss the names of the different facial parts and talk about the colors used.) Disassemble the monster piece by piece, just like in the story. Glue all parts to the black background. Draw the black eye centers in using a marker. Use the white crayon and write the words "GO AWAY!" on the bottom of the paper.
There's also a printable Go Away, Big Green Monster! pdf pattern at Kizclub.com to use in case you'd rather not trace your own monster face parts. If you are looking for a song to go along with the craft, check out the Go Away! Song at Super Simple Songs. Very cute.
What are your kids reading this week?


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What's better AC or windows down?
When it's summer you will probably start using features in your vehicle that haven't been operated in a while. Two of these features include your air conditioning and your windows. You would never dream of using these features in the winter (with the exception of going through the drive-thru). There are many benefits to both features, but what's better AC or windows down?
There are many debates that revolvedaround this heated topic. There are a number of drivers that fall on both sides of the discussion. One commonly discussed issue is fuel efficiency. Which one of these features actually uses more fuel to function? A while ago, the popular television show "Mythbusters", put both of these features to the test. They used the two identical SUVs and drove around Northern California's Altamont Raceway at 45 miles (72 kilometers) per hour. One drove with all the windows down, while the other drove with the AC cranked. In the end, the SUV with the windows down traveled 15 miles (24 kilometers) more. This proves that traveling with the windows down is more fuel efficient, but does that mean it's still the best choice?
There are a number of other important factors to take into consideration. For example, driving on the highway with the windows down can be extremely distracting. It is loud and does a poor job of actually circulating air. Air conditioning on the other hand provides cool air instead of humid air. It also manages to filters pollutants and airborne particles that help keep the air in the car stay fresh. Air conditioning also helps provide a pleasant and odour free environment.
As you can see there are many benefits to driving with the windows down or with the AC on. It all depends on where you're headed and what is most important for you and your passengers. If you are interested in getting your window motors or air conditioning repaired, schedule a service appointment at Toyota Scion on the Trail. We have many currently summer service specials in Edmonton AB for you to take advantage of.


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No, Pie Week has not been cancelled, but sadly I won't be able to get to HK to try the new 'McSpicy Feast' promotional burger, so my friend Hugh tried it for me. It is the regular McSpicy (Spicy, breaded, Chicken thigh), served with Pickled Cabbage, German Sausage, a new Mustard, on a Rye Bun. It actually sounds pretty delicious.
Price - 36.30HKD ($4.67USD) (Large Size Combo + Free 'Cheese Rush' Fry Flavouring)
His Rating - Burger - 4/5; Cheese Shakers - 2/5
More photos after the break


text: Associations We have found 13 items matching your search query. Sort By: TitleDatePopularityFeaturedRating List Grid Assoc. of North American Missions Associations More Details Association of North American Missions Associations Accredits member missions, provides fellowship & seminars. Voice of independent evangelical missions in North America to the public. More Details Association of Vineyard Churches Associations A fellowship of cooperative churches. Vineyard theology is Evangelical and framed from the perspective that the Kingdom of God is the central motif through which the Bible is to be understood. More Details Canadian Association of Clergy (CAC) Associations Upholds professional standards, provide services to all persons involved in the Christian Ministry, and enrich the effectiveness of pastoral work in the community. More Details Canadian Society of Biblical Studies/ Société des Ãâ°tudes Bibliques (St. Francis Xavier University) Associations Wilfred Laurier University Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5 TEL 519-884-0710 FAX 519-884-8854 Dr. Michell Desjardins Founded in 1933 to encourage investigation of classical biblical literature by exchange of More Details Canadian Society of Biblical Studies/ Société des Ãâ°tudes Bibliques (Wilfred Laurier University) Associations Founded in 1933 to encourage investigation of classical biblical literature by exchange of scholarly research in published form and in public forum. More Details Catholic Biblical Association of Canada Associations The Catholic Biblical Association of Canada was founded in 1972 in response to a request from the Bishops of Ontario to begin a biblical movement that would encourage English-speaking Catholics to ret More Details Christian Educators Association International Associations More Details Christian Indie Publishing Association (CIPA) Associations We represent, promote, and strengthen small publishers and independent authors in the Christian marketplace. We provide information and tools for success in publishing and marketing Christian books. More Details ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) Associations An association of nearly 1,750 evangelical, non-profit, tax-exempt organizations that requires strict adherence to the highest standards of financial integrity and Christian ethics. More Details 12 Page 1 of 2


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Last week saw the launch of Compass Datacenters, a new company based in Dallas planning to bring turn-key data centers to second-tier markets. Compass was co-founded by Chris Crosby, a key player for many years at Digital Realty Trust. The company says it is optimizing its data center design to fit the demand profile of smaller markets, while deploying its development capital in an efficient manner. This video provides an overview of the design of Compass facilities. This video runs about 3 minutes, 30 seconds.
For more about Compass, check out our story Compass Brings Wholesale to New Markets. For additional video, check out our DCK video archive and the Data Center Videos channel on YouTube.
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- 2 pounds. chicken, cut into serving pieces
- 1 and half tablespoon white sugar
- 3 pieces dried bay leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 and half cup cooking oil
- 1 to 2 cups water
- Salt and whole peppercorn
- In a large container, combine the soy sauce and garlic then marinade the chicken for at least 1 to 3 hours
- Place the cooking oil in a pan and apply heat
- When the oil is hot enough, put-in the marinated chicken. Cook all the sides for about 5 minutes.
- Pour-in the remaining marinade and add water. Bring to a boil
- Add the dried bay leaves and whole peppercorn. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender
- Add vinegar. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.
- Put-in the sugar, and salt. Stir and turn the heat off.


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Smallville fans: Meet the vampire version of Tess Mercer.
Cassidy Freeman, who portrayed the fearless illegitimate daughter of Lionel Luthor on the CW superhero drama, will make her first appearance on Thursday's episode of The Vampire Diaries, in which she plays a ruthless and seductive vampire who was something of a mentor to a younger Damon (Ian Somerhalder). Before the "Delena" fans start to worry, know this: Sage has her eye on another vampire who's a bit more powerful. TVGuide.com caught up with Freeman to get the scoop on her Diaries debut.
The Vampire Diaries Bite: Learn why Sage and Rebekah have a tense history
What kind of person is Sage?
Cassidy Freeman: Sage has been a vampire for a very long time, so she has the ability to suss out what the best parts of being a vampire are. She's a live-in-the-moment and live-life-to-the-fullest kind of woman, so she's enjoying being a vampire as much as one can enjoy being undead. She's willing to take people like Damon under her wing and teach them the ways of being a pretty badass vampire. She's like a snake, so she definitely has a seductive way about her.
How is she different from Tess Mercer?
Freeman: Other than being hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years old? [Laughs] They actually have a lot of similarities in that they're both strong women. They both have a really genuine core to them and they are always out for their own motives, which is really interesting. Sage is definitely looser than Tess. She's more [of a] take-your-hat-off, undo-the-tie, take-your-shoes-off kind of girl. She's much more willing to be free than Tess was. Tess was very buttoned-up, very professional, and hid her emotions.
How does Sage change Damon in both the past and the present?
Freeman: In the past, she affects him a lot. He [was] pretty unsure of himself as a vampire, and doing things maybe not as gracefully as he could. Her role in the past is really to show Damon the way of being the vampire that maybe he was always destined to be. She's definitely a mentor to him. In the present, they're more like peers because he's lived the life he's lived over the last however many years and she's come back to suss things out in the present day and see if she can get what she wants.
The Vampire Diaries' Julie Plec: Damon never really gives up
Is there a possibility for them to hook up?
Freeman: They definitely have sexual tension. There's not some long-lost burning love between them. Damon has sexual tension with everything! [Laughs] I also think that Sage is a similar character. By no means is she celibate, but at the same time, her focus is Finn (Caspar Zafer).
Will she try to rekindle things with Finn?
Freeman: When someone is your true love from long ago, you always want to see if that's still there. I don't think she necessarily has that kind of patience, but she definitely has hope. She comes back in present day primarily to look for him.
How will Rebekah (Claire Holt) feel about Sage coming to town?
Freeman: They didn't get along in the past and they are snippy with each other. When you want something, you will go to whoever will help you. They're definitely doing the whole circling each other routine. They do end up interacting in the present in maybe more than one way.
How does Sage interact with the rest of the Originals?
Freeman: Kind of like your first high school boyfriend or girlfriend does with your family. They all know who she is, and they didn't think very highly of her back in the day. They think very highly of themselves, and they don't think Sage is as high as they are.
Watch this week's Vampire Diaries Bite for more from Freeman and Holt:
The Vampire Diaries airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.


text: Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother, John Michael Montgomery, who left for a solo career in the early 1990s. Signed in 1999 to Columbia Records, the duo released its deb… Leer Más


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|About this Recording
8.553991 - OBOE (THE ART OF THE) - Famous Oboe Concertos (Camden)
The Art of the Oboe
The oboe, perfected in France around the middle of the seventeenth century, gained acceptance in Venice during the 1690s. The first known Venetian operas to include a part for it dated from 1692, and by 1696 at the latest it had been heard at the Basilica of San Marco, which two years later recruited its first permanent player of the oboe. Several other oboists of note established themselves in the city, and the four ospedali grandi (the charitable institutions caring for foundlings, orphans and the destitute) added the instrument to the teaching curriculum.
It was logical, given Italy's – and, indeed, Venice's – pioneering rôle in the development of the concerto, that sooner or later the first concerti with parts for oboes would be written. The big question was how, if at all, should they differ in style and form from violin concerti? For Vivaldi, as for most Italian composers, the problem was easily resolved. In his hands the oboe becomes a kind of ersatz violin. To be sure, he takes care not to exceed the normal compass of the instrument (running from the D above Middle C to the D two octaves higher), remembers to insert pauses for breathing and avoids over – abrupt changes of register, but the solo part still seems remarkably violinistic – as Vivaldi himself tacitly acknowledged when, on more than one occasion, he prescribed the violin as an alternative to the oboe.
It was left to Vivaldi's important Venetian contemporary, Tomaso Albinoni (1671-1751), to find another way of treating the oboe in a concerto. Apart from being a capable violinist, Albinoni was a singing teacher married to an operatic diva. His experience of writing operas and cantatas decisively affected the way in which he approached melody and instrumentation. His concerti equate the oboe not with a violin but with the human voice in an aria. Conjunct movement and small intervals are generally preferred to wide skips. In opening orchestral passages the oboe does not double the first violin (as in Vivaldi concerti) but bides its time until its solo entry or else supplies an independent line. The opening solo idea is often presented twice – the first time abortively, the second time with a normal continuation. This twofold presentation is a device borrowed straight from the operatic aria of the time.
Albinoni describes these works as concerti 'with', rather than 'for' oboe. The difference is significant. Whereas in a Vivaldi oboe concerto the prime aim is to show off the capability of the soloist, here the oboe is the partner rather than the dominator of the first violin – and even the second violin is not excluded from the discourse. The spirit of give and take that exists between the treble instruments lends these works a character that reminds one of chamber music.
The Op. 9 concerti are subdivided into four groups, each of which begins with a concerto for solo violin (here the oboe is silent), continues with a concerto for one oboe and finishes with one for two oboes. No. 5, in C major, is a typical specimen of the composer's late style. The orchestral texture is in places highly contrapuntal, but Albinoni never sacrifices tunefulness to a show of learning. Arthur Hutchings, his greatest advocate among British musicologists, aptly describes the finale as 'conveying the allure of the dance without suggesting the street or barnyard'.
The key of No. 12 in C major conforms to a familiar stereotype, being triumphant with a touch of pomposity. Luckily, the slow movements, which in every case are in a different key, provide the necessary contrast and give each work a well-rounded character.
Albinoni's first set of Concerti a cinque with parts for one or two oboes, published in Amsterdam as his Opus 7 in 1715, has the distinction of being the first such collection by an Italian composer ever published. The composer dedicated them to a local nobleman and amateur musician, Giovanni Donato Correggio. The works are divided into four groups, each of which begins with a concerto for strings (one of these, No. 11, contains passages for a solo violin), continues with a concerto for two oboes and finishes with one for a single oboe. Whereas the concerti with one oboe are fully mature in conception, those with two oboes are more varied, as if Albinoni, in 1715, had not yet decided how to structure them. Certainly, the two-oboe works, which are all in the traditional trumpet keys of C major and D major, carry strong traces of the trumpet sonatas that Bolognese composers, in particular, had written at the end of the previous century. The finales of both the fifth and the eleventh concerto show this quality very clearly, even if the slow movements adopt a more intimate tone. But the most blatant 'fanfare' of all comes in the first movement of the final concerto in Opus 9, Albinoni's sequel to Opus 7 published in 1722. The dreamy, elegiac Adagio in B minor that forms the heart of this concerto is one of the finest specimens of its type.
The single-oboe concerti in Opus 7, No. 12 has finale in 3/8 or 6/8 that exploit Albinoni's favourite rhythmic device of hemiola (where twice three units becomes thrice two units or the reverse). Their outer movements are spacious, always presenting the main oboe theme twice in succession on its initial appearance.
Michael Talbot
George Frideric Handel was born in Halle in 1685, the son of a well established barber-surgeon by his second wife. After matriculation in 1702 at Halle University and a brief period as organist at the Calvinist Church in the city, he moved to Hamburg in order to further a career in music, on which he was now decided. Employment at the opera, at first as a violinist and then as harpsichordist and composer was followed, in 1706, by travel to Italy, the source of the form his music had taken. Here, in Florence, Venice and Rome he made a name for himself, writing music in a number of genres, church music, opera, Italian oratorio, cantatas and instrumental works, while, in a keyboard contest with his contemporary Domenico Scarlatti, he was declared the better organist, with Scarlatti allowed to be a better harpsichordist.
A meeting in Venice with members of the court of the Elector of Hanover led to Handel's appointment in 1710 as Kapellmeister to the Elector, while contact with the English ambassador was presumably instrumental in an immediate invitation to London for the newly established Italian opera. His return to Hanover the following year, after a short stay in Düsseldorf at the court of the Elector Palatine, lasted for some fifteen months, before a definitive return to London, where he now settled, occupied very largely with the Italian opera. It was when the commercial success of the opera began to decline, particularly with the establishment of two rival houses, that Handel turned his attention to a new form, English oratorio. This had an obvious appeal to a Protestant audience, avoiding, as it did, the problems of performance in a foreign language and the incongruities of plot that had become an inevitable concomitant of Italian opera seria. His last opera, Deidamia, was staged in London in 1741 and his last English oratorio, The Triumph of Time and Truth, an adaptation of a work he had written in Rome fifty years before, was given at Covent Garden in 1757 and 1758. Handel died in 1759, but his musical influence continued to dominate popular taste, doing much to eclipse the work of native composers.
As a practical musician, Handel borrowed extensively from his own earlier compositions and, as need arose, from the work of others, following the standard practice of the time. His three Oboe Concerti have been variously designated. The third of the series, the Concerto in G minor was first published, it seems, in Leipzig in 1863, when it was attributed to Handel and described as a work of 1703, although no other source is now known. In four movements, the concerto opens with a slow movement of characteristically dotted rhythm, a touch of that French style that the aging Corelli, working with Handel in Rome, had claimed to be beyond his comprehension.
The so-called Idomeneus-Concerto takes its name from the accident that it was written to provide additional music for a staging in 1806 at the Royal National Theatre in Berlin of Mozart's opera Idomeneo, Rè di Creta. For the occasion there were inserted numbers by Paer, Bernhard Anselm Weber and Vincenzo Righini, the last the Kapellmeister of the Berlin theatre since 1793. The Berlin Italian opera was closed in 1806 as a result of the war, but opened again, under Righini, in 1811. Righini's concerto was added to the first movement chorus of Idomeneo, Godiam la pace, a very relevant sentiment in the prevailing circumstances. The work has survived in a Berlin copy of the performing score of Idomeneo. The soloist in the little concerto in Berlin was the oboist of the Berlin Royal Orchestra, Friedrich Westenholz, whose playing was much admired.
Arcangelo Corelli, the violinist-composer, more than any other musician of his time, established the form of the Baroque concerto grosso, solo violin sonata and trio sonata, a model for later composers. The present work, arranged by Sir John Barbirolli, is in the form of a concerto da camera, a set of dance movements, preceded by a Preludio. The concerto ends with a final Giga.
Domenico Cimarosa, born in 1749, enjoyed a contemporary reputation particularly in the field of Italian comic opera. In 1942 the Australian-born composer Arthur Benjamin was able to draw on Cimarosa's keyboard sonatas to provide an attractive oboe concerto, a work that broadly follows late Baroque rather than classical practice, although Cimarosa himself was at the height of his reputation towards the end of the eighteenth century. A moving Introduzione leads to a sprightly Allegro and a Siciliana, the gentle Baroque pastoral dance, as a slow movement. The final Allegro giusto makes a cheerful conclusion.
Vincenzo Bellini is better known as a composer of operas than of instrumental works. He won his first significant operatic success in 1827 with his third opera, Il pirata. Seven more operas were to follow before his death in Paris in 1835 at the age of 33. His delightful Oboe Concerto in E flat major was written, as were his other orchestral works, before 1825, while he was still a student at the Naples Conservatory. The solo instrument enters after the shortest of dramatic introductions with a melody of operatic suggestion, a foretaste of Bellini's later lyrical achievement. The aria leads directly to a lively conclusion, dominated by its lively principal theme, which frames a series of contrasting episodes.
The Air and Rondo are arranged for oboe by the English oboist Evelyn Rothwell, and orchestrated by Anthony Camden. The Air uses the descending arpeggio figure, common, in one form or another, in Handel's instrumental music. It is followed by a lively Rondo, in which the principal theme frames contrasting episodes.
The Suite in G minor, attributed to Handel, has no certain source in its present form, derived, as it is, from an anonymous manuscript in the library of the Fürstenberg family and here adapted by Anthony Camden. A solemn and very Handelian French Overture, framing the traditional livelier dance section, leads to a Gavotte and a pair of Bourrées played in alternation. A slow Sarabande offers the chance of a fine solo oboe aria and this is followed by a contrasting Rigaudon. The Passacaille follows the traditional Baroque dance-variation form and the Suite ends with a rapid Passepied.
Keith Anderson
Anthony Camden
City of London Sinfonia
The London Virtuosi
John Georgiadis
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Audit Technical Lead Author
- Recruiter
- Location
- London (Greater)
- Salary
- Competitive
- Posted
- 09 Aug 2019
- Closing date
- 09 Sep 2019
- Industry
- Finance & accounting, Financial services
- Job function
- HR & training
- Job level
- Experienced (non manager)
- Hours
- Full time
- Contract
- Permanent
- Listing type
- Job vacancy
The work undertaken and the specific projects you will be involved with will be based on your skillset, areas of expertise and interests, and an accounting qualification is required. You will be expected to maintain and update your technical expertise, your links with your home business unit, and current engagements as required.
The Audit Technical Lead Author is responsible for applying foundation design skills in conjunction with their technical accounting and audit expertise to develop Audit training material for classroom or technology-enabled solutions. As current auditing practitioners, the authors are the first line of defence to ensure materials are technically accurate, however, they will work closely with the relevant SMEs.
Specifically, they will be responsible for designing and writing Audit technical learning materials in partnership with experienced T&D professionals including both new content required to address emerging business requirements, and substantial tailoring of existing UK content to reflect changing regulatory or business requirements. This will be across a range of delivery approaches, e.g. face-to-face sessions, simulation or elearn.Who we are looking forRequirements
Accounting qualification e.g. ACA
Have strong technical accounting and audit skills – with current client engagement exposure
Significant experience in executing financial statement audit
Have a strong working knowledge of Aura and a number of the systems / tools used within the audit environment
Work and operate within an environment of constant regulatory scrutiny
Strong interest in T&D design and delivery, and application of 70 20 10
Proven ability to self-motivate and work independently as well as a track record of working professionally and collaboratively as part of a wider-team
Ability to build and maintain good relationships
Communicate confidently and effectively, both in written and verbal form
Innovative and creative in approaching new challenges
Proven ability to work to deadlines and manage time effectively
Effectively use online collaboration tools e.g. online meetings and Google@Work
An experience of tutoring / facilitating Audit programmes would be beneficial
A career in Learning and Development, within Internal Firm Services, will provide you with the opportunity to contribute to the success of our people by developing quality and relevant learning initiatives that constantly improve the PwC experience. You'll help us identify and source the best instructors, develop learning and performance improvement solutions across traditional and virtual classroom environments, and consult with other areas of the Firm to ensure our curriculums and initiatives support the PwC strategy.
Not the role for you?
Did you know PwC offer flexible contract arrangements as well as contingent work ( ie temporary or day rate contracting)?
The skills we look for in future employees
All our people need to demonstrate the skills and behaviours that support us in delivering our business strategy. This is important to the work we do for our business, and our clients. These skills and behaviours make up our global leadership framework, 'The PwC Professional' and are made up of five core attributes; whole leadership, technical capabilities, business acumen, global acumen and relationships.
Learn more here www.pwc.com/uk/careers/experienced/apply
We work in a changing world which offers great opportunities for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We seek to attract and employ the best people from the widest talent pool, as well as those who reflect the diverse nature of our society. And we aim to encourage a culture where people can be themselves and be valued for their strengths. Creating value through diversity is what makes us strong as a business and as an organisation with an increasingly agile workforce, we're open to flexible working arrangements where appropriate.
Learn more here www.pwc.com/uk/diversity


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Corrections Schools
Statistics From SurveysStatistics From Surveys
Stats here are for those who have completed the program. Of those starting the program, 5 out of 8 (63%) of people surveyed successfully completed it.
|Survey Question
|Program Completion Time
|16 month(s)
|Attended School Mostly Full-Time
|Program Difficulty (1-100)
|Satisfied With the School
|Well-Prepared for Career
|Would Choose Program Again
|Career is Directly Related to Program
|Easy to Find Job
|How Long to Find First Job
|2 month(s)
|Working Mostly Full-Time
|Salary (Not Necessarily Full-Time)
|Salary Met Expectations
|Trouble Making Loan Payments
|Satisfied With the Career
Schools Offering This Program, by StateSchools Offering This Program, by State
► Common Careers for this Major▼ Common Careers for this Major
People getting a certificate in this major often choose among careers such as (among others):
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Correctional Officers and Jailers
Why did people choose this program of study?Why did people choose this program of study?
"I wanted to further my career in the police field. I work as a correctional officer and now want to be a Sheriff."
"My husband and I liked the idea of working together and of working in our home so that we could both take care of our two young children. We also both had experience in working with youth who had emotional and behavioral disabilities and we were very impressed with the treatment program used by the company we would be working for. Having three weeks of training was a huge benefit."
"Always wanted to be a cop and corrections was the first step in the process. Tired of being layed off and wanted to have a job that was steady."
"I want to eventually go into law enforcement, but wanted to pursue this career as a test first. I believe it can help me have a leg up if I continue to seek a law enforcement career."
"The program was interesting to me as I had family in the field. I also had several friends who attended and were pleased."
What surprised people about this program of study?What surprised people about this program of study?
"Criminal Justice was overall very hard for me because I excelled mainly in the science and math field. Going into Criminal Justice was because I couldn't make up my mind. Once I got in, writing was very difficult for me but to get my certificate was a very big accomplishment for me to further my goal."
"I would say that I was most surprised by how long we stayed in that job. It was supposed to be something we did for a couple of years while our children were very young and for some experience. We ended up enjoying the job so much and having so much success at it that we stayed for 6 years. Comparatively the average stay for most people in this kind of treatment program was 2 years."
"If I had know ahead of time I would have found another vocation. I was surprised how easy it was and how hard to keep a level head around inmates. I was surprised that was others can do to people around them. The hate by prisoners toward his fellow man was mind boggling."
"I was surprised at how much behavior sciences training went into this field of study. If I had known that before, I would have taken a few additional classes prior in order to better prepare."
"The amount of paperwork involved and book work. I expected a more hand on experience."


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Convention of 1832
The Convention of 1832, held at San Felipe de Austin, followed the Anahuac Disturbances, the battle of Velasco, and the Turtle Bayou Resolutions, in which many Texans pledged their support to then-liberal Antonio López de Santa Anna. Fifty-five delegates, none of whom were Tejano, represented sixteen districts and met from October 1 through October 6, 1832. The largely Tejano-populated San Fernando de Béxar (San Antonio) and Victoria did not send a delegation. Delegates from La Bahía (Goliad), who arrived after the meeting had adjourned, approved what had been done.
Stephen F. Austin was elected president of the convention and Francis W. Johnson secretary. The convention adopted a series of resolutions requesting the extension of tariff exemption to Texas for three years; modification of the Law of April 6, 1830, to permit more general immigration from the United States; the appointment of a commissioner to issue land titles in East Texas; donation of government lands for the maintenance of primary schools to be conducted in Spanish and English; and a request of the ayuntamiento of Nacogdoches to prevent White encroachment on lands guaranteed to Indians in East Texas. The convention also established a plan for organizing a militia and committees of vigilance, safety, and correspondence, which could disseminate news quickly in case of an emergency. In its most controversial decision the convention adopted a motion to request separate statehood from Coahuila. After some debate, it carried. William H. Wharton was selected to present the resolutions to the Mexican Congress and state legislature of Coahuila and Texas. Rafael Manchola of the Goliad delegation was to accompany him.
For several reasons the resolutions were never presented. Refusal of San Antonio to cooperate with the convention made it appear that only the colonists who had come from the United States were dissatisfied. The political chief of the province, Ramón Músquiz, ruled that the meeting was unauthorized and therefore illegal; Austin apparently thought that the petition for statehood was premature; and Santa Anna had not yet taken over the national government from Anastasio Bustamante.


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Get an ice cold beverage right at the many Bahama Breeze locations found nationwide. They offer some great smoothies and more. Head in to escape the hectic passed job or just to get away and you'll feel like you are somewhere else when you dine in at their many locations.
One of the best ways to save is with the Bahama Breeze E-Club That lets you sign up to get Bahama Breeze coupons.


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An interesting article on ''Saving Cost Bonds'' has been published in the Sole 24 Ore almost one year ago and I believe it's time to take it seriously, despite the time passed with a sort of embarrassed silence. Indeed very few responses came out after its first publication even if the issues addressed in that piece were and still are crucial for both the sustainability and the recalibration of our welfare systems. Thus, in order to answer the article's provocation – i.e. a call for action to define an instrument capable of surpassing the "balance sheets short-sightedness" that sacrifices a series of important public investments – we will develop a brief consideration which aims at putting the proposed instrument into context and relate it more directly to the topic of impact investing and welfare.
Spending review and austerity: a matter of quality for public debt
It often happens that new expressions which rapidly become buzzwords end up being employed for explaining almost every phenomenon. In this case, I'm referring to the expression ''spending review''. This expression may have been problematic. Indeed, discussing its legitimacy has surely been expensive and laborious in terms of energies as well as resources. Spending review, which in Italian sounds less attractive but still maintains the same meaning, relies on the logic of austerity. Indeed, the majority of experts have for a long time argued that current levels of public debt could not be sustained anymore. However, to have the complete picture we have to take into account also those opinions that proposed exactly the opposite and believed that boosting economy again was possible if public expenses were increased (we are not too far from a more Keynesian approach for this second stream of thought).
While discussing public spending, an aspect that has not been considered enough has been its quality. Besides positions that can be for or against austerity, the important theme surrounding public spending concerns its purpose and use, not only its extent. In fact, spending review has often been directly associated to budget cuts. Spending review is supposed to eliminate wastes that only impoverish government's public finance without any return in terms of benefit for the people. The direct and often assumed link between spending review and cuts of public spending it's not always the case, since there is no equivalence between the verbs ''to review'' and ''to cut''.
In other words, the whole discussion cannot be reduced to a mere division between supporter and detractors of public spending. What is of outmost importance is the quality of the public debt, together with its quantitative aspect. When considering risks and possible returns of an investment, if it appears in line with the investor's preferences, the latter could reasonably take responsibilities for the significant debt. If this should not be the case, it would be safer to reduce exposition and understand the most effective way to cut debts.
The (ambiguous) perspective of social investment
Even if it would be wise to avoid looking at public expenses through too much simplicistic lenses, i.e. as a result of a historical opposition between two different political and economic school of thoughts that are attributable to two important economists of the previous century (J.M Keynes and M. Friedman), nevertheless it is possible to assert that the redefinition of welfare policies opened up for the political and cultural legitimization of pro-welfare state arguments, as a means for social investments especially in human capital (Saraceno, 2013). This approach highlights the role of social policies as being the adequate instrument for "activating" individuals. At the same time, the perspective of social investment is aware of the need to contrast and compensate market failures and has, for this reason, a positive image of the state compared to the neoliberal thought (Saraceno, 2013).
The perspective of social investment implies a shift from protection to promotion, from emergency to prevention, from inside to outside and from static nature to a more dynamic nature (Ferrera, 2015). Moreover, the term "investment" indicates that the horizon is wider than the traditional one and that social policies that stem from the latter have an important inter-temporal component. Changes associated to this perspective are manifold and they rely significantly on crucial aspects of welfare systems (such as governance, social rights and citizenship, welfare producers, etc). It is a new approach which aims at modernizing systems of social protection in order to obtain collective benefits in the future (Ferrera, 2015).
Financing the modernization of welfare systems clearly is the most critique aspect of the whole process. The only two options that seem to show a grade of feasibility, eventually together, are shifting resources from social protection to another function and to increase taxation. In both cases, high political costs would be imposed, creating winners and losers. It is difficult to think other eventual options.
Public expenditure reduction as cash flow from saving cost bonds
Despite the mentioned difficulty in finding out possible alternatives, some might come from the deployment of new complex financial tools. These are indeed contractual arrangements mainly based on a pay-for-results mechanism (or pay-for-success as well explained in Nicolai and Bisio's article). Such a mechanism relies on a significant change in the underpinning logics traditionally used by public administrations: the public commissioner (i.e. the public sector) engages itself to pay only if specific outcomes are achieved, rather than on reached outputs. In other terms, the contractual object is not the provision of a quantity of service, rather it is the actual change brought by the social service provider. This is a quite important change, since it implies an important set of tools and metrics able to assess the ''quantity'' of generated change as well as to reasonably identify the action of the provider as the cause of the achieved change.
A saving cost bond has the same structure of a social impact bond, from which according to Nicolai and Bisio point of view it differs due to the extension of the area of intervention: in the case of saving cost bond it would not be limited only to projects of social value, but extended to all technological, organizational and managerial innovation projects in which savings on the public budget costs might be found. To be consistent with empirical data coming from the main studies on social impact bond, it is worth noting that actually social impact bonds implemented or planned around the world have already crossed over the area of "social" (assuming that its boundaries can be rigidly plotted), as in the case of urban regeneration in Richmond or the new waste cycle management in Naples which we both already discussed some time ago. In any case, what is important to consider from the proposals and remarks by Nicolai and Bisio is the type of argument that in the Italian context as well as in most of the EU Countries can be made for using a saving cost bond (or social impact bond): in fact, saving cost bonds can be matched to the spending review process, qualifying the latter as a valuable process, since without investment able to create more efficiency, it can only assume the face of linear cuts.
Saving cost bonds are a further opportunity to develop the use of public-private partnerships capable of functioning as negotiating patterns that instead of focusing attention on the ability of a project to generate cash inflows, consider its ability to generate cost savings, particularly on public budgets. After all, according to Nicolai and Bisio, whether the liquidity for new investments comes from revenues or savings does not seem to be a great matter.
An opportunity offered by public expenses reduction
Within the generation on savings process, it may happen that part of the savings represents the compensation of investors' capital. In fact, this is the financial mechanism upon which social impact bonds are based. By engaging institutional investors' private resources, the reduction of public expenses becomes an occasion for attracting investments. At the same time, collected investments make other resources available for public administration activities. Thus the political empasse behind the social investment perspective seems to be in some sense solved: an alternative for the financial coverage of such a way to conceptualize social policy exists, and it's related to the very idea of investment.
As a matter of fact, and considering the broad debate around failed attempts to recalibrate the welfare state, what saving cost bonds or social impact bonds show is that recalibration strategies for the modernization of welfare systems are possible if and only if the recalibration process does not rely only on internal (financial) adjustments, rather if it deploys and leverages external financial resources.