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Prudential looks to expand brand in Asia through AIA acquisition
Prudential, the British insurance firm, has confirmed it is in advanced talks to buy AIA, the Asian arm of American International Group, in a deal that would transform it into one of Asia's biggest insurers.
The proposed deal "represents a unique and strategically compelling opportunity for Prudential," the group said in a statement. It gave no financial details.
Prudential is expected to pay $25bn (£16bn) in cash and the balance in equity, which may be in preference shares, options or warrants. A further £15bn will be raised through a rights issue, the biggest-ever attempted by a UK company, with backing from investment banks HSBC, Credit Suisse, and JP Morgan, to support the deal.
The UK insurer already has 11 million customers in Asia. In 2008, and the comapny says the region accounted for 57% of its new business profits.
AIG currently sponsors Premier League champions Manchester United and had to be saved from collapse by the American government in September 2008. The US Treasury decided the business was too important to the country's economy to be allowed to fail.
The company was bailed out with around £120bn of US taxpayers' cash after racking up huge losses on toxic derivative deals.


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About Brading Roman Villa
Brading Roman Villa was part of an Ancient Roman farm on the Isle of Wight and is now an archaeological site and museum.
Thought to have first been constructed in the mid-first century, it is believed that Brading Roman Villa was developed into a stone structure by the middle of the second century. At this time, it would have benefited from a wealth of food and materials including wild boar, sheep, barley and wheat.
In the third century, Brading Roman Villa was severely damaged by fire and subsequently – but slowly - went into decline, partly due to ongoing barbarian raids.
Today, Brading Roman Villa is housed in a purpose built structure, where visitors can see its ruins, including walls rising up to one metre in height. Some of the highlights at the Brading Roman Villa are its mosaics, the largest of which portrays a mixture of religious, nautical and farming imagery and is located in room twelve.
The site of Brading Roman Villa is also dotted with the remains of the ancient farming buildings, which visitors can tour. One of the buildings contains the stone piles of what was an under floor heating system or "hypocaust".
Related Places
Portchester Castle
Portchester Castle has been a Roman fort, a Norman keep and even a wartime prison.Explore
Bignor Roman Villa
Bignor Roman Villa is a large Roman villa site on the Bignor estate and contains some of the best preserved Roman mosaics in Britain.Explore
Fishbourne Roman Palace
Fishbourne Roman Palace hosts the remains of a huge Roman palace built in the 1st century AD. Today it operates as a museum and contains information, artefacts and mosaics.Explore

subset: commoncrawl


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In the past couple of days, I've come across a pair of books that I want to add to my reading pile, both of which offer an interesting and seldom-seen blending of the topics of science and religion.
First up was Vox Day's "The Irrational Atheist", a book so new (or perhaps so unpopular) that there isn't a page for it on Wikipedia as of this post. I found out about the book from a guest posting by Mr. Day on John Scalzi's Whatever. "Vox Day" is a pseudonym of Christian apologist Theodore Beale.
Mr. Day's thesis in the book is that atheists pride themselves on logic, rationality, and the scientific method, and then proceed to throw all that out the window in declaring that God does not exist. He's making the exact opposite argument from folk like Richard Dawkins or Sam Harris or many others, and I look forward to reading this counter-argument.
For myself, I've long taken the position that when I say "God does not exist", I'm speaking about the existence of the specific God of the popular world religions. The existence of the God of the Old Testament, for example, using the bare text as the evidence, just doesn't stand up to any kind of scrutiny at all. If someone can present any kind of evidence that points to the existence of God (after first explaining what they mean by the term "God"), I will be happy to reconsider.
The second book that has come to my attention is Michael Dowd's "Thank God for Evolution", which I discovered from the Willamette Week's interview with the author. This book, too, is unrepresented in Wikipedia as of this post. Rev. Dowd's book takes as its premise the thought that evolution, far from being a threat to faith, enriches faith. Again, an argument I have rarely seen put forth, and I, for one, am eager to read what he has to say.


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The Archives and Special Collections Department is closed to visitors until further notice. For remote assistance, please contact us at: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Dickinsonian, October 1889
The Athletic Association constructs a new constitution that allows it to hold property and protects its rights and privileges. Over the summer there were several improvements made to the college buildings and grounds. Students are urged to patronize those businesses that advertise in The Dickinsonian. This year's freshman class includes seven women. The Belles Lettres Society, the Union Philosophical Society, the freshman class elect officers. An article defends the merits of American football and talks about this year's football team. The authors of the Dickinsonian comment on several other universities and colleges.
Other Topics:


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2011 was a landmark year in which more apps were developed for mobile devices than for all other platforms combined. Enterprise demand for building mobile apps is hot – and hasn't gone unnoticed by the major software companies. SAP's recently acquired Syclo, and Symantec announced two mobile software deals in March. Sam Lakkundi, the head of strategy at Kony Solutions, a leading provider of mobile enterprise application platform (MEAP) offers his views on the future of mobile apps, the opportunities and risks associated with HTML5, and what leading financial services companies are doing to differentiate themselves with mobile apps.
Sunday, Oct 25th
Last update02:31:08 AM GMT


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Planning a Research Conference
- Establishing the Planning Committee
- Determining the parameters
- Setting the agenda
- Finding potential funding and applying
- Inviting the presenters
Comments below by Hope Leman, Web Administrator of ResearchRaven
I would like to invite all those planning conferences to send me the info about any calls for papers and any general announcements of meetings so that I can list them on ResearchRaven http://www.researchraven.com/.
We launched ResearchRaven just a few months ago, but it seems to be gaining traction as a free site for advertising the details of conferences in the health sciences and recruiting speakers, presenters and attendees for them.
Here is the call for papers/conferences page http://www.researchraven.com/calls-for-papers-conferences-and-meetings.aspx
And here is the Find Conferences page http://www.researchraven.com/find-conferences-and-meetings.aspx
And here is the page that has a form for submitting the details of your own conference:
If you are planning a conference, ResearchRaven is a good place to peruse the listings of those that are coming up in the next few months. Good place to get ideas. On ResearchRaven I list just the basics: dates, general subject matter, venue. But I include a link to the actual announcement of each site so can that you click on that link and see how conference announcements are presented on the actual Web sites of the organizers.
One thing I advise is to be careful that you make sure that you don't forget to update the year of the meeting each year. Often, I find that the Word document on a site about a call for papers is a year out of date compared to what's on the Web page where the announcement is listed.
And don't be shy about asking bloggers and allied groups to list your conference and blog about it. I often learn about a conference in Google not from the site of the organizers but often from blogs (which are often more search engine spider friendly and more search engine optimized than are disease advocacy Web sites, for some reason) and from the events calendars of allied groups.
And always tweet the announcement of a conference, as tweets are more and more getting into Google results and those of other search engines. And try to put a "Tweet this" button next to the announcement on your Web site. That way, visitors can tweet just that item rather than try to copy and paste the announcement and send it to someone via email or tweet your entire site which may frustrate those just interested at that moment in the conference. Also, don't post info only in Facebook. Many workplaces block it.
And be sure to provide details of the conference in several formats: Word, PDF, etc. Some visitors may download the PDF and email it to someone else. Others may copy and paste the text from a Word document into an email message, etc. The more choices for making your content viral-marketing friendly the better. Try to get it posted on several locations on the Web--though ensure that the same dates and contact info is given in every place.
Also, think about inviting as guest speakers at your conference people like e-Patient Dave. He is not only a compelling speaker, he is widely known and respected in the world of Twitter and as a blogger and his presence at a conference pretty much guarantees that you will be tweeted about quite a bit and blogged about—especially if your conference has a Twitter hash tag. He excels at telling people where he going to appear and that is a good buzz to have given that he is so well known in so many healthcare venues: healthcare IT, social media in health, patient advocacy, Health 2.0, Medicine 2.0. He can also suggest good speakers.
You might even think about a live stream of your conference or some sort of video archive of the proceedings after your conference is over. The more people you can get to attend whether in person or remotely the better.


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Hey guys. For the rare cp account contest, he are some possible prizes. If 100% wants to, then he will give his cp account rulerofgame away, which has some rare member clothes, like the red cape, black mask, green cape and others.
Many of you wanted a penguin with the red lei, black beanie/pink beanie, but all the ones I had are banned. I may have a few left, but if I do I can't remember.
Also, the prize could be a penguin with the first and second pin, the non members pizza apron, and the pink bunny ears. It is 954 days old. Also, it is on safe chat. The password is almost impossible to guess, but just incase, I am blocking out the name.
There may be a few more I could Post as the prize. Well, I promise the contest will start very soon. Possibly tommorrow. I'll keep looking for all my old penguins. Keep coming back for the latest news.


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Pacific Domes of Oregon, builder of the world's best Shelter Domes, enjoys working with several of the Top Glamping Sites, Eco-Tourism Retreats and Eco-Resorts from the highlands of the UK, the jungles of Belize to the Patagonian Andes of Southern Chile. We are the first choice for Top Resort and Retreat owners who are looking for …Read MoreRead more
Tag: Dome Shelters
Adventure Shelter Dome for Stand Up Paddle Colorado
Adventure Travel, Eco Resort and Eco-tourism companies favor our Geodesic Glamping Domes and Portable Dome Style Shelters for adventure activities on the road! "Everyone who comes into the dome is blown away and loves the vibes in there." One of the best parts of this business is hearing customer reviews. This review is from Javier, the …Read MoreRead more
Alternative Housing Structures for the Tiny Home Movement
Pacific Domes of Oregon, builders of Geodesic Dome Homes for Off the Grid lifestyle. Geodome Homes and Geodesic Dome Houses are a great alternative housing structure that is a big hit for the Tiny Home Movement. Katja lives in a geodesic dome built in her garden. Free from distractions, she can be secluded in her …Read MoreRead more
44′ – Whole Earth Festival Dome
Pacific Domes of Oregon, makers of for festivals and event dome rental enthusiasts! The Whole Earth Festival, an annual event, takes place on Mother's Day Weekend on the University of California Davis Quad. The event is planned and coordinated by volunteer staff composed of primarily UC Davis students, with support from the Davis community. Approximate …Read MoreRead more
Wintering in an Eco-Living Dome
Pacific Domes of Oregon, manufacturer of the best Geodesic Dome Homes in the industry. With 36 year of experience, Pacific Domes builds custom Dome Houses, Glamping Huts and Eco Resort Shelters for off the grid living, eco-tourism adventure or a sweet second home / cabin in the woods! Life in an eco-living dome is a …Read MoreRead more


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Join hundreds of educators, policymakers, advocates, and others to advance educational equity for California's most vulnerable students.
The San Diego County Office of Education is dedicated to providing districts and schools with the supports leaders and educators need to nurture safe and inclusive learning environments for all students.
SDCOE's statewide Equity Conference will be a valuable time for county offices, districts, schools, community partners, and parents to collaborate and learn together on how to engage effective, systemic change.
It will bring together nationally recognized speakers and spotlights current research and best practices. The Equity Conference sessions are focused on strengthening our systems to better respond to the linguistic, cultural, social-emotional, and mental health needs of all students, and create the conditions for them to thrive and make healthy choices.
We look forward to coming together with a renewed sense of purpose to transform our individual and collective equity work and create places of exceptional vision, hope, and opportunity for all.
Equity Conference 2020 sessions will provide actionable strategies for the improvement of academic and social emotional instruction, inclusive school culture, and equitable systems across organizations that support our most vulnerable youth. Submit your session proposal now to outline how you will advance participants' thinking and offer practical applications rooted in educational equity with an emphasis on shareable practices and helpful advocacy strategies.
Our breakout sessions are organized into five overarching strands:
As well as six sub-strand focus areas:
Read the full call for presenters information sheet to learn more.
Sold Out! Please click here to visit our room reservation website.
Dr. Donald Grant is a clinical psychologist who served as an administrator in the country's largest child welfare district after a career as a public middle school teacher. He is a published author and socio-cultural analyst connecting mental health and social justice. Dr. Grant currently straddles two roles as the executive director of Mindful Training Solutions and dean of the School of Human Development at Pacific Oaks College.
Hamish Brewer, the relentless, tattooed, skateboarding principal in Northern Virginia isn't your normal principal. Hamish is high octane, constantly calling on his students to "Be Relentless! Mr. Brewer has become known as an educational disrupter who transcends the status quo and typical educational norms. Under his leadership — his elementary school was recognized as a Nationally Distinguished Title 1 School, and Hamish has since gone on to turn around one of the toughest middle schools in the state of Virginia.
Tia Martinez has more than 25 years of experience doing social change work in low-income communities and communities of color. She applies her experience in education reform, teacher effectiveness, and racial justice to dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline and transforming life chances for boys and men of color.
Tim Wise is among the most prominent anti-racist writers and educators in the United States. Wise is the author of seven books, including his latest, Under the Affluence: Shaming the Poor, Praising the Rich and Sacrificing the Future of America. Other books include Dear White America: Letter to a New Minority and his highly acclaimed memoir, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son.
Dr. Delores Lindsey is an author and retired CSU San Marcos professor who helps educational leaders examine their policies and practices, individual beliefs, and values about cross-cultural communication.
Dr. Kizzy Lopez is an assistant professor of Social Work at Fresno Pacific University whose research examines practices and policies and the impact on outcomes for college-going foster youth and students of color. Her passion and commitment to serve this population through her research and practice stems from her own experiences with the foster care system as a child and experiences with homelessness while in college.
New keynote speakers will be announced here, by email, and on social media @SanDiegoCOE.


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Last week the Wi-Fi Global Congress was the opportunity to meet again industry colleagues as well as new faces and to take the pulse of the industry. Congrats to the WBA team for the flawless organization and the excellent next generation Wi-Fi connectivity in and around the convention center!
Although I have missed many interesting sessions while attending customer meetings, I felt the industry is maturing and many vendors are rethinking their strategies to best tap into the growing opportunity. Some like Benu and Aptilo are forming alliances with large vendor Arris to become one stop-shop solutions for carrier Wi-Fi while others like Accuris feel they are doing too many things and would be better off focusing one activity they are best at. Software providers like CLoud4Wi also believe the industry has suffered from a lot of noise in the past but is now in a better position to define where the profitable opportunities are. I also saw continued innovation going on from optimizing Wi-Fi deployments from XCellAir to the impressive demonstration of gigabit-speed service from Korea Telecom combining Wi-Fi and LTE speeds running at more than 600 Mbps!
On the operator side, as business models evolve and new use cases emerge, the resulting diversification of providers will fuel the creation of a broader range of Wi-Fi based services. Industry analysts suggest that this diversification can be explained by the fact that different types of operators will have divergent business priorities as well as dissimilar customer demands that they must meet.
It's easy to identify the set of services that can be expected to generate significant growth throughout 2015 and 2016. A carrier-grade infrastructure and mobile integration will be necessary for some of these services to flourish. However, the important thing to understand is that these services expand the Wi-Fi model far beyond the typical businesses of consumer access, business access, advertising, and user-driven offload.
These service areas have been around for several years. Still, they are still experiencing revenue growth:
- Carrier driven mobile data offload and onload
- Hotspots managed by venues or brands with added value services
- Large events support
- Wi-Fi roaming services
- Municipal access
These services are new on the scene and will begin to provide valuable revenue streams over the next few years:
- Homespots, especially for MSOs
- Neutral host services
- Location and context aware services
- TV everywhere
- Big data analytics
- Voice over Wi-Fi
Going forward, the services provided by the growing pool of providers will be joined with or extended by other services, all of which will be facilitated by further enhancements to the Wi-Fi platform.
The Diversification of Providers
When it comes to the diversification of providers, one thing is clear. Their main Wi-Fi based revenue streams will change and branch out over the next few years. Existing providers that depend on Wi-Fi based revenue streams will need to adapt their business models. Those that own significant numbers of hotspots will see their wholesale revenue continue to be strong. However, those revenues will be a smaller portion of a mixed bag of revenue streams.
By 2019, revenue from managed services and enterprise customers will outstrip wholesale revenues. The reason for this is that competition and price pressure in the wholesale arena will cause a drag on revenue while managed services and enterprise customers will offer providers more opportunities to add value.
Additionally, the biggest opportunities for growth will be in smart cities, Wi-Fi first, and multiplay bundles that offer everywhere access to both content and applications. To benefit from the projected growth, each provider will have to combine services in creative ways instead of them all doing the same thing to try and profit from the same business cases as all the other providers.
Wi-Fi Calling & Homespots
A range of technology innovations and the creation of a carrier-grade infrastructure will combine to create new use cases. An excellent example of this dynamic is the combination of voice over Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi Calling) and homespots. Separately, they support a range of monetization options. But when combined together, they enable providers such as MSOs to transform into full wireless providers while reducing their reliance on MVNO deals and related fees.
Homespots is an area where cable and broadband operators will use their fixed lines and already established footprints in homes. This move allows providers to extend their Wi-Fi coverage. As soon as there is sufficient Wi-Fi coverage in place, supported by Wi-Fi roaming, providers can offer Wi-Fi first or Wi-Only services to their subscribers. Although some providers will continue to use Wi-Fi to attract and retain broadband and cable customers, other providers will focus more on offering Wi-Fi as a stand-alone service.
As more Wi-Fi services enter the market, consumer demand increases. As the industry continues to move toward a carrier-grade Wi-Fi infrastructure which brings with it high quality and dependable communication, customers will be willing to replace their cellular service for the less costly Wi-Fi calling service.
More details about industry trends are available in the free Wireless Broadband Alliance Industry Report.


text: Nowadays, cancer has been the main cause of death. One of the characteristic of the cancer cells is its low adhesive force among cells which means that it's easier for them to fall into the blood circulation system and become circulating tumor cell, CTC. The detection of the type and number of CTC is meaningful to the treatment of cancer. However, CTCs are extremely rare compared with blood cells, ranging from 1 to 100 in 1ml blood. Therefore, effective isolation and enumeration of CTCs have been a great technical challenge. In our experiment, we design a system based on microfluidic chip to achieve CTC filtration and enumeration. The technology mainly takes advantage of nano-imprinting , thermoplastics forming and photoetching. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is used as the basic material for the device. To promote the filtration efficiency and the recovery efficiency, a circulating filtration system has been devised. This project developed an integrated CTCs isolation and enumeration lab-on-chip system , which utilized microfluidic devices as the central processing unit. The filtration and enumeration device was mainly fabricated by PDMS soft lithography and transfer-bonding. In initial testing, the filtration efficiency is able to reach 70% and the recovery efficiency can reach 90%. The fluorescence signal of stained CTC cells could be detected by a fluorescence microscope. The structure of this CTC analysis system is simple. It is not only convenient to operate, but also is low-cost, thus holds the potential to be developed into a practical CTC detection tool for early cancer diagnosis


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After his stellar MLB debut, the Yankees were hoping for a repeat performance from rookie Jonathan Loaisiga. But he had a hard time controlling the Mariners' offense in tonight's middle game of this series against the visiting team from Seattle. Loaisiga spent the first 3 innings getting himself into and out of jams.
But in the 4th, he gave up a lead-off walk that scored thanks to a single and a really bad throwing error. After a fielder's choice, he then gave up a double that moved the runners to scoring position. A strikeout later, Loaisiga's pitch count was already at 84 in the middle of the 4th inning, giving up 6 hits, 2 walks, and a run (and responsible for those 2 runners on base).
Chasen Shreve came on in relief of the rookie and promptly gave up a single to score both of those runners (charged to Loaisiga's record). But Shreve continued the struggle in the 5th inning. With 1 out, he put runners in scoring position too with a single and double, that then scored on a sacrifice fly and a single.
After finding his pace again in the 6th, Holder closed out that inning before sailing his way through the 7th and 8th innings to limit the Mariners' runs. Chapman continued Holder's momentum with a solid 10-pitch 9th inning, all while waiting for the Yankees to catch up and surpass their visitors.
For the first 5 innings, the strong Yankee batters faced the Mariners' star ace pitcher, and he limited the Yankees from doing much in their own house. In fact, he held them off until the 5th inning, when the Yankees were already down by 5 runs. Andujar hit a 1-out double, Hicks worked a 2-out walk, and Aaron Judge's single and a missed catch error scored both runners to get the Yankees on the board.
The Mariners' initial reliever shut the Yankees down in the 6th before they continued to chip away at the Mariners' lead. In the 7th, Frazier led-off with a double, moved to 3rd on Judge's 1-out single, and then scored on Didi Gregorius' sacrifice fly. Gleyber Torres led-off the 8th with a walk, and then Gary Sanchez hit a great 2-run home run to tie up the game and electrify the Bronx.
After Chapman's fantastic top of the 9th with the game now tied, the fans were buzzing with anticipation. But a quick 2 outs had extra innings looming. Then Gregorius singled and hope came alive again. Giancarlo Stanton stepped into the batter's box, and with his mixed offense this season, fans were feeling mixed about whether to hold out enough hope. Stanton hit a 2-run walk-off home run anyway, his 1st walk-off as a Yankee, and the 23rd comeback win for the team.
Final score: 7-5 Yankees
Minor injury news: Brett Gardner has been dealing with a minor injury since this weekend. During the game against the Rays on Saturday, he found that his right knee was sore and inflamed. Because the MRI came back clean, the Yankees have been keeping him on the bench in hopes to avoid putting him on the DL.
Technically, the veteran outfielder could play in any of these games, because Gardner's leg would have to be practically falling off to stop him from playing, but before it gets that far, they are hoping some rest and care avoids such a necessity. Especially with solid players on the roster (like Frazier, Judge, Hicks, and Stanton, among others).
Finally, the Yankees are mourning the loss of former pitching coach Billy Connors. After a minor career with the Cubs and Mets in the mid-1960s, Connors was hired as pitching coach with the Yankees for 5 seasons (1989-1990, 1994-1995, and 2000), making him a crucial cog in the careers of Dwight Gooden, Orlando Hernandez, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera. He also served as VP of player personnel at the minor league complex in Tampa (1996-2012), specifically with young pitchers.
Before the game, the Yankees held a moment of silence in his honor. Their released statement states our collective feelings in Yankee Universe: "The Yankees organization mourns the passing of Billy Connors, who was a close and trusted friend of my family for many years. Since joining the Yankees at the conclusion of the 1988 season, Billy contributed to the organization in countless ways over his long career as a pitching coach, executive and advisor. On behalf of the Yankees and the Steinbrenner family, I extend our deepest condolences to Billy's family, friends and loved ones."
Go Yankees!


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Estate planning involves developing a strategy to organise your assets and investments in the event of your death. An effective estate plan involves more than just a legal will and ensures your assets are protected and passed onto beneficiaries in accordance with your wishes, in the most simple and tax effective way.
An effective estate plan will provide your beneficiaries with clear direction as to how your estate will be distributed upon your death. Your estate plan may involve important documents and structures such as superannuation death nominations, distribution of trust assets, powers of attorney to conduct your affairs if you are unable to do so, and health directives to assist with medical decisions.
It is important to discuss these matters with your family, young children, spouse or whoever your beneficiaries may be.
The aim is to have your estate distributed to the right people, at the right time and in the right form. It also prevents potential family disputes, provides instructions for the care of minors or other dependents, and arranges for the transfer of your estate to your beneficiaries in accordance with your wishes, keeping in mind tax implications and other aspects of inheritance.


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- Some services are not accessible by smartphone.
- Quick Order
- |
- Order Status|
- Homepage>
- Catalog>
- Beer>
- The Grainfather>
- The Grainfather Conical Fermenter
The Grainfather Conical Fermenter
Ferment like never before! The Grainfather Conical Fermenter gives the brewer professional fermentation control, just like the commercial breweries. Fermentation is arguably the most important part of producing a good quality beer. A good fermentation environment starts with a clean and sterile fermenter, has a consistent controlled temperature base and exposure to oxygen is minimized.
The Grainfather Conical Fermenter provides you with a modular system for all of this and more!
The basic unit provides a professional quality fermentation environment for any beer style and a range of add-ons are also available to further enhance the fermenter, depending on your stage of brewing and your budget allows.


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January 26th, 2012, 11:20 PM
I probably have a few more months and I will be close to or right at shoulder length hair. It has been at least 8 or 9 months since I had my hair trimmed up. I usually check my hair for split ends and to see if it is coming along all healthy and such. Well it seems to be doing fine, I use shampoo, condition, and apply a smoothing creme on it for protection while brushing with a wooden comb. I guess I would be a little paranoid if I had my hair grow out this long and it not be healthy looking. So do you guys think it would be reasonable to let my hair get the length I wanted it and then some before I went to get the ends trimmed and what not?


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Microphone configurations
There are many different microphone configurations, not all are suited for wildlife sound recording. On the WSRS workshop in September 2015, we took the opportunity to set up as many configuration as we could and do a "clock test" and a "key test". We set the different configurations on a tripod in an open grassy area, to make sure we stayed the same distance from the mics at all times we tied a cable form the tripod to the walker as he circumnavigated around the setup.
All recording were made at the same time using a Nagra LB.
Thank you to all the WSRS members, who lent us their equipment to carry out this test.
Below are the recordings and an image of the setup.
All recordings © WSRS
|AB stereo setup using DPA4060
|ORTF stereo setup using Sennheiser ME66 at 30°
|MS Rig in parabolic reflector
Ian Brady Reflector 2 Primo172 capsules at focus with keys
|Ian Brady Reflector 4 Primo172 capsules
|ORTF stereo setup using Sennheiser ME64 at 90°
|XY stereo setup using Sennheiser ME64 at 90°
|SASS setup using Primo EM172


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Technology Futures
Energy System Integration and the Role of Hydrogen
by Mihai Bălan and Radu Dudău With last December's European Green Deal, the EU has firmly embarked on the pursuit of ambitious decarbonization targets for 2030 and carbon […]
Start Up Energy Transition
Start Up Energy Transition (SET) is an international platform supporting innovation in energy transition powered by the German Energy Agency (dena) in cooperation with the World Energy Council. It is […]
Energy Poverty Today: Part III – Best Practices and Recommendations
This is the third and last installment in a series of three, called Energy Poverty Today. Part I tackled energy access, Part II focused on fuel poverty, while this one […]
Energy Efficiency Drivers: Five Lessons for Romania from the IEA 2017 Energy Efficiency Report
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is an autonomous agency that was established in November 1974. It has 29 member states from EU and all over the world (Romania not being […]
Smart Grid Network: the next big step
Most of the world relies on electricity systems build around 50 years ago. These are inefficient and cannot offer an appropriate response to today´s urgent global challenges. The estimated investment […]


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I had a booking with a new slave, who showed interest in becoming a new boy in my stable of slaves and who showed interest in a femdom relation. I like to get to know new slaves, but as I am already busy with my lovely regulars, I do not easily make special arrangements with new ones. That comes with time. However I am ready to consider good slaves who show their commitment and willingness to serve.
Break the Ice
He knocked on my door on time, which is always important. I opened the door a bit and let it slowly slide more open. At first he didn't dare to step in, like most slaves don't, so I told him to come in. He seemed a little nervous, so I decided to chat with him a little to break the ice. He had travelled a bit to my dungeon, so first I commanded him to take a shower. I always want my slaves to be fresh and clean. He went upstairs and I stepped into my dungeon to wait for him.
In a few minutes I heard his steps on the stairs and he entered my dungeon with his towel wrapped around his waist.
"Why are you wearing that towel?", I asked him.
"I just…", he mumbled.
"Shut up. It seems like I must begin your education from the basic fundaments of Femdom. Fold the towel, get on all fours and come here.", I told him, and he nervously obeyed.
I was sitting on my spanking bench on the far end of my dungeon. He did not look too comfortable crawling towards me.
"Sit", I commanded him.
I petted his head briefly.
"Hmmm, do you think you've got what it takes to become my slave", I asked him softly.
"Yes", he replied
"Yes what?", I asked him with a stern voice.
"Yes, I do", he said.
"No, no, no, no, you will address me either Mistress or Ma'am. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mistress", he replied.
The first fundament
"Hmh, okay you have to understand that I do this for your own best. Today we will learn about the four basics of Female led relationship. First one is called clothed female, nude male. You probably understand what that means. This is how our sessions will be; I will be always wearing clothes, you on the other hand will be nude unless I decide otherwise. This creates certain power dynamic, it will be clear that I am in control and you are in a very vulnerable state. And I am going to see this only once: never ever request me to show you any parts of my body. Is this clear?"
"Yes, Mistress", he replied.
A collar and leash
I took a collar and leash that I had picked up earlier and told him to get closer, so that I could put it on him.
"If you want to become one of my special slaves, it must be clear that when I command, you must obey right away without any excuses. Your safe word is "mercy", but remember that if you really want to become one of my special boys, you must go the extra mile… and more to keep me pleased. I have plenty of people, who want to session with me, so if you are going to scream your safe word at the smallest threshold, I will get bored quickly. Is this clear?"
"Yes, Mistress"
"Okay, you see my toys on the wall over there. I want you to crawl over there and bring me handcuffs and a riding crop, so we can get started"
"Yes, Mistress"
He started to crawl towards the end of the room. He tried to grab the handcuffs with his hands, but I told him to use his mouth. He seemed to struggle a bit and that amused me, but I told him to hurry up, because he was wasting time.
The second fundament
"You told me in your email that you want me to lock your cock in chastity. That's good. I like it, and that's our second fundament. Slaves must learn that they get their pleasure from serving their Mistress, not from their dicks. You should no longer care about if you get to cum.", I said to him as he was crawling back towards me.
"You see, men are so much more obedient and so willing to please, when they are in chastity"
On all fours
He was on all fours in front of me. I told him to get up on his knees and got up from the bench, picked the crop and the cuffs from his mouth. Then I locked his hands behind his back.
"From now on you won't be allowed to touch your small dick anymore without my permission. I hope you enjoyed you pathetic last wank, because that filthy habit is over now.", I told him.
I pulled his leash as I turned around.
"Worship my ass, slave", I commanded him.
He started kissing it eagerly.
"Do you like my ass, slave"
"It's gorgeous, Mistress. I love it, Mistress. I love your gorgeous ass, Mistess", he was panting. He was getting horny and it was easy to tell.
"Get your head in there", I told him and pulled his leash harder, so his face got pulled tight against my ass.
"Yeah, that's more like it", I told him.
I looked down and saw his dick hard and ready. I casually teased it, and flipped it a few times with my high heels.
"Are you hard already?", I asked him.
"Yes, yes I am, Mistress", he said.
"Naughty, naughty boy. But since it's going to be your last erection in a long time, I hope you are going to enjoy it. Turn around and lay your head on the lower step of the bench." I told him.
As he did it I sat on his face with my full weight, so that he will get properly acquainted with my big ass. I also grabbed the riding crop and gave him a few slaps on his dick and balls just for fun.
The third fundament
"Third fundament is punishment and pain. Because even chastity is not enough for you lazy men, you need extra motivation. Dream of the most powerful orgasm you've ever had is not enough, you need to be afraid of something too. And that something are my sadistic punishments.", I said while giving his face a little break from face sitting, and giving my speech a beat by slapping him with the crop.
I got up and pulled him up too. I pulled him close to me and placed his dick between my favourite boots and gave him a little squeeze
"Does this feel good, slave"
"Yes, Mistress"
"Okay, now I want you to hump. Hump between my boots with your small dick."
He started slowly.
"Come on, go faster. It will be the last time you'll get any pleasure from your dick in a long time, so go and hump."
Hump the air
He started to go faster and it did not take too long before he said that he's about to cum. I moved my legs just a little and he was humping air. I bent forward and reached the tip of his dick with my fingers. And that's when cum spurted from his dick. With minimal touch like that it was a perfect ruined orgasm. He was catching his breath.
"What do you think you are doing? You are making a mess! And without my permission! Lick it up!", I commanded him and he obeyed. He gagged at first when his tongue caught those lumps of cum from the floor, but he lapped it up like a good boy.
"Hmmm, you disappoint me, slave. It seems like I must show you what punishment means. Get on the bench with your ass up", I told him as I went to get a ball gag and my favourite whip.
I put the ball gag in his mouth and explained him the rules.
"Slave you made a mess even when I told you to hold it. I am disappointed and I don't want to hear your whining."
I attached him to the bench, and put a coin in his hand.
"Because you are gagged and can't say the safeword. If you want me to stop, you just drop the coin. Your punishment is what I call "tears + 5". I will spank you until I see some real tears and after that I will give you five really good ones. If you drop the coin, the session is over and you have missed your chance of becoming one of my special slaves. Nod if that's understood.", I said and he nodded.
The warm up
I started hitting him. First just to warm him up and slowly getting more serious. He was mumbling behind his gag, and it was clear that he was starting to hurt. I gave his ass a few quite strong hits, and I could hear his suffering.
"Good boys do not make a mess in their Mistress's dungeon, that's why you are getting a reminder", I told him.
Slowly but surely, he was starting to break, and I could hear him sobbing behind his gag, and the coin still in his hand. I gave him a few good ones before going closer. Tears were running on his cheeks. I removed the ball gag and told him to count and thank me after each hit.
I went and got my paddle and patted his already bruised ass.
"Okay, so only five more.", I told him and gave him a hit as hard as I could. He let out a half scream, but quickly said:
"One. Thank you, Mistress"
His voice was breaking from the torment his ass was taking. So I swatted again.
"Two. Thank you, Mistress"
"Three. Thank you, Mistress"
Only two more to go. I wanted him to beg for mercy, so I didn't give his ass time to recover and gave him another good one.
"Four. Thank you, Mistress"
He sounded broken, he was crying loud and clear. So I gave him the last one.
"Five. Thank you, Mistress"
"Well done slave, I really didn't think that you could take it.", I told him as I patted his butt cheeks with my one hand, and wiped his tears with the other one.
The fourth fundament
"So we have one more fundament to go. That's strap-on. I told you before about the dynamics between Mistress and her slave. And for that strap-on is the perfect tool. Boys bending over with their asses up, giving their tight little assholes for me to take mercilessly."
I unattached him from the bench and told him to follow me. I gave him the strap-on and told him to help me put it on. It is so humiliating for a guy to handle a big always hard strap-on, and slide it up their Mistress legs, knowing what she is going to do with that strap-on.
"Okay, turn around and bend over.", I told him.
Push it in
I quickly grabbed some lube, fingered his bruised ass quickly before pushing my strap-on in. He let out a groan, which didn't sound like he is enjoying it.
"You should get used to this slave. You will learn to enjoy and appreciate when you get fucked in the ass. Eventually you will beg to get fucked in the ass by my bull, just to get any pleasure.", I told him as I started to pound his ass faster.
"Yeah, that's it. Push back and take my cock, slave.", I encouraged him as I pulled his leash while fucking him with full force.
"Okay, I think we are done. Go get me that chastity cage, so I can lock you up."
I got him locked up, I swung the key in front of his nose, and then placed the key in my bra.
"That's it. My experience says it that you will send me a few excited messages in the next few days, but after about a week your tone will get more desperate. So I wonder how long can you last before you are begging me for the next session… My guess is two weeks, so I am looking forward to that, slave", I told him with a cheeky smile.
"Yes, mistress", he replied.
"Okay, I am done. You'll find your clothes upstairs."


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Gareth Southgate, England's manager, has decided to reach out to Liverpool's boss Jurgen Klopp after news broke that Adam Lallana will miss a month injured following the international break.
Our midfielder, who's probably been our player of the season, was used heavily in both the friendly against Germany and the victory over Lithuania, and will now miss our fixtures in April as a result.
Telegraph outline LFC transfer plans RE centre-back purchase
Klopp was said to be furious that England overused and overtrained our 28-year-old, but according to a report in the Daily Mail, he's now relaxed about the situation after Southgate's call.
What's most annoying is that the injury was sustained before half-time against Lithuania, but Lallana played on. Did the manager really not know he'd taken or not? To be fair, Liverpool's player needs to take some responsibility for not asking to be substituted… We can't imagine Daniel Sturridge would have stayed on, for example!
Lallana will miss the Merseyside Derby on Saturday and then games with Bournemouth, Stoke, West Brom and Crystal Palace, too…
Hopefully we can manage in his absence.


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jonherries:grant_k:Byrned: If you're serious about investing, it isn't about what happens on listing day, but where you see the company going in the long term, how that will effect the long term share price, and most importantly, what the dividend return is.
But in answer, yes, I plan to buy what I can get my hands on. The offer of the incentive and the likely dividends are what's attracting me.
Well said.
I have the same idea, to buy as much as I can get my hands on. Some info. I have seen suggests that applications over $10k are likely to be scaled. So my wife and I will definitely be putting our hands up for at least $10k each. I just picked up some Sky TV shares for $4.85 as they are another stock which offers a good dividend yield.
The interesting thing to me about this was the news that NewsCorp are selling their holding. This should depress the share price (I heard they were selling at a 10% discount to Fridays price) and you could get more for your money? I do agree that Sky TV have some good underlying fundamentals which means they are close to a monopoly, which means good returns as long as they are efficient.
The shares traded down to $4.84 this morning, but have now shot back up to $4.95 as some large buy orders were placed on the market. I have kept some cash aside to buy more SKT if there is further price weakness, but with this stock having paid 54cps in dividends last year, that is probably not going to happen. 54cps on a $4.95 share price equates to 10.9% yield after tax, and that is not too easy to find without taking on a lot more risk!


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If you are considering moving to a senior living community, you may be wondering what it will be like. As much as tours and community marketing professionals show you the ins and outs of living in a community with other older adults, you may be wondering what it is really like. Will it be fun? Will you make friends? Will you experience new things?
Sometimes you need more than a tour or a brochure of retouched photos of happy seniors to get the real feel of a senior living community. In fact, videos can show you so much more from seniors who are actually living the lifestyle that you want. Take a look at a few videos that show just how much seniors are having fun and living their best lives in senior living communities.
Seniors in the Sky
Worried that you won't have a chance to try new things or continue a special hobby once you move into a senior living community? You definitely don't need to stress about it, as most senior living communities offer a calendar full of events, trips, and learning opportunities that will keep you busy and making friends. Check out this video of a senior trying out indoor skydiving—how's that for something new and exciting?
Get Moving
Most excellent senior living communities are devoted to providing wellness activities to their residents. For you, wellness may look like regular doctor visits, eating healthy foods, or exercising. Fortunately, you don't have to be a marathon runner or avid athlete to keep up with senior fitness activities throughout a community; most exercises can be adapted for your abilities. Check out these residents enjoying an exercise class with a favorite instructor.
Once-in-a-Lifetime Experiences
If you are lucky enough to move into a senior community that values the history and unique preferences of its residents, you may get to pursue the chance of a lifetime through the careful planning of staff members. Check out this video of seniors experiencing race car driving, piloting a plane, and more! What would you choose to do if you had the option to do something amazing? A senior living community may be your best bet in achieving that dream.
The Best Car Ride
A bunch of seniors singing pop tunes like Call Me Maybe? That's definitely not the typical bingo lifestyle that some associate with senior living communities. Take a look at these seniors singing their hearts out during a round of car karaoke.
Your days in a senior living community are never boring, and you will have staff members planning opportunities for new learning, exciting trips, and entertaining socials every month. If you are a social butterfly, or even an introvert who is seeking meaningful relationships, you will find plenty to do in your new senior community. If you are still curious about what a typical day may look like for you as a resident in a senior community, check out this video.
If these videos have you curious about senior communities near you, the next best step is to experience this lifestyle yourself. Call a few communities and ask if you can stop by for lunch or to participate in an activity. You'll love having the chance to see the community's culture and lifestyle firsthand. Chances are, you'll be ready to become a part of the family sooner rather than later!


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Spirit week schedule conflicts with Rosh Hashanah
Andrea Frost, Breaking News Managing Editor
September 19, 2014
My whole high school career has culminated in this year: being a senior girl. I live for the pink boas, the whistles, the t-shirts and the chanting of "senior girls" through the hallway. Let me give you some background on myself: I have been going to sleepaway camp for the past nine summers, where...
Recipes to spice up this Rosh Hashanah
Deanna Hartog, News Editor
September 15, 2014
As this Rosh Hashanah is quickly approaching, the stress of what food to serve is sure to accompany it. Whether your family plans to have only close relatives or invite the entire community to your home, these recipes are sure to be crowd pleasers! Good Ol' Fashioned Tzimmes: One of the most tra...
Students choose between religious obligations and academic success
Alice Hickson, Staff Writer
September 9, 2014
The publishing of the Westport School Calendar lead to many students' concerns over the lack of recognition for several religious holy days. The most notable religious holy day not being recognized is the second day of Rosh Hashanah. "The second day of Rosh Hashanah is not a day off because t...
Has This Flame Burned Out?
December 13, 2010
Image via Wikipedia When it's the holiday season, being Jewish rocks. There's something very thrilling, almost dangerous in a way, about going out for Chinese food on Christmas Eve and being the only house on my street that's not draped with copious amounts of colorful lights. Just deviating from the norm. What�...


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City Gallery
At the heart of RIBA North is the City Gallery, a space for visitors to learn more about Liverpool's past, present and future, as well as the processes involved in urban development and the evolution of the built environment.
RIBA North's City Gallery includes the Digital City Model, an interactive 3D model that tells a variety of stories about Liverpool and the surrounding area. It is also an extraordinary professional tool, which can be used by developers, architects and planners to host public consultations, anticipate the impact of future development and encourage the best design approaches.
The RIBA North City Gallery is also available to hire. Please contact Ed Cox on +44(0)151 703 0107 or email firstname.lastname@example.com to discuss.


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3D-printed Drug: Breakthrough in Precision Medicine
The FDA approval is being hailed as a breakthrough in precision medicine. According to Aprecia Pharmaceuticals and Forbes, the FDA decision is a huge step forward in the development of personalised drug therapies, and one that could help providers treat a wide range of very specific health conditions.
Aprecia is manufacturing SPIRITAM with its proprietary ZipDose Technology platform, which uses three-dimensional printing (3DP) to create a porous formulation that rapidly disintegrates with a sip of liquid. By using the 3DP platform, Aprecia can produce individual doses of the drug to exact specifications and that dissolves quicker than a normal pill.
"By combining 3DP technology with a highly-prescribed epilepsy treatment, SPRITAM is designed to fill a need for patients who struggle with their current medication experience," said Don Wetherhold, Aprecia's CEO. The company plans to market the new drug early next year, and Wetherhold said this will be the first in a line of products designed to help people with central nervous system ailments.
Aprecia officials say that because epileptics often have trouble swallowing what are often large pills, or are dealing with a swallowing disorder, the ideal medication needs to be delivered in a small, highly concentrated (up to 1,000 mg) dose that dissolves quickly.
Aprecia officials also note that while many epileptics have swallowing issues, there is also a high incidence of missed doses or other medication management issues, hindering treatment for the disease. They cited one survey in which 71 percent of patients admitted forgetting, missing or skipping a dose of seizure medication, and almost half reported suffering a seizure because of that missed dose.
With SPRITAM, the officials note, there is no measuring required as each dose is individually packaged, making it easy to carry this treatment on the go.
The 3DP technology could help providers develop better medication management programmes for their patients, according to a Forbes article.
"3D printing of medications will allow doctors to know that the medicine they're prescribing delivers the exact dose intended, as each pill will be completely uniform and tailored for the individual patient," says article author Robert J. Szczerba. "Such a capability opens the door to a number of fascinating distribution options as well, including the eventual possibility of printing personalised medicine in one's own home."
Source: Aprecia Pharmaceuticals
Image credit: Creative Tools/Flickr
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In response to pressure from the Bush administration, and to the recently approved anti-secession law, the EU has postponed lifting the arms embargo against China, according to this article from the New York Times:
Yielding to pressure from President Bush and threats of retaliation from Congress, the European Union has put off plans to lift its arms embargo on China this spring and may not press the issue until next year, American and European officials said Monday.
The officials said that in addition to American pressure, European nations have been shaken by the recent adoption of legislation by the Chinese National People's Congress authorizing the use of force to stop Taiwan from seceding. The Chinese action, they said, jolted France and undercut its moves to end the embargo before June.


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Kegging Equipment and Supplies
You brewed. You fermented. The last piece of your home brew setup? A keg tap kit so you can drink your homebrew. Check out our full line of homebrew kegs and keg systems. We carry everything you need for both kegging & bottling, but a home brew keg system is the true gold standard. View our complete line of Home Brew Supplies.
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New 10lb CO2 Tank- Empty $118.99
Barbed Swivel Nut From $1.99
10 inch Filter Housing Unit $29.99


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Introduction to Japanese: Volume 1
Chapter 17
About the authors
Marcelo Cargano
Marcelo Cargano is a 29 year old journalist from São Paulo, Brazil who first arrived in Japan in 2010 with zero knowledge of Japanese. Now speaking it with a slight Osaka accent and graduated from the School of Human Sciences of Osaka University, Marcelo draws from his experiences and hurdles when he first started learning the language to provide an easy, gradual and accessible way for you to begin and improve your studies of Japanese.
In addition to writing to GaijinPot, he works as a radio host in Takarazuka, researches Japanese law at Osaka University, and manages a Portuguese-Japanese language exchange group at Osaka.
Nereida Bertran
Neri (Phobialia) always wanted to work in Japan, and because of that, not long after finishing her university degree in Design she moved to Tokyo to learn more about the culture and the language.
Now, two years later, she is working as an app designer for a Japanese company during the day and as a freelancing illustrator at night. Her main concern now is to stop twisting her tongue saying ニンニク instead of 筋肉, and how to adopt a cute dog.


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Tea Utensils
Tea Infuser Stilleben
A fine stoneware tea infuser
A piece of still life that silently recalls the solid, opaque surface and tactile touch of chalk. It is the soft white that absorbs light and a careful look on volume that carries the essence of the maker and a quality of Italian craftsmanship that will stand the test of time.
- Dimensions: Width: 8.2 cm, Heigth: 6 cm
- Dishwasher safe: Yes
- Origin: Italy
- Colour: White
- Finish: Matt
Owing to its extraordinary hardness and resistance to any type of impact, vitrified stoneware makes teaware that is timelessly durable. Its unusual high temperature firing makes it completely impermeable towards liquid absorption and staining, while the glossy glazed interior, characterised in the entire collection, is designed to make it an everyday piece of tableware for various tea types.
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KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The police will intervene if the proposed Bersih 4.0 rally on Aug 29 and 30 is about toppling the government, said Malaysian Deputy Inspector-General of Police Noor Rashid Ibrahim.
Datuk Seri Noor Rashid said the police will allow the rally to take place according to the laws but would not tolerate calls to topple the government illegally.
"If we find that the rally voices out anything seditious, police will have to intervene," he told reporters after a function at the Integrated South-Bandar Tasik Selatan Transport Terminal here.
On whether the rally would be allowed to go on for two days, Noor Rashid said the duration did not matter as long as it was carried out, according to the law.
"If they want to have a peaceful assembly they can do it for three days, a week or even a month, we do not have any problems.
"But if you start disturbing the public, disrupt people's lives and block access for others, this is causing disturbance to peace," he added.


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Managing MT and MX releases
We continually work to keep our existing standards up to date, in order to bring standards in line with business changes and correct technical issues. From time to time, we also publish newly developed standards. These changes can affect your business, from business flows to back office applications.
MyStandards, our collaborative platform, can help you manage your releases more efficiently.
MyStandards Base Libraries (MBL)
We provide updated MT message structures in open standard XML schema format, helping you save time and money. Free examples are available on request.
Impact assessment service
Our consultants can create a tailored report to help you understand the impact of a standards release on your business.


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At long last, the NBA's rumor mill will be fully operational come noon on Tuesday, when teams will have a weeklong transactional window to waive and sign free agents for the stretch run of the 2019-20 season.
The window will end at midnight ET on July 1. During that timeframe, teams can also convert two-way players to full-time contracts, making them playoff eligible, and in the final four days of that week teams can fill any remaining two-way contract slots with players who have three or fewer years of NBA service.
Teams can bring as many as 15 players in addition to a pair of two-way players to Orlando for the remainder of the season, which is scheduled to open on July 30 at Walt Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. Only eight teams currently have open roster spots: the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers. (The Thunder are expected to convert starting wing Luguentz Dort's two-way contract to a full-season deal when transactions commence on Tuesday.)
Any free agent who has either played in the NBA before or in the G League this season is eligible to fill an open roster spot, save for those who have played internationally since the end of September. That rule eliminates former NBA players Nikola Mirotic and Andrew Bogut from consideration, among others.
NBA players will have until the end of Wednesday to opt out of participating in the resumption of the season. Teams can reportedly replace those players on the roster between July 1 and Aug. 14. Davis Bertans of the Washington Wizards became the first player to opt out of playing in Orlando on Monday.
Any player who tests positive for coronavirus in Orlando can also be replaced by a player with less than four years experience, although the replaced player would become ineligible for the rest of the season.
The following are 15 players who could potentially help the 22 teams competing for 16 playoff seeds over the final eight games of the regular season, separated into five positional categories. Keep in mind more free agents could become available, as all 30 teams can waive rostered players beginning on Tuesday.
Tyler Johnson
Once an undrafted gem, Johnson came to be defined by the four-year, $50 million contract he signed in 2016, an overpay that led him to regurgitate upon first glance at the numbers. He spent the final season of that deal battling soreness in the same right knee that previously required season-ending surgery, falling out of the rotation as the team embraced a youth movement. He was waived with two months left on his contract.
When healthy, Johnson was consistently productive, averaging 15.4 points (on 43/36/78 shooting splits), 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per 36 minutes over the first three seasons of his eight-figure deal. He was a respected figure in the Phoenix locker room for his work ethic and tenacity. The Houston Rockets have expressed interest in signing the rested guard for the remainder of the season, per the Houston Chronicle.
Trey Burke
The former top-10 pick resurrected his career with the New York Knicks, averaging 12.3 points (on 46/36/75 splits) and 3.8 assists in 21.4 minutes over 69 games for a terrible team the previous two seasons. After being thrown into a January 2019 trade involving Kristaps Porzingis, Burke played out the remainder of last season with the Dallas Mavericks before signing with the Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent last summer.
Afforded the opportunity to crack the rotation on a playoff team in need of a serviceable backup point guard, Burke never seized his role. The Sixers waived him at the trade deadline to make room for the newly acquired Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson. Burke has played in three playoff games in a seven-year career.
Tim Frazier
Since turning heads in the G League in 2014, Frazier has played for six teams over the past five years, often as a replacement option for injury-plagued lottery teams or the last man on a playoff bench. He has never replicated the lightning he found in a New Orleans Pelicans bottle at the end of the 2015-16 campaign, when he averaged 13.1 points (on 45/42/76 splits) and 7.5 assists over a 16-game stretch to earn his first multi-year contract. He did, however, earn a playoff roster spot on the Milwaukee Bucks last season.
Instant offense
Isaiah Thomas
The two-time All-Star has played for four teams in the three years since he was traded by the Boston Celtics to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a deal involving Kyrie Irving. The hip injury that prematurely ended his 2016-17 campaign and required season-ending surgery in March 2018 has plagued him ever since.
He was waived in February after being thrown into a three-team deadline deal that sent Marcus Morris to the Los Angeles Clippers. Prior to the trade, he had been playing some of his best ball since the injury, averaging 12.2 points (on 41/41/82 splits) and 3.7 assists for the Washington Wizards. Thomas' defense has become a greater concern, but he has shown flashes of the dynamic scoring ability he was known for.
Jamal Crawford
The 40-year-old has not appeared in an NBA game since scoring 51 points on 30 shots for the lottery-bound Suns in their 2018-19 season finale. A highly respected veteran, Crawford is a three-time Sixth Man of the Year winner known for his shot creation as a ball-handler. He has not made a significant contribution to a playoff contender since coming off the bench for the Lob City Clippers in the middle of last decade.
J.R. Smith
Likewise, Smith has not played since orchestrating his exit from the Cavaliers 11 games into the 2018-19 season. The mercurial shooting guard called out the organization for tanking in the wake of LeBron James' exit to the Los Angeles Lakers. He was among those rumored to fill the Lakers' final roster spot before the team signed Dion Waiters in early March. Smith has been seen working out with James in recent weeks.
On the one hand, Smith ranks 13th all-time in 3-pointers made, converting them at a career 37.3 percent clip. On the other, when last we saw Smith in the playoffs, his absent-mindedness at the end of regulation cost the Cavaliers Game 1 of the 2018 Finals and any chance they had at competing for a title.
Floor spacers
Allen Crabbe
Crabbe is another victim of a cumbersome contract. He too signed an oversized deal during the 2016 free-agency spending spree. In the final year of that contract, his expiring $18.5 million figure earned him a pair of cap-clearing trades over the past year — first to the Atlanta Hawks in July and then to the Minnesota Timberwolves in January. He agreed to a buyout with the lottery-bound Wolves at the end of February.
Crabbe entered this season a career 39.3 percent shooter from distance. Battling knee problems at both stops this season, he shot a career-worst 30.3 percent from 3-point range over 37 games split between Atlanta and Minnesota. Crabbe has not played in the playoffs since 2017 with the Portland Trail Blazers.
C.J. Miles
The well-traveled Miles emerged as a 3-point threat eight years into his career, peaking with a 41.3 percent clip on 5.4 attempts per game for the Indiana Pacers during the 2016-17 season. He submitted an encore performance with the Toronto Raptors a year later, coming off the bench for a deep 59-win team. The Raptors traded him in the February 2019 deal that brought Marc Gasol and a championship to Toronto.
Miles has played in just 23 games since, split between Memphis and Washington. A foot injury ended his 2018-19 season early, and a broken shooting wrist has left him sidelined since November. The Wizards waived him in January to convert 24-year-old Latvian center Anzejs Pasecniks from a two-way contract.
Ryan Broekhoff
The Dallas Mavericks signed the Australian sharpshooter as a 28-year-old prior to the 2018-19 season. He played in 59 games over two years, shooting 40.3 percent on 2.4 3-point attempts per night. Dallas waived him in mid-February to make room for the recently bought-out Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Broekhoff played just 17 games for the playoff-bound Mavs, missing nearly two months with a fractured left fibula.
3-and-D wings
Iman Shumpert
The soon-to-be 30-year-old has bounced around since contributing to Cleveland's four straight Final appearances from 2015-18. He was among those credited for Sacramento's surprise 2018-19 season, so much so that Houston spent a first-round pick on him to bolster their playoff rotation. He averaged just 3.6 points in 13.6 minutes in eight playoff games and did not have the same defensive impact he once enjoyed in New York and Cleveland. Injuries have for years plagued Shumpert, whose only contribution this season was spelling the injured Caris LeVert on a non-guaranteed contract with the Brooklyn Nets in November.
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell
Undrafted in 2016, Akoon-Purcell has bounced around overseas and in the G League ever since, save for a cup of coffee with the Denver Nuggets in 2018. The 6-foot-6 wing has shown shown improvement on defense since finishing his college career at Illinois State, and his offense — 17.7 points on 49/39/78 shooting splits in 27 minutes per game for the Oklahoma City Thunder's G League affiliate — should have him on the radar of every team with an open roster spot, since wing help with potential is a rare commodity.
Gerald Green
The onetime high school project and now 34-year-old veteran has made valuable contributions to playoff teams the previous four seasons, averaging 8.9 points on 40/35/82 shooting splits for Miami, Boston and Houston from 2015-19. In addition to the length and athleticism that has allowed him to defend multiple positions when engaged, Green has enjoyed a number of above-average long-distance shooting seasons.
But he broke his left foot in the 2019 preseason and never suited up for the Rockets during this 2019-20 campaign. Houston dealt his contract in a four-team trade that returned Robert Covington at the deadline, and Green was subsequently waived by the Denver Nuggets. He has not played since the 2019 playoffs.
Stretch bigs
Joe Johnson
The soon-to-be 39-year-old seven-time All-Star has not played in the NBA since finishing out the 2017-18 season with the Rockets. He previously enjoyed a resurgence for the Utah Jazz in 2016-17, shooting 41.1 percent from distance and playing big minutes as a small-ball four on a team that made the second round.
Johnson played in the BIG3 basketball league in 2019, capturing MVP honors and leading his team of former NBA players to a three-on-three title. That performance earned him a training camp invite to the Detroit Pistons, who waived him prior to the start of the regular season. Johnson averaged just 6.8 points on 40.6 percent shooting from the field (27.6 percent from three) over 55 games in his last NBA season.
Anthony Tolliver
The veteran big man started the season in Portland before being traded to Sacramento in the deal that sent Trevor Ariza to the Trail Blazers. Tolliver negotiated a buyout from the Kings and signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies shortly before the season was suspended. He is free to re-sign with anybody, including the Grizzlies, who have an open roster spot. Tolliver has shot 37.3 percent from deep in his 12-year career.
Ryan Anderson
The Rockets have seemingly tried all these guys. Houston waived Anderson just two games into his second stint. The 32-year-old failed to crack the rotation on a team he helped to 65 wins in 2017-18. Once his defensive liabilities outweighed his offensive contributions, the former 20-points-per-game scorer became expendable. He was a 38.2 percent 3-point shooter until that number dipped significantly in limited minutes for the Suns and Heat last season. Anderson has played only 27 games since the 2017-18 season.
Traditional bigs
DeMarcus Cousins
The hiatus may afford Cousins another opportunity to chase a ring. He signed with the Lakers prior to this season, but suffered an ACL tear before ever wearing the purple and gold. This came after serious Achilles and quadriceps injuries halted promising playoff runs with the New Orleans Pelicans and Golden State Warriors in previous seasons. The four-time All-Star did demonstrate he still has the skills to swing playoff games when last we saw him on the Warriors, and that alone may be well worth the injury risk.
Joakim Noah
Yet another victim of an outsized 2016 contract, Noah's production dipped to the point the New York Knicks figured it better to pay him to play elsewhere. The former Defensive Player of the Year showed some value on a minimum contract for half a year with the Grizzlies last season, but went unsigned for much of this season before signing a 10-day deal with the Clippers just before the hiatus. The Clips are expected to convert Noah's contract to a rest-of-season deal when free agency opens on Tuesday.
Pau Gasol
The six-time All-Star will turn 40 before the NBA returns, but he still wants to play. The suspension of the season has allowed him to continue rehabbing the foot injury that kept him from contributing to the Bucks' playoff rotation last season and from playing at all for the Blazers this season. It is unclear if he is healthy enough to compete, but there are few veterans with the sort of big-game experience Gasol could bring to the table. It is at least worth the phone call to see if he is interested and able to play in Orlando.
– – – – – – –
Ben Rohrbach is a staff writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach
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AquaRunner RX-
- Comfortable slip-on design
- Increases drag to tone muscles
- One size fits all! X-Strap System
- Resistance footwear also adds buoyancy
- Soft, durable EVA foam
The AquaRunner RX is a resistant and buoyant footwear for the water that increases a cardiovascular workout and also tones muscles. It adjusts to every foot width and size and has an adjustable floating heel strap.
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Part Number(s): 853 0101 02, 853 0101 01
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Since my WGN feed is East Coast I watch Salem at 7 then flip over to ABC and watch Once Upon a Time at 8. Watching these two shows back to back really highlights the differences between them.
Of course OUaT is a Disney show so we won't see Zelena's third nipple or any of the other striking imagery Salem is fond of.
On the other hand, Puritan Salem probably won't give us anything like Regina's costumes.


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On A Roll
On A Roll Restaurant was founded by Chi Kieu Vo. The owners and staff are proud of their culinary excellence and personal involvement in every facet of the business. Their menu is particularly special, and on weekends, long lines wait for the opportunity to order their renowned fresh Appetizers, Sandwiches & House Specials, you will experience perfection. The On A Roll is located at San Jose and is only open for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Operating Hours
Mon-Sun 10am-10pm
- Lunch
- Dinner
* Please check with this business directly to confirm the information listed here is the most current.
San Jose, California 95110


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Havnegade 20
6700 Esbjerg
The park is in the middle of Esbjerg with a fine view of the harbour. Here you will find a open air scene where free concerts take place every Wednesday night during the summer months. The Esbjerg Performing Arts Centre and the Esbjerg Water Tower is situated in the park.
Playground with public toilets.
Havnegade 20
6700 Esbjerg
Activities for children
Town park


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Honey Island Swamp
The Honey Island Swamp (French: Marais de l'Île-de-Miel) is a marshland located in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana in St. Tammany Parish. Honey Island earned its name because of the honeybees once seen on a nearby isle.[1] The swamp is bordered on the north by U.S. 11, on the south by Lake Borgne, on the east by the Pearl River and the west by the West Pearl River.[2]
It is one of the least-altered river swamps in the United States[citation needed]. Considered by many to be one of the most pristine swampland habitats in the United States, the Honey Island Swamp covers an area that is over 20 miles (30 km) long and nearly 7 miles (10 km) across, with 35,619 of its 70,000[citation needed] acres (280 km²) government sanctioned as permanently protected wildlife area. Animals that live in the Honey Island Swamp include alligators, raccoons, owls, wild boars, nutria, snakes, turtles, bald eagles and black bears.[3][citation needed][4]
This swamp is also the home of the legendary Honey Island Swamp monster, which has from time to time been known as the "Tainted Keitre". Honey Island Swamp is located on the Pearl River wildlife management area and managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Swamp Monster[edit]
The swamp is famous for being the home of the Honey Island Swamp monster legend.[5] The purported creature is described as bipedal, seven feet (2.2 metres) tall, with gray hair and yellow eyes. It is said to be accompanied by a disgusting smell. Footprints supposedly left by the creature have four toes. The first claimed sighting was in 1963 by Harlan Ford, a retired Air traffic controller who took up wildlife photography. After his death in 1980, a reel of Super 8 film showing the creature was allegedly found among his belongings. In 1974 the monster gained national fame after Ford and a friend claimed to have found unusual footprints in the area, as well as the body of a wild boar whose throat had been gashed. Ford continued to hunt the creature for the next six years. The idea of a large, ape-like creature in the area is not without its critics, notably the local ecologist Paul Wagner, who with his wife Sue run nature tours in the area. They claim they have not seen any evidence for it. A local legend tells of a train crash in the area in the early twentieth century. A travelling circus was on the train, and from it a group of chimpanzees escaped, interbreeding with the local alligator population.
- ^ Herndon, Ernest (2003). Canoeing Louisiana. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. p. 198. ISBN 1-57806-426-0.
- ^ "Coastal Management Division's, Gulf Ecological Management Site, Honey Island Swamp". Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 2006-10-06. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
- ^ "Cajun Encounters Honey Island Swamp Tours". Archived from the original on 2015-03-16. Retrieved 2014-07-19.
- ^ "Pearl River WMA". Retrieved 2019-11-28. Cite has empty unknown parameter:
- ^ Scott Francis (2007). Monster Spotter's Guide to North America. How. ISBN 1-58180-929-8.
External links[edit]
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Honey Island Swamp.
Coordinates: 30°13′02″N 89°38′59″W / 30.21722°N 89.64972°W
|This article related to a protected area in Louisiana is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


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What's New with the DCDC program?
BICSI is pleased to announce a newly revised Data Center Design Consultant Program
The new course and exam are the product of hundreds of hours of work by volunteer subject matter experts, culminating in the release of:
- DC102: Applied Data Center Design and Best Practices Training Course
- Data Center Design Consultant (DCDC™) Credential Exam
These two important updates along with the previously released ANSI/BICSI 002-2019, Data Center Design and Implementation Best Practices Standard, BICSI 009-2019, Data Center Operations and Maintenance Best Practices Standard, and Essentials of Data Center Projects (EDCP), 1st edition, manual are the final pieces of a new and complete Data Center Design Consultant™ Program.
- ANSI/BICSI 002-2019, Data Center Design and Implementation Best Practices
- BICSI 009-2019, Data Center Operations and Maintenance Best Practices
- Essentials of Data Center Projects (EDCP), 1st edition, specialty manual
For your convenience, we have made all of these publications available for ease of purchase in bundled sets below.
Since its inception in 2011, the DCDC is fast becoming a premier credential and mark of distinction in the global data center market. Found within all aspects of data centers, from design, planning, consulting and operations, more information
on the DCDC can be found here.
Purchase Data Center Publications
Data Center Program Frequently Asked Questions
Why did BICSI change the Data Center program?BICSI performs a Job Task Analysis (JTA) every three to five (3-5) years for all of its programs to reflect the changes and evolution within the ICT industry. This is an essential process to ensure that the credential requirements, exam content, training and publications accurately reflect current job-related activities and professional standards. DCDC credential holders from around the globe joined our JTA and identified new and expanded areas of importance, such as operational and security assessments that are increasingly being requested.
What are the changes to the Data Center Program?
The program (including standards, publication, course and exam) was updated and aligned with the most recent Job Task Analysis (JTA). While design is still a central part of a DCDC credential holder's job description, it was found that DCDCs are being utilized within all facets of data centers including strategic planning, operations, management and evaluation.
In addition to the expansion of topical areas, this update to the program will also see modifications to align with the JTA to both the eligibility and recertification requirements of the DCDC credential.
BICSI also released three data center publications. These publications are:
- ANSI/BICSI 002-2019, Data Center Design and Implementation Best Practices
- BICSI 009-2019, Data Center Operations and Maintenance Best Practices
- Essentials of Data Center Projects (EDCP), 1st edition, specialty manual
Several new course offerings, including an updated DC102 course, and an updated DCDC credentialing exam launch in August 2019.
If I purchased ANSI/BICSI 002-2014, how long do I have to take the course or the test?You will have one year from your exam authorization date to take the DCDC-002 exam as long as you applied for this exam prior to 31 July. All courses began teaching the material from ANSI/BICSI 002-2019 on 26 August.
Will the new class, manual or exam be available in a language other than English?
A Japanese translation of ANSI/BICSI 002-2019 is in development. Other offerings in Japanese or other languages have not been announced.
If I am a current BICSI DCDC Credential Holder does this new program affect me?
As part of the Credentialing 2020 Board Strategic Plan initiative, the Registration and Credentials Supervision Committee (RCSC) updated the Data Center Design Consultant™(DCDC™) credential by expanding and modifying topical task areas, as well as the eligibility and recertification requirements. This work aligns the Job Task Analysis (JTA) to the work of the DCDC. While design is still a central part of the DCDC description, it was found that DCDCs are being utilized within all facets of data centers, including strategic planning, operations, management and evaluation.
The RCSC, the volunteer leaders who manage BICSI's credentials, were in Tampa, Florida with a select globally dynamic group of subject matter experts (SMEs) that conducted a JTA credentialing best practice activity on the DCDC credential. The team was facilitated by third-party experts in testing and certification. The participants identified new and expanded areas of importance, such as operational and security assessments that are increasingly being requested.
This very important credentialing industry best practice yields value to the certification and to the individuals who earn them. Performing these studies on our credentialing programs ensures that BICSI stays at the forefront of the industry and that our members, credential holders and other ICT professionals remain relevant and at the top of their respective fields.
These program updates will impact your recertification. The new recertification requirement will be 36 CECs instead of 24 CECs, based on the program below.
Required CECs
Additional CECs
31 December 2019
No Change - Grandfathered
31 December 2020 and beyond
New CEC Requirements Apply
If you have any questions about these changes, please contact us at 800.242.7405 (USA and Canada toll-free) or +1 813.979.1991, or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
When the program is updated, will my current DCDC credential still be valid?Yes. Current credential holders will hold a valid credential until their credential expires, unless they continue to earn CECs and successfully complete the recertification process for their credential.
According to the BICSI CEC policy, if I take an exam review class and pass the exam within a 7-day period, the CECs apply toward my first recertification. Would that be the case with the new program?
Please refer to the current CEC policy at time of certification.


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Colruyt Montegnée reopens as low-energy store
On Wednesday 29 August, the Colruyt store in Montegnée reopens after a few months of renovation work. The store has been expanded, completely rearranged and restyled into a new-generation low-energy Colruyt store. The self-service butcher's department was also completely revamped.
Low-energy store
Colruyt Montegnée has become a low-energy store: its hermetic finish is better and the insulation of front and roof has been improved. It also switches to sustainable technology with a propane-fuelled cooling system and heat recovery ventilation. "This project is part of a more comprehensive renovation plan: by 2019, all Colruyt Group stores should be low-energy stores", says store manager Miguel Dupont. "The group's CO2 emissions have to go down by 4%."
Shop more efficiently
The store was completely rearranged as well. It allows customers to shop even more efficiently and pleasantly. "When making renovations, we always aim at simplicity and the lowest costs, as our customers expect from us", the store manager continues.
Butcher's department with open workshop
Customers can choose their fresh quality meat in the self-service butcher's department. Head butcher Laurent François: "Customers can see the butchers at work in an open workshop and talk to them if they have questions or a special order. They also have a nice overview of the range of meat, cold cuts and salads."
Collect&Go shops for the customer
Colruyt Montegnée has a Collect&Go pick-up point for customers who like to gain time. Miguel Dupont: "Collect&Go is a handy Colruyt Group service, where co-workers shop for the customers. They give us their shopping list online or by means of the app. The products are ready for them at the pick-up point by the day and time they chose."
Special open house
From Wednesday 29 August, store manager Miguel Dupont, head butcher Laurent François and their 37 co-workers will be on hand to welcome customers again at the new Montegnée Colruyt store. "The evening before, on Tuesday 28 August from 5 to 8 p.m., everyone is invited for a store preview", says the store manager. "During this special open house, customers will be offered snacks and a drink. Everyone is most welcome!"
More information? A talk with the store manager? Or photographs of the new store or the Collect&Go pick-up point?
Feel free to contact:
- David Legrand (regional manager) at 02 345 2345
- Yana Morren (press officer Colruyt) at 0473 92 45 10
Practical information:
Colruyt Montegnée
Rue Adolphe Renson 17
4420 Saint-Nicolas (Liège)
Opening hours:
Mon - Sat: 8.30 - 20.00
Fri: 8.30 - 21.00
Open evening:
Tuesday 28 August from 17.00 to 20.00
Follow Colruyt Lowest Prices
Boilerplate Colruyt Lowest Prices
About Colruyt
Colruyt is Colruyt Group's Lowest Prices supermarket. The store chain has been guaranteeing the lowest price for each product at any moment for more than 40 years now. Customers can find about 10,500 food and 7,500 non-food products, from fresh fruit and vegetables and meat to cleaning and care products. Colruyt also stands out by its simplicity, efficient shopping and efforts in the field of sustainability. The chain operates 243 stores in Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and employs approximately 15,000 people. Customers can also order their purchases in the Colruyt web shop and pick them up in about 200 Collect&Go collection points.


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Up, Down, Flying AroundThis past few weeks have been the typical roller-coaster that befits me these days. After ......Read More
Moral had been a bit low, in the opening races for our Italian gran Fondo team. With ......Read More
We have just recieved a communication from our elite German triathletes who are deep in training for ......Read More
Many people think of Gran Fondo events, as touristic non competitive events. Well I can guarantee you, ......Read More


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Mikaela J, lifestyle and travel blogger, and mom of 2 shares her experience with Jiobit. She and her family live in Orlando and have season passes to Disney World - they're very familiar with the park yet still worry about losing track of the kiddos in such a crowded place. Jiobit took a lot of that anxiety away.
Mickey Travels is an authorized Disney vacation planner. Their expertise extends well beyond just booking the hotels, flights, and attractions. On their blog they share tips on how to have the best vacation possible, including safety tips when traveling to unfamiliar places with the kiddos. Included in their safety suggestions is Jiobit. Find out what they said about it.
Check out CNBC editor, Lora Kolodny's interview with Jiobit CEO and live demo of the location monitor.
Jiobit is helping this mom of 2 keep her autistic son safe: "I am hopeful that it will help me give him more room to grow as he gains his independence."
Something bad happening to your child is a parent's worst fear


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International law contains a set of rules which governs space activities and which is commonly referred to as (international) space law. One of the concepts at the heart of space law is known as the "launching State".
In an attempt to find the most obvious connection between a State and "its" space activities, the founders of modern space law identified the launch as a clearly distinguishable, decisive and visible moment: one that cannot be hidden and that is inherent to most space activities, at least those in a classical sense. Whether it is a State itself that launches, an international organisation, a private company or an individual: a space object built on Earth will always have to be launched in one way or another in order to reach outer space.
Incidentally, in the early days of spaceflight it was not taken for granted that private entities would be allowed to undertake space activities at all. As such, the USSR proposed in 1962 that "all activities of any kind pertaining to the exploration and use of outer space" should be exclusively carried out by States…a strange vision for us who live in the age of private investments and access to space by non-State actors, often for commercial purposes.
Based on the launch event, space law defines the concept of the launching State and, together with it, establishes a series of legal consequences. A launching State is any State (strictly speaking: any State party to the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 or the Liability Convention of 1972) that "launches or procures the launching of an object into outer space", and any State "from whose territory or facility an object is launched". Any space object can thus be 'tied' to at least one State, and quite often to more.
The launching State seems to be a simple and ingenious concept. But, as always, the practice is more complex. What, for example, does it mean to "procure" the launch, exactly? Does it mean "to pay", to "prompt" or "to cause" – or all together? Over the years, States have developed different interpretations of the conditions and consequences of being a launching State. Technological progress, coupled with commercial concepts, have challenged the application of the concept, too. The very idea, however, remains the same: for each and every object sent into space, there should be at least one State identified which bears international responsibility and liability, regardless of whether the State itself (i.e. the government) is at the origin of the launch or a natural person (citizens of that State for example) or juridical person (economic operators for example) under its jurisdiction.
A 'space object' can be a rocket or its payload (for example a satellite). That means that for one and the same rocket launch we could distinguish different launching States, whereby the State that launches the rocket will automatically also launch its payload. Take an hypothetical example. Australia pays for the launch of one of its satellites on-board a U.S. launch vehicle: The U.S. will be the launching State of the rocket and of the satellite, Australia will be the launching State of the satellite (arguably also of the rocket, but here we enter into a more complex legal discussion). Of course, the U.S. has no interest to be held liable for the Australian satellite once in space – it merely provides a launch service. Conversely, Australia has no interest to be held liable should the U.S. rocket fail and cause a damage to a third party. The way out is that both parties of this so-called "joint launch" agree on the internal apportionment of their liability. Another example: in theory, France is a launching State for each and every payload delivered to space by the Ariane-5 launcher – among other reasons because this launcher lifts off from French territory (Kourou in French Guiana). Understandably, France and the Ariane-5 operator take precautionary steps to ensure a fair apportionment of liability for commercial launch services with the customer.
To make things even more complex, the launching State does not necessarily have to be a State. It can also be an international organisation – the best example is the European Space Agency. In the 1970s, ESA declared its acceptance of some of the UN space treaties. Accordingly, ESA is free to launch space objects but also has to assume responsibility and liability for its activities, the latter jointly and severally with those of its Member States which are parties to the Liability Convention. In case of a damage caused by an ESA space object (take the example of satellite debris which impacts on ground after re-entry), ESA and its Member States have an intricate administrative system to deal with the legal consequences and the apportionment of liability (including with those Member States which are not a party to the Liability Convention).
Explaining the concept of the launching State, its significance in theory and practice, its advantages, shortcomings and its possible development would fill a book or two. The very essence of it, however, fits into the following paragraph:
1) Each space object has at least one, and often more than one, launching State.
2) Being a launching State means, inter alia, being liable for any damage that the space object may cause on Earth or in space.
3) A State cannot shed its status as a launching State at a later date ("once a launching State, always a launching State").
4) That is why States should carefully regulate their national space activities and may discuss with other potential launching States the consequences of joint launches.
Next time you see a rocket lifting off, spare a thought for the legal consequences that are triggered at that very moment.


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Cat Deeley and husband Patrick Kielty have welcomed their second child.
The TV stars, who are already parents to two year old Milo, named the new addition to the family James Patrick Kielty.
"We are over the moon with happiness and Milo is the perfect big brother," the couple told People in a statement.
Cat, 41, revealed she was expecting her second child with Patrick, 47, back in January.
"Over-the-moon to share that Milo is going to be a big brother! Can't wait to be a family of four in the spring. We're all so excited," she wrote on Twitter.
However, in March she admitted that she hadn't got around to telling Milo because he still hadn't noticed her bump.
"I want to tell him when it gets a bit closer and he can get excited and understand it, but right now, he doesn't even notice, actually," she told Entertainment Tonight.
"He's got something to lean on right now, when I read him stories. He can cuddle it, but he hasn't said anything. He hasn't gone, 'Mom, sort it out!' He's good."
The couple first met when they co-presented the BBC's Fame Academy in 2002, and finally got together 10 years later.
They married in September 2012.
Just weeks ago, Cat shared a bikini-clad photo of herself as she enjoyed some rest and relaxation by the beach in Malibu.
Her huge bump was on full display in a bright yellow bikini as she posed for a stylish snap.


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Yasiel Puig and Eric Hosmer Take you to Spring Training in MLB 15: The Show
The closer to Baseball season we get to, the quicker we live this abysmal winter. MLB 15: The Show goes to spring training with some MLB superstars.
MLB 15: The Show will be following ball players all month during spring training to see how they with their digital counterparts. Players to join in on the action include Yasiel Puig, Eric Hosmer, Hunter Pence, Russell Martin, Andrew McCutchen, and Adam Jones.
MLB 15: The Show is coming out March 31st on PS3, PS4 and Vita.