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construction industry is on the verge a revolution of the type Gordon H.
in the form of large scale freeform fabrication processes.
beyond simple brick laying robots?
enhance both functionality and the aesthetic.
as well as aesthetic elements into the same fabrication process.
into the construction process which reduces client indecisiveness.
produce design iterations using non-parametric design tools.
it is deposited, shaped and cured (Structural Functionality).
gasses or even an optical fibre infrastructure.
of the building including services and ducting.
Institute of Architects, Gordon H. Chong, delivered 06 Dec 2002.
construction tool let alone as an intellectual asset within the studio.
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Drawn thread embroidery is not relegated solely to even-weave linen. Today, we generally associate drawn thread techniques with even-weave, and it's true that it's possibly easier and more precise when it is worked on even-weave. But in the past, drawn thread embroidery was worked on all kinds of fabrics, including fine, high-count cottons and plain-weave linens.
Discussing the different stitches with Laurie led me to working up a tutorial for drawn thread on gingham, to show how to twist groups of threads together for a decorative border.
I began with a simple gingham dish towel. It's a soft cotton towel and hems are squared up with the gingham, so it's perfect for this kind of work. I've washed it once already, and you can see that the colors didn't run, which is great! It's a good towel!
About every three or four checks, I cut a vertical slit between two vertical threads, so that I wouldn't have to draw out long horizontal threads.
When you cut your horizontal threads, you want to use nice sharp, small scissors. Fold the fabric over the blade of the scissors to that you can see the horizontal threads you are cutting and so that you avoid accidentally cutting any vertical threads.
With this weave, it was very easy to draw out the horizontal threads. I used a tweezer and just picked them out. Though it takes a little bit of time, it's not labor-intensive or stressful – the horizontal threads just pull right out, and removing the threads actually goes very quickly.
Once I was finished drawing out the threads, I hemstitched the base of the strip using a #5 white perle cotton, and dividing the threads into two groups per check on the fabric.
I didn't count the threads – I just estimated the center of each check, which worked fine.
If you don't know how to hemstitch, check out my photo tutorial for the hemstitch.
This is the exact technique I used, and it's really simple. I was working in hand (no hoop or anything) for this, and it went very quickly.
After getting to the end of the first row of hemstitching, at the base of the drawn thread area, I decided to go ahead and increase the height of the drawn thread area by removing the horizontal threads from the row of checks above. Then, I turned the work 180 degrees and hemstitched across the top of the area.
This is what the towel looked like with all the hemstitching done. You can see the two groups of threads for each check – two red, two white, two red, etc.
After I finished hemstitching, I decided to go ahead and buttonhole the edge of the hemstitched area.
Up to this point, I had not done so, because the edge was on the seam and I didn't think it was really necessary. It probably isn't absolutely necessary, but in case it would fray, I figured I might as well finish the edge.
I don't really like this buttonholing here. It's rather thickish and lumpy, but since the towel has a bit of a "rustic" look, it's ok. If I did this again, I'd probably finish the edges with a simple overcast stitch (like the satin stitch bars you can see in the hemstitch tutorial), and maybe even in a finer thread.
Now it's time to start twisting the groups of threads. This part is really easy, and it goes really fast! There's nothing to it.
First, you'll want to cut a length of thread about 5 or 6 inches longer than the width of the towel. Thread your needle (I'm using a tapestry needle with a large enough eye to accommodate the perle cotton), and then anchor your thread by running it under the stitches on the back of the buttonhole bar. You want your thread to emerge right in the middle of the drawn thread area, which is conveniently marked by the edge of the two checks.
The direction I'm working here is right to left, but to twist the thread groups, I'm taking my needle under the second group of threads from the edge, pointing back towards the edge. The needle goes under the second group and over the first group (which is the thread group right next to the edge.
Once the needle is in position – under the second group and over the first, pointing towards the edge – you're going to flip the needle so that the eye is now next to the edge, and the point is pointing down towards the far left edge of the towel.
When you flip the needle, make sure you push the first group of threads underneath the second group.
… but once you pull your thread all the way through, the twist will be held in place by the thread.
Continue down the line in the same manner, pointing the needle backwards, under the second group of threads, then over the first, flipping the needle and pushing the first group under the second, then pulling the thread through.
When you get to the end of the drawn thread strip, take your needle to the back of the buttonhole bars right in the center, and anchor your thread by running it under the bars a couple times.
And that's what the finished towel will look like.
Using the same method as above, I anchored my thread in the buttonhole bar and brought it to the front, working from right to left.
Because I wanted to use alternate colors, I had to anchor the first (out of two) group of red threads to the side of the towel. Then I proceeded to twist the threads as described above, but using one white group and one red group.
… and then I flipped the needle to reverse its direction, pushing the red group under the white group with the tip of the needle.
I continued in that manner down the strip, ending by anchoring the last red group of threads against the edge of the towel.
This worked ok, and made an overlapping diamond pattern in the drawn thread area. But guess what? After trying that, I took it out and worked the first method on the towel again. I like the finished look of the first method better, personally. But at least you can see that there are options in the way you go about bunching and twisting your threads.
Concerning tension and hooping and so forth, I found this project very easy to work in hand, without a hoop or frame. For the twisting part, if you can lay your fabric down on a surface and smooth it out, you can work easily without a hoop. You just want to be careful that you pull the center thread firmly enough to keep things from sagging, but not too firmly to where it pulls on the end and makes the towel pucker. In fact, if you lay it out on a cloth surface – like an ironing-board cover (or the top of a footstool, like I did!), or even on your self-healing cutting matter, the friction will help hold the fabric in place (better than working on a slick surface!).
I like how every other 'section' is either red or white. I know that stands to reason when you think about it, but it simply hadn't occurred to me. Interesting effect!
I like the way this has turned out. I am becoming more and more interested in the combination of two or more techniques that traditionally were not combined.
I love it, Mary! I adore chicken scratch and other "false" laces, but drawn gingham is a whole other field. I am itching to try it myself. Since you were testing out various ways to twist the strands into a pattern, may I suggest that you substitute a ribbon or cord or something more decorative than thread to create a pattern. It will give a more woven-pattern look as a band built into the fabric. Try it, please, and post pictures!!
An addendum to my previous post; I checked out the PDF apron and was really taken by the waistband "smock" structuring. The apron was done in imitation of English Smocking and Pin Tucking (no elasticity) Original Smocking is done on flat fabric and creates built-in elastic effect. I think this rigid English Smock/Tuck was a very original way to create a waistband/belted area.
I'm glad you all like it! It's a fun and interesting way to add a personal touch to a towel – and it works up very quickly.
Great idea on the ribbon addition, Laura. I think I'll try that or something similar. I wonder what I have in my stash that would work….
This tutorial rocks! I just put a link to this post on my blog. Hope it brings you a few extra visitors.
As an embroidery dabbler, I have to say that this is one of the best tutorials I've come across in a long time. I recently read an article about drawn thread and felt a little intimidated by the technique; now I can't wait to try it out. Thanks so much!
Thanks, all, for the enthusiasm! Anitra – trust me! It's really easy, and it works up quickly! Have fun!
Beautiful and so easy indeed!
Mary, this is truly lovely!! Thank you so much for taking time to explain how to do this & where to find the cotton towels. I am inspired to try this on an apron! How well do you think the towel will hold up in the washer/dryer, or should it be hand washed. After all this work, I guess I know what I'd do!!
Found your blog through Nordic Needle and just LOVE it. I would like to do this gingham project. Went to All About Blanks and all they current sell is the micro check towels or the "gingham" with an intermediate stripe. Would these towels also work with this technique?
Gracias: todos los temas son muy amenos y muy lindos,dan ganas de trabajar aunque no sea de la misma calidad y belleza.
I have a long family history of "chicken scratchers" and as a bratty child received many wonderful, and woefully under appreciated, gifts using this technique, including aprons and a full length dress with apron.
Now that I am just about to turn 65 I am building up to actually trying it myself.
That Christian homemakers site does NOT work.
Thanks, Marny – I removed the links!
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We have talked about the previous three books before (see links at the end of this post), and today we will discuss the 365 THINGS TO DO WITH LEGO BRICKS. First of all, let's start by saying that this book is a bit different from previous titles, as here the focus is not just on creative LEGO models, but also activities, games, challenges, and pranks that can be combined with LEGO building. It is basically a LEGO inspiration book and an activity book combined. Because of this, the book is organized differently, and it also comes with a build-in activity selector and timer gadget.
The book is hard cover with bright and beautiful pictures at both the front and the back of the book, as well as the inside of the covers. The front cover of the book has a flap (also hard cover) with the activity selector and timer embedded. This small, battery-operated gadget (battery included) features an activity selector (press to get a random number between 1 and 365 to find a fun activity in the book), a countdown timer and a stopwatch (these are used for some of the games). While older LEGO fans probably won't care for it, children will likely find this little electronic device fun.
As the title suggest, the book includes 365 LEGO ideas, activities, and games – one for each day of the year. The index at the front of the book is exceptionally well organized. You can pick an activity either by themes or activities: Themes include the following categories: Animals and Other Creatures, Tricks and Pranks, Creepy Things, For Sport Lovers, Multi-Player Games, One Player Games, Group Challenges, Solo Challenges, Stylish Storage, Festive Fun, Brighten Your Desk, Party Planning, Discover with LEGO Bricks, Give a Gift, How-Tos, Get Arty, Make a Display, Puzzles and Brainteasers, Put on a Show, Build in Micro-Scale, Be Organized, Fun Things to Do with Your Minifigures, Get Snap Happy, Make It All About You, and On the Move.
Activities are based on how much time do you have (under 15 minutes, under an hour, lots of time), what bricks do you have (only a few, lots of the same color, lots of the same type), if you would like to play a solo game or with friends, if you would prefer a timed challenge, what are you in the mood for, and who are you building for? You can use this index to quickly find what you would like to do.
The rest of the book are the activities, which includes everything from building creative LEGO models to playing games that you make with LEGO bricks. Each page is big, with large text that explains how to build something and/or play the game. There are no step-by-step instructions for any of the models, however the pictures are large and detailed enough to figure out how everything was built.
At the back of the book there are a couple of pages featuring all the LEGO fans who contributed to the book, including the two main authors, Rod Gillies and Alice Finch. Alice is well known for her very large minifigure-scale LEGO Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, and she is also a contributor to some of the other LEGO books by DK Publishing. She lives with her family in Seattle, Washington. Rod Gillies lives in Edinburgh in Scotland, and is best known in the LEGO world for his steampunk and microscale creations, and being a contributor to the BrothersBrick blog. He has built models for a number of the LEGO books by DK Publishing. When he's not building, he writes, and is the author of a trilogy of adventure novels. In the real world, he works in innovation and marketing for one of the world's biggest brewers.
The book is recommended for ages 6-9, and I would say that sounds just about right. While I heartily recommend the other books in the series to kids, teens and adults, this book is clearly more suitable for younger children, because the focus is on playing, rather than building intricate LEGO models. For the recommended age-range, this book is a treasure house of activities, games and LEGO builds. It can definitely engage one or more children as the work themselves through the 365 projects.
An Ideal Book for LEGO Minifig Collectors!
I think I have the first LEGO ideas book ? It came with another book on mini figs. It's always great to see other ideas to add to bank of knowledge and creativity.
There was another series( it might be from the same publishers). Book 1 was building and castles and book 2 its about cars and vehicles . I think? But they were books 1 and 2 . They had interesting builds and ideas too. (I would have to go in my LEGO room to check what the titles really are. ) I find that if out imaginations starts to run wild , these books also can help focus our ideas.
What I like about this book, is that it thinks about the ammount of time and the bricks you have got.
Yes, the index of this book is organized really well.
I went into my LEGO room and found my books , do you remember the "Brickmaster" books. I have the Pirates and the Castle ones ( unopened ). I always found that sometimes the kids books are a lot more fun than the adult books( I guess that makes sense ,because LEGO was originally for kids). Of course some of us don't want grow up.LOL!
I have the Star Wars books. Pretty good and varied, although some of the builds are a bit strained.
That being said, I agree with the article in the sense that the other three books probably contain more useful knowledge for AFOLs. But I like this one, it's a nice addition to my collection and a great 'coffee table fixture' ;).
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Celebrity Big Brother 2018: Jacqueline Jossa 'leaves the country' as Dan Osborne enters house
Anna Francis
8:34 pm - 16/08/18
Is Jacqueline keen to avoid the show?
TAGS: Celebrity Big BrotherDan OsborneJacqueline Jossa
Dan Osborne might be entering Celebrity Big Brother 2018 but it sounds like Jacqueline Jossa won't be there to watch him.
The actress has reportedly left the country to go on holiday with the couple's children Ella, 3, and new baby Mia, with The Sun claiming that she's keen to avoid the scrutiny that Dan's appearance on the show will bring.
READ MORE CELEBRITY NEWS
MORE: Celebrity Big Brother 2018: THIS is how much each star is getting paid – and it will shock you!
Dan, 27, and Jacqueline, 25, have already endured months of speculation about the status of their relationship after split rumours first emerged in May when Jacqueline was still pregnant.
Things got even more dramatic in June when Dan was accused of sleeping with Love Island star Gabby Allen when they both attended a bootcamp in Marbella, allegations that both he and Gabby furiously denied.
The claims came from Gabby's ex-boyfriend Marcel Somerville.
But the scandal isn't quite over, given that Gabby, 25, will also be in the Celebrity Big Brother house – awkward.
Meanwhile Gabby revealed last week that she 'explained herself' to Jacqueline after the allegations.
'Yeah I have spoken to her,' she said. 'I never thought I'd have to explain anything before because I haven't done anything wrong so why would you have to explain anything?
'But then we have spoken and it was fine and you know what it's a shame because we all got on so well. It would have been nice to stay friends afterwards.
'I only know Dan, I don't know Jac, so I don't know what's going on. But Dan's a really nice guy, we got on really well.'
Despite all of this drama and Jacqueline's rumoured getaway, it's also been claimed that the former EastEnders star IS backing Dan in CBB.
A spokesperson for the mum-of-two reportedly told The Sun: 'She will be supporting him.'
Perhaps the status of Dan and Jacqueline's relationship will become clear if Dan spills the beans during his time in the house…
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People's Bank CEO/GM, N Vasantha Kumar and Mobitel CEO Nalin Perera entering into the partnership at the official launch (middle). Also present were (from left) People's Bank Manager Digitalization Thushara Hinguralaarachchi, People's BankDGM Commercial Banking & Digitalization Ranjith Kodituwakku, People's BankSDGM Banking OperationsMAB Silva, Mobitel Senior General Manager - Sales & Channel Development Chandika Vitharana, Mobitel General Manager – New Market Development Rukshan De Silva, MobitelAssistant Manager - New Market Development Suranjith Karunaratne and Mobitel Manager - Alternative Channels Lalith Priyashantha.
Enhancing customer convenience by leaps and bounds, Mobitel expanded its reach to millions of its consumers to conveniently settle bills and obtain reloads through People's Bank newly-digitalized infrastructure. Mobitel proactively enabled its customers to pay bills and reload via People's Wave Mobile Banking APP, the new revolutionary digital app by People's Bank, along with encouraging customers to use the Bank's Kiosk machines located at Self banking units island wide during the period of the joint promotion which started recently.
People's Bank promoted Mobitel reload and Bill payments through its People's Wave mobile banking app and Kiosk Machines through 24 Hours/365 Days for Mobitel customers. In exciting offers, customers were treated to free 2GB for the first Rs. 200/- Mobitel reload or Mobitel payments and a Rs. 50/- discount for transactions done through the kiosk for the first post-paid Mobitel bill payment during the promotional period. The promotion period is from 1st August 2018 to 31stAugust 2018.
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End of the road: £40.5m-rated liability running out of time to save his Spurs career – opinion
Tottenham Hotspur continued their impressive run of form with a last-gasp 1-0 victory over West Brom on Sunday afternoon.
And Jose Mourinho's team selection provided some clues into the future of one Spurs outcast.
The Special One opted for what appears to be his first-choice centre-back pairing, Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld, once again but named young summer arrival Joe Rodon on the bench as their back-up instead of Davinson Sanchez.
In fact, the 24-year-old – who was signed by Mauricio Pochettino for £42m in 2017 – was left out of a Premier League matchday squad for the third successive game.
Sanchez has featured just four times in the top-flight and has been axed since the dramatic 3-3 draw to West Ham United, a game in which the north Londoners should've won.
It was expected that Mourinho altered his backline having played their last few matches with the same duo, though evidently, he's had enough with the error-prone Sanchez.
In the past, the Colombian has been lambasted as a "liability" with some supporters calling him a "clown" too.
Former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood has even dubbed Sanchez a "mistake waiting to happen" – something even Mourinho know all too well having instructed his Manchester United side to target him whilst at Ajax during their Europa League triumph in 2017.
Now valued at just £40.5m by Transfermarkt, it appears that the Pochettino favourite is quickly running out of time to salvage his career in N17.
It's not like he has impressed whenever he's featured this term either, averaging just 1.8 tackles and one foul per game, across both domestic and European competitions, via WhoScored.
The departure of long-serving central defender Jan Vertonghen should have opened the door for Sanchez to finally kick on and cement his name down as that first choice option but that hasn't been the case.
A 23-year-old with no top-flight experience, a midfielder-turned-defender and an ageing star who's the wrong side of 30 are all ahead of him in the pecking order.
That snub on Sunday could be the final nail in the coffin for his future.
AND in other news, Forget Kane: £85k-p/w monster was Spurs' true match-winner vs WBA…
The post Davinson Sanchez snub a worrying sign for his Spurs future first appeared on FootballFanCast.com.
,,FootballFanCast.com,Read More
Azamtvutube
AZAM FC TV | Prince Dube asema ana hamu ya 'kuuwasha' moto wake – 19/01/2021
LIVE | ADHUHURI LIVE AZAM TV – JUMATATU 20/01/2021
MBILINGE ZA MICHEZO – AZAM TV 20/01/2021
CHAPA ZA LEO – AZAM TV 20/01/2021
PENYENYE ZA LEO – AZAM TV 20/01/2021
Habari za Saa, Saa Sita na Dakika 55, Januari 20, 2021.
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Telluride Festivals & Events | Official Telluride Events Calendar - SHAWN COLVIN LIVE IN CONCERT Multi-Grammy award winning singer songwriter Shawn Colvin returns to the historic Sheridan Opera House as part of the 2016 Holiday Concert Series. Winning her first Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album with her debut "Steady On," in 1989, Colvin has been a mainstay of contemporary folk music ever since, releasing 11 superlative albums and establishing herself as one of America's greatest live performers. Colvin was recently recognized for her career accomplishments receiving the honor of Lifetime Achievement Trailblazer Award from the 2016 Americana Awards Show.
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Robert Victor Joseph Coppee (ur. 22 kwietnia 1895 w Haine-Saint-Pierre, zm. 1 stycznia 1970) – belgijski piłkarz występujący podczas kariery na pozycji napastnika. Złoty medalista z Antwerpii.
Życiorys
Coppee całą swoją karierę klubową spędził w Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. Zdobył z nimi raz mistrzostwo Belgii oraz raz zwyciężył w pucharze Belgii.
Debiut w reprezentacji Belgii zaliczył 9 marca 1919 roku w zremisowanym 2:2 towarzyskim meczu z reprezentacją Francji. Pierwszego gola w drużynie narodowej 17 lutego 1920 w meczu z amatorską reprezentacją Anglii. Zdobył w tym meczu także drugiego gola, a Belgowie wygrali mecz 3:1. Wraz z kolegami zdobył złoty medal na Letnich Igrzyskach Olimpijskich 1920 w Antwerpii. Belgowie po kolei pokonywali reprezentacje Hiszpanii, Holandii oraz Czechosłowacji. Coppee zagrał w każdym z tych meczów i strzelił w nich 4 bramki. Także na Letnich Igrzyskach Olimpijskich 1924 wziął udział w turnieju razem z kolegami, lecz tam już w pierwszej rundzie polegli ze Szwedami. Ogólnie w barwach narodowych wystąpił 15 razy, zdobywając 9 bramek.
Występy w reprezentacji w danym roku
Przypisy
Bibliografia
Belgijscy medaliści olimpijscy
Reprezentanci Belgii w piłce nożnej
Piłkarze Royale Union Saint-Gilloise
Medaliści Letnich Igrzysk Olimpijskich 1920
Uczestnicy Letnich Igrzysk Olimpijskich 1924
Urodzeni w 1895
Zmarli w 1970
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Talisman And Smash Up Developer Working On Digital Version Of
Talisman and Smash Up developer working on digital version of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks
Fighting Fantasy Legends
Fighting Fantasy Legends teased by UK studio Nomad Games
The UK development studio behind the digital adaptation of Games Workshop's Talisman board game has teased its next tabletop-to-video game project: Fighting Fantasy.
Details on Fighting Fantasy Legends are extremely thin on the ground, with a six-second teaser trailer showing a brief glimpse of a map and the name the only solid information at the moment.
As well as bringing Talisman to PC, PS4 and PlayStation Vita (the latter formats arriving earlier this year), Nomad Games also ported card game Smash Up to mobile and PC.
Fighting Fantasy is the series of choose-your-own-adventure gamebooks written by Games Workshop founders Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson beginning in 1982.
Jackson later adapted the books into an RPG, with the Warlock of Firetop Mountain and Legend of Zagor stories turned into standalone board games – the former was then turned into a mobile and tablet game in 2010.
Livingstone recently revealed that he is working on a new Fighting Fantasy instalment to mark the series' 35th anniversary this August.
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Kung Fu star Carradine found dead in Bangkok hotel
This is the stable version, checked on 9 January 2010. Template/file changes await review.
8 October 2020: Guitarist Eddie Van Halen dies, aged 65
2 September 2020: Tributes paid to recently deceased US actor Chadwick Boseman
9 July 2020: Seoul city Mayor Park Won-soon found dead, South Korean police confirm
David Carradine in 2005
Image: Jano Rohleder.
American actor David Carradine was today found dead in a hotel room in Bangkok, Thailand. The 72-year-old actor had been in Thailand for production of his latest film, Stretch.
According to Bangkok police, the star of 1970's cult TV series Kung Fu was found half-naked in a wardrobe, a cord around his neck and body; the discovery was made by a hotel maid. One of Thailand's daily papers, The Nation, reports that police state there was no evidence of an intruder, positing that the actor had hanged himself.
Carradine's biggest recent success was his appearance in Quentin Tarrantino's movie, Kill Bill. In the 2003 film he played the title character Bill. His other considerable body of work in the entertainment business included around 100 other film appearances and nominations for four Golden Globe Awards.
His personal manager, Chuck Binder, told the press the news was "shocking and sad". He described the actor behind the iconic Caine character as, "...full of life, always wanting to work... a great person."
Carradine leaves behind wife Annie Bierman and three children, two of which have followed the family tradition and become actresses.
Wikipedia has more about this subject:
"Police rule out foul play for now" — The Nation (Thailand), June 4, 2009
Associated Press. "Actor David Carradine found dead in Bangkok" — Yahoo! News, June 4, 2009
"Kung Fu star Carradine found dead" — BBC News Online, June 4, 2009
Retrieved from "https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Kung_Fu_star_Carradine_found_dead_in_Bangkok_hotel&oldid=934371"
Brian McNeil (Wikinewsie)
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Latvia Political System
The independent Latvian constitution, which was first adopted in 1922, was re-established in 1993 but has been amended several times since then. Parliament makes laws and is elected every four years in general elections. The Russian minority tends to vote for Russian-dominated parties, while the Latvians choose parties where Latvian speakers consider. The president is head of state and primarily has a representative role.
The legislative parliament, saeima, has 100 seats. The members are appointed in direct, proportional elections of four years. A party must get at least five percent of the vote in order to get a seat in Parliament. The voting age is 18 years. Non-citizens lack voting rights in both parliamentary and municipal elections.
Countryaah: Total population and chart of Latvia for years of 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Also covers population density, birth rate, death rate and population growth rates.
The head of state and the head of the armed forces is the president, who in peacetime has the most representative functions but has a certain influence on foreign policy. The president is elected in a secret ballot in saeima for four years and may be elected for a maximum of two terms in a row. Former members of the Communist Party may not run for president.
The government is responsible to Parliament. The President proposes government leaders to be approved by Parliament. Other ministers are appointed by the prime minister. The President can dissolve Parliament, a measure that must be confirmed in a referendum. With a two-thirds majority, Saeima can dismiss the president.
Administration and the judiciary
Short for LV by Abbreviationfinder, Latvia is divided into 110 municipalities plus nine major cities.
Latvia's judicial system consists of three levels of courts, with the Supreme Court being the highest court. The Constitutional Court reviews that the laws that are enacted are constitutional. The judiciary has had problems with a lack of qualified lawyers, inefficiencies and corruption, but it is gradually strengthened. In recent years, the state anti-corruption agency, Knab, has made progress with several notable cases in the public sector, but corruption is still a common problem.
Split has characterized domestic politics after independence. Parties have been built around people with power ambitions rather than ideological programs, which means that there are often major differences of opinion within one party. The voters' sympathies have changed relatively quickly. Several coalition governments have been unstable and persecuted by corruption scandals. During the first two decades, several parties were under the influence of corruption-accused so-called oligarchs, who acquired wealth in the privatizations of the 1990s and then used them to influence or control politics.
Letters usually vote for Latvian-dominated parties and Russians for Russian-dominated. Many Russian-speaking residents lack voting rights. Only Latvian-dominated parties have been members of the government. Virtually all government parties have been in the middle or right of the political scale, with a market-friendly policy and support for the EU and NATO.
The right-wing Liberal Party Unity (Vienotība) was formed prior to the 2010 election by then-Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis as an alliance between the right-wing New Era, the Nationalist Citizens' Union and the Social Liberal Society for Political Change. Unity has been in the government since the fall of 2010. The party was plagued early by internal contradictions, but was held together by the economic crisis and the goal of bringing Latvia into the euro zone. In the mid-2010s, the wear and tear returned, which contributed to the party giving up the Prime Minister's post to the League of Green and Peasants (see Current policy). Before the 2018 elections, the party formed an alliance with some minor regional parties, but had no success among the electorate.
The League of Green and Peasants (Za ļ o un zemnieku savien ī ba, ZZS) was formed in 2002 and is an alliance of several parties. ZZS has been accused of being a tool for corruption-accused oligarch Aivars Lembergs. The party has had significant influence in several governments. It was put out of the government coalition in 2011, but again became part of the government after the 2014 election. The party backed strongly in the 2018 election.
The National Alliance (Nacionālā apvienība) was also included in the government after the 2014 elections. The party was formed in 2010 as a Latvian nationalist union between the All for Latvia and the Nationalist Party Fosterland and freedom. The party is dominated by ultranationalists from Everything for Latvia. The national alliance has been in the government since the new election in 2011. However, in the 2018 election, the party lost four seats in parliament compared to 2014.
The Reform Party (Reformu partija), which was the Unit's most important coalition partner after the 2011 election, was dissolved in 2015. The Liberal Party was formed prior to the 2011 election by former President Valdis Zatlers under the name Zatler's Reform Party. In the 2014 elections, the party put on a joint list of Unity.
The Harmonic Center (Saskaņas centrs, SC) is a Social Democratic-oriented party that was initially a five-party alliance. It changed its name to Harmony and became the biggest in the 2011 election – and by a small margin – also in 2014. But it has nevertheless found itself in the opposition. SC was founded in 2005 by several leftist and socialist parties and is dominated by ethnic Russians. SC has counteracted budget cuts, demanded increased social welfare and worked for citizenship and voting rights for all those born in Latvia. In the October 2018 elections, the party again became the largest and managed to capture a fifth of the vote.
Ahead of the EU and parliamentary elections in 2014, two new parties were formed, both of which managed to enter the Latvian Parliament by passing the five-percent barrier: Latvian Regions (Latvijas Reģionu Apvienība) and Latvia from the Heart (No sirds Latvijai), which has a conservative profile and works, among other things, for a moral upgrade.
Two relatively newly formed parties did well in the parliamentary elections in October 2018. The populist party Who owns the state? (Kam pieder valsts? KPV LV) came in second place while the New Conservative Party (Jaunā konservatīvā partija) came third.
Several previously influential parties have disappeared. The Conservative People's Party (Tautas partija, TP) was formed in 1998 by the financier and former Prime Minister Andris Šķēle. TP held a strong position in several governments and was accused of corruption because of the influence of oligarch Šķēle on business and politics. The party dissolved in 2011.
The market liberal and EU-friendly Latvia's road (Latvijas Ceļš, LC) was formed in 1993 and then played an important role in all governments until it disappeared from parliament in the elections in 2002. Four years later LC returned, then in alliance with Christian Democratic Latvia first party (Latvijas Pirmā Partija, LPP), led by oligarch Ainārs Šlesers. The partial alliance did not get a seat in Parliament after the 2011 election.
For Human Rights in a United Latvia (Par cilvēka tiesībām vienotā Latvijā, PCTVL) is a smaller left-wing party defending Russian-speaking and other minority rights and supported by Russian-speaking voters. In the 2010 election, PCTVL dropped out of parliament.
EuropeLatvia
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A Deeper Look at China's "Going Out" Policy
Hongying Wang
In recent years, the world has seen rapid growth in China's financial reach beyond its borders. Following the announcement of a "going out" strategy at the turn of the century, many Chinese enterprises have ventured to invest and operate abroad. After three decades as primarily a recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI), China has now emerged as a major FDI-originating country as well. Much of China's foreign aid is closely entangled with its outgoing FDI, and it has also been rising. Since 2013, the Chinese government has been pushing for a new One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative, aiming to connect China with countries along the ancient Silk Road and a new Maritime Silk Road via infrastructure investment. In addition, since 2009, China has actively promoted the internationalization of its currency, the renminbi (RMB).
There has been a great deal of anxiety about the motivations behind China's going out policy and its possible international consequences. Many view it as an expression of China's international ambition and a strategy that threatens the existing international order; however, that is not the whole story. An equally important but often less understood issue is the role of China's domestic politics and political economy in shaping its new activism in foreign financial policy. Moreover, it is unclear how successful the going out policy is. The complexity of China's going out policy was the topic for a recent round table discussion hosted by the Centre for International Governance Innovation and the Foreign Policy Institute at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC.[1] Participants discussed a number of issues around two broad themes: the impact of domestic political economy on China's foreign economic policy and the challenges for China's external financial strategy — in particular, its OBOR initiative.
Domestic Political Economy and China's Going Out Policy
China's going out policy is no doubt part of its overall more activist foreign policy. But China's domestic political economy has also been a major driving force. In particular, the growing problems with the old growth model, the changing relationship between the government and state-owned enterprises and banks, and the public dissatisfaction with the government's management of its foreign reserves have all contributed to the increase in outgoing FDI and aid programs. Meanwhile, many unconventional characteristics of China's going out programs, such as the ties between China's foreign aid and exports, resource-backed financing of many investment projects and the low level of attention paid to corporate social responsibility by Chinese companies operating abroad, are deeply rooted in the domestic political and economic institutions.
Domestic politics has also shaped the way China promotes the international use of its currency. The control of credit has long been a crucial source of political power of the Chinese party-state. Maintaining that control is fundamental to preserving the Chinese Communist Party's control over other actors in the country, including local governments and large enterprises. To minimize the threat to its power in the process of promoting RMB internationalization, Beijing has resorted to offshore RMB centres, in particular in Hong Kong. More recently, it has also looked to the OBOR initiative as a potential channel to expand the international use of the RMB.
The close relationship between domestic development in China and its foreign economic undertaking raises questions about how the economic slowdown in China may be affecting its outward investment and aid, as well as RMB internationalization.
A major driving force of China's outgoing FDI has been its massive foreign reserves accumulated since the early 2000s. Invested mostly in US government debt, China's reserves were generating low returns, incurring discontent from certain groups in China. Following the global financial crisis in 2008, this discontent turned into widespread anxiety that China's holdings of US dollar assets would lose their value as a result of American economic problems and macroeconomic policies. A consensus emerged that China would be better off investing in other types of assets overseas. The amount of outgoing FDI and aid rose dramatically.
In the last couple of years, the economic slowdown in China has led to pessimistic forecasts of China's economic performance for the foreseeable future. Multinational corporations are reallocating their resources. Financial market operators are betting on further RMB depreciation. Wealthy individuals in China are transferring their wealth out of the country, and China's central bank is intervening in the foreign exchange market in order to maintain stability of the exchange rate. As a result, in 2015, China's foreign reserves diminished dramatically from nearly US$4 trillion to US$3.33 trillion. January 2016 saw another drop of nearly US$100 billion. If this trend continues, it will undermine China's desire and capability to fund its outgoing FDI and aid.
The economic slowdown and the financial market volatility in China are also decreasing the pace of RMB internationalization. The international use of the Chinese currency has expanded rapidly in the last few years. By 2015, the RMB had become the second-most-used currency in international trade and the fourth in global payment. Late last year, the International Monetary Fund agreed to add the Chinese currency to the basket of currencies that determine the value of the Special Drawing Right. But the RMB is not a currency widely held in the reserves of other countries. For the RMB to become an international reserve currency, China has to further liberalize its financial market. In fact, for many reformers in China, the main purpose of internationalizing the RMB is precisely to deepen financial liberalization in China.
However, such reforms are losing momentum in the current economic climate. The focus of Chinese leaders is now on keeping the economy growing at above 6.5 percent and on maintaining financial stability in the country. Voices arguing against further capital account opening have become louder and stronger, and even the reformers in the Chinese central bank are prioritizing prudential regulation over further market reforms and RMB internationalization. In a recent interview, the governor of the People's Bank of China, Zhou Xiaochuan (2016), stated, "We are pragmatic, patient and determined with our goals, but do not target to move in a straight line toward reform goals."
Challenges for China's Going Out Policy
China's fast-growing outgoing FDI and aid, in particular, its grand strategy of OBOR, have generated great enthusiasm in China and serious concern in some other parts of the world. The official rhetoric in China describes these as win-win arrangements — connecting the world, helping other developing countries grow their economy and improving China's access to resources and markets abroad. Cynical outside observers view these initiatives and programs as part of China's plan to build its sphere of influence in Asia and beyond, threatening the dominance of the United States in world politics. Both of these perspectives may be underestimating the challenges for China's going out policy.
An important rationale for infrastructure investments, which account for large shares of China's FDI and aid programs and constitute a central component of the OBOR initiative, is the dire need for infrastructure in many countries in Asia and elsewhere. It is not clear, however, how effectively Chinese investment is able to fill that gap.
First, the estimated gap is much larger than the funding provided by China either unilaterally or through China-led multilateral banks. The global infrastructure gap approaches US$1 trillion a year, dwarfing the US$40 billion of the Silk Road Fund and the US$100 billion of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, both of which are designed to serve the OBOR initiative. Chinese officials have talked about leveraging government funding for private investments, but that will be difficult because of the shortage of bankable infrastructure projects that will likely generate sufficient returns to make the investment profitable and sustainable. While some projects (such as telecommunication networks and ports in strategic locations) may have no problem making enough revenue to pay back the investments, the same cannot be expected of other projects (such as roads going through poor rural areas, or water treatment plants). It is hard to imagine successful public-private partnerships for the latter.
Second, China's infrastructure investment projects abroad also face potential political and security challenges. When investing in transnational infrastructure such as roads and rail, China will need to engage in prolonged, complex and costly negotiations with many stakeholders to ensure the smooth implementation of its investments. The challenge of political engineering may be far greater than mechanical engineering. In addition, many of the countries along the "belt" and "road" are plagued by conflicts, corruption and political instability. For instance, Pakistan has assigned 100,000 troops to protect Chinese investment projects, while US troops have protected a China-invested copper mine in Afghanistan (Clover and Hornby 2015).
Finally, while China's going out strategy, in particular its OBOR initiative of connecting countries through infrastructure, is welcomed by some countries, others have not been as enthusiastic. In pluralistic societies, different interest groups have different priorities. For instance, while infrastructure may bring economic benefits, it may result in environmental damage. Opponents of projects can interrupt them in ways Chinese companies are unaccustomed to. In Indonesia, a high-speed railway largely financed by the China Development Bank was recently put on hold because of opposition and bureaucratic procedures. Furthermore, more than a few of China's neighbours are wary of its political and strategic ambitions in the region. The recent acceleration of Chinese maneouvres in the South China Sea has only heightened the geopolitical tension in that area. Neighbouring countries are trying hard to strike a balance between economic and strategic calculations in dealing with China; their embrace of China's OBOR initiative will therefore remain partial and hesitant.
To summarize, China's going out policy is driven and shaped by complex domestic and international factors. It is important to consider both sets of dynamics in trying to understand the trajectory of its course. There is a tendency to underestimate the obstacles for China's OBOR initiative both inside and outside of China, which has led to excessive optimism on the part of its supporters and exaggerated concern on the part of those fearing a more powerful China.
Clover, Charles and Luny Hornby. 2015. "China's Great Game: Road to a new empire." Financial Times, October 12. www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/6e098274-587a-11e5-a28b-50226830d644.html#axzz4116DrzgG.
Zhou, Xiaochuan. 2016. "Transcript: Zhou Xiaochuan Interview." Caixin Online, February 15. http://english.caixin.com/2016-02-15/100909181.html.
[1] Participants included Pieter Bottelier, Carla Freeman, Alex He, Randall Henning, Ho-Fung Hong, David M. Lampton, Domenico Lombardi, David Steinberg, Hongying Wang and Shahid Yusuf.
China's fast-growing outgoing FDI and aid, in particular, its grand strategy of OBOR, have generated great enthusiasm in China and serious concern in some other parts of the world.
China's Role in the Global Economy
Schism: China, America and the Fracturing of the Global Trading System
Paul Blustein
Chinese Industrial Actors in Global Rule Making: A Preliminary Exploration
Hanzhi Yu
Made in China 2025 as a Challenge in Global Trade Governance: Analysis and Recommendations
Anton Malkin
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Fantasporto line-up reveals US accent
By Jennifer Green2004-01-06T04:00:00+00:00
North American films have a notable presence at the upcoming 24th edition of Portugal's leading Oporto International Film Festival (Feb 20-Mar 1), better known as Fantasporto.
Twenty films make up the Fantasy Film selection of the Official Competition. The Director's Week competition will feature 11, mostly European titles from directors such as Anders Tomas Jensen or Alex de la Iglesia.
The non-genre specific Premiere & Panorama showcase will open with Michael Polish's Northfork and close with Wayne Kramer's The Cooler. It complements other sections such as the Melies d'Argent competition and an Orient Express sidebar.
In the Fantasy section, from the US and Canada come Marcus Nispel's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (US), Eli Roth's Cabin Fever (US), Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses (US), Jean-Baptiste Andrea and Fabrice Canepa's Dead End (Fr, US), Lynn Hershman Leeson's Teknolust (US), Greg Pac's Robot Stories (US) and Karim Hussain's Ascension (Can).
European competitors include Nicholas Winding Refn's Fear X (Den), Julian Richards' The Last Horror Movie (UK), Nicholas AJ Sherard's Don't Look Back (UK), Tony Luke's Dominator (UK), Hermine Huntgeburth's Bibi Blocksberg (Ger). Brian Yuzna's Beyond Re-Animator, Enric Folch's Tempus Fugit and Laura Mana's Killing Words will represent Spain.
Finally, Greg Page's The Locals (NZ) complements Asian entries Park Ki-Hyeong's Acacia (Kor), Kim Jee-woon's A Tale Of Two Sisters (Kor), Lee Jong-Hyuk's H (Kor) and Chisui Takigawa's Lucky Ears (Jap).
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Christian Science Monitor Interviews McSween about Martian Volcano
One Martian volcano may have erupted for at least 2 billion years, according to new research.
Christian Science Monitor recently reported on research that studied Martian meteorites. These meteorites developed when igneous rock broke off Mars when something slammed into its surface about 1.1 million years ago.
The most recent study has long suggested that big volcanic centers on Mars, such as Tharsis and Elysium, could have formed as long ago as 3 or 4 billion years ago, says Harry "Hap" McSween, a geoscientist at UT who was not involved in the research.
"It's nice to have confirmation," he tells the Monitor.
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Harry "Hap" McSween
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The start of the school year is an exciting time for many. Reconnecting with friends, new lessons to be taught and learned, and the shared experience of fun and camaraderie at school arts, cultural and sporting events.
Violence against educators isn't a local problem. A 2011 survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) of nearly 3,000 K-12 teachers, found that 44 percent said they had been physically attacked. Further, the APA reports that violence against teachers results in, lost wages. lost days of work (927,000 days/per year nationwide), training and replacement of teachers leaving the school or profession prematurely, medical and psychological care, student disciplinary proceedings, increased workers' compensation claims and premiums and incarceration of perpetrators.
While many of the initial struck-by claims are low cost in dollars, the amount of administration time needed for processing and managing the claims can take a toll on budgets and distract employees from normal work activity. What's worse is that if the student or student perpetrators are not properly managed and/or the staff isn't trained in the best practices to manage these students, the severity of the injuries can increase over time and end up costing the city or town more, as well as adding additional emotional toll on the teacher, staff, and other students.
Incident Prevention that looks at environmental, social, staffing, and activity methods to decrease the likelihood of challenging behavior.
Incident Minimization, which involves strategies for early anticipation and detection of challenging behavior and methods to stop, minimize, and reverse the progression of challenging behavior.
Incident Management that includes strategies and techniques for the safe, therapeutic management, termination, and future prevention of challenging behavior.
Post-Incident Procedures that focuses on recovery procedures, debriefing procedures, data collection & analysis.
An example approach of what a school staff can learn comes from David Lennox, Ph.D. President and CEO of QBS, Inc. a behavioral skills training company. Dr. Lennox notes that in most cases, dangerous behavior doesn't occur out of the blue. There are often smaller events—signals—that happen before the dangerous behavior, which may give a "heads up" that more aggressive behavior is coming.
He says the first step is to observe more closely. Learn those signals and communicate them to others. Then watch for the signals to take steps to prevent further escalation. Triggers—events that upset, irritate and evoke escalation—are also something to consider.
Next, Dr. Lennox says it's important to plan an approach. Body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice communicate a lot. Make sure staff know to approach in a way that is not likely to be taken as aggressive. Make sure their faces and voices don't indicate that they are frustrated or angry. Staff should not approach an agitated individual while clasping their hands behind their back. Hands and arms should be free, but not look confrontational (e.g., not crossed), so that if the agitated student makes a sudden move to strike, the staff member can protect himself or herself.
Among strategies to calm an individual, according to Dr. Lennox, is to try to help the individual by asking some gentle questions such as "How can I help you?" It can also be helpful to redirect the student to a more appropriate activity or conversation topic that will guide him or her away from whatever is causing the escalation. Once an individual begins cooperating with simple requests, and receives reinforcement for cooperating, the cooperation will often continue.
Lastly, Dr. Lennox notes that if the team you have assembled is not able to safely de-escalate the situation, whether it be because the members are not adequately trained or because the threat is just too great, let them know whom they should call for assistance.
Each municipality and school district should research available programs to find the one that most aligns with its goals, and provides training to everyone (teachers, administrative staff, custodians, cafeteria staff, etc.) who works with students who may become verbally or physically aggressive. Everyone's safety depends on it and reducing insurance losses is an added benefit.
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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Narm/Manga
There are subjectives, and then there are these. While you may believe a work fits here, and you might be right, people tend to have rather vocal, differing opinions about this subject.
Please keep these off of the work's page.
Narm / Manga
More Less - More - De Determinator Fr It Narm
Create New - Create New - Analysis FanficRecs FanWorks Fridge Haiku Headscratchers ImageLinks PlayingWith Quotes ReferencedBy Synopsis Timeline Trivia WMG YMMV
THIS ISN'T AN EVIL GUYS
Miura: It's definitely a serious scene, where he's really angry, and it would otherwise be cool... but with an otter...
Hattori: Do you think Hiramaru-kun was going for laughs?
Miura: I can't tell...
Mashiro: Hiramaru-san was serious, but we laughed anyway.
— Bakuman。
Just like their anime cousins, Narm may occasionally creep into the pages of your favorite (or not-so-favorite) manga series.
Manga with their own Narm pages.
Although, to some, all manga can be construed as narmy, what can really kill it for fans and otaku alike, is when the magazine editors for which the manga is originally released take it upon themselves to add more to the suspense of the already Cliffhanger-ish ending. By adding stupid tag-lines. The most EPIC, MIND-BLOWING THING could happen, and snap, the coolness evaporates into narm for the reader. Just by adding a few simple words such as: "Rejection!" or they just plain point out the obvious or ask stupid questions like "What will X do next!?" As you can imagine, it becomes quite tiresome when your favorite manga gets sorta ruined every single chapter.
Although it helps that the compiled volumes usually get rid of the tag lines.
In the "Queen Sayoko" mini arc of Ah! My Goddess, Belldandy willingly sacrifices her free will for Keiichi's. She is also commanded to "go home" (everyone thinks that means Heaven) because he was too busy laughing about Sayoko's utterly ridiculous "queen" outfit.
"Scanslations" (which is to say, translated manga scans - the comic equivalent of Fansubs) suffer from this when the translators do not originally speak English (or whatever language the scanslation is in), are overly literal, or just don't care. One particular instance comes from a scanslation of an early issue of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga in which the otherwise touching and poignant segment of Ed and Al Elric being forced to be midwives for a delivering mother is ruined by the line "THE BABY'S BEEN BRONED!" (sic). That same page also has "time to the wash the baby" and "becasue".
From a Mahou Sensei Negima! scanslation: the climax of a dramatic conversation is flattened by the main character saying, "Stop trying to pull the WOLL over my eyes!" ARGH. Come on guys, check your spelling.
A Touhou hentai doujinshi had Reisen and Youmu — erm — taking care of business, as it were. The whole thing suddenly spiraled into hilarity when Reisen discovered Youmu's ghost half and asked "how did it formed?" Whoops.
Any scanlation where the scanlator uses internet slang to save space. How can you take a fight with a giant-dwarfing zombie seriously when half the crew reacts with "OMG!"?
Same goes for unfitting swear words. Cursing makes a character sound vulgar and unintelligent. When a character who's supposed to be classy and educated uses them (especially every other sentence), the result is Narm.
One D.Gray-Man scanslation translated "The Musician" as "The Player." Way to break the drama, guys. Arguably even funnier because that particular character could probably score with anyone in the series, male or female, if he tried.
It's astounding how often translators will misspell "strength" as either "strentgh" or "strenght."
It's also amazing how often translators confuse "lose" and "loose", or the sheer amount of How Do I Used Tense?.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure fans can sum this up with two words: "Duwang scans". note The notoriously awful translation of Part 4, thus named because "Morioh" - the town where the arc takes place - was translated as "Duwang" because the translator used the Chinese reading for the characters
Poor or strange choices of font can also kill the drama. Nothing ruins a touching or heartwarming moment like the scanlator(s) deciding to use Comic Sans. Of course for certain genres, "Blind Idiot" Translations go beyond just plain old narm.
There's a scene in the Get Backers manga where Action Girl Himiko just finished an emotional fight, defeating the guys who killed her new friend Miyama, who had just asked her to use her perfumes and witchcraft to save the Kiryuudo. As soon as she sees Ban next, she jumps into his arms and hugs him in distress. Even if we ignore the lingering Clothing Damage, the gratuitous Panty Shot while she's flying in mid-air kills any emotional effect the scene might have had. Except immature giggling.
That's par for the course on Get Backers. What about the early issue that had a panel of Himiko getting all hot and bothered while Ban searched through her clothes for an antidote to her poison? Because narrowly surviving a high-speed automobile crash and getting manhandled by the person who killed her brother is a sure way to turn a woman on.
The Tower of Conviction arc in the Berserk manga had a group of inquisitors who were turned into "angels" via demonic magic. They were interesting characters with angelic wings, a threat to Guts and his group, an interesting study on the nature of religious dogma and true miracles... wait, did that guy just shout GOD CANNON as he attacked? Seriously? GOD CANNON? Way to make a torturous inquisitor who had previously been shown torturing people laughable, guys.
That particular character has a head shaped like a cube, which in itself can be amusing. The "GOD CANNON" wouldn't have been too bad if all of his attacks were formatted "GOD (SOMETHING)," but there is some slight variation. "GOD'S BREATH" and "GOD'S HAND" weren't bad, but "GOD'S PRESSURE" was a bit ridiculous.
Samus repeatedly screaming "Kill Me!" at the end of the Metroid manga's 9th chapter and at the beginning of the tenth. Her white eyes, occasionally elongated "Me"s, and being Out of Character make this scene hard to take seriously.
Your milage may really, really vary, knowing what the subject matter is about but Keiji Nakazawa's art in Barefoot Gen can cause narm for some, due to how weird the characters expressions can be, but also how characters vocally say WAAAAAAH when ever they cry can really ruin scenes for some and ends up coming off forced.
Golgo 13: "Flagburner." It makes sense that someone angry with the Clinton administration would hire Golgo 13 to tip the scales of the 2000 Florida recount. It made a convincing, well-written thriller... up until the panel that showed the stylized Clinton having smiley anal sex in the Oval Office.
The Enigma of Amigara Fault has one of these that ruins the horror, partially because you can take the last page out of context and partially because of Memetic Mutation. Someone shines a light in one of the fissure-like holes on a side of the vault in the last few pages. Inside, he sees a former human, twisted beyond recognition into a blackened, leathery And I Must Scream Body Horror (teriyaki-flavored, probably), slowly worming his way through the cracks with the infamous cry of DRR... DRR... DRR... The researcher's response?
"IT'S SLOWLY COMING THIS WAY!!"
If you don't know the rest of the story, then this is hilariously camp.
4chan, in typical 4chan fashion, had to render the manga completely unterrifying by changing "DRR DRR DRR" into "DDR DDR DDR"...
"It's slowly dancing this way!"
Exemplified within ◊.
Even in the original, the "DRR" loses its scariness when you realise that it could be pronounced as "durrr". As in, the stereotypical idiot grunt.
The "Cleaning Out the Storage" strip in Axis Powers Hetalia had a genuinely powerful and emotional plot. But when England went into a Twisted-Knee Collapse in front of America after being defeated, the panel shot gives the impression that he was about to give America head. Waaaaaaay to ruin the until-then very well-done drama, Himaruya.
One particular scene in the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga is hard to take seriously. During the "End of Eva" scene where Shinji is trying to snap Asuka out of her coma, instead of the scene ending in Shinji jerking off to Asuka's comatose body, Asuka snaps out of it just long enough to go crazy and violently strangle Shinji. Perhaps this was Asuka's revenge for all the things Shinji does to her in End of Eva: "Now how do YOU like it!?"
The scene in which Yui straddles Shinji inside Unit 01 can be taken this way. It's supposed to be creepy, but it comes off like a scene from a weird incest hentai manga.
The creator of Shoujo Sect chose insane romanizations for the characters' names. Chizuru becomes Chizzle, Handa is Hunter, Enjyoji is Engeorge, Naitou is Knight-O... Any time one of these spellings appears, it removes drama from the scene.
Here's an example from the first seven volumes of Yu-Gi-Oh!: so Yami Bakura has trapped everyone in that tabletop RPG game. Towards the end, the good Bakura manages to regain control over one of his hands, so Yami Bakura decides to deal with it by impaling his hand on one of the towers of the boardgame's castle, uttering the priceless but silly line "How do you like the taste of durable polyester, Hand?!" in the process. Even better (or worse, depending on how you view Narm) if you imagine the line being said with Ted Lewis's typical delivery for the character.
The most poignant scenes in the manga Translucent are ruined by the frequent Narmtastic Off-Model shots. Even when on model, some of the characters look incredibly bizarre for a supposedly realistic manga. In particular, there's Shizuka's teacher, whose first appearance makes his head three faces tall and tilted 45 degrees. Even in later volumes, he has a head easily twice the height it should be.
The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service has one during a chapter in which the group discovers that a parasite normally found in snails that bulges out their eyestalks and hijacks their mind to make them go up to high places and get eaten by birdsnote Leocochloridium Paradoxum , if you're curious has adapted to use humans in the same way. While the final discovery of a victim with his eyeballs turned into humongous eyestalks is supposed to be horrific, it's also somewhat ridiculous, especially with the victim's expression and his line afterwards.
"I wanna be a biiiiiird!"
The first volume of Kurokami included a segment where, due to some fancy magic, the main character and a random magician girl couldn't be too far apart because she had saved his life by exchanging his mangled arm for her OK one. The manga decided to show this by having the main character's donated arm fall off and following this with his getting told off like a naughty schoolboy for letting it happen.
In Waq Waq, during Shio's fight with Leo, there are two major bits of Narm while Shio is considering what he can do compared to what Leo can do.
Shio notes that Leo has quite a few abilities for his Gozinzou, then recalls that he can eat, whereupon a Super-Deformed version of himself fused with Armati with a face on his eating arm.
Shio finally recalls one of his father's techniques to harden and uses that technique to defend, but still gets blown away by Leo's attack. Instead of an Oh, Crap! expresion, he has a dazed expression with Blank White Eyes as he flies into the air spinning countless times. He notes somewhat anticlimactically, "it didn't help any."
Chapter 387 of InuYasha (which is in volume 39), in the translation by Viz, includes this dialogue:
Ryujin: "You're harboring Toshu, aren't you?! Then I'll slice you all to ribbons!"
Inuyasha: "Oh yeah? I like ribbons. So try it!"
The Norwegian translation falls into this by first showcasing the Japanese names of the attacks and having the translation between the panels, only to have them translated for the rest of the volume for some reason. As with the Fullmetal Alchemist does the Norwegian versions of the words not sound nearly as threatning falling into this. It was cancelled at the 22nd volume.
Future Diary is full of this because the art isn't well-drawn in the early chapters. This is a particularly lovely example of Narm in the series.
Fourteen. Even the description of the plot puts this manga in narmtopia. The manga takes place in the future in a chicken meat growing factory, where a lump of chicken flesh transforms into a supermutant chicken man named "Chicken George". (Yes, really.) He goes on a mission to take revenge on humanity for ruining the planet. This was written by the author of the creepy horror manga "Drifting Classroom".
In one scene, Chicken George captures a stranded sailor and clones him. Using his experiments to transform them all into hideous bottom dwellers as a fitting form of human depravity in his eyes is gory and horrifying until he voices how he will turn them into creatures that "Feast on animal dung and the pollutants they themselves spit up "
Chicken George's "wife" is an intellectually enhanced chicken .
The U.S. president decides to name his unborn child "America."
Parents go crazy all over the world because their babies are green . Yes, the babies have a skin color problem, but is that any reason for the scientists to take all the green babies and try to incinerate them? <shudder>
The story is narmy enough, but the artstyle just piles it on. Look at this page and try not to laugh!
In the AKIRA manga, Lady Miyako succumbs to her wounds while fighting Tetsuo. All in all, it's an appropriate and dramatic scene... except that she happens to collapse on a slanted piece of rubble, and a whole panel shows her body slowly sliding down.
At the end of the Future Arc in Katekyō Hitman Reborn!, Kikyo was talking about how the Funeral Wreaths were not just "normal humans," and how Byakuran had brought them up to greatness in this parallel world, and then Xanxus tells him to shut up and does this . It really shouldn't have been funny.
The character Shitt. P. of the Simon Family. More specifically, her name.
After Tsuna epicly punches Daemon Spade several yards underground, the next panel is simply "YOU BASTARD!" coming from the hole created. I laughed.
The entire concept of the great power that pacifiers can give.
Quoted above is a part of a scene in Bakuman。, where Hattori and Miura advise Takagi and Mashiro to incorporate "serious humor" into scenes, that kids won't notice as funny, and adults will laugh at, so they can be funny without trying to be. The expressions on Mashiro and Takagi's faces after Mashiro suggests that Azuki broke up with him over keeping Takagi's meetings with Aoki and his uncle loving her secrets mother from her don't exactly convey the sense of shock that they feel.
Sorry, Tsukuyomi. Seeing you make the face on the right top side of the page completely killed the drama of the tense scene you had just been in. (SPOILERS!) We do know the Sex Is Violence deal going on with a Blood Knight Depraved Bisexual like you, and that It Makes Sense in Context... but for some of us, it's still funnier than it should be.
Negima also contains an In-Universe example when Setsuna attempts to intimidate Chao while wearing a bunny costume. Chao is quick to point out that the costume kills the drama.
Chao: "Ohohoho. When you act cool in a cute costume, it just doesn't convince people!"
Setsuna: "Be quiet!"
The tension that comes from Beatrix, Yuna and Sayo being turned into stone by Fate's petrifying darts goes POOF when there's a close up of Chibi!Sayo becoming granite. Most hilarious Kick the Dog ever.
When Emily is revived by Asuna alongside everyone else, her friends go hug her. It's very heartwarming, except for how Yue was drawn in that particular page.
Jadeite's death in the Sailor Moon manga because of the sound effect, written as "FLAAAAAAA!".
In volume 3 of the newest release, Luna shouts "BECOME ONE WITH THE MOON STICK!" And in the middle of a climatic battle to add insult to injury...
The art in Hellsing's early chapters is a bit... weird. Fortunately the manga underwent some drastic Art Evolution, but this makes rereading Volume 1 really jarring. Take a look at Seras . It also doesn't help that Hirano apparently hadn't finalized Alucard's characterization... "I still have too many human reasons" ? He's a completely different character than the sadistic psycho we know him as today.
The entire fourth round of the Liar Game tournament gives the different players nicknames, usually based on their appearance. Thing is, these nicknames can sound condescending when they're spoken out loud, which they are. So we get the eternally cheerful Nao calling people "Four-Eyes", "Baldy" and "Fatso", among other names, in the middle of otherwise serious discussions.
Liar Game has a lot of this due to the characters' mouths opening way too wide when they're feeling particularly happy or surprised.
Super Mario-kun:
Whenever someone swears (it happens a lot) in Super Mario-kun.
There's also the panel with the Shadow Queen. It looked like they weren't sure if they wanted to make her a chibi-type manga cute, or a terrifying Eldritch Abomination like in the games and decided to just do both. Also the face Mario's making in the corner of the same panel completely destroys what little threat she still had at that point.
Gyo is full of Narm. Pretty much everything from the second chapter onward can be construed as completely hilarious. Anything involving a shark is guaranteed funny, as is the fish in the garbage bag. The second volume is replete with scenes of infected humans burping and farting everywhere, and even a death stench circus. One wonders how it is even possible to be scared by this, apart from the Body Horror.
Mad Bull 34 usually gets a pass because of Narm Charm, but the second chapter of the manga is... special. A junkie going through withdrawal takes a neighbor hostage in his apartment. Aside from his being fat for a long-term heroin junkie, what he does with the girl is ridiculous. Facing out the window with shotgun in hand, he forces her to grab his testicles and squeeze as if she wanted to crush them - reasoning that such intense pain will take his mind off the whole "my desire for smack is driving me mad" thing. Whatever you're imagining, it's more absurd than that. Subsequent chapters feature their fair share of bizarre and hilarious content, but this is the, ahem, high point.
Later, we get to know Nickel the Electrician, a hitman who kills people by using his electrical and mechanical expertise in creative ways. There's nothing silly about that, but his other big thing is his bizarre compulsion to piss on his target's car. Nickel happens to be diabetic, by the way, which is how Sleepy knew he was gunning for him - because he could smell the sugar from Nickel's insulin in the urine. After Nickel's "exploding light bulb" trick doesn't work, his next plan involves strapping a firearm of his own design to a stray cat.
The manga version of Puella Magi Madoka Magica is not known for its subtlety. It shows in the very graphic consequences of the Witch hunts (like its version of Mami Tomoe's death)... and then it completely ruins the scenes that put Kyubey in the light of his inability to understand human concerns/standards and very crafty and effective manipulations. Considering that Kyuubey's "key" for this is his Perpetual Smiler, Dissonant Serenity and Frozen Face traits, his "Nightmare Face" ◊ from the manga (which he pulls when Homura calls him "Incubator") comes off more as ridiculously overblown than truly scary... if not downright stupid. Guess some things are just better done in animated form...
Made even better/worse/whatever by how from then on, Kyuubey has Black Eyes of Evil. It's so stupidly and ridiculously Anvilicious that it seems he's constantly tripping balls, or that the manga author thinks the readers are complete idiots who need to be constantly told how eeeeeeevil he's supposed to be.
In the sort-of prequel Puella Magi Oriko Magica, due to the art-style, some things are really hard to take seriously. For example, Yuma just saw her parents killed right in front of her, and she's wondering where she's going to go while Kyoko tries to disuade her from becoming a Magical Girl. It's a really sad scene, until... she makes this face (bottom right panel.) Damn it, Yuma.
Four manga chapters later, when Madoka is separated from Hitomi and Sayaka during the witch attack on Mitakihara Junior High orchestrated by Oriko and Kirika, she makes almost exactly the same face. (bottom left panel). Wut.
"Papa's breakfast taste so delicious...... WHEN YOU'RE ALIVE TO ENJOY IT."
In Manga Messiah, a manga adaptation of the Gospels, a very serious accusation is ruined with Jesus calling the Pharisees "phonies". As in, "You phonies!" Facepalm.
Wait, Holden Caufield is Jesus?
In The Prince of Tennis, specifically New Prince of Tennis, when Atobe evolves to get his X-ray vision, it's really not a Moment of Awesome.
Wait, only that? Beforehand, Inui's "transformation" in a mummy after his doubles match with Kaidoh is just as narmtastic as in the anime.
In the Soul Eater manga, Medusa's possession of Rachel Boyd's body loses a lot of its dramatic impact when it looks like this. ◊
"Yup, Maka. And I'm a scythe" Says the scythe.
Some of the side views come across as this (at the bottom). Especially during important and dramatic scenes.
The official English translation of the Trinity Blood manga often uses some very... questionable translations for dialogue and sound effects. It kind of ruins the drama when the vampires insist on using Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe every time they speak, especially with Ion Fortuna. The fact that he keeps insisting on addressing himself as "we" really lessens whatever drama they were going for. The sound effects are just as bad; in the Gunmetal Hound chapters, a dude getting shot in the head apparently warrants the sound effects "Bonk" and "Splat". BONK AND SPLAT, GUYS. There's also an entire panel, right in the middle of a tense, fast-paced fight scene, used to translate the large japanese sound effect as "a cold wind blows". What.
During a rape scene in the Zeorymer manga the attacker walks outside, breaks off an icicle from the roof, files off the pointy end with his teeth (very considerate of him), and uses it to continue raping the victim. This would be disturbing, except it happens right after a cheesy exposition monologue (also made while raping), so instead it just pushes the whole scene over the top and into funny territory, and it just gets funnier when you realize that the rape is never mentioned again.
Pandora Hearts: See Elliot in Chapter 26 here where he holds a sword at crotch level. Oz does it too.
Viz's English translation for the Dragon Ball manga can be narmful in a different way from Funimation's dub of the anime with its borderline Purple Prose and abuse... of... Dramatic Ellipsis.
In Black Butler chapter 68 Ciel goes to a school where students have "butlers" which are called "fags". I laughed every time the word fag came up. "It's fag time!"
This is overlapping with Have a Gay Old Time, as this was what the "butlers" were called in those days.
Very late in the Fruits Basket manga, Bishie Sparkle is used as a Vomit Discretion Shot after Kyo's stomach gets the better of him.
The Record of ATX manga gives us this enemy operator . He looks like a weird cross between an Ethnic Scrappy and a Monster Clown, and the strange appearance of the other operator and the captain just makes the scene even weirder.
From Deadman Wonderland we get "Hey you fucking guys", courtesy of Genkaku.
From Tamayo Akiyama's So Bad, It's Good Zyword, we get lots of hilarious dialogue (i.e, people screaming and no one representing them on the page, lots of cheesy nooos, and the classic one-liner: "But, what are the goddesses, really? What are the goddesses, and what is Zyword?")
There are lots of "Blind Idiot" Translation moments such as these gems:
"You kept it and didn't KILL (should be tell) anyone that she murdered our queen."
"DEATH TO THE DIRTY ONE!"
Also, the fact that the girl falls in love with someone at the age of FIVE, not to mention he's much older than she is.
In the second half of Private Actress, Kana=/=Satoka 's villainy can be seen as this easily. The idea of a girl no older than 15 being SO omniscient, dominant and powerful over the series's adults that she easily drives a woman who's almost 10 years older to an overblown and melodramatic suicide, tries to make everyone believe that she slept with a man old enough to be her grandfather to get all kinds of publicity, AND gets a girl doused with acid to get her out of acting competition, among several other things, stretches your Willing Suspension of Disbelief quiiiiite a bit. Specially since this series is supposed to be Slice of Life and thus almost completely devoid of magic or supernatural elements to use as plot devices, which makes Kana/Satoka even more ridiculous and not to mention petty as fuck. What kind of adults are these?!
Misu Misou is about bullying, but after a certain point, the bullying becomes so insanely exaggerated that it becomes difficult to take the story seriously. The bullies in this story are so over-the-top evil that even the orphanage bullies from Elfen Lied would probably call them out on how savage and insane most of them are. The most prominent of them go above and beyond typical bullying and into Ax-Crazy Card-Carrying Villain territory, made worse by the fact that these kids couldn't possibly be older than 13 or 14, and the art style makes them look about 10 or 11. The worst of it is when they burn down the main character's house, which kills her parents and leaves her younger sister severely burned and comatose. And that's not even mentioning the fact that the main character is subjected to these things for literally no reason other than the fact that she's from out of town.
In general, the manga taking Dysfunction Junction a bit too far can make things a little hard to take seriously. Almost every single character with any importance in the manga whatsoever is either a psychotic, mustache-twirling bully, or was bullied to the point of becoming one. The worst of this would be the random scenes with the class' teacher toward the end, which ends with the revelation that she pukes whenever she gets stressed and got bullied as "Puke Girl" in middle school. That's not the part that falls into this territory. What does is the part where having this brought up to her causes her to inexplicably snap and gouge a guy's eyes out and bite another guy's lips off, then jump out the window and get run over by a snow plow. This entire scene and everything in it came completely out of nowhere and ultimately doesn't effect anything else in the story at all.
The official Batman manga from the 60s is filled with this. It's impossible to take it serious with moment like this one .
Tokyo Ghoul:
In the sequel manga the character Urie is frequently drawn without his mouth so it looks awkward when they have him talking.
Ishida Sui's very expressive art sometimes gets overexpressive. Kaneki's reactions tend to be the most affected by this, although Tsukiyama isn't that far behind him (and in fact overtakes him in the anime). However, the Narm mostly sticks around just in the beginning of the series; the reactions get less narmy the later in the series, both because of the story itself and Ishida's art improving.
Kaneki twisting his leg around in order to kick Jason properly, and then the way it spins back into place, is awesome, Squick, and kinda hilarious all at the same time.
So is the true one-eyed owl ripping off Shinohara's leg and taunting Juuzou about it.
The end of Chapter 61 where Arima talks to Furuta about "talking" to V is probably meant to be serious...only the angle of the panel makes Furuta appear to be shoving his ass out. This made it hard for fans to take seriously.
Another narmy but also scary sequence is Furuta's over-the-top murder of Eto's editor, involving cooking him and bringing the resulting pate to Cochlea in a tupperware container for Eto.
In the manga chapter 70 there's the scene where Kaneki attacks Furuta in self defense and knocks a tooth out. Furuta responds by saying "Owie!" in an original translation.
The (for some controversial) manga Kodomo No Jikan is an odd example of this trope, as it's not any particular scenes that are narmy, but the greater elements in the series as a whole. The series is mostly a drama about elementary schoolgirls growing up, but with Lolicon and Shotacon fanservice mixed in. Those who read it to the end generally confirm that it focuses more on the drama and issues later on (and becomes a lot better in the process), but the initial chapters make it difficult to take seriously when it comes across as melo-dramatic, thus many readers drop it before it even really starts.
Junji Ito has a bad habit of making his longer series rather goofy as he runs out of fresh scares. For instance, Hellstar Remina is terrifying, until the part where the Earth starts spinning at cartoonish speeds, which our heroes take advantage of by jumping across continents using the torque. And an army follows suit after them.
Narm
ImageSource/Anime & Manga
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Hello! Welcome to our 2019-20 Rites of Passage Academy application process! We are excited that you are interested in being a part of our award-winning mentoring program and look forward to receiving your application! Please be sure to read the following information thoroughly; good luck!
Applications are available to rising 8th-11th grades only.
Each applicant must have a recommender (non-family member) complete the 'Mentee Recommendation Form' which is available on page 3 of the application. Recommenders can be a Guidance Counselor, Teacher, Principal, School Advisor, a 100 Black Men member, or anyone who can attest to the applicant's academic performance. Your application will not be complete without a corresponding 'Mentee Recommendation Form.' Please be sure to correspond with the recommender to ensure that the form will be completed by the deadline. The 'Mentee Recommendation Form' cannot be submitted separate the application.
Applicants must submit all completed materials to [email protected] as (1) PDF document–including the Mentee Recommendation Form, Application, Contact and Information Release, Mentee Interest Survey, and Official School Transcript. The non-refundable $25 Application Fee is due the same day the application is submitted. Any applications received without an accompanying application fee received on the same day of submission will be disqualified. Instructions on how to pay the application fee is on pg. 2 of the application.
A copy of the applicant's official transcript must be included with the application.
Interviews will take place on a Saturday June 22, 2019 at the Morehouse School of Medicine starting at 10:00 AM. Interviews usually lasts about 15-20-minutes and are held by 2-3 members of the 100 Black Men of South Metro, Inc. per applicant. This is the ONLY day interviews will be held. Any applicant that cannot make the interview should not apply. If an applicant applies, is granted an interview, and later cannot make the interview, his application will be disqualified.
Applications are due no later than Monday June 3, 2019 at 5:00 PM. All applicants will be notified of their rejection or advancement via email by June 10, 2019.
Please review the FAQs, Letter of Intent, and Rules on the Road on our website before applying so that you are fully understand what is to be expected of you as a mentee and parent of the Academy. Please note that each accepted applicant will be required to create an Academy-specific Gmail account; details will be provided after acceptance.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
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Home About us ... Products 1930
Burglar alarms, rescue equipment and electric fences
During the recession of the 1930s, demand for telephone equipment fell dramatically. To keep the production plants running, Ericsson broadened its product range. And broad was definitely the word. If anything could be manufactured with existing equipment and personnel, Ericsson was interested in trying it.
There were many examples of unusual products that bore the Ericsson name during this time.
The photo-electric burglar alarm: In 1934, F von Meissner published an article in Ericsson Review that Ericsson had developed. The introduction to the article contained the following enthusiastic description: "The new Ericsson burglar-alarm system with photo-electric cells is described below. At the present stage of technical development it constitutes the best automatic protection again burglary for apartments or whole buildings. Banks, offices where money or other valuables are kept, museums, libraries, shops - especially jewelers - factories, private houses with extensive grounds, etc. are by the Ericsson photo-electric system provided with a means of protection against burglary that even the most scientific burglar is incapable of avoiding or rendering harmless."
This for the time very modern system worked as follows. A small projector cast a ray of light on a light-sensitive cell, which in turn was connected to a power circuit. The cell carried current to the circuit only as long as it was subject to light. It the ray of light was broken, if even for a moment, the current stopped flowing and an alarm sounded. A filter could also be used to make the ray of light invisible.
Among the sales arguments advanced for the burglar alarm, one of the strongest was that maintenance costs for the system were extremely low. Trained personnel for monitoring and service were also not required.
Mine rescue telephones One of the earliest and most important of Ericsson's foreign subsidiaries was the British company Ericsson Telephones Ltd. Because Great Britain had a large and important mining industry well into the 1900s, it was perhaps not surprising that the Ericsson subsidiary together with the Mines Department Testing Station developed a telephone for mine rescue operations that was approved in 1938.
The system consisted of two parts, a base station and a moveable station linked by a cable. Because rescue personnel going down into a mine wore breathing masks and therefore could not speak on the telephone, they communicated with the base station using signals. From the base station, however, it was possible to transmit both voice and signals to the moveable station.
Electric fences The accompanying image shows an electric cattle fence made by Ericsson. Production probably started in the parent company in the 1930s. After the end of World War II, however, production was transferred to the newly established subsidiary AB Ermex, which also took over lock manufacturing. During the 1960s, Ericsson's resources were concentrated to core business areas, and Ermex was therefore sold in 1963.
Author: Pontus Staunstrup
The board approves the founding of a British subsidiary, The British L.M. Ericsson Manufacturing Company Ltd, at Beeston.
Central component of thief alarm system with infrared beams and cables.
Contribute to this article
© Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson and Centre for Business History
Contact info/About the site
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
}
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Orientation sessions for the academic year of photography, video, graphics and web design 2018-2019 are open.
Which photography course to choose for your career? What a graphic design course can offer to you? Why to study video or web design? These are juste some of the most common questions we receive from our young applicants.
Our teachers are available to meet you or to talk to you upon appointment for to help you with your study choice.
Contact us today for to begin your orientation with courses in photography, graphics, video and web design.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
}
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"European elections 2009 – rise or twilight of the european democracy" is a study, which aims at assesing the state of democracy in the European Union, using the example of the recent european elections. The first part of the article outlines the theoretical conditions that need to be fulfilled by the elections in order to name them as "democratic ones". The author examines the legal obligations and the political consequences of setting in which citizens of the EU vote on different days and accordingly to generally different electoral rule, without a true influence on subsequent fraction and coalition building in a newly elected European Parliament. The second part elaborates on the political impact of the elections (including the meaning of the declining voters' turnout), on the character of organizational arrangements (such as traditional grand coalition in the EP), as also on the dychotomy in compositions of the different European institutions and its influence on the decission making process. What makes this study particularly interesting is surely innovative approach to the lessons drawn from the democratic crisis of the EU and the consequences of the process of putting in place a new institutional order starting from the Constitutional fiasko and finishing with the provisions introducing the new Lisbon Treaty.
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{
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In the early months of 2015, destructive floods hit Malawi, causing deaths and economic losses. Flood risk assessment outcomes can be used to increase scientific-supported awareness of risk. The recent increase in availability of high resolution data such as TanDEM-X at 12m resolution makes possible the use of detailed physical based flood hazard models in risk assessment. Nonetheless the scale of hazard modelling still remains an issue, which requires a compromise between level of detail and computational efforts. This work presents two different approaches on hazard modelling. Both methods rely on 32-years of numeric weather re-analysis and rainfall-runoff transformation through a fully distributed WFLOW-type hydrological model. The first method, applied at national scale, uses fast post-processing routines, which estimate flood water depth at a resolution of about 1×1km. The second method applies a full 2D hydraulic model to propagate water discharge into the flood plains and best suites for small areas where assets are concentrated. At the 12m resolution, three hot spots with a model area of approximately 10×10 km are analysed. Flood hazard maps obtained with both approaches are combined with flood impact models at the same resolution to generate indicators for flood risk. A quantitative comparison of the two approaches is presented in order to show the effects of modelling scale on both hazard and impact losses.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
}
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For my Executive, CEO, and Owner audience (and the rest of you for that matter) ... read this letter from the CEO of Best Buy ... and then spend ten minutes reading the comments.
I'll wait until you are done.
Ok, do the employee comments resonate with you? How do the employee comments translate to your business model? Do you have some of the same issues (with Amazon or eBay or another competitor, for instance), and if so, how do you plan on dealing with them.
I'm in the UK and have never shopped at Best Buy. However, having followed several of the recent stories I wonder how often snr execs visit stores unannounced and perform mystery shopping first hand. This is something that the Sir Terry Leahy of Tesco did weekly.
Some of the apparent symptoms suggest there is such a significant disconnect from the board to the store staff and customers, that the board is simply out of touch and the loyalty of many staff is waning as they suffer death-by-a-thousand-cuts.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
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package ca.firstvoices.rest.data;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonIgnoreProperties;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonProperty;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonPropertyOrder;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
import java.util.LinkedList;
import java.util.Map;
@JsonIgnoreProperties(ignoreUnknown = true)
@JsonPropertyOrder({ "Dictionary", "Learn", "Resources", "About", "Kids" })
public class SiteMenu {
public static final String MENU_ITEM_TITLE = "title";
public static final String MENU_ITEM_ID = "id";
public static final String MENU_ITEM_HREF = "href";
public static final String MENU_ITEMS_DATA = "itemsData";
public static final String MENU_TRANS_KEY = "transKey";
@JsonProperty(value = "dictionary", required = true)
public Map<String, Object> dictionaryTab = new LinkedHashMap<>();
@JsonProperty(value = "learn", required = true)
public Map<String, Object> learnTab = new LinkedHashMap<>();
@JsonProperty(value = "resources", required = true)
public Map<String, Object> resourcesTab = new LinkedHashMap<>();
@JsonProperty(value = "about", required = true)
public Map<String, Object> aboutTab = new LinkedHashMap<>();
@JsonProperty(value = "kids", required = true)
public Map<String, Object> kidsTab = new LinkedHashMap<>();
public SiteMenu() {
dictionaryTab.put(MENU_ITEM_TITLE, "Dictionary");
dictionaryTab.put(MENU_ITEM_ID, "dictionary");
dictionaryTab.put(MENU_ITEMS_DATA, setDefaultMenuItems("Dictionary"));
dictionaryTab.put(MENU_TRANS_KEY, "general.dictionary");
learnTab.put(MENU_ITEM_TITLE, "Learn");
learnTab.put(MENU_ITEM_ID, "learn");
learnTab.put(MENU_ITEMS_DATA, setDefaultMenuItems("Learn"));
learnTab.put(MENU_TRANS_KEY, "general.learn");
resourcesTab.put(MENU_ITEM_TITLE, "Resources");
resourcesTab.put(MENU_ITEM_ID, "resources");
resourcesTab.put(MENU_ITEMS_DATA, setDefaultMenuItems("Resources"));
resourcesTab.put(MENU_TRANS_KEY, "general.resources");
aboutTab.put(MENU_ITEM_TITLE, "About");
aboutTab.put(MENU_ITEM_ID, "about");
aboutTab.put(MENU_ITEMS_DATA, setDefaultMenuItems("About"));
aboutTab.put(MENU_TRANS_KEY, "general.about");
kidsTab.put(MENU_ITEM_TITLE, "Kids");
kidsTab.put(MENU_ITEM_ID, "kids");
kidsTab.put(MENU_ITEM_HREF, "/kids");
kidsTab.put(MENU_ITEMS_DATA, setDefaultMenuItems("Kids"));
kidsTab.put(MENU_TRANS_KEY, "general.kids");
}
private LinkedList<Map<String, String>> setDefaultMenuItems(String tab) {
HashMap<String, String> pages = new LinkedHashMap<>();
HashMap<String, String> translations = new HashMap<>();
switch (tab) {
case "Dictionary":
pages.put("/words", "Words");
pages.put("/phrases", "Phrases");
pages.put("/alphabet", "Alphabet");
pages.put("/categories", "Categories");
translations.put("Words", "general.words");
translations.put("Phrases", "general.phrases");
translations.put("Alphabet", "general.alphabet");
translations.put("Categories", "general.categories");
break;
case "Learn":
pages.put("/songs", "Songs");
pages.put("/stories", "Stories");
pages.put("/games", "Games");
translations.put("Songs", "general.songs");
translations.put("Stories", "general.stories");
translations.put("Games", "general.games");
break;
case "Resources":
pages.put("/keyboards", "Keyboards");
translations.put("Keyboards", "general.keyboards");
break;
case "About":
pages.put("/our-language", "Our Language");
pages.put("/our-people", "Our People");
translations.put("Our Language", "general.our_language");
translations.put("Our People", "general.our_people");
break;
default:
return new LinkedList<>();
}
return formatMenuItems(pages, translations);
}
private LinkedList<Map<String, String>> formatMenuItems(HashMap<String, String> pages,
HashMap<String, String> translations) {
LinkedList<Map<String, String>> dictionaryMenuItems = new LinkedList<>();
pages.forEach((key, value) -> {
String translation = translations.get(value);
HashMap<String, String> formattedPage = new HashMap<>();
formattedPage.put(MENU_ITEM_TITLE, value);
formattedPage.put("href", key);
formattedPage.put(MENU_TRANS_KEY, translation == null ? "" : translation);
dictionaryMenuItems.add(formattedPage);
});
return dictionaryMenuItems;
}
}
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
}
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in a compassionate, caring way.
Dr. Macdonald completed the renowned Bryon Smith Fellowship isn Oculoplastic Surgery at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. This subspeciality of Ophthalmology offers advanced treatments for eye, eyelid and orbital cancers, treatment of functional disorders such as drooping lids, tearing and tear deficiencies, and cosmetic surgery of the eyelids.
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The key to Michael Bublé's success is sincerity. Four albums in, he can refurbish pop classics into brassy big band numbers ("Can't Buy Me Love," "How Sweet It Is") and revisit swing's greatest hits ("I've Got You Under My Skin") and sozzled bar laments ("You Don't Know Me"), and sing them as if every word is freshly minted. Called upon to write his own song, he delivers the weary ballad "Home," a momentary sigh behind a million-dollar smile, and yes, he means that too.
It's Time Michael Bublé
Quando, Quando, Quando (with Nelly Furtado)
A Song For You (feat. Chris Botti)
℗ 2005 Reprise Records
More By Michael Bublé
Christmas (Deluxe Special Edition)
Nobody But Me (Deluxe Version)
Glee: The Music, The Complete Season One
Classic Sinatra: His Great Performances 1953-1960
Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)
We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things
Awake (Special Edition)
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Choose... ------------------ editorial in the loop – nov 22 Contributor profile: Dan Edwards in the loop in the loop – oct 25 in the loop - nov 8 online giveaway - nov 22 rt105 - editorial ------------------ festivals cross-disciplinary art rock'n'rolls how to speak about tomorrow in the belly of the beast ------------------ special features how green are the performing arts? putting innovative australian performing arts on the map theatre/performance education part 2: home & the world theatre/performance education: training off-shore ------------------ performance a melancholy theatre an audience of your making everything but existence mapping the machine refugees adrift surreal and squirmacious the balancing act of life itself the mysteries of curation ------------------ dance a revelatory spring body & geography: the dancer as explorer festivals of discovery from the fears of innocents from the philippines: ways of making keeping time open to anything & everything relations de-fused two in one when opposites meet ------------------ visual arts a formidable duo a decade on chernobyl: looking & listening teasing consumerism the victim seen and seeing ------------------ sound/music avantwhatever label collection combinatorial challenges emitting & sharing vibrations listening to landscape & community new realms for the bass recorder part 3: sydney scenes & sounds returning the gift: conceptualising music schubert x 2 technical, experimental, metaphysical the NOW now ------------------ onscreen - film a nation slips under the waves at last—a cinematheque for sydney? ghostly tales from our northern neighbours in the filmmaking crucible novel to film: the art of distillation outsiders & others ------------------ onscreen - media art responsive video ways of seeing nature's fragility
emitting & sharing vibrations
keith gallasch: clocked out's the trilling wire series 2011
HAVING WON THE APRA/AMC ART MUSIC AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE BY AN ORGANISATION FOR THEIR ANNUAL PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE QUEENSLAND STATE AWARD (RT103), BRISBANE'S CLOCKED OUT ARE PRESENTING THE SECOND OF THEIR THE TRILLING WIRE SERIES WHICH BRINGS TO BRISBANE DARING NEW MUSIC PERFORMERS FROM ACROSS AUSTRALIA. THE MOVEMENT OF NEW MUSIC ACROSS STATE BORDERS, FOSTERED SO STRONGLY BY THE NEW MUSIC NETWORK AND EVENTS LIKE TURA'S TOTALLY HUGE AND MONA FOMA, IS GIVEN EXTRA AND MUCH-NEEDED IMPETUS BY THIS CLOCKED OUT INITIATIVE.
Erik Griswold, co-director of Clocked Out with Vanessa Tomlinson, tells me, "I started The Trilling Wire Series last year upon realising that there were a number of really great contemporary/experimental music ensembles around the country doing fantastic programs that never made it to Brisbane. So I invited Perth's Decibel, Melbourne's Golden Fur and Sydney's Ensemble Offspring to come and present some of their best programs of 2010. Held in the intimate Shopfront space of the Judith Wright Centre, The Trilling Wire Series was a rare chance for audiences to hear avant-garde chamber music in a non-conservatorium environment."
First up in the 2011 series is Adelaide's Soundstream Collective, led by Gabriella Smart and resident ensemble at the University of Adelaide. Their program entirely focuses on the idiosyncratic Polish composer Hannah Kulenty's Circle series (1994-96) representing "Kulenty's self-titled 'European trance music,' her original version of 'post-minimalist' style...In many ways this music is closer to the meditative qualities of Indian ragas, rather than Western minimalism" (press release).
Chris Reid wrote about hearing the Fourth Circle at the Soundstream Adelaide New Music Festival in 2009: "Kulenty's is a stunning piece, emotionally overwhelming and brilliantly executed. Following a long piano passage like a tolling bell, the cello begins a series of questioning phrases that become incessant, using short, microtonally notated glissandi, crying imploringly—why? why? why? An intense crescendo is then slowly relaxed, with the glissandi curling downward. I was speechless for some time afterwards, so affecting were the writing and the performance" (RT93). The Brisbane performance, a very special occasion, will be the first time the series will be played in its entirety, featuring musicians John Addison, Janet McKay, Martin Phillipson and Gabriella Smart.
Melbourne's Quiver, led by Matthias Schack-Arnott, will present the meeting of Louise Curham's "hyper-expressionist" 8mm film with David Young's watercolour graphic scores—"Shot in Yokohama Japan, this 45-minute hand-processed Super 8 film/music work forms the basis of the musical scores...The inter-medial nature of the work creates a hovering connectedness between image and sound, shifting the boundaries between the artforms" (press release). The program also premieres a Quiver commission from James Rushford—Viper Gloss, with "a compositional process...informed by the 'grisailles' technique of staining glass, where different shades of grey are used to create the effect of a relief."
The final concert in the series, Early Warning System, launches a new percussion-based ensemble directed by Michael Askill and Vanessa Tomlinson.
Tomlinson describes the concept for the group: "Michael has contributed so much to the identity of Australian music over four decades of work, commissioning composers, composing himself and generating huge enthusiasm for Australian music through his work with Synergy. Early Warning System harnesses his pioneering experiences and combines with my eclectic style of playing and interests."
The group's debut performance features works by American John Luther Adams (not the other John Adams; see The New Yorker, May 12, 2008, available online) and a premiere of a new composition for cello and percussion by Erik Griswold. Tomlinson says, "Both composers represent a way forward for acoustic percussion performance that acknowledges the listening detail of electronic music and is accepting of particularities of place. We will also be playing Chinese composer Tan Dun's Snow in June—which obviously makes more sense in the southern hemisphere than the north—and a classic of Michael Askill's, Free Radicals, dealing with rhythmic cycles and the joy of percussing."
The title of the series comes from TS Eliot's poem Burnt Norton, but what does it mean for Clocked Out? "The trilling wire in the blood/ Sings below inveterate scars/ And reconciles forgotten wars." Erik Griswold says, "Yes, the TS Eliot connection is there. I also like the connection to a news wire—transmitting contemporary music developments around the country, and more generally to the notion of the trilling wire emitting vibrations, both acoustic and electronic. Taking a slightly broader context of that section of the poem, there is much brighter imagery which suggests energy and lightness: 'The dance along the artery/ The circulation of the lymph/ Are figured in the drift of stars/ Ascend to summer in the tree/ We move above the moving tree/ In light upon the figured leaf'."
Clocked Out, The Trilling Wire Series: Soundstream, Nov 3; Quiver, Nov 17, Early Warning System, Nov 23; The Judith Wright Centre, Brisbane. www.jwcoca.qld.gov.au/; www.clockedout.org
music that needs to be seen
chris reid: soundstream adelaide new music festival : RT 93
clock work
greg hooper: clocked out duo, wake up! : RT 103
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#Sale #Preorder "A Solitary Man" for 25% off!
Home > Contemporary Romance • Dreamspinner Press • Gay Romance • New Release • New Releases • Sale • Sales • Uncategorized • Upcoming Releases > #Sale #Preorder "A Solit …
By Shira Anthony October 24, 2015 Category: Contemporary Romance, Dreamspinner Press, Gay Romance, New Release, New Releases, Sale, Sales, Uncategorized, Upcoming ReleasesTags: 18+, Amazon, contemporary, contemporary romance, dreamspinner, Dreamspinner Press, excerpt, gay, gay romance, glbt, homoerotic, homoerotica, Kindle, lgbt, m/m, m/m rom, m/m romance, new release, preview, romance, sex, shira anthony, upcoming release, yaoi
You can preorder A Solitary Man for 25% off in both paperback and ebook at Dreamspinner Press right now. Written with the wonderful Aisling Mancy (aka Cody Kennedy), A Solitary Man is an action-packed, sexy thriller set in the heat of a North Carolina summer. The book will be released by Dreamspinner Press on November 6th, so less than 2 weeks now!
Here's an excerpt from Chapter 4:
Evan sat in the parking lot of the bar, fingers clenched around the steering wheel. Faison had pushed him to his limits. It pissed him off beyond reason how the man blew off the important stuff and focused only on what would help move his political career forward. Evan had never liked politicians. Even the DA before Faison, who now had a seat in the state senate, hadn't been anything to write home about, but at least he hadn't made Evan want to scream in frustration. With Faison, Evan felt he was spinning his wheels, where before he'd at least made progress toward cracking down on drug suppliers. Too many people—kids in particular—were falling victim to the drugs they should have taken off the street. Evan hated that, and he'd come to hate Faison for doing so little about it. Worse still, Faison had done nothing at all to make a dent in the problem but wasted no time distorting facts in order to spin things for his next campaign. Hypocrisy at its finest.
Breathe. Normally Evan let Faison's bullshit roll off his back. But when Faison blew off the things that were important to Evan, the frustration he'd felt as a child and the accompanying rage came roaring back. Faison didn't give a crap about illegal drugs, but those drugs had nearly destroyed Evan's life.
He inhaled for four counts, held his breath for four, and exhaled for four counts. His heart slowed and tension began to leave his body—one of many useful things Evelene had taught him when he was a kid.
The other thing that worked for him when he felt as though he might spontaneously erupt into flames?
Evan smiled and eyed the sign over the entrance to the bar. It read The Velvet Lounge. Wilmington was just far enough from Dare's Landing that he didn't have to worry about being seen. He kept his head down and his sex life firmly in the closet. Faison and his political backers probably couldn't fire him for being queer, but he didn't need the bullshit that came with being out. He'd had enough bullshit to last him several lifetimes already. The inside of his closet was perfectly comfortable, regardless of who they married at city hall these days.
The bouncer nodded to Evan as he walked inside. The sound of Easton Corbin's "Baby Be My Love Song" hit him at the same time the icy-cold air conditioning blasted him, and the sweat-soaked curls at the back of his neck gave rise to goose bumps. Nothing like August in North Carolina. Hot, muggy. Vacation Bible school over. Pulled pork and a gallon of sweet tea. If things slowed down at the office, he'd take next weekend and sail his boat to Cape Lookout, have fresh fish for dinner, and sleep under the stars.
The thought of work had him clenching his jaw again. He forced himself to breathe deeply and took a seat at the corner of the bar. Trading his expensive suit for a button-down and jeans had done little to erase his frustration. He needed something stronger.
"Patrón Silver and a Bud." He drank the shot as soon as the bartender set it down, ordered another, and took a pull of beer. He welcomed the tendrils of alcohol that eased his tight shoulder muscles.
Satisfied the evening was getting better, he glanced around the bar. The place wasn't a dive, but it wasn't what Evan would have called upscale either. The paneling was dark and weathered; the polished wood floor reflected the track lighting. A dozen tables, all of them occupied on a Friday evening. Country music played in the background, something Evan didn't recognize but that reminded him of the songs his mother had played when he was young. Over on the tiny platform that served as a stage, someone had begun to set up for the live band that would play later in the evening. It was too early for live music, but not too early for what Evan had come looking for.
He nodded to a few familiar faces—Evan didn't do repeats—then checked out the new ones. A ginger with a bit of a paunch at the end of the bar. A twink giggling and sipping on an umbrella-laden drink at one of the nearby tables. A man with a dark ponytail seated at the middle of the bar sucking on an imported beer, the corded muscles of his arms straining against the fabric of his dark blue T-shirt. Lean, thirtyish, with the honeyed skin of someone who spent a great deal of time outdoors. Surfer, here to improve his "broceanography" at Wrightsville Beach, Evan concluded. Since the Nat Geo article, he'd seen a lot more of them. Even better? The guy was looking back at him.
Evan raised his beer and nodded. The guy nodded back and Evan walked over. "Hey."
"Hey." The smile that lit the man's face made his green eyes sparkle. Evan couldn't quite place the accent. Definitely not Southern.
The man flagged down the bartender, who had just set Evan's second shot in front of him. "Two of what he's drinking, on me."
"Thanks." Evan set his empty on the bar and leaned languidly on the edge.
"Xav."
"Chance," Evan said.
Xav chuckled. "You're serious?"
Evan nodded. He only used the name at bars, but it was his first name. "My mother had a twisted sense of humor." And a serious coke addiction, but he wasn't going to share that.
Xav raised a quizzical eyebrow. Evan didn't care if Xav wanted to know more. He downed the second shot and shed his Evan persona the way he'd shed his suit. For tonight, he was Chance. Evan and all his crap could wait until the morning.
"You from around here?" Chance asked as he sat next to Xav.
"No." Xav didn't elaborate.
Chance could work with that. Didn't matter given his no-repeat policy.
"Grew up in Bertie," Chance said truthfully. "Near the Virginia border."
The bartender set their drinks in front of them. "Never heard of it." Xav's words didn't seem to judge, just state a fact.
"Half the people in the state haven't." Chance picked up one of the beer bottles and handed it to Xav, the brush of his fingertips against Xav's calculated. Xav's short intake of breath pleased him, Xav's fingers lingering just slightly too long against Chance's. Years ago, Chance might have looked away. But he'd come to enjoy the self-confidence and power he felt when he didn't back down, much as he'd come to enjoy locking horns with defense counsel in court.
Xav didn't look away either.
Nice. His past few hookups here had been low-key—translate: jejune. This one held more promise.
"I'm staying at Wrightsville Beach," Xav said. Chance repressed a laugh. Yep. Surfer. "I've got a few beers and a day-old pizza." The edges of Xav's very kissable mouth quirked upward and his thigh brushed Chance's.
Someone at one of the tables laughed, and the sound of a guitar being tuned mingled with the clanking of beer bottles. Chance hoped they'd be out of there before the music started. He wasn't in the mood.
Chance went to pull his wallet from his pocket, but Xav stood and leaned over him and handed the bartender a few bills before Chance could extricate it. Nicely done. Chance caught a whiff of cologne, subtle and citrusy. From his close vantage point, Chance watched the rhythmic pulse of a vein beneath Xav's chin.
Chance stood straighter, his hard cock straining against the heavy fabric of his jeans. "Thanks."
Xav didn't cede any territory as Chance stood, his shoulder pressing against Xav's chest. Chance hadn't realized the man stood nearly half a head taller. Chance clenched his jaw and felt his shoulders and neck tense as he fought the urge to shove Xav out of his personal space. He didn't like it when people got too close to him. The only exception was when he was getting laid. He took a slow breath, met Xav's eyes, then moved away and downed his second beer. "I'll follow you," he said.
About A Solitary Man
Sparks fly when Chance meets tall, sexy Xav at a Wilmington bar and they have the hottest one-nighter of their lives. But Chance doesn't do repeats, Xav seems detached, and they go their separate ways without a word. Two months later, when closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan "Chance" Fairchild meets Dare's Landing's newest deputy sheriff, Xavier "Xav" Constantine, Evan isn't only wary. He's irritated as hell.
Xavier is a former FBI agent turned deputy sheriff who is hot on the trail of a South American child prostitution ring. Evan is fighting to put an end to rampant cocaine trafficking and chafing under the thumb of an election-hungry boss. When someone tries to kill the thirteen-year-old witness who holds the key to both their investigations, they're forced to work together as they put their lives on the line to protect him. As Chance and Xav collide in heat of a sweltering North Carolina summer, dodging bullets and chasing bad guys isn't the only action going on.
Pre-order A Solitary Man from Dreamspinner Press!
About Shira Anthony
Shira loves a great happily-ever-after and never writes a story without one. She's happy to write what her muse tells her, whether it's fantasy, sci fi, paranormal, or contemporary romance. She particularly loves writing series, because she thinks of her characters as old friends and she wants to visit them even after their stories are told.
In real life, Shira sang professionally for 14 years, and she currently works as a public sector attorney advocating for children. She's happy to have made writing her second full-time job, even if it means she rarely has time to watch TV or go to the movies.
Shira writes about the things she knows and loves, whether it's music and musicians, the ocean, or the places she's lived or traveled to. She spent her middle school years living in France, and tries to visit as often as she can.
Shira and her husband spend as many weekends as they can aboard their 36′ catamaran sailboat, "Lands Zen," at the Carolina Coast. Not only has sailing inspired her to write about pirates and mermen, her sailboat is her favorite place to write. And although the only mermen she's found to date are in her own imagination, she keeps a sharp lookout for them when she's on the water.
Find Shira on blog, Twitter @WriterShira, Facebook, and Goodreads and
Subscribe to Shira's monthly newsletter for updates, free fiction, and subscriber-only contests!
About Aisling Mancy
Aisling is an author who lives, most of the time, on the West Coast of the United States. Aisling writes adult fantasy, adult LGBTQIA romance, and fiction for gay young adults (C. Kennedy).
Raised on the mean streets and back lots of Hollywood by a Yoda-look-alike grandfather, Aisling doesn't conform, doesn't fit in, is epic awkward, and lives to perfect a deep-seated oppositional defiance disorder. In a constant state of fascination with the trivial, Aisling contemplates such weighty questions as If time and space are curved, then where do all the straight people come from? When not writing, Aisling can be found taming waves on western shores, pondering the nutritional value of sunsets, appreciating the much maligned dandelion, unhooking guide ropes from stanchions, and marveling at all things ordinary.
Find Aisling on blog, Twitter @AislingMancy, Facebook, Goodreads, and
Aisling does respond to emails because, after all, it is all about you, the reader
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KE214 is a international flight operated by Korean Air. KE214 is departing from San Francisco (SFO), United States and arriving at Seoul (ICN), South Korea. The flight distance is about 9,107 km or 5,659 miles and flight time is 12 hours 10 minutes. Get the latest status of KE214 / KAL214 here.
Update on April 18, 2019, 9 p.m.
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Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images & Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Are Liam Payne & Naomi Campbell Dating? He Was Spotted On A Date Night With The Supermodel
By Jamie LeeLo
OK, wow. I've seen some unexpected Hollywood couples, but this one might take the cake. It's as if the universe put a bunch of celebrity names in a hat, shook it around, and pulled out two random hot people who just happen to be Liam Payne and Naomi Campbell. Rumors are circulating about the singer and supermodel since they recently began popping up on each other's social media feeds and were caught on what appeared to be a "date night" out. Are Liam Payne and Naomi Campbell dating, like, officially? Neither has made any official statements, but they aren't denying anything, either. Elite Daily reached out to both Payne and Campbell's team for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Payne, 25, shares a son with British singer Cheryl Cole, 35, whom he recently broke up with in July 2018. Six months later, it looks like the former 1D member is ready to move on with another woman. Campbell, 48 (who is 23 years Payne's senior) is arguably one of the most famous supermodels out there and has built a career out of fashion and confidence. While some people might be intimated by her resumé and supermodel-icon status, Payne seems to be all about it.
On Monday, Jan. 28, The Daily Star caught Payne and Campbell sneaking in and out of London's O2 Arena where they watched Nigerian singer Davido perform. According to eyewitnesses, they were careful to enter and exit via a back door and did not take any pictures together. One source explained, "Liam and Naomi were keen to keep a low profile. They entered and exited the arena via the back door and were quickly whisked up to a VIP suite on Level 3." Additionally, the eyewitness explained,
Naomi was more than happy to pose for official pictures inside the venue but didn't have a single one with Liam. After the show they left together in the back of a blacked-out green Range Rover and Liam was seen putting his arm around Naomi's waist.
Well, well, well. What do we have here?
In doing a little more research, it looks like the two haven't shied away from publicly flirting. Both Payne and Campbell have left cheeky comments on each other's Instagrams, like, in plain sight, for all the world to see.
Campbell recently posted a sultry selfie which seemed to catch Payne's attention. He commented, "Perfection in a person... don't give me those eyes."
Instagram/Naomi Campbell
OK, Liam.
Campbell returned the favor when she left her own flirtatious comment on one of Payne's smoldering pics. Campbell chose a photo of Payne, shirtless, gazing at himself in the mirror. She wrote, "Beautiful sole," to which he responded, "@naomi takes one to know one."
They're also really liberal with the lovey-dovey emojis. Just sayin'.
Instagram/Liam Payne
Who knows if this duo is actually dating? Maybe they're just flirty friends? Then again, maybe it's exactly what it looks like and they're totally a thing. For now, it's simply fascinating to observe from afar.
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Sometimes men are just the hardest people to buy gifts for. They often have a hard time articulating what they want. So Dads and husbands, brothers and sons, Grandpa's and uncles often end up with a proverbial collection of ties, sports shorts, sweaters, cuff links and golf tees! When you don't know what to get for the man in your life on the holiday, it can be really helpful to have someone organize a selection of gifts that men are known to like. That's what we did at Manhattan Fruitier by creating a category of Christmas gift baskets for men to make shopping for him less stressful.
Manhattan Fruitier is known for its healthy gift collection. We offer fresh seasonal fruit in almost all of our Christmas baskets for men. Dried fruit and nuts, and assortments of artisanal healthy snacking foods such as falafel chips, salsa, peanuts in the shell, roasted chick pea snacks, and heirloom popcorn – all perfect for a party, Sunday afternoon football with friends, or movie night with the family. Our healthy gifts for men also feature gourmet foods used as ingredients in the heart healthy Mediterranean diet. These Christmas gift baskets for him will please the chef, the foodie, and the health conscious all at the same time.
Even though its obviously such a throw-back to the 1950s and 1960s, nothing seems more masculine than the home cocktail bar. With the revitalization of specialty cocktails, many more men are interested in stocking their home bars. A fun Christmas basket for him might be one of our gifts that include Texas grapefruit shrub for a mixer and an old fashioned mason jar for shaking. And to make the evening cocktail hour complete, we include the quintessential barstool snacks with just the right amount of salt and crunch to compliment the alcohol.
You can't go wrong with making food the theme of Christmas baskets for men! Whether sports fan, movie buff, chef, foodie, cocktail connoisseur, healthy athlete or weekend warrier, you can find just the right gift to surprise and delight the men on your holiday gift list. And we can deliver the gifts you choose anywhere across the country.
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Q: Blazor how to acces Configuration from non-UI class I need to read some settings out of App.Config in a blazor server app (.Net 5). My class is running on a background thread and is not part of a component.
Is there a way to access the Configuration object that is created in the Startup class (or instantiate a new instance)?
For example, var x = Configuration.GetConnectionString('conStr').
All of the examples I have found assume a component is being used.
A: Yes, .Net 5 use .Net core configuration.
Read Configuration in ASP.NET Core for details.
Blazor use the same mechanism, and Blazor WASM apps load there configuration from an appsettings.json. The doc is here
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We know that not everyone relishes a trip to the dentist; however, these routine checkups every six months are the best way to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy and free from problems. If dental issues do arise, often times the only way to catch them while they are still relatively easy to treat is through these checkups.
Of course, choosing the right dentist to care for you and your family's smiles is of the utmost importance. Here at our Oklahoma City family dental practice, our dentist Dr. Sue Aber and her dental staff work hard to make sure that you don't feel like just another number when you walk through the door!
Here in our office, you'll discover that we offer a friendly, compassionate and Christian environment. We provide every patient with the respect and individualized care they deserve and we want to make sure that everyone is able to get the dental care they need regardless of financial concerns or dental fears. Our Christian values ensure that everyone gets quality dentistry that they can put their faith in time and time again.
Who says that dentistry and faith don't have to go hand in hand? With our deep-rooted faith and Christian spirit, we provide a full range of dental services to meet the needs of your growing family in an environment that welcomes everyone. As a family dentist, we also take the time to get to know every member of your family. We love feeling like part of the family when it comes to our patients. This close connection that we establish with our patients guarantees that you feel cared for and heard no matter what kind of dental treatment you are receiving.
Whether you need to schedule routine cleanings for the whole family, you want to discuss whether your child could benefit from orthodontic treatment, or you need to replace a missing tooth, our expert and caring dental team can provide you with the treatment you need and more. We want you to feel like you are always in good hands when you turn to our caring staff and their welcoming, Christian environment.
If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with our Oklahoma City family dentist, Dr. Sue Aber, then call our office today at (405) 634-2313.
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The State Government announced Nicole Roocke as the new MRIWA CEO today.
The members of the MRIWA Board, committees and management team are looking forward to supporting Nicole in her new role and acknowledge the great and wide range of skills and wisdom that she brings.
In welcoming Nicole, MRIWA Chair Denise Goldsworthy took the opportunitity to thank Mark Woffenden for his fantastic and passionate contribution to the organisation, the industry and WA during his time as CEO of MRIWA and wish him well for his retirement.
Please see here for the Minister's statement on the appointment.
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TOP ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS INDUSTRY LEADERS ATTEND THE 2016 BESLA MID-YEAR CONFERENCE
(Left to Right):
Lawrence C. Hinkle II, Matthew J. Middleton, Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard, L.A. Reid, Leron E. Rogers, Lita T. Rosario, Emily M. Dickens, Brian K. Broughton, and Elke F. Suber at the 2016 BESLA Mid-Year conference.
Last week, the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association held their Mid-Year conference at Fordham Law School with an incredible line-up of Entertainment and Sports Executives, including DeMaurice Smith (Executive Director, NFLPA), Michele Roberts (Executive Director, NBPA), and honorary speaker L.A. Reid (CEO of Epic Records), among others.
Matthew J. Middleton hosted a "One on One" with L.A. Reid that presented a very honest perspective of what is required while working within entertainment. He also emphasized his respect for lawyers within the industry.
The first panel discussion "Navigating A Career In Entertainment and Sports" included Lori Aiken (Chief Talent Officer, Sony Pictures), Kerry Chandler (Chief Human Resources Officer, Under Armour), Jim Jones (SVP, Education and Diversity Solutions, NAMIC), and was moderated by Endi Piper (TV One).
Senior legal and business executives shared their insights on the "General Counsel's Roundtable" panel that included Antonious Porch (General Counsel, Shazam), Endi Piper (SVP, Business and Legal Affairs,TV One), Keyes Hill-Edgar (EVP, Business Affairs, and General Counsel, Viacom Media Networks), and was moderated by Derek Jackson (Under Armour).
Executives DeMaurice Smith (Executive Director, NFLPA), and Michele Roberts (Executive Director, NBPA) spoke frankly about "Running a Major Sports Union" in a discussion moderated by Kenneth Shropshire (Wharton Sports Business Initiative).
The packed room was full of insight. Elke Suber moderated the discussion of "The Impact on Digital Media on Sports Broadcasting, Sports Marketing, and Entertainment Content Distribution" with Carlos Fleming (SVP, Talent Management, WME/IMG), Reggie Williams (CEO, Ambrosia of Heads), Eve Wright (SVP, US Sports Marketing, Unscripted), and Mason Ashe (President, Ashe Sports & Entertainment Consulting).
Visit www.besla.org to see more about the 2016 Mid-Year conference and upcoming 2016 BESLA events.
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Mahalaxmi Enterprises is a leading and renowned organization of the industry engrossed in manufacturing, exporting, importing, trading, wholesaling and supplying a broad collection of Printer Cartridge, since our establishment in the year of 2010. In our broad assortment of products, we are offering Color Laserjet Cartridges, Laserjet Cartridges and Printer Cartridges. These products are designed and assembled with the use of the optimum quality component. We are offering these products in various specifications to meet the application needs and demands of our valued clients. Our offered products are highly demanded and appreciated by the clients for their user-friendly operations and longer working life. Additionally, we are offering Recycle Cartridge Service to the clients.
To offer our broad array of products, we have recruited a team of qualified and talented professionals. To achieve the set organizational goals and objectives, these professionals work in proper coordination and dedication. To improve the production rate and quality of the provided products, we have installed modern and upgraded machines at our facility. Banking to our client-focused approach; we have been able to export our products across the globe. Also, our importing country is China. Moreover, we are offering these products under the HP, Canon, Samsung, Epson, Brother, Richo and Zerox Brand name in the market.
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Property 5: New listing. Absolute beach front with great views.
Absolute harbourside beach frontage, best views of the water.
Property 6: Absolute harbourside beach frontage, best views of the water.
Property 8: Aotea Retreat. Stunning Harbourside beach front.
Property 23: Mt Pirongia Hideaway, peaceful and serene perfect for chilling out.
Great loacation.Lovely clean and tidy house with everything we needed.
The house is a great base to explore the area. It was comfortable and spacious enough for a family of 5. The place is sparkling clean, sunny and very well set up. The sunroom with large table and BBQ is a great bonus are were the passion fruit from the garden. Bridal Veil Waterfalls are just around the corner (short drive). We would definitely stay there again. Great house, very friendly hosts - we had a great stay. Thank you!
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home // News // Brisbane: Residents who drank water with high levels of fluoride given wrong date //
Brisbane: Residents who drank water with high levels of fluoride given wrong date
Source: The Courier-Mail | May 16th, 2009 | By Patrick Lion and Peter Michael
THE Bligh Government's handling of the fluoride overdose was in disarray last night after it admitted it got the date wrong about when the bungle occurred. The Government has admitted residents should have been told they may have drunk water with 20 times the allowable amount of fluoride on May 2 – not May 1 as Premier Anna Bligh said.
The blunder is a major embarrassment for the Government, already defending the two-week delay in testing that preceded this week's health notification to residents on Brisbane's northside, The Courier-Mail reports.
The Premier was unavailable last night but SEQ Water Grid Manager director Nicole Davis confirmed the water entered supplies in the Brendale and Warner areas on May 2 for three hours between 9am and midday.
It means the water flowed on the Saturday morning putting many more residents at risk.
"We were trying to get the information out there to assure people," Ms Davis said. "The initial advice was it was May 1 but LinkWater went back today looking at their data and discovered the error that it was, in fact, May 2.
'I do apologise on behalf of the (SEQ Water Grid) Manager that there has been confusion for the community."
The error is set to inflame tensions further. As angry residents yesterday claimed the overdose made them sick and killed their pets, it emerged they may be unable to sue for compensation.
The Government has specifically legislated to stop lawsuits relating to fluoride.
While Ms Bligh had earlier refused to speculate on compensation for the 4000 homes exposed to the water, lawyers believe Section 94 of the Water Fluoridation Act ruled out civil suits from the public.
"A person does not have any civil right or remedy against a public potable water supplier in relation to the fluoridation of a public potable water supply under this Act," the law reads.
The water contained 30 to 31mg/L of fluoride instead of the maximum allowable 1.5mg/L.
The Government had received no complaints yesterday but The Courier-Mail has received several reports of symptoms similar to gastroenteritis.
Warner mother-of-two Caroline Rossiter said her family, including the dog and cat, had been ill for two weeks.
"I was for fluoride but now I am very concerned," she said. "I have headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, gastro. We still haven't been contacted about it."
Robert Gow, a Bunya resident near Warner, said 10 of his budgerigars died and his cockatiel was sick. His daughter Renee lives at Warner and her budgerigar also died.
"All the birds basically got the runs with lots of watery discharge in the cage and they were dehydrated," Mr Gow said. "There is a pretty fair chance of a connection as we are all connected to the North Pine Dam."
But Ms Bligh said there was "almost a zero chance" of any health risk.
"We have been able to identify residents who have been affected and they will be provided with a written document today," she said.
Speaking in Townsville, "the only city in Queensland that has had fluoridated water for decades", she said the city was proof of the benefits of fluoridation.
"The dental health of children here is significantly better than any other part of the state," she said.
Brisbane Veterinary Service manager Tabatha Whitehead said the northside facility had not received any cases and were unsure what affect fluoride had on animals.
"It is difficult to know if this could contribute to any illness in any household pet," she said.
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Home Net Worth Sound Sultan Net Worth & Biography
Sound Sultan Net Worth & Biography
What is Sound Sultan net worth?
Education: Lagos State University
Source of Wealth: Music, Songwriting, Comedy, Acting
1st Hit Project: "Jagbajantis" (2000)
There are number of ways to become strong personalities, that's why everyone chooses their unique niche.
The most frequently asked questions about celebrities is: How much money have they actually made?
Such type of questions gives you a wider picture and they are more entertaining as well. Here you got the complete information about Sound Sultan Net worth.
Sound Sultan is a musician and celebrity among superstars with a massive Net worth. Still, he's not on the list of the top 10 richest musicians in Nigeria.
BREAKING!: Lanre Fasasi better known as Sound Sultan, is dead. The 44 years old 'Jagbajantis' crooner, lost it to his battle with cancer of the throat.
Sound Sultan's Net Worth and Highlights
As of today, Sound Sultan is worth roughly $3.5 million dollars. Here are some of his highlights and awards:
2003 Fame Awards for Best New Artist, Best Afro Beat Song, Most Popular Song
2005 Amen Awards for Best Song Writer, Best Afro Song
2007 Soundcity Awards for Best Collabo
2010 Best Collabo at the Headies
2010 Nmva Best Special effects Video
Headies Awards in 2012 for Best Album
2012 Celebrity MVP DSTV NBBF All-Star Weekend
2016 Legendary Award at the Scream Awards
Fasasi Olanrewaju aka Sound sultan was born on the 27th of November 1976 to Mr. Fasasi Liadi Alarape and Mrs. Fasasi Adeyinka Ajarat.
He is a songwriter, actor, comedian, and recording artist from Iseyin, Oyo State, Nigeria.
He attended Stepping Stone Nursery and Primary school, Federal Government College Ogbomoso, and Lagos State University in 1999, where he obtained a degree in Geography and Regional Planning.
How did Sound Sultan get started in music?
His early dream was to become a doctor, but influenced by his brother, Baba Dee, he embraced the music.
Sultan began showing interest in music in the year 1991, while he was still in secondary school. At the time, he used to write his own lyrics and also mime at school parties.
According to the singer, his elder brother Baba Dee was the first person who strengthened his love for music.
From writing his own lyrics, Sultan began to take lessons on the guitar, after which he began to host shows in order to raise money for his musical career.
By 1999, Sound Sultan had won several local talent hunt shows which helped him to release his debut single titled "Jagbajantis" in the year 2000.
Following the success of the single, the singer went on to release other hit songs and also collaborated with some of his label mates.
Sultan was signed to the record label Kennis Music at the time. He worked with the label until 2007, when his contract with Kennis expired, after releasing four albums under the label.
The singer later started his own record label called Naija Ninjas with his brother Baba Dee. It was at this point that he began to explore other genres of music such as Soul, R&B, Fuji, and Afrobeat.
As time progressed, the recording label began to grow from one level of success to another. Fast-rising singers like Karma Da Rapper, Shawn, Young GreyC, and Blacka are some of the artists that have worked with Naija Ninjas.
Sultan's years in the music industry have seen him work with several local and international stars.
Sultan was featured alongside Nigerian singers Faze and 2face Idibia in Wyclef's song "Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101", after which he collaborated with the international star on two other songs titled: "People Bad" (2012) and "King of My Country" (2009).
Sound Sultan has seven successful albums to his name. His latest album was released in 2016, a year after he made a major comeback after staying away from the music scene for a long time.
Besides being a phenomenal singer, Sound is also a good actor. He scored his major acting role in 2014 in the universally acclaimed comedy movie, "Head Gone".
Produced by Sound Sultan and directed by Dare Fasasi, the comedy film featured Nigerian entertainment elites such as Akpororo, Tuface Idibia, Basket mouth, Pappy Luwe, Basorge Tariah, among others.
November 2017, Sound Sultan joined forces with Wizkid and 2Baba to create Geshomo, which enjoyed massive airplay all over Africa and the United Kingdom.
Today, the 44 years old 'Jagbajantis' crooner, is no longer among the living. He lost it to his battle with cancer of the throat in July 2021
Sound Sultan Songs
You can download any of Sound Sultan's songs on any of these top mp3 music download sites in Nigeria.
African Lady
Natural Something
Kokose
Hello Baale
Obalola
Luv Language
Gud Gal
Oko Won Lode
Monsura
Sound Buoy Killin
Kurukomaga Remix
Born on a Saturday
Bushmeat
Rewind Time
Eshe
Temporary Turn Permanent
In one of Sound Sultan quotes he said; "Watch the energy you put out to the universe. It is a cycle."
Life Lesson: Wholeheartedly pursue your passion.
Sound Sultan had early dreams of becoming a doctor, but later decided to go into music professionally.
He began training on how to play the guitar, after his high school education then joining a band in 1999.
Writing his own lyrics, Sultan began to take lessons on the guitar, after which he began to host shows in order to raise money for his musical career.
Although there are endless ways in which one may discover their inner passion
When he was in school, he did musical activities, played sports, and joined many clubs all at once.
Although none of his experiences were particularly negative, it was made clear to him by the end of that year that, music was what would take him to the farthest in life.
After this realization, he made the decision to drop all other extracurricular activities and put the entirety of his efforts into music.
Since then, his passion for music has grown and flourished, making itself into being want to do for the rest of my life.
There's nothing wrong with being unsure of your goals for some time, but when you know what it is that you want to do, don't hold back and don't let anything stand in your way.
Related: What is Femi Kuti's net worth?
Summary of Sound Sultan Net Worth
Sultan prefers the music field but he is performing as well as a comedian and actor. Don't let mockery stop your hustle! Work hard, follow due process and your hustle must surely pay!
As of today, Sound Sultan net worth is estimated at roughly $3.5
Thanks a lot for reading along. Don't forget to like, drop us a comment and share to your friends. Please be kind enough to share this post on Facebook and Twitter.
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What are the best plasmik apps for Android? It's not easy task to find the best plasmik software. Here are top and most downloaded plasmik applications of all time.
Check out following categories and popular plasmik apps or jump to the latest plasmik apps.
Which plasmik app is best for Android? Download plasmik app for Android like Watercolor Clock, Magic 3DBox Lite, PetDroid Clock. Try to decide for yourself.
PetDroid Clock is a free app by . It is widget, clock, pets, plasmik app in v1.60 ready to download.
A clock widget with the design of a naughty pet.
That were all of the plasmik apps in our archive. Jump to the best plasmik apps or go back to all Free Android Apps. Don't forget that top apps like Watercolor Clock, Magic 3DBox Lite, PetDroid Clock are free for download.
Are plasmik apps safe? All plasmik APKs uploaded to our mirror are scanned for malware and virus free. You can download plasmik APK files safe and secure. If there is no APK mirror available go to Google Play and download safe from there.
Browse media content about top plasmik software or shop plasmik apps. You can also watch videos of plasmik apps.
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has witnessed an amount of Rs. 1,492 billion which was transacted through Mobile Banking during 2015-16.
This is testimony of the fact that transaction through mobile money has potential to expand reach of banking services to 85 per cent unbanked population of Pakistan.
During October to December, 2015 the total volume of branch-less banking was over Rs.486 billion while the number of branch-less banking transactions surpassed Rs. 101.6 billion during same period.
The amalgamation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and banking services can help in moving towards a fully documented economy which is necessary to improve the tax collection circle and achievement of 18 per cent tax to GDP ratio as stated under the goals of the Pakistan Vision 2025.
As per data in Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)'s annual report, the telecom sector has contributed Rs. 157.8 billion during fiscal year 2015-16 to national kitty as compared to Rs. 126.3 billion registered during previous year.
The comparison of growth between telecom revenue and telecom contribution over last fiscal year showed that the government collections have actually increased by 25 per cent whereas telecom revenues witnessed only 1.47% have raise during 2015-16.
The unprecedented collection during 2013-14 was mainly due to extraordinary deposits as a result of 3G and 4G spectrum auction.
In reported period telecom sector continued to grow positively in terms of subscription, revenues and tele-density. Broadband penetration has increased to 18.3 per cent from just 2 per cent in year 2014.
The ICT solutions, being offered on mobile broadband, are making a big difference in every walk of life.
Hundreds of billions of rupees are being sent and received over the mobile money channels by people of Pakistan.
The innovative and cost-effective solutions are also being offered in e-commerce, online education, e-health, travel and governance sectors.
Due to such high demand for mobile broadband services, Telenor Pakistan acquired 4G spectrum for US $ 395 million during 2015-16. Furthermore, the government collections will also increase from other sectors of economy due to broadband and ICT proliferation.
It may be further added that one component of overall government collections i.e. GST was decreased but there could be a number of factors behind this decline.
For example, the Federal government and the Government of Punjab have exempted GST on internet/data services whereas the Government of Sindh is charging reduced rate on internet/data services.
Resultantly, the share of tax-exempted data revenue in total telecom revenues increased to 29 per cent in 2015-16 as compared to 19.3 per cent in 2013-14.
However, the trade-off between GST collection and internet/broadband development turned out to be a wise decision by the Federal, Punjab and Sindh governments.
Published in The Banker Pakistan, November 16th, 2016.
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Content Maturity Model
It is an established fact that the race of communication can only be won by mastering the art and science of content development and dissemination. The organizations across the globe are working hard to win the arts and science of content development and dissemination with very strong focus on digital communication.
Organization to win the digital communication war is amalgamating search, social and content into their digital marketing strategies. They are busy developing the content maturity model in order to streamline the communication plan and process for the organization. In my views, communication consultants, content experts, and digital marketing evangelists are trying to figure out how to make this transition as a stepwise journey across a series of maturity phases.
Organizations across the globe is trying their best to win the race. This race is not only about core issues viz., Revenue, Operations, Productivity, Innovation, Human Resources Index, but also about issues like marketing, communication, etc.
The content maturity model is not developed by accident. Content maturity model provides – insights on a company's current content marketing plan, design the content road-map, optimization strategy for better content road-map, etc. In my views a well-defined content marketing maturity model helps businesses establish where they are and how can they reach the desired destination – where they need to go.
To capitalize on a content maturity model, communication experts must first identify at which stage of content maturity model they fall. Then, they can figure out what must be done to move up the value chain.
Soul Searching is the first step of content maturity model. In this step, organization or brand define their features, offerings, basic communication statement, etc. In this stage brand owners decide brand promise and start establishing relationship with audiences. Mostly in this stage the communication is more monologue than dialogue.
As this is the initial stage of content maturity model the focus is on status quo. Most often content is created because it is basic or necessary and not good to do things. The activities at this stage includes – website content, press releases, social media presence and content seeding, web site content update when products and services are launched and occasional blog post. In a few organizations, we can also witness that dedicated resources are allocated for the content marketing efforts.
At times, some experimentation with brand centric blogging, social networks engagement, and search engine optimization work focus on promotion, distribution of brand messaging are also done for visibility and engagement. At the stage of Soul Searching, marketers are not looking beyond the basics of content marketing. They are mostly satisfied with their efforts until they start to see competitors overcoming them on all media channels – earned, owned and shared media.
Once organization has clearly defined and documented their capabilities, they tend to move to next stage of maturity – storytelling. At this stage the Storytellers takes the simple architecture of literature to a meaningful and engaging story. They convert their product attributes, and value propositions into storylines for deeper brand engagement.
Marketers, with the help of storytellers focus on growing their footprint on the web, increase their engagement on social media with specific story line. The increase in engagement with brand however, do not always indicate an increase in leads and sales. At this stage content is developed according to defined customer segments and their information needs.
Storytelling help marketers start the journey of investigation into more specific opportunities from the customer point of view and shows empathy to the buyer journey.
Organizations at this stage of content maturity journey, start focusing on dedicated and specialized team. They see the need of dedicated resources to produce content for search engine optimization and social media optimization. At this stage, processes and tools are used to make the content ideation, creation, management, optimization, distribution, and measurement efficient and effective.
In the next stage of content maturity, marketers work on differentiating the product with strong point of view that sets them apart from the competition. The best content marketers have brands that stand for a higher purpose.
Differentiation help marketer reveal a rich vein for storytelling.
The storytelling is taken to the next level of customization and sophistication at this level. Marketers develop distinct customer segments, and customize the communication for each customer segment. At the stage of Differentiation, content is mature and optimized as per characteristics and information needs. Marketers also focus on content planning and monitoring, and focus on answering specific customer queries as they move through the sales cycle.
At this stage, we also witness that content is optimized for search and social media discovery and promoted through multiple channels. Moreover, building connections though social networks and use of influencers relationships is a key component for content promotion.
Now that content marketing process for the organization is maturing and communication team has started developing content with brand guidelines, customer segments, and the sales cycle. The content marketers are ready to take the content marketing journey to the next level of maturity. The next phase of content maturity reaches beyond the rhetoric and focuses on changing the prevalent buying criteria in respective market. The prime goal of marketing experts here is to get customers to think about a problem, and a solution – differently. This is the stage when marketers start working on category creation.
The best Category Creators combine product and service innovation with effective content marketing that helps bridge the consumers' imagination gap.
At this stage of content maturity marketers start focusing on the creating category specific content, and growing social communities. In order to develop a meaningful connection with community, buyers and the brand, marketers start to tap into emotional appeals in their content. At this stage, storytelling once again help marketers in maturing content marketing beyond features and benefits and incredible usefulness means connecting with customers on an emotional level. The difference in storytelling at this stage is that the users at times, become part of the story telling in form of brand advocate, influencers, or a character who is role-playing.
This stage also witness customer's growth as brand authority and subject matter experts from a brand advocate, or influencer. It is observed that most companies are satisfied with the growth rates in community, engagement, customer acquisition and revenue at this stage and they don't want to graduate to the next level. But the growth hungry organization, who want to establish themselves as the authority in the industry work on the process to evolve their publishing capabilities and keep evolving the content marketing process. The ultimate phase of content maturity is Thought Leadership. Brands at this stage deliver more value, engage emotionally and demonstrably walk their talk. Thought leadership is attained by achieving excellence along the three dimensions: product, content and operations.
Achieving and mastering the content maturity model is not an easy task. In my views one must take the first step with all honesty and commitment and follow the basic steps of success: At first, it is important for the communication experts to identify organization's current position on the maturity model. Once it is clear to the communication experts as to where the organization stands in the maturity curve, the next step is to determine the technology that will help bring organization at desired level and continue to form ideas for developing technology bundles. It is also important to break down the isolation, build relationships, and find opportunities of engagement so that all stake holders can work together as team. The communication head also needs to establish goals in order to reach successive levels.
Also Published at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/content-maturity-model-braj-mohan-chaturvedi-/
Tags: Content, Content Maturity Model
Cyber Security Ecosystem
India: A Lucrative Cyber Security Market
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Join Our Interim Directors for Important Updates!
Oxford Prep parents are invited to attend upcoming information meetings offered on all three campuses.
The Interim Executive Director and Interim Managing Director will present meetings on Tuesday, March 7th, beginning at 2:00 PM at South Orange County, followed by a 6:00 PM parent meeting at the Saddleback campus.
On Thursday, March 9th, a 4:00 PM parent meeting will be offered at our Chino Valley campus.
The purpose of these meetings is to provide an ongoing opportunity for your new executive administration team to share our steps in Oxford's Administrative and Governance Recovery Plan and to answer your questions. Additionally, we will provide updates on our relationships with our current authorizing agencies and the status of the Chino Valley renewal appeal.
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Inviting, light and airy, atmospheric, that's how our guests describe the restaurant of Hotel Zonne. Large windows, comfortable sitting area and a homely and bright décor.
Join us for a delicious breakfast served daily between 7:30 and 10:00. Dinner by reservation only. The restaurant is also open at other times of the day. How about a fresh coffee at the reading table or a drink and snack in the lounge area?
Lunch can be provided for larger groups and as part of our business packages on request and by arrangement.
The bar of Hotel Zonne is open daily to hotel guests and the public.
We serve all popular soft drinks, have a wonderful selection of wines, craft beers, liqueurs, spirits, cocktails and seasonal drinks. When the weather is nice, you can have your drink on our sun terrace or in the lounge area. And our reading table is another relaxing place to enjoy a drink. Cheers!
Maybe you would like to order a bottle of champagne to your room? No problem! Just tell us your needs, our team is at your service.
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Soldier's War: The Things They Carried
Memories are an inseparable part of human life. Some memories are pleasing and enjoyable whereas some are agonizing, but still all are the part of life. In times of distress, the memories of joyful times provide the strength to bear the sorrow, and owing to this reason numerous people hold on to their memories.
It is this clinging of humans to their memories or other sorts of feelings that is depicted in the short story "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien. The story describes an array of soldiers trying to survive the Vietnam combat.Each character in the short story carries a different fear, memory of some sort, or tangible items that depended on each mission. "The Things They Carried" is a great depiction of how all the soldiers in the war carry emotional or purely physical "things" along their journey of survival through the jungles of Vietnam. The things carried by the soldiers provide an insight into their thoughts and attitudes. The Things The soldiers in the story were struggling to survive in a place far away from their own world and people.Fighting in Vietnam for their country, these soldiers carried along with them few things, which aided them in bearing the hardships of war. For example Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried Martha's letters in his rucksack.
"Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried letters from a girl named Martha…They were not love letters, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping, so he kept them folded in plastic at the bottom of his rucksack. " (O'Brien 1147). The carrying of letters by Jimmy Cross shows how thoughts and emotions are intangible things carried through the march. Through the letters, Jimmy Cross tries to fulfill his desire of being loved by Martha.The letters were a source which took him into an imaginary world of love and joy. "He would imagine romantic camping trips into the White Mountains in New Hampshire. " (O'Brien 1147). Although Maratha had not written anything in the letter which showed that she was in love with Jimmy Cross, Jimmy Cross valued those letters and carried them with him during his march in the jungles.
Jimmy Cross also carried a couple of Martha's photographs. His love for Martha and his intense desire to have Martha as his lover but preferably as a virgin is evident from the things he carried with him and the manner in which he described them.While looking at her photo, he is attracted towards her legs which make him to think that she was a virgin. "Her legs, he thought, were almost certainly the legs of a virgin, dry and without hair". (O'Brien 1148). Another thing that reminded Jimmy of Martha was a pebble which she had sent him as a token meant to convey her feelings.
Holding the pebble in his mouth, he would imagine himself with Martha on a shore. But after the death of Ted Lavender, Jimmy Cross frees himself from the imaginary world of Martha's love by burning her letters and photographs.He starts to think about the real world of war where he is living now. The things carried by Jimmy point towards him as an individual who was so lost in his imaginary world that he lost his grip on the real world. "Jimmy is just so wrapped up in his lost love and his love life that in effect he gets somebody killed and then realizes all that has to be put aside. " (Herzog 28). The love of Martha that he carried with him in the form of her letters and photographs hindered him from fulfilling his duties as the Lieutenant of his group.The other soldiers in the group also carry things along with them, which assist them in enduring the hardships they face in the course of their fulfillment of duties as soldiers fighting in the Vietnam War.
Henry Dobbins derived pleasure from having food so he carried rations which were more compared to the rations carried by other soldiers. Dave Jenson was very particular about hygiene so he carried the things which were needed by him to maintain his personal hygiene. Ted Lavender experienced nervousness and to alleviate his anxiety, he always carried tranquilizers.Ted lavender, who was scared, carried tranquilizers. " (O'Brien 1147). The soldiers carried things which would provide them with the strength to bear the adversities of a war. Each one carried a thing which he regarded as a source of comfort and joyful memories. "Norman Bowker carries a diary.
Rat Kiley carried comic books. Kiowa, a devout Baptist, carried an illustrated New Testament that had been presented to him by his father. " (O' Brien 1148). The things carried by the soldiers reflected their thoughts and attitudes.
Amidst the horrors of war, the soldiers needed things which eased their tensed feelings and allowed them to escape away from the harsh realities of war for some time. The things connected them with their world which they have left behind before arriving as soldiers in Vietnam, prepared to kill their enemies for the sake of their country. Some of the soldiers were influenced by their superstitious beliefs to carry things which would bring them good luck and aid them to return safely to their country. "The things they carried were determined to some extent by superstition.
Lieutenant Cross carried his good-luck pebble. Dave Jenson carried a rabbit's foot …. carried a thumb that had been presented to him as a gift by Mitchell Sanders. " (O' Brien 1153). Living in circumstances where death lurked at every step of their march, these soldiers held on their lives by carrying things which they thought would protect them from death. As soldiers, these men were required to carry weapons and things necessary for surviving in jungle.
But along with the required things, the soldiers also carried personal things to which they were emotionally attached.By carrying the weapons, the soldiers carried the burden of war and by carrying their personal things they carried the weight of their emotions. Jimmy Cross carried the burden of Martha's love. "To carry something was to "hump" it, as when Lieutenant Jimmy Cross humped his love for Martha up the hills and through the swamps. In its intransitive form, "to hump" meant "to walk," or "to march," but it implied burdens far beyond the intransitive. " (O'Brien 1148).All the soldiers intended to remain connected to their past through the things they carried with them in their present times of danger.
The men have in common the "things they carry" objects that might help them to maintain a tenuous connection to their past as they daily risk their lives. " (Smith 202). The things carried by the soldiers bring forth their character and their thoughts. Conclusion The short story "The Things They Carried" by Tim O' Brien depicts the significance of carrying personal things for soldiers who were struggling to survive in the Vietnam War. These soldiers carry things with them, which reminds them of their peaceful and joyous past, or provides comfort in their times of hardship and distress.
The letters of Martha that Jimmy Cross carries with him take him into an imaginary world of love and joy. The letters are a source of joy for Jimmy Cross who is living amidst death and pain in the jungles of Vietnam. The other soldiers also carry things with them, which aid them in bearing the hardships of fighting in the war. The physical things carried by the soldiers appear to be trivial things to the reader but to the soldiers these things were the provider of strength and comfort that they needed the most in the risky circumstances of war.
The idea of games and rituals in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
The changing tradition of war poetry
Extracts from a Diary of a First World War Soldier
The Things They Carried
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Push to fuel Chiapas tourism threatens a way of life
A highway being cut from the highland mountains will open Oct. 31, connecting the capital with remote villages.
By Howard LaFranchi Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, MEXICO
It's a good thing the "El Kiosco" marimba band plays in the evenings in the central bandstand of this colonial city in the Chiapas highlands. Otherwise the musicians' catchy tunes would have to compete with the clatter from all the construction going on in San Cristobl's historic center.
Put on the hip global tourist map by the Zapatista Indian rebellion - which briefly occupied the town on New Year's Day, 1994 - San Cristobl de las Casas somehow managed to remain a mountain recluse despite international fame.
It became a Mecca for the likes of Oliver Stone and Danielle Mitterrand, off to campfire-side chats with charismatic Zapatista leader "Subcomandante Marcos." Word passed to Europe, and the town became an obligatory stop for thousands of Italians seeking out one of the world's last best hopes for "revolutionary tourism." Yet despite all that, San Cristobl stayed a market town for surrounding Indian communities, far from the tinsel of global commerce - the McDonald's and Wal-Marts - that Mr. Marcos had warned about in 1994.
But now it seems this place - known for red-tiled roofs, flower-filled courtyards, and Indian women selling bright weavings and masked, rifle-toting Zapatista dolls - is finally in for some big changes.
The new pedestrian walkways being installed around the colorful town square, along with the city's first storm-drainage system are the least of it. What's really going to hit San Cristobl like a hurricane is the new freeway slicing through the mountains to link San Cristobl with the booming state capital, Tuxtla Gutirrez.
Today the drive up from tropical Tuxtla to shivering San Cristobl is 50 treacherous miles of harrowing turns - exactly one for every day of the year, San Cristobl's city fathers like to point out. But come Oct. 31, the new freeway will cut the driving distance to under 30 miles - with nothing more than a few gentle curves along the way. A trip that now can take up to two hours, depending on the fast-changing weather, the number of errant goats or the occasional roadblock by protesting Indian farmers, will be cut to 30 minutes.
"The freeway is a dream of everyone in San Cristobl," says Mayor Mariano Daz Ochoa. "This is a city that lives from tourism, and this new road will allow more people to come. That will draw more investment, more and better jobs," he adds. "And that will mean better living conditions for our people."
City leaders were correct to foresee the need to make their town attractive to different kinds of tourists. Already the number of visitors fell last year by nearly 3 percent compared with 1998, perhaps as international interest in the Zapatistas cooled.
The pedestrian walkways, complete with underground cables and wires, will make enjoying the town easier for ambling tourists, who now have to compete with locals and vendors for narrow sidewalk space. Plans also call for refurbishing some of the city's impressive colonial architecture, which had fallen into disrepair.
But some locals fear the freeway means San Cristobl will lose its charm.
"This will become a suburb of Tuxtla," says Otto Schumann Glvez, a linguist and coordinator of the National Autonomous University's Indian study center in San Cristobl. Noting wistfully that native residents no longer speak the distinctive Spanish they once did, and that the number of trademark marimba bands is dwindling, he says, "For me it's too bad some things can't remain different."
Mr. Schumann suspects it was this very "difference" of the Chiapas highlands with their myriad - and conflictive - Indian communities that incited Mexico City's interest in the southern state's infrastructure. "After the surprise of '94," he says, "there was no way the government was going to sit by with its arms crossed."
In the interest of national unity and with the Zapatista uprising serving as a warning, the central government made sure San Cristobl got an airport, and now a freeway.
The highlands around San Cristobl and the jungle zone abutting Guatemala have hundreds of miles of new paved highway (not to mention several new Army posts) that didn't exist six years ago. These are roads to give local farmers access to markets, the government says. Actually, they are part of a strategic plan to thwart future problems like an uprising, counter observers like Schumann.
Mayor Daz says he has every interest in preserving San Cristobl's atmosphere, because that is what attracts tourists here. "We have no interest in becoming another Cancn," he says, referring to Mexico's glitzy, high-rise Caribbean resort. The city is fighting to keep discos out of the historic center, and last year it staved off a proposed Sam's Club, a US wholesale warehouse chain, after local merchants complained.
But city leaders say their first priority has to be the living conditions of thousands of new residents in the city's poverty belt - whole communities of Indians displaced from their rural homes by land, political, or religious conflicts. Improvements for them depend on economic development, which is why the leaders dream of bringing in large resort hotels, maybe even an amusement park.
San Cristobl's dilemma: How much new steel and concrete can come in before the local difference is drowned out.
A young Mexican governor takes heat over nationwide publicity campaign
In Mexico, Pope Francis preaches against the exploitation of native peoples
Mexican presidential election: Why the left is struggling.
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So, let's talk about Instagram video for a second. When it first came out, I was overjoyed and excited to eliminate Vine from my social profile, however I still have yet to do so and don't post nearly as many videos as I originally thought I would. Why? It's a completely different dynamic. Video posted on Vine is a completely different entity compared to video posted on Instagram.
First off, Instagram is my happy place. This is where I scroll through beautiful images taken by friends, colleagues and people that I admire. It's calming and inspirational. When it comes to video, what may seem amazing to one person could very well just be visual noise to another. Thankfully, Instagram has an option that allows you to eliminate auto play. Bottom line – if you want to watch the video all you have to do is click on the play button. But, what makes people click? If you have a fuzzy image on the screen, I can guarantee you most people will skip your video and move on to the next thing. It has to look pretty.
Once your video is ready to publish you can choose from dozens of stills taken from that video. Just be sure to keep your hands steady as you take shots of your main image. Take the video I took last night for example.
I was dining in Tainan restaurant at Azul Beach Hotel last night and wanted to showcase the floating sushi boats. It was amazing and such a fun and entertaining aspect to the restaurant. Since the boats were moving, the stills weren't very appealing, however there was a magnificent bubble chandelier that was definitely Instagram worthy. Had I not had the video option, I would have posted a picture of that chandelier, rather than the sushi boats. At the end of my video, I focused on the chandelier, moving slowly all the way down. At the end, I was able to capture a clear still that was still a pretty Instagram shot and if you wanted to watch the video, you had a cute surprise waiting for you thanks to the sushi boats.
Bottom line – if you want to create great Instagram videos, get creative and make sure you have a stellar still to highlight it with!
I saw your insta-video this morning and thought it was brilliant! I too continue to use Vine when I can, but when there's no internet you get kinda stuck on one until you can upload it, then miss other opportunities. At least with instagram you can save a video and post later from the camera roll.
Ah huh! So that's the trick…..!
Ok, now I'm dying to see this video. Why didn't you put it in your story.?Also, you have very cute toes.
I did! Can you not see it? Hit refresh maybe… Oh and thanks. The color is "Trophy Wife" by Essie. Hee.
I watched your video last night. I don't watch a lot of videos for the same reasons you stated, but yours worked last night. I watched it.
Great points- I was just starting to get better with Vine when IG video came out and although I have experimented with it here and there, I am not quite "there" yet.
Love those glass bubbles! My daughter is always showing me videos on insta done by teens that blow me away. So much in such a short time. It's inspiring. Trip looks great. Can't wait to hear more.
I actually had to take Vine out of my phone, was running out of space. I have not really gotten into IG video yet, but maybe all I need is some sushi boats to get inspired? 😉 (which look amazing by the way!) I love your point about the good still image and video being "added surprise".
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With so many neighborhoods packed into Northwest Orlando, it's easy to see why this region is particularly prone to pests throughout the entire year. College Park, West Colonial, Rosemont North, and Callahan are just a few of the populous areas in Northwest Orlando, which is home to many people who have lived and worked in the area for years. As a property owner, it's crucial to invest in pest control services that will protect your investment from the costs and dangers of infestations.
Heron Home & Outdoor provides exceptional pest control and lawn care services, and can be trusted to effectively keep pests away from your home and yard for good! For more information, give our experts a call today!
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Physics Explains How Olympic Divers Are So Damn Graceful
It may seem physically impossible, but really it's just physics.
by Madison Margolin
Aug 9 2016, 4:25pm
Diving. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Have you ever wondered how Olympic divers, with their tumbles, flips, and swirls, swan so gracefully into the pool from ten meters above? We don't want to kill the magic, but it's mostly physics.
It all starts with that initial jump, either from a springboard 9.8 feet (three meters) above water or a platform 32.8 feet (ten meters) above water. In less than two seconds, divers are able to squeeze a couple flips and a rather small splash into their performance.
That very first leap needs to take the form of an arch, according to this video by DNews (Discovery News), so that the diver ends up several feet in front of where he or she jumped. The height from which they leap also determines how many tricks they can do before hitting the water.
To increase the speed of a flip as they fall toward the water, divers crunch their bodies into compact balls to reduce the "moment of inertia," or the tendency to resist accelerated, angular momentum. This helps them execute more flips in less time.
Another way to increase spin-fall speed is the "pike", in which the legs are straight and the arms wrap behind the knees. This position is more difficult because the diver has less control over his or her rotational speed, the video explains.
To finish off the dive with a high score, divers also need to keep their splash at a minimum. Rather than causing what would be the expected explosion of an object traveling at 30 miles per hour dropping into a pool of water, divers need to subtly just pierce the water's surface. This technique is called a "rip entry", and is achieved by entering the water from as straight a position as possible.
Understanding the physics of movement and how the body enables certain positions is behind all Olympic divers. The skill and grace blows the average belly flop, literally, out of the water.
motherboard show
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Most items are shipped via UPS. View our shipping policies.
How do I ship to multiple addresses?
1) When you are finished shopping, click on the "Shopping Cart" icon at the top of the website. If your order is ready, click "PROCEED TO CHECKOUT".
2) On the Checkout Page, scroll down to the SHIPPING ADDRESS section and select the "ship to multiple addresses (great for gifts!)" radial button.
3) You now have the option to import your saved address(es) or you may manually enter a new address. Once the new address is filled out completely, click "save address".
4) To add additional addresses, click "ADD ANOTHER ADDRESS" and repeat the process.
5) You may now assign each product in your shopping cart to the appropriate shipping address using the drop down toggle to select from the addresses you've entered. Once all have been assigned, click "SAVE ADDRESS ASSIGNMENTS" and you will proceed to the checkout to finalize the billing details, review shipping recipients and add a gift message if applicable.
How long can Maytag foil wrapped blue cheese be kept in the refrigerator without spoiling?
Our cheese should be fine in the refrigerator for 6-8 weeks. Our blue is a natural cheese. It will naturally bloom on the cut surfaces after an extended period of refrigeration but is not harmful. Some prefer a bloomy rind on their blue cheese but others prefer to remove by scraping or giving the cut surface a fresh trim.
Can cheese be frozen to make it last longer without spoiling the flavor?
Our blue cheese can be kept in the freezer for up to a year. We suggest that you remove the plastic seal, leaving our signature foil in tact. Place the wheel or wedge in a freezer Ziploc bag and expel the excess air. When you are ready to use our cheese, simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Our tours do not take you through our cheesemake room but we do offer a walking tour overlooking the farm. We will share the history of the farms, show you our packaging department where Maytag Blue is hand-wrapped and end with a free sampling in our farm cheese shop.
We hope you'll stop by and visit our farm when in the area.
How do I dispose of any freezer gel packs included in my shipment?
The freezer packs, which may be included in your order, are reusable and can be stored frozen or ambient and reused.
The product is non-toxic and water soluble and can be disposed of in normal trash collection.
Can all of your cheeses be frozen?
The only cheese we recommend freezing is our Blue Cheese, which can be frozen up to a year.
Do you sell replacement lids that fit the glass containers?
Although the lids are not listed on the web, we do sell them individually.
Please give us a call at 1-800-247-2458, for current pricing and we'll be happy to get one out to you.
Our web sites accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover Cards.
You may also call us toll free at 1-800-247-2458 to place your order.
Can I use my Maytag Dairy Farms Gift Certificate when ordering online?
For customers redeeming gift cards, please call our Customer Service Team at 800-247-2458. Gift cards are currently not able to be redeemed online. Thank you!
Are your cheese items sold locally in my area?
We do make our cheeses available to our wholesalers. Unfortunately, we don't know which specific stores those wholesalers distribute our products to.
You can always order directly online at maytagdairyfarms.com or by calling us at 1-800-247-2458.
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Ladyboy Search is the best adult network to message and hookup with tgirls from Incheon, membership is free and only takes a few seconds to activate your profile. Ladyboy Search is a free hookup site for finding Ladyboys and Hermaphrodites, all profiles are private and registration is only needed to contact our members. Click a city within Incheon from the list below or scroll to the left to view profiles of TGirls directly.
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Valley: Shaw Has Another Motive
CSI 6 years ago
Home CSI
Friday, January 2nd, 2015
Mark Valley will appear in this Sunday's episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, "The Greater Good", which marks his third appearance in a recurring role as former Seattle detective Daniel Shaw. The private investigator came to Las Vegas in the season 15 premiere, "The CSI Effect", to search for his missing partner, and "The Twin Paradox" revealed that Shaw may be keeping secrets from the rest of the team. The ongoing Gig Harbor storyline continues this week, and you can find out more about Shaw's role after the jump. (Contains spoilers!)
Here's an excerpt of a longer interview from the Hollywood Reporter:
Daniel entered this season as a private detective with ties to Russell and Finlay's past in Seattle, and all were seemingly on the same team when a former colleague — with a connection to the Gig Harbor Killer — went missing in Vegas. Now it appears Shaw is in cahoots with the Gig Harbor Killer or very possibly the killer himself. What can you tease about this next installment, "The Greater Good"?
At the end of the last episode, you find out Shaw might not have revealed to Finlay (Elisabeth Shue) everything that's going on in regards to the Gig Harbor Killer. We find out at the end of that episode that, yeah, he might be involved with the killer — just not necessarily how the audience might expect.
Could he be using the position he's in now to assist the case?
Yes. He has a couple irons in the fire. He's concerned and worried about his partner that he came looking for and has gone missing, but we find out he has another motive involved with Finlay and CSI in Las Vegas.
Be sure to check out the full interview here.
Topics: Guest stars
Check Out More 'CSI:Cyber' Pics, Tweets & Videos
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The Chillicothe Youth Flag Football League will conduct a Night Light Golf Outing fundraiser July 14th at Dogwood Hills Golf Course on Debord Road.
Shotgun start at 6pm with fee for a four person team at $240. To register, cal Brittney Lugenbeel at (740) 649-5729 or Ryan Holser at (740) 649-7956.
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Does My Ex Deserve a Second Chance, or Is It Just Nostalgia?
I had been in the middle of checking email on my phone when my ex's name — let's call him Mark — popped up across the top of my screen, jolting me. I stared at it for several minutes, not even sure if it was real.
My hand shaking, I wrote, then revised, then deleted a whole bonkers-sounding paragraph, then wrote and deleted everything again. Finally, I settled on a casual "Sure, I have ten-ish minutes." Then I hit send, and waited, and tried to resist the urge to lose myself in the storm of thoughts that had already begun to brew.
My mind has a habit of pulling moments apart, the best ones along with the bad ones. Piece by piece, I break them down, obsessively reconstructing what we might have said or done differently, until, for a second, the whole thing becomes almost unrecognizable. After my breakup with Mark — a particularly painful one — I did it so often that it seemed impossible that he couldn't somehow feel the strength of my thoughts. I was sure, in those moments, that he'd reach out.
But he didn't. He waited. And waited. And when he finally texted me out of the blue, it had been so long that his reappearance felt like a shock to my entire body.
I don't often feel an instantaneous spark with someone, but the day I met Mark was one of those rare moments: I was literally hurrying out the door, late to an appointment across town, when a friend introduced us. When we shook hands, I forgot about my hurry; I could focus on was his firm grip and his smile. When I bumped into him on the street a week later, I was almost convinced I'd willed us into crossing paths. I was once again in a rush, but this time I stayed, appointment be damned.
Quickly, Mark became part of my daily routine: The first and last text of the day, the one who stayed up with me while I worked on my laptop late into the night, the one who woke me up with coffee in the mornings. For the first few months, it was bliss. But as the months rolled by, something gnawed at me: He balked whenever I tried to discuss anything remotely related to our future. We both traveled a significant amount for work, so I understood some of his hesitation to make far-out plans. But we were both in our mid-30s, and so I assumed he'd at least be willing to communicate what he thought he wanted for himself.
He wasn't. "Is this for your blog?" he'd tease whenever I tried to get serious. And for a while, I went with it — things were fun, and good, and maybe it was fine to just not talk about what might come. But underneath, I knew that it wasn't. So after a ten-day solo work trip with plenty of time to think, I made a decision: I didn't want to ignore the fact that I wanted more. If I didn't speak up, we could easily keep going like this for months or years; if we weren't on the same page, maybe the best thing for both of us would be to break up.
It was a rough breakup — he argued, he pleaded — but in the end, it was a mature one. I wasn't angry, I told him; I was just tired of pretending I was okay with the way things were. We even kept in loose touch for a bit. But over time, the urge to text or email when something reminded me of him eased. Eventually, I met and began dating someone new, and a whole year passed without a word between us. Until the call.
The possibility of reconnecting with a past flame has always been fraught. My very first serious relationship, in my 20s, was emotionally abusive; for years, the lingering effects of it propelled me toward scorched-earth sensibilities when it came to dealing with my exes. Once you were out of my life, you were out forever. This was new for me.
We ran through the awkward "How are you, what's new," and then he got to the reason for his call.
"I know I wasn't good at communicating when you needed me to be," he said. And then, more important: "I'm sorry." I stood in silence as he apologized for all the things that had bothered me, everything I felt he hadn't quite understood when things ended. He was learning to be better about expressing himself, he said, even when it might be hard.
I told him I appreciated the apology and that I was glad that we could talk like this now. And then we hung up, and almost immediately, an internal voice shrieked at me: Remember all the good stuff. As usual, my mind went to work pulling it all apart. The night we met. The day he asked me out. The way he would smile at me when I'd say, "Tell me things." Working quietly side by side on our laptops in bed with the occasional side glance. The memories came fast, landing in dull heavy thuds to my chest. Time had softened their edges, but I could still feel the weight of them.
Tentatively, we began talking again, which didn't help any. And as we started to move toward semi-regular contact, I found myself once again trying to puzzle out an uncertain future: Were we going to try being together again? It felt like a constant tug-of-war in my brain: On one side, the conviction that the memories of what made us good should stay as memories, leaving a happy thing unspoiled; on the other, the nagging suspicion that it might be worth the risk of vulnerability that accompanies trying again.
But our history, it turned out, repeated itself: Once again, after enough time in limbo, I got the clarity I needed: Maybe my problem was that I refused to see past the "either/or" — when really, Mark and I didn't have to be all or nothing. My nostalgia wasn't a sign that he and I should get back together. Neither was his newfound ability to start a tough, honest conversation. But maybe both were signs that we could now be friends.
We'll see. This time, I'm trying not to think about it too hard. I'm going to try to not apart all the time I spend with him, and to live in them instead.
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Old School (diary of A Wimpy Kid Book 10)
PublisherPenguin
Get ready for book 10 in the phenomenally bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series! Life was better in the old days. Or was it? That's the question Greg Heffley is asking as his town voluntarily unplugs and goes electronics-free. But modern life has its conveniences, and Greg isn't cut out for an old-fashioned world. With tension building inside and outside the Heffley home, will Greg find a way to survive? Or is going 'old school' just too hard for a kid like Greg?
Gwen 4 Apr 2021
Amazing kids loved it
I think it is five star so hilarious
The Long Haul (diary of A Wimpy Kid Book 9)
A family road trip is supposed to be a lot of fun...unless, of course, you're the Heffleys. The journey starts off full of promise, then quickly takes several wrong turns. Gas station bathrooms, crazed seagulls, a fender bender, and a runaway pig-not exactly Greg Heffley's idea of a good time. But even the worst road trip can turn into an adventure...
Diary of A Wimpy Kid: Old School
Life was better in the old days. Or was it? That's the question Greg Heffley is asking as his town voluntarily unplugs and goes electronics-free. But modern life has its conveniences, and Greg isn't cut out for an old-fashioned world. With tension building inside and outside the Heffley home, will Greg find a way to survive? Or is going 'old school...
Diary of A Wimpy Kid Book 14: Wrecking Ball
*The BRAND NEW laugh-out-loud, fully illustrated bestselling Wimpy Kid book!* Big changes are in store for Greg Heffley and his family. They are making home improvements! But with unwelcome critters, toxic mould and the walls coming down, soon Greg discovers renovations aren't all they are cracked up to be. When the dust finally settles, will the H...
Double Down (diary of A Wimpy Kid Book 11)
Book 11 in the phenomenally bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The pressure's really piling up on Greg Heffley. His mom thinks video games are turning his brain to mush, so she wants her son to put down the controller and explore his 'creative side'. As if that's not scary enough, Halloween's just around the corner and the frights are coming...
Cabin Fever (diary of A Wimpy Kid Book 6)
The sixth instalment in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series - it's perfect for readers of 8+ and also reluctant readers. Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he's innocent! Or at least sort of. The authorities are closing in, but then a surprise blizzard hits and the Hef...
Diary of A Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul
Greg Heffley and his family hit the road in Jeff Kinney's ninth installment of the phenomenal bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
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HAMMER-HEAD SMART CHARGER — Fully automatic switch-mode battery charger and maintainer. Restores batteries to their original capacity, recovers slightly sulfated batteries, charges batteries in cold climates, rescues drained batteries, and provides maintenance charging to increase battery life.
A powerful battery charger with specialized charging modes for recovering severely drained batteries that will not accept a normal charge. Suitable for most 12V and 24V battery capacities.
Powered by NOCO'S VosFX Processor it is a revolutionary smart processor utilizing sophisticated levels of intelligence to alter the charge process.
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Funding for the 2014/15 IP Audits Plus programme is now available for SMEs, to provide support in respect of IP management, commercialisation and marketing.
What is the IP Audits Plus Programme?
The IP Audits Plus programme has been developed to provide support in respect of IP management, commercialisation and marketing to ensure that SMEs can maximise the value of their IP. The aim of the service is to connect SMEs with good quality guidance and advice, along with the services that they will need to make their IP work for them as they work to grow their business.
IP Audits Plus provide SMEs with a tailored assessment of the IP within their business, and possible business risks posed by third party-owned IP, to help them develop sound IP management strategies. The process is intended to address real needs and generate sound IP policy for businesses.
The audit will result in a report containing recommendations and action points as to how your business could leverage value out of its IP, manage IP risks, and develop an IP management plan. You will also be given the opportunity to discuss the report's recommendations with a qualified IP professional on a one hour pro-bono basis. The service cannot be used to prepare and file an application for a patent, registered trade mark or registered design.
The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) covers the costs of the audit up to £3,000 (including VAT). SMEs can apply from April 2014 until March 2015.
Any SME can apply for an IP Audit Plus by engaging with one of the IPO Partners' business support schemes, i.e. those run by the Welsh Government, Scottish Enterprise and the Growth Accelerator programme. The Partners apply selection criteria to ensure that Audits are awarded to SMEs which, in their opinion, will benefit most from the process and therefore make best use of the grants. As the number of Audits is limited, not all applicants will be successful.
The IP Audits Plus scheme is sponsored by the UKIPO, which ultimately makes the decision on who receives an award. To qualify for an audit the SME must demonstrate a sound business need and submit a short application outlining the expected benefits of the IP audit to the relevant IPO Partner.
This application is assessed by the IPO Partner and then forwarded to the UKIPO if a persuasive case for the award has been made. Final decisions are typically taken very quickly, usually within a day or two of the application being received by the UKIPO.
The audit is delivered by a nominated qualified IP professional and covers all aspects of formal and informal IP. HGF has carried out many IP audits, and has developed a breadth and depth of expertise in this area. We can match our IP professionals, for example a combination of expertise in patents, trademarks and designs, to your business and tailor the audit accordingly. We can also put you in touch with our contacts within the relevant IPO Partner business support schemes.
For many businesses, we also provide initial advice on why and how your business would benefit from an IP Audit, which will assist in preparing a strong application.
For further advice on this or any other IP matter, please contact your usual HGF representative or visit our contact page.
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This is the spectacular flashback mix, an array of colors with bicolor petals. The undersides of the petals are a muted burgundy giving the flowers a unique, flashy appearance. An excellent mix of colors; high percentage of double and semidouble flowers on long, strong stems. Also known as pot marigold, common marigold, and Scotch marigold. Petals of the flowers can be used fresh or dried in "flower confetti," for soups, soufflés, rice dishes, baked goods, and to garnish desserts. Calendula is a popular choice for brightening up salad mix. Flavor is tangy and slightly bitter. Remove the petals from the flower base before consuming, as the base can be quite bitter.
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Madonna exposes teen fan's breast at concert
By Bayareanewsgroup Com and Martha Ross |
PUBLISHED: March 18, 2016 at 12:11 p.m. | UPDATED: May 18, 2018 at 1:48 a.m.
Madonna continued her wild — some say disturbing — antics during her Rebel Heart tour by exposing a young female fan's breast to the crowd.
The pop star, 57, took a break while performing in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday night to bring the 17-year-old on stage. "She's the kind of girl you just want to slap on the (expletive)," Madonna said, according to People. She then tugged on the girl's strapless corset top, briefly revealing her breast and nipple to the crowd.
"Oh sorry, sexual harassment," Madonna reportedly joked in a light-hearted apology. The mother-of-four then offered to let the girl do the same to her.
While the teen, Josephine Georgiou, later told the Courier Mail that she wasn't bothered — and even asserted it's her prerogative to decide if she's offended — many others continued to wonder, what's up with Madonna?
The superstar in the midst of a bitter fight for custody of her 15-year-old son, Rocco, who ran away from her to live in London with his father and Madonna's ex-husband Guy Ritchie. During the final leg of her seven-month tour, which wraps up Sunday, Madonna's erratic behavior has left fans wondering if the custody battle has left her unhinged.
In a concert in New Zealand March 5, Madonna had a meltdown, expressing her maternal anguish while dedicating a son to Rocco, who was granted permission to stay in London pending the outcome of the custody battle.
She was then caught on video at a concert in Melbourne, guzzling what appeared to be tequila, rambling and falling off a tricycle, according to Billboard. Madonna later denied she was under the influence. Rather, she said, she was "acting."
She followed up that "acting" performance by keeping fans at another Brisbane concert waiting almost three hours.
Martha Ross provides celebrity commentary for the Bay Area News Group. Follow her at twitter.com/marthajross.
Bayareanewsgroup Com
Martha Ross
PUBLISHED: March 18, 2016 at 11:37 a.m. | UPDATED: May 18, 2018 at 1:50 a.m.
Horoscopes Jan. 18, 2022: Kevin Costner, put your health and well-being first
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April, 2017 Archives
The Year of Alabama Water Watch
Proclamation By the Governor of Alabama WHEREAS, Alabama is blessed with over 130 thousand miles of streams and rivers and world class aquatic biodiversity; and WHEREAS, clean, reliable…
April 27, 2011 Day of Remembrance
Proclamation By the Governor of Alabama WHEREAS, on April 27, 2011 there were a total of 62 long track tornadoes that swept across the state of Alabama, creating a damage path that was …
April 27th Remembrance Day Flag Memo
Governor Ivey Appoints Lyn Stuart as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
MONTGOMERY – On Wednesday, Roy Moore resigned as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Upon notice of Mr. Moore's resignation, Governor Kay Ivey appointed Associate Justice Ly…
Governor Ivey Declares April 27, 2017, "A Day of Remembrance"; Orders Flags to Half-staff
MONTGOMERY – In memory of the sixth anniversary of the 62 deadly tornadoes which struck Alabama on April 27, 2011, Governor Kay Ivey has declared April 27, 2017, as a "Day of Rememb…
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 704
Moving Office of Broadband Development to ADECA
Alabama State Employee Recognition Week
Proclamation By the Governor of Alabama WHEREAS, the State of Alabama is served by approximately 30,000 loyal and dedicated state employees in many essential areas, including supporting…
Proclamation By the Governor of Alabama WHEREAS, the Holocaust was the state-sponsored, systematic persecution and annihilation of European Jewry by Nazi Germany and its collaborators b…
National Nursing Home Week
Proclamation By the Governor of Alabama WHEREAS, the citizens of Alabama now residing in nursing homes have contributed immeasurably to the heritage, success and growth of our state; an…
Governor Ivey Requests Change in AMBER Alert Criteria After Bessemer Incident
MONTGOMERY – On Wednesday, April 19, 2017, one hour and forty minutes after an incident in which a vehicle was stolen with a child inside, Bessemer police requested the Alabama Law En…
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
}
|
Harry Billy Winks is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the England national team.
Winks is a product of the Tottenham Hotspur youth system. During the 2013–14 season, he regularly trained with the first-team squad and was named on the senior bench for the first time in a Premier League tie against Liverpool on 30 March 2014, remaining an unused substitute in a 4–0 loss at Anfield. On 27 July 2014, Winks signed his first professional contract with Tottenham. According to Winks, Mauricio Pochettino said that he wanted to sign Winks immediately after watching videos of his performances. He made his first team debut on 27 November 2014 in the UEFA Europa League group against FK Partizan in a 1–0 home win at White Hart Lane, replacing Paulinho after 87 minutes.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
}
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Can I tailor pages and content for a specific member?
Yes, MemberMouse has a large library of SmartTags which allow you deliver dynamic content on any page based on information about the logged-in member.
And yes, content can also member-specific. MemberMouse allows you to easily protect WordPress pages and posts based on membership level or bundle as well as drip content to members over time by scheduling what day members get access to protected content. A great place to learn more about this is the Protect and Schedule Content article and video.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
}
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Innovation Summit 2018: Building the Intelligent Company, March 22 2018, The Westin Chicago River North, Chicago
March 8, 2018 By TechnologyConference.com
The Economist Events will bring together the world's leading minds in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to discuss the opportunities created by these technologies for business, as well as their implications on society at large on March 22, 2018 in Chicago. Featuring an audience of Fortune 500 CEOs, policymakers, academics and disruptive entrepreneurs, the event will be held at The Westin Chicago River North.
In 2017, adoption of AI technologies grew over 60 percent (Outlook on Artificial Intelligence in the Enterprise 2018). As businesses scale their innovation strategy by investing in these technologies, Economist Events will analyze where AI is poised to make the biggest impact and identify how it will undermine existing business models. Speakers will also address how AI and machine learning will impact today's human workforce and explore novel ways of collaborating with machines.
"It is an exciting time for artificial intelligence and machine learning as startups and established firms alike develop new ways to apply these technologies to everyday business," said Vijay Vaitheeswaran, United States business editor, The Economist. "We look forward to the insightful discussions and robust debates to take place at the Innovation Summit, which will point the way for forward-looking firms looking to embrace these technologies."
Confirmed speakers to date include:
Fei-Fei Li, Chief Scientist, Google Cloud AI
Fiona Tan, Head of AI and Customer Technology, Walmart
Jim Swanson, Chief Information Officer, Monsanto
Jim Fowler, Chief Information Officer, GE
Bask Iyer, Chief Information Officer, VMware, Dell
Soma Somasegar, Managing Director, Madrona Venture Group
Mike Beebe, Chief Executive, Mayfield Robotics
Jaykumar Menon, Chair and Co-Founder, Open Source Pharma Foundation; McGill University
Naveen Jain, Chief Executive, Viome
Kristen Hamilton, Chief Executive and Co-Founder, Koru
Tenzin Priyadarshi, Director, ethics initiative, MIT Media Lab
Jacob Mullins, Partner, Shasta Ventures
Pedro Domingos, Author, 'The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World'
Tolga Kurtoglu, Chief Executive, PARC
Avi Goldfarb, Professor, University of Toronto and Co-author, 'Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence'
Chris Urmson, Co-founder and Chief Executive, Aurora
Esther Dyson, Executive Founder, Way to Wellville
Alex Salkever, Futurist and Co-author, 'The Driver in the Driverless Car'
Danielle DuMerer, Chief Information Officer, Department of Innovation and Technology, City of Chicago
Busy Burr, Head of Healthcare Innovation and Trend, Humana
Jennifer Wortman Vaughan, Senior Researcher, Microsoft Research
Laurie Tolson, Chief Digital Officer, GE Transportation
Bastian Lehmann, Chief Executive, Postmates
Caleb Harper, Principal Investigator and Director, Open Agriculture Initiative, MIT Media Lab
Aija Leiponen, Associate Professor, Innovation Strategy, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
Billy Bosworth, Chief Executive Officer, DataStax
Tom Bianculli, Chief Technology Officer, Zebra Technologies
Tim Baxter, President and Chief Executive Officer, Samsung Electronics, North America
Brenna Berman, Executive Director, City Tech Collaborative
Jeff Burnstein, President, Association for Advancing Automation
Kevin Sterneckert, Group Vice-President, Innovation Strategy and Solutions Marketing, JDA Software
Postmates and DataStax are the event's diamond sponsors, Zebra is a platinum sponsor and Looker is a silver sponsor. The event's public relations agency is Zeno Group.
Filed Under: Announcements Tagged With: Innovation Summit 2018
All-digital CES® 2021, the world's most influential technology event, January 11-14, 2021
2017 PSCR Public Safety Broadband Stakeholder Meeting, June 12-14 2017, San Antonio, Texas
Quantum Computing Inc. Releases Its First Quantum Ready Software Product QAA – The Quantum Asset Allocator to Optimize Portfolio Returns
Open Source Summit to Include Embedded Linux Conference, August 21 – 23, 2019 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront
The 5th edition of Bits & Pretzels will be held from September 30 to October 2 2018
31st Annual Educational Technology Conference, April 14-16, 2014, Nashville, Tennessee
Cloudinary to Host 4th Annual ImageCon 2020: A Digital Experience, July 27-30 2020
Strata + Hadoop World, September 29 – October 1, 2015, New York
Tableau Conference, November 12-15, 2019, Las Vegas
NATIONAL HOMELAND SECURITY CONFERENCE & EXPO, February 25-26, 2004, Lake Buena Vista, FL
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
}
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Cubs reaction: Fans had it rough in 2012, looking ahead to 2013
Cubs fans had a rough year in 2012, but they're already looking forward to a better team in 2013.
By Stephen Schmidt Oct 4, 2012, 2:42pm CDT
Share All sharing options for: Cubs reaction: Fans had it rough in 2012, looking ahead to 2013
Jonathan Daniel - Getty Images
The Chicago Cubs just completed one of the worst seasons in the team's history, and it's been a tough year on their fans as well. 2012 saw the Cubs lose 101 games, and all of the losing was rough for the readers over at Bleed Cubbie Blue to take. Al Yellon had the following to say about the Cubs 2012 season at SB Nation's Cubs blog:
"This has been perhaps the most difficult year I have ever had as a Cubs fan. Beyond the losses and horrendous play I've seen, some of what's happened has had me saying things to others here that I truly regret. Please let this serve as a complete and overall apology for any harsh words I've said to anyone here. We have it tough enough as Cubs fans without being at each other's throats. I am truly sorry. And now that the Cubs' record resets to 0-0 until April 1, 2013, let us reset here, talk about how to make this team better and other baseball topics. I'm sitting watching the Oakland Athletics celebrate their improbable run to the A.L. West title as I type this -- after they had just one winning season since 2006 and lost 88 games last year -- and thinking, why can't that be the Cubs soon?"
Cubs attendance figures reflect the disappointment that fans had with the 2012 season, as ticket sales were down 4.5% for the year. Cubs fans will be hoping that 2013 brings a more competitive team, they'll be opening next season on the road against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The complete 2013 schedule can be found here.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
}
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DULUTH, Minn., April 06, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IKONICS Corporation (NASDAQ:IKNX), a Duluth-based imaging technology company, recently announced that Marianne Bohren and Jeffrey D. Engbrecht have been appointed as directors. Ms. Bohren and Mr. Engbrecht will stand for election as directors at the 2016 annual meeting of shareholders.
Marianne Bohren joins the IKONICS board with expertise in strategic planning and organizational management, along with her background managing sales and customer service in the complex and competitive distribution space. Ms. Bohren is Executive Director of the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, a regional utility which provides wastewater treatment and solid waste management for a 530-square mile area in Northeastern Minnesota. Ms. Bohren has been with WLSSD for over ten years, and was Director of Organizational Development and Business Service Manager before being appointed as Executive Director in 2008, making her responsible for the operational, environmental and financial performance of the organization. Prior to joining WLSSD, Ms. Bohren served for 17 years with Potlatch Paper Company in various positions of increasing responsibility, ultimately serving as Vice President of Marketing and Business Services. She received her M.B.A. and B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota – Duluth.
Jeffrey D. Engbrecht is President and Chief Executive Officer of Clearwater Composites, LLC, a manufacturer of advanced composite products for the industrial and commercial markets located in Duluth, Minnesota, a company which he founded in 2008. Mr. Engbrecht brings more than 20 years of technological and business experience in the advanced composites market, working in various technical and sales roles at Toray Carbon Fibers, Ticona (Celanese), and Cirrus Aircraft. Mr. Engbrecht received a B.E. in Composite Materials Engineering from Winona State University in 1995.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
}
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Q: Android SSL with a Smart Card through PKCS#11 The reason that this question was born is that I am totally lost, so please forgive the trivial and senseless parts.
I have an Android app, a web-service, a MicroSD smart card (mobile security card). I need to know how can I use the card with ssl to securely communicate with the web-service. Rebuilding and flashing the OS is not an option.
What I know:
*
*The API used to communicate with the MSC
*How to write/deploy applets to the MSC
*How to call a web-service
What I don't know:
*
*SSL
*Too much about certificates and cryptography (only shady academic stuff from the university)
*How things come together and what should I use to accomplish this
seek-for-android has an OpenSC tutorial and library, but the OS needs to be patched for that. Is there a way to avoid that and still use the solution?
I know I could be much further into this with a little research, but my deadline is quite close (a few days), so I need help, much help, and very soon.. Thank you in advance!
EDIT:
More specifically:
I have a Smart Card SD card from Giesecke & Devrient, with Java Card OS and fine applets and dev tools. I also recieved an android service to communicate with the card (the applets) with APDUs. This is quite low-level, it acceps byte codes as commands and data.
I need to call a web-service via SSL authentication. Now I know that SSL uses (can use) hardware tokens with PKCS#11 interfaces.
There is a project called seek-for-android with a guide to patch the OS and have a standard PKCS#11 interface over the smart card (I believe this would be OpenSC). I CAN'T patch the OS.
So the questions again:
*
*Can the Android SSL implementation use (custom) PKCS#11 interfaces in some way, if yes, how? (e.g. possibly with some security providers)
*Can I use OpenSC (and other stuff mentioned in the linked guide) without patching the OS (e.g. extract the libs and include it in my application)?
*Overall, how should I link the gap between the low-level smart card and the high level SSL? I kindly ask you for any material regarding this.
A: As this is a special form of a Smart-Card encapsulated inside a microSD-card I assume that the API bases on special SD-Card read and write operations. Such operation may or may not be usable on Android without root access.
That depends on the certain implementation of the API. Usually such a microSD card already comes with Android libraries (as it is the most open relevant mobile platform) from the vendor. You should ask there for getting more information.
A: Use Bouncycastle (Spongycastle is the fork for Android) and implement your own Security Provider which uses the SmartCard instead of a file for stored certificates.
A: If you can access your card without patching the ROM, you can roll your own (requires knowledge of cryptography) SSL implementation on top of it.
If not, then AFAIK you need to patch Android to get access to the extra hardware. And the built-in SSL library has no support whatsoever for client-side "hardware tokens" AFAIK.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaStackExchange"
}
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Glasgow Loves Christmas
Repairs to George Square Christmas lights are complete
The city's festive display plunged into darkness at the weekend.
The Christmas lights at George Square
Repairs to the Christmas lights on George Square are now complete.
UPDATE: It had been hoped that no more work would be required, but some of the bulbs are out again this evening.
The city's festive display was plunged into darkness at the weekend when some of the lights went out.
Work has been underway since Monday to sort out the problem.
Glasgow Loves Christmas, which is run by Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council, is responsible for the lights.
They put out a tweet this morning to say that all repairs were now complete, but this evening that has emerged not to be the case.
More problems with George Square Christmas lights
The Christmas Lights switch on at George Square (Image: SNS Group)
Glasgow Central StationScotland's busiest and least used railway stations revealedOne station in Scotland has on average just two passengers passing through per week.
Glasgow NewsThis eight-bedroom fixer upper in Shawlands has bags of potential
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
}
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in: Unnamed stars
Uncharted star
This star has no known canonical name. While the information presented in this article is canonical, the star described lacks an official name, thus the title is conjecture.
Lantean Star
Astrographical information
Unnamed galaxy (Air)
Eden system
Yellow dwarf
*"Faith"
"That star is not supposed to be here."
This star wasn't detected and charted by the Seed ships. When Destiny flew near it, the gravity of the star disrupted its Faster-Than-Light engine. Since the star system wasn't in any of the navigational data transmitted to Destiny from the seed ships, Destiny was required to plot a parabolic course around the star to chart the system itself. This protracted process allowed some of the crew aboard Destiny an opportunity to disembark for the month that the ship had allotted to complete the task and live on the idyllic planet in orbit of the star.
This star is a yellow dwarf similar to Sol with Eden as the only planetary body in orbit of it. Dr. Nicholas Rush speculated that both the star and planet were created artificially by a very advanced race, though not likely the Ancients due to the writings on the orbiting planet. The nature of the star system perplexed many of the crew aboard Destiny, especially the astrophysicists like Rush and Dr. Dale Volker. The latter determining via Destiny's sensor data that the star had just completed the T Tauri phase of it's evolution, which would mean that it was less than 10 million years old. Had that been accurate, the planet orbiting the star would be very young in it's formation and nowhere near the point where it had an environment capable of supporting life. Several Tau'ri aboard Destiny believed that the star and the planet might have therefore been created by providence (God). Though most believe in both. (SGU: "Faith")
Unnamed stars
|
{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
}
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GREE Forum > Forums > Knights & Dragons > Announcements & Events > [Player Appreciation Month] Create an original Knights & Dragons Haiku!
View Full Version : [Player Appreciation Month] Create an original Knights & Dragons Haiku!
For Official Rules, please click here (http://forums.gree.net/showthread.php?120266-Official-rules-Create-an-original-Knights-amp-Dragons-Haiku&p=1551369&viewfull=1#post1551369). If you are a minor, your legal guardian will have to agree to accept the Official Rules. Please see the Official Rules for details.
Knights! Tell the Kingdom of your adventures through the Land of Light with style! Create a whimsical haiku in theme with the game and your voice will be heard throughout the Land. The winning haiku will be used to inspire a future quest for all to play!
Three finalist entries and the Top Winner will be chosen by the Knights & Dragons Game Team.
Please only submit each entry once. Do not submit duplicate entries.
You may enter up to two entries.
• Use this (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17qwA98PSE2tOCZl2doEnHxmRJrlFGlSlQW8Gt9ZXvww/viewform) form to submit your entry.
• While the contest winners will be announced by February 29th, please note that final implementation of the winning haiku will be done at a future date and will be announced on the GREE forums.
Congratulations to our Original Knights & Dragons Haiku contest finalists and winners!
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
}
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Download this client to connect directly to our servers, this client has new skulls, effects, items and outit sprites. Main links redirect to our website also some texts has been changed and improvement.
Use this client to connect directly to our servers, this client has a new skull and outfit sprite, some UI caracteristics has been revamped aswell. Main links redirect to our website also some texts has been changed and improvement.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
}
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Welcome to the home buyers section assisting buyers looking for Cary real estate and homes for sale and the surrounding areas in Wake County, NC. Please select from one of the outstanding real estate home buying sections below.
Find that piece of vacant property you have always dreamed of. You will be able to search the entire Triangle MLS for Land.
Click here to receive free information about buying a home in Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Raleigh, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina or any other surrounding local Wake County real estate market.
Handy hints, covering a wide range of pre & post-purchase subjects, designed to help the home buyer.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
}
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September 4, 2016 Science
Obama to Call on Beijing to Be 'Responsible' on South China Sea
President Barack Obama, who arrived in China for the G-20 summit Saturday, plans to tell Beijing that "there will be consequences" for its territorial moves in contested areas of the South China Sea, he said in an exclusive interview with CNN to be aired Sunday.
"If you sign a treaty that calls for international arbitration around maritime issues, the fact that you're bigger than the Philippines or Vietnam or other countries... is not a reason for you to go around and flex your muscles. You've got to abide by international law," Obama said.
Obama said China needs to be "responsible," and that he plans to tell President Xi Jinping that he should look to the U.S. as an example of a country that maintains its power, in part, by restraining itself.
"When we bind ourselves to a bunch of international norms and rules it's not because we have to, it's because we recognize that over the long term, building a strong international order is in our interests," he said.
Obama also mentioned fair and free trade and economic policies as areas in which China must improve.
China was angered by a July decision by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration dismissing Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea.
|
{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaCommonCrawl"
}
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Q: How to change the alpha of a bitmap font in libgdx I want to make a message box that fade when you accept but I don't know how to change the alpha of a font,
here is how I do my font:
white = new BitmapFont(Gdx.files.internal("data/font/whitefont.fnt"),false);
white.setUseIntegerPositions(false);
white.setScale(0.025f);
white.draw(batchHUD, message.nom+":", 1000*0.1f+(1000*0.8f*0.3f), 625*0.1f+(1000*0.8f*0.625f*0.5f*0.1f)+1000*0.2f);
Can anyone help me ? :) I'm sorry for my english, it's not my native language.
A: white.setColor(1, 1, 1, <alpha>);
This will change the alpha of the font for all following draws. So you would probably want to set it to full opaque again once you draw that message.
white.setColor(1, 1, 1, 1);
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaStackExchange"
}
|
We are one of the reputed organizations in manufacturing and exporting Quick Action Clamp. These are designed for speed and convenience with a comfortable ratchet handle design. Quick Action Mech. Clamps for easy & safe tool clamping. This Clamp is a complete assembly with controlled stroke like Hydraulic Clamp. We provide different varieties of Quick Action Clamp in order to satisfy the customer needs.
We are the exporters and manufactures TGP Pull Back Clamps. These are designed for attachment by welding or bolting into the front or top of base to be a container or cover. With the constant support of our highly experienced and expert engineers, we are able to design and develop superior quality Pull Back Clamp. The Clamp is supplied with a standard bolt retainer which can be welded at any desired angle of the Clamping Arm.
TGP-6 35 18 195 85 Ø 20 6 M8 x 50 100 kg. 0.250 kg.
TGP-8 45 22 270 115 Ø 25 8 M10 x 60 200 kg. 0.890 kg.
TGP-10 50 25 290 115 Ø 25 10 M10 x 75 300 kg. 1.100 kg.
TGP-12 50 25 305 115 Ø 25 12 M12 x 75 500 kg. 1.280 kg.
Looking for Quick Action Clamp ?
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
}
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Q: Adding TextField to AlertController breaks AlertController I am currently trying to open up an AlertController with a TextField inside. When running
let configAlert = UIAlertController(title: "Configure Add-On", message: "Enter Your Add-On Name:", preferredStyle: UIAlertControllerStyle.alert)
configAlert.addAction(UIAlertAction(title: "OK", style: .default, handler: { (action: UIAlertAction!) in
// Handle Input
}))
present(configAlert, animated: true, completion: nil)
everything works fine, but as soon as I add the TextField
configAlert.addTextField { (textField) in
textField.placeholder = "Name"
}
the Alert takes about 10 times longer to open, instantly dismisses, and I get this error in the console spammed about 30 times:
2017-11-26 13:04:08.985783-0500 MinelyMod[380:14792] Warning: Attempt to dismiss from view controller <UISplitViewController: 0x147e0a6a0> while a presentation or dismiss is in progress!
Here is the completed AlertController thats failing
let configAlert = UIAlertController(title: "Configure Add-On", message: "Enter Your Add-On Name:", preferredStyle: UIAlertControllerStyle.alert)
configAlert.addTextField { (textField) in
textField.placeholder = "Name"
}
configAlert.addAction(UIAlertAction(title: "OK", style: .default, handler: { (action: UIAlertAction!) in
// Handle Input
}))
present(configAlert, animated: true, completion: nil)
A: let alertController = UIAlertController(title: "Title", message: "", preferredStyle: .alert)
alertController.addAction(UIAlertAction(title: "Save", style: .default, handler: {
alert -> Void in
let textField = alertController.textFields![0] as UITextField
// do something with textField
}))
alertController.addAction(UIAlertAction(title: "Cancel", style: .cancel, handler: nil))
alertController.addTextField(configurationHandler: {(textField : UITextField!) -> Void in
textField.placeholder = "Search"
})
self.present(alertController, animated: true, completion: nil)
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaStackExchange"
}
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require 'spec_helper'
describe Spree::Admin::StoresHelper, type: :helper do
describe '#selected_checkout_zone' do
let!(:store) { create(:store) }
let!(:country) { create(:country) }
let!(:country_zone) { create(:zone, name: 'CountryZone') }
context 'with set preference checkout_zone in spree config file' do
before do
country_zone.members.create(zoneable: country)
Spree::Config[:checkout_zone] = country_zone.name
end
it 'return countries' do
expect(selected_checkout_zone(store)).to eq Spree::Zone.find_by(name: Spree::Config[:checkout_zone])
end
end
context 'with checkout_zone_id set on store' do
before do
Spree::Config.preference_default(:checkout_zone)
country_zone.members.create(zoneable: country)
store.update(checkout_zone_id: country_zone.id)
end
it 'return countries' do
expect(selected_checkout_zone(store)).to eq country_zone
end
end
context 'checkout_zone is not set via preference or store' do
before do
Spree::Config.preference_default(:checkout_zone)
store.update(checkout_zone_id: nil)
end
it 'return nil' do
expect(selected_checkout_zone(store)).to eq nil
end
end
end
end
|
{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaGithub"
}
|
At J & S Construction, we provide both waterproofing and weeping tile services. One of the most common services we perform in these categories is basement waterproofing. Sudbury homeowners know that a basement is an excellent addition to any house, offering a boost in value. However, a leaky basement can mean serious water damage. J & S Construction's experience and industry knowledge allow us to provide a range of waterproofing services for both the interior and exterior of your building. If you are concerned about affecting your landscaping or the outside look of your home, we can offer interior waterproofing for small leaks. Should leaks be more serious or complex, we can offer exterior waterproofing like weeping tile systems.
A weeping tile system encompasses a drainage system that protects the foundation of your home from water damage. There are two types of weeping tile systems, interior and exterior. Interior systems are inside your basement and run along the floor while the exterior version is buried outside of your home along the foundation, preventing moisture from penetrating it. When it comes to waterproofing solutions, J & S Construction is well experienced in weeping tile installation. Contact us to book a free consultation.
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{
"redpajama_set_name": "RedPajamaC4"
}
|
Meeting called to order at 7:05 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance.
The minutes for July10, were reviewed and Leslie Bergum made a Motion to: accept them as most recent edit changes. John Goodney seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. The minutes for May 8th and June 12th were tabled once again.
At this time Chairman Karpf gave Mr. Robinson the option to continue with the Public Hearing with the three board members that were present or he could wait for a full board of five. Joan wanted to make sure Greg Robinson understood that a yes vote would mean that all three board members would have to agree to the request, or a split vote would mean the request was denied. Greg Robinson said he was happy with the three members that were present as these three had been with him for the entire procedure.
Chairman Joan Karpf explained the procedure for the Public Hearing. The meeting would start with any other information Mr. Robinson would like to add to his request for a Special Exception. At the end of that, Mrs. Karpf would open the Public Hearing to answer questions, gather information and take input from the public.. The Public Hearing would end when all questions were asked and then the board would deliberate.
At 7:10 Greg Robinson was allowed the time to present his request. Mr. Robinson owns the Twin Mountain KOA on Rte. 115, Map 202, Lot 17. He purchased the abutting piece of property, Map 202, Lot 23. He would like to expand his campground onto Lot 23. He would use the gravel road/right of way to access Lot 23 that would have approximately 8 cottages and 6-9 RV spots. He expects to use about 2 acres of the 14 acres on the lot.
a. How would you handle the extra garbage?
small fires cannot be higher then 2 feet. There is also 1 large fire ring for groups.
c. Where are the fire hydrants?
Cormiers property, which abutts the KOA on Rte.115.
d. How long is the campground opened?
vehicles or campers are allowed to stay when they close down for the season.
At 7:20 Chairman Karpf opened the Public Hearing and Dave and Sharon Bicknell, abutters, asked if he planned on using the land closest to Rte.115 for the campground and Mr. Robinson said no. He planned on just the 2 acres in the back. Then they asked him what if he changed his mind. Greg Robinson said he would have to go before the ZBA again and go thru the same process he�s doing now. Sharon Bicknell asked if the entrance would be changing and Mr. Robinson said no. The entrance would still be thru the existing KOA Campground and to the right of way, which is on his property. With these questions answered, Mrs. Bicknell said she saw no problem.
Chris Reed, owner of Lots 19, 20, and 21, wanted to know how large the road would have to be and Greg said that the right of way was twenty-five feet wide. And then when you cross that and you reach the �older campsites,� the road turns into a one way. He said he would also put in stop signs on either side. Chris Reed wanted to know about power and where it would come from. Greg said he was not really sure but he would probably come from Cormier�s, and put in a transformer and one pole and then the wires would all be underground. Mr. Reed said he would like to see the power come from the existing KOA so he would not have to see the pole on his ride thru the right of way to his land locked lots. Chris also asked Greg if they would need another dumping station and Greg said no.
Mrs. Meyers then spoke and said her stepfather was Fred Lehr and she now owned his property. But after listening and seeing where the campground was going, she felt they really would not be affected by this.
Joan asked if there were any restrictions on time or lighting. He said that 10:00 p.m. becomes quiet time and he actually walks around the campground. People come to the KOA for the peace and quiet. All the lights at the campground are on timers, but they have lights on the roadways for safety. He said they also have some photo cells.
Leslie Bergum asked again about the setback particularly for the right of way. How far away would the first site be? After a lengthy discussion, it was decided that the Board would work with the fact that the setbacks would be determined to have the �front�of the property be on Rte. 115 and the �back�of the property abutting Lot 21. It was also decided that a 30 foot vegetative buffer would be required and it would be included in the setbacks.
At this point Mr. Robinson said he is open to suggestions so that the abutters are not inconvenienced in any way. He is willing to work with the abutters.
There being no further questions, Chairman Joan Karpf closed the Public Hearing at 7:47.
Once again Joan Karpf asked Greg Robinson if he was comfortable with the three ZBA members, or if he wanted to wait until there were five members of the board present. He said he was happy with the three. The Chairman said they would deliberate now if all the members were so moved to do so. All members agreed to move to the deliberation.
would not be adversely affected because the property abutts the existing KOA and it is their intention to keep the lay of the land as it is and have sites mold into the property.
major. Also the campground is only opened for 5-6months.
1. The Site Plan must be brought before the Planning Board for approval.
2. The right of way must have a twelve foot clearance for emergency vehicles.
3. Garbage disposal will be maintained to prevent bear nuisance.
4. Maintenance of the right of way will be guided by the Town of Carroll regulations.
5. This extension of the KOA Campground will remain intended for temporary occupancy only (5 to 6 months).
6. The Special Exception will include a 30 foot natural vegetative buffer to be maintained along Lots 21, 22, the right of way and any other abutting land owner.
Joan Karpf said she would entertain a motion to approve the Special Exception with the attached conditions. John Goodney moved the motion, Joan Karpf seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Chairman Karpf made a motion to adjourn the meeting, John Goodney seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
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JF-17 Thunder are expected to be displayed at the Paris Airshow
08:25 (GMT+0000) April 9, 2015
in Aviation, News
3 JF-17 Thunder aircraft are expected to be displayed at the Paris Airshow in June, including a flight demo.
The Joint Fighter-17 (JF-17) Thunder multi-role fighter was jointly developed by China and Pakistan. Development started in 1999. Most of the development was carried out in China by Chengdu, however development costs were split equally. It was reported that Russian Mikoyan design bureau provided some assistance in development of this aircraft. Aircraft made it's maiden flight in 2003. It's official Chinese designation is the Fighter China-1 or FC-1 Xiaolong (Fiece Dragon).
First 8 Chinese-built fighters were delivered to Pakistan in 2007 – 2008. In 2009 an order was signed for a further 42 fighters. These were license-produced locally by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. By 2013 Pakistan Air Force operated 50 of these aircraft and production continues. It is estimated that total requirement of the Pakistani Air Force is for 250 new fighters.
Currently Pakistan Air Force operate a number of ageing A-5C, F-7P, Mirage 3 and Mirage 5 that a due to be replaced. This multi-role aircraft is also proposed for developing countries as a low-cost replacement for their ageing types. Recently Azerbaijan ordered 26 of these multi-role fighters.
Tags: Pakistan
The Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant coaxial helicopter flew more than 100 knots in a Jan. 13 flight test, according to...
Boeing also submit proposal for Germany's new heavy lift helicopter
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Why we take a stand at Standing Rock
Opinion // Open Forum
Dennis Banks
1of3Dakota Access Pipeline protesters stand waist deep in the Cantapeta Creek, northeast of the Oceti Sakowin Camp, near Cannon Ball, N.D., Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016. Officers in riot gear clashed again Wednesday with protesters near the Dakota Access pipeline, hitting dozens with pepper spray as they waded through waist-deep water in an attempt to reach property owned by the pipeline's developer. (Mike Mccleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP)Mike Mccleary/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
2of3Tonya Stands recovers after being pepper sprayed by police after swimming across a creek with other protesters hoping to build a new camp to block construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, near Cannon Ball, N.D., Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016. Officers in riot gear clashed again Wednesday with protesters near the Dakota Access pipeline, hitting several dozen with pepper spray as they waded through waist-deep water in an attempt to reach property owned by the pipeline's developer. (AP Photo/John L. Mone)John L. Mone/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
3of3Jennell Downs, with the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma, puts up a flag at the State Capitol in Oklahoma City during a protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline, Monday Oct. 31, 2016. (Steve Gooch/The Oklahoman Via AP)Steve Gooch/Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
The history of building pipelines to carry water, petroleum products, natural gas, coal slurries and toxic crude oil has been a practice in the United States since the 1880s. Many of these pipelines were built without the safety concerns that are now present under EPA guidelines and engineering safeguards concerning the thickness and welding of the pipelines. Rarely did Americans protest against the practice of using pipeline to ship the many types of dangerous products.
Yet the very real danger of a pipeline break or other environmental disaster in the extraction industry has occurred countless times before. No amount of money or apologies can heal the damage. That is why the Standing Rock Sioux Nation has called out to other nations to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline.
I first saw evidence of toxic chemicals being poured into the Cayuga River in Cleveland in May 1969, when the river exploded into a huge fire.
My first thought was of astonishment. How could America create a situation that would cause water to catch on fire? What did this show to the world — a large, billowing cloud of black smoke rising up from a river on fire? Who speaks for the rivers?
I realized that it is we Native Americans who were entrusted by the Great Spirit to speak for the protection of our relatives: the water, soil and the air. Further, we also speak for the protection of the many species of life, the protection of the sacred sites of our ancestors, sites where our people are buried, sites where we gather herbs, roots and other leaves we use to heal our people. These are our duties and responsibilities that the Creator gave to us in the beginning. We accepted these instructions for eternity.
Now comes the Standing Rock Sioux Nation in North Dakota and South Dakota, who saw the impending doom that lay in the path of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The nation moved quickly to defend the sacredness of the lands that would be destroyed by the huge earth-moving machines.
The nation called out to other nations to send their medicine bundles, their sacred pipes, their sacred drums and to come and pray with the Standing Rock Nation. Today, 460 of the 567 Native American nations in the U.S. have come to Standing Rock, in addition to Canadian First Nations sending delegations.
On April 1, the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, with a permit in hand issued by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, opened its large main spiritual camp across the Cannonball River in North Dakota.
Each day begins with a ceremony welcoming the sun, giving thanks for another day. Then follows prayers to protect the soil, the water and the air. Every day there are pipe ceremonies, sweat lodge ceremonies, talking circles and the making of tobacco ties. We have built a small school to teach our young people the meaning of life.
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Each day we walk to the site carrying our prayer ties to place them on the land near the digging and bulldozing sites. It is there that we meet the many police, sheriffs and their deputies, and the dogs that are trained to attack us. It is there we meet the young men in uniform, military forces of the same government that massacred our people at Sand Creek in 1864 and Wounded Knee in 1890, that also sent our sons and daughters to carry the same flag we fly today alongside our tribal nation flags, in World War I, World War II, and the wars in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.
We only want to carry out our spiritual duties and go home. We must, however, stay until Standing Rock releases us and tells us the sacred sites are protected now and the water is safe. We shall never abandon Standing Rock. Never. Standing Rock is who we are.
Dennis Banks is the longtime leader of the American Indian Movement. He is the Peace and Freedom Party's candidate for U.S. vice president.
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Homepage / Aerial Warfare / Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force Issues Aircraft Painting
Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-11 Air superiority fighter
Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force Issues Aircraft Painting
March 18, 2020 May 1, 2020 by admin
The Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) issued Regulations on Air Force Aircraft Painting and Marking (Trial) recently (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations). It is known that the low visibility of aircraft painting and marking in the air is a practical requirement and development trend for actual combat, so as to reduce the probability of visual discovery. The newly issued Regulations fully correspond to such a requirement and set clear standards for the painting and marking of various aircraft of the PLA Air Force. The new Regulations will be implemented in 2020 in a gradual manner, the PLA Daily reported on Friday.
The Regulations consist of five chapters and 16 articles, which require newly-developed combat aircraft to be fully painted with low-visibility coating, and those old aircraft on active duty to apply unified marking painting. Requirements for special markings, such as national flag, "Chinese Air Force" and "Red Cross" are also included. It is informed that in order to make sure the new Regulations scientific, targeted and operable, the drafting team of the Regulations has carried out in-depth analysis on domestic and foreign air forces' aircraft painting and marking cases, and fully drew on the opinions of all parties.
Paintings and markings can help protect an aircraft from corrosions and allow others to identify an aircraft's country of origin. Using similar sky colors, usually gray, light blue, and silver, also makes human eye detection difficult for the enemy. It is a combat requirement and development trend that military aircraft have low observable paintings to reduce visible detection, which also indicate combat capabilities, according to the regulation.
Besides the J-20 stealth fighter jet that focuses on low observability for both the human eye and radars, China has been experimenting with low observable coatings on its J-16 fighter jet since 2018. The J-16, based on the non-stealth fighter jet Su-27, now features a dark gray coat instead of its original bluish-gray tone and has replaced its original Air Force insignia with a light gray design. The new coat will provide the J-16 a level of stealth capabilities not only against the naked eye but also with electromagnetic devices. Having tested the new coatings and markings on the J-20 stealth and J-16, the PLAAF is ready to expand their use on fighter jets, bombers, cargo planes, and special mission aircraft.
Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-11 Air superiority fighter taxies on the tarmac in speed before takeoff for a real combat flight training exercise on March 10, 2020. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Fu Gan)
Saab Awarded Order to Provide Support to Swedish Armed Forces Ground Based Air Defence Systems
Royal Australian Air Force Deploys Boeing EA-18G Growlers for Exercise Red Flag Nellis
US Air Force and DARPA Conduct Successful Final Test Flight of Hypersonic Missile
Aeralis Announces Signing of Memorandum of Understanding with AirTanker
Field Aerospace Completes Turkish Air Force KC-135 Block 45 Tanker Aircraft Modification
Boeing Awarded $2.2 Billion US Air Force Contract for 15 KC-46A Aerial Refueling Aircrafts
Guyana Defence Force to Buy Two HAL Dornier 228 Utility Aircrafts from India
NATO Allied Air Forces Work Together in Air Defence Drills Over Romania
Electra.aero Awarded US Air Force Contract to Develop Pre-production eSTOL Prototype
Iowa Air National Guard 132d Wing RC-26 Condor Retired with Final Flight
US Army 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment Complete Sling Load Operations in Romania
Ukraine Orders Additional 105 Vector Reconnaissance Drones from Quantum-Systems
Italian Signs Contract for Next Development Phase of Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP)
US Ask Israel to Transfer MIM-23 HAWK Surface-to-air Missile to Ukraine
French Directorate General of Armament Qualifies AASM 1000 Munition for Rafale Fighter
Indra to Upgrade Spanish Air Force Airspace Surveillance and Control Centers
Lockheed Martin Rolls Out First KC-130J Tanker and Transport Aircraft for German Air Force
Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton Anti-ice Testing Underway at Patuxent River
Posted in Aerial WarfareTagged defence, defense, military
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Q: Media query is ignoring "medium" selection I am using media query to size a single block of code out for several view port sizes. The issue I am having is that above and below my "medium" location, everything works as expected, between the 992 and 1199 sizes, it ignores my styles.
CSS
/* Small devices (tablets, 768px and up) */
@@media screen (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 991px) {
.smallDevices {
padding-bottom:30px;
margin-bottom:10px;
height: 750px;
}
.smallScreenStyle{
height: 750px;
margin-bottom:10px;
}
}
/* Medium devices (desktops, 992px and up) */
@@media screen (min-width: 992px) and (max-width:1199px) {
.midScreenStyle{
height:650px
}
}
/* Large devices (large desktops, 1200px and up) */
@@media (min-width: 1200px) {
.largeScreenStyle{
height:650px;
}
}
HTML:
<div class="col-md-12 no-padding backgroundImageForPage smallScreenStyle midScreenStyle largeScreenStyle" > **strong text**</div>
A: This isn't how media queries are intended to be used. You don't define different classes for the various breakpoints. Use one.
@@media screen (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 991px) {
...
.screenStyle{
height: 750px;
margin-bottom:10px;
}
}
/* Medium devices (desktops, 992px and up) */
@@media screen (min-width: 992px) and (max-width:1199px) {
.screenStyle{
height:650px
}
}
/* Large devices (large desktops, 1200px and up) */
@@media (min-width: 1200px) {
.screenStyle{
height:650px;
}
}
A: This is the correct syntax for combining media features and media types:
@media screen and (min-width: 992px) and (max-width:1199px)
Notice the and between the media type and the media feature
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NEA working to end power cuts in Valley
Nov 3, 2016- The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has initiated homework to end load-shedding in the Kathmandu Valley and three other cities in neighbouring Kavre district.
NEA Managing Director Kulman Ghising on Monday formed a high-level expert committee under the leadership of Deputy Managing Director Rajeev Sharma to study the possibility of providing uninterrupted electricity supply in these places.
The panel also includes the chiefs of the NEA's planning, distribution and transmission and power trading departments. It is planning to complete the study and submit a report by the end of next week. Sharma's team will also analyse demand and supply management before making a recommendation.
The NEA will implement the recommendations to eliminate load-shedding in the Valley, which has become a fact of life in the country. "Till date, no study has been done to identify the constraints that need to be resolved to ensure 24-hour electricity supply in the Valley," said Ghising. "The outcome of the study will be a guideline for the authority in the coming days."
According to Sharma, they will first figure out the amount of electricity deficit the Valley is currently facing. "Then we will look for ways to optimize the substations and distribution network in the Valley," said Sharma. "We will begin the study on Thursday."
Committee member Prabal Adhikari, who is the chief of the power trading department at the NEA, said that power cuts in the Valley could be reduced significantly if the existing resources were put to optimum use.
"Some of our substations are overloaded while others are underloaded," said Adhikari. "An equitable distribution of the load can reduce power cuts significantly."
Likewise, upgradation of the existing distribution system including addition of new transformers will also contribute to slashing power cuts, he added.
The NEA was successful in arranging uninterrupted power supply in the Kathmandu Valley during the recent Tihar festival. "We put in a little effort and the Valley didn't witness load-shedding during the festive season," said Adhikari. "It has given us confidence."
Apart from managing the supply, the committee will also explore the possibility of generating additional power in the Valley. According to Adhikari, the NEA has received 15 proposals from the private sector to produce electricity from various sources like solar, thermal, diesel and geo-thermal plants.
"Using these means, electricity can be generated quickly," said Adhikari. "Therefore, we will consider some of the proposals that we have received."
Similarly, the committee will recommend using power imported from India to reduce load-shedding. Adhikari also clarified that uninterrupted power supply in the Valley will not increase load-shedding elsewhere in the country.
Source : The Kathmandu Post
Previous articleतिहारमा राजधानी लोडसेडिङमुक्त
Next articleबिजुलीको माग १४ सय ४४ मेगावाट
माथिल्लो तामाकोसीको आईपीओ असार २४ गते आउने, १२ गते आब्हानपत्र सार्वजनिक...
Nepal's energy concern
एलईडी चिम खरिद रोक्न परेको रिटमा सर्वोच्चले अन्तरिम आदेश दिएन
'इनर्जी बैकिङ' भए दुई वर्षभित्रै विद्युत् आयात निर्यात बराबर
अप्पर नौगाड निर्माणको अन्तिम चरणमा
'टेक एण्ड पे'ले निजी लगानी नरोकिने
लकडाउनमा पनि तामाकोशीको काम गरिराख्ने निर्णय
World Bank seeks consultants to guide Nepal hydropower development
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Q: How to split string but ignore until found certain char? I'm tasked to create an intrepreter for c#
basically I want to split this string:
"multiply (add 5 5) 5"
into an array of string:
["multiply", "(add 5 5)", "5"]
if I'm using string.Split based on delimiter of space: " ", the result will be:
["multiply", "(add", "5", "5)", "5"]
which is not what I'm expecting
Is this achievable in C#?
Edit:
I also need to support nested expression:
"multiply (add (add 2 5) 5) 5"
For example above, needs to become:
["multiply", "(add (add 2 5) 5)", 5]
A: You can separate the string by ( , ) . In order not to lose the character itself, replace it with two characters:
string s = "multiply (add 5 5) 5";
string[] reslts = s.Replace("(","((").Replace(")", "))")
.Split(new string[] { " (", ") " },StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
result:
["multiply", "(add 5 5)", "5"]
Edit:
string s = "multiply (add (add 2 5) 5) 5";
var start=s.Select((b, i) => b.Equals('(') ? i : -1).Where(i => i != -1).FirstOrDefault();
var end = s.Select((b, i) => b.Equals(')') ? i : -1).Where(i => i != -1).LastOrDefault();
s = s.Insert(start, "#").Insert(end+2, "#");
string[] reslts = s.Split('#');
result:
["multiply", "(add (add 2 5) 5)", 5]
A: For the very basic use cases you have provided, you could achieve the 'interpretation' by looping through your source string, keeping track of which nested level you are currently in (if any), and using a StringBuilder to build your interpreted parts character by character.
You could implement a method containing the following logic:
*
*Create an empty StringBuilder object, which will hold the part of the source string you are currently interpreting
*Create a counter to keep track of which nested level you are currently on (starting at 0 -- no nested level)
*Loop through your source string, character by character. For each character:
*
*Check whether the character is a space, and whether you are currently inside a nested part or not.
*
*If the character is a space and you are not currently inside a nested part, it means you have reaced the end of the part that is currently being interpreted. Create a string of your StringBuilder object, return it and clear the StringBuilder object to prepare for the next part to be interpreted. Continue to the next character in the source string (i.e. skip the subsequent steps for the current character).
*Check whether the current character is an opening inner delimiter ( '(' ). If it is, it means that you are entering the next nested level. Update your nested level counter to reflect that.
*If the current character was not an opening inner delimiter; check whether it is a closing inner delimiter ( ')' ). If it is, update your nested level counter to reflect that.
*Append the current character to your StringBuilder object.
*After having looped through the whole source string, make sure to return the current content of your StringBuilder object as a string. (Unless your source string ends with a space character, the StringBuilder object will at this point contain the final interpreted part.)
Here is a possible implementation:
private static IEnumerable<string> GetInterpretation(string source)
{
var delimiter = ' ';
var innerDelimiter = (Opening: '(', Closing: ')');
StringBuilder currentPart = new StringBuilder();
var innerLevel = 0;
Func<bool> isInnerPart = () => innerLevel > 0;
foreach (var ch in source)
{
if (ch == delimiter && !isInnerPart())
{
yield return currentPart.ToString();
currentPart.Clear();
continue;
}
if (ch == innerDelimiter.Opening)
{
innerLevel++;
}
else if (ch == innerDelimiter.Closing)
{
innerLevel--;
}
currentPart.Append(ch);
}
if (currentPart.Length > 0)
{
yield return currentPart.ToString();
}
}
If your input string variable is named source, you can use the method as follows:
var interpretation = GetInterpretation(source).ToArray();
For the given inputs, the resulting output is:
var source = "multiply (add 5 5) 5";
multiply
(add 5 5)
5
var source = "multiply (add (add 2 5) 5) 5";
multiply
(add (add 2 5) 5)
5
Example fiddle here.
Note: As stated, this logic and implementation is naive and can be used for the described simple use case.
It assumes:
*
*you also want to split up words that are separated by only a space
(as opposed to a space in combination with a parenthesis)
--> "ABC DEF (GHI) JKL MNO" will be interpreted as "ABC", "DEF", "(GHI)", "JKL", "MNO"
*nested parts (wrapped inside ( )) that are on the top 'nesting level' are always preceded and succeeded by a space
--> "ABC DEF(GHI)JKL MNO" will hence be interpreted as "ABC", "DEF(GHI)JKL", "MNO"
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Does anyone ever cover their inflatable dingy tubes???
white can't keep it clean so I'm covering up.
Folks do this regularly down in Mexico and beyond. There is a guy in Mazatlan who does a heck of a job. I would think a local canvas worker could do this for your where ever you are.
West Marine sells what they call "chaps" for your very boat.
Sunspot Baby I did not find any info. on West Marine website but I did find on goggle.
Doyle marine shows on their website West marine as a retailer.
yep i have a cover on mine to protect it. had it custom made and everyone down here uses them. can send you some pics etc if you like.
Thanks, going to call West marine in Mystic ct. today.
I have been talking with someone at Defender marine outlet for custom fit but having trouble with the how to stay on the boat.
I have seen deflatables painted with acrylic housepaint before as this not only protects the fabric from UV, but on poorly painted ones it looks quite ugly, therefore making it less atractive to thieves.
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What is Radio Bicester?
Radio Bicester was founded with the vision of allowing the people of Bicester to follow their passions for media. Founded by three teenagers in 2013, this community media organisation is filled with passion for community media and new technologies. Now in 2019 we are moving into the next generation taking the community media organisation already loved by many in Bicester to new heights. As of December 2018, we changed the way we broadcast and create community radio and bought it into the 21st century. On our homepage you will be displayed with a variety of different shows in a similar style of major streaming services. Each week new shows are uploaded to the platform for the people of Bicester and Oxfordshire to stream.
Why do we bother?
Radio Bicester is run by a team of 40 volunteers, the main reason we all get out bed in the morning to run this media organisation is to pursue media opportunities and to create excellent content. Our management team works really hard to provide a environment that our presenters can be creative in. Here are a few snippets of presenters experiences:
"Radio Bicester gives me the opportunity to play the music I love, regardless of genre or style, to people who love music." - Jez, The Tarka Blowpig Music Show
"I love doing shows, I love reaching out and giving our community a voice and support and I love the banter - we have lots of that!" - Jo, The Seven Show and Community Matters
"Radio Bicester gave me the confidence I always wanted growing up! I'd like to think it's the start of my journey as a top radio presenter!" - Archie, It's A Sporty One
"Hosting the Business Lunch show gives me a chance to stretch my public speaking skills, especially vocal variety, and also to be seen differently and 'stand out' more as a business coach/mentor." - Ben, Business Lunch
"I love music, like really love it and my passion is vinyl. So getting to share things that people may never have listened to before on a format they may just be starting to explore or expanding brings me a lot of pleasure." - Lee, Just For The Record
Our managing director believes that community media should be made by the community for the community: "Radio Bicester and yWe Media is designed to give local communities a powerful voice. Not only do we give the community the opportunity to create content for the community, we also support the community with our community initiatives, like the community matters show and through our website and social media pages. Essentially we are really passionate about the local community and it's talent, there is so much talent here in Bicester and we love it." - Samuel Isaacs, Managing Director.
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Braine-le-Comte (; , ; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
On January 1, 2018, Braine-le-Comte had a total population of 21,649. The total area is which gives a population density of 260 inhabitants per km².
The municipality consists of the following districts: Braine-le-Comte, Hennuyères, Henripont, Petit-Rœulx-lez-Braine, Ronquières, and Steenkerque.
The Ronquières inclined plane at the Canal du Centre is in the municipality of Braine-Le Comte.
History
On August 3, 1692, during the Nine Years War, the French army defeated a joint English-Dutch-German army in the Battle of Steenkerque in the current municipality of Braine-le-Comte.
Postal history
The Braine-le-Comte post-office opened before 1830. It used postal code 22 with bars (before 1864) and 53 with points (before 1874). The Hennuyères post office opened on 6 November 1865. It used postal code 161 with points (before 1874). The Ronquières post office opened on 10 January 1895.
Postal codes in 1969:
7198 Ronquières
7199 Henripont
7490 Braine-le-Comte
7491 Steenkerque
7492 Petit-Rœulx-lez-Braine
7498 Hennuyères
Notable people
Eden Hazard, Belgian international footballer
Thorgan Hazard, Belgian international footballer
Kylian Hazard, Belgian international footballer
Father Damien, a Roman Catholic Saint that attended the College of Braine-le-Comte in 1858
References
External links
Cities in Wallonia
Municipalities of Hainaut (province)
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Linda Tripp Breaks Silence to Chastise Hillary Clinton
Clinton Foundation Receiving Increased Donations From Swiss Bank UBS
4th Planned Parenthood Video Released
by Amy Taylor in Headlines Post Comment
The Wall Street Journal reports that donations from the Swiss bank UBS to the Clinton Foundation increased tenfold after Hillary Clinton intervened to settle a dispute with the IRS early in her tenure as secretary of state.
The Journal reports that total donations grew from less than $60,000 at the end of 2008 to approximately $600,000 by the end of 2014, with an estimated $32 million through entrepreneurship and inner-city loan programs launched in partnership with the Clinton Foundation. UBS also paid Bill Clinton $1.5 million to participate in a series of corporate question-and-answer sessions with UBS Chief Executive Bob McCann.
The legal battles with the U.S. government and UBS date back to 2007 when whistleblowers alleged that the bank had helped thousands of Americans open secret accounts to avoid paying taxes. In 2009, the bank paid a $780 million fine and turned over the name of 250 account holders as a part of a deferred-prosecution agreement.
However, also in 2009, the IRS requested the names of 52,000 U.S. citizens who owned secret accounts with the bank totaling an estimated $18 billion. The bank said that doing so would violate Swiss privacy laws, and UBS enlisted the help of the Swiss government.
Recently sworn in Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with her Swiss counterpart, Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey in March of 2009, and over the next three months the U.S. and Switzerland engaged in a series of complex negotiations. Citing diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks and people involved in the case, the Journal reports that the U.S. pushed Switzerland to work for the release of American journalist Roxana Saberi, who was being held by Iran.
The result of the talks were the release of Saberi, the shutting down of the Swiss energy company's Iran operations, and the willingness of the Swiss government to accept some low-level detainees from Guantanamo. In response to the Swiss, Hillary announced that UBS would turn over only 4,450 of their account-holders.
Once again, though, the Clinton's are showing that they are not above profiting personally from their tenures in high offices, whether elected or appointed. Why should any of us be shocked that they would profit either directly or indirectly from a deal connected to her time as secretary of state? While the Journal reports that there are no wrongdoings involved in UBS' donations to the Clinton Foundation or their affiliate loan programs, the contributions only help to show the Clinton's hypocrisy and their level of greed.
Only in the Democrat party can someone malign big banks and Wall Street but then secretly accept millions from them, and have the media be mostly silent and find a way to justify the back room deals of crooks and philanderers. Can you imagine the type of deals made in another Clinton presidency? The thought is terrifying.
Amy Taylor bill clinton Hillary Clinton iran UBS Victory Girls Blog
Written by Amy Taylor
James Comey And His Leaks
An Iran Question For Buttgieg Tonight
Nancy Pelosi Disses Courageous Iranian Protestors
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Previous article Browse articles Next article
J Edu Health Promot 2021, 10:442
Date of Submission 14-Mar-2021
Date of Web Publication 30-Nov-2021
INTRODUCTION: Emergency prehospital providers (EPHP) who are constantly providing medical care in threatening conditions are more at risk of displaying psychological distress presentations in disaster situations. Problem-solving strategies are essential for effective and efficient management of event position. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore psychological distress promotion in Iranian EPHP.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative content analysis study was conducted based on 24 semi-structured interviews. A purposeful sampling method was applied until reaching data saturation. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and then, data condensing, labeling, coding, and defining categories were performed by the qualitative content analysis recommended by the Landman and Graneheim approach.
RESULTS: Based on the experience of study participants, two main themes with six categories developed. The main themes included emotion-based management and problem-based management when confronting with incidence scene.
CONCLUSION: The main problems of EPHP in confronting with incidence and disasters scenes are psychological distress which some rescuers have emotional reactions while some others who are more resilience and experience manage this problem in the form of problem-based approach. It is recommended these practical strategies to be taught to less experienced rescuers for avoiding emotional-based reactions and better management of disaster scene.
Keywords: Emergency prehospital providers, psychological distress, qualitative study
Azizi M, Bidaki R, Ebadi A, Ostadtaghizadeh A, Tafti AD, Hajebi A, Alizadeh A, Khankeh HR. Psychological distress Management in Iranian emergency prehospital providers: A Qualitative study. J Edu Health Promot 2021;10:442
Azizi M, Bidaki R, Ebadi A, Ostadtaghizadeh A, Tafti AD, Hajebi A, Alizadeh A, Khankeh HR. Psychological distress Management in Iranian emergency prehospital providers: A Qualitative study. J Edu Health Promot [serial online] 2021 [cited 2022 Jan 22];10:442. Available from: https://www.jehp.net/text.asp?2021/10/1/442/331450
Natural and human hazard can cause many problems for the people and the government. In addition, they have devastating effect on health, social, and economic status.[1] Since the situation is completely disrupted in disasters, not only every person in each event may experience a wide range of emotional reactions such as weakness, confusion, fear, extreme anxiety, numbness, and overwhelmed,[2] However, also, emergency prehospital providers (EPHPs) who are constantly providing medical care in threatening conditions are also victims of the disastrous events.[3] Providing relief under life and death circumstances while being monitored by relatives and bystanders, lack of adequate rest and time to solve multiple problems[4],[5] can cause stress-related symptoms and negative impacts on their health, such as mental and somatic problems, posttraumatic stress manifestations, and lack of control over the working environment.[6],[7] High-risk occupations such as EPHPs are associated with significant levels of psychological and physical stress. Individuals are likely to encounter potentially traumatic events as part of their work, studies have documented the link between experiencing such incidents and mental health problems.[8],[9] EPHPs are often the first ones to face humans in life-threatening trauma and circumstances,[10] Hence, they are more at risk of displaying stress symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder than in hospital providers.[11],[12],[13],[14] They are exposed to a wide range of acute and chronic stressors such as occupational injuries, diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, violence, trauma, stress syndrome, burnout, and fatigue. Injured and fatal car accidents involving ambulances are the most serious risk factor.[15] On the other hand, the adverse effect of one hazard creates another hazard and leads to exposure to combined hazards. For example, workers with PTSD experience sleep problems and fatigue.[16] A review of the research background on EPHP's mental health showed that most studies have done on the prevalence of stress and its relations with psychological problems in staffs. For example, the findings of a study showed that 75.5% of EMS personnel suffer from moderate-to-severe stress and the organization has the highest stress production score[17] and Shiraz emergency nurses have moderate upward job stress and average quality of life. Furthermore, the lower the job stress was associated with the higher the quality of work life.[18] In addition, the result of a study showed there was a significant inverse correlation between burnout level and mental health in EPHP.[19] Different studies also examined the factors influencing the stress of prehospital staff. The main issues related to tensions and dissatisfaction include personal, organizational, coordination, work-related, and society problems.[17],[20] Furthermore, factors influencing safety concerns include the lack of management support, poor communication with management, fatigue, interpersonal violence, and inadequate staff.[21] Given that mental health and well-being of EPHP is crucial in providing services to patients and their families. As a result, the psychological preparation of EPHP is one of the requirements of this profession for better performance and reduce tensions.[22] Therefore, the question here is what methods prehospital staff use to deal with and manage stress. We did not find any studies that showed how prehospital staff coped with stress at the scene and afterwards. In this professional group, it is urgently needed to recognize the strategies reducing job stress and increase the quality of patient care.[17] Stress can be reduced by adopting coping strategies and increasing the level of resilience.[23] Therefore, we designed a basic study that first identifies the behavior and how these employees deal with stress in real situations.
The present study was conducted based on qualitative research method and content analysis by Landman and Graneheim approach.
For data gathering, semi-structured interviews used in qualitative studies. Twenty-four participants were selected based on the purposive sampling method. Participants were selected through purposive sampling method from emergency medical centers. The inclusion criteria for participants were as follows: EPHP who had experience in providing relief in at least one national disaster or more than three mass casualty incidences.
Data collection continued until data saturation, when adding further data does not offer any new information and new properties for each category. In the present study, the research setting included tehran prehospital emergency center, national prehospital emergency center, Gorgan, Agh Qala and Gomishe Tapeh prehospital emergency center (for emergency responders as flood-prone areas), in addition, other relevant prehospital emergency centers.
The time and location of all interviews were conducted by participant's agreement. Interview lengths varied between 25 and 45 min were digitally audio files (MP3) recorded and transcribed verbatim. The MAXQDA V 10.0 (VERBI Company; Berlin, Germany) was used for data analyzing. This study was conducted from July 2018 to May 2020. In general, principal investigator performed 24 interviews. Face-to-face interviews were conducted at the workplace with their consent. Furthermore, the objectives and reasons for the study were stated for the participants.
Data were gathered through the semi-structured interviews. First, interviewer was asked to negotiate one of their recent experiences in emergencies and disasters.
To design the interview questions, we used the texts related to psychological distress. Interviews with participants began with an explanation of the concept of psychological distress, and according to the interview guidelines, general open-ended questions were asked: "would you please talk about one of your recent experiences in disasters and how do you manage the disaster scene stress?" Then, depending on the context of the responses, the interviewer continued with exploratory questions "Can you please give an example?" or "Could you explain more?" to clarify concepts for the researcher and participants. Finally, by adding, "Would you like to add anything else, the possibility of having experiences or cases beyond the author's imagination was examined.
According to the approach of this study, after each interview, audio files were listened several times for getting a complete understanding of the participants' accounts; then, the meaning units was summarized. Finally, similar codes were sorted into subcategories and categories which were compared based on differences and similarities.
The credibility of the data was established by (a) Prolonged engagement of researchers with data as data gathering lasted about 1 year, (b) Peer check which data and interpretation of data were checked by two Ph.D. students who had previous experience of prehospital care, and (c) Member checking: Data rechecked by interested participants to determine whether our interpretations were confirmed by their experiences. In addition, triangulation strategy for data collection such as interview, observation, focus group, and field notes was used to increase the dependability of data.
The researcher simultaneously recorded her findings and perceptions from her presence on the scene and observations.
Ethical considerations
This article is a part of a doctoral dissertation approved with Ethics Code: IR.SSU.SPH.REC.1400.050 please correct itnumber ethic code. The ethical committee of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran, approved the proposal of the study. All participants provided informed verbal consent to participate. Participants were aware that the conversations would be recorded, knowing that they could request to withdraw from the study at any time and to delete or destroy their taped interviews. The research team had an extensive background in mental health.
The participants of the study were 24 participants, 1 woman and 14 men. The participants ranged in age from 22 to 50 years, including 20 prehospital emergency nurses or prehospital emergency technicians, 3 prehospital managers and one physician who was operational manager and well experienced in providing relief in disasters [Table 1].
Table 1: Demographic information of the Emergency prehospital providers
One of the main problems of PHP at the emergencies is the formation and progression of psychological distress. In the face of this critical situation, some PHP are overcome by emotions and manage the scene of the accident based on emotional based. However, the response of some rescuers after dealing with psychological distress is problematic-based approach.
Based on the experience of study participants, two main themes with six categories and 19 subcategories were developed [Table 2].
Table 2: Coding of Iranian prehospital personnel's strategies to manage psychological distress
Emotion-based management
If stress overwhelms the rescuer at the scene of the accident, emotional reactions, emotional behavior, and emotional thoughts will manifest under the heading of emotion-based management that explains the reactions of rescuers about psychological distress.
This category consisted of concepts like extreme and shock that the rescuer shows after facing the stressful scene of the accident.
Extreme emotions
Excessive sadness, extreme anger, decreased tolerance threshold, sorrow at the incidence scene, and emotional conflict are the components that describe extreme emotions.
In the case of extreme emotions, one of the participants (p2) who was present at the crash of the Ukrainian plane says about the sorrow at incidence scene:
"When I looked at my co-workers faces in the plane crash, most of the technicians had tears in their eyes"
Or another participant (p6) stated" Extreme emotions" in this way:
"When we enter the house and see a 37-year-old male, suddenly has a heart attack, His little girl is crying and begs me to help his dad. These conditions cause mood decline"
Somatization and somatic complaints
Physical fatigue, pass out, shaking of hands and feet, palpitation, freezing hands and feet, body burning are the rescuers reactions to the incidence scenes psychological distress. In this regard, the participant (p17) who was present at the crash of the Ukrainian plane says:
"When we arrived in the scene and saw those some of dead bodies, which was dramatic all my body was shaking".
Stress at the scene of an accident sometimes manifests itself like "inability to react," "momentary loss of speech or staring at the scene"
In the case of "Shock", participants (p2) stated:" I went to an accident that had ten injured, I was in shock for exactly 5 min. I could not talk to anyone at all. I couldn't do anything."
Emotional behavior
The incidence scene sometimes effect on rescuers behavior, which includes functional impairment, conflict and challenge, and extreme behavior
Functional impairment
Disruption of decision-making, failure of mission, and disruption of the care process are the "functional impairment" components. The EPHP (p23) who was at the Sar-e Pol-e Zahab earthquake described impaired performance as follows:
"Sometimes in triage, you may make wrong decisions due to the stress of an accident. You do not know what to do and all of a sudden, you hit everyone with a red label, just to get out of your sight sooner"
Conflict and challenge
This concept describes EPHP Conflict with the patient's family and their colleagues. In this regard, participant (p8) described conflict and challenge with these statements:
"EPHP at the scene of the accident get into tension and conflict with each other, especially in traffic accidents, due to the stress caused by the accident; they may behave aggressively and may even have challenge with the patient's family"
Extreme and chaotic behavior
Intense crying, restlessness, and shouting are the examples of behavioral disturbance of EPHP at the scene.
"Behavioral disturbance "was described by (p17):
"In the Bam earthquake, when one of the inexperienced rescuers entered the city of Bam and saw all the corpses on the side of the road, he suddenly started shouting and saying, "Everyone is dying. God, everyone is dying." Then he started crying loudly".
Emotional thoughts
Emotional thoughts include feelings of helplessness, generalization of events, and. Catastrophizing.
Feelings of helplessness
Related statements were stated by (p3) who was in air relief
"I saw an accident in which the bride's head was completely torn off and thrown into the back seat. I felt very helpless when I saw this scene. I mean, I have no power, I was too weak to help my patient, I could do nothing."
Events generalization
Explains the context in which the EPHP generalizes every event to himself and his family. An EPHP (p20) who was in the Bam earthquake described this concept in this way:
"In the Bam earthquake, when I saw a half-dead body of a boy in a blanket. I immediately remembered my own child and visualized my own child's face."
Catastrophization
Means that the most ordinary situation is interpreted as a terrible catastrophe. In this regard, an experienced EPHP mentioned (P4):
"I remember once my wife called my cell phone and said my daughter had an accident, I immediately had the worst possible situation in my mind that she had been beheaded. If nothing bad had happened."
Problem-based management
An experienced EPHP uses his or her logic like supportive, on-stage reconstruction strategies when dealing with psychological distress, which called problem-based management.
Psychological, social and equipment support are the examples of supportive strategies, which EPHP uses in the problem-based approach.
Supportive strategies
Mental exposure, gradual entry into the scene, acceptance, and prior preparation define psychological support. Related statements were stated by (P3):
"When we want to go on a mission, along the way, we imagine what scenes we might encounter at the accident scene."
In addition, participant (p13) said about "Gradual entry into the scene" in this way:
"The police had already zoned the scene and we had to walk a long distance to catch the plane. I was constantly had self-talking to myself along: Calm down, there is no problem, you came to help, in fact not entrance to the scene at once, made our minds became ready for looking those lots of corpse"
Another component that explains Supportive strategies was" Acceptance" which according to that participant (p19) stated: "As I like my job, I accepted all its problems and difficulties".
Previous psychological training, (p21) said:
"Since we passed the mental health unit in nursing, we could calm the flood victims, comforted them and gave them psychological aid".
Equipment support
Adequacy and safety of equipment are the examples of equipment support. The participants (p5) who were in Plasco fire described "Equipment support" as follows:
"Since we were equipped, and sure about the safety of our equipment, we were not worried, and we were very calm about it"
Colleagues, people, media, and cyberspace support under the heading of social support is another support strategies which the rescuer uses them to manage the crisis.
In this regard, participants (p8), noted:
"We went on a mission where I was alone. Once I got very stress and embracement, but when I saw the police, the firefighters came. I could control myself. I felt better. The presence of other relief teams gave me power"
In addition, participants (p12), said about media and cyberspace support in this way:
"Appreciating and thanking the aid workers and showing their sacrifice in the media motivated us to serve".
On-stage strategies
Another strategy that PHP use for logical and problem-based management in the scene of an accident is on-stage strategies, which include deviation of thought, use of knowledge and experience, and adherence to moral-religious principles.
Deviation of thought
Problem-oriented rescuers at the incident scene of the accident with methods such as personal relaxation, mental relaxation and behavioral relaxation divert their attention from stressful issues and prevent stress from overcoming their logic.
In this case, participants (p2) mentioned
"Sometimes when I have bad feeling, I talk to myself at the scene of an accident. I tell myself that now I just have to help the patient. If I lose my control, who wants to help them?"
In addition, participants (p10) noted:
"My own technique is to stay away from the scene for a short time. I turn my back on the scene. I go back. I look somewhere else for a moment. I concentrate my mind and back to the scene again. In this way, I recycle myself"
Physical activity on stage was another behavioral relaxation strategy, which was explained by (P2) as follows:
"We were active constantly active, add keep on actively, we forgot intrusive thought".
Use of knowledge and experience
Interaction with experienced colleagues, prior experiences and focus on scientific principles were related components. In this regard, (P9) said:
"One of the customs in the emergency is that the newcomer rescuer puts a periodic time next to an experienced one."
Adherence to moral-religious principles
Responsibility, Focus on saving lives, Commitment to duty, altruism and Reminder of moral-spiritual principles are examples of adherence to moral-religious principles:
In this regard, (P11) noted as follows:
"I gathered the children together and related the subject to God, the Prophet, by divine destiny. I said we are not responsible for it, but we are responsible for the lives of people who need us"
Reconstruction strategies
Another problem-based management strategy is include "Reconstruction strategies" that include psychological arrangements, social support, Self-soothing skills and reassessment that rescuers use theme after leaving the scene to rebuild their spirits and prepare for the next mission.
Psychological arrangements
Consulting, follow up, Night briefing and role-playing are examples of the psychological arrangements used by rescuers.
In this regard, (P17) mentioned:
"EPHP who collected the corpse of the crashed plane. We asked them to talk about their discomfort so that they could empty themselves psychologically."
Another method of psychological reconstruction is social support, including peer, family and organizational support.
In the case of Social support, one of the participants (p2) said:
"When I am with my family after the mission and I talk to my wife, I feel calmer"
Alternatively, participants (p6) in this regard said:
"I try to explain my colleagues what happened at the accident scene so; my suffering is decline with better feeling".
Self-soothing skills
Self-soothing skills that EPHP use to rehabilitate themselves include humor, relaxation, identifying culprits, and rotation of tasks.
In this regard, (P14) noted:
"An interesting topic that we experienced together at night sitting, that talking and laughing about some parts of tragic event caused stress reduction."
Leisure and travel, regular exercise, proper sleep and eating favorite foods are relaxation methods that EPHP use to rehabilitate themselves after the mission"
In this regard, (p13) said:
"When we return from a difficult mission, eating my favorite food and sleeping for two full hours are usually the first thing I do."
Reassessment
Scientific and practical evaluation, planning, Share experiences and Positive evaluation are described as reassessment, which noted by (P13) as follows:
"After the Bam earthquake, an attempt was made to examine the performance of each organization and to express the lessons learned. This helped a lot in planning for the next disasters."
The purpose of this study is to explore Psychological Distress Promotion in Iranian Prehospital personnel. Based on the findings of the current study, The main problems of EPHP in confronting with incidence scenes and disasters is psychological distress which rescuers deal with that problem with two ways emotional-based management and problem-based approach. In addition, three categories and 19 sub categories were developed. The main components of each category discussed below.
According to many participants, in some prehospital personnel, stress overwhelms at the scene of the disaster, so emotional reactions including Extreme emotions, emotional behavior and emotional thoughts will manifest under the heading of emotion-based management.
Many aspects of these findings are similar to previous studies, which explored the experience of disaster relief work in Haiti after the 2010 included periods of fear and uncertainty, times of shock and feelings of posttraumatic stress, fatigue and conflict among relief workers.[24] Also, negative emotions which generated by a variety of affective workplace events, can have a significant impact on their performance, behavior, physiological and psychological health.[25],[26] In this regard another study stated, rescuers that may confront scenes that bring physical revulsion, even vomiting; transient physical, behavioral and emotional, feeling helpless, over involvement, sense of omnipotence, cognitive impairment, disturbed interpersonal relationships as well as increased arousal, irritability, and loss of interest or withdrawal excessive drinking.[27]
This is in accordance with the findings from a study which explored extreme or even shocking experiences involving severe psychological strain among nurses who exposed to a specific situation and displayed their own lack of strategies and competence on how to deal with these situations.[28] To resolve these concerns, debriefing and exchanging stories, follow-up or organizational support is needed to help participants to cope with their many emotions, and avoid burnout.[24]
Also, adequate training is a protective factor against developing adverse psychiatric outcomes in medical responders across all types of disasters.[29],[30],[31]
On the other hand, some other rescuers who has problem-based management: Uses supportive strategies, on-stage strategies and reconstruction strategies when confronting stressful scenes.
Psychological support, equipment support, and social support are the examples of supportive strategies. The main components of each category discussed as follows:
Based on these study findings, mental exposure, gradual entry into the scene, acceptance, and prior preparation describe psychological support. According to experience of many participants, gradual entry into the incidence scene is one of the psychological supports, which rescuers use to decrease psychological distress. In this regard, many studies showed those who arrived early at the site of disaster and stayed longer have greater adverse psychiatric.[29],[32],[33],[34],[35]
In this regard, another study stated the health care workers felt helplessness, extreme vulnerability, uncertainty, threat to life, and greater stress at work during initial phase of the disease outbreaks.[35] Conversely, several studies found no significant associations between arrival time and psychological distress postdisaster.[36],[37] Many studies do not control for training, preparation, equipment, or severity of disaster exposure: It is likely that those first on the scene will be less prepared, the evolving situation may be more ambiguous and they may be less well equipped and going into a more dangerous environment than those arriving later. It can be considered an explanatory session for know about psychological hazards due to certain mission contents and equipped preparation before involvement. Therefore, this plan can decline concerns.[38] Furthermore, coping strategies such as presufficient training and preparedness mitigate adverse impacts of incidence stress.[39]
Other components of supportive strategies in the present study are social support which are in the same line with several other studies which mentioned the importance the team colleague that have a positive effect on rescuers personal competence.[28],[40]
According to many participants, another strategy that rescuers use is on-stage strategies, which include deviation of thought, use of knowledge and experience, and adherence to moral-religious principles.
Some strategies like water drinking, self-talking, taking a short break named personal relaxation, take short distance from the scene and getting used to the scene named mental relaxation and physical activity on stage and make a sudden shock as named behavioral relaxation were strategies for thought distraction that identified by the present study. In this regard, a study found that confronted coping, distancing, and planned problem-solving reduced the effect of direct rescue effort involvement on general psychiatric morbidity significantly.[41]
The use of knowledge and experience in disaster scene was another on-stage strategies which mentioned by participants, the results of different studies revealed the potential positive impact of experience on managing the emergencies and disasters which cause workers to feel they have benefited both personally and professionally.[42],[43] While other studies found that feelings of personal efficacy and satisfaction with their efforts which caused by prior experiences was associated with higher levels of resilience and lower levels of secondary trauma and burnout,[44],[45] in other words, one key aspect of how competence was used in practice seems to be connected to experience-based knowledge which actually leads to increased knowledge of the area.[15],[28]
Furthermore, the guidelines were described as a structural support tool for the RNs, strengthening their competence in stressful, life-threatening, and fast-action situations[28] as mentioned by current participants too.
Adherence to moral-religious principles was another strategy mentioned by many participants to cope with psychological distress that rescuers used as on-stage strategies, in line with present study, as some previous studies, main causes for help others were social responsibility and commitment to duty.[24],[46] In this regard, other study explored autonomous goal setting, turning obstacles into positive experiences, adherence to spiritual principles, and personal strength as proactive coping behaviors.[47]
Another problem-based management strategy is include reconstruction strategies that include psychological arrangements, social support, self-soothing skills, and reassessment that rescuers use theme after leaving the scene to rebuild their spirits and prepare themselves for the next mission.
According to many participants, consulting, follow up, night briefing and role-playing are found as psychological arrangements. Many aspects of these findings are similar to previous studies that considered briefing with colleagues and consulting as an important solution in stabilizing responders' emotional state before, during, and after a traumatic event.[48]
Social support including peer support, family support, and organizational support was the another component of reconstruction strategies, as mentioned by most participants. In this regard, several studies pointed out preferred psychosocial self-care practices included spending time with family and friends, participating in peer-support programs and online support forums, and routinely seeing a mental health professional[48] also, informal discussions with colleagues like drinking a cup of coffee together as stress reducing, especially immediately after a stressful event is important to support stress reducing actions like defusing.[49],[50] Another study emphasized informal stress defusing conversations, collegial feedback, collegial debriefing, shared crisis, rituals of security, and the advantage of teamwork as techniques to prevent and handle stress.[49],[51] These methods are supported by Zohar et al.[52]
Regular feedback on professional outcome is of high value in developing rescuers competence after a professionally challenging effort.[28] That has been highlighted in this study.
According to many participants, humor, relaxation, identifying culprits, and rotation of tasks were self-soothing skills that rescuers use to rehabilitate themselves after challenging missions. Which is consistent with previous studies that mentioned physical self-care practices included exercise, good nutrition, getting enough sleep, and sticking to routine in addition access to cooking classes and subsidized gym memberships as a protective factor against depression and overall psychological problems.[48],[53]
In this regard, the result of a study recommend a reasonable rotation of tasks for disaster rescuers they mentioned emergency medical technicians should avoid over commitment in certain field tasks for a long period of time.[39] Another study stated giving the ambulance team time off directly after a stressful case can prevent stressful reactions and may reduce sick leave in the long run.[54] Furthermore, awareness of and pride in one's duties and humor after missions is recommended to prevent traumatic stress.[55]
Scientific and practical evaluation, planning, share experiences, and positive evaluation are described as reassessment, according to many participants. Many aspects of these findings are similar to previous studies, which emphasized another arrangement to prevent stress is to arrange scheduled sessions to assess experience with similar tasks and previous training by simulation where complicated and stressful cases can be discussed regularly. These two suggestions should be subject to more extensive research.[49],[56]
Based on the findings of the current study, the main problems of rescuers in confronting with scenes of incidence and disasters are psychological distress which some rescuers have emotional reactions while some others who are more resilient and experience manage this problem in the form of problem-based approach.
Moreover, focusing and training the dimensions of problem-based management strategies which involves supportive strategies, on-stage strategies, and reconstruction strategies is recommended for less experienced rescuers to avoid emotional based reactions in disaster scene for better management of the incidence. The use of these dimensions leads to practical coping strategies with stress, adopting significant implications for rescue education, practice, research, and health policy. Workshops could be organized to improve coping strategies of rescue workers. Additional studies should be conducted to explore the long-term impact of rescuers psychological distress in disasters. Considering the fact that the process of providing prehospital service in disasters is not well established other qualitative approaches such as grounded theory method is recommended for further studies.
One of the limitations of this study was the problems of coordination and obtaining permission to conduct interviews with prehospital staff, especially in flooded areas. In some cases, we had to interviews in the ambulance and during the mission. In addition, interviews with female paramedics, as their number was very limited, was another problem in this study. This caused the interviewer to plan for several sessions in different places to interview with some of them.
Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
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Beyramijam M, Rasouli-Ghahfarokhi SM, Fathollahzadeh A, Rahimzadeh A, Shahabirabori MA, Aminizadeh M. The effect of education and implementation of "National Hospital Disaster Preparedness Plan" on an Iranian hospital preparedness: An interventional study. J Educ Health Promot 2019;8:215.
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Moshtagh Eshgh Z, Aghaeinejad AA, Peyman A, Amirkhani A, Chehregosha M. Relationship between occupational stress and mental health in male personnel of medical emergency in Golestan Province. J Res Dev Nurs Midwifery 2015;12:29-38.
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Bayrami R, Ebrahimipour H, Hasanzadeh A. Challenges in Pre hospital emergency medical service in Mashhad: A qualitative study. J Hosp 2017;16:81-9.
Jamal Y, Zahra S, Yaseen F, Nasreen M. Coping strategies and hardiness as predictors of stress among rescue workers. Pak J Psychol Res 2017;32:141-54.
Klappa S, Audette J, Do S. The roles, barriers and experiences of rehabilitation therapists in disaster relief: Post-earthquake Haiti 2010. Disabil Rehabil 2014;36:330-8.
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Delshad V, Khankeh H, Ebadi A, Bidzan M, Harouni G, Stueck M. Psychobiological risk assessment in emergency medical service drivers: Study protocol for structural equation modeling. Health Psychol Rep 2020;8:453-61.
Raphael B, Meldrum L, O'Toole BJ. Rescuers' psychological responses to disasters. Br Med J 1991;303:1346.
Wihlborg J, Edgren G, Johansson A, Sivberg B. Reflective and collaborative skills enhances Ambulance nurses' competence-A study based on qualitative analysis of professional experiences. Int Emerg Nurs 2017;32:20-7.
Perrin MA, DiGrande L, Wheeler K, Thorpe L, Farfel M, Brackbill R. Differences in PTSD prevalence and associated risk factors among World Trade Center disaster rescue and recovery workers. Am J Psychiatry 2007;164:1385-94.
Naushad VA, Bierens JJ, Nishan KP, Firjeeth CP, Mohammad OH, Maliyakkal AM, et al. A systematic review of the impact of disaster on the mental health of medical responders. Prehosp Disaster Med 2019;34:632-43.
Aminizadeh M, Farrokhi M, Ebadi A, Masoumi GR, Kolivand P, Khankeh HR. Hospital management preparedness tools in biological events: A scoping review. J Educ Health Promot 2019;8:234.
Webber MP, Glaser MS, Weakley J, Soo J, Ye F, Zeig-Owens R, et al. Physician-diagnosed respiratory conditions and mental health symptoms 7-9 years following the World Trade Center disaster. Am J Ind Med 2011;54:661-71.
Yip J, Zeig-Owens R, Webber MP, Kablanian A, Hall CB, Vossbrinck M, et al. World Trade Center-related physical and mental health burden among New York City fire department emergency medical service workers. Occup Environ Med 2016;73:13-20.
Tham K, Tan Y, Loh O, Tan W, Ong M, Tang H. Psychological morbidity among emergency department doctors and nurses after the SARS outbreak. Hong Kong J Emerg Med 2005;12:215-23.
Brooks SK, Dunn R, Amlôt R, Rubin GJ, Greenberg N. A systematic, thematic review of social and occupational factors associated with psychological outcomes in healthcare employees during an infectious disease outbreak. J Occup Environ Med 2018;60:248-57.
Misra M, Greenberg N, Hutchinson C, Brain A, Glozier N. Psychological impact upon London Ambulance Service of the 2005 bombings. Occup Med (Lond) 2009;59:428-33.
Hagh-Shenas H, Goodarzi MA, Dehbozorgi G, Farashbandi H. Psychological consequences of the Bam earthquake on professional and nonprofessional helpers. J Trauma Stress 2005;18:477-83.
Hsiao YY, Chang WH, Ma IC, Wu CL, Chen PS, Yang YK, et al. Long-term PTSD risks in emergency medical technicians who responded to the 2016 Taiwan Earthquake: A six-month observational follow-up study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019;16:4983.
Guo YJ, Chen CH, Lu ML, Tan HK, Lee HW, Wang TN. Posttraumatic stress disorder among professional and non-professional rescuers involved in an earthquake in Taiwan. Psychiatry Res 2004;127:35-41.
Holmberg M, Fagerberg I. The encounter with the unknown: Nurses lived experiences of their responsibility for the care of the patient in the Swedish ambulance service. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2010;5:5098.
Stuijfzand S, Deforges C, Sandoz V, Sajin CT, Jaques C, Elmers J, et al. Psychological impact of an epidemic/pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals: A rapid review. BMC Public Health 2020;20:1230.
Thoresen S, Tønnessen A, Lindgaard CV, Andreassen AL, Weisaeth L. Stressful but rewarding: Norwegian personnel mobilised for the 2004 tsunami disaster. Disasters 2009;33:353-68.
Brooks S, Amlôt R, Rubin GJ, Greenberg N. Psychological resilience and post-traumatic growth in disaster-exposed organisations: Overview of the literature. BMJ Mil Health 2020;166:52-6.
Chang K, Taormina RJ. Reduced secondary trauma among Chinese earthquake rescuers: A test of correlates and life indicators. J Loss Trauma 2011;16:542-62.
Soliman HH, Lingle SE, Raymond A. Perceptions of indigenous workers following participation in a disaster relief project. Community Ment Health J 1998;34:557-68.
Khalid I, Khalid TJ, Qabajah MR, Barnard AG, Qushmaq IA. Healthcare workers emotions, perceived stressors and coping strategies during a MERS-CoV outbreak. Clin Med Res 2016;14:7-14.
Bhushan B, Kumar JS. A study of posttraumatic stress and growth in tsunami relief volunteers. J Loss Trauma 2012;17:113-24.
Smith E, Walker T, Burkle FM. Lessons in post-disaster self-care from 9/11 paramedics and emergency medical technicians. Prehosp Disaster Med 2019;34:335-9.
Hugelius K, Berg S, Westerberg E, Gifford M, Adolfsson A. Swedish ambulance managers' descriptions of crisis support for ambulance staff after potentially traumatic events. Prehosp Disaster Med 2014;29:589-92.
Bohström D, Carlström E, Sjöström N. Managing stress in prehospital care: Strategies used by ambulance nurses. Int Emerg Nurs 2017;32:28-33.
Op den Buijs T. Can posttraumatic stress disorder be prevented? In: NL ARMS Netherlands Annual Review of Military Studies. Berlin: Springer; 2016. p. 163-84.
Zohar J, Sonnino R, Juven-Wetzler A, Cohen H. Can posttraumatic stress disorder be prevented? CNS Spectr 2009;14:44-51.
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Sifaki-Pistolla D, Chatzea VE, Vlachaki SA, Melidoniotis E, Pistolla G. Who is going to rescue the rescuers? Post-traumatic stress disorder among rescue workers operating in Greece during the European refugee crisis. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2017;52:45-54.
Motreff Y, Baubet T, Pirard P, Rabet G, Petitclerc M, Stene LE, et al. Factors associated with PTSD and partial PTSD among first responders following the Paris terror attacks in November 2015. J Psychiatr Res 2020;121:143-50.
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The Americas | A guerrilla campaign
Colombia's FARC revolutionaries become a political party
Repugnant though the former guerrillas are, Colombians should welcome the change
Sep 9th 2017 | BOGOTÁ
ON SEPTEMBER 1st thousands of members and supporters of the FARC thronged the central square of Bogotá. At any other time in the past 50 years, such a sight might have meant that Colombia's government had collapsed. But the group was not there to celebrate a military victory for the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), a feared guerrilla army. Instead, the fans were hailing the launch of the FARC (Common Alternative Revolutionary Force), a new political party.
Just 20 years ago, Colombia was nearly a failed state. From 1992-99, two-thirds of the world's kidnappings occurred there, and the FARC controlled up to a third of the country's territory. But starting in 2002, the government of Álvaro Uribe unleashed the army against the guerrillas, crippling them militarily. His successor, Juan Manuel Santos, kept up the pressure but also invited the FARC to peace negotiations.
After four years of talks, the two sides struck a deal in 2016. The terms were controversial. Most rank-and-file FARC fighters were granted amnesty, and their commanders were free to run for office. In a referendum on October 2nd voters narrowly rejected the pact, forcing the parties to redraft it and adopt it in Congress.
Nonetheless, opponents of the accord—led by Mr Uribe, who is now a senator—could not halt its momentum. On August 15th the guerrillas handed over the last of their weapons. The FARC will now take its fight to the ballot box. And if peace is to last, the rest of Colombia will have to accept it as a legitimate political force.
So far, the FARC's most visible choice has been its defiant name. The initials are synonymous with bombs and abductions. Iván Márquez, a former guerrilla leader, admits that the name is a liability. Nonetheless, he says, "it also represents our history." The FARC maintains its leftist ideals, and insists it has not surrendered. And the way it made the decision reflects its embrace of democracy. Over 1,200 delegates to its founding convention voted on a new name, and "FARC" won with 628 votes.
The FARC has also kept up its combative spirit while funding restitution for its victims. Its list of assets included boots, orange juicers, weapons it had already given up and roads it had built. Rafael Pardo, the minister for post-conflict issues, called the declaration a mockery of the exercise.
At the same time, the ex-guerrillas have proved willing to break with their past. Their property disclosure also contained land, cattle, 267,520 grams (8,600 ounces) of gold and $450,000 in cash, for a total value of $328m. And both their video ads on social media and the speeches at their convention were devoid of Marxist claptrap. Instead, they focused on issues such as health care and job security.
At the convention, Rodrigo Londoño (pictured, left), the FARC's president, said it would campaign "without dogmatism or sectarianism, far from ideological ostentation". Railing against corruption may be the best strategy. A recent Gallup poll found 87% disapproved of Colombia's current political parties, which have been discredited by scandals and infighting—higher than the 84% disapproving of the FARC.
The FARC's transformation may prove even harder for existing parties than it is for the guerrillas. Looking at peace deals between 1975 and 2005, Aila Matanock of the University of California, Berkeley, found that conflicts reignited within five years in 56% of cases which did not include terms for ex-rebels to take part in electoral politics, but only in 21% of those that did. That suggests that turning the FARC into a normal party might help secure the peace. The FARC will not field a candidate in the 2018 presidential election, but does seek a share of power. Mr Márquez says, "We want to be the government or part of it."
So far, however, the FARC's image remains too toxic for most politicians to snap selfies with Mr Londoño. The party invited a wide range of politicians to its convention, but none showed up. And Mr Uribe and fellow opponents of the peace deal continue to criticise its implementation.
Moreover, FARC members fear falling victim to the political violence they have now renounced. Since they began demobilising in January, at least 17 of them or their relatives have been killed. Even though the ELN, a smaller leftist guerrilla force, has agreed to a temporary ceasefire, and the leader of the country's strongest criminal gang has offered to surrender, illegal armed groups continue to operate in Colombia. None of the 17 murders has been solved.
The FARC's first political test will be at congressional elections in 2018. The accord grants the party five seats for two terms in both houses of Congress. The FARC will seek to have sympathisers elected in 16 special districts set up by the peace deal, where it may enjoy surprising support. For years, it acted as a de facto state in rural areas with scarce public services. Voters in such regions will probably look kindly on the infrastructure and development projects the FARC extracted in peace talks.
The FARC's convention ended with a concert. People cheered, danced and flew flags with its new rose-and-star logo. Public support for the FARC still makes Colombians uncomfortable. But they are better off with ex-guerrillas wielding instruments in the streets rather than guns in the jungle.
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline "Joining the party"
The Americas September 9th 2017
How one man and his lawyers slow US-Canada traffic
Hurricane Irma strikes the Caribbean
A missing-person case looms over Argentina's midterm elections
The appeal of Macronismo in Latin America
More from The Americas
Can Colombia ever have "total peace"?
Gustavo Petro, the country's first left-wing president, has big ambitions
The United States says corruption in Paraguay starts at the top
The ruling party will shrug off fresh sanctions
Political turmoil is tearing Peru apart
Two months of often violent protest threaten democracy's survival
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German diplomat tells US, EU: don't use agriculture to block trade deal
Published Mon, Jul 8 2019 12:43 PM EDT
Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) - The United States and European Union should use common sense to move forward with formal negotiations about a trade agreement, instead of allowing disagreements over agriculture to block progress, a senior German diplomat told Reuters.
Peter Beyer, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the German government's transatlantic coordinator, said both sides should back away from their rigid positions.
"The appeal is directed at both negotiating partners: not to use or abuse this issue of agriculture that is hanging over everything as a blockade," Beyer said in Washington ahead of meetings with high-ranking U.S. officials from the White House and the U.S. Trade Representative's office, and lawmakers.
The United States has insisted it will not reach a trade deal with the EU if agriculture is not included, but the EU has excluded agriculture from its mandate for the talks.
The impasse has prevented negotiations from beginning in earnest, a full year after European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and U.S. President Donald Trump reached an agreement staving off punitive U.S. tariffs on EU car imports while the two sides worked to improve trade ties.
"It looks like an unsolvable situation, but it can be solved through common sense," Beyer said. "We can at least start the formal process by excluding the topic for now, and then harvest some low-hanging fruit ... Then we'll see what happens."
Beyer said France, Germany and other European states might ultimately have to subordinate their national interests for the sake of a broader deal for Europe.
"If Europe does not want to make itself weaker than it already is, then it must let European Realpolitik prevail," Beyer said. "If we truly see Europe as a whole, then national interests, while understandable, may have to be put aside to some extent for the greater European good."
Beyer said movement on a 15-year-old dispute on aircraft subsidies could boost confidence. "That would be a welcome, pragmatic, reasonable and responsible approach," he said. "But I don't know if it will happen."
The EU this month said it was open to talks with Washington in the dispute over mutual claims of subsidies to Airbus and Boeing.
The WTO has found that the world's two largest planemakers received billions of dollars of harmful subsidies in a pair of cases marking the world's largest-ever corporate trade dispute.
The United States and EU have each threatened to impose billions of dollars of tit-for-tat tariffs, with Washington first in line to seek tariffs under the WTO timetable. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by David Gregorio)
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Q: How to draw a fractal from $z \mapsto z^2 + c$ explained for a mere mortal? I am interested in:
1) Understanding in detail how fractals are draw.
2) Coding a computer program to draw a simple fractal.
Can someone with good explaining skills take care of 1) for me? I don't think this link does a good job. I step-by-step example would be fantastic or a link/video with a good step-by-step explanation. THX!
I know complex numbers and the complex plane. My understanding is that you choose a complex number to begin with and keep feeding back the result into the equation (i.e. iterating). Now my question: how from the results do you draw something? You just put a black dot for each result in the complex plane?
A: The answer is yes, you just put a little black point if the result says it is in the Mandelbrot set, and no point if it doesn't.
But the fact is, you would have to iterate through an infinite amount of points to do that! Instead, something like the following is usually done. Some psuedo-code:
$$ \color{blue}{\text{for }x_{\text{min}} \to x, x \neq x_{\text{max}}, x+\Delta \to x}: $$
$$ \color{green}{\text{for }y_{\text{min}} \to y, y \neq y_{\text{max}}, y+\Delta \to y}: $$
$$ \color{red}{\text{If Number In Set}(x+yi)}:$$
$$ \color{red}{\text{Color}(x+yi)} $$
$$ \color{green}{\text{Repeat}}$$
$$ \color{blue}{\text{Repeat}}$$
Where $\Delta$ is a small number, but not too small. Depending on the size of your picture, usually somewhere around $\Delta = 0.05$ is good.
A: chrisapotek wrote, "... I am interested in the mathematical rationale behind the image..."
The Julia image for c=0 is pretty simple, and forms the mathematical basis for understanding other Julia sets. Iterating $z\gets z^2+0$, all the points inside the unit circle go to zero, and all the points outside the unit circle go to infinity. On the unit circle itself, each iteration doubles the angle $\theta\gets 2\theta$ since $(\exp(2\pi i \theta))^2=\exp(2\times 2\pi i \theta)$. The unit circle is the boundary, separating the points that go to infinity, the Fatou set, from the points that go to zero, the Julia set.
There is a Fatou set of points that go to infinity for the Julia/Fatou set for iterating $z\gets z^2+c$ with other values of c as well. For almost all of these cases, the boundary is a fractal, unless the z=0 point goes to infinity, in which case it is a cantor dust. It turns out that for other values of "c", the Bottcher equation can put the Fatou set into 1 to 1 correspondence with the Fatou set for z^2, and the fractal boundary corresponds to the boundary of the analytic Bottcher function. The set of points for which the Bottcher equation is defined is mathematically equivalent to the set of points go to infinity when you iterate z=z^2+c. So this is the mathematical basis for just iterating and seeing which points go to infinity, for coloring Julia sets. Similar much more complicated arguments apply to the Mandelbrot set.
Milnor's book, Dynamics in One Complex Variable, is probably the best reference.
A: Generally speaking it depends on the fractal. Not all fractals use complex numbers. There's a lot of different kinds of fractals, and even for the same fractal there can be completely different kinds of algorithms. Example: Sierpinski Triangle via L-systems and Sierpinski Triangle via chaos game.
The criterion for a point to be in the Mandelbrot set is that it doesn't diverge off into infinity after an infinite number of iterations. That's of course impossible (strictly speaking) to do on a computer, but for a practical algorithm if you run at least a couple dozen iterations you can make a very good guess about whether the point is or isn't inside the set.
Given a complex number $z$, if the distance from the origin (which you could call the absolute value of $z$) is $<$ 2, then that number may or may not go off into infinity. But if the distance from the origin is $\ge$ 2, then that number will definitely go off into infinity (because after this the distance only increases).
So basically what you do is, for a given point, iterate some number of times, say 20, and if at any iteration the distance of the complex number from the origin is $\ge$ 2, then just stop there and go to the next point. But if you make it through those 20 iterations and the point is still within a radius of 2, then go ahead and draw that point.
Remember that to calculate the distance from the origin, you can use the Pythagorean theorem. If $z = x + i y$, then a point is, for the time being, safe if:
$$\sqrt {x^2 + y^2} < 2$$
For the purposes of writing the algorithm, notice that the following is equivalent:
$$x^2 + y^2 < 4$$
Which is why the Wikipedia algorithm @RahulNarain linked to has this:
x*x + y*y < 2*2
You can get fancier if, instead of just drawing a point or not drawing a point, you vary the color of all points (even ones that you wouldn't normally draw as part of the set) depending on how fast they diverge past a radius of 2. So if a point is in the set, good, but if it's not in the set, then make the color redder or darker or whatever depending on how many iterations it takes to go past a radius of 2. This is what the Wikipedia algorithm does and it's one of the schemes used to color the various Mandelbrot set pictures you've seen.
A: The fractal you're talking about is the Julia set for the polynomial $z \mapsto z^2 +c$. If $f:\Bbb{C} \rightarrow \Bbb{C}$ is this polynomial, the set $K(f) \subset \Bbb{C}$ is definied as follows: $$K(F) = \{x |\lim_{n\to\infty} |f^n(x)| < \infty \}$$
where $f^n$ denotes the $n$th composition of $f$, that is $f \circ f \circ \dots \circ f(x)\,\, n $ times.
The Julia set, $J(f)$ which has far more exciting properties and is a little easier to calculate is simply $\partial K(f)$ the boundary of $K(x)$. The 'why' of this set forming a fractal for $c \neq 0$ is quite challenging and I can't go into that here. I will however refer you to a number of excellent resources that will help you. The book that requires pretty light prerequisites and is spectacular in regards to the geometry of fractals is this one by Kenneth Falconer. The best monograph on the subject of complex dynamics is that of Milnor, here.
But I digress now back to the subject of how to draw the Julia set for $z \mapsto z^2 +c$. The first method I will describe is the most straightforward. Idiomatically it goes like: for each pixel iterate $f$ and if it goes outise of the circle with radius 2, then color it some color depending on the number of iterations it takes to escape this circle, otherwise color it black. Here is my mathematica code for this:
f[z_] := z^2 - 0.53 - 0.53*I;
bailOut = 50;
test[z_] := Abs[z] <= 2;
JuliaCount[z0_] := Length[NestWhileList[f, N[z0], test, 1, bailOut]];
DensityPlot[JuliaCount[x + I*y], {x, -1.6, 1.6}, {y, -1.2, 1.2},
AspectRatio -> Automatic, Mesh -> None, PlotPoints -> 1000,
ColorFunction -> (If[# == 1, RGBColor[0, 0, 0], Hue[#]] &)]
which produces the following image, albeit very slowly:
If we want to make this faster, there are some interesting properties of Julia sets for polynomials that we can use in order to draw them with more reasonable computation. I'm going to list some watered down versions of the facts we'll need here and reference you to the Falconer book if you want more details and information.
$$1.\quad J(f^n) = J(f) \text{ and } J(f) \text{ is a repelling fixed set for } f\\
2.\quad \text{Periodic orbits of } f \text{ are dense in} J(f)\\
3.\quad J(f) = \partial E(f), \text{ the points that escape to infinity}\\
4. \quad J(f) \text{ is an attracting stable set for } f^{-1}
$$
Using these facts and basic properties of $f$, it should be easy to see that if we apply $f^{-1} : z \mapsto \sqrt{z-c} $ to some point outside of the circle of radius 2, we will eventually get a point arbitrarily close to $J(f)$ and successive iteration will 'likely' produce many points far within one pixel of the of the set. So if we pick 10 points at random outside of the circle with radius 2, and perform the following idiomatic algorithm on them, we should get a nice drawing of the Julia set:
Perform $f^{-100}$ on $s_0$, the first starting point. Call this point $a_0$.
Color this point, as well as $f^{-1}(a_0) = a_1$, $f^{-1}(a_1) = a_2$ and so on for some number of iterations.
Repeat for other $s_i$ on the same drawing to get a picture of $J(f)$.
This should produce a very similar picture, with the major difference that it won't be colored and therefore probably won't be as pretty.
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Cross-Platform Games
November 30, 2019 January 5, 2020 / Red Metal / 26 Comments
Call of Duty: Ghosts proved to be a success when it was released in 2013. However, particularly bad word-of-mouth ensured it was met with a poor fan response. Independent critics disliked it for the campaign's litany of unfortunate implications whereas fans were unimpressed with its multiplayer capabilities – or lack thereof. Despite selling over nineteen-million copies, Call of Duty: Ghosts was considered by its creators to be a failure, thwarting any immediate attempts at creating a sequel. In order for the series to win back its wary fans, the creators realized they needed to shift gears.
Sledgehammer Games had co-developed the third and final entry in the Modern Warfare trilogy with Infinity Ward after much of the latter company's key personnel was fired for what Activision CEO Bobby Kotick considered acts of insubordination. However, even before then, Sledgehammer had been working on an installment of their own entitled Call of Duty: Fog of War. Announced before the release of Modern Warfare 3, this game was to be set during the events of the Vietnam War. It would defy the series' conventions by being an action-adventure game presented from a third-person perspective. The plans for this game were put on hold when Sledgehammer dedicated all of their efforts to seeing Modern Warfare 3 to completion.
Fog of War was then silently canceled when Sledgehammer began working on an entirely different project upon completing Modern Warfare 3. According to its director, Michael Condrey, the game's engine had been built from scratch. On top of that, the game was to boast an advanced facial animation system using the same technology James Cameron sought to employ in his then-upcoming film Avatar 2. Even with a technological advancement other developers could only dream of possessing, Sledgehammer wasn't done. In an attempt to capture the Hollywood sensibilities the AAA industry had been pursuing for some time, they recruited actor Kevin Spacey to portray a central character. With these enhancements, it seemed only natural that they would entitle the game Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. All of the steps Activision and Sledgehammer took in order to get people talking about their game paid off when it received fairly positive reviews upon its 2014 release. Many critics called it the breath of fresh air the series desperately needed after the annual releases rendered it stale. With no shortage of hype surrounding this installment, was Advanced Warfare able to maintain the Call of Duty franchise's relevance going into the eighth console generation?
November 20, 2019 January 5, 2020 / Red Metal / 5 Comments
Kōji Sumii's Bokosuka Wars proved to be a revolutionary game upon its 1983 debut on the Sharp X1. By commanding the forces of King Suren, players needed to smart tactics to defeat the evil King Ogereth. Having won a Software Contest held by ASCII Entertainment, Bokosuka Wars laid the building blocks for both real-time strategy and tactical role-playing games. Even now, it is considered one of most notable releases of the early 1980s in Japan. However, its reception in the West was far more mixed. Because it never saw an international release, it remains a practical nonentity among Western gamers. The few that are aware of its existence dismiss it as a half-formed action-adventure game due to primarily being exposed to its Famicom port, which significantly downplayed the strategy elements. Nonetheless, its impact on the medium is very real, and those who enjoy series such as Fire Emblem or Shining Force have Bokosuka Wars to thank for blazing the trail in the first place.
It seemed that the game would enjoy its status as an obscure, standalone, if highly influential title. However, in the year 2016, something unexpected happened. A sequel, simply entitled Bokosuka Wars II was released for various platforms, including the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. In the thirty-three-year interim between entries, the medium had changed quite a bit. While the original Bokosuka Wars was in a class of its own, people now had names for the genres it invented. In light of the incredible amount of evolution that took place between 1983 and 2016, what does Bokosuka Wars II have to offer?
June 2, 2019 August 31, 2019 / Red Metal / 11 Comments
Westone's Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap, despite its lack of a domestic release, quickly became one of the premier titles of the Sega Master System library. With an inadvertent shapeshifter as a protagonist and a level design that forewent the traditional, linear structure of its predecessor, The Dragon's Trap was among the first Metroidvanias to grace the medium after Nintendo's own pioneering work. However, even with a game as impressive as The Dragon's Trap, the Sega Master System trailed behind Nintendo's juggernaut Famicom console. Fortunately for Sega, they were about to take a significant step forward.
October of 1988 marked the release of the Sega Mega Drive. Redubbed the Sega Genesis when it debuted in North America during the following year, the console was a significant step forward in terms of presentation and sound quality. As Sega Mega Drive fans upgraded consoles, many of them began waiting for new installments of familiar franchises. For fans of the Wonder Boy series, they would eventually get their wish. Almost exactly three years after the domestic launch of Sega's 16-bit console, Wonder Boy V: Monster World III made its debut. This decidedly bizarre title demonstrated that it was the fifth game in the Wonder Boy franchise and the third installment in the Monster Land subseries following Wonder Boy in Monster Land and The Dragon's Trap. This game was localized and subsequently released in North America and Europe in 1992 under the name Wonder Boy in Monster World.
A heavily altered port was also released for the Sega Master System in Europe where the console enjoyed more success than in the United States. Retaining their partnership with Hudson Soft, a version of this game was released on the Turbo Duo. In a manner similar to The Dragon's Trap, Wonder Boy in Monster World was retooled into a standalone game called The Dynastic Hero. The main characters were modeled after insects with the bosses resembling their natural predators. Regardless, the base game was largely unchanged. Does Wonder Boy in Monster World manage to retain the impressive amount of momentum generated by its predecessor?
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair
May 26, 2019 August 31, 2019 / Red Metal / 12 Comments
With Wonder Boy in Monster Land, Westone Bit Entertainment had another hit on their hands. The idea of an arcade game placing a great emphasis on role-playing elements was something rarely seen before or since. If one wanted an experience similar to the one offered by Wonder Boy in Monster Land, they would need to pay for a powerful gaming computer or the latest home console. It was therefore highly ambitious of Westone to place such an experience in a scene known for fast-paced, simplistic gameplay.
By this point, Westone clearly had a flagship series, so it was only natural of them to continue the momentum by creating a sequel. The third installment in this budding franchise, Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair, debuted in domestic arcades in 1988. Though it wouldn't reach international arcades, it was ported to many popular home consoles such as the TurboGrafx-CD. Strangely, this would be the only port North American gamers received. One was created for the Sega Mega Drive, allowing Japanese and European enthusiasts to play it, but a Genesis port never surfaced. With its two predecessors different as night and day, what did Westone decide to do for the third installment in their popular franchise?
May 19, 2019 September 1, 2019 / Red Metal / 13 Comments
Escape's debut game, Wonder Boy, became a hit when it was released in arcades in 1986. Because the publisher, Sega, only had rights over the Wonder Boy trademark, the company entered a partnership with Hudson Soft to have it released on the Famicom – or the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) as it was known abroad. Wonder Boy, retooled into Adventure Island, would go on to be a beloved classic in the NES's library as well. As a result, the game managed to find a broad audience, being one of the few titles legally available on both a Nintendo and a Sega console. With this success, two members of Escape, Ryuchi Nishizawa and Michishito Ishizuka, began work on a follow-up. To mark the momentous occasion of having released Wonder Boy, they changed the company's name to Westone, believing the name Escape made them sound unreliable. Westone is derived from the first kanji in these two artists' names – "Nishi" meaning "west" and "Ishi" meaning "stone".
In the same year in which Wonder Boy saw its release, a skilled programmer named Yuji Horii put the finishing touches on a game known as Dragon Quest. This title was a massive success upon release, introducing countless Japanese enthusiasts to the role-playing game. One person who took note of this game's popularity and its subsequent impact on Japanese enthusiasts was none other than Mr. Nishizawa. Drawing upon his experience, he sought to create a game that combined arcade and role-playing elements.
The result of this experimentation, Wonder Boy: Monster World, was released in arcades in August of 1987. Although the original arcade version never left Japan, it received a port on the Sega Master System in 1988. This port, which was redubbed Wonder Boy in Monster Land overseas, is frequently considered one of the stronger games in the Master System library. Similar to the case with the original Wonder Boy and Adventure Island, it also saw retooled ports on the PC Engine and the Famicom under the names Bikkuriman and Saiyūki World respectively. Bikkuriman was based off of a 1980s franchise centered on sticker collecting. Saiyūki World, published by Jaleco, was inspired by the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West in which players assumed the role of the monkey king Sun Wukong – or Son Gokū in Japanese – on a quest to save his country. Of these various ports and retools, only the Master System version saw the light of day in the West. Did Mr. Nishizawa successfully use the increasingly popular role-playing genre to give Wonder Boy a worthy sequel?
April 24, 2019 August 31, 2019 / Red Metal / 10 Comments
Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. proved to be a tour de force when it was released on the Famicom in 1985. After the Famicom was allowed to make its international debut as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Nintendo had the honor of single-handedly revitalizing the North American gaming industry, which had been in shambles due to a devastating crash two years prior. Super Mario Bros. fared especially well commercially due to having been frequently bundled with the console itself. In a year, the NES became synonymous with gaming itself and Mario became one of the most recognized characters in the medium after Pac-Man. This presented a problem for any would-be developers. How could they possibly stand up to a company that so thoroughly dominated the market?
In 1986 as Super Mario Bros. took the world by storm, a company named Escape was founded in Sumida, Tokyo. They had teamed up with another up-and-coming developer, Sega, who just entered the console market upon launching their Master System console in 1985. Escape allowed Sega to publish what was to be their inaugural game: Wonder Boy. It was among the first electronic games to bear Sega's name. As a result, the title character became one of the company's mascots along Sega's own Alex Kidd when Wonder Boy proved popular in arcades. The game was then ported to several prominent home consoles, including the Sega Master System.
Despite Sega directly competing against Nintendo at the time, Escape had entered a deal with Hudson Soft to port the game to the NES and the TurboGrafx-16 – domestically known as the PC Engine. When Wonder Boy was ported to the NES and certain other consoles, Hudson replaced the title character with an exaggerated caricature of Takashi Meijin – one of their spokespeople. The likeness even shared the same name in Japan, though he was renamed Master Higgins in the West. Versions of the game that cast Mr. Meijin's 8-bit doppelgänger were renamed Adventure Island. Though not nearly as well-known as Super Mario Bros., Adventure Island became one of the hallmarks of the NES among Western gamers when it was released internationally in 1988. Whether it was called Wonder Boy or Adventure Island, did Escape manage to leave a good first impression in an increasingly competitive industry?
Bubsy II
March 24, 2019 August 28, 2019 / Red Metal / 11 Comments
The year 1993 marked the debut of Bubsy the Bobcat. Released for both the Super NES and Sega Genesis, Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind was seen as the Western equivalent of Sonic the Hedgehog with its hip protagonist and high-speed gameplay. After winning a "Most Hype for a Character of 1993" award from Electronic Gaming Monthly, Bubsy proceeded to garner a fair amount of critical acclaim. Critics were especially fond of its level design, graphics, and the title character having a definable personality. Super NES owners passingly familiar with Sonic the Hedgehog were especially excited about playing Bubsy, for it would be the closest they could come to playing the rival console's premier game. Even before Bubsy saw its launch, Accolade, the developer behind the game, set their sights high for what they wanted to be their flagship franchise and began drafting ideas for a sequel.
However, production of this game was handled by a different team with no input from creator Michael Berlyn. To make matters worse, this new team was openly hostile to Mr. Berlyn's character. Accolade had spent beyond their means in order to promote Bubsy, which included creating a pilot for an animated series that was never picked up. They even attempted to reverse engineer Sega's cartridge copyright protection in order to avoid having to pay any licensing and publishing fees and making Bubsy a console exclusive. Sega ended up suing Accolade, though the judge ruled in the latter's favor on the grounds that they wrote a majority of the cartridge code themselves and it was intended to be a cross-platform game from the beginning.
As a result of their expenditures, Bubsy nearly bankrupted the company. It paid off in the end when the game sold well, but the damage had been done. The team behind this game freely admitted they hated working on it and that they didn't care if what they created was a quality product or a complete mess. Such was the extent of this team's resentment for the character that they would sarcastically repeat Bubsy's lines to annoy one another. Mr. Berlyn once mentioned that during a visit to their office, the team had even gone as far as stringing up Bubsy dolls from the office ceiling as though they were executing them. Another had been stabbed through the head with a pencil. The sheer apathy that went into this product can even be seen in the game's title. While the original game's formed an elaborate pun on a famous film, the sequel was simply named Bubsy II.
Bubsy II saw its release in 1994 for the Sega Genesis and Super NES, before receiving a port for the Game Boy the following year. The public, unaware of the turmoil surrounding its inception, proceeded to give Bubsy II mostly positive reviews. Many outlets claimed that whatever issues plagued the original game were excised in this installment. Did this new team, despite their best efforts, manage to churn out a quality product worthy of standing alongside the greatest 2D platformers of its day?
March 10, 2019 March 13, 2019 / Red Metal / 12 Comments
Video game designer Michael Berlyn got his start in the industry as an implementer working for Polarware. The first game of note he worked on was a piece of interactive fiction entitled Oo-Topos. Released in 1981, it was well-received among PC gamers, and he would continue his work on other adventure titles with Polarware before joining Infocom in 1983. Around this time, a company named Accolade was founded in San Jose, California by Alan Miller and Bob Whitehead. They saw their revenues increase with each passing year after releasing several acclaimed games for Amiga, Apple II, and the PC, including Test Drive, HardBall!, Law of the West, and Psi-5 Trading Company. Mr. Berlyn would join this company by 1990, and the first game he designed for them was Altered Destiny. However, it received a fairly lukewarm response, generally passed over in favor of Sierra's output.
Shortly after this project saw completion, he became burned out on the adventure game genre and wanted to try something new. The answer came in the form of a game Sega had released in June of 1991 in order to compete with Nintendo: Sonic the Hedgehog. With Nintendo having dominated the console gaming industry for the entire third generation, Sega proved a formidable opponent. Sonic the Hedgehog was the embodiment of the era's zeitgeist. He had a hip attitude and his gameplay was lightning fast compared to the slow, ostensibly out-of-touch Mario. Mr. Berlyn was so impressed with Sega's game that he ended up playing it fourteen hours a day for a whole week. Already, he was figuring out how he could implement his own take on this game. Within the next few years, Accolade had created the lead character for Mr. Berlyn's vision: a bobcat named Bubsy.
The game, named Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind, was to be released for both the Sega Genesis and Super NES in 1993. Accolade stopped at nothing to extensively promote their game. Director John Skeel sought to create a game as fast as Sonic the Hedgehog, yet as deep as Super Mario Bros. It would be easy to pick up and play, but difficult to master. He was even intended to be voiced in the game proper. His catchphrase "What could possibly go wrong?" was derived from a quip courtesy of the development team. They even commissioned a pilot for an animated series that aired later in the year, though the show was never picked up for any further episodes.
Nonetheless, as a result of Accolade's marketing campaign, anticipation for Bubsy reached a fever pitch. The character even won a "Most Hype for a Character of 1993" award in the publication Electronic Gaming Monthly. When Bubsy was released, it received positive reviews from nearly every review outlet at the time. Though not as popular as Sonic the Hedgehog, critics enjoyed the level design, graphics, and the sheer amount of personality possessed by the title character. It was especially enjoyed by those who had a Super NES, as for it would be the closest they could get to playing Sonic the Hedgehog themselves without a Sega Genesis. In an era that saw no shortage of quality 2D platformers, does Bubsy stand to this day as a pinnacle of the genre?
Ys III: Wanderers from Ys
January 13, 2019 January 19, 2019 / Red Metal / 12 Comments
With Ancient Ys Vanished and its sequel, Nihon Falcom had a franchise that eclipsed Dragon Slayer in terms of popularity. Though Dragon Slayer helped codify the action RPG, the Ys duology was what helped it truly soar in popularity. Despite the second title being dubbed The Final Chapter, the team began work on a sequel in response to its immense popularity. This new installment, Ys III: Wanderers from Ys, was released on the PC-8801 and MSX2 in 1989. Within the next few years, it would see additional ports on the prominent fourth generation consoles, including the TurboGrafx-CD, Super NES, and Sega Genesis. The TurboGrafx-CD port was particularly timely, being released in North America two years after the international debut of Ys Book I & II, a remake that combined the series' first installments. Because of this, many versions of Ys III were translated into English despite the series' obscurity abroad. Those who have played Ys III consider it an overlooked gem in the fourth-generation library. With a pair of impactful predecessors, how does Ys III hold up?
December 23, 2018 December 24, 2018 / Red Metal / 17 Comments
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior took the world by storm when it debuted in arcades in February of 1991. The competitive fighting game had existed since the mid-eighties, but Street Fighter II codified the genre. Countless enthusiasts formed long lines around the arcade cabinets, which eventually collected over two-billion USD in gross revenue within the next four years, meaning roughly nine-billion quarters were spent to play this game. Not surprisingly, when Capcom created ports for the prominent platforms of the fourth console generation, they became instant bestsellers.
In the wake of this overwhelming success, many developers saw potential in the exciting, new genre. One such developer was the San Francisco-based PF Magic. Their game was to be released on the Super NES, Sega Genesis, and 3DO. Tapping into the often sophomoric zeitgeist of the nineties, they titled their fighting game Ballz. Just to hit home that subtlety was off the table, the opening of the game stated "To be the champion, you gotta have Ballz!" Predictably, Nintendo wasn't pleased and demanded the wording be changed for the SNES port. This version states "You gotta play Ballz!" The Genesis version was originally going to have online multiplayer support, which would have been made possible with the Edge 16, a planned modem adapter for the console. The plans for peripheral were scrapped by the time Ballz saw its release in 1994. Despite this setback, Ballz was released to a fairly warm reception. Famicom Tsūshin awarded it twenty-eight points out of a possible forty, Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the Genesis version a 6.2 out of 10, and GamePro wrote a positive review, praising its balanced gameplay and humorous sound effects. How does Ballz fare when compared to the countless other classic fighting games released around this time?
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Dog Mauling in Portland Highlights Danger
Location: SE 125th & Powell Court, Portland, Oregon
On May 31, 2010, around 9:30 AM, Portland Police officers responded to reports of a pit bull mauling a man at SE 125th and Powell Court in Portland, Oregon, according to a Portland Police Bureau news release. While officers were on the way to the scene, they learned that the dog had bitten a second person.
When police arrived, they found the dog on top of an adult male. The man asked police to fire one round at the animal, which caused the dog to flee. While a second officer pursued the dog, medical personnel attended to the victim.
The dog turned on the second officer. The officer shot the dog a second time, killing it.
The male victim was transported to a local hospital with severe, but probably not life-threatening, injuries. The second victim, an adult woman, suffered puncture wounds but did not need to go to the hospital.
As of June 1, the investigation had been turned over to Multnomah County Animal Services. It turned out that the dog was previously classified as a Level 4 Potentially Dangerous Dog, subject to a number of restrictions. The owner was not complying with the restrictions, including muzzling the dog and keeping it away from the location where the mauling took place.
The shocking attack was reported widely, including coverage in the Seattle Times. Unfortunately, though, such incidents are alarmingly common. A video provided by http://www.katu.com/ covers the incident:
Just two days prior, as reported in an Aurora Police Department news release, police were checking a house in Aurora, Oregon when a large black dog suddenly appeared and charged aggressively at a police officer, barking, growling, and baring its teeth. The officer tried to back away, but the dog was coming at him too fast. When the animal was two feet away, the officer drew his service weapon and shot the dog in the leg. The dog retreated.
And the day afterwards, according to a Portland Police Bureau press release, three dogs got loose from their yard and bit two people. One of the victims was a 73-year-old male. The other was only identified as an adult male. When police approached, the dogs aggressively advanced. Officers shot and killed the most aggressive animal in the pack, and the other dogs fled. They were later tracked down and restrained. One of the persons who was injured received multiple bite wounds and was hospitalized.
In still another recent example, reported by NWCN.com, a 4-year-old Astoria girl was mauled to death by the family's Rottweiler on March 2.
Dog attacks are a serious problem, according to a 2009 article in Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine. There are an estimated 74.8 million dogs in the U.S., and 4.7 million dog bites each year. One out of every six of these bites requires medical attention, and every day dog attacks send 1,008 people to the ER. Even more disturbing: up to 26 attacks, each year, are fatal.
Statistically, the deadliest dog breeds include pit bulls, rottweilers, akitas, chows, and German shepherds. Most of the dogs that attack are male. Many are on their own property.
Children are likely victims, and the dog frequently goes for the face. Other factors in dog attacks include human behavior, dog behavior and training, aggressiveness, unsupervised children, and breed-specific attacks.
If you are the victim of a dog mauling or dog bite injury in Oregon, you need information, and you need someone on your side to fight for you and get you the compensation you deserve. We are lawyers specializing in helping people like you. We make it a point to treat our clients fairly and compassionately. Our Oregon dog bite injury lawyers will stand up for you and help you get justice. If you have been injured, we can even answer many questions free of charge. Please contact us.
Filed under Dog BitesTagged dog bite statistics
What to Do if a Dog Injures You
Who is liable for a dog bite?
Oregon Dog Bite Lawyer: One Bite Rule
National and Oregon Dog Bite Claims Increasing
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Full cold moon: Final full moon of 2022 rises Wednesday night
By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
December 07, 2022 at 1:28 pm EST
Full cold moon FILE PHOTO: The full cold moon will rise tonight. It is the last full moon of 2022. (Pavliha/Getty Images)
The final full moon of 2022 will rise Wednesday night.
The "cold moon" will peak at 11:08 p.m. ET, CNN reported.
Along with the moon, stargazers will also be able to see Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. Mars will then disappear behind the moon when it reaches peak fullness in a phenomenon known as a lunar occultation, according to EarthSky.
The Old Farmer's Almanac says the moon will have a higher trajectory than usual and will stay high above the horizon longer than other full moons.
It comes on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 17 mission launch, the last time a person set foot on the moon, CNN reported.
The name "cold moon" comes from the cooling, downright frigid, temperatures in December, according to the almanac. It also goes by similar names such as "snow moon" and "winter maker moon," Space.com reported. Other names include "frost exploding trees moon" from the Cree, "moon of the popping trees" from the Oglala people and the "moon when the deer shed their antlers," used by the Dakota people.
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I-285 at GA-400Sandy Springs: Roadwork on I-285/eb near GA-400; left lanes affected.
I-285 at Bouldercrest RoadDekalb Co.: Crash on I-285/eb (Outer) near Bouldercrest Road (exit 51); right lanes blocked.
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← Hampton Inn & Suites South York, PA Opens This Afternoon!
Concord Sells Portfolio; Retains Management →
by davehogg | April 2, 2014 · 6:32 pm
Hotel industry sees increased competition in York County
New projects and renovations are boosting competition
By Sean Adkins, the York Daily Record UPDATED: 04/01/2014
The Hampton Inn & Suites in York Township includes an indoor pool. Soon, a bank and a restaurant are likely to open locations on the property.
David Hogg is the first to admit that building the new Hampton Inn & Suites in York Township wasn't easy. From site access problems to higher-than-expected development costs, the project overcame more than a few obstacles before the hotel opened its doors in March, said Hogg, CEO of Springwood Hospitality. The property at 2159 S. Queen St. is owned by a partnership that is partially owned and managed by Springwood Hospitality.
Despite the challenges of the project, Hogg said he knew the area was ready for a new hotel. "What we are seeing happening in the hotel market is that there are brands that are losing their appeal," he said. "We made a conscious effort to put this hotel in an area that we can be dominte."
"I believe that when new properties come on the market, it raises the bar for many of the existing hotels," said Anne Druck, president of the York County Convention and Visitors Bureau. But to come on the market, some hotel projects have had to jump some hurdles.
In the case of the Hampton Inn, the developers had to deal with access issues that dated back to before the property was home to the now closed Wright Bros. Lincoln Mercury dealership, Hogg said. "Being so close to I-83 and York, it's the best site for a hotel in York County," Hogg said. "But we had to solve the access problem. That's why the dealership didn't make it."
To tackle the entrance and exit issues, Hogg's company elected to demolish the closed Make Believin' costume store and Big Boys Toys in favor of an entrance to the hotel from Pauline Drive. In addition, the company added an entrance from South Queen Street that partially cuts through a nearby gas station, Hogg said.
Another challenge for the project was expense. Developers ended up having to take on more storm-water management work than initially anticipated, Hogg said. "Our development costs went significantly over budget," he said. "We had to do some utility line relocations that we didn't foresee." There are plans to lease two pad sites at the hotel that will help cover those costs, Hogg said.
Another element that helped make the project work was the cooperation of York Township. The municipality agreed to an incentive program in which taxes on improvements made to the property would be phased in over 10 years. "It made the numbers work, even though the property was expensive," Hogg said.
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Equal playing field? The toxic reality for young female MPs
Pia Rowe
What does it mean to be young and female in parliament?
Women and young people are systematically under-represented in parliaments all over the world. According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, women under the age of 45 are the most under-represented of all groups. But what exactly does this mean for young women in politics? In our recent study of the Swedish parliament, we investigated whether age impacts female and male MPs differently – and the results provide a depressing insight from an equality perspective.
While women have made significant inroads into national legislatures during the past two decades, that they still face greater obstacles than their male counterparts
While women have made significant inroads into national legislatures during the past two decades, that they still face greater obstacles than their male counterparts, often experiencing varying rates of discrimination, sexism and marginalisation once elected. In addition to gender, other characteristics may also influence women's ability to conduct their parliamentary duties. For example, women of colour are particularly exposed to inequalities, while the fact that many women MPs are newcomers, and as such have varying degrees of experience in the political arena, is also associated with certain difficulties.
Leila Ali Elmi, 31, Sweden's first MP of Somali descent, and the first woman to wear hijab in government
The intersection between gender and age has received less attention to date. We set out to fill this gap in our recent article published in Politics, Groups and Identities and investigate whether this particular intersection impacts the legislators' opportunities to carry out their representative tasks on equal grounds.
In contrast to gender, age discrimination is highly context-dependent, with no clear hierarchy between differing age groups. Research has in fact revealed the existence of both 'positive' and 'negative' ageism insofar as being older can comprise an advantage in certain contexts, while being a source of discrimination in others. It is thus possible that a young age might be either a resource or a drawback for MPs, with gender influencing how this plays out in practice.
Young men and women in the Swedish parliament— gender inequalities reinforced
The Swedish parliament provides an ideal case for exploring the interaction between gender and being young. Women have held over 40% of the seats for more than two decades and in 2014-2018 the parliament had one of the largest proportions of young MPs in the world, with 70 elected MPs (20% of seats) who were 35 years or younger. There are thus not only young and old women MPs in the Swedish parliament, but there are also MPs of different ages with different experience from parliament, a prerequisite to be able to study the role of age independently of seniority.
World Economic Forum: Global Gender Gap Index 2018
Based on original survey data with a high response rate (82%, or 287 out of the 349 MPs) and 40 in-depth interviews with men and women MPs under the age of 35, we were able to conduct a thorough empirical analysis of the state of play.
The effects of being young are not simply additive — while women are negatively influenced, men appear to be positively affected
Our findings showed that the gender gaps in parliamentary work are more pronounced among young MPs. Young women experience more pressure and anxiety, and are more often subject to negative treatment, while young men are less exposed than all other groups, even compared to older men and women in the Parliament. The effects of being young are not simply additive — while women are negatively influenced, men appear to be positively affected.
The interviews enabled us to form a more comprehensive understanding of the problem, and revealed that young women's competence is being questioned on two grounds; for both their gender, as well as their age. As one woman MP put it "Many people kind of think that you are not relevant, they prefer to talk to your older [male] colleague". A rather different picture emerges from the young male MPs' experiences, for whom age was either irrelevant, or an actual advantage. Consider for example the following remark from a young male interviewee: "The advantage [of being young] is that you have greater leeway for making mistakes and for eccentricities".
It is clear that the combination of being a woman and being young is particularly toxic for MPs. While a young age is an advantage for men in their roles, it becomes a double burden for women. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a young woman referring to her age as a positive factor, one that would give her 'permission' to make mistakes at work. Combined with other intersecting inequalities, this shows that even when the numbers appear to be telling a positive story and we get closer to gender parity in politics – as is the case in Sweden – in practice we still have a long way to go before we reach a truly equal parliament.
This blog post is based on the author's journal article: 'Equal Playing Field? On the Intersection between Gender and Being Young in the Swedish Parliament', published in 'Politics, Groups and Identities'. Read the original here.
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