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The best thing about networking is that it's easy, and it's a skill everyone can learn and develop.
Essentially, networking means talking to people, it's all about making new friends, and I mean who wouldn't like that, right?
Networking is a game changer in the professional world. Whether you are looking for a new job or simply trying to develop yourself professionally, there are many things that you can learn from engaging with other people.
To give you an idea of what networking can do here are some of the benefits:
- Expanding your circle of contacts
- Developing relationships for mutual gain
- Sharing information
- Getting yourself noticed
- Building reputation and self-esteem
All of these are considered to be essential for your career.
Networking seems to be particularly useful in business, that's why jobseekers who want to work in the corporate world are expected to show they can take the initiative and start a meaningful conversation.
Apart from that, they also need to demonstrate excellent communication skills and leadership, so what better way to show you can do that than making the first step and approaching other professionals?
Approximately 5 to 10 minutes are enough to break the ice with someone and give the other person a chance to get to know you.
So if you are planning on going to a networking event here are some useful conversation starters to help you out:
1. Introduce Yourself
If there's somebody you want to meet at the event, go up there and tell them who you are. It is as simple as that.
You can always start off by saying something about yourself that the other person can relate to, but this, of course, depends on who you are talking to.
So if this person is within your industry or works in a profession you would like to get into, give them a reason to want to talk to you.
Here is an example:
'Hi, I am (Your Name) and I work for (Name of Company). My role there is (Job Duties) and I couldn't help but noticed that you are in the same position in (Name of Company). How do you find it working there?
As you introduce yourself, give the other person a firm handshake they will remember and take it from there.
Once you start, everything that follows gets simplified.
2. Go for Small Talk
Many people don't realize the importance of small talk but it can do a lot in terms of networking. In fact, it is and always has been an excellent conversation starter.
A simple question of 'how do you do' or 'how was your day' is more than enough to break the ice and give the chance to others to continue the conversation.
The trickiest part of small talk is that it can often be stagnant and boring when you don't put much effort into making a real discussion.
So, whatever you do avoid going into that awkward 'what's the weather like' debate.
3. Say Thank You
Another way to approach someone at a networking event – especially when that someone is the spokesperson, the host or an important speaker is by thanking them.
So you can say something like this:
"I have to say thank you for such an inspiring speech. I really enjoyed your presentation and have some things I would like to ask you about [The Subject], if you have the time. Would you like to join me for a coffee? I am heading to the refreshments area right now, and would love some company."
This is a great way to start a conversation as you give credit to the person you are engaging with.
Everybody loves compliments, so you get their attention by coming off as a friendly individual who is interested in what they have to say.
4. Ask for Advice
Asking for advice is an old trick that is always effective.
Here are two examples that can help you out depending on your situation:
1. "Hi, I am interested in working as a [Chosen Profession], and I am making my first steps into the field. Since you are already established in the industry, do you have any tips to give me on how to land a job in the [Chosen Profession]?
With this opening line, you are letting the other person know that you are actively looking for a job without asking them if they are aware of any openings in the industry.
Also, you are asking for some advice, which isn't very difficult and can lead to some interesting results.
2. "Hi, I have never been to this event before, but you look like someone who knows their way around. Could you give me some tips on what to expect? What are the best sessions here?"
Asking someone for advice puts them in a position of power and encourages them to continue the conversation.
Since this isn't an inquiry that requires a yes or no answer, it can potentially lead to a stimulating conversation and even get you some excellent company at the event.
If you want to make some useful contacts, preparation is in order.
Before attending a networking event, prepare a list of good questions you want to ask other professionals or employers and make the first step by talking to them.
Have you ever been to a networking event? How did you approach other people? Kindly share your thoughts and experience in the comments section below.


text: If you go to the trouble of putting up a paywall, keeping content locked up tight probably seems mission critical. The Wall Street Journal has worked hard to protect its premium content exploiting the strategy fairly successfully; it has more than 900,000 digital subscribers, contributing half its circulation revenue. But when it comes to video content, the WSJ believes it … [Read more...]

subset: commoncrawl


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Position: #07
Brand: BASF
Brand value: 7'011 Mio. EUR
Brand value change compared to last year: +8%
Ranking change compared to last year: +/-
BASF is the world's leading chemical company. With about 113,000 employees and more than 350 sites worldwide, BASF serves customers and partners in almost every country of the world. To mark its 150th anniversary, the company launched a new tagline: "We create chemistry™". This was accompanied by extensive and visible changes in the brand identity and structure, including a new international consistency, a unique tone of voice for the industry, personal storytelling and distinctive visuals. Also, BASF launched the "Creator Space"; a platform for people to share, debate and create solutions to key challenges in the modern world in collaboration with industry experts. BASF managed to increase its brand value by 8% as a result of these numerous successful efforts. In addition to strengthening its brand, BASF has a strong focus on CSR, innovation and sustainability, as seen in a recent campaign in Italy focused on creating furniture out of recyclable materials.


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Proof #19 (Preview)
in Comic Previews Comment
- Story by
- Alex Grecian
- Art by
- Riley Rossmo
- Cover by
- Riley Rossmo
- Publisher
- Image Comics
"JULIA," Part Two! There's a killer loose in Victorian England and Scotland Yard suspects Proof's friends. Is the killer a circus performer? Meanwhile, the woman Proof loves chooses another man!


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All House Concerts are approximately an hour in length without intermission. A reception follows and the audience has the opportunity to meet the performing musicians and fellow audience members. House Concert tickets are $50 each for individual concerts
Tickets are $50 for individual concerts and $180 for a subscription to all 4 concerts. As these concerts always sell out, advance purchase/reservation is required.
Please click HERE to purchase a subscription online. Please click HERE to download a mail-in ticket order form.
Sunday, October 15, 2017 at 7pm
The Huger Residence, Cottage 17
selection of classical rock tunes arranged for quartet
Mozart String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465
Sunday, February 4, 2018 at 7pm
The Dixon Residence, 700 Quay Way Apt. 711
C.P.E. Bach Duet for Flute and Violin, H.598
Beethoven Serenade in D major, Op. 25
Dvořák Terzetto in C, Op. 74
THIS PERFORMANCE IS SOLD OUT. To be placed on the wait list, please email email@example.com.
Sunday, March 4, 2018 at 7pm
The Schafer Residence, 700 Quay Way, Unit 714
Zelenka Sonata No. 3 in B-Flat Major, ZWV 181
Tikker Three Dances for Oboe and Harpsichord
J.S. Bach Trio Sonata in G Major, BWV 1039
Sunday, April 29, 2018 at 7pm
The Roberts Residence, Cottage 22
Ibert Trois Pièces Brèves
Ginastera Duo for Flute and Oboe, Op. 13
Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition arr. for winds


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3 independent reviews for Annapurna circuit trekking holiday
Reviews for Annapurna circuit trekking holiday
Penny Rigby review 28 Nov 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?Crossing Thorung La pass
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?Make sure you take enough warm clothes.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?Yes
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?Excellent
Lindsey Bunn review 18 Nov 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?The trekking was absolutely amazing! The views each day were breathtaking and the scenery changed by day - we went from lush green paddy fields to rocky morane and isolation to dessert - it was awesome. The local people really are the friendliest people in the whole of Asia. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?Be very choosey over the tour operator. We booked with this operator and they were wonderful - we couldn't fault them! However, we met other trekkers who were less than pleased with their companies. They had booked with some of the 'big named - well known' companies and obviously paid double what we had and then they had been farmed out to a local operator anyway - the difference in the money obviously went direct to the big company - a complete waste of your money! Our guide was brilliant as were the assistant guide and porters - they never stopped - they helped in the tearoom kitchens, and then served the food to us - they were always with us - we didn't see this level of commitment or service from any other company. We were also able to have a say in how many were in our group - 4 of us booked and then we had one more - making us 5 which was a perfect number. Some groups were in excess of 16 and it looked like a nightmare at meal times. You also have less flexibility in the programmed itinerary, which we were able to adapt as needs arose. Biggest tip - Book with a local operator - you get a much better, more personal service than with the big UK/US companies.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?Tourism is Nepal's main industry - so yes this benefited people definitely. This is obviously causing an impact negatively however. We made sure we all had our own method of purifying our water - be it iodine drops and neutralising tabs, Steri pen or filter bottle - which cuts down on the amount of plastic generated massively - when you think we each drinking 4-6 litres a day and we trekked for 19 days. We also kept a bag of rubbish that we brought out with us. The other thing to make sure of is that the staff (guide, porters etc) are all paid a decent wage and have the right equipment. For instance we trekked the Annapurna Circuit and when we crossed the high pass Thorung La at 5416m all the company staff had warm clothes and proper boots - this is a real step forward and another credit to the tour operator - however you still see companies sending their staff over with flip flops, no hats or gloves! This is a problem at -20C!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?Brilliant - when can we go back?? So much fun. If you're thinking about it - don't - just do it!
Edgar Ampil review 29 Oct 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?For those doing the Annapurna Circuit, I would suspect crossing the Thorung La pass is the highlight. At 5,416 meters above sea level, much attention is given to ensure trekkers are properly acclimated in the days prior. Making it to the crossing is marked with much jubilation, and a flurry of photos. There's a strong sense of accomplishment, and it's literally downhill from there.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?The degree of difficulty of the whole holiday is directly related to the traveller's level of fitness. While I think most people can do the Annapurna Circuit, one's ability to enjoy the experience increases significantly if one puts in the work prior to doing the trek. Also, as the whole circuit covers 210 kilometers, not counting acclimatization hikes, your feet do take a beating. It's best to bring a sufficient amount of medical supplies for foot-related injuries, blisters in particular. Having said that, the hot springs at Tatopani do provide relief, but it's towards the end of the trek.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?The economic benefits aside, our guide made sure that we remained aware and respectful of local sensitivities. We were appalled at the large numbers of travellers who went about their business totally oblivious to how their behavior was offending the locals. He also admonished us to avail of the safe water drinking facilities, when available, so as to reduce the amount of plastic bottles used on the trail. Although given that safe water was considerably cheaper than bottled water, we didn't need much persuasion. But we were clearly made aware of the impact of our trip on the local people and the environment, and guided on appropriate action.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?As stated, 4 stars! My feet are too tired to be "reborn". The sights and views are what I will remember the most, as well as the different characters I encountered on the trail.
Holiday Reviews
You can trust Responsible Travel reviews because, unlike many other schemes, reviews can ONLY be written by people who we have verified have been on the holidays. In addition, we don't run these holidays ourselves - our only interest is giving you the best independent advice.


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Lady Gaga's performance on a U.K. talk show was dramatically halted when her bizarre iPad-style dress split and fell open.
The singer was entertaining the audience on funnyman Alan Carr's show this week (beg02Dec13) with a rendition of her track Dope when the drama happened.
The quirky pop star had arrived on the set wearing a white bodice containing a working computer screen, but it fell apart during her performance, so Gaga was forced to stop the show and fix the dress before starting again.
Gaga's interview will be broadcast on Alan Carr: Chatty Man in the U.K. on Friday (06Dec13).


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After we experience a brain injury we want answers to some important questions: when will I be my old self again, and how do I get myself back? Unfortunately, there are no answers. We learn quickly that, much to our dismay, there is no roadmap for life after brain injury. There is no schedule. There is no "approved method" for living. The best we can do is listen to doctors and therapists, as well as other survivors who have already travelled this road, hoping we can find ways to improve ... Read On
Latest Posts
The Truth About Football, CTE and Us
The last several years we have learned about the repercussions of repetitive hits to the heads of our football heroes. Do we really understand though? We see stories about them on the news or read about them in newspaper articles, focused, not on past glories or achievements, but on present day despair. On regrets. On wishing they had lived ... Read On
How I Dealt with Abuse Following A Chronic Injury/Illness
Those of us who have experienced a chronic injury or who have a chronic illness are used to being treated poorly by others. You would think people would be more understanding, but apparently, that's not the way it works. Our Reality We all have war stories. We can all testify to the number of times we have been insulted, demeaned, ... Read On
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Living Large and Howling at Our TBI Demons
Everyone has their demons; ghosts that haunt us because of something that has or hasn't happened in our past. For those of us with brain injuries, our collection of demons is varied and extremely powerful. We feel overwhelmed when we face those things that haunt us: peoples' comments, the can't do's, the used to be able to's, the relationship issues, the work issues. They are popping up all the time. Many of us feel as though our demons are not like anyone else's and we put them on ... Read On
Don't Walk…Run!
When you have a brain injury many things change. Life is different in a way you can't explain and other people don't understand. Those other people who don't understand, in an attempt to help us, are always suggesting ways we should approach our injury or live our lives. The trouble is, what they are suggesting is based on their reality, which is the same reality we used to know and live by. The question is, why should we try to do things the same old way, following the same old rules? ... Read On
Facing & Winning the Daily Brain Injury Struggle
Being TBI survivors, we all live the struggle; it's in our face every day. The battle we are in can be physical, mental, emotional or a combination of all three, but it's always there; and it takes strength and perseverance. Every day we wake up to face the same struggle. The same #{%^ struggle. The individual challenges and the details we face each day may be different, but we all have that brain injury struggle in common, and all we want is to be able to live a normal, fulfilled life. The ... Read On
"So That's Why I Do That!!"
How many of us, TBI survivors, do things or say things only to wonder, minutes later, "Why did I do that?" We go through our day-to-day lives, doing the best we can as we try to "normalize", and we often find ourselves doing these things we think are normal when they aren't at all. It becomes routine to do things without understanding why or thinking anything about them; including how others might think about what we have just done. Even though we have had a brain injury, we don't always ... Read On


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Ireland is renowned for its food. Our agricultural sector supports thousands of jobs and the Green Party is committed to working for a vibrant, successful and green agriculture industry. We believe in promoting organic and environmentally friendly farming practices that support sustainable industry growth and innovation while helping reduce carbon emissions.
To find out more, you can read our Food Policy. You can also contact the Green Party Spokesperson on Food and Agriculture, Seamus Sheridan.
GP submission to DAFM consultation on GHG mitigation


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Now Recruiting:
Peasant spent 10 years to invent manned suitcase-the lightest suitcase in the world
Carrying suitcase is very tiring when you travel at home or abroad. Imagine riding on your suitcase without any walking during your vacation! Now, manned electric multifunction suitcases have immerged in Changsha city, Hunan province. Yesterday, Jia Liangcai, who invented the electric multifunction suitcase, drove his multifunction suitcase to his office after he got off the train. The manned electric multifunction suitcase is also called the "City Car".
Unbelievable! this suitcase looks no different than normal suitcases, however, there are Wheel Hub motors, navigation systems and GPS satellite positioning in the suitcase and the inventor- Jia Liangcai holds the patent.
Jia Liangcai comes from Henglongqiao, Yiyang city. In the early 1980s, he ran a garage and became rich in his county. He did not indulge in enjoyment but began putting his attention to different traffic accidents. "Every time i repair cars, I am appaulled by the damage. So how to reduce traffic accidents? " He was wondering for many years. After so many years experience in invention and hundreds of Crash Tests, his car automatic safety protection won the national invention patent, and he also won the U.S. Patent and Third World Invention Fair International Einstein Award in 1999.
Jia Liangcai said: "after I got off the plane in USA and was told that he forgot my suitcase. I was very tired and also needed to carry the suitcase. I wondered at that time, whether there were manned suitcases. In 1999, on his way to America, he had a new idea about manned electric multifunction suitcases. And 10 years later, "the manned suitcase" arrived.
Jia Liangcai began his invention when he came back from USA. He used a combination between suitcase and car materials and design, one of the main changes was the engine to a wheel hub motor. The Power comes for the wheel and the battery was replaced with gasoline and other fuels; while using kids' skateboard-type frame which was embedded in the suitcase. Two handles of the frame were installed on the cue switches, braking system and apparatus using LED, so that the frame had a luminous signal.
The Electric wheel hub bothered Mr Jia as he was brought up with Steam power for the majority of his life. In 10 years he invented the multifunction suitcase, which can drive two people at a speed up to 20 km (non-motor vehicle), with a range of 50-60 km once started.
Original from: http://news.163.com/
Date: 12/06/2014
Views: 2083
Author: Fred Ou
< More news


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Feeling Unmotivated?
Imagine waking up to a personal phone call every single day, from someone who cares enough to ask how happy you are that morning, asks about your to-do list, and makes sure that you complete that to do list.
We take persistence out of the equation. Imagine being reminded to do something good, every single day. Establishing a habit is easy if we force you to do it.
Every call ends with an inspirational quote, to provide an awesome start to your day!
At this early stage, we'll do it for FREE. Just because we need the feedback.
Contact firstname.lastname@example.com


text: Melt your worries away in a bubble bath that's suffused with this Arboretum-scented concoction. Contained in this blossoming, radiantly decorated bottle is a mixture of soothing lemongrass and ginger, calming green tea, and richly replenishing coco butter. The dynamic formula takes olfactory shape in three magnificent stages. An initial potent green-y cardamom gives way to a sweeter ylang ylang, which is polished off nicely with a deep amber resin. Steep yourself in this collection of heady wafts and let your bubble bath envelop you.


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Ready for a Vacation? It's Panama Beach Time!
PCB Gulf-front Condo Rentals: (850) 708-1429
Whispering Seas 204 - Gulf-front, 1BR/1BA-Sleep 4; 2nd Floor; Kit; W/D; Balcony; Wi-Fi
Whispering Seas 204 is a newly renovated one bedroom and one bath 2nd floor condo with great views of the pool, beach and the sunsets from throughout the unit and the wide balcony. This condo sleeps four with a King bed in the bedroom and sleeper sofa in the living room. Fully equipped and updated kitchen and dining table that seats four. Gulf-front Balcony; Wi-Fi, Pool on Beach. Washer/Dryer in unit.
Whispering Seas 204 is an updated and renovated beach one bedroom and one bath Gulf-front condo that sleeps 4 with a King bed in the bedroom and a sleeper sofa in the living room. This condo is perfect for a romantic getaway for couples or a week at the beach for a family with young children. You will love the Gulf views from the living room, dining table, fully equipped kitchen, and wide balcony. New washer/dryer in unit.
The fully equipped kitchen lets you cook in and save money and there's a dining table with seating for four. All of our units are non-smoking. Please smoke outside of your condo.
Don't fight the crowds in a high-rise! Whispering Seas is a low-rise, family-friendly Gulf-front beach resort, with a pool right on the beach, a Gulf-front terrace with 4 grills and 4 picnic tables, and free Wi-Fi. Whispering Seas 204 will become your favorite vacation spot for your next Panama Beach Time!


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Review Time! Food Truck Champion By Daily Magic Games
February 22, 2017 by crew
PRE-REVIEW WARNING! Do NOT play this game on an empty stomach – be thoroughly prepared with a selection of culinary treats. You and your stomach have been advised!
The phrase 'Beer and Pretzels' is used a lot in gaming nomenclature. A combination of words attributed to a subsection of games that lean more towards light themes, varying elements of randomness and incorporating social aspects. I find this last element to be the most important in identifying these types of games, as their antithesis, the Eurogame, often relies on a heavy ruleset, competition and a minimal level of social gaming in its design. I'm not aiming to be disparaging about Eurogames, it's just from personal experience.
However, I find myself in the fortuitous situation of describing a game as a 'Beer and Pretzels' game because this games theme is food…The best kind of food… Niché, independent pop-up food! So set your senses to 'horizon-broadening' because we are going to feast to find out who is the best Food Truck Champion!
First Course: The Setup
Food Truck Champion is the latest creation by Daily Magic Games, creators of games such as Swinging Jivecat Voodoo Lounge and Villages of Valeria. In their latest offering, Food Truck Champion sets you in the profession of a food truck owner aiming to satisfy customers with a wide array of treats, expanding your fledgeling business by hiring more staff and increasing productivity and ultimately beat the competition by gaining commercial and critical acclaim and become the best food truck!
To achieve the proverbial golden spatula (top chefs get golden spatulas, it's a thing!) you'll have an opening hand of cards from the game deck. The cards form the real meat of the game and instruct in everything from which recipes are to be cooked, staff members who play vital roles in the food production process and which ingredients are to be sourced in order to create your delightful treats.
From the outset, it might seem overwhelming to have all this information on the playing cards, but the mechanics of the game mean that the information is dealt with in a really superb manner.
Each player also receives an additional, faction specific wild card into their hand that can be used for any purpose and can give the decisive edge when required, but as it is the equivalent to you, the owner, stepping into the kitchen and concentrating on a specific task, it will mean that somewhere during the game you'll have to take a turn to get that card back into your hand.
In the set up stage of this game, each player receives a handy tableau organiser card which informs each player of different elements of their business, from how big your fridge is, how many staff you have on your payroll, how many dishes can be prepared simultaneously and an active mechanic called "draw limit" for when you really need to dig for cards from the game deck. All of these elements can be upgraded to improve productivity. More on that later.
There is also a reference card to inform you what actions can be done as well as what each member of staff does if you were to play a card from your hand as a member of staff. I love games that provide organisational tools and reference guides. Pouring through even the smallest rulebook to find a rule breaks the flow of the game and when you have a game like Food Truck Champion that brings laughter to all playing, breaking that mood isn't profitable to all involved. Having everything set out on the table is great and when the game is illustrated this beautifully, it's a real treat to see.
You'll also receive the aforementioned starting hand of those multi-informational cards, as well as a starting recipe card that is custom tailored towards your food truck that will sit in your plating area – Yes, there's more information on the playing cards, but trust me, when the game gets going and you're in the swing of cooking up a wide range of dishes, it becomes second nature.
You also have to setup the in-game marketplace by taking some of the cards from the deck and laying them out for all to see. This marketplace is multi-faceted, as it all depends on how you wish to utilise those cards available; you could pick a card based on its staff role, its ingredient component or take it as a recipe to complete. I enjoy games with a communal marketplace.
It's why I prefer Quarriors! to the different varieties of Dice Masters, it adds an ever-shifting layer of competitiveness to games, and with the theme of Food Truck Champion it feels like ingredients aren't available at an organic market, or the right people aren't out there to hire.
The final components in Food Truck Champion are circular victory point tokens, and critique tokens, for when the choosiest of customers come along to give their honest opinion! These need to be setup in specific towers, 1VP, 2VP, 3VP, with the critique tokens placed incrementally in the towers. The size of the towers also depends on how many players there are in the game. These piles act as many functions in the game. More on that later.
The Main Course: How To Play
A turn in Food Truck Champion follows as so...
The lead player will decide one of three actions to take. If the lead player decides to take one of the following two actions, it means each subsequent player will be able to make a choice about which action, out of the following two, they want to take too.
- Market Research – this is the action in which you think "I haven't got enough cards in my hand" and you draw cards equal to what your draw limit is, as mentioned before.
- Take Charge – this is the action in which you are able to take your owner 'wild' card back into your hand if you had previously committed that wild card to an action previously. Obviously, you won't be doing that on the first turn.
Those two actions are relatively simple, and there will be periods in the game where players may just need to draw up.
The final main action that gets your food truck fired up and cooking is called "Lead a Staff Action". The lead player on that turn decides to commit a card from their hand as one of a possible five members of staff; driver, cashier, manager, prep cook and executive chef. The subsequent players can then choose to commit a card from their hand as a matching member of staff.
Therefore, if the lead player sends a driver to go and get some fresh fruit from the marketplace to store in the fridge, other players can send their drivers to go and get an ingredient too.
As the game develops on, it is possible to hire permanent members of staff that, should a lead player commit a member of staff that matches your permanent member of staff, you get to do that action as a free Staff Action, as well as being able to do Market Research or Taking Charge.
This is the mechanic of the game that I personally love the most. It has a great impetus to it, it feels really engaging and it feels somewhat akin to Race for the Galaxy in its completion; You are looking to get ahead of the competition by playing the card, but other players may profit off your actions, so as the game progresses, choices about what cards to play increases.
Like any delicious meal, the whole process from conception to service takes time. The staff chain takes a variable time to build; from the driver collecting your ingredients from the in-game marketplace, the prep cook moving those ingredients to a dish at your plating area, or the cashier moving more orders to your plating area in preparation for the next customer.
You might be fortunate and be able to play cards thanks to your opponents. You may have to play cards to ensure your own success, but when you have finally completed a dish, that dish is set aside next to your tableau and you may rejoice in the satisfaction of sating a customer's hunger and importantly, you get victory points!
The victory point system in Food Truck Champion is a brilliant double-edged sword for all players involved and it all depends on how each player is playing. Some recipe cards have one ingredient symbol on them, some have two, some have three. Depending on how many ingredients there are in the recipe, it indicates what VP token you take from one of the towers; more time spent on a recipe, more reward in VP.
Some player may choose to power through the quick recipes and draw all the 1VP tokens to try and end the game quickly as well as make all remaining quick recipes not worth doing and others may take their time in the pursuit of higher VP dishes, so the token system also acts as the game's clock. Game mechanics such as this are great as it keeps the game in a reasonable time length and the inclusion of the critique tokens in Food Truck Champion add a level of flavour and theme to this mechanic.
As well as acting as victory points, the tokens act as free upgrades. The tokens are placed number-side down on your tableau organiser in any region you wish to upgrade; do you wish to be better at Market Research and search the deck for more cards? Do you want to be able to store more ingredients in the fridge?
The free-will choice in this aspect of the game is great. Though you all start as essentially the same truck except for design and iconography, the choice in which areas to upgrade make each truck and each game unique in its design and breeds comedy – for the most part, I never upgrade my staff area and I'm often a one-man truck and the imagery of me waving my hands about trying to cook multiple recipes is hilarious to me.
When a critique token is revealed, a rather particular customer has arrived to judge your completed offerings. Any set aside completed dish may be slotted beneath the top of your tableau organiser if it matches your trucks flavour profile, for example, the Tacos De Muertos team places cheese, vegetables and fruit flavours above all others. If a completed recipe has a matching symbol, you can slot it underneath the board in order to try and earn more VP, an extra 5VP per completed set.
Dessert: Final Scoring
The totalling of scores is simple in Food Truck Champion. First of all, total up all the value of your VP tokens that you have used as upgrades.
Secondly, if you completed any dishes that have the same logo on them that match the logo of your food truck, each of those recipes gains you an extra 1VP.
Thirdly, if you have managed to complete enough appropriate recipes in order to provide you with a complete flavour profile set (or maybe multiple sets) you receive 5VP.
There are some tiebreaker caveats – most completed orders that match your own truck logo, or most popularity tokens. If there is still a tie after these two, then those players tied to share the victory.
The After-Dinner Mint: Final Thoughts
As stated within this Kickstarter, Food Truck Champion is inspired by Glory to Rome. While I am a fan of a game that adopts elements of ancient Italy into its theme, Food Truck Champion transcends its predecessor and inspiration. The universal theme is all encompassing and incredibly inviting to different levels of gamers; who doesn't love food?!
Claire Donaldson has done Daily Magic Games an incredible service by adding her artistic talents to this game. Each individual component is gorgeous and when the game is ticking along its hard not to take a pause and be distracted by the vibrant artwork and colour palette. I personally had issues with the colour choices made, but I am quite colour blind and I believe issues such as this need to be addressed industry-wide, but I can't fault the designers for their colour choices, it would be incredibly pedantic of me.
Nicole Jeckich and Luke Turpeinen have created something quite sublime in Food Truck Champion. The game is incredibly immersive in its social reach and could be one of those games that are used as a gateway game, to draw more people into the hobby of board gaming through its theme, keep them engaged through the social aspect, challenge them to succeed through the tactics.
I must confess, however, that I do feel I have to lead you, dear reader, on a merry path.
While Food Truck Champion does offer the beer and pretzel experience through its theme and its innate ability to create an engaging social dynamic, the game does offer up the option for players to stretch their gaming muscles and play quite tactically and deeply. Much like a beautifully cooked meal, Food Truck Champion balances the heavier game aspects with its lighter gaming feel.
Food Truck Champion is worthy of backing, it's ability for replay upon replay, it's theme and levels of immersive gameplay are some of the many reasons to do so. Daily Magic has a strong record of Kickstarter success; Manasurge, Merchants of Araby, and Valeria: Card Kingdoms being a Staff Pick most notably. I wholeheartedly would recommend this game worthy of your Kickstarter attention. Back it today, before the food trucks drive away from your street.
If you would like to write a review or anything else for Beasts Of War get in touch with us at [email protected] and we'll get chatting!
"Food Truck Champion sets you in the profession of a food truck owner aiming to satisfy customers with a wide array of treats..."
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text: Yuma Residence Hall, a three-story building was the first of the University's Honors Halls, provides a stimulating living and learning environment for students admitted to the Honors program. Built in 1942, and refurbished in1988, Yuma has a warm and welcoming entry with sunken living room, kitchen and vending area. Students enjoy small study area, a TV room, library and outside courtyard with barbecue area. The UA Honors Program also maintains a computer lab in the building.


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And you thought your hairdresser was the only loudmouth. I'm a facial fanatic and am always jumping from one spa in New York to the next (there are SO many). As you can imagine, I've heard some interesting stuff.
"Try putting relaxer on your eyebrows — one of my clients is a model and does it all the time."-from my esthetician to me.
"Her skin is peeling like snake skin. She can't see that?!" -one esthetician to another.
"You have acne and you're giving facials. How does that look?" -a managerial looking woman to an esthetician.
"She's all yours — she has stomach issues." One esthetician to another.
What have you heard while wrapped in a towel and mentally imagining yourself on a beach somewhere when "spa talk" intrudes? Spill it!
—Mrs. Ayren
If you like Mrs. Ayrens beauty tips, check out the rest of her posts here.
Last 5 posts by Parlour
- The Travel Seven: Kristen Wiggins - January 28th, 2018
- The Travel Seven: Kamerin Chambers - October 11th, 2017
- The Travel Seven: Elisia Brown - July 18th, 2017
- The Travel Seven: Ianthia Smith - May 6th, 2017
- The Travel Seven: Monet Hambrick - February 19th, 2017


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I went a shade darker with the concealer too, it was quite refreshing not having to buy the lightest thing in the range for once :)ReplyDelete
Super pretty! You're so gorge :) I love your cute pink cheeks :) I never wear foundation either it makes my skin look worse not better :) I just moisturise a lot :)ReplyDelete
Wowsers, you look gorgeous in those photos! Your makeup looks absolutely perfect. I can't believe you find it easier to apply lashes than mascara! I find it impossible to do false lashes. That tinted moisturiser sounds great, might have to get some of that!ReplyDelete
Wow, your makeup is stunning! Your blush especially is just applied perfectly XxxReplyDelete
Please oh please always do my makeup. x hivennReplyDelete
Hey chica, I find my You Rebel Lite to be a touch orange. Do you think it's the cream base that stops this on you? I swear I'm not even as pale as you are!ReplyDelete
I've heard good and bad things about you rebel, I wanted to try it but the price and the bad reviews have put me off : /ReplyDelete
ugh, so jealous of you and your prettiness!ReplyDelete
love the lippy xxxxReplyDelete
So very pretty darling, love your makeup ♥ReplyDelete
Eda ♥
Pretty :) Loving your lip combo xxxReplyDelete
I need to learn how to apply false lashes, they always look great on you :)ReplyDelete
Maria xxx
the blush looks amazing!ReplyDelete
i was surprised at how light the concealer was too, i automatically go for the lightest shade but this time it is a bit too light for me x
- Anonymous29 May 2011 at 09:10
You are absolutely gorgeous! I love your eyes, and your facial structure is amazing. xoReplyDelete
That lip colour is so pretty on you! I think I really need to up the anti on my everyday makeup - I will be reading your blgo and making notes!ReplyDelete
Your make-up looks great, very flawless, I'm jealous!ReplyDelete
Your make up looks lovely! Very pretty :)ReplyDelete
Love the shade of the lipstick - really suits you xx
- Anonymous29 May 2011 at 19:50
Oh, you look so lovely, love this kind of makeup. It's actually my fav!ReplyDelete
I love the blush color!
Your skin always looks a-mazing! xReplyDelete
You look stunning! Your skin is so lovely! xoReplyDelete
Um why are you so gorgeous please?ReplyDelete
flawless as ever! got any tips for creating a good base of concealer and foundation?ReplyDelete
Your eyemake up is lovely, I can't blend at all, I just look like a child has been let loose on my face haha!
- Anonymous2 June 2011 at 09:01
You, my dear are gorgeous!! =)ReplyDelete
Love this look, very pretty :).ReplyDelete
Wow, your make-up looks crazy good here! Thanks for the info! PS I'm a new follower, come visit some time!ReplyDelete
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There are currently 15 altar servers, boys and girls, ages from late primary school upwards. Training is given at the parish over several weeks and a rota system is in place. Normally there are two servers at each Vigil and Sunday Mass with four or more serving at Christmas Midnight Mass and at the Easter Masses. Altar servers may also be asked to serve at Weddings, Funerals, Confirmations and special Masses, e.g. the Lourdes Mass.
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Contact TM
Tux Machines is run by Bytes Media, but it is originally the Web site of Susan Linton, better known as "srlinuxx".
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Use this address or this form (requires logging in) for any queries related to the site.
Susan Linton
Due to an increase in spammers, I've had to disable the convenient mailto link and the feedback form. I apologize for the inconvenience, but if you want to contact me, please write to:
srlinuxx at gmail dot com
Thank you,
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Canonical/Ubuntu: Quirky Xerus 8.6, Snapcraft and More
Graphics: Wayland/Weston, Mesa and AMD
Kernel: Linux 4.19 Staging and Greg Kroah-Hartman's Very Many Stable Releases
Trinity Desktop Environment R14.0.5


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Iran has long contended it is facing a "soft war" from "hostile governments." This consists of attacks on the computer systems in Iran's nuclear facilities.
And according to Bloomberg Businessweek, this war is allegedly showing itself via a computer worm that's shutting down the "automation network" at two of Iran's facilities, and prompting several of the computers to play AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" at maximum volume during the night. Iran is blaming the U.S. and Israel for these and other attacks, as they believe both countries are doing whatever they can to stifle the progress Iran has made in its nuclear program.
The problem with these claims is there's no hard evidence that this is actually taking place. As Mike Hypponen, a computer security expert has pointed out, the U.S. has used AC/DC songs for various purposes linked to intelligence interests in the past, so it's unlikely they'd do something like this, as it would almost certainly give them away.
A case could be made that this is all Iran's desperate attempt to pressure the U.N. into helping protect the very systems Iran uses for nuclear technology. After all, Iran followed their announcement about AC/DC songs by calling on the U.N. to intervene and condemn "organized cyber attacks against nations."


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My weekend was rather ephiphanal. As a mom, it has been my experience that there are times when I don't like my kids and they don't like me. That doesn't mean I don't love them; it is just that I don't like 'em. Tallest Son and I have spent the better part of the last five years sparring. He has been - at times - insufferable and intolerable. I've wanted to give up.
This weekend, he was my traveling companion, and we spent time with my mom, whom I don't get to see nearly as much as I'd like. He was a pleasure to be with, a great companion, lovely and sweet to my mom, and fun to chat with over meals. I'd nearly forgotten these things about him over the past few years, when teenage angst, metal music, and a lot of immaturity seemed to rule his psyche and our relationship. (For the record, I know I've been a pain as well. However, both Tallest Son and I would agree that the bulk of the horribleness has been on him.)
Two things: first, if you are a parent, the lesson is, 'don't kill 'em, they will typically come around.' In fact, I thanked my mom for not allowing me to kill Tallest Son, when she'd "talked me down" a couple of times when I thought all hope and patience was lost. Second, the next time you're having a fight with God, remember this teenage drama. Just as my son is starting to realize, I do have a bit of wisdom and experience to share with him. While I am certainly not the Almighty, Son is beginning to see that Mom might just know something, and it might be valuable to him. God knows you and me, and His vision for us is always the best. Sometimes, we just throw a little teen drama at Him, and miss what He has to reveal to us. Give yourself a moment this week to see if there is something there that you are missing.


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Tipping the scale
We eagerly await the universal Redemption. Then, the world will be devoid of hate and greed, free of suffering and strife, and suffused with the wisdom and goodness of its Creator.
Maimonides writes : a single deed, a single word, even a single thought, has the power to tip the scales and bring redemption to the world.
The nature of our world is perfect and good, our every good action is real and enduring. Every negative thing is just that — a negative phenomenon. Hence the common equation of evil and good with darkness and light. Darkness is just the absence of light. Light need not combat and overpower darkness in order to displace it — where light is, darkness is not. A little light will banish a roomful of darkness.
No matter how dark the world may seem or feel, light is just a single action away.
If we open our eyes to this reality, we will bring redemption to the world. Today.
From the Rabbi Lubavitcher
To learn more about the Lubavitcher Rebbe, please visit therebbe.org


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The head of sustainability at MMI is supported by a sustainability coordinator.
The group executive committee, which performs a management review function for sustainability initiatives, raises relevant issues with the following committees of the board as and when appropriate:
Final accountability rests with the board and its committees, including the executive committees.
Governance Framework is available on request.


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Welcome to Wayne County Michigan: We're open for business!
Wayne County is a prime location for business development and growth thanks to our talent, geographical location and our superior infrastructure assets. In addition to being home to the American automotive industry, Wayne County is strategically located for a variety of industries including advanced manufacturing, logistics and information technology.
Located on the border with Canada, the United States' biggest trade partner, Wayne County businesses operate within 500 miles of about half of the U.S. and Canadian population. We are connected to an extensive international transportation network that allows for the efficient delivery of manufactured products to customers. The Detroit River provides maritime access throughout the Great Lakes and to the Atlantic seaboard. Easy access to I-75 and I-94 connect Wayne County directly to the interstate highway system. We are also home to four Class 1 railroads, two of which are intercontinental, and a world-class international airport that provides airfreight shipping and more than 1,100 passenger flights per day to and from more than 140 non-stop destinations on four continents.
Wayne County is also home to some of the nation's leading research universities. The Detroit metropolitan region ranks highest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field occupational growth in the U.S., doubling the national average. Our local universities have made a concentrated effort to produce the best talent in STEM field occupations in the country and ensure that our pipeline for talent continues. Because we can attract and train some of the best and brightest from across the globe, Wayne County is proud to be the most diverse county in the State of Michigan.
We would love to work with you to help grow your business here in Wayne County! We offer a variety of tools to help businesses locate or expand here in Wayne County. Our economic development team is talented, knowledgeable, and reliable. We can provide many services to help expand and grow business - from site selection to workforce development to streamlining permitting processes to coordinating with local municipalities and state agencies. Contact us for more information.


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Spinal Manipulation
A spinal manipulation performed by Dr. Andrew Simon is similar to chiropractic adjustments, osteopathic manipulation, or physical therapy mobilizations for the treatment of back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, hip pain. Naturopathic Physicians in the State of Washington can adjust and manipulate the spine to help improve range of motion, decrease pain, and promote improved circulation and healing after injury, car accidents, or the stresses of day to day desk work or inactivity.
The advantage of seeing a naturopathic physician compared to a chiropractor, is very similar to seeing an osteopathic physician. The physicians at Fit Naturopathic Center can diagnose, refer for imaging, and provide a comprehensive and integrated solution for recovery from pain. This is a great way to reduce reliance on pain medications such as opioids, NSAIDS, or muscle relaxers by providing an all in one integrated solution. Many patients additional receive benefit from our in house medical massage therapy or acupuncture services to facilitate reduced muscle spasm, and reset the nervous system prior to a spinal adjustment.
If you are familiar with chiropractic care, take a look at many of the techniques provided at Fit Naturopathic by Dr. Andrew Simon and staff:
Spinal Manipulation Techniques & Services:
Trained in techniques of muscle pin and stretch, manual therapy, and activation and release techniques. Fit Naturopathic physicians use elements of stretching and mobilization to help encourage pain relief in the neck, back or extremities. Followed by home exercises this can be a great way to affect change over time to re-balance symmetry and good bio mechanics to the body. Some of these techniques are employed prior to a more formal spinal manipulation.
Pelvic Blocking and other SOT techniques can be employed without the need for high velocity adjustments when a gentle approach is needed, or when trying to restore normal function to a joint without over treatment. Common to use pelvic blocking if there has been ligament laxity due to pregnancy, or bigger strains to the body where a gentler technique is indicated vs traditional chiropractic care.
The initial appointment includes an interview, diagnosis, and treatment and lasts for about one hour. Follow-up appointments last about 30 minutes. The frequency and duration of treatment depends on the type of issue being
addressed. In general, acute injuries require 1-2 treatments per week over the course of 2-3 weeks, while more chronic issues will require treatment on a weekly basis for an average of 8-10 weeks. During the initial intake your
practitioner will give you a prognosis for treatment of your specific condition and answer any questions you may have.
Naturopathic Physicians are trained to treat Physical Medicine concerns through the use of Naturopathic Manipulations which include a combination of stretching, unwinding, and release techniques, designed to prevent the need for aggressive or too frequent adjustments to the body by many chiropractors in Ballard and Seattle. While taught by Chiropractors, Naturopathic Physicians blend the techniques learned in a way that minimizes too much force on the body. Many people are familiar with chiropractic adjustments, the audible pop or cavitation that happens from a high velocity thrust. It is within the scope of Naturopathic Physicians to manipulate the spine to achieve results patients are looking for in decreased pain and improve range of motion.
Spinal Manipulation
$49.99 Intro visit
Intro Exam, Assessment, and Treatment provided with stretching and spinal manipulation to relieve pain, improve range of motion, and improve posture.
$40-80 per visit return cost, packages, and insurance coverage options available.
Start Today!
Kinesio Taping
$19.99 Per Taping
The Original Kinesio Taping method to decrease pain, improve proprioception and encourage injury recovery. Each application can last 3-4 days, and help maintain your massage, spinal manipulation or acupuncture treatment longer. Applied by Certified Kinesio taping Practitioner. $10 regular price if bundled with another service.


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Earn by doing simple Computer Jobs. No Selling Required. No Going out of Home. No Office. No Boss. Not a 9 to 5 job. No experience required. Simple Jobs. Basic knowledge of Computers and Internet is enough. Paid daily on time. Suitable for housewives, students, workers, retired persons and youths. For further details please visit www.hnj.co.in
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C.K. Kwong 鄺振傑
Brief Biosketch
Dr. Kwong received his MSc degree in Advanced Manufacturing Systems from the University of Nottingham, UK and his PhD degree from the University of Warwick, UK. He worked in manufacturing industry for seven years in the areas of product development and tool design. Then, he joined The Hong Kong Polytechnic University as a lecturer and currently is an Associate Professor in Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering of the University. His research areas include new product development, product family design, product line design, integrated product design, design for manufacture, and computational intelligence for design and manufacture. Dr. Kwong published over 160 research papers in which more than 110 papers were published in SCI journals. He also published one book about computational intelligence for product design, and four book chapters.
Teaching and Research Specialties
Teaching specialties of Dr. Kwong are product planning, new product development and design for manufacture.
His research areas include new product planning and development, computational intelligence for design and manufacture, product line/family design, quality function deployment, affective design, integrating marketing, engineering and supply chain for product design, design for manufacture, and modelling of customer satisfaction.
Professional Qualifications
- Chartered Engineer, UK
- Corporate member, The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
- Corporate member, The Institution of Engineers, Australia
- Chartered Professional Engineer, Australia
- Senior member, The Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society, China
- Corporate member, The Institution of Mechanical Engineers, UK
Professional and Scholarly Activities
- Editor, Journal of Industrial Engineering
- Guest editor, Journal of Neurocomputing
- Editorial board member, Artificial Intelligence and Applications
- Scientific committee member, International Conference of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management
- Scientific committee member, International conference on Knowledge-Based and Intelligent Information and Engineering Systems
- Course assessor, The Open University of Hong Kong
- Assessor of corporate membership, The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
- Committee member, The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (manufacturing and industrial engineering division)
- Theme leader of product and process design group, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Lab-in-charge of NTL Digital Factory Laboratory, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Lab-in-charge of Integrated Product Design Laboratory, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Senate member, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Programme leader, Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Product Engineering with Marketing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- School board member, School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Selected Research Projects (as Principal Investigator / Chief Supervisor)
- Incorporating refurbished products into product line design with consideration of market uncertainty
- Optimal product line design: an integrated affective design, marketing and engineering approach
- An Integrated marketing and engineering approach to product line design with consideration of remanufactured products
- Joint decision in product family and close-loop supply chain design
- Modeling affective relationships for product design
- An integrated methodology for determining the optimum value setting of engineering requirements for new products
- An intelligent system for defining design specifications of new products
- An integrated fuzzy modular function deployment for modular design
- Fuzzy product positioning for new product development
- Optimizing product family design based on market driven and MOGA approaches
- Modeling of customer satisfaction and determination of specifications for product design using computational intelligence techniques
- Module-based product family design with a consideration of supplier selection
Recent Publications
Hu, B.Q., and Kwong, C.K., (2014) On type-2 fuzzy sets and their t-norm operations, Information Sciences, 255, 58-81.
Chan I. W.M., Pinfold, M., Kwong, C.K., Szeto, W.H., (2014) Automation and optimisation of Family Mould Cavity and Runner Layout Design (FMCRLD) using Genetic Algorithms and Mould Layout Design Grammars, CAD, 47, 118-133.
Deng, S.F., Aydin, R., Kwong, C.K. and Huang, Y., (2014) Integrated product line design and supplier selection: a multi-objective optimization paradigm, Computers & Industrial Engineering, 70 (1), 150-158.
Luo X.G., Zhang Zichen, C.K. Kwong and Tang Jiafu, (2014) Share-of-Surplus Product Line Optimisation with Price Levels, Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 389479.
Aydin, R., Kwong, C.K., Ji, P. and Law, M.C., (2014) Market demand estimation for new product development by using fuzzy modeling and discrete choice analysis, Neurocomputing, 142, 136-146.
Chan, K.Y., Kwong, C.K. and Law, M.C., (2014) A fuzzy ordinary regression method for modeling customer preference in tea maker design, Neurocomputing, May 142, 147-154.
Du W., Leung, S.Y.S. and Kwong, C.K., (2014) Time Series Forecasting by Neural Networks: A Knee Point-Based Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm Approach, Expert Systems with Applications, 41, 8049–8061.
Tang, D., Wong, T.C., Chin, K.S., and Kwong C.K., (2014) Evaluation of user satisfaction using evidential reasoning-based methodology, Neurocomputing, 142, 86-94.
Luo, Xinggang, Yang, Wei, Kwong, C.K., Tang, Jianguo, and Tang, Jiafu (2014) Linear programming embedded genetic algorithm for product family design optimization with maximizing imprecise part-worth utility function, Concurrent Engineering: Research and Applications 22 (4), pp. 309-319.
Luo, X. G., Kwong, C. K., Tang, J. F., and Sun, F. Q., (2015) QFD-Based Product Planning With Consumer Choice Analysis, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics: Systems, 45(3), 454-461.
Jiang, Huimin; Kwong, C K; Liu, Y.; Ip, W.H., (2015) A Methodology of Integrating Affective Design with Defining Engineering Specifications for Product Design, International Journal of Production Research, 53 (8), pp. 2472-2488.
Wu, Zhiqiao, Tang, Jiafu, Kwong, C.K., Marinelli, F. (2015) An improvement on "Integrated production strategy and reuse scenario: A CoFAQ model and case study of mail server system development", Omega, 56, 50-52.
Aydin, R., Kwong, C.K., and Ji, P., (2015) A novel methodology for simultaneous consideration of remanufactured and new products in product line design, International Journal of Production Economics, 169, 127-140.
Jiang, Huimin, Kwong, C.K., K.W.M. Siu, and Liu, Y., (2015) Rough Set and PSO-based ANFIS Approaches to Modeling Customer Satisfaction for Affective Product Design, Advanced Engineering Informatics, 29(3), 620, 727-738.
Kwong, C.K., Jiang Huimin; Luo, X. G., (2016) AI-based methodology of integrating affective design, engineering, and marketing for defining design specifications of new products, Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 47, 49-60.
Jin, J., Ji, P., Kwong, C.K., (2016) What makes consumers unsatisfied with your products: Review analysis data fine-grained level, Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 47, 38-48.
Tong, L., Wong, W.K. and Kwong, C.K., (2016) Differential evolution-based optimal Gabor filter model for fabric inspection, Neurocomputing, 173, 1386-1410.
Luo Xinggang, Li Wei, Kwong C. K., and Cao Yan, (2016) Optimisation of product family design with consideration of supply risk and discount, Research in Engineering Design, 27(1), 37-54.
Wu, Z., Kwong, C.K., Lee, C.K.M., Tang, J., Joint decision of product configuration and remanufacturing for product family design, International Journal of Production Research (In press)
Aydin, R., Kwong, C.K. and Ji, P., Coordination of closed-loop supply chain for product line design with consideration of remanufactured products, Journal of Cleaner Production (accepted for publication)
Last modified in May 2016


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American Samoa - Hostess
Are you working as Hostess in American Samoa? Wondering how your salary compares to others?
Are you going to an interview or negotiate your salary? Need to know what is a fair salary?
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Switched reluctance motors promise higher efficiency in exchange for more sophisticated control electronics.
Energy efficiency and high performance are indispensable requirements for the home appliance market. Consumers want sophisticated electronics with lots of features but, with rising energy costs, they also want electronics that will conserve energy. To achieve this, these electronics require motors that deliver high efficiency at various speeds as well as compactness.
The industry continues to transition from induction motors that are comparatively inefficient and cumbersome from a design perspective to switched reluctance motors that offer high efficiency and smaller size to accommodate the size and weight needs of today's electronics.
A switched reluctance motor is an electric motor in which torque is produced by the tendency of the rotor to move to a position where the inductance of the excited winding is maximised. During motor operation, each stator phase is excited when its inductance is increasing, and unexcited when its inductance is decreasing. The air gap is at a minimum at the aligned position and the magnetic reluctance of the flux flow is at its lowest.
An easy way to make the rotor turn is to sequentially switch the current from one phase to the next and to synchronise each phase's excitation as a function of the rotor position. The direction of rotation is independent of the direction of the current flowing through the phase. Rather, it only depends on the sequence of the stator winding excitation. This unipolar principle requires only one switch to be in series with a phase winding. This phase independence and unipolar principle have encouraged various converter topologies.
Switched reluctance motors have several distinct advantages over most motors, and that includes induction motors. Because a switched reluctance motor has a salient rotor without rotor windings, the material costs are reduced. Furthermore, independent windings make it possible to build in fault tolerance and provide a robust structure.
As windings are energised and de-energised only when needed, this decreases the actual power consumption. Also, it has high torque-to-inertia ratio and high starting torque without exhibiting the problem of in-rush current. With other motor applications, this in-rush current during startup might cause the line voltage to dip momentarily, which adversely affects the power quality and can pose a problem in meeting government regulations. However, there can be some drawbacks to using switched reluctance motor technology.
Noise reduction
Switched reluctance motor operation requires knowledge of the rotor position. Therefore, switched reluctance motors usually must include sensors, which increases cost. But, with the advent of high-speed digital signal processors specialised for motion control applications, it has become possible to control switched reluctance motors with a sensor-less algorithm. Another drawback of switched reluctance motors is the need for sophisticated acoustic noise control due to the vibrations inherent with operation and application needs to be unaffected by torque ripple or control.
In the home appliance industry, switched reluctance motors are used mainly in vacuum cleaners because they operate at high speeds - tens of thousands of revolutions per minute - and provide high torque to generate strong suction. Because of the high-speed, the momentum of the rotator also acts as a low pass filter to the torque ripple, which mitigates the drawbacks of the switched reluctance motor. As the main source of noise in vacuum cleaners is its fan, the noise caused by switched reluctance motors is less prominent. Based on this, using switched reluctance motors for vacuum cleaners is the optimal choice.
Longer life
Many low-cost vacuum cleaners use a simple on-off switch with a universal motor because of the high speed operation up to 30,000rpm. The motor speed is controlled by using a triac chopper with a synchronising circuit with position sensor information. This concept of phase angle control is to apply only a portion of the AC line voltage to the load. The phase angle is varied continuously and results in a variety of voltage waveforms. The drawback of this simple electronic controller is that switching the AC waveform can produce undesirable electromagnetic interference.
Care must be taken to prevent the EMI from radiating back onto the line or affecting the triac circuit. Moreover, the high peak-to-peak current gives poor motor efficiency and the subsequent high brush temperature leads to limited motor lifetime. In particular, controversy over the harmful effects of carbon dust generated by the brush is spurring the development of switched reluctance motor solutions for vacuum cleaners.
A switched reluctance motor driver is an asymmetric converter with a pulsewidth modulation control circuit for delivering the power and commutation. Because of the circuit complexity, this solution is limited to the high-end market. There are many kinds of converters being used in the industry for the switched reluctance motor. Selection criterion depends on the cost, control scheme, and performance.
The diagram shows an equivalent circuit for one phase. This converter consists of two insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and two diodes. When Q1 and Q2 are turned on, the stator windings are excited and the rotor will start to move to align with the excited stator pole by the reluctance torque. Soon before the stator and rotor pole are aligned, Q1 and Q2 are turned off and D1 and D2 are turned on. This makes a negative voltage to phase winding and a fast decrease of current, which suppresses the generation of the negative torque. The magnitude and the waveform of the current are regulated in order to meet the torque and speed requirements.
When a designer chooses the circuit topology for switched reluctance motor, this can be implemented on a circuit board with either a discrete or modular solution. Although the discrete solution offers a lot of design flexibility in the layout, gate resistors and devices selection, a solution with power modules can offer space efficiency and high reliability, enhanced productivity and cost-effectiveness in mass production. In the market, there are modules available for switched reluctance motor drives, single-phase and two-phase switched reluctance motor converters. Increasing the number of switched reluctance motor phases reduces the torque ripple, but at the expense of requiring more electronics with which to operate the switched reluctance motor. At least two phases are required to guarantee starting, and at least three phases are required to insure the starting direction.
With the global concern for energy, more improvements in switched reluctance motor technology need to take place such as minimising noise and torque ripple through the improvement of the motor itself, increased accuracy of the sensor-less algorithm and the control algorithm. The more innovations that semiconductor suppliers and switched reluctance motor manufacturers can implement, the more we can collectively contribute to a greener world.


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How Far Does Light Travel Underwater? A large bulk of today's underwater lights for boats and docks fall short of people's expectations. Some individuals complain the luminaries look bright, when tested above water, but appear dull when installed underwater.
Generally speaking, there's probably nothing wrong with the lights. Instead, it is likely the person failed to take into account the density and absorption rate of water.
Dealing with Light Loss
According to scientists, water is roughly 800 times denser, compared to air. Because of this, light gets absorbed in water at a higher rate. This phenomenon contributes to dullness and decreased quality in illumination. Light is absorbed at different rates, as it hits the water. On the surface, a significant amount of sunlight is reflected from the water, which is why looking down at the surface of water can be unbearable during mid-afternoon conditions.
At roughly five meters, red starts to appear fuzzy. Next, at 10-20 meters, orange and yellow start to disappear. At depths of 50 meters, green and blue are only visible. Lastly, at 200 meters, blue disappears, leaving violet as the last remaining color. This is also where the sunlight zone (euphotic) ends and where the twilight zone (dysphotic) begins. There is not enough light in the dysphotic zone to stimulate photosynthesis in plants.
Four major factors that affect light absorption in water includes the following: weather, conditions at the surface, distance of the subject and depth.
In addition to absorption rates, refraction can be an issue for underwater lights. By comparison, air has a refraction index value of 1.0003, while water features a refractive index value of 1.33. This difference is the reason objects appear closer and larger (sometimes up to 25 percent!) underwater.
Solutions for Underwater Illumination
In order to ensure clarity when setting up underwater lights, they have to be very powerful – beyond the capabilities of above-ground luminaries. It might also help to use a more focused beam, such as a spotlight over a floodlight, if the underwater light is intended for long-distance viewing or support. In some cases, multiple beams or light sources might be required to achieve widespread beam configurations, especially in murky water or in bodies of water that experience a lot of waves and movement.
For underwater photographers, flash guns (also known as underwater strobes) are particularly effective in restoring light in images. For best results, underwater photographers may use dual strobes for increased quality and control over beam angles. Moreover, the strobe must be synced with the camera. Click here to purchase LED underwater lights.


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Beer in a bag and a barbie near the beach
6 Jun
Tsingtao – you'll taste it before you learn how to pronounce it correctly. Despite growing up in the lager lout capital of the world, despite a year spent oompah-ing around the Biergartens and Hofbraeuhauses of Austria and Germany, it wasn't until China's super-light, super-watered-down home brew of "Ching-dau" came to my attention that I developed a taste for beer – a taste made tastier by the 3-or-so kuai price tag on every bottle (about 30p).
With summer approaching, my newly beered-up tastebuds began to tingle ever more in the direction of two things: 1) beer, naturally, and 2) fish, which I miss more than anything in Beijing. The majority of fish here being more bone than brawn and tastes of the river sludge from which it has been dredged.
Last weekend, pollution levels reached toxic in BJ. It was time for some sea air. Chicken Feet's King packed bikini and beer goggles and a book of Chinese characters (which was needless to say forgotten on the train) and set off to Qingdao, the town in Shandong province that is the home to our fine fermented friend.
It's thanks to the Germans that Qingdao became such a beer-based place. In 1898 they thoughtfully conquered the port and it was a mere five years before the Tsingtao brewery opened in 1903.
Nowadays the German influence is pretty clear from the architecture, as well as the number of tacky Bavarian-flagpole pubs that dot around the town.
The leafy, hilly Baguan area is lined with tasteful, red-brick, turn-of-the-century houses.
There are both Protestant and Catholic churches, to which Chinese couples flock in droves to take wedding photos (obviously no actual church ceremony is involved, but it looks so cute).
But the heart of Qingdao is still entirely Chinese. And it's a blast.
Take the market that was positioned just outside our hostel, and which was perhaps the best noisy street food market it has been my pleasure to frequent in China. On both Sunday morning and evening, we cavorted around said market, buying steamed buns, raisin-packed brioche-like bread, fried fish, dumplings and pickled vegetables by the flimsy plastic bagful.
In Qingdao, that oh-so-Chinese method of selling the unlikeliest of things in the aforementioned flimsy plastic freezer bag (eggs, soup, live fish) extends to beer too. Every other grubby local shop will have a couple of large metal urns at the door, from which the owner will tap draft Tsingtao into your doggie bag, stick a couple of straws in the top, and charge you about 2 kuai.
But the best part of Qingdao – and the most tremendously Chinese – was the restaurant street where we ate on Saturday night. We had a huge meal of vegetable dishes accompanied by a vast, utterly delicious fish dish and stacks of "chuan'r" skewers with a slight paraffin flavour. It was livelier than the liveliest of Beijing's food-centric hutongs, and the huge pitchers of beer only added to the atmosphere.
We had a splendid, utterly aimless weekend of binge eating and drinking, with the obligatory visit to the Tsingtao brewery, where we sipped yet more beer from tiny taster cups.
We took a chairlift up and over a mountain and dived down into a bizarre German bunker-cum-wine-bar that served up some of the worst wine I have ever drunk in my life.
The only trouble with Qingdao was getting there and back.
Five-and-a-half-hours may not seem a long train journey in comparison to the two-day sleeper trains (hence why I've always tended to fly anywhere outside of Beijing), but you feel every one of those 330 minutes when you're on a train that reminds you of a high-speed Black Hole of Calcutta.
One the way there, a small child kicked my seat the entire way, each kick punctuated with shouts of "TIGER! TIGER!" in Chinese.
On the way back, an obese extended family surrounded us and proceeded to shout, swear, make hilarious laowai-centred jokes, play aggressive card games, and stuff themselves with a range of strong-smelling baozi and instant noodles.
The one thing that got us through it was our own supply of goodies we had procured in a frenzy before we ran to catch the train (a frenzy that nearly saw me lose my wallet – don't ask). Seaweed stuffed steamed buns, pancakes, yet more brioche and, of course, several cans of Tsingtao apiece went somewhere to softening the raucous noise on board.
Better still, I woke up the next morning bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, without a hint of hangover.
Thank God for Qingdao and its watered-down booze.


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'Top red' David Beckham thinks we're the best.
"I'd love to go back to United because they are the team I support," said Beckham. "They're the best club that I've played for, but I'm 34 years old now – I'm getting a little bit older. I was very successful there and made a lot of friends and for me they are the best fans in the world. As a supporter, I'm really happy they're having a lot of success. Manchester United is always a team that any professional would want to play for."
The RoM 2018-19 Season Preview is available for just £6. It includes an EXCLUSIVE interview with Juan Mata, a Q&A with the country's top journalists, articles by brilliant United writers, and so much more. All profit goes to Trafford Macmillan so please support this fantastic cause.