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Businesses in California are required to maintain workers' compensation insurance. Under California Labor Code Section 3700, any business that employs one or more people must carry this insurance. This includes family members or friends of the owner who are employed by a business. There can be heavy civil and even criminal penalties for failing to maintain workers' compensation insurance as is required, so it is important to understand if you and your business are required to carry it.
Some business attempt to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees. It is vital that you make sure your independent contractors really do fall into that category. Merely calling them "independent contractors" does not mean that is how the law will consider them. If they are employees, then you are required to carry workers' compensation insurance. Even if a friend or family member is only working for your business for a few hours a week, or on some other limited basis, they are likely an employee for purposes of needing workers' compensation insurance.
It is also possible for a sole proprietor to purchase workers' compensation insurance to provide extra coverage for him or herself. If this is the route you are taking, this is an issue that needs to be disclosed to your insurance carrier, and it is possible you will need to pay a different type of premium. Other viable options for a sole proprietor could include purchasing health or disability insurance.
Directors and executive officers of a corporation present a new set of facts. These people must be included in workers' compensation insurance coverage. The only exception to this is if the corporation is fully owned by the directors and executive officers. In such a case, they are allowed to be excluded from workers' compensation insurance, if the executive owns 15% or more of the corporation. This is an issue that directors and executive officers should discuss with their insurance broker before deciding to opt out.
An alternative to purchasing workers' compensation insurance from a broker is to be self-insured. Self-insurance requires approval from the state. It also requires a net worth of five million dollars, net yearly income of $500,000, and a security deposit.
If you have questions about whether you need to carry insurance, I would value the opportunity to discuss the issue with you. Contact me at (714) 516-8188 or email [email protected] to set up a consultation.


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|TI News
|Subscribe TI News Archive
TI News: An information service from Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI)
July 25, 2011
United States Travel and Tourism Exports: May 2011
Record-Setting International Visitor Spending in the United States
The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced that international visitors spent a record-breaking $12.6 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of May - $1.4 billion more (12%) than was spent in May 2010 - marking the seventeenth straight month of growth in U.S. travel and tourism exports. Travel and tourism-related exports have increased, on average, nearly $1.4 billion a month in 2011.
International visitors have spent an estimated $61.0 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services year to date (January through May), an increase of 13 percent when compared to the same period last year. In fact, the U.S. travel and tourism industry is on pace for a record-setting year for travel and tourism-related exports.
Americans have spent nearly $44.5 billion abroad year to date (up 6%) - resulting in a $16.5 billion trade surplus for travel and tourism through the first five months of 2011.
The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating international travel and tourism statistics for the U.S. Travel and Tourism Statistical System. For more monthly travel and tourism-related trade data dating back to 1992, please visit: <http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/outreachpages/download_data_table/Monthly_Exports_Imports_Balance.xls>.

subset: commoncrawl


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Student Book Recommendations, Microsoft "Choose to Code," Earth Day, Virtual Field Trips, DonorsChoose
1. Always have a project up. You never know who might fund it.
2. Take advantage of matches, promo codes, and partner funding opportunities (student-led, financial literacy, environmental awareness, Quill). Pay attention to the details.
3. Prime times are at the end of the summer and December.
4. Check your email and the blog for new opportunities: http://www.donorschoose.org/blog
5. Promote your project, especially during the first week, for extra funding.
6. Donate to your own project first to get the ball rolling.
7. Don't use too much jargon. Speak the language that a donor will understand.
8, Say "thank you." Have your students write thank-you cards either handwritten or typed. Your thank you notes are a reflection of you, your students, and your school. Express your thanks through social media.
9. Be patient. Your first project will probably be funded very quickly. Your others might not. The more you market, the more likely it will be funded.
10. Browse through other teacher's projects to get ideas for your own project.
1. Twitter (add appropriate hashtags and handles: @donorschoose, #donorschoose, subject-specific organizations, companies)
2. Facebook groups, Remind101, emails, student learning management systems,
Back to School and parent-teacher conference flyers.
3. Donate to other projects. Become a part of a community of donors.
4. Share, showcase, and then ask for funding. Share some great teaching resources, links, or teaching ideas. Showcase what your students are doing in your classroom. Explain how donors can further support your mission.
5. Many teachers leverage the power of social media through Facebook and Twitter to share their DonorsChoose projects, but here ways that you can enhance your marketing.
a. One "old school" ways is to create flyers, but who has the time? Use http://printandshare.org to quickly and easily create flyers to send home with your students and to give to parents during Open House and conferences.
b. A "new school" way is to combine web tools. I like to use https://www.edu.buncee.com to create a digital flyer that I can share with parents and community members through https://www.remind.com. Then people who receive my message through their email or text can instantly visit my project page to donate.
c. A picture is worth a thousand words, so use more pictures! Create collages of pictures using the PicCollage app or kick it up a notch and insert video using the PicPlayPost app. If you don't have permission to share pictures or videos of your students, show pictures of the items you are requesting . For example, who knows what a Hokki stool is?
As I reflect on how my library program has evolved over the years, I must take a moment to thank visionary Charles Best, CEO of DonorsChoose. When I began creating the makerspace in my library two years ago, the only supplies that I had were yoghurt containers, cardboard, and bottle caps that I had saved over the summer. Now my students have access to iPads, Chromebooks, Dash and Dot, MiP, Ozobots, Osmo, a 3D printer, a drone, duct tape, a Cricut vinyl cutter, and supplies to transform trash into treasure. With your help I have also been able to transform our makerspace into a fun, inviting place for kids not only to learn, but to express themselves and to make friends. Here are some pictures of people who have visited our makerspace over the past two years:
I was so excited to have the chance to meet Katie Vallas at the DonorsChoose office in NYC. Having a tour of the office and meeting these wonderful people behind the scenes was a dream come true for me.
Kristina A. Holzweiss
Ed Tech School Librarian
December 2019


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Title: "Systems, Transfer, and Fields: Evaluating a new Approach to Energy Instruction"
Abstract: Energy is a central concept in science in every discipline and also an essential player in many of the issues facing people everywhere on the globe. However, studies have shown that by the end of K-12 schooling, most students do not reach the level of understanding required to be able to use energy to make sense of a wide range of phenomena. Many researchers have questioned whether the conceptual foundations of traditional approaches to energy instruction may be responsible for students' difficulties. In response to these concerns, we developed and tested a novel approach to middle school physical science energy instruction that was informed by the recommendations of the Framework and the NGSS. This new approach differs substantially from more traditional approaches to energy instruction in that it does not require energy forms and it emphasizes connections between energy, systems, and fields that mediate interaction-at-a-distance. We investigated student learning during this novel approach and contrasted it with student learning within a comparable unit based on a more traditional approach to energy instruction. Our findings indicate that students who learned in the new approach outperformed students who learned in a traditional approach in every quantitative and qualitative aspect considered in this study, irrespective of their prior knowledge of energy. They developed more parsimonious knowledge networks in relation to energy that focused primarily around the concept of energy transfer. This study warrants further investigation into the value of this new approach to energy instruction in both middle and high school.
Bio: David Fortus is an Associate Professor in the Department of Science Teaching at The Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. He develops and studies instructional interventions that foster 3D learning and investigates the environmental and curricular factors that influence self-efficacy, engagement, and mastery orientation toward science, in and out of schools. His publications range from science education to theoretical physics to legal economics. Before joining the Weizmann Institute of Science, he was an assistant professor at the Michigan State University, a high school physics teacher, and a project director in the aerospace industry. Dr. Fortus received his Ph.D. in Science Education at the University of Michigan.


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Our simple and effective Utility Bulkhead unit offers durable performance, and minimal energy requirements – at an economical cost point. Ideally positioned into Back of House and Commercial applications such as Porches, Utilities, Hallways and Stairwells. The Utility Bulkhead offers a superb, cost saving alternative to traditional fluorescent 2D bulkheads. IP65 rated.
Utility Bulkhead
Product Description
Available Versions:
17watt Utility Bulkhead
17w | Daylight 4000k | 1700Lm | 100Lm/w | CRI 80+ | 50,000hrs lifespan
*Chrome surround option available upon request, Emergency Version also available


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Mentor Program
The Truro Golf Club is pleased to offer our Members with a Mentor Program, created to help welcome and introduce new members to our facility, and all of our many services and programs.
We will be offering two scheduled Welcome sessions this spring:
Weekday Session: Wednesday, May 16th @ 10:00am
Weekend Session: Saturday, May 19th @ 9:00am
For anyone who missed these two sessions please contact Shelly Atkinson (Membership Chair) or Anne Murphy (TGC Member) to arrange a one-on-one session.
We are also looking for lady members who would like to mentor any new ladies joining the Ladies Social Group for the first 4-5 Wednesday evenings to get them settled and comfortable with the game.
If you are interested in becoming an Ambassador of our Mentor Program, please contact Shelly Atkinson or Anne Murphy .
Club Loan Program
As part of our Mentor Program we are excited to also offer a Club Loan Program with a focused on growing the game of golf by introducing new golfers to this great sport.
We understand that there are costs associated with trying golf as well as be intimidating to try something new and want to make the experience as simple as possible. Before putting money out for golf clubs of your own, you may want to consider borrowing a set or individual club from on of the below individuals.
If you are a member with an extra set of clubs, or individual clubs that are no longer being used and would like to see them back in play, please consider contacting the office to have your name added to the below list.
This program is currently only being offered to individuals over the age of 18.
|Available Clubs
|Shelly Atkinson
|Mens and Ladies
|Right Hand
|(902) 890-2215


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7 Awesome Ways to Wear a Shirt Dress That are Oh-so-stylish
A shirt dress is probably the most versatile piece of clothing in the world! You don't have to think much about how to wear a shirt dress, coz you can wear it with literally anything. Leggings, jeans, boots, jackets, scarves, skirts, etc., the options are indeed galore.
Buzzle Staff
Last Updated: Mar 1, 2018


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Here's what the Russos told Cleveland.com -
"We really did a radical reinterpretation of Captain America in Winter Soldier. We were twice as aggressive in tone and execution on Civil War."Okay, the above quote raises all types of questions, particularly when it comes to the fate of certain Avengers. What do you think of this Marvel news?
Cinema Blend has more below.
Captain America: Civil War Will Be More Aggressive And Dark, According To The Russo Brothers


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I have all sorts of foundation samples to test out, and I was eager to try the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation, since I have heard so many great things about it. My sample is in the shade Warm Beige, which turned out to be a good match for me and similar to other foundation colors I've used before.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION (from Sephora)
This long-wearing formula evens tone, minimizes the appearance of pores, conceals imperfections, and offers broad-spectrum UV protection. Its hydrating technology leaves skin feeling cushioned, comfortable, and clean.
For some reason I expected this foundation to be thicker in texture. It is actually quite fluid and runny. That isn't a complaint; I just had a different expectation based on reviews I've read or watched in the past. The fluidity was a nice surprise, as it was very easy to blend. This is a light foundation that builds up to medium coverage, so if you're a full coverage person, you probably won't like this.
Bobbi Brown Warm Beige; MUFE in 130 Warm Ivory
I was able to get a few uses out of the foundation packet and got a good feel for how it wears. I was really impressed with how this foundation wears. It looked flawless upon application, like so many foundations do, but it actually stayed that way all day long, for over 8 hours!
Wearing the foundation- no concealer
It did not feel heavy or cakey on my skin either; it was very comfortable to wear. I can't stand putting on a foundation, and being able to feel it- to the point where it makes my skin itchy, if that makes sense. I used a flat-top kabuki from BH Cosmetics to blend it into my skin, and it was really easy to work with. I did not experience any irritation or breakouts with my skin either.
Overall, a big thumbs up from me! I would definitely purchase this in the future!


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Just scrolled down to see when exactly I decided to make my button tree and it was scary: November 2012!
I made it yesterday lol.
Here's the link to the original idea : Original button tree idea
I ended up grabbing a small canvas I had laying around and started making a trial painting with watercolors. I had never painted anything on a canvas, nor had I used watercolors since I was a kid, so I gave it a go. When I thought it looked acceptable (don't really like the tree trunk, might try to fix it a bit later, but I love the background), I realized less is more, and even though my b/f had got me a big canvas for my tree, this little one, with less buttons, looked like the best option.
Just a quick recap for those that don't feel like reading what's on the original link: I'd play with these buttons as a kid. I'd sit on the floor looking at them and just making drawings with them on the floor. My granma kept them in a box. I loved that box, and after her death I was lucky to have found it.
Here it is, the final product:
P.s- yes, granma bought me bunny buttons 🙂
P.p.s- really need to fix that tree trunk


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[Update Jan 6th, 2011 / An error in the capacitor unit (pF instead of nF) has been fixed in the schematics]
Long overdue post in my USB WAV player implementation series. Let's go !
General architecture
Here are the main software building blocks of the application:
The left side is the USB Mass Storage implementation based on the LUFA library. It is enabled if the user press a predefined button at power-on (see Part 1).
The right side is the WAV playback application and its related blocks.
- The Player block offers a high-level API to control the playback of files,
- The Wav parser contains some simple WAV-header parsing code to determine what are the sampling rate and number of channels of a file; it also helps to locate the audio data start in the file,
- The Dac block implements the digital to analog conversion to output sound to a speaker.
DAC block
The DAC block converts digital samples to an analog signal using Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and a low-pass RC filter.
The PWM is generated from the Timer4 of the ATMEGA32U4 in Fast PWM mode with an 8-bit resolution. Using OCR4A and OC4B we can produce two independent PWM signals.
The PWM clock is set to the highest possible value (PeripheralClock / 256 = 187500 Hz) to avoid a fundamental harmonic close to the audio signal. The RC filter has a cut-off frequency of about 22kHz corresponding to the Nyquist frequency for the 44.1kHz sampling rate.
Two buffers of 8-bit samples (mono or stereo) are used as input. An interrupt triggered by Timer0 at the sampling rate (8kHz, 16kHz, 44.1kHz) read samples for one buffer and update the Timer4 output compare registers. When the end of one buffer is reached, the routine switch to the other one and trigger and End Of Buffer interrupt.
The End Of Buffer interrupt by Timer0 by writing a 0 output compare value. In OCR0B. This immediately raise the TIMER0_COMPB_vect interrupt. As its priority is lower than TIMER0_COMPA_vect, it will not block the sample transfer while being served by the Wav player block (The idea has been borrowed from LadyAda WaveHc library)
The double buffer mechanism allows the Wav player block to refill one buffer while the other one is copied to the PWM generation. It can be viewed as a particular implementation of a circular buffer.
Player block
Here is the WAV player API:
- player_start
- player_stop
- player_pause
- player_resume
When started, the player parse the WAV header from a file then fill its buffers and start the DAC block. Subsequent data copy from the file to buffer are handled in the End Of Buffer interrupt:
When no more data can be read from the file, the End Of File callback is called to notify the client application. This callback is provided by the client when calling the Player_start API (notify_eof).
The routine also performs the sample conversion if the file contains 16-bit samples.
Player performance
The following sampling rate are currently supported: 8kHz, 16kHz, 22.05kHz and 44.1kHz. Mono and stereo files can be played. As the DAC plays only 8-bit samples, 16-bit per sample files are converted to 8-bit samples when reading from the audio file.
The playback has been successfully tested with files up to 44.1kHz 16-bit mono files with a 16MHz clock. With 44.1kHz 16-bit stereo files, underflows are happening (To be investigated later to see if it can be supported with some optimization…)
The circuit
The audio outputs are connected to an active amplifier through a stereo jack connector. Capacitors are placed after the RC filters to remove the DC components of the analog signal.
A stereo potentiometer allows to control the level of both audio channels.
Here is the circuit schematic:
Demo applications
I coded two demo applications to illustrate possible use cases:
- Shuffle: the application automatically plays the files in the root directory of the SD card. When the button 0 is pushed, the application randomly plays the next file.
- Trigger: the playback of a predefined file is assigned to each push-button.
As the playback is fully handled with interrupts, the mainloop in those demos is only responsible for the push-button polling and to start/stop the playback depending on the use case.
Testing the demos
Go in the apps/shuffle or apps/trigger subdirectory and type make.
Upload the resulting hex file with the Teensy loader.
Copy some WAV file to an SD card root directory and power-on the hardware.
Here is the result:
Shuffle playback demo
Button-triggered playback demo
Source code
The source code and demo binaries can be downloaded from bitbucket.org.
Source: http://bitbucket.org/elasticsheep/teensy2-usb-wavplayer/
Archive: http://bitbucket.org/elasticsheep/teensy2-usb-wavplayer/get/V2.zip
Binaries: shuffle-ref-V2.hex – trigger-ref-V2.hex
To my few readers
Any comment is welcome: if you learned something, if the code has been useful to a project of yours or if there is an error, leave a message


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When I first saw the Aida's works, I thought that I quickly, in a flash, so to speak, understood Aida's personality. No matter how careful a man can be to stay away from fast inference, this is not the worst way when it comes to recognition of artistic personalities. To understand the artwork or artist is nearly the same as feel the creation and its creator. Something feels right now or never. When I saw Aida's works I thought, here's a woman artist …
She is a painter who has found a final and complete expression, which can be seen primarily in daring lines, where the struggle of intellect and sensibilities can be felt.
There is no monotony in her work and it is far from painting in the series, from stage to stage, where a certain speed and ease in the painting procedure can be felt.
Aida presents her spiritual and emotional world as confessions, revealing itself in terms of form and content full of originality.
Her world of motifs is wonderful, where realistic and dreamy are intertwined.
Aida creates presentations of animals and people in their simplicity and contrasting composition, her lines form an impression of harmony, both peace and turbulence, the inner balance of the painter itself.
Through the lines she draws the rhythm pulsates as imperishable thought of the unity of man and nature.
Aida's paintings combine the harmony and contrast, light and dark, high and low, old and new, turning them into spiritualized life reality.
To these findings, which are undoubtedly of the higher quality, it seems that she came through contact with modern artists, but after watching her work is easy to see that the impact is processed and lived through.
Aida is both modernist and classic, and has in herself something sophisticated, stylish, free, spontaneous, deliberate, rational and instinctive. This diversity, complexity and contrast create the artist whose works are recognized and remember.


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What is a Pelvic Scan?
When it comes to one's health, there is nothing that should be taken for granted or left to chance. Even if no problems are apparent, it's often a good idea to take advantage of diagnostic tests and procedures to make sure everything is fine. This is especially true if you are experiencing pelvic pain or discomfort.
What is a Pelvic Scan?
A pelvic scan is a diagnostic test used by doctors to find potential medical issues. It's a procedure recommended for both men and women, because it can find problems with both sexes. Some of the potential problems it can find include:
Prostate gland problems
Seminal vesicle problems
Bladder problems
Ovarian cysts
Ovarian cancer
Infertility problems
The main way a pelvic scan is performed is done with ultrasound.
An ultrasound scan is used mostly for women, especially those who are pregnant or with pelvic pain and discomfort.
When to Get a Pelvic Scan
The best time to get a scan is before any issues arise. However, if any of the following problems are present, it's a good idea to schedule one with your doctor.
Pelvic pain
Vaginal bleeding
Painful menstruation
Frequent urination in men
Failing to produce semen
In addition to these problems, it's a good idea to get a scan as part of a regular physical exam in both men and women.
How do Doctors use a Scan?
Doctors use a scan to look for any of the above mentioned problems, or to attempt to find out why a patient is having any of these problems. In addition, pregnant women should have a scan done several times during their pregnancy, and also annually when visiting their OB/GYN.
What Happens During a Scan?
During a scan, nothing painful is done to the patient. With an ultrasound scan, the patient lies on a table while gel is applied to the abdomen, then a small probe producing sound waves is moved over the abdomen to examine the organs. The entire procedure takes less than one hour. The two-dimensional pictures of one's organs are then sent to a consultant and then to your doctor for review.


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Andy Liebner - coach, ski pole manufacturer, international racer, spy (OK, maybe not the last one) - is offering technique clinics this Saturday and Sunday, 15 minutes after the awards ceremonies for the Frosty Freestyle and Krazy Klassic races. Saturday's clinic will be on skate technique; Sunday's will be on classic technique. Details:
Cost: $30 (cash or check - Andy won't be accepting credit card payments out on the trail!)
Clinic Length: 1.5 hours
Clinic start: Sessions to being 15 minutes following the awards ceremonies each day.
Where: Huron Meadows Metropark, Brighton, MI
Meet: Near the door to the Huron Meadows ski lodge
This is a NOT-TO-BE-MISSED opportunity to up your game by learning to ski faster and more efficiently, gaining knowledge from an expert technique technician!


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Forum Energie 2016: "The new energy wars"
Gérard Mestrallet and Isabelle Kocher spoke at the 9th Paris Dauphine University's Energy Forum on November 24, 2016. They talked about the major upheavals in the energy world and the radical transformation of the global energy system. They agree about the challenges of the revolution that is underway and the role that companies have to play.
Gérard Mestrallet's speech on the major upheavals in the energy world
"For a few years now the energy world has been undergoing a series of major upheavals, which are totally changing its character."
Certain factors are causing concern, while others are stimulating energy players and filling them with enthusiasm. We are all saying that the game has been permanently changed and that we will not turn the clock back. There is a crisis in the energy markets: commodity prices have collapsed and remain extremely volatile. At the same time, the rules of the market are not adapting to the new parameters and are showing the inadequacies of the current market design. Let's take Europe, for instance: in spite of general overcapacity, there is still the risk of local black-outs; there is no capacity market; the EU ETS is still waiting to be reformed, with a CO2 price that is still very low.
"A three-way technological, digital and social revolution is taking place for a global transition to a more carbon-free world."
First of all, there is a technological revolution, brought about in particular by rapid progress in photovoltaics, battery storage, and green mobility – electrical and gas-powered. Prices of renewables are still going down even more, with new price records regularly being beaten. In addition to that there is the digital revolution. Smart solutions have changed the relationship with cities, homes and vehicles, and the Internet of Things is becoming a standard means of energy management.
Lastly, a social and cultural transformation is underway. Consumers are now hoping for greater energy sobriety and would like to have customized low-carbon solutions for managing consumption and sometimes to produce their own green energy.
"Climate conferences have intensified this individual awareness and are increasing pressure on governments and energy players."
The signing of the Paris agreement by 196 countries and its entry into force at the start of November constitute historical progress; moreover, the Marrakech COP22 has confirmed the reality of the action for limiting global warming to 2°C. The ratification of COP21 by China and the USA in September – two countries that between them represent 50% of the planet's CO2 emissions – has marked significant progress in collective mobilization. Alongside this mobilization, there is an encouraging sign: energy-related CO2 emissions have remained the same for the second year in a row, despite a 3% growth in the global economy (source: IEA).
"It is up to companies to take their full responsibility in this change, especially in implementing a low-carbon growth model."
Across all these tensions, which we have set out in broad terms, is the birth of a new energy world. It is up to companies to take their full responsibility in this change, especially in implementing a low-carbon growth model. Besides, it is in their interest of course: we have gone from a world where the climate was seen as a constraint to one where it has become an opportunity.
At COP21, we witnessed a large, structured mobilization of companies within the Business Dialogue framework that Laurent Fabius had asked me to moderate. And this is the framework within which we were able to propose and introduce into the Paris agreement the principal of a carbon pricing sign. Putting a price on CO2 emissions makes technologies with low emissions more attractive and therefore is tipping the balance in favor of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and research into "green" development. So these signs are playing a role in speeding up the energy transition, since they encourage and reward investments in low-carbon technologies that are necessary for changing the business model.
At European level, this must be accompanied by a more ambitious reform of the EU ETS market, and, on a wider scale, by market design, in an environment where low-cost carbon appears to be more competitive than low-carbon alternatives. Also, financial players and investors are increasingly mobilizing to study the ways of speeding up the focusing of capital and investment flows toward the funding of a low-carbon economy.
The first commitments made for phasing out carbon were taken at the 1st Climate Finance Day organized last year by financial players upstream of COP21. In the same way, investors – especially insurance companies, management companies, etc. – are progressively committing to reduce their carbon risk, i.e., to "derisk" their investment portfolios. Moreover, the promotion of green financing is part of the main themes of COP22.
Isabelle Kocher's speech on the changing energy landscape
«"We have to invent different ways of producing and consuming energy, and constantly develop new energy solutions co-developed with our customers."
We are experiencing something in the order of an industrial revolution: a profound and irreversible change has been set in motion – its primary root is of course the collective awareness of the urgency to act for the sake of the climate, but also to act so as to meet changing social and cultural aspirations. The change in mentalities has made it necessary to set up a new business model, made possible thanks to technological changes. This new energy world will be totally carbon-free, massively digitalized and considerably decentralized.
Just to take one example, according to certain scenarios up to 2050, 50% of the energy consumed in the world could be produced in a distributed fashion — from your roof, for instance — with an efficient storage and energy management system. Digital technologies have become an integral part of energy technologies and are now present at all levels: to support our customers, combine production and consumption, and manage battery storage.
"Technologies are maturing very fast and huge resources have been released to fund the transition to the new energy world."
The most spectacular example is solar power: in 10 years, the costs of generating electricity from solar power have been divided ten-fold. The momentum of investments has clearly switched in favor of zero-carbon assets and in 2015, more than 60% of new installed electricity capacity was of renewable origin. A veritable reorientation is taking place! Advances in storage technologies are helping to increase the deployment of renewables and their integration within electricity grids. Moreover, we are convinced that natural gas, when combined with renewables, will occupy an important place in the new energy world; and it will gradually become greener.
On the long term, the geopolitical balance will be very different from the one we are familiar with today. Every country has its own energy pool and the current problems of access to energy in developing countries – or resource wars – will diminish. To go back to the example of solar power, energy resources are of the order of 20 times global power consumption and they are widely available on the surface of the planet..
"We are therefore experiencing tremendous changes for humanity, which represent a real challenge for industrial companies."
Firstly, there is strong pressure on traditional players, with radical choices to be made. A testimony to that is E.ON's transfer of its thermal assets to Uniper, which was listed on the stock market on September 12, 2016, or the stock-market listing of Innogy by RWE on October 7, 2016. Then access to some of our businesses is becoming more affordable thanks to digital technologies, and many new players, such as Google and Amazon, are showing an interest. Lastly, the competition game is being ramped up and becoming more complex. The distinction between energy consumers and producers that has existed up to now is ceasing to be valid. Peer-to-peer energy management platforms are starting to emerge. On the long term, our neighbors will be able to supply our energy needs. Naturally, that will take some time as massive investments in smart grids are required, but we will gradually get there.
"In this competitive energy landscape, which is undergoing a complete overhaul, ENGIE wants to take part in the energy revolution."
Having taken note of the world's exponential complexity and the violence of the tensions that are stirring it up, we have chosen to be a pioneer of the new energy world. The ENGIE Group is taking part in this movement via three main business activities: low- or zero-carbon power production, including gas-fired; major energy distribution grids, including gas grids; and integrated solutions for our customers.
In order to transform our Group over the next three years, we have set ourselves three very simple operating rules. The first is to dispose of everything that is not part of the new world, such as our coal-fired power generation activity. We have taken on a 15-billion-euro asset disposal plan over three years – the amount will be reinvested in our growth for building solar farms, local energy management solutions, major natural gas infrastructures, heating networks, and geothermal energy.
Our second course of action is to anticipate and build the second wave of changes. We have decided to invest 1.5 billion euros in technologies – especially digital technologies – over three years.
The third course of action is to adapt our organization to the challenges of the new world. We want to decentralize the organization to get closer to the territories. We have simplified the organization – in a sense we have broken the pyramid – and changed our operating methods. And we are going to continue with that momentum so as always to be more agile, innovative and truly in a position to co-develop our solutions with our customers, on a local scale, while seeking out economies of scale enabled by our size.
"ENGIE is confidently and determinedly engaged in a profound transformation, with a tight deadline so as to take part in the ongoing movements."
Businesses and industrial companies have a vital role to play in order to bring about the new industrial era and they have carefully measured the steps to take. We must not forget, for instance, that 70% of the investments made to limit climate change come from the private sector. On the other hand, companies need signs and a regulatory framework to enable them to play a full part in the ongoing revolution… It is up to the public authorities to set up the necessary framework for the actions taken by all players – including ENGIE – to bear the stamp of success.


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FoodTrade ESA RESOURCES
The FoodTrade ESA Resources section gives access to the numerous programmatic achievements:
FoodTrade East and Southern Africa forum brings together players in the East and Southern Africa agricultural sector
- North Rift Farmers Hold Protests Over Poor Maize PricesEven as Kenyans in some parts of the country go without food, farmers in the country's grain basket of the North Rift are spending sleepless nights seeking a market for their bumper harvest. Demonstrations rocked Eldoret town yesterday, with farmers issuing a 14-day ultimatum to the State to review producer prices. Producers of maize and... Read More
- How hunger can be avoided during dry seasons in Kenya – EAGCBy MARGARET WAHITO, NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 25 – Lack of proper food market systems is one of the main reason Kenyans in some parts of the country continue to suffer every time there is drought. According to East African Grain Council (EAGC) Chief Executive Officer, Gerald Masila, poor markets systems have seen some parts of... Read More
- Uganda: Finance Minister Scraps Tax Incentives On Rice ImportsKampala — Finance minister Matia Kasaija has instructed the minister of East African Community Affairs, Kirunda Kivejinja, to terminate tax incentives given to rice importers. The directive, which took effect on January 1, caught the importers unaware with some saying they were not given prior notice to make necessary adjustments. "All of a sudden, the... Read More
- New Rice Hybrids Set to Hit the Kenyan MarketMore than 250 varieties of hybrid rice are set to be launched in Kenya after a successful trial in Western Kenya for the last two years. The seeds, which were developed by Baobab Breeding Systems Ltd (BBSL) and Hybrids East Africa Limited (HEAL) will be commercialised by Afritec Seed Company Ltd who are now the... Read More


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Or Call 978-415-0205 With Any Questions.
Or Call 978-415-0205 With Any Questions.
We are very happy with all that Fresh Lawn has done for our lawn. Jonathan presented a well thought out plan and even supported it with chemistry. Our lawn had been over run with moss. Now moss gone and green healthy grass even at the end of a long hot muggy summer. We highly recommend them!!
Jonathan is great to work with. He provided a realistic assessment of our lawn situation and offered helpful recommendations upfront. FLC's price was considerably lower than similarly well-regarded competitors in the area, and the service has been great so far. When Jonathan's workers missed part of our property, he took responsibility and stepped in himself to fix the work. FLC is also highly responsive to communications and keeps customers apprised of unusual weather patterns and their implications for lawn health and care.
Fresh Lawn Care was recommended to my by my sprinkler company (owner). He didn't personally know them but said that all of his employees work with them often and they highly recommended them. I hired Fresh Lawn Care to start servicing the lawn at my home in Bolton in the Spring or Summer of 2017. They are phenomenal and I truly can't say enough good about them. The things that really stick out as positives for me are: - they have great communication skills, are very responsive to any requests or inquiries; and most importantly, they let you know the day before they're coming to treat the lawn so you can ensure that it is mowed first (if the day doesn't work for you, they're really flexible and understanding and reschedule without a problem. Last year I was mowing the lawn myself but this year I have hired someone and I'm sure that Fresh Lawn Care will still do the same with that person. - When we did the walk-around of the property in the beginning I asked about treatments for the different trees and shrubs on the property and I was told "If it's not broken don't fix it." and something along the lines of 'you can actually put too much stuff on your plants and that's not a good idea' - I have NEVER felt that they were pushing me to buy anything that I don't need. - My lawn in the front looked HORRIBLE....basically ONLY crabgrass and I was told that the best option would be to live with it for two years and they'll turn it around after treating and overseeing. By the end of this Summer it should be looking awesome. My position was to let the professionals do their job and defer to them so that's what I've done and I have the utmost confidence that this will be successful.
I am a new customer to Fresh Lawn Care this year. However, I am impressed already 2 months into the season. When the May lawn treatment was conducted I was surprised that the technician ran the blower over my entire driveway and sprayed my walkway with weed reducer. I needed advice for another lawn issue and Jonathan came to my home the day I called. That's service.


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Accessible details and help with your visit.
Vision Statement and Service Standards
Facility for disabled people; in particular those requiring hoist, changing plinth, shower & toilet.
Details on our certificates and policies.
We are committed to ensuring that we and the services we provide meet the needs of our customers.
Some information on the history of The Dolphin Centre and refurbishment projects.


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A little something I like to do for the Urban Scout Handbook is introduce you all to some of the awesomely talented designers and makers that live and create right here in San Diego. There's so many of them that I doubt I'll ever run out. If I do, though, I'll just make someone crotchet exquisitely by brute force. If it works in third-world countries, it should work here.
How would you describe your design style?
Previously I told you about Leslie Thompson and the adorable cards and mirrors she sells in her etsy shop, SparklePaw. This time around I'd like you to meet Colus Havenga. He designs original, hieroglyphic-looking prints on black or white T-shirts under the design name Colus. He also sells acrylic plastic jewelry and prints of his designs, and is looking to start creating toys in the near future. At the moment, he's focused on his shirts, which are cool, clean and perfect for those who are into typography and iconography. ---
A bit of backstory: Colus is originally from South Africa where he grew up watching cartoons and drawing in a notebook. He eventually went on to study CG animation and work in an animation studio. In 2006, he started his brand as a side project, creating one-color prints and simple, iconic designs that would become his trademark. After two years, he put the Colus brand on hold while he relocated to our lovely city and then relaunched in early 2011. In that time, he says, he "worked hard on evolving my style to the current form."
I asked Colus a few more questions about his work. Here's what he had to say.
How would you describe your design style?
Symbolism meets character design while working exclusively in black and white.
Why do you hate colors that are not black or white?
(Laughs) I love all colors, but for this brand, I really want to focus on simplicity and design. There are so many things you can do with screen-printing, like adding gold foil, puffed ink and, of course, having a million color layers that makes things look very busy and complicated. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but I want a platform where I can strip all those things away and focus entirely on the design itself, where there are no printing tricks that I can hide behind. If the design is weak, you will see it immediately. I think it's a fun challenge.
Ancient symbols linked to civilizations, cults and movements fascinate me. Apart from that, music. I am a bit obsessed with dark electronica, also the "witch house" genre that has sprung up in the last few years. I love the atmosphere and tone that it brings and I tend to incorporate that feel into my designs. I have a blog where I post up music that I find inspiring: colushavenga.tumblr.com
Where do you find inspiration?
How do your South African roots play a part in your designs?
I think deep down it has great influence on me. I feel that it's very hard for a creative entity to be noticed globally coming from Africa. Growing up, this has always driven me to try and be unique and try to stand out from the crowd creatively. This idea steered my entire approach to my style as a brand.
If you could see anyone wear one of your shirts or jewelry designs, who would it be and why?
I've been fortunate enough to have people like Kidrobot founder Paul Budnitz and HipHop artist WEM... wearing my shirts on TV interviews and music videos. To be honest, anyone is the right answer. Every time someone buys one of my shirts and sends me a photo of them wearing it somewhere in the world, it's just the most fulfilling feeling. My style is not everyone's cup of tea, so when other people relate to my aesthetic, I'm over the moon.
To check out Colus' rad shirts, and maybe even buy one, click here.


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Les Misérables (2012)
- Rating
- Release Date
- December 25, 2012
- Director
- Tom Hooper
- Written by
- William Nicholson, Victor Hugo
- Cast
- Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen
- Latest News
- Synopsis
Prisoner 24601, known as Jean Valjean, is released from prison and breaks parole to create a new life for himself while evading the grip of the persistent Inspector Javert. Set post-revolutionary France, the story reaches resolution against the background of the June Rebellion.
Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, 'Les Miserables' travels with prisoner-on-parole, 24601, Jean Valjeun, as he runs from the ruthless Inspector Javert on a journey beyond the barricades, at the center of the June Rebellion. Meanwhile, the life of a working class girl with a child is at turning point as she turns to prostitution to pay money to the evil innkeeper and his wife who look after her child, Cosette. Valjean promise to take care of the child, eventually leads to a love triangle between Cosette, Marius who is a student of the rebellion, and Eponine, a girl of the streets. The people sing of their anger and Enjolras leads the students to fight upon the barricades.


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Double-crested Cormorants are commonplace this time of year on the Anhinga trail in Everglades National park.
Many hangout on the boardwalk railing or the stone wall as you enter the boardwalk
They tolerate us people…
Its extremely nice to be able to get some close up photos with my little point and shoot camera..
My only camera these days unless I am using my iPod.
Look at the gem of an eye!
Our friends Mariel and Angel said we needed this Obligatory Anhinga trail photo with the Corms…
So here it is..
Fun in the Glades!


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Faculty & Staff Directory
Austin Gaboriau
Adjunct Instructor of Music - Double Bass, Bass Guitar
Office: AMC 214
Office Phone: 803-321-5633
Department of Music
Bachelor's degree in Music Performance on Double Bass, University of South Carolina
Austin Gaboriau started his formal bass training with Ian Bracchitta at the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities. Austin continued his studies with Craig Butterfield at the University of South Carolina to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance on Double Bass. While at the University of South Carolina, Austin performed classical repertoire and studied jazz improvisation and theory.
Currently, Austin is pursuing a D.M.A. in Bass Performance at the University of South Carolina. As well as continuing his studies with Craig Butterfield, Austin has been studying piano tuning/repair with Randy Rentz. Outside of USC's ensembles, Austin has performed with the Long Bay Symphony, South Carolina Philharmonic, and various touring musicals. Austin Gaboriau has been the double bass and electric bass instructor for Newberry College since Spring 2013.


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Pagan blogger, Gus diZerega has a post that you REALLY need to read. Gus responds to assertions that years of violent right-wing rhetoric had nothing to do with the murders and attempted murders this weekend in Arizona. As Gus points out:
For over a decade the radical right, beginning with Ann Coulter, Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh have initiated a complete reframing of political debate into only dehumanizing attacks on their opponents as evil traitors who hate America and are any combination of Communists, Nazis, Fascists, Muslims, Gays, and Haters. Against them reference is made to times of violent resistance against oppression. Always. In public debate actual policies are rarely if ever discussed, and when they are, they are discussed in misleading terms such as "death panels." This is a pattern, a syndrome, a deliberate attempt to change a culture by dehumanizing opponents and destroying the tolerance that makes democracy possible.
. . .
When violent rhetoric is continually employed dehumanizing the other, and it is shouted from the roof-tops, and blared out hourly on a major media station, and on radios country wide, that shifts the moral center of gravity around which most people gravitate, and weakens cultural barriers on violent behavior. Those weakest in self-control and mentally least capable of acting responsibly, in other words the people most dependent on external signals for deciding what to do, those people will be the first to be affected. Jared Loughner fits that observation perfectly.
. . .
It's not as if this has not happened before. Rwanda once had Tutsis and Hutus living together amicably and intermarrying. Tensions existed, but Hutus did not suddenly puck up machetes and start hacking away at their fellow Rwandans, including moderate Hutus. But in time they did. Politicians and media figures figured prominently in undermining traditional toleration and gradually pushing culture towards civil violence, just as the radical right is today. Here is a brief account of Rwandan hate media that might be a description of Fox today, except that it has followed the logic of Fox's lies more literally. Two short discussions are on Wikipedia and in this paper by Kristen Landreville. There is also a BBC report.
The former Yugoslavia did not suddenly see Serbs and Croats and Bosnians wake up one day and begin slaughtering one another. That was the outcome of a longer period of cultural destruction pursued by politicians and media allies, principally Serbian ones, but not entirely. Chris Hedges War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning is a eye opening and beautifully written account where while it is not the main issue discussed, the alert reader easily sees the role media played in what happened. Did I say it was beautifully written? Indeed it is.
Political assassination was a feature of the dying Weimar Republic. Assassinations were rarely the work of Nazis. They were often the work of the 1930s German equivalent of Loughlin, weakly autonomous people who reacted easily to the cultural atmosphere of growing violent rhetoric. The ideologues, right or left, were rarely the assassins. Often they were lone operators. Ultimately over 350 politicians were murdered in the Republic, so we have a way to go. But one depressing aspect of the linked discussion is how the good guys lose in these killings, even when everyone denounces the killers.
After the Nazi take over the Germans were not ready for the Nazis' true bestiality, and so German culture was continually softened up before and after through right wing use of the media in a way disturbingly similar to Fox News. If you think I am exaggerating, read Claudia Koonz, The Nazi Conscience. Then come back and discuss it. In this very important book for us today she documents a number of methods chillingly similar to those employed by the American right wing. The book is a real eye opener.
I have linked to another article depicting the striking similarities between the hate media in Germany, Rwanda, and Serbia.
(Gus's post has the mentioned links; head on over to check them out and to read the entire post.) I'll defend Gus against all cries of "Godwin!" Sometimes, the comparison is actually quite apt and, as Gus' post demonstrates, this is one of them. It's time to start being honest about what's been going on in America. I'll also note that the ever-brilliant Athenae is also correct: those who fund this sort of evil, mostly in order to keep the rubes distracted while they steal everything that's not pinned down, are every bit as much to blame as are the graspy little mouthpieces like Beck and Limbaugh and Coulter.
As Gus concludes, this issue is particularly important for Pagans, who not only get blamed for everything from 9/11 to Katrina, but who are also very likely targets of intolerant, Dominionist, right-wing violence. If you blog or twitter or post on Facebook, I urge you to link to Gus' post; I think it's that important.
Picture found here.
Update: Thanks to UNE in comments at Eschaton, here's a list of recent "incidents of insurrectionist violence (or the promotion of such violence) that have occurred since" June of 2008. In the last one-third of 2010, alone, we had the following:
September 16, 2010—Patricia Stoneking, the President of the Kansas State Rifle Association, tells Fox News, "People need to arm themselves, We have the right to put limits on our government, and that's what [the Second Amendment] does." Explaining why America's Founding Fathers drafted the amendment, she says, "They knew government could become tyrannical. We have the right to defend ourselves from a rogue government."
September 30, 2010—Kevin Terrell, a self-described "colonel" who founded a group of "freedom fighters" in Kentucky, predicts war with "the jackbooted thugs" of Washington within a year. Referring to the arrest of Hutaree militia members earlier in the year, Terrell says, "There was a lot of citizens out there in the bushes, locked and loaded. It's only due to miracles I do not understand that civil war did not break out right there."
September 30, 2010—Steve Kendley, a deputy sheriff running for sheriff in Lake County, Montana, threatens "a violent conflict" with federal agents if "they are doing something I believe is unconstitutional."
October 15, 2010—Conservative radio show host Glenn Beck lays out a hypothetical scenario on the air where the government is considering taking his children because he refused to have them receive a mandatory flu vaccine. Beck tells his audience that his response to the government would be "Meet Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson."
October 21, 2010—Pastor Stephen Broden, the Republican candidate for U.S. Representative in Texas' 30th Congressional District, tells WFAA-TV in Dallas that the violent overthrow of the government is an "option" that remains "on the table." "Our nation was founded on violence," states Broden. "I don't think that we should ever remove anything from the table as it relates to our liberties and our freedoms."
October 22, 2010—Texas Department of Corrections officers searching for a missing person, Gill Clements, 69, are confronted by a neighbor while on Clements' property in Henderson County. Howard Tod Granger, 46, points an AK-47 semiautomatic assault rifle at one of the officers, who recalls, "He told us to get off the property or he would kill us all." Later that afternoon, officers return to Granger's home with a search warrant and an armored vehicle filled with 13 SWAT members. Granger opens fire on the vehicle, discharging at least 30 rounds before authorities shoot and kill him. Police find guns and "many rounds of ammunition" in Granger's house. They also find the body of Clements, buried in a shallow grave on Granger's property.
November 3, 2010—James Patock, 66, of Pima County, Arizona, is arrested on the National Mall in the District of Columbia after law enforcement authorities find a .223 caliber rifle, a .243 caliber rifle barrel, a .22 caliber rifle, a .357 caliber pistol, several boxes of ammunition, and propane tanks wired to four car batteries in his truck and trailer. Patock former neighbor in Arizona reported that, "He hated the president. He hated everything. He said if he got a chance he would shoot the president." Patock tells authorities he is a member of the National Rifle Association.
November 4, 2010—On his radio show, conservative host Glenn Beck fantasizes about President Obama being decapitated during a trip to India, saying, "If anybody thinks he was a Muslim over here, well God forbid, they think he was a Muslim over there because he left his religion for Christianity, death sentence, behead him." Beck then tells his listeners that "God forbid" this should happen, as there would be a "New World Order" overnight in the United States.
November 4, 2010—Fox News host Bill O'Reilly fantasizes about killing a Washington Post reporter while on the air, saying, "Does sharia law say we can behead Dana Milbank?" O'Reilly also tells co-host Megyn Kelly, "I think you and I should go and beat him up."
November 9, 2010—U.S. Representative-Elect Allen West of Florida's 22nd Congressional District hires conservative radio talk show host Joyce Kaufman as his Chief of Staff. On July 3, Kaufman told a crowd of Tea Party supporters, "I am convinced that the most important thing the Founding Fathers did to ensure me my First Amendments rights was they gave me a Second Amendment. And if ballots don't work, bullets will."
November 9, 2010—Concealed handgun permit holder George Thomas Lee, 69, of Walhalla, South Carolina, is arrested on the town's main street for disseminating and promoting obscenity by bearing signs "laden with expletives and taking aim at U.S. foreign policy, President Barack Obama, blacks in general, Jews and the nation of Israel." Officers also seize literature from Lee that details "the most expedient means of killing law enforcement officers." The November 9 arrest follows an October 19 arrest for assault after Lee kicked and swung his signs at a group of girls between the ages of 12 and 14.
November 10, 2010—Public schools in Broward County, Florida, go into lockdown after an email threat is received by WFTL 850 AM. The email is sent to conservative radio host Joyce Kaufman in response to remarks she made at a Tea Party event in July ("If ballots don't work, bullets will"). The email expresses support for her view of the Second Amendment and says that to further "their cause...something big will happen at a government building in Broward County, maybe a post office maybe even a school." A phone call is then received at the station, allegedly from the emailer's wife, warning that he is preparing to go to a Pembroke Pines school and open fire.
November 23, 2010—Larry Pratt, the Executive Director of Gun Owners of America, writes an editorial in The Register Citizen in which he calls for state and county sheriffs to organize large, armed "posses" as "a check on the unconstitutional exercise of federal power."
November 29, 2010—U.S. Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, circulates a PowerPoint presentation to his colleagues in which he compares the Obama administration to the Nazi regime in Germany and likens himself to Gen. George Patton, bragging, "Put anything in my scope and I will shoot it."
December 3, 2010—At "Roe & Roeper's Miracle on Indianapolis Blvd. Holiday Extravaganza" promoting "Toys 4 Tots" in Chicago, Illinois, actor R. Lee Emery (famous for his depiction of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in "Full Metal Jacket") tells those in attendance, "The economy really sucks. Now I hate to point fingers at anybody, but the present administration probably has a lot to do with that. And the way I see it, they're not gonna quit doing it until they bring this country to its knees. So I think we should all rise up and we should stop this administration from what they're doing because they're destroying this country. They're driving us into bankruptcy so that they can impose socialism on us."
January 6, 2011—John Troy Davis, 44, is arrested after threatening to set fire to the office of Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and shoot members of his staff. The threat comes when Davis calls Bennet's office to complain about his Social Security benefits, telling a staffer that he is schizophrenic and "may go to terrorism." "I'm just going to come down there and shoot you all," he declares. Davis is charged with assault on a federal employee.
January 8, 2011—Jared Lee Loughner, 22, shoots U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and 19 others at a "Congress in Your Corner" event at a Safeway supermarket in Tucson, Arizona. He kills six, including federal judge John Roll, and wounds 14, including Giffords, who is shot in the head. Loughner has an extensive history of mental illness and substance abuse, yet is able to purchase two handguns and a high-capacity ammunition magazine legally at Sportsman's Warehouse on November 30, 2010. In a YouTube video posted in December 2010, Loughner states, "You don't have to accept the federalist laws ... Nonetheless, read the United States of America's Constitution to apprehend all of the current treasonous laws."


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Last week Microsoft has announced that Apache Spark on Azure HDInsight (Microsoft's managed Hadoop and Spark cloud service) is now generally available. I spoke to Tampa Bay Data Science Group last night regarding Apache Spark on Azure HDInsight and the associated offerings.
Spark for Azure HDInsight offers customers an enterprise-ready Spark solution that's fully managed, secured, and highly available and made simpler for users with compelling and interactive experiences.
The slides from my presentation along with references to codebase and links are available as follows.
Spark with Azure HDInsight - Tampa Bay Data Science
Apache Spark is an open source processing framework that runs large-scale data analytics applications. Built on an in-memory compute engine, Spark enables high performance querying on big data. It leverages a parallel data processing framework that persists data in-memory and disk if needed. This allows Spark to deliver 100x faster speed and a common execution model to various tasks like extract, transform, load (ETL), batch, interactive queries, and others on data in a Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). Azure makes Apache Spark easy and cost effective to deploy with no hardware to buy, no software to configure, a full notebook experience to author compelling narratives, and integration with partner business intelligence tools.
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Single Family
- 3 beds
- 1.5 baths
- $139,500 price
- 20179684 mls id
- Half Baths: 1
- Status: ACTIVE
Great Location! Just minutes away from all the Walhalla Schools. This 3 bedroom 1.5 bathroom Brick Ranch located in West Union, SC is situated on 1.73+\- acres of Land. Large shade trees offer an escape from the harsh summer Sun. Relax on a large screened in back porch. This property has loads of storage and plenty of room to park a boat or RV. The office off of the Master bedroom could be turned in to the walk-in closet of your dreams. Endless possibilities await you. Call to schedule your private showing today!
- sqft_min 1000
- sqft_max 1249
- Style Ranch
- Bathrooms One
- HalfBaths One
- Keyword Three
Related Listings
Single Family
4 Pictures
Builder offering $2,500 in closing costs with contract by 3/10!! Beautiful cottage style home under construction on large corner lot. Don't miss this chance to own a brand new home in an established neighborhood! Tons of upgrades including hardwood floors, granite countertops and stainless steel...
604 Revolutionary Dr West Union, SC
3 beds, 2 baths, $144,000
Listing Agent: Elizabeth Earle
Courtesy of: Casey Group Real Estate, LLC
Courtesy of: RANKIN REAL ESTATE, LLC
Office Phone: 864-882-3334
Listing Agent: Daniel Fletcher
Updated: 17th November, 2017 10:21 AM.
230 Taylor West Union, SC


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China, Russia and Iran have come together in a tripartite alliance supporting the Syrian government in the war against radical fundamentalist insurgents. The main targets of this alliance are Islamic State and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, formerly al-Qaeda's affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, and its partners. Until last week Russia and Iran were the military mainstays of the overstretched and undermanned Syrian army.By opposing Assad, the US is now militarily against two nuclear powers.
Moscow, Tehran and Beijing fear the fall of secular Damascus would lead to the establishment of jihadi fiefdoms in Syria from which radicals would mount attacks into southern Russia and Iran and promote Muslim dissidence in China.If China did not have the attention of ISIS before, it does now. Understanding that China has a far different (saner?) immigration policy than Europe or the US, it will be interesting to see if there is an uptick in "activities" by Muslims in that country or by those who manage to get in.


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The boss uploader has been fixed! With a couple of changes. First, your old bosses aren't there... per se. They're all safe and secure in the 10-part .rar file I've added. Second, when you upload, it now changes the filename to "user_-_boss.ext" where 'user' is your username, 'boss' is the name you give the boss and .ext is the original file's extension. Thirdly, you can now upload .feds directly. Apparently GoDaddy didn't like that because they're awful, we'll see how iPage copes.
Credit to coronaa, and of course to me because I'm brilliant.


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Timing 2 brings automatic time and productivity tracking to macOS
Munich, Germany – Independent software developer, Daniel Alm today is proud to announce the release of Timing 2, his popular time tracking application for OS X. Timing 2 keeps track of one's time – all by itself. The Mac app records meticulously how much time the user has spent on apps, documents and websites. This data can then be used to analyze one's productivity, but is also essential for billing hours. Timing 2 introduces a completely new interface, automatic productivity score estimation, and the ability to automatically detect blocks of time that belong together, for even more accurate time sheets.
Professional Mac users need to know how they spend time on their Mac – otherwise, keeping track of which projects consume too much time is a nearly impossible task. Timing 2 answers this question by automatically tracking time spent in each app, document and website. The user can then later inspect this data using Timing's extensive analytics features and assign activities to projects. Rules let the user further automate those assignments.
For those who need to bill their hours as accurately as possible, Timing 2 also supports classic start/stop timers and lets the user create tasks retroactively. Timing 2's detailed timeline even shows when the user did what, and automatically suggests tasks for blocks of time that belong together. This automatic grouping feature lets the user assign a whole day's worth of time in just a few seconds. The app can even automatically ask users what they did as soon as they return to their Mac.
Timing 2 also supports creating exhaustive reports over the tracked data, including timesheets or "weekly snippet" summaries. These reports can then exported in Excel, CSV, PDF and HTML formats for further processing or forwarding them to a client. Even though it collects sensitive data like the currently used document, Timing will not compromise the privacy of its users. Recorded data stays safe on the users' computer and any entry can be erased retroactively. In addition, tracking can automatically be disabled outside working hours.
System Requirements:
* Mac OS X 10.11.0 or later
* 100 MB disk space
Pricing and Availability:
Timing 2 is offered in three variants on the developer's website. The "Productivity" edition ($29 USD) tracks all details on how apps are used. The "Professional" edition adds support for creating tasks, manual start/stop timers and has reporting functionality. The "Expert" edition comes with more filtering options, customized reports, and AppleScript support.
For more detailed information, please have a look at the Timing homepage. Qualified reviewers are welcome to ask for a free NFR license. Should you find Timing worth a note, we'd be more than happy to receive a short reference via email. The application icon, screenshots and more press material are available from the application's website.
Timing 2.0
Download Timing
YouTube Video
Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
Application Icon
Daniel Alm is a software developer from Munich, Germany. Since leaving his job at Google in 2016, he has been developing his apps, Timing and PocketCAS, full-time. He has been developing apps for iOS and macOS since 2009. All Material and Software (C) Copyright 2017 Daniel Alm. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iOS and macOS are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.
Fandomfare Gaming Entertainment no.1 source in, Gaming news, Live Game Streaming , PC Gaming & related Events E3, Gamecon and more, eSports event news and releases gaming technologies.
Fandomfare Gaming Entertainment Video Games | Game Reviews | Game Streaming |Linux Distribution | more than 20-year online gaming and following the gaming industry\
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No survivors as passenger plane with 224 aboard crashes
There were no survivors among the 224 people aboard a Russian airliner that crashed early Saturday in Egypt's Sinai peninsula shortly after takeoff from a Red Sea resort town, according to Egyptian officials.
The Metrojet flight, carrying 217 passengers and seven crew members, was en route from Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt to St. Petersburg when it dropped off radar screens 23 minutes into the flight.
The Russian state-run news agency RIA reported initially that emergency workers heard some voices at the crash site, but the Associated Press quoted Egyptian officials later as saying there were no survivors.
Airport authorities said all 224 people aboard Metrojet Flight 7K9268 were Russian, the Russian news agency RIA reports . The passengers included 17 children, aged 2 to 17, according to Russian authorities.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a statement expressing his condolences to the families of the victims and declared a day of mourning. A team of Russian investigators was sent immediately to Egypt, according to Russia's Emergencies Ministry, RIA reports.
There was no other immediate word on the cause of the crash, although the Egyptian government ruled out the possibility that it could have been shot down.
An Egyptian aviation official says the pilot of the Airbus A-3221 had reported technical difficulties before losing contact with air traffic controllers. Ayman al-Muqadem, a member of the Aviation Incidents Committee, said the pilot had reported his intention to attempt to land at the nearest airport.
The area in Egypt's Sinai peninsula where a Russian passenger plane with at least 200 people on board crashed on Oct. 31. (Photo: Mapbox)
An unidentified source in Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency told RIA that the plane took off from Sharm El-Sheikh, a popular Red Sea resort, at 3:31 GMT and disappeared from air traffic controllers' radar screens 23 minutes later after reaching an altitude of 31,000 feet.
Flight Radar 24, a flight tracking service, said the plane was descending at 6,000 feet per minute when it went off radar.
The plane reportedly broke into two pieces, indicating the pilot may have tried to make a controlled landing.
"The plane split into two, a small part on the tail end that burned and a larger part that crashed into a rock. We have extracted at least 100 bodies and the rest are still inside," an unidentified Egyptian official told the Reuters news agency.
"I now see a tragic scene. A lot of dead on the ground and many died while strapped to their seats," the official said. Dozens of ambulances were scrambled to the crash site.
Relatives of passengers of MetroJet Airbus A321 wait at Pulkovo II international airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Oct. 31, 2015. (Photo: Anatoly Maltsez, epa)
The Sinai is a sparsely populated and rugged desert region sandwiched between the southern Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
Sharm el-Sheikh is a resort city known for its sandy beaches. It is a popular destination for divers. But the mountainous area away from the coast harbors Islamist insurgent groups who have staged numerous attacks in the peninsula and in Cairo.
Charlie Winter, a London-based extremism researcher at Quilliam, said on Twitter that any militants operating in the region where the plane went down would not have had weapons capable of hitting the plane at its projected altitude.
The post No survivors as passenger plane with 224 aboard crashes appeared first on THE RAINBOW NEWS ONLINE .


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Nick Lievendag


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The Story Of My Life, by Music & Lyrics by Neil Bartram Book by Brian Hill
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
"The Story of My Life" is a must see production.
As I sat waiting for the show to begin, I was amazed by the set without even know what the show would bring. An all white set of books upon books, upon bookcases, upon a white floor, set against the black background brought elegance and drama to the stage before even a word was sung or spoken.
The show begins with Tom (John Stanier), an award-winning author, quietly entering the stage as he struggles to write his quirky best friend Alvin's (Kelly David Carr) eulogy. It is then that we enter into Tom's mind and he takes us through the years and decades of their friendship as he struggles to find the words and the answers.
Director Julie Taliaferro has brought to the stage a wonderful moving production, exceptionally directed and beautifully performed. I look forward to many more productions from her.
John Stanier beautifully portrays the character Tom with the right amount of warmth while still letting the audience know the character Tom can be quite the insensitive ass.
Kelly David Carr sweet portrayal of innocence and goodness with a hidden deep sadness is mesmerizing.
John and Kelly are superb in their portrayals of their characters. Contrasting in nature and in costume, they both bring heart and truth to their characters. Bravo!
Musical director Bill Newberry has worked his magic.
The piano accompaniment by Barbara Capogna Macko is beautiful.
Jasmine Vogue Pai set design is perfect.
The lighting by John Parker, Jr. extremely effective for setting the many moods of the show.
Please make the time to see this show if you have not already done so. You will not be disappointed.