text:
Burton-on-Trent, UK – 20 June 2014 – Clinigen Group (AIM: CLIN), the specialty global pharmaceutical company, has announced that CEO Peter George won the Chief Executive of the Year Award at last night's 2014 European Mediscience Awards.
The awards ceremony held at the Hotel InterContinental in London is the largest annual gathering of private and publically quoted healthcare, biotech and life science companies in Europe. The awards celebrate the standout technologies, personalities and companies in the mediscience sector.
The judges named Peter George Chief Executive Officer of the Year based on his considerable achievements at the helm of the Clinigen Group since 2010 which include leading Clinigen through a successful listing on London Stock Exchange's AIM in September 2012, the first in this sector for almost five years, and growing the Group significantly in only 5 years.
Ian Renstall, Chairman of the judging panel said, "Every member of the shortlist for this award is an inspirational leader, but for the panel, Peter stood out as the driving force behind Clinigen's meteoric rise. His energy, drive and commitment to creating a rare community culture in which all members of the Group hold shares, sharing in its success, is striking."
Peter George said, "I am incredibly proud to receive this award, especially in view of the caliber of those shortlisted alongside me. Although my name is on the award, it is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of everyone at Clinigen who has helped build the Group into a leading global provider in the specialty pharma sector. Without them, we could not have got to where we are today."
Other members of the shortlist included Edwin Moses of Ablynx NV, Simon Mornoney of MorphoSys AG and Justin Gover of GW Pharmaceuticals plc.
About Clinigen Group
The Clinigen Group is a specialty global pharmaceutical company headquartered in the UK, with offices in the US and Japan. The Group, dedicated to delivering 'the right drug, to the right patient at the right time', has three operating businesses; Specialty Pharmaceuticals (Clinigen SP), Clinical Trials Supply (Clinigen CTS), and Global Access Programs (Clinigen GAP). Clinigen SP focuses on acquiring and in licensing specialist, hospital only medicines worldwide and commercializing them within niche markets. Clinigen CTS sources commercial medical products for use in clinical studies only, including comparator drugs, adjuvant drugs and rescue therapies. Clinigen GAP specializes in the consultancy, development, management and implementation of programs providing access for patients and their clinicians to drugs not available in their markets. For more information, please visit www.clinigengroup.com.
Issued for and on behalf of Clinigen.
To contact the Evaluate team at Instinctif Partners, email firstname.lastname@example.com
Melanie Toyne-SewellManaging Partner


text:
Lindh bumbled his way through the Mideast
SAN FRANCISCO — John Walker Lindh bumbled his way through his first trip to the Middle East, unwittingly insulting other Muslims and repeatedly getting into trouble with authorities, say those who encountered the California teen-ager in Yemen.
Ultimately, he came to feel that the brand of Islam he encountered in Yemen's capital was not fervent enough — he even objected to having women in his classes, according to students and administrators at the school where he studied Arabic.
Lindh, the 20-year-old American who was captured in November fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan, traveled alone to Yemen at 17 in the summer of 1998. A recent Muslim convert, he stepped off the plane full of zeal.
He donned white robes and sandals, wore a full beard, and even pretended to speak broken English with an Arabic accent before abandoning the school where his parents had paid thousands of dollars for a year's stay.
Lindh instead sought more fundamentalist teachings in the country's dangerous northern mountains, but was repeatedly turned back by Yemen's military, said Steven Hyland, who taught English and studied Arabic at the Yemen Language Center.
"This is an individual whose idealism led to ideology and he lost all ability for pragmatic thought," Hyland said by telephone from Texas.
It was not the first time he embarrassed the school, situated in the capital of San'a.
That came the morning after his arrival, after he exchanged several hundred dollars — a substantial sum in a country where the average civil servant earns about $75 a month. On his way back from the money market, Lindh saw beggars and decided to pay alms to the poor, one of the five pillars of Islam.
"When you give money to beggars in the street, you give them about 10 rials," Hyland said. "He starts passing out 200-rial notes, which is way, way, way too much."
Lindh was mobbed. A woman who worked at the school had to break up the crowd to protect the young American.
"John is in the middle of this whirlwind of people," Hyland recalled. "He's much taller than the average Yemeni, with a fist full of cash just raised in the air with his left hand and with his right hand just duking the Yemenis away."
After that incident, Lindh told other students he was disenchanted with aspects of Yemeni culture and began skipping classes at the school, where about 15 language teachers instruct four or five students each in several elegant buildings near the city's center.
"From that point on, Yemenis weren't Muslims and that was the argument that he tried to make," Hyland said.
Josh Mortensen, another student, said from Cairo that Lindh asked peers to call him Suleiman, affected a "bogus" Arabic accent and wore traditional Muslim garb unlike that of most Yemenis. Other foreign students at the school mockingly nicknamed him "Yusuf Islam," the name pop singer Cat Stevens took when he became a Muslim and rejected his music career.
"That whole convert thing just doesn't compute for lifelong Muslims. It's almost like they're being made fun of in a way," Mortensen said. "He was so clueless and so rigid, and it was almost patronizing. He adopts all these ridiculous stereotypes."
Lindh slipped up again by approaching another student, Rizwan Mawani, who happens to be a Shia Muslim, and asking for directions to a Sunni mosque. Lindh was adamant about not wanting to pray with Shiites, who are part of the other main branch of Islam.
"I wasn't insulted. I found it quite humorous," Mawani recalled in a telephone interview from London. In Yemen, Mawani said, Shia and Sunni Muslims typically pray side by side.
Lindh was frustrated when he saw some Yemeni Muslims ignoring the calls to prayer, students said. He was particularly bothered when Mawani told Lindh he was more interested in taking a nap, Mawani recalled.
Mawani said Lindh considered himself a Salafi, part of a movement whose members believe they are promulgating the true Islamic faith as taught by the prophet Muhammad in seventh-century Arabia.
"Yemenis speak one of the purist forms of Arabic, but it's not a fanatical country," said Barbara Bodine, U.S. ambassador at the time. "Somebody looking for that fire-and-brimstone approach would get to Yemen and be very unhappy. It's simply not there."
The language center's owner, Sabri Saleem, said Lindh disappeared after complaining that his classes included women and that the secular school did not offer the Islamic studies he craved.
Lindh's goal, other students said, was to reach the mountains of northern Yemen, a risky venture for an American teen-ager. Militants there have kidnapped or killed numerous Western tourists.
"John was problematic for the center because he kept trying to steal away to the northern part of the country because there was an Islamic theologian there that he wanted to study under," Hyland said.
Saleem, interviewed by telephone recently while visiting the United States, said Lindh did not surface until police caught him at the airport months later. He had overstayed his visa and failed to get an exit visa.
Lindh came home to Marin County, north of San Francisco, in the spring of 1999. Eight months later, he returned to Yemen, then went to Pakistan and then Afghanistan, where he fought with the Taliban. Now he is being held by the U.S. military as the Bush administration decides how to deal with him.
Lindh's parents referred all questions to their lawyer, James Brosnahan. His spokeswoman had no comment on Lindh's stay in Yemen.
Islamic experts said that in his naivete, Lindh, a baptized Roman Catholic who converted to Islam at 16, fell into a trap so common that Muhammad himself predicted it.
"A person who might have been living a typical happy-go-lucky life and then he really gets very much attracted to the teaching of Islam and its ideal, but then he wants to change overnight — that's what the prophet actually was teaching against," said Jamal Badawi of the Islamic Information Foundation in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "He said, 'Go gently."'
On the Net:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Day 1:
26th July 2016
|Day 2:
27th July 2016
|Day 3 – 5:
28th – 30th July 2016
Thursday – Saturday
|Masterclass Workshops
|International Conference
|Accreditation Workshops
|Duration: 8.30am – 4.30pm
|Duration: 8.00am – 4.45pm
|Duration: 8.00am – 4.45pm
|Registration: 8.00am
|Registration: 7.30am
|Registration: 7.30am
|Registration Counter: Pre Function Area, Basement II, Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
|Important Notes:
Dress Code
|Conference :
|Business Attire
|Recommended :
|i. Comfortable Shoes during the Conference.
ii. Please bring along jacket, sweater or shawl during
conference as it can get a bit cold in the conference room.
Please wear your name badge at all times. This is the only way we can identify you as a conference delegate. Please note that delegates without a name badge will not be allowed entry to any of the sessions. The name badge is non-transferable.
All sessions will start and end on time. Please be punctual and follow the schedule given on the name badge. As the queues for registration may be rather long, you are encouraged to arrive early for registration to ensure that you do not miss the start of the sessions.
Conference Programme Style
Speakers will share their ideas, knowledge and best practices during the sessions. Due to time restrictions, it is not possible to provide 'hands-on' skills training. However, you are encouraged to ask question(s) during the Q&A session before the end of the session.
Breaks & Lunch
Morning and afternoon refreshment as well as a buffet lunch will be served on all days of the congress. Please hand over the lunch coupon to the door attendant for your entry to lunch.
|Masterclass Workshops
|International Conference
|Accreditation Workshops
|Lemon Garden Café, Lower Lobby
|Sarawak Ballroom
|Lemon Garden Café, Lower Lobby
|Foyer of the Conference Room
|Foyer of the Conference Room
|Foyer of the Conference Room
If you have lost or misplaced your coupons, you will need to purchase replacement coupon at RM115 per person per lunch meal at the Registration Counter at the Pre Function Area, Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
Feedback Forms
|Masterclass Workshops
|International Conference
|Accreditation Workshops
|Feedback Form(s)
|Workshop Feedback Form
|General Feedback Form
Speakers Feedback Form
|Workshop Feedback Form
|Room Coordinator at the end of workshop
|Registration Counter at the Pre Function Area for the exchange of Certificate of Attendance
|Room Coordinator at the end of workshop
Your feedback is important to us as it will help us to improve our service for you in the future.
|Masterclass Workshops
|International Conference
|Accreditation Workshops
|Certificate will be distributed to all delegate at the end of workshop
|Certificate will be distributed at the Registration Counter located at the Pre Function Area
*please submit the feedback forms in order for you to collect the certificate
|Certificate will be distributed to all delegate at the end of workshop
There is ample parking at Shangri-La Hotel. Please note that there is a flat rate parking fee of RM 13.00 per entry.
Prayer Room
Prayer rooms for Muslim delegates are available at the Basement II, Shangri-La Hotel. If you are unsure, please ask our volunteers or the Shangri-La Hotel personnel for directions.
This is a great opportunity to network with outstanding legends, gurus, practitioners and thought leaders from various countries. You are encouraged to carry your business cards.
Emergencies, Messages, Lost and Found & Other Assistance
For emergencies, lost and found enquiries please proceed to the Registration Counter at Pre Function Area, Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Alternatively, Room Coordinators are available at every session. They will be delighted to assist you or point you to the right direction. We will do our best to assist.


text:
Well, this year I'm bringing a new game called Watch Ya' Mouth: Throwdown Edition. It one of the must have items on the 2017 Amazon Holiday Toy List and the Top Holiday Toy of 2017 by Toy Insider so I know we're going to have a blast!
Watch Ya' Mouth: Throwdown Edition is a spinoff of the original Watch Ya' Mouth game. You know the one where you put in those crazy mouth pieces and try to speak the phrase on the card while your teammates guess? Not exactly easy, but definitely tears-in-your eyes, side-hurts-from-laughing-so-hard funny.
Well, Throwdown Edition takes the gameplay up a notch. Instead of just speaking phrases, players now go head-to-head with challenging, yet still hilarious, tasks -- and don't worry, those classic mouthpieces are still in play.
Here's how you play:
- Separate the Throwdown Cards and the Phrase Cards into two decks, shuffle each, and place them face down.
- Each player will take turns competing against another player. Every throwdown challenge uses a mouthpiece...and yes, you will drool.
- Determine who goes first, then roll the throwdown die to determine who their opponent will be. For example, the die has markings on it like "person to your left", "person to your right", "choose any player".
- Draw a throwdown card from the deck, and follow the instructions on the card. It will tell you how to play and if you need to draw a phrase card. Players cannot pass on a throwdown.
- Both players must place a mouthpiece in their mouths in order to compete.
- The winner of the throwdown wins that card. If a player needs to choose a teammate for a turn, and wins the throwdown, then only THAT player wins the card - not the teammate.
- After the throwdown is won by a player, or lost by both, the turn is over. Play moves clockwise to the player on the left and a new turn begins.
- There are four rounds per game. A round is complete when each player has gone once.
- The player that has won the most throwdown cards after four rounds wins! If there is a tie, keep playing rounds until one player has more throwdown cards.
What's in the box:
- 100 Throwdown Cards
- 42 Phrase Cards
- 10 Multicolored Mouthpieces (6 Regular and 4 Small) *dishwasher safe
- 4 Throwdown Straws
- 4 Noisemakers
- 2 Throwdown Balls
- 1 Throwdown Die
- 1 Sand Timer
Want to play this hilarious game too? Use this 15% off coupon code to get one for yourself! They make great gifts too! Use code 15WYM at checkout to get this great deal!
Connect With Watch Ya' Mouth
*I was given a copy of Watch Ya' Mouth Throwdown Edition for review purposes. All opinions are my own.


text:
There are some on the Kop so certain Roy Hodgson is not the right man for Liverpool that their response to this desperate victory would be the same as Elvis Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, when told his client was dead: "This changes nothing."
In the long term they are right. If avoiding home league defeats to Bolton Wanderers is the yardstick for success at Anfield, then no manager has failed since the wretched Don Welsh, who relegated the club, having lost to Bolton in the same month Presley recorded I'll Never Stand in Your Way.
Nevertheless, Joe Cole's stab home from two yards has brought Hodgson that most precious of commodities, time, although it is unclear just how much. New England Sports Ventures has no desire to bring in an interim manager but defeat to Bolton after the debacle against Wolverhampton Wanderers could have short-circuited its plans to review Hodgson's position in the summer.
The trees may have thinned a little but Hodgson acknowledges his regime is still deep in the woods. On Wednesday he returns to Blackburn Rovers, where after some early success he failed to revive a team built by Kenny Dalglish, and then come Manchester United in the FA Cup, followed by a Merseyside derby at Anfield. In between lies Blackpool. These three matches are critical to Hodgson's longevity.
"Any match now is a huge match, it seems to me," said the Liverpool manager. "It is just one huge match after another. It is exaggerated for us because we started so badly. When you are next to bottom after seven games, with four points, you are staring at a black hole. I remember saying back then, and I don't apologise for repeating it, that we will do very well if we can get out of the hole and get ourselves into the top half of the table after 19 games. By then, we would have got a bit more discipline and organisation into our game and the philosophy I am preaching would be better understood."
There has been no real pattern or discipline to Hodgson's six months on Merseyside. Chelsea and Napoli have been swept aside at Anfield while Northampton Town, Blackpool and Wolves have all won there. At least there were signs that while the supporters may be irredeemably hostile, the dressing room is united behind their manager. Most made a point of embracing Hodgson on the touchline after the final whistle.
"We are all in this together," Cole, who remarked that his first league goal for Liverpool had been "unmissable" said. "We are fighting for the club, for the manager, for the owners and the fans. We are all right behind the manager. He is a gentleman and we want to do well for him. I suppose we showed that in the fight and togetherness."
Sir Bobby Robson, who proved a less successful manager of Fulham than Hodgson, used to talk of "blue-chip players" and Rafael Benítez bequeathed his successor three – Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and José Reina. On Saturday, Torres and Gerrard combined as well as they have all season and Reina's save from Ivan Klasnic in the final seconds ensured his team and the manager would cling on.
Gerrard had begun on the bench, which given how desperately Hodgson required a victory, was a decision that required some guts. Gerrard was said to be exhausted after the defeat by Wolves, although the manager said that had his captain insisted on starting he would have done so. By the time 21 minutes were up, he was on for the injured Raul Meireles.
Bolton's manager, Owen Coyle, was relieved he did not start. As a Scot besotted with football there is something of Bill Shankly in Coyle's make-up and, should Hodgson fall, he is a realistic candidate for the succession. "While Gerrard wasn't on the pitch, I was delighted," Coyle said afterwards. "I actually said to him as he was coming on: 'Could you not stay off for a wee while longer?' He could play for any team in the world and the longer he was off, then the better chance I thought we would have.
"It goes without saying that we all want to win games but, if you have to lose and someone is going to benefit then I'm pleased it's Roy because I like him and I have a lot of time for him."
How much time Liverpool's owners, John W Henry and Tom Werner, have for their manager is another question entirely.
Anfield succession: Who could replace Hodgson?
Jürgen Klopp Odds 25-1
Young and highly articulate, Klopp has revived the fortunes of the Bundesliga's most passionate club, Borussia Dortmund, but is unlikely to walk away while they can secure their first title since 2002
Didier Deschamps 7-1
Was interviewed at length in the summer and is a candidate now – but not while Marseille are still involved in the Champions League, he says
Frank Rijkaard 4-1
Is available now – which is why he is the bookies' favourite – and has the glamour of having managed Barcelona. But his last job, at Galatasaray, proved a failure
Kenny Dalglish 8-1
There would be no shortage of romance and support but Dalglish has been out of frontline football since 2000 and may want to be more than just a caretaker
André Villas Boas 16-1
At 33 he is the youngest coach in the Portuguese league and has had a dramatic impact in his first season with Porto. A student of José Mourinho, he speaks immaculate English but has just signed a contract extension
Odds from paddypower.com


text:
Installing the dependencies
You need to install 3 separate apps to implement the complete automation mechanism. Each app can be conveniently installed through the Universal Plugin Manager (UPM). The whole procedure requires only some clicks and some minutes of your time.
Because of their dependencies, install the apps in this order:
Install the Better Excel Exporter for Jira app.
This app provides the core file generation and export functionality.
See the installation guide.
Install the Automation Lite for Jira app.
This app provides the automation framework.
See the installation guide.
Install the Automation for Jira app.
This app is the paid and advanced version of the previous, therefore install this if the free version does not meet your needs.
See the installation guide.
Install the Better Excel Automation for Jira app.
This app is the "bridge" between the file generator app and the automation app.
See the installation guide.
If you faced some "app cannot be initialized" problem during the installation, just continue installing all the 3 apps, then restart Jira and enable the disabled ones of these apps in the above order.
Version compatibility between dependencies
As the automation mechanism is composed of Jira plus 3 apps, each with its own versioning, the following table defines the recommended combinations. Please note that the table shows version ranges (not specific versions). It aims to avoid wasting time with unsupported combinations.
|Jira Server
|Automation app
|Better Excel Automation for Jira
|Better Excel Exporter for Jira
|7.1.0 or newer
|Automation Lite 3.12.7 or newer
Automation 3.12.7 or newer
|3.2.0 or newer
|1.3.0 or newer
|Automation Lite 3.0.0 or newer
Automation 3.0.0 or newer
|3.0.0 - 3.1.0
|1.3.0 or newer
|6.2 - 7.0.10
|Automation Lite 1.1.5 - 2.0.3
(free, previously called "Jira Automation Plugin")
|1.0.0 - 2.1.0
|1.0.0 or newer
When installing dependencies directly from Atlassian Marketplace
The golden rule of thumb: install the app version that is offered by the Universal Plugin Manager (UPM)!
When installing dependencies by uploading the app JARs
In case you install an app by uploading it to Jira, then check out its "Version History" page at Atlassian Marketplace. That will show the compatible Jira versions for each app version:
- Automation Lite version history
- Automation version history
- Better Excel Automation for Jira version history
- Better Excel Exporter for Jira version history
In this case the golden rule of thumb: install the newest app version that is compatible with your Jira version!
Installing the app
You can easily install the Better Excel Automation for Jira app using the Universal Plugin Manager (UPM) that is built into Jira.
You can install it in two different ways. We highly recommend the first approach for your convenience. You should use the second approach only if the server that hosts your Jira instance has no access to the Atlassian Marketplace, i.e. when direct Jira-server-to-Marketplace-server communication is not possible.
Installing directly from Atlassian Marketplace
- Login to Jira as administrator, go to Jira Administration → Add-ons → Find new add-ons and search for the term "better excel automation".
- Click Install at the entry of "Better Excel Automation for Jira" in the search results.
- Click Manage add-ons in the left and check whether "Better Excel Automation for Jira" is visible in the User-installed add-ons list, and whether it is enabled.
Installing by uploading the app JAR
- Download the app JAR from its version history page at Atlassian Marketplace. Make sure that you download the app version correctly matching your Jira Server version.
- Login to Jira as administrator, go to Jira Administration → Add-ons → Manage add-ons and click Upload add-on in the right.
- Click Browse, select the better-excel-automation-for-jira-x.y.z.jar that you just downloaded, and upload it.
- Check whether "Better Excel Automation for Jira" is visible in the User-installed add-ons list, and whether it is enabled.


text:
|Ulrika Uppman
|SV: [Discuss-gnuradio] fundamentals of block-connections, message queue etc.
|Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:00:57 +0200
Thank you both very much for your responses Doug and Colby. I have now gone through the code in gr-usrp2 and usrp2/host thoroughly and I can see how the data is handled before sent on to the processing blocks. I can also see that the metadata is discarded at a point, and I found some post in the archive about that this will be changed in later releases. I'm curious if anyone knows if this is something anyone is working on at the moment? /Ulrika -----Ursprungligt meddelande----- Från: Douglas Geiger [mailto:address@hidden Skickat: den 26 augusti 2009 19:33 Till: Ulrika Uppman Kopia: GNU Radio Discussion Ämne: Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] fundamentals of block-connections, message queue etc. As far as the usrp->gnuradio block goes - the frame to stream 'conversion' happens in the usrp (or usrp2) source block (and on the tx side that similarly gets hidden by the sink block). You can look in the gr-usrp (or gr-usrp2) directories to see how that happens. But in general, you don't have to worry about what format the samples get to/from the usrp in, that's taken care of by the gr-usrp blocks. For learning about some of the basics of GNURadio, I'd recommend looking at some of the simpler examples (802.11 is not the simplest standard to deal with) in the gnuradio-examples directories (the digital-bert example for example). -- Doug Geiger address@hidden
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|Current Thread
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text:
One of the most difficult things about being a pastor is death. No… strike that.
One of realities of being human is death.
No… strike that as well.
Here, let me try this: one of the hardest things about being ANY human is knowing what to say and think about death.
Better… we will go with that and move on.
Today I officiated a memorial service for a 30 year women who died of a drug overdose. Her life was difficult in numerous ways but as testified to by family and friends, she always wanted to become more than her circumstances. She had two children – a 16 year old and a 4 year old. Her parents were divorced and remarried. Her husband speaks very little English. All of this came pouring into the meeting room at the church as we planned for this memorial service. They had been recommended to our church through a series of connections. As we sat and discussed the service, her father pushed a stack of CDs over to me with track numbers. "These are songs that she liked – ones that remind us of her and that she loved to sit and listen to," he said. I looked them over: Sarah McLachlan, Mariah Carey, and… Metallica. "Have you heard of them?" he asked. One of the tracks he choose was "Nothing Else Matters" from Metallica's 1981 "Black" album. "These are going to be great," I said "these will be… awesome."
"Nothing Else Matters" is a slow burner to be sure. Written as a goth ballad, Metallica's lead singer James Hetfield wrote this song with only one hand strumming an Em chord while he was on the phone with his girlfriend. Since he held the phone with one hand (remember, this is 1991 and no bluetooth and cell phones were still the size of minivans but at least down from the monster trucks of the 80's), he plucked the four open strings of a standard Em chord with the other, which eventually made up the first two bars of the song. It is a song of separation and a deep desire to get closer written with one hand holding onto the connection to what keeps him alive in this life and using the other to grasp at whatever will turn our longing, our hope, our love into an anthem large enough to fill stadiums. It is a song written so as to not forget what it means to be alive, and to give that gift of life to others through love and faith. The song is about longing for something more and seemed to fit perfectly for this memorial service. As the family and friends came into the fairly standard church sanctuary, more than a couple or eyebrows were raised as the Metallica tune filled the pews and spilled across floor under the alter and to the foot of the cross that hung on the wall. Tears started to flow as "Nothing Else Matters" became more than a metal ballad but a song of anger, promise and release wound up in chords and bars and rhythm. The open casket with this young women's body lay there as the song continued on:
Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
and nothing else matters
Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us, something new
Open mind for a different view
and nothing else matters
never cared for what they say
never cared for games they play
never cared for what they do
never cared for what they know
and I know
So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
No, nothing else matters
As the song ran its course, arms covered with more ink than a stack of comic books were rubbing their eyes and waiting for something beyond James Hetfiled's simple tune as we looked toward the cross that hung over that casket. "Nothing else matters" opened the way for "something else" must matter amidst all this sorrow.
When people ask me what pop music has to do theology, it is in moments like these I wish I could bottle up and hand to the cynics. People get married, celebrate graduations, drive across the country and bury their family members to simple pop songs. People continue to seek after something that surrounds and empowers their lvies and for this reason I don't believe in the post-Christian jargon some are used to evoking – I have yet to see that era truly in full bloom. However, the notion of the 'after-Church' world is certainly true. Granted, the 'after-Church' folks could truly benefit from the deep traditions and meaning found in the ancient church made new in their midst. But when death comes screaming into your world people will act like a proverbial drowning man at sea and will grab the most stable and recognizable thing found floating by.
For millions of folks it won't necessarily be the hymnal in church pews but the song on their iPod that reminds them of hope, faith and love. These crazy songs make sense out of the chaos of life in ways so many other things shoveled at people never does.
I have a picture in my mind of this young women listening to "Nothing Else Matters" as we gathered there and perhaps wishing that as her family and friends gathered in this place they would write one more verse of that song with their very lives – that verse being lives lived in remembering her laughter, her love of the sunshine, her passion for music, and what it means to live out this love with others and in the presense of God who lives with us now.
As the service continued I read aloud of Psalm 23 and Romans 6: 3-9 and spoke of Paul's promise that death dies and life will truly live at the end of all things and do hope that these words of promise got a grip on folks as they sat there. But I can bet that an old 1991 metal ballad is finding new life tonight for folks and hopefully there is a new verse being written in the lives of this family in deep mourning. That "something else" does matter, that we can reach out not with one hand restrained but embrace each other with both hands fully and experience an even stronger embrace of God's grace and mercy.
Some would say that Metallica came to church today. But I think the gathered were 'churched' by James Hetfield and the band in ways we have yet to see the fruit of.


text:
MSN takes on AOL with TrueSwitch tool
The Microsoft Network (MSN) Internet access service today announced TrueSwitch, a tool that provides the means for AOL customers...
Making that migration easy is why Esaya created TrueSwitch in the first place, said Mark Kasiraja, the company's chief operating officer and co-founder, in a telephone interview this morning.
Kasiraja said he and his partner, Esaya chief executive officer Thomas Isaac, built TrueSwitch to allow users of one Internet service provider (ISP) to change to another without much trouble. MSN is the company's first major customer, he said, although other companies have used it for smaller operations, such as moving employees from one e-mail system to another
He added that the tool could be used for any operation in which information needs to be transferred from one Web-based system to another, and that the company would be willing to tailor the tool to meet each client's specific needs.
The tool, which operates on Java-based machines running Unix, is at its core a data integration, mapping and transformation engine. It logs on to AOL using the customer's existing user ID and password. It then collects all of the necessary information about the user's e-mail address book and account and migrates it to MSN.
The process includes the following steps:
- Transferring old e-mails and calendar information
- Notifying all of the user's contacts that the e-mail address has changed.
- Forwarding e-mail from the AOL account to the new MSN account for as long as the old account remains active.
- Cancelling the old account.
MSN has also launched a $10m promotional campaign to encourage AOL users to switch to MSN. AOL said it had no comment on the TrueSwitch tool or MSN's campaign.
Kasiraja said that pricing for TrueSwitch is based on a flat licensing fee, plus a fee per user. MSN would not comment on how much it spent on the tool, Kasiraja said that the higher the licensing fee paid up front, the lower the per-user fee.


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RESOLUTE™ UHV absolute encoder system with REXA30 rotary (angle) ring
- Protocols available: BiSS®, Panasonic
- Readhead size: 36 x 16.5 x 17.2 mm
- Resolutions to 32 bits/rev
- Speed up to 8 500 rev/min
- Installed accuracy to ±1 arc second
- Thick cross-section ring
- Excellent motion control performance
- Wide set-up tolerances
- Low outgassing for vacuum environments
- Less than 10 nm RMS jitter for improved positional stability
- ±40 nm Sub-Divisional Error for smooth velocity control
What is RESOLUTE UHV?
RESOLUTE UHV brings absolute encoder technology to Ultra-High Vacuum applications, allowing customers to achieve higher throughput, reduce risks of damage and increase dependability.
RESOLUTE outperforms all other absolute encoders that are designed for UHV environments. Capable of 32-bit resolution at 8 500 rev/min, RESOLUTE provides a specification that breaks new ground in encoder technology.
Winner of a Queen's Award for Enterprise 2015 in the Innovation category
What is REXA30 ring?
REXA30 is a one-piece stainless steel ring with 30 µm pitch absolute graduations marked directly on the periphery. Its larger cross-section allows for the reduction in all installation errors apart from eccentricity, which is easily corrected using the average result of two Resolute readheads. Featuring total installed accuracy up to ±1 arc second, zero coupling losses, and exceptional repeatability.
REXA30 is available in a range of sizes (Ø52 mm to Ø417 mm), all of which have a large internal diameter for flexible integration. The non-contact format eliminates backlash, shaft wind-up (torsion) and other mechanical hysteresis errors that are inherent in traditional enclosed encoders.
Why choose this encoder system?
UHV (Ultra-High Vacuum)
RESOLUTE UHV takes Renishaw's revolutionary absolute encoder technology and delivers it in a readhead that is suitable for use in Ultra-High Vacuum conditions up to 10 -9 Torr. The new range of RESOLUTE UHV encoders are constructed from clean residual gas analysis materials (RGA) making them suitable for high performance, semiconductor and scientific applications.
Excellent motion control performance
RESOLUTE UHV's industry-leading performance is the result of a sophisticated, reliable and innovative method of operation. Crucially, the system uses a single track non-repeating "bar code" scale format with a nominal pitch of 30 µm. With its sophisticated optical design the RESOLUTE readhead captures a near-instantaneous image of this scale which, when analysed, allows a unique position to be identified at speeds of up to 100 m/s. The system allows position to be determined with resolution as small as 1 nanometre (1 billionth of a metre) and with low noise (jitter below 10 nm RMS) and SDE (Sub-Divisional Error, the error within a scale period) of just ±40 nm. This provides encoder feedback of superior fidelity, to ensure smoother velocity control and rock-solid positional stability.
Wide set-up tolerances
RESOLUTE UHV does not follow the conventional technique of using dual tracks side-by-side (one incremental, one absolute) which inherently suffers de-phasing problems when small amounts of angular misalignment are introduced. Instead, this absolute encoder features a single track, optical absolute scale, combining both the absolute position and embedded phase information into one single code. This technology provides RESOLUTE UHV with far wider set-up tolerances (yaw tolerance ±0.5°) for quick and easy installation and superior long-term reliability, even if the motion axes settle or move over time. To further aid installation and diagnostics, there is an integral set-up LED on the readhead.
|Data sheet
|Compatible products
Renishaw supports BiSS C (unidirectional) open protocol for absolute encoders. BiSS is a high-speed serial protocol, perfect for dynamic axes that require high acceleration, smooth velocity control, excellent bi-directional repeatability and rock-solid positional stability.
|RESOLUTE with Panasonic serial communications interface is available in linear and rotary forms. Compatible with the A5 and A6 series of drivers, it provides high resolution repeatable feedback for better servo and speed control.
|RESOLUTE Panasonic
Technical specifications
Measuring standard
One-piece ultra high accuracy absolute coded stainless steel ring
Readhead size (LxWxH)
36 mm x 16.5 mm x 17.2 mm
Scale pitch
Nominal 30 μm
|Coefficient of thermal expansion at 20 °C
|15.5 ±0.5 μm/m/°C
Ring outer diameter
52 mm to 417 mm
Total installed accuracy (with 2 readheads)
(≥100 mm diameter) ±1 arc second
(75 mm diameter) ±1.5 arc seconds
(≤57 mm diameter) ±2 arc seconds
Maximum speed
(See data sheet for details)
8 500 rpm (on 52 mm ring)
BiSS C
BiSS C: 18-bit, 26-bit and 32-bit
Sub-Divisional Error (SDE)
±40 nm
Electrical connection
Up to 10 m cable lengths with flying lead
Power supply
5 V ±10%, 250 mA @ 5 V (terminated)
Vibration (operating)
100 m/s2 max @ 55 Hz to 2 000 Hz
Shock (non-operating)
1 000 m/s2, 6 ms, ½ sine
Operating temperature
0 °C to +75 °C
Bake-out temperature(non-operating)
Cable construction
Silver-coated copper braided single screen. FEP core insulation, over tin-plated copper wire.
Refer to data sheets for full details.
†Other protocols are continually being added.
Data sheets
Installation guides
White papers
Technical drawings
- 3D model: RESOLUTE™ absolute optical encoder (Side cable outlet)
- 3D model: RESOLUTE™ absolute optical encoder
- 3D model: REXx 52 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 57 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 75 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 100 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 103 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 104 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 115 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 150 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 183 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 200 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 206 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 209 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 229 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 255 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 300 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 350 mm ring
- 3D model: REXx 417 mm ring
How it works
RESOLUTE communicates bi-directionally in purely serial format, using a variety of industry-standard protocols, of both proprietary and open standard.
The process begins...
The controller initiates operation by sending a demand message to the readhead, instructing it to capture the absolute position on the linear or rotary scale at that instant. The head responds by flashing a high-power LED source to illuminate the scale. The flash duration is as brief as 100 ns to minimise image blur on moving axes. Crucially its timing is controlled within a few nanoseconds to preserve the relationship between demanded and reported position, one of the essential features that makes RESOLUTE ideally suited to very high specification motion systems.
Single track scale
The scale is essentially a single track of full-width contrasting lines, based on a nominal period of 30 µm. The absence of multiple parallel tracks gives important immunity from yaw errors and much more lateral tolerance in head position.
Image acquisition
The scale is imaged, via an aspheric lens which minimises distortion, onto a custom detector array designed specifically for RESOLUTE. The optical arrangement, with a folded illumination path but direct imaging, is highly compact yet stable thus assuring the fidelity essential for excellent metrology.
Data decoding and analysis
Once captured by the detector, the image is transferred via an analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) to a powerful Digital Signal Processor (DSP). Specially developed algorithms then obtain a true absolute, but relatively coarse position from the code embedded in the scale. This process is checked, and corrections are made by further algorithms in the DSP which exploit redundancy and intentional restrictions in the scale code. Meanwhile other routines calculate a very high resolution fine position, which is then combined with the coarse position to provide a truly absolute and very high resolution location.
Final checks and data output
After final error checking procedures this information is uploaded in the appropriate protocol to the controller as a pure serial word representing position to within 1 nm. Protection against electrical noise disturbance is provided by addition of a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). The entire process can take as little as a few microseconds and be repeated up to 25 000 times per second. By a variety of techniques, including adjusting the light flash duration to the axis speed, this performance is achieved at up to 100 m/s while, crucially, preserving exceptionally low positional jitter at lower operating speeds.
And the result is...
An encoder with generous installation tolerances: RESOLUTE allows ±0.5° in yaw, pitch and roll and an impressive ±150 µm in rideheight. Meanwhile the generous optical footprint and advanced error correcting procedures confer excellent immunity to optical contamination, both particulate and greasy smears. All this while maintaining 1 nm resolution at 100 m/s: RESOLUTE is the answer to the toughest absolute challenge.


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|By Elizabeth White
Article Rating:
|January 20, 2011 10:30 AM EST
Cloud Expo New York $500 Savings here!
SYS-CON Events announced today that LogLogic, a provider of Log Management and Security Event Management solutions, has been named "Bronze Sponsor" of SYS-CON's 8th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 6-9, 2011, at the Javits Center in New York, New York.
"We're please to be part of this fantastic event," said LogLogic EVP Bill Roth. "SYS-CON has a long history of putting together high-quality event like this, and we expect this will be another event in their long history of bringing top quality technical content to the industry"
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A Rock Star Faculty, Top Keynotes, Sessions, and Top Delegates!
Cloud Expo 2011 New York, June 6-9, Javits Center, New York, New York, will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading Cloud industry players in the world.
The growth and success of Cloud Computing will be on display at the upcoming Cloud Expo conference and exhibition in New York June 6-9, and in Santa Clara, November 7-10, 2011.
The recent Cloud Expo at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, was the largest Cloud Computing conference ever produced with more sponsors, exhibitors and delegates than all other Cloud events of the year combined!
The four-day New York event will attract more than 10,000 delegates from 48 countries and over 200 sponsors and exhibitors on a 120,000 sq ft show floor!
All main layers of the Cloud ecosystem will be represented in the 8th and 9th International Cloud Expos - the infrastructure players, the platform providers, and those offering applications, and they'll all be here to speak, sponsor, exhibit and network.
"Cloud Expo was announced on February 24, 2007, the day the term 'cloud computing' was coined," said Fuat Kircaali, founder and chairman of SYS-CON Events, Inc. "Cloud has become synonymous with 'computing' and 'software' in two short years, and this event has become the new PC Expo, Comdex, and InternetWorld of our decade. By 2012, more than 50,000 delegates per year will be attending Cloud Expo."
Sponsorship Opportunities
for Cloud Expo New York
Cloud Expo 2011 New York "show prospectus" has shipped. Sponsorship, exhibit, and keynote opportunities can be obtained from Carmen Gonzalez by email at events (at) sys-con.com, or by phone 201 802 3021.
Early Bird Registration Options
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Cloud Expo delegates can pre-register for Cloud Expo New York with $500+ savings here.
About SYS-CON Media & Events
SYS-CON Media (www.sys-con.com) has since 1994 been connecting technology companies and customers through a comprehensive content stream at www.sys-con.com - featuring over forty focused subject areas, from Cloud Computing to Web Security - interwoven with market-leading full-scale conferences produced by SYS-CON Events. The company's internationally recognized brands include among others Cloud Computing Expo (www.CloudComputingExpo.com), Virtualization Conference & Expo (www.VirtualizationConference.com), Government IT Conference & Expo (www.GovITExpo.com), Cloud Computing Bootcamp (www.CloudComputingBootcamp.com), and UlitzerLive! New Media Conference & Expo (http://events.sys-con.com).
Cloud Expo, Cloud Expo East, Cloud Expo West, Cloud Expo New York, Cloud Expo Silicon Valley, Cloud Expo Europe, Cloud Expo Tokyo, Cloud Expo Prague, Cloud Expo Hong Kong, Cloud Expo Sao Paolo are trademarks and /or registered trademarks (USPTO serial number 85009040) of Cloud Expo, Inc.
- The Shape of i-Technology To Come: Predictions for 2006
- AJAX and Microsoft's Atlas To Dominate the Shape of i-Technology
- AJAX Tipped To Play Major Role in the Shape of i-Technology to Come
- Setting Up Your Development Server with ColdFusion 5, MX, and BlueDragon
- Creating a Remember Me Login
- Monitoring Your ColdFusion Environment With the Free Log Parser Toolkit
- I Was at the Taping Of Cloud Computing Expo Power Panel in Times Square
- CFDJ Feature - How to Debug Your ColdFusion Applications
- Beyond SOA & Web Services - ColdFusion / .NET Integration
- Consuming Amazon.com E-Commerce


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Household DEATH! is a semi-comical, b-movie horrorish deathmatch mod. All of the featured weapons are items that you can find in your own home, or your neighbors, some with slight deadlier modifications! The Server uses some engine functions that are ONLY in the STEAM VERSION OF HALF-LIFE, that were added to the engine for Condition Zero. If you run HHD on old HL 184.108.40.206, it WILL crash on map load!
This update updates the HHD server from version 1.1.2 to version 220.127.116.11.
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text: Kira Farm Development Centre Blog - Kira Farm Development Centre A ticket out of poverty 'I grew up in a humble, happy family,' says Susan. 'We owned five acres of land, but I realise now that we didn't know how to farm properly because we often went without food. We even cut down all our trees to make charcoal to provide an income for the family.' Susan's parents spent all day working on other people's land for a pittance, and as the eldest child, Susan would be left in charge of her younger siblings. When she reached secondary school and the fees became unaffordable, Susan was forced to drop out and start earning money for her siblings' school fees. 'I missed out on my teenage years because I was always working on other people's land with my parents,' she says. 'Despite our best efforts we could never raise enough money for all my brothers and sisters to go to school.' Susan felt trapped and hopeless. 'I gave up on life and was just waiting for my parents to marry me off so that they could use the dowry to better their lives,' she says. Fortunately, before that happened, Susan was granted a golden opportunity to attend Kira Farm Development Centre. The beauty of perspective At Kira Farm young people from different backgrounds, tribes, and religions, learn to live together in harmony. 'I thought my life had been terrible, but at Kira Farm I was shocked to discover it was nothing compared with the girls who had grown up in Internally Displaced Person camps,' she says. At Kira all students receive vocational training, mentoring and counselling. 'I will always be grateful for everything I learnt at Kira – it restored my hope in life,' she smiles. 'While I was there I could feel my future brightening up before me and I left the Farm equipped with practical skills, knowing I was worth more than a dowry to my family. My hand in marriage didn't need to be their ticket out of poverty.' Moving on in life 'It was scary going home,' admits Susan. 'I was worried I wouldn't make it, but I encouraged myself by remembering that I wasn't alone on this journey – God was with me. And the more I trusted God, the more things improved.' First, Susan trained all her family in the conservation farming techniques she had learnt at Kira, multiplying their crop yields so everyone had enough to eat and there was extra left over to sell. Once Susan's family were up and running with the new approach to farming, Susan moved to a nearby town to find a job in hairdressing – another skill she had learnt at Kira. 'I worked in a salon earning around £30 a month,' she says. 'While the other women were gossiping, I focussed on helping people who shared their family problems - using the restorative justice approaches we'd been taught at Kira.' Within three months Susan was inundated with customers who only wanted her services! 'By that point I'd already saved £45, so I used the capital to open up my own hairdressing salon and since then I've never stopped smiling.' Susan makes at least £75 a month - a huge sum considering she had to drop out of school because the family couldn't afford books or pencils. The enterprising young woman has taken on three apprentices, providing valuable opportunities for young people in an area where there are very few. She is also supporting her family at home and has been able to pay for her brother to go back to school. Quite an achievement considering she only graduated from Kira Farm 9 months ago! 'Thank you so much to Braunton Rotary Club who granted me the opportunity to change my life through sponsorship,' says Susan. 'Kira training grew me into a courageous woman and now I know that anything is possible!' Please select a donation amount: * £10 Buys training materials and tools for a Kira student £50 Provides vocational training for a student for one month £100 Covers total costs for a young person at Kira for a month Other Set up a regular payment Donate


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I've fallen down on my commitment (to myself) to post about once a week. But better to have a busy and productive three weeks and not quite get them narrated than to write a lot and get little done.
Just before the middle of June, I contacted a local graphic designer, Michelle Miller of Sheridan Design to get the ball rolling on some icons for the phone apps and web sites. However, Michelle isn't really a "get the ball rolling" sort of person; she's much more of the "git'er done" type. With a flurry of emails back and forth and in less than five days start to finish, I suddenly had a whole suite of logos for the ChecklistRN website, the PasswordRN phone apps, and the CalculatorRN webapp that Hokan is developing. I'm delighted with the results and the work fit inside the budget numbers I initially laid out for Michelle. I'd like to think that the fact that I had a very clear idea of what I needed and am a decisive and appreciative customer had something to do with the speed of the project. But, frankly, as far as I can tell, Michelle is just plain good at what she does. You can see one example of her work in action at the top of the ChecklistRN blog.
About a week ago, Sara delivered her first batch of Android enhancements, fleshing out the security features for the master password and the system passwords. I haven't had much chance to test them yet. But, this afternoon, our Android Developer Phone walked in the door — so I think I'll combine testing her new features with seeing my own code run on a real phone for the first time. That experience will be both cool and humbling (UI not being my forte).
(For anyone paying attention to the details, I did get Mercurial and BitBucket working after my last post although I temporarily abandoned the Eclipse plugin and went to TortoiseHG which worked out of the box and very intuitively. So the Android sources ARE checked in to a central repository although I've just been getting zip files from Sara, merging her code with my own locally, and checking in from here. We aren't quite up to speed on the D word in Distributed Version Control yet :-}. But the BitBucket wiki that comes with my account has already proved handy for documenting some process things for Sara, so I'm quite pleased with that. )
The word from Laramie on the iPhone version of PasswordRN is also all positive; I'm supposed to see an initial version running on an iPod near me within the week. It will be an incredible experience to sit at a table with the Android phone on one side and the iPod on the other and walk the same app through its paces on both.
Speaking of which, Mark agreed to a) help with some competitive analysis and b) get up to sped to do QA for our own apps. He's been running one of the popular iThingy password managers, which shall remain nameless for the moment, and HE HATES IT. Not the app, itself, so much, although he has found some quirky things about it. But the whole iPod app-running experience. The screen is small. The touch screen is, in his words, "just not made for a hand with calluses on it." It's not as if he has huge hands but he finds typing on the virtual keyboard is a painstaking, error prone experience. We've bought him a stylus and we'll see if that helps. Plus, more instructive for me, there are some definite usability features that seem obvious to him — features for the over-forty crowd but also frankly for anyone in poor light or under stressful conditions. I fear that simplicity and BIG FONTS may not be very Apple-UI-guidelines-compliant but I think they could be very much appreciated by folks trying to use a phone to help them get real work done.


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The Strokes guitarist Nick Valensi has married girlfriend Amanda de Cadenet in a secret ceremony on Harbour Island in the Bahamas.
The New York rocker and British TV presenter-turned-photographer made the announcement in Tuesday's Hello! magazine in Britain, but have not disclosed the date of their wedding.
It's the first marriage for 25-year-old Valensi, while De Cadenet, 34, was married to Duran Duran bassist John Taylor, with whom she has a 14-year-old daughter, Atlanta.
De Cadenet — who is pregnant with twins — had a wedding dress designed by designer Marc Jacobs, but her baby bump had grown so big she ended up getting married barefoot in a beach dress.
De Cadenet says the couple decided to wed in a hurry during a brief break between The Strokes' world tour, so weren't able to invite their respective families.


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0837 GMT December 15, 2019
Reports say the Houthis entered the port of Mocha, nearly 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of the major city of Ta'izz, on Tuesday.
The takeover of the port will facilitate the revolutionaries' critical access to the strategic strait of Bab el-Mandeb.
The Ansarullah fighters took control of Ta'izz on March 22.
In another operation, the Houthis entered the town of Dhale'e, some 170 kilometers (105 miles) east of Ta'izz, on the same day. Clashes broke out between the fighters and militants loyal to the fugitive President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi in the town.
Kirsh was the other town taken over by the Houthis on Tuesday. It lies about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of the city of Aden, where Hadi has taken refuge.
In late January, Hadi, along with the cabinet of Prime Minister Khaled Bahah, stepped down over pressure from the Ansarullah revolutionaries, but the Yemeni parliament did not approve his resignation.
Hadi fled his home in the capital on February 21 after weeks under effective house arrest and went to Aden, Yemen's second largest city, where he officially withdrew his resignation and highlighted his intention to resume duties.
The Ansarullah fighters took control of the capital in September 2014 and are currently trying to advance toward Aden.


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Blugreen StegnaWelcome to Blugreen Stegna B&B!Below is a carousel. To go through the images, please swipe left or right, or tap the next and previous buttons.Skip to content
Blugreen Stegna
Blugreen Stegna B&B is situated in the picturesque seaside village of Stegna. It offers comfortable accommodation with free wireless internet access and free private parking, just 200m from the beach.
RoomsSee All
About UsRead More
Recently renovated, this b&b offers boutique suites and rooms with unique design,modern facilities and amenities. It's serene and idyllic atmosphere is Ideal for couples,honeymooners and people who like indepented, streesless holidays. All rooms include air conditioning, fridge, safety box, satellite TV, coffee making facilities and a balcony. Some enjoy a designated area on the roof terrace with panoramic sea and mountain views while all have garden and mountain views from their balconies. Others include a spa bath. There is free wireless internet access and free private parking.
Please note that Blugreen is not suitable for children younger than 12 years old.


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Paris-based ESA Voyages was founded in 1980. Founder and director Yves Grandjean manages his company with a competent and energetic team with experience at every level of the profession.
Our staff, all highly qualified professionals, do their utmost to satisfy every need.
Thanks to our perseverance and the seriousness with which we do our work, the agency has forged its international reputation.
The human dimension : a small but competent team gives you the personalized service you deserve.
Taking the client's needs to heart.
The proof of the quality of our work is the fidelity of our clients.
35 years of experience in the travel industry
About 6000 Europeans sent by our care each year
More than 40 multilingual staff to assist you
ESA Voyages understands the difficulties that international travelers may face during their business trips.
We offer a range of services perfectly suited to these professionals with all-inclusive packages including that include air travel (optional), transfers, hotel reservations, breakfast, local taxes and a multilingual staff available to accompany and assist you.
Calculate time differences between any city in the world
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Health and vaccination information for foreign countries
Information regarding visas and embassies
List of tourism offices in the world
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List of legal holidays for every country in the world
Converters for distances, temperature, weight, clothing sizes,...


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English | Espańol
All Issues > Volume 14, Issue 2
One of the biggest understatements in the Bible is: "The wages of sin is death" (Rm 6:23). That's putting it mildly. The wages of sin is mega-death. After David committed one of his lesser sins, the prophet Gad proposed three possible wages for David's sin: three years of famine, three months of fleeing the enemy in a war, or three days of pestilence (2 Sm 24:13). David chose the three days, not because they were the briefest wages but because David realized that God could extend His mercy in the pestilence without being hindered by men. David was right. The Lord extended His mercy, and only 70,000 people died in three days.
70,000 dead in three days! And this was less wages than David deserved from one of his lesser sins. The wages of sin is much more than death. A sin is worse than hundreds of calamities combined.
Jesus has saved us from sin (see 1 Tm 1:15). He "is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!" (Jn 1:29) Do you realize what Jesus has done for us and what He has saved us from? Thank Jesus constantly and forever for saving us from sin and its wages. Love Jesus. Give your life to Jesus. Worship Jesus. Tell the world the good news of salvation. We have a Savior from the mega-death of sin!


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- Katie Genereux
Director of Marketing
Briggs and Morgan, P.A.
- 612.977.8725
- firstname.lastname@example.com
Attorney Kodi Verhalen Named President of National Society of Professional EngineersPrint PDFShare
Attorney Kodi Verhalen was profiled as the National Society of Professional Engineers' (NSPE) 2016-2017 president by the organization's publication, PE magazine. Kodi is NSPE's youngest professional engineer and the third woman to serves as president since the Society was founded in 1934.
An article authored by Verhalen, titled "Looking Beyond Ourselves," discussing the future of the profession and NSPE was also featured in the publication.
To view Kodi's profile and article, click here.
About Briggs and Morgan
Briggs and Morgan, Professional Association, is a trusted name in business law and litigation services. With offices in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, the firm's attorneys are committed to providing superior client service and sound legal counsel to clients nationwide. Briggs and Morgan ranks among The NLJ 500 as one of the nation's largest firms and has received numerous accolades, including recognition by Corporate Counsel and top clients as a Go-To Law Firm® in the areas of Torts Litigation, Securities and Labor and Employment. The firm and its attorneys have also been selected for publication in The Best Lawyers in America© and Chambers USA. For more information, visit www.briggs.com.


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Born in 1966, the iconic Mexico 66® model made its debut as a cutting-edge runner at the pre-trials for the 1968 Mexico City Olympic games. Fifty years later, it remains the most sought-after model in the collection. The revival of this heritage racer includes a full-grain leather treatment on the side panels and tiger stripes contrasted with a smooth suede heel and toe cap. Its trademark heel tab features natural leather branded with the Onitsuka Tiger® brand emblem. Available in classic color-blocked or monochrome shades.
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26 Oct 2010
(Nagoya, Japan and Kathmandu, Nepal)
The Hindu Kush-Himalayan countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan called on the global community to pay attention to the vulnerability of the region as a hotspot for biodiversity and climate change, and emphasised the importance of regional cooperation for the management of biodiversity. The countries were participating in a side event on 'Facing the challenges of mountain biodiversity conservation and management in a changing climate across the Hindu Kush- Himalayan Region' in Nagoya Japan. They highlighted the dynamics of mountain biodiversity, and the way that the lives of mountain people are influenced by the interplay of climate and other drivers of change.
The side event was organised by ICIMOD in partnership with the Hindu Kush-Himalayan countries on 25 October 2010, during the tenth Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The high level panel delegates included the Hon'ble Minister Mr Deepak Bohara, Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Nepal; Mr Vijay Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, India; Ms Hasnun Nahar, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Bangladesh; Dr Tashi Yangzom, Programme Director, National Biodiversity Commission, Bhutan; and Mr Abdul Munaf Qaimkhani, Deputy Inspector General Forests, Ministry of Environment, Pakistan. The event served as an important platform for the countries in the region to share the initiatives they have taken to conserve and manage biodiversity, and strengthen cooperation for building resilient mountain ecosystems and communities.
In his introductory remarks, Dr Andreas Schild, Director General ICIMOD, highlighted the region's vulnerability to climate change, and ICIMOD's trans-Himalayan transect approach for regional biodiversity management. He stressed the vital role that national partners have been playing in taking forward the regional landscape conservation initiatives for Kailash, Kangchenjunga, and Brahmaputra-Salween.
The Hon'ble Mr Deepak Bohara emphasised the role the Himalayas play in global climate regulation. The Government of Nepal is highly concerned about climate change and the rapidly changing mountain environment. Mentioning the cabinet meeting held at the Mt. Everest base camp, and the upcoming Mountain Alliance Initiative for Climate Change, he said, "The time has come to raise the regional voice, and the global community must recognise our efforts".
Mr Vijay Sharma explained the policy of the Government of India, and the recognition of the mountain ecosystem in the national environment policy and national action plan for climate change. He appealed for use of the recently published 'Governance for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (G-SHE): Guidelines and Best Practices', and added, "ICIMOD's regional transboundary landscape management is going to be a very promising initiative in the long run."
Ms Hasnun Nahar of Bangladesh considered that an environmental knowledge base and open data exchange among countries was fundamental for defining and developing climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. Dr Tashi Yangzom added that, "Bhutan will be hosting a Climate Summit in 2011, it is a small step in the right direction where the four countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal will come together to better preserve the mountain ecosystems and face the challenges of climate change." Talking about the recent flood disaster in Pakistan, Mr Abdul Munaf Qaimkhani drew attention to the need for improved understanding of regional climate change processes, and regional risk and vulnerability mapping. He desired ICIMOD's support for knowledge generation and management of the vulnerable mountain region in Pakistan.
Presenting an analysis of the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity by the Hindu Kush-Himalayan countries, Dr Eklabya Sharma from ICIMOD said, "The analysis clearly sees the countries' progressive development in policy and legal frameworks for conservation, sustainable use and benefit sharing from biodiversity." He further indicated that some of the constraints such as poverty in mountain areas, knowledge gaps, poor technology transfer, limited financial resources, and the conflict situation in some countries have hindered achieving the 2010 targets. Dr Sharma indicated that the analysis document is open for comment; it is available at http://www.icimod.org/?page=1545.
For more information please contact:
Dr Eklabya Sharma
Programme Manager
Environmental Change and Ecosystem Services (ECES)
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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My farm share is still going and the biggest thing they are producing right now are sweet potatoes. I LOVE SWEET POTATOES! Alas, my husband does not. Still, when he's out of town, we eat sweet potatoes. Alas, I love them so that I don't have any photos.
So, here are some favorite ways I've made sweet potatoes.
Stuffed sweet potato
This I found and knew I had to make it. I used parmesan because my daughter has gotten finicky about feta. Here's what you do.
Bake your sweet potatoes at 400 for 45 minutes.
Mix the following:
- Olives (we made three, so I used the whole small can)
- Sun dried tomatoes (I bought ready to eat and used an amount of about half of the olives
- Parmesan cheese (about the same amount as the tomatoes)
- Arugula (what I had available)
- Olive oil (this is up to you. The original had it and I forgot it and it was still good.)
Open up the sweet potatoes, put on top and serve. We ate two of them and I took the third one to lunch. Normally sweet potatoes get the sweet dial turned up, but this is a really excellent way of having them more savory.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
Loosely based on a Whole Foods recipe, except less cheese and no sauce.
Peel and chop enough sweet potatoes to make about 2 cups. Boil for 15-20 minutes. Drain and mash and add some cumin and red pepper (a pinch!) and garlic salt. You can also add a can of chopped green chili peppers. I didn't because I didn't have any in the pantry.
At the same time, make some black beans. Or, you can get a can of black beans, but frequent blog readers know that I love my pressure cooker so much I'd marry it if it was legal in SC. (It's not.) So, I cooked them on high for 18 minutes, let them release naturally, drained them and added lime juice and garlic salt. You can add real garlic too, but I was being super lazy today.
That's the basis. From there, you decorate that taco any way you like. Add salsa. Add spinach. Add onions! Me, I had some leftover onion and green pepper, so I grilled those up and added those with some salsa. PERFECT.
Oh and I served them on flour tortillas which I heated up on the grill (not the microwave) but you could use corn too.
Sweet Potato Carrot Soup
This one is so easy it's crazy. Also pressure cooker, but I'm sure you could make it regular too.
I peeled a bunch of little sweet potatoes and a batch of carrots I got at the store (it was a puny bunch) and then I chopped those up. I also chopped up half an onion.
Saute the onion in the pressure cooker in a little bit of oil (instead of butter for me.) Add the following spices:
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom (rounded)
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (rounded)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (rounded)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (rounded)
I skipped the stick and the pepper.
Then I threw in the potatoes and the carrots and just went with the whole box of veggie broth instead of half and half with the water. Got it up to pressure, cooked for 15, let it come down and BAM, soup. DELICIOUS.
Sweet Potato Crackers
In my spare time, I've been involved in coaching Girls on the Run. Part of it is to provide them healthy snacks and I've had a good time with this. They love the watermelon and cantaloupe from the farm share, but what they really talk about are the zucchini muffins. They've even requested I bring those back. What I did instead was make these. They LOVED these. I didn't top with salt or sesame seeds; I did nutmeg. The girls had no clue what was in them and they devoured them. In fact, they were disappointed when I brought bananas the next time.


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My collection is divided into a number of colour categories and separate categories for Orchids and Gardens. Please select a category from the menu on the left.
Click on an image to select your print, made-to-measure frame and canvas options and then to purchase. All prices include postage and packaging.
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Education is the foundation to a good program and quality staff. Assisted Living Partners can provide education one on one or in a group setting.
- Nurse Regulatory Training
- Dementia Training
- Dependent Adult Abuse
- Assisted Living Regulatory Compliance
- Medication Administration Documentation
- Medicaid Elderly Waiver
- Infection Control in Assisted Living
- RN Delegation in Assisted Living


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Secrets for September are a South West progressive and folk influenced
formed in 2011.
Matthew North : Guitar, Bass, Keyboard's and Production
Matthew founded the band in 2010 with a view to just a recording project though it quickly expanded into a full gigging band. Matthew also has a solo career as well as being guitarist for Jazz composer Mike Westbrook.
|Ellie Taylor : Vocals
Ellie joined the band at the end of 2011 and within 24 hours of joining she played her first show with the band. Since then she has toured with the band all over the UK as well as creating most of the bands original artwork.
|Michael Soundy : Drums
Mike's first recording was cut live at the Royal Albert Hall when he was still at school and since then he has played in excess of 3000+ Gigs. A well known musician in the local circuit and well respected Drum teacher.
And with help from friends on recordings and live shows including:
Dave Holwill:
Roger O'Donnell: Moog Synths and Piano
Ben Tallamy: Flute
Lee-Anne Burgess: Bass, currently member of Northern Light Exposure
Andrew Leigh:Bass


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The old saying 'information is power' could not be more true today. The information we house in our databases is used to do everything from getting a better understanding of our customer, providing a better customer experience, improving operational efficiency and ensuring more informed business decisions.
The desire for data and data-driven insight has proliferated across our businesses. In fact, the concept has become so important that 97 percent of U.S. companies feel driven to turn data into insight. Behind this drive are customers: Companies want to better understand their customer needs so they can find more of them and increase the value of existing clients.
All of that drive for data puts data scientists and data managers in a great position. They are helping to influence some of the most strategic decisions and operations across the business. However, with that increased importance also comes new challenges. There is far more pressure for information to be accurate, consolidated and complete. Otherwise, insight will either take too long to obtain or will be inaccurate. The lack of expertise in the market and resources for staffing is creating gaps in data insight.
Current staffing for data management
Most data practitioners are not operating in an environment that reflects the growing need for data insight. Information is stored across multiple data systems that may vary by department or business unit. In addition, data management processes and technology can vary greatly across each system. The challenge is that many of today's data initiatives are not siloed within one department, but they affect the entire organization.
The staffing structure around data is no different. According to a recent Experian Data Quality study, just 35 percent of global companies say information is reviewed and maintained centrally by a single director. The research also found that 63 percent of organizations lack a coherent, centralized approach to their data quality strategy. More commonly, companies report that there is some centralization, but that many departments still adopt their own data quality strategy.
More companies are starting to have centralized practices, but it is moving very slowly. In the past year, there has been a slight increase in the number of companies with central ownership, but it is extremely modest considering the reliance organizations place on data. While there will always be manipulation of the data on a departmental level, central ownership is needed in terms of governance and master data management.
This centralization is also timing with the proliferation of the CDO. Today, most of those organizations who manage data quality centrally either have it managed by the CDO, CIO or CTO.
There is certainly a case for adding a CDO to the organization, especially considering the value of data and the benefit of having someone to take responsibility for the quality, standards, meaning, security, metrics, integration and coordination of data among the various divisions. This role is really designed to bridge the gap between technology and business needs, which is greatly needed in today's data environment. This role will continue to become more prevalent over the next several years as an increased degree of centralization is needed.
A lack of centralization causes problems
A lack of central governance is creating a high degree of inaccurate information. Ninety-two percent of organizations suspect their customer and prospect data might be inaccurate in some way. The percentage of inaccurate data has actually been going up over the past several years. On average, respondents globally think 26 percent of their total data might be inaccurate. In the U.S., that average goes up to 32 percent.
That high degree of inaccurate information obviously has negative impacts on organizations that are hungry for data-driven insight. It affects their customer service, operational efficiency, market intelligence and even the bottom line.
All of these errors are not happening despite investment in data management. Eighty-eight percent of companies have some sort of data quality solution in place today. In addition, 84 percent of companies are looking to invest in some sort of data quality solution in the next year.
Companies are investing in technology, but they are lacking investment in strategy and people. A lack of centralization is causing organizations to invest in departmental silos and have different types of data management tools and data governance strategies across the organization.
Advancing the data agenda
Investing in the right data management organization is critical for data insight. Having a central data owner, like a CDO, supported by data stewards, data scientists, business analysts, information architects, etc, will have a dramatic impact on ensuring information is fit for purpose across the organization.
Consistent data processes and data management tools can be implemented under a single owner, enabling information to be consistently maintained, standardized and validated across the organization.
Central strategies promote proactive techniques, enabling organizations to understand what common problems that occur and allows for root cause analysis on how those errors can be fixed. It also allows the business to more strategically invest in technology that ensures consistently across the organization.
Investing in staff is so important that it even affects the bottom line. A recent Experian Data Quality study revealed that more companies who have enjoyed a significant increase in profits in the last 12 months manage their data quality strategy in a centralized way with ownership resting with a single director.
As you approach data insight in 2015, it is very important that time and energy is spent thinking about staffing appropriately. While departmental manipulation of data is very important and business users will increasingly want to access data-as-a-service, central data management groups need to be put in place to ensure the right governance and quality exists over the data.
For more information, be sure to download our 2015 data quality benchmark report.
Recent items


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This post, like many of the blog posts I've taken on in the past, starts off with one great idea and then veers off into an unexpected direction never to find its way back to the original plan. This was supposed to be a fantastic, informative and visually stunning post about which type of wine glass is the best for each specific wine varietal….
What's on My Bar: Jon Decker
The home bar is a difficult beast. It's expensive. Especially if you live in Washington state like me (hello, eight extra tax bucks on a $25 bottle). Also, it's temporary. If you live in a house with a bunch of thirsty roommates, I can tell you from experience, your bar is a mirage.
And it can become a bit of an obsession. I consider mine…
How to Make Pre-Mixed Party Cocktails
Hosting a party is a lot of work. The planning, the trip to the store, the trip back to the store to pick up the ice that you forgot the first time, the extinction-level cleanup that follows—it's all a bit much. I'd much rather meet up at the local drinking hole—or, better yet, some other schmuck's house. Still, I have been known to host the…
Top Gifts for the Bar as Picked by our Barware Buyer
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For the wine lover's bar
Wine Glass Writers
So you might be thinking,"why would I…
Thanksgiving Cocktail: The Boulevardier
If you're anything like me, you find Thanksgiving a little exhausting. Don't get me wrong—I enjoy the meal and the camaraderie as much as everyone else. It's the endless prep followed by the apocalyptic cleanup that gets to me.
Weeks of meal planning, solid days of cooking, mountains of dirty dishes—this level of hassle suggests—nay, requires!—a post-meal libation. Something strong enough to defray the toll…


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Saker: I wondered myself about where the ambassador's security was?I should have said attempted to kill an inconvenient Pope- that attempt failed to end the Pope's life.
However as I listened yesterday to RT's coverage as this unfolded, one man stated, there is no such thing as 100 percent security Much the same as life.
Saker 'Some will correctly say that the fall of Aleppo is a humiliating defeat for Turkey and Erdogan, and I agree"
Then you would be 100 percent mistaken. Aleppos liberation (interesting that you use 'fall'?) came about through a deal between Turkey and Russia- There was mainstream media coverage on this- albeit very little of it- except at my blog apparently?
Turkey intentionally encouraged 'discontent' in the ranks- No supplies etc-
This deal between Russia and Turkey was first reported on in October of this year
With subsequent follow ups
The US was less then happy about Russia and Turkey's cooperation. As was Israel.
Especially galling was the tripartite meeting today between Russia, Turkey and Iran to settle up the Syrian issue.
Putin "This murder is clearly a provocation aimed at undermining the improvement and normalization of Russian-Turkish relations, as well as undermining the peace process in Syria promoted by Russia, Turkey, Iran and other countries interested in settling the conflict in Syria"
Lone Wolf- no way
Erdogan- no way
Saker "Putin will do nothing harsh regardless of who is behind this murder"
Nothing harsh, just retribution on the QT
Putin "The killers will feel it"
I lean towards CIA/Gulen-
Infiltration of the police forces – well known
CIA/Gulen connection- well known
Second choice Grey Wolves/NATO
After all it was a Grey Wolf that killed an inconvenient Pope
11 days before the assassination Turkey's Akbanks was hacked via the SWIFT system
*Turkey's Akbank faces $4 million hit from attempted cyber heist
Hackers targeted Turkey's Akbank via the SWIFT global money transfer system in an attack which the bank said had not compromised customer data but would cost it up to $4 million.
$81 million heist from the Bangladesh central bank.Banks globally face a growing threat from cyber attacks, more of which have succeeded since February's
It was not immediately clear how much, if any, money had been stolen from Akbank, Turkey's third-largest listed bank by assets and it would not give any further details beyond confirming it had been targeted in a SWIFT attack on Dec. 8.11 days before the assassination- would 4 million dollars help to pay for an assassination?
Akbank said in a statement on Thursday it had immediately taken preventive measures and informed authorities, that its systems were working properly and there was no loss to customers.
"This has no impact on Akbank's operations or financials. The maximum risk Akbank would face is $4 million," it said, adding that any potential losses would be covered by insurance.SYSTEMIC SWIFT
SWIFT, a Belgium-based co-operative owned by both central banks and commercial banks, said it had "no indication that our network and core messaging services have been compromised".
Founded in 1973, SWIFT operates a secure messaging network that has been considered reliable in handling trillions of dollars in daily fund transfers.Anonymous commenter mentioned the hack on the Bangladesh Bank having insider connections.
But recent attacks involving criminals sending fraudulent payment instructions after gaining access to a bank's SWIFT interface, either by hacking or with the co-operation of local bank staff, underscore how its role as the backbone of international banking also presents a systemic risk.
-It's entirely possible the Turkish bank was cyber heisted with the cooperation of local bank staff.
So we have 4 million dollars removed electronically from a Turkish bank- where did it go?
Because that money went somewhere......
|Flag-wrapped coffin of late Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov is carried to a plane during a ceremony at Esenboga airport in Ankara, Turkey, December 20, 2016
** Pepe @ RT
" Let's cut to the chase: Ankara 2016 is not Sarajevo 1914. This is not a prelude to WWIII. Whoever plotted the assassination of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov – a cool, calm, collected old-school diplomat - risks a mighty blowbackThe source for the return claim is Hurriyet - It's an unsubstantiated claim- with no attribution. I've taken issue with Hurriyet's reporting on a number of occasions and have stated that very clearly here at the blog. Hurriyet = Fars: I have trouble with the credibility of both sources and require multiple verifications to take either place seriously. Original reporting from TASS had him removed. That's where it's staying for me. thanks :)
The assassin, Mevlut Mert Altintas, was a 22-year-old police academy graduate. He was suspended from the Turkish National Police (TNP) over suspected links to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO) after the failed July 15 putsch against Erdogan but returned to duty in November" (questionable)
"It's no secret Gulenists heavily infiltrate the TNP; so a particular outcome of the attack will be an, even more, relentless Erdogan/AKP crackdown on the Gulen network. The Turkish investigation will have to focus not only on the (major) security service fail at Ankara's modern art center – but way beyond. It's not very reassuring that Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu put out a terse statement a very long three hours after the facts.
The killer in a black suit and tie shouted slogans about revenge "for Aleppo" – the requisite "Allahu Akbar" included – in both Turkish and broken Arabic, something that might establish a connection to an Islamist group's rhetoric, although that's not conclusive evidence.
Timing is crucial. The hit happened only one day before the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Turkey and Iran were scheduled to meet in Moscow for a key Syria strategic discussion. They were already closely in touch for the past few weeks on how to strike a comprehensive deal on Aleppo – and beyond.
And this right after the crucial, previously established Putin-Erdogan agreement, which implied no less than thousands of "moderate rebels" responding to Turkey's commands being able to use a "corridor" out of Aleppo. Ankara was fully on board with the plan. That in itself eliminates the possibility of an Ankara-provoked false flag"As readers here know- Turkey and Russia had a deal on Aleppo- it's mentioned in the comment I left at Saker's- I blogged on it in Ocotober of this year and a couple times afterwards. Turkey was on board 100 percent with the deal- No possibility of an Ankara false flag
"President Putin for his part made it very clear he wants to be informed on who "directed" the killer. That's something that could be interpreted as subtle code for Russian intel already very much in the know"Coincidentally??... Connected??? There was another murder yesterday.. A man from the Russian Foreign Ministry.....
AnonymousDecember 19, 2016 at 4:58 PM
The head of one of the departments of the Russian Foreign Ministry found shot dead in Moscow, according to the source REN TV journalists. Officially, this information is not confirmed in the department.
His body with a gunshot wound to the head was found in the apartment. According to some reports, the site of two shells from a traumatic gun found. The gun was found under the sink in the kitchen. Novosti
The Big Picture
"On the bilateral front, Moscow and Ankara are now working close together on counter-terrorism. Turkey's defense minister was invited to Russia for anti-air defense system negotiations. Bilateral trade is booming again, including the creation of a joint investment fund. On the all-important energy front, Turkish Stream, despite the Obama administration's obsession about its derailment, became the subject of state law in Ankara earlier this month.
Atlanticists are appalled that Moscow, Ankara and Tehran are now fully engaged in designing a post-Battle of Aleppo Syrian future, to the graphic exclusion of the NATO-GCC combo.
It's under this context that the recent alleged capture of a bunch of NATO-GCC operatives – deployed under the US-led-from-behind "coalition" - by Syrian Special Forces in Aleppo must be interpreted.
Syrian member of Parliament Fares Shehabi, the head of the Chamber of Commerce in Aleppo, published the names of the apprehended coalition officers; most are Saudi; there's one Qatari; the presence of one Moroccan and one Jordanian is explained by the fact Morocco and Jordan are "unofficial" GCC members.
And then there's one Turk, one American (David Scott Winer) and one Israeli. So NATO shows up only via two operatives, but the NATO-GCC link is more than established. If this information proceeds – and that's still a big "if" - these may well be coalition military personnel and field commanders, formerly advising "moderate rebels" and now a formidable bargaining chip in the hands of Damascus.
Both NATO and GCC remain absolutely mum; not even non-denial denials have materialized. That might imply a made in the shade deal for the release of the high-value prisoners, further strengthening Damascus' grip.
It was President Putin who all but established a de facto Russia-Iran-Turkey axis dealing with facts on the Syrian ground – in parallel to the rhetoric-heavy, zero-solution UN charade going on in Geneva. Moscow diplomatically emphasizes that the work of the axis complement Geneva. In fact, it's the only reality-based work. And it's supposed to sign and seal definitive parameters on the ground before Donald Trump enters the White House.
In a nutshell; the five-year (and running) NATO-GCC combo's multi-billion dollar regime change project in Syria all but miserably failed. Wily Erdogan seems to have learned his realpolitik lesson. On the Atlanticist front nevertheless, that opens myriad avenues to channel geopolitical resentment.
The Big Picture couldn't be more absolutely unbearable for neocon/neoliberalcon Atlanticists. Ankara slowly but surely is veering the Eurasianist way; bye bye to the EU, and eventually NATO; welcome to the New Silk Roads, a.k.a. the China-driven One Belt, One Road (OBOR); the Russia-driven Eurasia Economic Union (EEU); the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO); the Russia-China strategic partnership; and Turkey as a key hub in Eurasia integration.Russia, Turkey & Iran ready to be guarantors in resolving Syrian crisis – Russian defense minister https://t.co/DuXf0RVXiXpic.twitter.com/gGesoc1MzT— RT (@RT_com) December 20, 2016
For all that to happen, Erdogan has concluded Ankara must be on board the Russia-China-Iran long-term strategy to pacify and rebuild Syria and make it a key hub as well of the New Silk Roads. Between that and an "alliance" of fleeting interests with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the US, it's certainly a no-brainer."
"But make no mistake. There will be blood"I would say there will be more blood
I'm going to be straightforward here with all readers- I do not believe and have no reason to believe this incident was faked. There are claims that the Ambassador was shot as many as eight times. This is false. RT reported live yesterday the Ambassdor took 2 shots- Two shots from behind.
WSJ verifies:
The video taken at the event shows Mr. Karlov at the podium surrounded by framed artwork and then physically flinching when two gunshots are fired at him apparently from behind.Video footage-


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Cirrus Model 400
More information: https://www.zeiss.com/content/dam/Meditec/us/download/certified-pre-owned-systems/Cirrus400Brochure__NewSoftwarePackage_CIR.3607.pdf Not all products, services or offers on this channel are approved or offered in every market and approved labeling and instructions may vary from one country to another. For information and products intended for U.S. audiences only, please visit www.youtube.com/channel/UCKGhn4148mQe18cNLfa8yMw/featured Cirrus HD-OCT Model 400 gives you proven Cirrus performance and diagnostics for comprehensive patient care at an affordable price. Live OCT Fundus™ technology provides the fundus image with the OCT scanner only, as shown below. Comes standard with version 5.1 software and Intel® Core™ 2 Quad processor with 2 GB of RAM. The Enhanced HD Raster Scan feature is not currently available for the Model 400.