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Running runbooks on a Hybrid Runbook Worker
There's no difference in the structure of runbooks that run in Azure Automation and runbooks that run on a Hybrid Runbook Worker. Runbooks that you use with each most likely differ significantly. This difference is because runbooks that target a Hybrid Runbook Worker typically manage resources on the local computer itself or against resources in the local environment where it's deployed. Runbooks in Azure Automation typically manage resources in the Azure cloud.
When you author runbooks to run on a Hybrid Runbook Worker, you should edit and test the runbooks within the machine that hosts the Hybrid worker. The host machine has all of the PowerShell modules and network access you need to manage and access the local resources. Once a runbook is tested on the Hybrid worker machine, you can then upload it to the Azure Automation environment where it's available to run in the Hybrid worker. It's important to know that jobs that run under the Local System account for Windows or a special user account
nxautomation on Linux. On Linux, this means that you must ensure that the
nxautomation account has access to the location where you store your modules. When you use the Install-Module cmdlet, specify AllUsers to the
-Scope parameter to confirm that the
nxautomation account has access.
For more information on PowerShell on Linux, see Known Issues for PowerShell on Non-Windows Platforms.
Starting a runbook on Hybrid Runbook Worker
Starting a Runbook in Azure Automation describes different methods for starting a runbook. Hybrid Runbook Worker adds a RunOn option where you can specify the name of a Hybrid Runbook Worker Group. When a group is specified, then the runbook is retrieved and run by one of the workers in that group. If this option isn't specified, then it's run in Azure Automation as normal.
When you start a runbook in the Azure portal, you're presented with a Run on option where you can select Azure or Hybrid Worker. If you select Hybrid Worker, then you can select the group from a dropdown.
Use the RunOn parameter. You can use the following command to start a runbook named Test-Runbook on a Hybrid Runbook Worker Group named MyHybridGroup using Windows PowerShell.
Start-AzureRmAutomationRunbook –AutomationAccountName "MyAutomationAccount" –Name "Test-Runbook" -RunOn "MyHybridGroup"
The RunOn parameter was added to the Start-AzureAutomationRunbook cmdlet in version 0.9.1 of Microsoft Azure PowerShell. You should download the latest version if you have an earlier one installed. You only need to install this version on a workstation where you are starting the runbook from PowerShell. You do not need to install it on the worker computer unless you intend to start runbooks from that computer"
Runbook permissions
Runbooks running on a Hybrid Runbook Worker can't use the same method that is typically used for runbooks authenticating to Azure resources, since they're accessing resources not in Azure. The runbook can either provide its own authentication to local resources, or can configure authentication using managed identities for Azure resources. You can also specify a RunAs account to provide a user context for all runbooks.
Runbook authentication
By default, runbooks run in the context of the Local System account for Windows and a special user account
nxautomation for Linux on the on-premises computer, so they must provide their own authentication to resources that they access.
You can use Credential and Certificate assets in your runbook with cmdlets that allow you to specify credentials so you can authenticate to different resources. The following example shows a portion of a runbook that restarts a computer. It retrieves credentials from a credential asset and the name of the computer from a variable asset and then uses these values with the Restart-Computer cmdlet.
$Cred = Get-AutomationPSCredential -Name "MyCredential"
$Computer = Get-AutomationVariable -Name "ComputerName"
Restart-Computer -ComputerName $Computer -Credential $Cred
You can also use InlineScript, which allows you to run blocks of code on another computer with credentials, which are specified by the PSCredential common parameter.
RunAs account
By default the Hybrid Runbook Worker uses Local System for Windows and a special user account
nxautomation for Linux to execute runbooks. Instead of having runbooks provide their own authentication to local resources, you can specify a RunAs account for a Hybrid worker group. You specify a credential asset that has access to local resources, including certificate stores and all runbooks run under these credentials when running on a Hybrid Runbook Worker in the group.
The user name for the credential must be in one of the following formats:
- domain\username
- username@domain
- username (for accounts local to the on-premises computer)
Use the following procedure to specify a RunAs account for a Hybrid worker group:
- Create a credential asset with access to local resources.
- Open the Automation account in the Azure portal.
- Select the Hybrid Worker Groups tile, and then select the group.
- Select All settings and then Hybrid worker group settings.
- Change Run As from Default to Custom.
- Select the credential and click Save.
Managed Identities for Azure Resources
Hybrid Runbook Workers running on Azure virtual machines can use managed identities for Azure resources to authenticate to Azure resources. There are many benefits to using managed identities for Azure resources over Run As accounts.
- No need to export the Run As certificate and then import it to Hybrid Runbook Worker
- No need to renew the certificate used by the Run As account
- No need to handle the Run As connection object in your runbook code
To use a managed identity for Azure resources on a Hybrid Runbook worker, you need to complete the following steps:
- Create an Azure VM
- Configure managed identities for Azure resources on your VM
- Grant your VM access to a resource group in Resource Manager tutorial-windows-vm-access-arm.md#get-an-access-token-using-the-vms-system-assigned-managed-identity-and-use-it-to-call-azure-resource-manager)
- Install the Windows Hybrid Runbook Worker on the virtual machine.
Once the preceding steps are complete, you can use
Connect-AzureRmAccount -Identity in the runbook to authenticate to Azure resources. This configuration reduces the need to use a Run As Account and manage the certificate for the Run As account.
# Connect to Azure using the Managed identities for Azure resources identity configured on the Azure VM that is hosting the hybrid runbook worker
Connect-AzureRmAccount -Identity
# Get all VM names from the subscription
Get-AzureRmVm | Select Name
Connect-AzureRMAccount -Identity works for a Hybrid Runbook Worker using a system assigned identity and a single user assigned identity. If you need to use multiple user assigned identities on the HRW, you must specify the
-AccountId parameter to select the specific user assigned identity.
Automation Run As account
As part of your automated build process for deploying resources in Azure, you may require access to on-premises systems to support a task or set of steps in your deployment sequence. To support authentication against Azure using the Run As account, you need to install the Run As account certificate.
The following PowerShell runbook, Export-RunAsCertificateToHybridWorker, exports the Run As certificate from your Azure Automation account and downloads and imports it into the local machine certificate store on a Hybrid worker, which is connected to the same account. Once that step is completed, it verifies the worker can successfully authenticate to Azure using the Run As account.
.GUID 3a796b9a-623d-499d-86c8-c249f10a6986
.AUTHOR Azure Automation Team
.COMPANYNAME Microsoft
.TAGS Azure Automation
Exports the Run As certificate from an Azure Automation account to a hybrid worker in that account.
This runbook exports the Run As certificate from an Azure Automation account to a hybrid worker in that account.
Run this runbook in the hybrid worker where you want the certificate installed.
This allows the use of the AzureRunAsConnection to authenticate to Azure and manage Azure resources from runbooks running in the hybrid worker.
AUTHOR: Azure Automation Team
# Generate the password used for this certificate
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Web -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Out-Null
$Password = [System.Web.Security.Membership]::GeneratePassword(25, 10)
# Stop on errors
$ErrorActionPreference = 'stop'
# Get the management certificate that will be used to make calls into Azure Service Management resources
$RunAsCert = Get-AutomationCertificate -Name "AzureRunAsCertificate"
# location to store temporary certificate in the Automation service host
$CertPath = Join-Path $env:temp "AzureRunAsCertificate.pfx"
# Save the certificate
$Cert = $RunAsCert.Export("pfx",$Password)
Set-Content -Value $Cert -Path $CertPath -Force -Encoding Byte | Write-Verbose
Write-Output ("Importing certificate into $env:computername local machine root store from " + $CertPath)
$SecurePassword = ConvertTo-SecureString $Password -AsPlainText -Force
Import-PfxCertificate -FilePath $CertPath -CertStoreLocation Cert:\LocalMachine\My -Password $SecurePassword -Exportable | Write-Verbose
# Test that authentication to Azure Resource Manager is working
$RunAsConnection = Get-AutomationConnection -Name "AzureRunAsConnection"
Connect-AzureRmAccount `
-ServicePrincipal `
-TenantId $RunAsConnection.TenantId `
-ApplicationId $RunAsConnection.ApplicationId `
-CertificateThumbprint $RunAsConnection.CertificateThumbprint | Write-Verbose
Set-AzureRmContext -SubscriptionId $RunAsConnection.SubscriptionID | Write-Verbose
# List automation accounts to confirm Azure Resource Manager calls are working
Get-AzureRmAutomationAccount | Select-Object AutomationAccountName
Add-AzureRmAccount is now an alias for Connect-AzureRMAccount. When searching your library items, if you do not see Connect-AzureRMAccount, you can use Add-AzureRmAccount, or you can update your modules in your Automation Account.
Save the Export-RunAsCertificateToHybridWorker runbook to your computer with a
.ps1 extension. Import it into your Automation account and edit the runbook, changing the value of the variable
$Password with your own password. Publish and then run the runbook. Target the Hybrid Worker group that will run and authenticate runbooks using the Run As account. The job stream reports the attempt to import the certificate into the local machine store, and follows with multiple lines. This behavior depends on how many Automation accounts you define in your subscription and if authentication is successful.
Job behavior
Jobs are handled slightly different on Hybrid Runbook Workers than they're when they run on Azure sandboxes. One key difference is that there's no limit on job duration on Hybrid Runbook Workers. Runbooks ran in Azure sandboxes are limited to 3 hours because of fair share. For a long-running runbook, you want to make sure that it's resilient to possible restart. For example, if the machine that hosts the Hybrid worker reboots. If the Hybrid worker host machine reboots, then any running runbook job restarts from the beginning, or from the last checkpoint for PowerShell Workflow runbooks. After a runbook job is restarted more than 3 times, then it's suspended.
Run only signed Runbooks
Hybrid Runbook Workers can be configured to run only signed runbooks with some configuration. The following section describes how to set up your Hybrid Runbook Workers to run signed Windows Hybrid Runbook Worker and Linux Hybrid Runbook Worker
Once you have configured a Hybrid Runbook Worker to run only signed runbooks, runbooks that have not been signed will fail to execute on the worker.
Windows Hybrid Runbook Worker
Create Signing Certificate
The following example creates a self-signed certificate that can be used for signing runbooks. The sample creates the certificate and exports it. The certificate is imported into the Hybrid Runbook Workers later. The thumbprint is returned as well, this value is used later to reference the certificate.
# Create a self-signed certificate that can be used for code signing
$SigningCert = New-SelfSignedCertificate -CertStoreLocation cert:\LocalMachine\my `
-Subject "CN=contoso.com" `
-KeyAlgorithm RSA `
-KeyLength 2048 `
-Provider "Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider" `
-KeyExportPolicy Exportable `
-KeyUsage DigitalSignature `
-Type CodeSigningCert
# Export the certificate so that it can be imported to the hybrid workers
Export-Certificate -Cert $SigningCert -FilePath .\hybridworkersigningcertificate.cer
# Import the certificate into the trusted root store so the certificate chain can be validated
Import-Certificate -FilePath .\hybridworkersigningcertificate.cer -CertStoreLocation Cert:\LocalMachine\Root
# Retrieve the thumbprint for later use
Configure the Hybrid Runbook Workers
Copy the certificate created to each Hybrid Runbook Worker in a group. Run the following script to import the certificate and configure the Hybrid Worker to use signature validation on runbooks.
# Install the certificate into a location that will be used for validation.
New-Item -Path Cert:\LocalMachine\AutomationHybridStore
Import-Certificate -FilePath .\hybridworkersigningcertificate.cer -CertStoreLocation Cert:\LocalMachine\AutomationHybridStore
# Import the certificate into the trusted root store so the certificate chain can be validated
Import-Certificate -FilePath .\hybridworkersigningcertificate.cer -CertStoreLocation Cert:\LocalMachine\Root
# Configure the hybrid worker to use signature validation on runbooks.
Set-HybridRunbookWorkerSignatureValidation -Enable $true -TrustedCertStoreLocation "Cert:\LocalMachine\AutomationHybridStore"
Sign your Runbooks using the certificate
With the Hybrid Runbook workers configured to use only signed runbooks, you must sign runbooks that are to be used on the Hybrid Runbook Worker. Use the following sample PowerShell to sign your runbooks.
$SigningCert = ( Get-ChildItem -Path cert:\LocalMachine\My\<CertificateThumbprint>)
Set-AuthenticodeSignature .\TestRunbook.ps1 -Certificate $SigningCert
When the runbook has been signed, it must be imported into your Automation Account and published with the signature block. To learn how to import runbooks, see Importing a runbook from a file into Azure Automation.
Linux Hybrid Runbook Worker
To sign runbooks on a Linux Hybrid Runbook Worker, your Hybrid Runbook Worker needs to have the GPG executable present on the machine.
Create a GPG keyring and keypair
To create the keyring and keypair you'll need to use the Hybrid Runbook Worker account
sudo to sign in as the
nxautomation account.
sudo su – nxautomation
Once using the
nxautomation account, generate the gpg keypair.
sudo gpg --generate-key
GPG will guide you through the steps to create the keypair. You'll need to provide a name, an email address, expiration time, passphrase, and wait for enough entropy on the machine for the key to be generated.
Because the GPG directory was generated with sudo, you need to change its owner to
Run the following command to change the owner.
sudo chown -R nxautomation ~/.gnupg
Make the keyring available the Hybrid Runbook Worker
Once the keyring is created, you'll need to make it available to the Hybrid Runbook Worker. Modify the settings file
/var/opt/microsoft/omsagent/state/automationworker/diy/worker.conf to include the following example under the section
gpg_public_keyring_path = /var/opt/microsoft/omsagent/run/.gnupg/pubring.kbx
Verify signature validation is on
If signature validation has been disabled on the machine, you'll need to turn it on. Run the following command to enable signature validation. Replacing
<LogAnalyticsworkspaceId> with your workspace ID.
sudo python /opt/microsoft/omsconfig/modules/nxOMSAutomationWorker/DSCResources/MSFT_nxOMSAutomationWorkerResource/automationworker/scripts/require_runbook_signature.py --true <LogAnalyticsworkspaceId>
Sign a runbook
Once signature validation is configured, you can use the following command to sign a runbook:
gpg –-clear-sign <runbook name>
The signed runbook will have the name
<runbook name>.asc.
The signed runbook can now be uploaded to Azure Automation, and can be executed like a regular runbook.
Next steps
- To learn more about the different methods that can be used to start a runbook, see Starting a Runbook in Azure Automation.
- To understand the different ways to work with PowerShell runbooks in Azure Automation using the textual editor, see Editing a Runbook in Azure Automation
- If your runbooks aren't completing successfully, review the troubleshooting guide on runbook execution failures.
- For more information on PowerShell, including language reference and learning modules, refer to the PowerShell Docs.
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New Delhi [India], Feb 20 (ANI): United States President Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., is coming to India with business and foreign policy on mind.
The executive vice-director of Trump Organisation is scheduled to arrive in India on his maiden visit on Tuesday.
During the week-long trip, Donald Trump Jr. will not only endorse his luxurious residential project-Trump Towers, but he is scheduled to deliver a speech on foreign policy in India.
Trump Jr. will meet with Indian investors and business leaders in Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune and Gurugram respectively, The Washington Post reported.
The eldest son of Donald Trump has already advertised himself prior to his visit.
Full-page advertisements in Indian newspapers on Monday invited prospective investors to buy into the Trump Organisation's project in Gurugram to join Donald Trump Jr at a dinner later this week.
"Trump has arrived. Have you?" read the advertisement, inviting buyers to book their apartments in Trump Towers by Wednesday "for a conversation and dinner" with Trump Jr on Friday. An advertisement in newspapers on Sunday read, "Trump is here. Are you invited?"
Trump Jr. will also deliver his maiden speech in India where he will speak on "Reshaping Indo-Pacific Ties: The New Era of Cooperation" at a global business summit on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will also be present, will speak at the summit on the topic of "Preparing India for the Future."
In the US, some experts have pointed out the conflict of interests during Donald Trump Jr.'s India visit.
"The planned speech by Trump Jr. has renewed conflict of interest concerns, with some questioning why the US President's son will be lecturing on foreign policy while simultaneously trying to hawk his family business's lavish new condominiums," The Washington Post reported.
"News that the Trump Organisation would be offering buyers in the Trump Tower the chance to meet the president's son sparked criticism of potential conflict of interest, and the fact that Trump Jr. will be giving a foreign policy speech while on a private business trip complicates the matter further", The Washington Post quoted ethics expert as saying.
Trump Jr. will also visit Kolkata, where the construction of a project with 137 luxury units will begin soon.
Talking about his trip earlier this month, Trump Jr. said, "India is such an incredible country and our brand has enjoyed tremendous success in the region for many years. This trip is a celebration of all we have achieved, including the launch of the Trump developments in Kolkata and Delhi which have been underway for many months."
According to business partners in India, many units in the Trump Towers are selling about 30 percent per square foot higher than the current market rates. Trump Jr.'s visit to India is expected to reinforce the trend.
India is Trump Organisation's biggest international market, with four real estate projects underway in Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, and Gurugram.
Trump Jr.'s visit to India comes after his sister, Ivanka, visited Hyderabad in November last year to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. (GES) (ANI)

subset: commoncrawl


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Every year Brewster Academy has a roster stocked with some of the best prospects throughout the country. This year, they have taken it up a notch, and may just have the most talented team in the nation. Key additions to Brewster Academy include NC State commit Jalen Lecque, Ohio State commit Alonzo Gaffney, Texas commit Kai Jones, four-star Anthony Walker, four-star Jamal Mashburn Jr., ESPN's 2nd best prospect in the class of 2021 Terrence Clarke, Zane Meeks and Davit Kakushadze. The only main piece for Brewster returning is Cal-Berkeley commit Joel Brown. The goal for the Bobcats is to win the National Prep Championship, and it's safe to say that they are in good shape to do just that.
This is one of the most difficult teams in the country to determine who the star is. With talents like Lecque, Gaffney, and Jones you could make an argument for each of them. Lecque will bring the most star power of the group, and according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, he's seriously thinking about skipping college to go straight to the NBA next spring. With his speed and athleticism, Lecque has the ability to get to anywhere he needs to on the court. He continues to develop as a player and is starting to fit in really well with this year's team. Brewster Academy always draws a lot of attention, but Lecque should bring even more than normal this season.
Brewster Academy heads into this season with yet another stacked roster, but this one is special. With prospects like Jalen Lecque, Alonzo Gaffney, Kai Jones and more they are one of the most talented teams throughout the nation. Gaffney is as versatile as they come and gives Brewster more options on offense. Texas commit Kai Jones is a special talent and still has so much room to grow with his size and athleticism. Miami commit Anthony Walker is a matchup problem similar to Gaffney is for opponents. Head coach Jason Smith will rely on senior guard Joel Brown to be this team's leader.
"Joel Brown is very similar to Donovan Mitchell in that he's someone that everyone in our community looks up to," Smith said. "He's a great role model to students in our community and has been a great leader to all the newcomers in our program. He's told them how you act in the community and how you work every day on the court, weight room and more."
It doesn't end there for Brewster as they have debatably the number one sophomore in the country in Terrance Clarke, a high major junior guard in Jamal Mashburn Jr. and two division one prospects in seniors Davit Kakushadze and Zane Meeks.
Brewster Academy has the talent to be regarded as the top post-graduate program throughout the nation. One thing you can guarantee is that Head coach Jason Smith will have his group ready as they will face a rigorous schedule. Smith loves having the talented players he has, but there is more to it than that. With past players like Donovan Mitchell, the Brewster community felt their impact beyond the court.
"I think that we have been very fortunate to have talented players through the years, but we don't sacrifice integrity and character for talent," he said. "Some of the players we have are not only talented players, but they are leaders on our campus. Everyone looks at the success Donovan Mitchell had asa rookie in the NBA, but people don't realize that he was also our student body president."
Smith isn't taking anything for granted this year and knows that each team they play will give their best effort.
"We need to be able to battle every game because for a lot of teams we will be the biggest game on their schedule," said Smith. "We can't show up and flip a switch, we have to bring it every year. The last thing you want is to be napping and have someone catch you on an off day. I'll rely on Joel Brown a great deal to get our guys ready for this year."


text:
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These Lexan fluid transfer vessels are used for low pressure applications, 100 to 500 psi. These transfer vessels
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Home Ec Express
Class Schedules
About Us
Call us: 805-462-1022
Website Designed
List Your Business for Free
Our goal is to make sewing FUN and inspire your creativity!
Here's what we are currently offering:
** It is Prom and Wedding Season- Please call early for your alteration appointments!
Introduction to Sewing
A fun and interactive 90-Minute Class designed help you to get to know your sewing machine and the basics of sewing.
You will learn:
* Parts of the sewing machine
* How to thread and use your machine
* Sewing Vocabulary and tools
* Basic sewing theory
You do not need your own machine to come to this class. Please let us know if you need to borrow a machine
Dates Coming soon!
$15/per person
This class is limited to 10 participants
Beginning Sewing Level 1- The Apron Class
This is offered for both kids and adults!
For the kids and adults that have already taken Introduction to Sewing and understand the basics. In this class, sewers will be making an apron of their choice.
They will learn:
* How to prepare fabric
* How to Layout a pattern
* Grainlines and pattern symbols
* How to read a pattern guide
Supply list is provided after confirmed registration! Items will be needed for the first class!
Click Here to Register for this class now!
Introduction to Sewing-
This is a 3 part class in which your child will be making a pillow!
Your child will learn, at their level:
* Parts of the sewing machine
* How to thread and use your machine
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* Basic sewing theory
All sessions are 9:30am-12pm
$60/per child plus optional supplies
This class is limited to 8 participants-
Ages 7 and up
Click Here to Register for this class now!


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BNP Paribas report: Overview of the real estate market in Bucharest, at the end of H1 2009November 11, 2009 at 7:41 am | Posted in News from Members | Leave a comment
Tags: BNP Paribas, Bucharest, real estate, real estate market, Romania
The number of finalized residential units in Bucharest increased from 834 in H1 2008 to 1,041 in H1 2009, while in Ilfov County the residential units decreased by 13%, reaching 2,160 units shows a report elaborated by BNP Paribas Real Estate at the end of the first half of 2009.
Along with information on the general evolution of the real estate investments, integrated in the contemporary economic context, the evaluation lead by the real estate company focuses on the five dimensions of the market: office, residential, commercial industrial and land.
The authors of this report show that the pessimistic economic outlook and the negative general feeling of the real estate market have determined the contraction of the office segment. The office area finalized in H1 2009 was 17% smaller compared to the similar period of 2008, due to the delay with several months of projects proposed for delivery in H1 2009.
The worsening of the business environment for retailers was proved by the obvious decrease of the trade volume in the first semester of 2009 compared with the same period of 2008. The drop fluctuated between -1.5% in January and approximately -18% in June. The rise in supply registered during H1 2009 was a result of the completion of projects initiated before the economic crisis, when the local market was facing a strong imbalance between demand coming from international retailers and the available commercial units.
In H1 2009 the industrial segment was marked by the contraction of the leasing activity and low rhythm of completions. The majority of new modern facilities were medium-sized, with the logistic activities as main destination.
In the land sector, even in the context of diminishing asking prices there are still major discrepancies in price expectations between buyers and sellers. Except the landlords who are experiencing financial difficulties, the other owners are not willing to lower the price below a certain level.
The entire report is available for free download here.
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'Parks, countryside and walks around the borough.'
'We're a Rochdale based group of around 150 members and welcome anyone who enjoys walking to join us.'
'There's lots to do for you and the family throughout the year, including a regular programme of guided walks, special events, crafts and outdoor activities.'
Hollingworth Lake [Wikipedia]
Detailed description (2 October 2011) 'produced to (a) update the route around the Rochdale Way and (b) hopefully get more walkers / non walkers to enjoy the scenery / views around the Rochdale Borough. Whether for just for a few miles, or the full 45 miles. It follows where possible the original route of the Rochdale Way "a circular walk", created by Richard Catlow, John Cole and Martin Riley, the last update of which was the second edition in 2004 / 2005. At the present time Rochdale Council have no plans to produce any further updates ...'.
Steve Baker East Lancashire LDWA
'High in the Pennines above Wardle village, the area around Watergrove Reservoir includes walking trails with spectacular views, bird watching, fishing and a link to the Pennine Bridleway ...'
Watergrove Reservoir [United Utilities]
'Download resources including podscroll trails, audio trails, and maps to help you to explore the Watershed Landscape.'
Directory Statistics
To Add New Records
- *Oldham RamblersCategory: OldhamRecord Created:
- *Walking for Health - South SomersetCategory: South SomersetRecord Created:
- *LDWA - Bristol and WestCategory: BristolRecord Created:
- Fife Pilgrim WayCategory: FifeDistance (miles): 55Record Created:
- Glen Einich Shieling PathCategory: Inverness-shireDistance (miles): 9Record Created:


text:
"After only a few Network Albion Business Club events as a member, I already made some very good and promising business partnerships. The events are extremely well run, friendly and accommodating, with a large number of quality businesses to network with." Ross Stretton (RLS Recruitment)
"Network Albion Business Club is something which i look forward each month, it's fantastic seeing old faces along with new members that always provides us with new opportunities to help grow." Ricky Whiting (Nettl of Hove)
"I've found the business club an excellent way to meet like-minded professionals and those are often in senior positions." Nick Hale (Engage Healthcare)
"I always enjoy attending the Network Albion Business Club each month. It's a great venue, great breakfast, fantastic speakers and always well attended with both members and guests." Serena May (HR Dept)
"Really enjoyed speaking to a full house at Network Albion this morning about #Everest & my How Many Elephants project, plus I met some great people!" Holly Budge (August Guest Speaker)
"When asked by clients, sponsors and partners for supplier recommendations, we often utilise and recommend the Network Albion Business Club members'' Jack Joyce (Commercial & Hospitality Sales Executive, Brighton & Hove Albion FC)
"The Network My Club team make you feel very welcome and allow you the time to actually network! They always take a keen interest in your business and try to help you any way they can which I find very refreshing." John Levey (Best Vehicle Leasing)
"Network Albion Business Club events have become an essential part of my networking calendar in Brighton. The events are a very positive and enjoyable, and I've managed to easily develop some great relationships with my fellow members. I also love the fact that every month there are new guests in attendance, so there are always new people to meet!" Kathy Taylor (Sodexo Prestige - Brighton & Hove Albion's official catering partner)
"In today's fast-paced business environment, I was struck by the time and care the Network My Club team dedicated to getting to know our business and our objectives. I always look forward to catching up with regular faces every month as well as meeting new contacts and hearing from inspirational speakers who understand the business landscape in Brighton. Network My Club understand that it is people and relationships that help businesses grow. Fantastic food, great surroundings and the Amex is a really convenient location for us. It's my monthly work indulgence!" Serena Brooker (Hero IT Support)
"I was a little hesitant about going to a network group at the Amex as I wondered if it would be full of football lovers who just wanted to talk about football all morning! On arriving my fears were put to rest immediately. I was make to feel very welcome and there was a great mix of businesses represented in the room. Following that, I had no hesitation in joining the Network Albion Business Club. Since joining I have met some lovely people who I would not hesitate to recommend to my clients, friends or family should they have requirements for their services. I have also met some lovely new clients for my business. I really cannot recommend the Network Albion Business Club highly enough. I have brought along guests who in turn have also joined, we can't all be wrong!" Shirley Price (Yes Promo Products)
"Network My Club offers an excellent balance between interesting guest speakers, and allowing its members to promote their business to fellow members and guests. This is achieved with the opportunity for group announcements as well as informal networking opportunities over a coffee and a breakfast or lunch, creating a relaxed atmosphere where you can chat to fellow professionals, as well as a soon to be launched enhanced online hub for digital networking within and between the five current locations. There are also regular benefits of sporting events such as race days and match days at the various sporting venues." Tom Thompson (Arbor Cultural)
Interested in joining the Network Albion Business Club? Learn more about the benefits your company can receive here.


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Dear Danae,
If you weren't so sweet I could be jealous of you! Everytime I pass by you are somewhere in an amazing place having an amazing time! 🙂
Take care and keep me updated!
Note: This is part one of a series that highlights my time in India. I travelled there solo in the summer of 2010. Things have changed a lot, as have I, but here we go…
"Denny. Denny is easy to say. It's the name of a Bollywood star. But Danae?" The monk sitting behind me shakes his head, smiling and tsking a bit. "Different."
We're riding along one of Delhi's rushed roads, where cars and bikes, rickshaws and three-wheelers, jostle one another for minimal space. Horns blare – as they should, considering the number of "Horns, Please!" signs on the back of bumpers. A couple lorries roll past, stacked with bags of grain and casually reclining dark skinned men.
In the car with me are two men, Geshes (a high level Bon monk) at the Menri Monastery where I'll be heading tomorrow. They wear orange shirts and plum red skirts, shaved heads, smiles.
"Deeeeny." Muses the quieter Geshe, Soonum, with a wrinkle of his brow. "Dennny?"
"Don't worry about it. It's a weird name even in English."
So began my trip to Delhi. I'm staying with the Geshes at the Majnu Ka Tille Tibetan refugee center, perched in the northern edge of the city amid flies and old buildings.
My room has air conditioning, provided by a noisy box blowing cold air through the window ("Good for keeping away mosquitos," Geshe Samdup told me, prompting my non-Malaria-vaccinated self to deliberately freeze the entire night); and a shower consisting of a bucket. It works.
Leaving early this morning, I braved Delhi by traveling down to the Red Fort. The Red Fort, unfortunately, was closed. So I did the next best thing: I got lost.
This involved wandering through the city, past markets and street vendors. The flies are everywhere. Small booths offer crushed limes with ice, others dates, others still bits of meat covered in thin sheets of plastic and black flickering bugs. Every step brings a new smell: cumin, spice, sweet, dirt, garbage, rot. The heat pushes down oppressively, and bodies bumble past, always framed by the loud chaos of honking horns.
A young boy sprinted by on my left. Running beside him, about equal height, was a goat. He reached out and patted the goat's neck as they hurried forward, quickly lost in the crowd. Then there are chickens in cages, their wings like bits of straw; and baby chicks, fluffy and yellow. Food, sounds, noise. Chaos.
"Hello, ma'am. Good day ma'am." Mixing in with the sounds of horns and bartering were the charming calls of would-be suitors.
"Namaste, ma'am."
Now, after barely a few hours, I have returned to the much quieter corner of Delhi that is the Tibetan refugee center. I will drink tea and probably eat dinner again with the Geshes (who help me pick from plates with foreign names, ordering steamed bread and spicy dishes of noodles and sauce).
Tomorrow we make the eight hour drive up to Menri. There is flooding in the Northern part of India right now, but hopefully all will go well.
Until then, I'm going to go enjoy the chaos of this big city – or at least the chai tea it has to offer.
Love this. Keep us updated Deeny!


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The final step of any buying process is the shipping or delivery of the product to the customer. As this is very critical step, it needs some special treatment. No doubt that your store, its design, buying process and other options affect the user's experience but the customers comes back to you for next purchase, if you have delivered their products in an impressive way. This step is called as critical also because the delivery of the products from the online store is worldwide. You may receive an order from the same country or a different and far away country too. So, to deliver the product in its original condition and within the time frame is important.
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Extension facilitates user to define shipping rates as per product as well as per country.$79.00
Is the shipping cost provided by the shipping carriers are not suitable for your business? Create multiple shipping rules based on customer or product attributes.$103.00


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Pitchfork Festival starts today, live webcast includes Cloud Nothings, Schoolboy Q, Deafheaven, Giorgio Moroder, more
Pitchfork Festival 2013 (more by James Richards IV)
Pitchfork Festival is about to kick off in Chicago's Union Park today (7/18) and run through Sunday (7/20). If you're there, you might want to check the updated set times (sans Death Grips, The Julie Ruin and the late DJ Rashad (his collaborator DJ Spinn plays in his slot), but still with Earl Sweatshirt), and if you're not there, you can still enjoy some of the festivities from home.
Select sets will stream at Pitchfork.com (via LiveOne's CrowdSurfing platform) beginning at 4:35 PM CST today. Today's streaming sets include Giorgio Moroder, Sharon Van Etten, Hundred Waters and Neneh Cherry.
On Saturday and Sunday, streams begin at 1 PM, with Cloud Nothings, Ka, Danny Brown, Wild Beasts and Twin Peaks on Sat; and Real Estate, Schoolboy Q, Deafheaven and Mutual Benefit on Sun.
Full streaming schedule below…
Pitchfork Festival 2014 Streaming Schedule (CST)
4:35-5:25pm Neneh Cherry
3:30-4:20pm Hundred Waters
5:30-6:20pm Sharon Van Etten
7:20-8:20pm Giorgio Moroder
1:00-1:40pm Twin Peaks
2:30-3:15pm Wild Beasts
6:15-7:15pm Danny Brown
1:45-2:25pm Ka
3:20-4:10pm Cloud Nothings
1:00-1:40pm Mutual Benefit
2:30-3:15pm Deafheaven
4:15- 5:10pm Schoolboy Q
5:15-6:10pm Real Estate


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THE owners of a "filthy" cafe in the heart of Towneley Park where out of date food was stored unlabelled and left fermenting in dirty fridges have been ordered to pay almost £10,000 for a catalogue of food hygiene breaches.
Reedley Magistrates' Court was told that environmental health inspectors from Burnley Borough Council found dirty cloths and floors, insects, unrecognisable liquids, greasy, rusty equipment, and food debris when they visited The Stables Cafe on May 19th last year.
The Stables @ Townley Ltd, owned by the Faiz family for the last 10 years, was slapped with a fine and costs totalling £9,402. At an earlier hearing they had admitted contravening 26 hygiene regulations.
The council's principal legal officer Mrs Emma Barker told the court the cafe, which serves sandwiches, cakes and hot meals, had been provided with help from the council in relation to food safety following an earlier inspection.
But, during the routine check in 2011, inspectors found a cardboard box with out of date bread, crumpets and scones, several open bottles of HP sauce, which were dirty and sticky. In a first-floor kitchen they discovered dirty and greasy equipment, dirty ice in the freezer, leftover turkey and custard, and a "beige liquid, later identified as batter."
The court was told liquids kept in the fridge were "fermenting and separating."
Further inspection of the premises revealed another fridge covered in yellow liquid and lasagna, chilli con carne and shepherd's pie which were all out of date. There was also plaster missing in some areas of the kitchen and, in the staff toilet, inspectors discovered cigarette butts and ash on the floor.
Mrs Barker told the court there was also found to be a build-up of flies and insects, showing a lack of cleaning.
Miss Akeela Faiz, who was company secretary at the time of the breaches, apologised to magistrates and said a relative, who was managing the cafe on behalf of the family, had failed to ensure the appropriate food safety checks were carried out and insisted, since the inspection, the failings had been rectified.
She said her sister had now taken over the lease of the building and was continuing to run the cafe.
"We immediately stepped back into the business as a family and rectified the situation.
"We didn't visit the cafe as frequently as we should have done. All the food safety processes were in place but the manager didn't continue. He just wasn't bothered," she said.


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Thursday July 13, 2017
Category: Insurance
Whether someone is buying automobile insurance in Ontario for the first time or is thinking about switching providers, it's important they understand what their options are. After all, while no one ever wants to be in a situation where they need their policy, it would be far worse not to have one.
While many options exist, the two main versions of automobile insurance in Canada are standard and high risk.
A standard insurance policy is mandatory for all drivers in Ontario. This type of coverage can be broken down into three different sections:
This type of coverage is required in case the policyholder gets into an accident that kills or injures another individual and/or damages someone else's property. The policy would pay for any claims resulting from an ensuing lawsuit up to its limit. It would also cover the cost of settling any claims. The law states that every driver must have at least $200,000 worth of third-party liability coverage, but the policyholder can also elect to increase that amount.
This component of standard insurance covers the driver if they were injured in an accident, even if they were the one to cause it. The benefits would cover related expenses like:
Once again, if the driver wishes, they can increase their policy for most of these areas.
This coverage pays out when another person is responsible for damage to the policyholder's vehicle or its contents. It also covers incidents that may not involve damage but do result in the vehicle becoming unusable.
However, the following conditions must be met for this policy to be applicable:
If a policyholder is in an accident where these conditions are not met, they can use collision coverage if they have it. Otherwise, the only option is to pursue the responsible driver through the courts.
The reason this coverage is called "direct compensation" is because the insurance company pays out even though someone else is responsible.
High risk insurance is the kind of coverage you need as a high risk driver. However, there is no one standard definition that every agency uses for this designation. For the most part, though, it refers to someone who has had multiple infractions on their record (e.g. tickets or accidents).
Usually, this means two accidents they were responsible for over the past 10 years, or two or three tickets over the course of a single year.
Any incident that involves impaired driving will also force the driver to carry high risk insurance automatically, regardless of what their record otherwise looks like.
Some insurance agencies will also consider a driver's payment record. Therefore, missing a scheduled payment could mean the driver has to update their policy to high risk insurance.
Once someone is deemed a high risk driver, their insurance company may opt to cancel their policy. This is because high risk drivers are statistically more likely to end up filing claims.
When this happens, drivers must apply go to a non-standard insurance provider for their new policy. Driving without insurance is, of course, against the law and is punishable by a $5,000 fine and a sizable surcharge of roughly 20%.
The good news is that the high risk designation doesn't have to be permanent. Typically, an infraction will impact a driver's insurance policy for three years starting from the day of the incident. More serious convictions can take up to five years.
In either case, if a driver is able to keep their record clean, they can expect to return to a standard policy once their initial infraction is no longer an issue.
Numbers are hard to come by, but according to the Road Safety Monitor, in 2006, more than 2 million Canadians drove aggressively. 2.7 million drivers admitted they regularly went above the speed limit with the vast majority doing it to get through a red light. Therefore, it's safe to assume that high-risk drivers make up a significant part of the population.
The best thing a driver can do is simply avoid any infractions from showing up on their record. Obviously, the easiest way to do this is by practicing safe driving habits.
Here are some tips for safe driving :
Those who struggle with that last tip should consider signing up for defensive driving school. It's not just for people who drive company cars. It can help private drivers avoid the need for high risk insurance.
However, it also means that a driver should never pay a ticket if they don't believe they're guilty. While it's often more convenient to simply pay the fine and move on, doing so is an admission of guilt. If they're able to fight the ticket and win, the driver's record won't include it and the incident can't be held against them.
Be careful about demerit points, too. These don't directly affect a driver's insurance, but the infractions that cause them do. If a driver earns enough demerit points to have their license suspended, that will definitely put them in the high risk category, too.Get A Quote
1 Prologis Blvd
Suite 101
Mississauga ON
Phone: 1.905.890.0123
Toll Free: 1.866.388.3034
Fax: 1.800.820.2276


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As a majors participant, I thought I'd offer my perspective.
Some back ground. I ran NESCCA regional SM for many years going back well before SM went "national". I switched to "National" GTL in 2008 because I got tired of the contact in SM and also wanted the opportunity to engineer and stay legal.
Why do I run Majors?
I like the idea of a touring series. I don't want to race the same track every weekend, or really more than once a season. I enjoy the travel and I keep my travel costs minimal (open trailer, sleep in the pickup truck).
I also like the run group I run in. The cars are all fairly similar and for the most part we have a like minded group that travels with the series that gives you the chance to know who you can trust wheel-2-wheel.
The contingencies are a big help. And as it's been mentioned before, I think that selling vendors on a larger schedule would be impossible.
Realistically, the two sides (regional vs majors) run different classes with some overlap (SM and SRF). The other classes, although they can race in the other series, generally don't. IMHO, this is the primary difference between the two side. Which classes are heavily subscribed.
If you were to merge them (and doing so would certainly result in fewer overall entries), you'd have seriously mixed up run groups with little opportunity to race with folks in your own class.
"Integrating" or "Merging" regional and national is impossible. All races become regional at that point.
Honestly, I don't understand why folks want to eliminate one side of the racing coin. How would you feel if I wanted to eliminate your side?
I think my side is great fun. So do hundreds of other guys racing with me.
Why do you feel compelled to screw that up for us? Do you hope to see some gain from that?


text:
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text: I tried a few searches and didn't see this addressed... Has anyone ever tried putting a new HD in their SP4? I figured 256GB would be more than enough two years ago, but I'm constantly at 80% full - and I keep a lot of docs on an external drive. (Then again, when I pulled my 20MB drive out of my MacSE in 1989 for a 30MB drive, none of us could imagine how the heck we'd ever fill that extra 10 megs...)


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A man accused of trying to bribe children with money then exposing himself to them is in police custody.
Union Police charged Kennedy Garrett, 28, of Webber Lane in Union, on Saturday with two counts of indecent exposure, according to an incident report from the Union Police Department.
Garrett is accused of approaching the two girls, ages 11 and 13, on March 5 at the intersection of Lipsey and Porter streets. The report states that he said he'd give them money if they followed him.
The girls refused, and Garrett is accused of walking between two buildings and exposing himself to them, according to the report.
Garrett is in Union County Jail.


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Thursday/Friday 17 & 18th September 2015
M. D. Higgins rejects an recovering Irish economy
Responsibility needs to be taken for housing lists and homelessness needs to be addressed,
Says the President.
"Our planet is scarred by inequality, and inequality is growing, and the gaps are widening in what are described as some of the most prosperous parts of the world," President Michael D Higgins has remarked.
Those in positions of authority should apologise for not valuing social housing more in the past in light of the current housing crisis, President Michael D Higgins has said.
Speaking at the launch of Merchants Quay Ireland's annual report on Friday, he said inequality continues to rise in Ireland, and that he "recoils" from headlines boasting the domestic economy is resurgent once more.
"Our planet is scarred by inequality, and inequality is growing, and the gaps are widening in what are described as some of the most prosperous parts of the world," he remarked, referencing educational inequality in particular.
"I think it's important to realise how inequalities are increasing in Ireland itself. I recoil a little bit from a headline that suggests 'The economy roars back' – well, the inequalities are roaring much louder in the world.
'Simply ridiculous'
"It's simply ridiculous to say that you're living in a republic with republican values if you have children with different access to literacy itself, in relation to reading the schoolbooks and so forth."
The President indicated that responsibility needs to be taken for a situation that has seen social housing waiting lists lengthening and people sleeping rough on the streets.
"The public view has to change in relation to that. The public view in relation to whether or not you want to say housing is a right, basic shelter is a right, and that it is a mark of failure in a society if decent, safe shelter is not available.
"I think it would be a great thing to hear from some authoritative body like the County and City Management Association: 'We're sorry we didn't value social housing more'," he said.
His address was given in the wake of a speech by Merchants Quay Ireland chief executive Tony Geoghegan, who revealed his "deep concern" for the welfare of homeless individuals ahead of the impending winter.
A drop-in service
The organisation's report stated that its drop-in service provided over 5,600 supportive interventions including referrals to emergency accommodation, and served nearly 80,000 meals last year.
"I think it's fair to say that the homeless situation at the moment is just unprecedented – we certainly haven't seen anything like it before and it is going to require an unprecedented response to do something about it," Mr Geoghegan said.
"Looking into this winter, we are deeply concerned for the welfare of homeless people and what is going to happen, and I'm praying and hoping that it's not going to take something as extreme as people dying on the streets, as it did last Christmas, before there is a response," he added.
Talking to reporters after the launch ceremony, Mr Higgins cautioned against creating an artificial "war among the poors" between those struggling for basic services in Ireland and the 4,000 destitute refugees set to enter the State, in response to commentators who say the country should resolve its own domestic problems before welcoming a large influx of immigrants.
"The very most unhelpful thing that could happen is if some kind of false tension was invented between those who shouldn't be waiting for health services, who shouldn't be homeless, who shouldn't be waiting excessive periods on waiting lists, and people who are excluded in other ways," he said.
He continued: "Our future is a diverse society that plays to the best of our Irishness […] these suggestions are that you must set the poor in contest with each other as some kind of 'war among the poors'.
"It has always been something that is negative, and of course in many places in Europe it has led to xenophobia and in some places racism – so let's just see it for what it is right at the beginning."
New €1m campaign to promote potato consumption in Ireland
A new €1m marketing campaign was launched today (September 17) to boost potato consumption among Irish consumers, by the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney.
Bord Bia will coordinate and manage the three-year campaign which has been designed to dispel fattening myths around potatoes, positioning them as naturally fat-free, tasty and versatile.
According to Kantar Worldpanel, retail sales of fresh potatoes in Ireland have declined by 25% over the last decade and by as much as one-third between 2002 and 2014.
Speaking at today's launch Minister Coveney said that the potato is part of our culture like no other food, inextricably linked to Ireland's story and part of who we are.
"This campaign will bring the different varieties and versatility of the Irish potato to a younger generation," he said.
The initiative will be co-funded by the EU, Ireland's potato industry and the Department of Agriculture and will be run in conjunction with the British Potato Council.
The overall strategy is to implement a single umbrella campaign, across both the Irish and British market, which will raise the image and profile of potatoes, and re-establish their relevance within the weekly shopping basket.
The Minister welcomed the European Commission's decision to approve a total fund of €4.6m to promote potatoes on the Irish and British markets over the next three years of which 50% will be funded by the EU.
My department is also availing of the opportunity to grant financial support to the Irish potato industry for this positive promotional activity.
"Combined with industry funding the total campaign will be worth €1m over the three years in Ireland," he said.
Mike Neary, Horticulture Manager at Bord Bia, highlighted some of the challenges facing the industry.
"Potatoes are still Ireland's preferred main meal carbohydrate, however shoppers under-45 account for only 33% of potato sales and these consumers will ultimately make up a major part of the total market in the years to come.
"Younger consumers view potatoes as a traditional, unexciting food and less convenient than modern carbs such as pasta and rice," he said.
The new promotional campaign, entitled "Potatoes – more than a bit on the side", will focus on younger consumers, in particular, 22-44-year-old females.
Neary said that we really need to challenge consumer perceptions of fresh potatoes – particularly amongst younger age groups – in order to combat declining consumption.
"This integrated campaign will highlight the fact that potatoes offer enormous potential within the world of modern cooking and build awareness of the added health and nutritional benefits of potatoes in comparison to competitor carbohydrates," he said.
The campaign will include print and digital advertising and it will kick off with National Potato Day on Friday, October 2.
It is estimated a total of 9,122ha of potatoes were grown in Ireland in 2014 producing 350,000t. Last year, the retail market was valued at €184m.
The main varieties of potatoes grown in Ireland include Rooster (60%), Kerr Pinks (8%), Queens (8%) and Whites (7%).
Meath, Dublin, Wexford, Louth, Donegal and Cork are the largest potato growing counties with approximately 500 active potato growers in Ireland.
HSE failed to deal with 'sexual contact abuse in home,
A report finds
Man involved in incidents of 'sexual abuse nature' with another resident and a staff member
A report published by the Mental Health Commission into Knockroe House found evidence of three instances of sexual contact between a man and woman in its care over a five-month period in 2014.
Pamela DuncanThe HSE is to carry out a review of mental health services in Roscommon after it was found to have failed to take appropriate action on recorded instances of sexual contact between two residents in a Castlerea community service.
A report published by the Mental Health Commission into Knockroe House, a 14-bed community residence on the outskirts of Castlerea, found evidence of three instances of sexual contact between a man and woman in its care over a five-month period in 2014.
It also reported one incident "of a sexual nature" involving the same man and a woman staff member.
The inspection report published on Thusday said: "Inspection of the Incident Report books in Knockroe House identified three recorded instances of sexual contact between two vulnerable adult residents, one male, one female, over a five-month period in 2014 and one incident, also of a sexual nature, involving a female member of staff in 2015."
Failed to assess
As regards the incidents of sexual contact between the two residents the Mental Health Commission reported that the HSE had failed to assess the two residents as to their capacity to engage in a sexual relationship or take other steps to ensure "neither resident is placed in a position where they may be exploited".
It also said that, in the absence of such safeguarding measures, gardaí should have been informed.
The inspectors noted that, following the third recorded incident between the two residents in August 2014, management separated the two residents: one is accommodated in another community residence from Monday to Thursday, returning to Knockroe on weekends when the second resident is on home leave.
The inspectors said this was not an appropriate action as the other setting was "wholly inappropriate" for the resident who had been transferred.
In a subsequent inspection carried out in June inspectors recorded a further incident of a sexual nature involving the same male resident.
General secretary of the Psychiatric Nurses Association, Des Kavanagh said the Mental Health Commission report vindicated the concerns raised by nursing staff in the Galway/Roscommon mental health services prior to the April inspection.
"The incidents raised were clearly very serious and the response of management was not appropriate," he said.
The HSE announced it had determined it "necessary to conduct a review of the quality, safety and governance of services within the Roscommon area".
It said the review had been "prompted in part by a number of specific incidents" which would also form part of the review which would examine management, staffing levels and compliance with relevant national and HSE frameworks.
The HSE said it was conducting a systems analysis review into the incidents in Knockroe House as well as having commissioned an external review of the mental health services in Roscommon.
"As both these processes are currently under way we are unable to comment further at this time. The HSE has reported these matters to the Gardaí and safeguards have been put in place to ensure patient safety," a spokeswoman said.
Mr Kavanagh said he hoped the review would result in an improvement of services and the safeguarding of residents in the Roscommon area.
Ireland's plan to tackle alarming decline of our valuable bees
"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man."
That is a comment attributed to Albert Einstein and reflects why 68 governmental and non-governmental organisations are busy with a shared plan of action to tackle pollinator decline and make Ireland a place where pollinators can survive and thrive.
The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020, published today, makes Ireland one of the first countries in Europe with a strategy to address pollinator decline and protect pollination services. The initiative has generated huge support and has culminated in agreement to deliver 81 actions to make Ireland more pollinator friendly.
The plan identifies actions that can be taken on farmland, public land and private land. These include creating pollinator highways along our transport routes, making our public parks pollinator friendly and encouraging the public to see their gardens as potential pit-stops for our busy bees.
With the support of organisations like An Taisce Green-Schools, it aims to ensure that everyone, from schoolchildren to farmers, gardeners, local authorities and businesses, knows what pollinators need and which simple cost-effective actions they can take to help. The Plan will also support bee-keepers in keeping our honeybees healthy.
"Unfortunately, Irish pollinators are in decline, with one third of our 98 bee species threatened with extinction," said Dr Úna FitzPatrick from the National Biodiversity Data Centre, who chaired the plan steering group. "Bees are declining because we've drastically reduced the areas where they can nest."
The pollinator plan is not just about protecting bees but also about protecting the livelihood of farmers and growers who rely on their 'free' pollinator service, which allows consumers to buy Irish fruit and vegetables at an affordable price. This service is worth more than £7 million per annum for apples in Northern Ireland, and €3.9m for oilseed rape in the Republic of Ireland.
It's not just crops; about three-quarters of our wild plants also require insect pollinators. Without pollinators the Irish landscape would be a very different and much less beautiful place. The value of pollination to tourism and branding our produce abroad is enormous, but has never been assessed in a monetary sense.
Dr Jane Stout, Associate Professor in Botany at Trinity College Dublin, who co-chaired the group, added: "If we want pollinators to be available to pollinate our crops and wild plants for future generations we need to manage the landscape in a more sustainable way and create a joined-up network of diverse and flower-rich habitats as well as reduce our use of chemical insecticides. This doesn't just mean in the countryside, but in our towns and villages as well."
The actions in the plan are based on scientific evidence from research conducted in Ireland and elsewhere.
However, there are still gaps in our knowledge. Dr Stout's Plant-Animal Interactions research group in Trinity College Dublin will continue to do research to understand the full implication of pollinator declines.
Bee aware
According to the Royal Horticultural Society, the best ways to encourage bees of all types into your garden is by providing nectar- and pollen-rich flowers throughout the year.
- Clumps of bee-friendly plants in sunny places will be more attractive than plants that are scattered or in shade. These include foxgloves, pussy willow, bluebells, honeysuckle, thyme, and summer heathers, while non-native species like sunflowers, sweet pea, and lavender will provide plenty for bees to forage on. Planting wildflower meadows will also greatly benefit bees.
- Use pesticides sparingly. Those based on fatty acids or plant oils and extracts pose little danger to bees but will not control all pests. Do not spray open flowers.
- Provide nest sites for bees. Some will nest in hollow stems, such as bamboo canes or herbaceous plant
As much as 3.3m people die annually from air pollution
A study shows
Air pollution is killing 3.3m people a year worldwide, according to a new study. Surprisingly, farming plays a large role in soot-and-smog deaths in industrial nations.
Scientists in Germany, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, and Harvard University calculated the most detailed estimates yet of the toll of air pollution, and what caused it. The study projects that if trends don't change, the yearly death total will have doubled to 6.6m a year by 2050.
The study, published in the journal Nature, showed that three quarters of the deaths are from strokes and heart attacks, said lead author Jos Lelieveld at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany.
The findings are similar to other, less detailed pollution death estimates, outside experts said. "About 6% of all global deaths each year occur prematurely, due to exposure to ambient air pollution. This number is higher than most experts would have expected, say, 10 years ago," said Jason West, a University of North Carolina environmental sciences professor who wasn't part of the study, but who praised it.
Air pollution kills more than HIV and malaria combined. China has the most air pollution fatalities, with 1.4m, followed by India, with 645,000, and Pakistan, with 110,000. The United States, with 54,905 deaths in 2010, ranks seventh. What is unusual is that the study says agriculture caused 16,221 of those deaths, second only to 16,929 deaths blamed on power plants.
In the US northeast, all of Europe, Russia, Japan, and South Korea, agriculture is the leading cause of soot-and-smog deaths. Worldwide, agriculture is the second-biggest cause, with 664,100 deaths, behind 1m deaths from in-home heating and cooking done with wood, and other biofuels, in the developing world.
The problem with farms is ammonia from fertiliser and animal waste. That ammonia combines with sulphates from coal-fired power plants, and with nitrates from car exhaust, to form the soot particles that are the big air pollution killers, he said.
In London, for example, the pollution from traffic takes time to be converted into soot, and then it is mixed with ammonia and transported downwind to the next city, he said.
"We were very surprised, but, in the end, it makes sense," Lelieveld said.
He said the scientists had assumed that traffic and power plants would be the biggest cause of deadly soot and smog.
Agricultural emissions are becoming increasingly important, but are not regulated, said Allen Robinson, an engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University, who was not part of the study, but who praised it.
Ammonia air pollution from farms can be reduced "at relatively low costs," Robinson said. "Maybe this will help bring more attention to the issue."
In the central United States, the main cause of soot-and-smog premature deaths is power plants; in much of the West, it's traffic emissions.
Jason West, and other outside scientists, did dispute the study's projections that deaths would double by 2050. That is based on no change in air pollution. West and others said it's likely that some places, such as China, will dramatically cut their air pollution by 2050.
And Lelieveld said that if the world reduces a different air pollutant — carbon dioxide, the main gas causing global warming — soot-and-smog levels will be reduced as well, in a "win-win situation in both directions"


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Saturday, July 21, 2007
Google Base Optimization for Online Merchants and Business Men
It was well-known with name of Froogle। If you have any product you can sale it online। If you use this service you will get more benefit like you should not have to waste your time after describing the product and showing in different way to the client if you will describe it online। And it is free too। Google tries to increase the usage of this service.If you want to get improved results on the shopping search engines, try to optimize your service – you can post all your products with their detailed description and can find your listings on top with marketing it online.There is a new chance for retailers who use online services to market their product or to sale them. It is also famous as the "Onebox" result. If you want to learn more about this enormous way to get targeted traffic to your site or listing of your products. Don't forget to visit OneBoxer, a fantastic blog that covers all angles better than I can.In recent times, Google has made more necessities on a basic level, but there may be added if your listings are within a specific product category: • brand • condition • description • expire date • email-id • image link • link (on which you have described your product it should be site or listing of your product) • price • product type • title Reasonably, some merchants are disturbed with this. Since they have thousands of products which should have more detailed information, and some products should not have all of the essential fields (expiration date, for example).So how can you get benefit of this?Some people will search by image, some by particular name and some may be can use material for search. All of these are incredible chances to show your product in front of a consumer who is prepared to buy. It will take some time to generate and get all the twists worked out, but it is well worth it.-To your online Achievements!http://webseosolution.blogspot.com/
Posted by Web Solution at 6:35 AM
1 comment:
An online dating service is a convenient and relatively safe, when done properly, way for anyone to explore their options
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- November 22, 2011 at 6:42 AM
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Monday, 15 December 2014 16:34
A pantomime of a war film: 'Devils on the Doorstep' Review
In a phrase: A pantomime until the end, at which point it rushes to satisfy nationalistic appetites.
(Spoilers below)
This film is set in a small Chinese town called Guajia (hang up armor) under Japanese occupation during the second world war.
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