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There are many thoughts and opinions among IT specialists about technology certifications. Some believe that they're just a key for a better job offer or salary, others believe that they're not even worth the cost of the paper they're printed on, the third say they help you to improve your professional skills and to grow as a highly-valuable specialist. But this post is not about the value of the certificate – you have to decide yourself whether you need it or not. This post is about how to get a certificate and not spend all your money while studying and passing the exam. This post is for those ones that have already decided to get a certification and what can help you during the process of achieving this goal in order to become a certified IT specialist.
Resources and tips for studying
Try the following listed methods for saving money while studying for any technical certification.
Check your school resources
If you're still a student at a college or university then check with your academic authorities for all available resources, such as paid access to software development tools, operating systems, and office software. Also probably there're some special offers or discounts for students who are willing to purchase computers or hardware.
And don't forget about your college library where you can find some useful technical literature, certification study guides, and example of possible certification tests.
Subscribe to Safari Books Online
This is a digital library that has a collection of 20,000 technology, digital media, and development books and videos. A free trial can be used for 10 days or 1,000 page views. After that the rates range from $20 per month.
You can read these books and watch videos on you PC, or on a tablet using the iPad app, or on any mobile device using the mobile site of the resource.
Check out online discussion forums
Where you can find the most updated details about passing these or some other certification? Right, on online discussion forums are a great place where you can find some advice from those who have already taken a certification test. Participants often share their ideas on what they found interesting, useful or necessary during their preparing and passing of the exam.
But you need to remember that publishing copied questions from an exam can be strictly prohibited by examiners.
Look for free an online educational platform. Take a course on the Ukrainian free educational platform – Skillsacademy
Free online courses in high-tech topics are becoming more and more popular. There is no need to present such online educational sites like Coursera, edX or Udacity. Probably such courses are not focused exactly on technical certification, but they could lay the background in learning the required IT topics. Coursera has a partnership with some top universities in order to provide some courses in computer science, security, and networking.
Also we have already told about the Ukrainian free educational platform – Skillsacademy. The leading technical university of Ukraine – Kyiv Politechnic Institute, was the first member of this educational platform.
Check for study materials from the certification vendor
Some certification vendors, like Cisco or Microsoft, provide some free basic resources that can help you while preparing for the certification. While you won't find detailed courses, you can find some videos, articles, webinars, and discussion panels that can be really useful.
Asses your knowledge with some practice tests
Try some that are available to understand what you know and what you need to know more of. The questions in such practice tests should be similar to the real tests and cover the certification topics.
After this, it is really important to work on your mistakes. Try to understand why your answer was wrong and what the true correct answer is. Just Google your test's name and you will definitely find some sites offering your type of tests.
Visit some IT events and meetings
The online experience is good but offline communication is better. Visit some webinars, IT conferences, and meetings in order to share your experience and to get some advice from certified specialists.
The most interesting IT event in Kyiv will take place just a day after tomorrow (October, 9th – 10th). Read more about IDCEE 2014 and other IT events in our blog post.
Call Softheme
Between all other, Softheme covers all expenses that its employees spend on trainings, conferences, and certifications. So don't worry if your certification isn't really cheap. Just "worry" about the new experience and new knowledge.
Related articles
- How to Get an Education Online (freshlytechy.com)
- Free Online Courses by Google (softheme-blog-2017)


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Gazipasa Star
Read more about this Hotel
Gazipasa Star is located in the tourist centre of Side, the town centre and nearest nightclub are just 1 km away. Guests can relax on the sun terrace, take a dip in the swimming pool or enjoy the waterslides. Perfect for those seeking a relaxing holiday.
How far is the nearest beach?
This hotel is located 900m from the beach.
Distance from Airport
This hotel is located 70km from Antalya airport.
All rooms are equipped with an en-suite bathroom, air conditioning, safety deposit box, balcony, telephone, satellite TV service, hairdryer and the apartments offer kitchenette areas. Some amenities may be payable locally.
Food & Drink
Local and International cuisine can be enjoyed at the restaurant. There is also a onsite bar.
Sports & Entertainment
Gazipasa Star features two swimming pools, water slides, a sun terrace equipped with sun beds, children's play area and TV lounge. Free Wi-Fi can be accessed in public areas.
- Air Conditioning
- Bar
- Hairdryer
- Internet Access
- Kids Playground
- Restaurant
- Safety Deposit Box
- Satellite TV
- Sunbathing Terrace
- Sunbeds
- Swimming Pool
- Telephone
- Terrace
- TV Lounge
- Wifi

subset: commoncrawl


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The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a sweeping regulation due to take effect in the European Union (EU) member states and the United Kingdom in May 2018.
Through the regulation, the EU has outlined protections for every individual citizen's personal data. The new legislation has huge implications for companies around the world that have any kind of market in the EU. Especially businesses that rely on consumer data.
In short, the GDPR introduces new obligations for any organization that handles data about EU citizens, regardless of whether that organization is based in the EU or not. In addition to new requirements for companies when it comes to notifying consumers about data breaches, there will be stricter responsibilities when it comes to managing and protecting personal data.
The EU hopes that these regulations will help streamline how organizations manage, store, process, and share personal data – balancing civil liberties and privacy with economic growth and innovation.
That said, the increased security controls, procedures and requirements set forth in the GDPR's 99 Articles are expected to come at a significant cost for businesses as many organizations will be required to appoint a Data Protection Officer, conduct Privacy Impact Assessments to ensure their organization is in compliance with the regulation and will be subject to substantial fines of up to €20M or 4% of global annual turnover (whichever is greater) for failing to adhere to the regulatory requirements, to name a few.
As businesses worldwide prepare to comply with the new, complicated data protection regulation, we have outlined the key facts that organizations need to know so they can adequately allocate resources to get ahead of compliance before it is too late:
1. The GDPR affects any company that processes the personal data of EU citizens.
This legislation widens the definition of personal data to include any data that can be used to identify an individual, such as genetic, cultural, economic, mental or social information. As almost all personal data now falls under the GDPR, organizations are faced with an increased demand to answer difficult data accountability questions such as:
– Why are we holding personal data?
– Why was it originally gathered?
– How did we get it?
– How long has it been held?
– Is the data shared with any third parties?
– How secure is the data in terms of accessibility and encryption?
2. Any company that collects personal data has to first obtain consent. Consent to collect any personal data.
Organizations need to use simple and clear language when informing users about what information will be collected, how the information will be processed, and how it will be used used.
It's critical to note that firms need to be affirmative in obtaining consent to process personal data as silence and inactivity no longer constitutes permission. Without valid consent, any personal data processing activities will be shut down by authorities
3. Privacy Risk Assessments will be required for all initiatives.
The GDPR mandates Privacy Impact Assessments for identifying and assessing privacy exposures where privacy breach risks are high. This means that before organizations can even begin projects involving personal information, they must conduct a privacy risk assessment to ensure they are in compliance as projects commence.
4. Data monitoring means that you need a Data Protection Officer.
The GDPR requires public authorities as well as certain other organizations to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) when the organization's core activities require regular monitoring of data subjects or processing of large amounts of personal data. According to a study by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), this requirement means that 28,000 DPOs will have to be appointed in the next two years in Europe alone.
5. Any data breaches require notifications.
The GDPR introduces a common data breach notification requirement aimed to standardize the various data breach notification laws throughout Europe and ensure organizations are continuously monitoring for breaches of personal data.
The regulation requires that organization notify their local data protection authority of a data breach within 72 hours of discovering the breach, requiring new technologies, processes and training to ensure that data breaches are properly understood, recognized and handled.
6. All systems should be designed with data privacy in mind.
The GDPR requires privacy by design in that software, systems and processes must be designed and consider compliance with the principles of data protection. For example, a substantial amount of commercially used software is not currently capable of properly erasing information. As the regulation is rolled out, all software will be required to completely erase data, posing new challenges for software engineers and business decisions at the strategic level.
7. All citizens will have the right to be forgotten.
The GDPR introduces the right to be forgotten and the right of access by the data originator. At an organizational level, this maintains that companies must have the appropriate processes and technology in place to delete data in response from data subjects (i.e. originators). Companies must obtain clear consent before they alter the way in which they are using any data they have collected as these rights give individuals agency over their data and where it may be held, used and transferred.
Looking Ahead
The new, sweeping regulatory requirements that the GDPR imposes will require organizational changes with new resources, processes and procedures for companies worldwide.
The biggest challenge for organizations is not technical, it's organizational. Each business will have to work to understand how people interact with data. While businesses were previously required to protect personal data, there is now an explicit requirement for companies to be overt and transparent about what and whose data they have, what they are going to be using the data for and how it is protected.
Organizations are faced with a fundamental culture shift as all employees from those at the executive level down to administration must be aware of their obligation to protect consumer data across all channels, even over the phone. That said, perhaps the biggest change that will drive transformation across all industries, is that the GDPR puts the customer back at the center and in control over their data. Although there will be many organizational pressures and hurdles to comply, this transformation should be viewed as positive progression towards an economy built upon trust.


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We went to Dirac on the route of the 2012 Rallye and about 300 cars came past. I took photos of about 200 of them. I had problems with the photographic equipment because if I used my normal lens 24-105mm the camera said there was a problem with the electronic connection and I need to clean the contacts. So I had to use my 100-400mm zoom and then sit well back from the action. Also I used up one memory card and as I was changing over to another card my favourite car a 1965 Mark 3 Austin Healy 3000 came through so I missed him. And, which is my own fault, I did not keep my eye on the background so several photos have two spectators seeming to stand on top of the cars, they were on a bank behind the cars but with the foreshortening of the view which you get with a telephoto it looks like they are actually on top of the cars. Oh well you live and learn.
What I have done is put up several slide shows with the cars categorised according to make or nationality or something. Just click on one of the categories below if you are interested. Yo can stop the slide show at any point by clicking on the photo of that particular car. Have fun.


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Health Insurance Search Behavior Model
Healthcare SEO
Recently a major life insurance company contracted me to develop a set of Behavior Models to aid in their search marketing efforts. The results enabled them to make major changes to their website's ability to capture active consumer searches.
Currently I am looking at how consumers search for Health Insurance. Search behavior models provide a complete categorized overview of consumer search behavior which can dramatically improve your websites power to pull people. They also provide strategic focus for:
- Identifying landing page opportunities.
- Providing editorial focus for websites.
- Identifying preferred terminology for ads.
- Defining your information architecture.
- Driving your content strategy.
- Focusing your SEO strategy.
- Normalizing your website with consumer intent.
- Drawing consumers with active intent to your website.
Health Insurance Search Behavior
The following table list the categories of behavior (with monthly search volume) in health insurance. Many of these provide custom landing page opportunities to capture customers before they view your competitor's site.
Sub-Categories by Type
It gets better. If you look at sub-categories of behavior, you find some very interesting targeting opportunities. A category often has specific terms being used that can provide editorial focus for page copy for custom landing pages. In the following table, the categories of search by a "type" of insurance or a "class" of individuals are good landing page examples.
Find Out More
To find out more about SEO for Health Insurance please get in touch with me at: firstname.lastname@example.com or call me now at: 781-862-3126
PS. Here's an example of a full search behavior analysis in a related medical discipline: How consumers search for Lasik Services.
About Lexington eBusiness Consulting
Mark Sprague's 25 years of product development experience which includes expertise in Search Engines, Information Products, SEO platforms and Social Networking applications provide in-depth expertise to help you refine products and services, and improve your web sites performance by:
- Developing a superior data-driven SEO strategy for your website.
- Understanding your customers' search behavior and normalizing it to your content strategy.
- Understanding how search engine technology practically impacts SEO and content strategies.
- Understanding how search technology impacts content in a social networking environment.
- Developing a superior user experience based on sound information architecture, usability and coding standards.
Lexington eBusiness Consulting
LinkedIn Company Profile
LinkedIn Personal Profile
Lexington eBusiness Consulting
Mark Sprague, CEO
580 Lowell Street
Lexington, MA 02420


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UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed, but we still have a few more in our 12 Days of Giveaways! Here at XOXOAD, we love doing something special to usher in the holidays, and this year, we're celebrating with 12 Days of Giveaways! Enter each day for your chance to win a different prize pack of books perfect for any reader—and we hope you get everything you wished for. Our fourth day of giveaways is brought to you by Tails from the Booth author Lynn Terry! To enter, please comment answering the following question: Which of Lynn's props do the pups tend to gravitate towards (and eventually destroy)? Keep reading to find the answer!
The holidays are a fun and busy time for Lynn Terry Photography. This is the time of the year we give back to local rescue groups and animal shelters from the proceeds from our holiday sets. Pups adorned with sweaters, hats and Christmas pajamas fill the studio to sit on Santa's lap. Some take kindly to Santa, others (much like toddlers) are not so keen to Santa's charm. Christmas music fills the air as we attempt to snap the perfect photo for the family's holiday card. Dogs quickly find my pinecone props and generally destroy them. For these holiday shoots, we have to be sure the snow stays white, rather than yellow. Just another day in the life of Lynn, silly noises, peanut butter and adorable dogs. 🙂
Today's giveaways are:
Tails from the Booth by Lynn Terry
Weekends with Daisy by Sharron Kahn Luttrell
Uggie – My Story by Uggie
Rescuing Sprite by Mark R. Levin
Contest rules can be found here.


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|Window Display
I could share so many photo's with you, there is so much wall space in there!
In the end I decided that just a few would do...
Meanwhile my 'Fish Out of Water' painting made it safely to it's new home on Gozo Island...
...I was so relieved to receive a photo showing it had made it there is one piece!
It's always a fine balance between protecting the painting as much as possible, whilst keeping the weight to the minimum. It's tricky!
Back soon!


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|Jan 15 2020 to Jan 23 2020
|Marine Spatial Planning Workshop
|"The general objective of the training workshop is to simulate an MSP process through the creation of a co-produced knowledge related to both the critical issues..."
|Jan 20 2020 to Jan 24 2020
|EuroLag 9
|Venice, Italy
|The conference is devoted to science, research and management issues that are related to lagoons and transitional areas.
|Jan 22 2020 to Jan 24 2020
|Transformed and Transformative Ocean Governance Conference
|Port Elizabeth, South Africa
|The aim of the conference is to provide a forum for a wide range of ocean experts and stakeholders to engage with the latest developments impacting on ocean governance from developmental, ecosystem-based and human-rights-based approaches...
|Jan 22 2020 to Jan 23 2020
|11th State of the Bay Symposium
|Galveston, Texas
|The symposium provides an opportunity for stakeholders to interact and share success stories associated with the Galveston Bay Plan, report the latest monitoring and research findings, plan for future activities, share new ideas and lessons learned, and illuminate the challenges facing Galveston Bay.
|Jan 29 2020 to Jan 30 2020
|2020 Delaware Wetlands Conference
|Wilmington, Delaware
|Participants will share the latest in wetland research, innovations to outreach and education, and the progress of conservation programs.
|Feb 3 2020 to Feb 6 2020
|2020 Social Coast Forum
|Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|Participate in the fifth biennial Social Coast Forum to explore how social science tools and methods are being used to address the nation's coastal issues.
|Feb 3 2020 to Feb 6 2020
|Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference
|Tampa, Florida
|"[2020] presents a pivotal moment as the Gulf research and management communities enter the next phase of Gulf science."
|Feb 9 2020 to Feb 12 2020
|Aquaculture America 2020
|Honolulu, Hawaii
|As a bonus, the conference will host the largest aquaculture trade show in the world.
|Feb 11 2020 to Feb 14 2020
|ClimFishCon 2020
|Cochin, India
|'Impact of Climate Change on Hydrological Cycle, Ecosystem, Fisheries and Food Security'
|Feb 16 2020 to Feb 21 2020
|Ocean Sciences Meeting
|San Diego, California
|This year's theme, For a Resilient Planet, centers around the concept that scientists, in partnership with governments and communities, have the power to affect change in fostering healthier and more resilient oceans, a safer and sustainable food supply, and to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
|Feb 23 2020 to Feb 28 2020
|World Biodiversity Forum
|Davos, Switzerland
|First of its kind, the World Biodiversity Forum will bring together leading researchers, early career researchers, practitioners, representatives from different sectors, decision-makers and societal actors to have a conversation on the kind of future we want (and/or do not want) for biodiversity.
|Mar 10 2020 to May 13 2020
|Oceans Past Conference
|VLIZ, Ostend, Belgium
|The conference welcomes researchers, practitioners, policy-makers and students of all disciplines under the unifying view of our oceans as networks of social-ecological or coupled human-nature systems.
|Mar 10 2020 to Mar 12 2020
|Nansen Tutu Center 10th anniversary symposium: Ocean, weather and climate, science to the service of society
|Cape Town, South Africa
|Themes are regional oceanography, operational oceanography, role of the ocean on weather and climate, marine ecosystems, biogeochemistry and the CO2 cycle and Southern Ocean.
|Mar 16 2020 to Mar 20 2020
|International Indian Ocean Science Conference
|Goa, India
|The IIOE-2 is a multi-national, multi-institutional programme to advance our understanding of the physical, chemical, biological, geological and climatological aspects of the Indian Ocean to enhance its role on the socio-economy of the region.
|Mar 27 2020 to Mar 29 2020
|2020 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium (SEAMAMMS)
|Miami, Florida, USA
|SEAMAMMS is a long-standing, regional, student-oriented, scientific marine mammal meeting. Preference will be given to marine mammal research conducted by students in the mid-Atlantic or Southeast U.S.
|Mar 30 2020 to Apr 3 2020
|Climate change in the Asia-Pacific region
|Quy Nhon, Vietnam
|The conference will focus on interdisciplinary studies, and will regroup specialists from all of the disciplines involved in the study of climate change impacts.
|Apr 14 2020 to Apr 17 2020
|6th International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposium
|Manado, Indonesia
|Provides an excellent practical platform to strengthen the capacities of marine managers and their partners for conservation and sustainable use of coral reefs and related ecosystems
|Apr 19 2020 to Apr 22 2020
|Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
|Vancouver, BC
|Participants present the latest scientific research on the state of the ecosystem, share information about the application of knowledge from science and other sources, and guide future actions for protecting and restoring the Salish Sea Ecosystem.
|Apr 20 2020 to Apr 24 2020
|10th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas
|Pacific islands
|"to review progress on the achievement of global conservation targets (Aichi targets) and to influence the global vision for conservation beyond 2020."
|Apr 20 2020 to Apr 24 2020
|Towards Zero Plastic to the Seas of Africa
|Port Elizabeth, South Africa
|This is the second international conference of the African Marine Waste Network.
|Apr 20 2020 to Apr 23 2020
|International Coastal Symposium 2020
|Seville, Spain
|The ICS brings together delegates from all over the world to collaborate and discuss the most current coastal research studies and projects.
|Apr 21 2020 to Apr 23 2020
|International Symposium on Plastics in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic Region
|Reykjavik, Iceland
|"[The] symposium is expected to build a foundation of science and deliver information and advice for decision makers."
|May 3 2020 to May 8 2020
|EGU General Assembly 2020
|Vienna, Austria
|The EGU aims to provide a forum where scientists, especially early career researchers, can present their work and discuss their ideas with experts in all fields of geoscience.
|May 13 2020 to May 14 2020
|EPIgenetics in MARine biology congress (EPIMAR)
|Montpellier, France
|This first edition will explore cutting-edge aspects of epigenetics in marine biology : environmental epigenetics, developmental epigenetics and epigenetics in aquaculture.
|May 18 2020 to May 20 2020
|International Conference on Ecosystem-Based Management and Marine Sciences
|Sydney, Australia
|"[Aims] to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Ecosystem-Based Management and Marine Sciences."
|May 25 2020 to May 29 2020
|52nd Liège Colloquium on Ocean Dynamics
|Liège, Belgium
|Towards understanding and assessing human impacts on coastal marine environments
|May 25 2020 to May 29 2020
|Yokohama, Japan
|The focus of the symposium is on the integrated assessment of multiple ocean uses across sectors including fisheries, renewable energy, coastal development, oil and gas, transport, and the need for conservation.
|Jun 2 2020 to Jun 5 2020
|A Changing Arctic
|Tromsø, Norway
|Observations in the Arctic reveal dramatic reductions in the extent and thickness of the sea ice, rising atmospheric temperatures, widespread permafrost degradation and ocean acidification.
|Jun 2 2020 to Jun 6 2020
|2020 UN Ocean Conference
|Lisbon, Portugal
|The overarching theme of the Conference is "Scaling up ocean action based on science and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: stocktaking, partnerships and solutions".
|Jun 6 2020 to Jun 13 2020
|ASLO-SFS 2020 Joint Summer Meeting
|Madison, Wisconsin
|By proposing a special session, we hope you'll help highlight work relevant to sustaining aquatic ecosystems under global change.
|Jun 7 2020 to Jun 11 2020
|2020 ASFPM Annual National Conference
|Fort Worth, Texas
|Flood-risk professionals from all over the world attend ASFPM's annual floodplain management conference.
|Jun 11 2020 to Jun 19 2020
|IUCN World Conservation Congress
|Marseille, France
|The Programme includes all official sessions within the Forum, Members' Assembly and Exhibition components of the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020.
|Jun 14 2020 to Jun 17 2020
|Sustainability Research & Innovation 2020
|Brisbane, Australia
|SRI2020 will be a unique gathering to connect those at the forefront of sustainability science, innovation, funding, communication and implementation across sectors and disciplines
|Jun 14 2020 to Jun 17 2020
|Coastal Zone Canada Association (CZCA) 2020 Conference
|Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
|"Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit: Planning and Preparing for the Future"
|Jun 14 2020 to Jun 19 2020
|14th International Conference on Copepoda
|Kruger National Park, South Africa
|The conference will be held over five days in Skukuza, the main tourist centre of the world famous Kruger National Park.
|Jun 21 2020 to Jun 25 2020
|EcoSummit 2020
|Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
|"Building a sustainable and desirable future: Adapting to a changing land and sea-scape"
|Jun 29 2020 to Jul 3 2020
|20th Biennial IIFET Conference
|Vigo, Galicia, Spain
|IIFET provides an international forum for the exchange of research, information, and ideas on the economics of fisheries management, seafood trade, and aquaculture.
|Jul 1 2020 to Jul 3 2020
|5th Caribaea Initiative Research & Conservation Conference
|Barbados, West Indies
|The conference is intended to be a forum for discussing research on animal biodiversity and wildlife management in the insular Caribbean region. It represents a unique opportunity to bring together researchers and conservationists from various horizons. The program will include plenary talks by invited speakers, and oral and poster presentations organized in thematic and general sessions on the study and conservation of the Caribbean fauna.
|Jul 5 2020 to Jul 10 2020
|14th International Coral Reef Symposium
|Bremen, Germany
|The overarching theme of ICRS 2020 is "Tackling the Challenging Future of Coral Reefs".
|Jul 13 2020 to Jul 17 2020
|International Marine Educators Conference
|Honolulu, Hawai'i
|Nana I Ke Kumu - Look to the Source
|Jul 31 2020 to Aug 11 2020
|Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
|The SCAR Open Science Conference theme "Antarctic Science – Global Connections" recognises the significance of the scientific connections between Antarctica and the global system.
|Aug 24 2020 to Aug 27 2020
|Kiel, Germany
|The meeting brings together marine conservationists from many walks of life including but not limited to scientists, practioners, educators, policy-makers, artists and journalists.
|Aug 30 2020 to Sep 3 2020
|4th Applied Shallow Marine Geophysics Conference
|Belgrade, Serbia
|"The 4th conference will cover the widest range of topics of applied high-resolution geophysics in all types of aquatic settings..."
|Sep 7 2020 to Sep 10 2020
|5th Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World
|Lima, Perú
|"The 5th symposia will maintain the traditional focus of the four previous symposia and look at ocean acidification and associated impacts on marine organisms, ecosystems, and biogeochemical cycles."
|Sep 20 2020 to Sep 22 2020
|15th Pan Ocean Remote Sensing Conference
|Johor Bahru, Malaysia
|Will gather all groups of ocean geospatial community within Malaysia and international working on various aspects of ocean and atmosphere using geospatial technology for discussing their results and innovations.
|Oct 4 2020 to Oct 8 2020
|2020 Summit: The National Coastal & Estuarine Conference
|Providence, Rhode Island
|In Providence, you'll hear from experts in our field, visit nearby Narragansett Bay, Buzzards Bay, and Cape Cod, but most importantly, you'll have the chance to spend time with fellow coastal enthusiasts from across the country.
|Oct 11 2020 to Oct 15 2020
|World Fisheries Congress
|Adelaide, Australia
|The conference encourages all commercial, recreational and Indigenous fishers, researchers, managers, students, NGOs and the broader community to join us to discuss issues facing world fisheries and key developments needed to ensure a sustainable future.
|Oct 25 2020 to Oct 30 2020
|Ocean Optics 25th Conference
|Norfolk, Virginia
|"We attract a diverse audience of active practitioners in this field including oceanographers, ecologists, limnologists, optical engineers, resource managers, and policy professionals from around the world."
|Dec 13 2020 to Dec 16 2020
|5th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity
|Auckland, New Zealand
|Our focus will be to prioritise contributions that are of general appeal and wide interest and, to minimise the number of parallel sessions and maximise inclusivity, participants can expect to be restricted to one presentation per speaker.
|Apr 29 2021 to Apr 30 2021
|International Conference on Marine Spatial Planning and Management
|Jerusalem, Israel
|"[Aims] to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Marine Spatial Planning and Management."
|May 16 2021 to May 17 2021
|International Conference on Ecosystem-Based Management and Marine Sciences
|Sydney, Australia
|"...aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Ecosystem-Based Management and Marine Sciences."
|Sep 26 2021 to Sep 30 2021
|5th International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5)
|Vancouver, BC, Canada
|Stay tuned for more info.


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The Global Challenge
Around the world, more than 10 million people are blind because of corneal injury or disease, making it the World Health Organization's second major global cause of blindness. But the treatment for this crippling condition exists.
Invented in the Czech Republic more than a century ago, corneal transplantation—a procedure in which a surgically harvested healthy cornea from a deceased donor to replace the damaged cornea of a blind patient—can effectively restore vision and is considered the most successful of any human organ transplant procedure. The outpatient surgery for a corneal transplant takes about an hour, and can forever change the patient's quality of life.
But before a cornea transplant can occur, doctors and patients must first clear what can be a formidable series of hurdles. The first is what is often called a "severe" or "desperate" global shortage of human donor corneas.
Virtually no cornea donation takes place in many parts of Asia
For the more than 10 million blind people in the world who are candidates for having their vision restored through this procedure, only 100,000 donor corneas are available each year, addressing less than 1% of the global market demand. The severe shortage of cornea organ donors is particularly pronounced in many parts of Asia, where, because of cultural and religious reasons, virtually no organ donation takes place.
Cultural, infrastructure, logistic, and other constraints mean that the wait time for a suitable human donor cornea can be years to decades. In many parts of the world, these procedures do not occur at all, because of the lack of patients' ability to pay or the absence of medical infrastructure that can support a complicated supply chain.
The lucky few who receive a donor cornea still face a lifelong regimen of topical immunosuppressive drugs to prevent organ rejection. Even with constant treatment, the rejection rate for a human cornea transplants is around 20% in adults, and 50% in children. In addition, there is the potential for the transmission of infectious disease from the transplantation of human donor tissue.


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Presented by Ali Brown
Are you contemplating a product or program launch and you want it to be a six-figure success?
If you're just starting out and are simply looking for the tools to build a successful launch foundation or a seasoned entrepreneur, Ali Brown is ready to share her strategies with you that can help entrepreneurs of all levels achieve financial success.
Ali's hosing a complimentary call TONIGHT night. Have you signed up yet?
"Secrets to Six-Figure Online Product and Program Launches" with Ali Brown TODAY, Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 8pm Eastern
Ali is a proven entrepreneurial leader and once sold $600K in less than one week. She excels in implementing systems and keeping things simple. She still uses the SAME proven formula today for all her online product launches that she used for her early launches when she was a newbie. I encourage you to join her and learn all you can from this launch expert.
This is what you'll take away from this complimentary call:
*The five simple steps it takes to plan an extremely profitable online launch for your products and programs.
*How to pull off a six-figure launch with little to no team or staff.
*Ways to keep your launch simple yet successful – using tools you're likely already using or are even FREE -- NO complex webinars or videos required. It's all about maximizing what you already have!
*Secrets to using social media for your launches – Twitter and Facebook can work wonders even for those of you with small or nonexistent email lists.
*Exciting details on the debut of her BRAND NEW "Product Launch system," which will lay out for you, step-by-step, how to do your own profitable launch with ease.
Again, learn more and register for this complimentary call taking place on TODAY, Wednesday, March 31 by visiting:
By the way, you'll want to be on the call LIVE to take advantage of the special bonuses that will be announced on the call and available for a limited time.
See you on the call!


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What can I say about Ashton? She's my Deniro. No wait. Annemarie is my Deniro. Ashton's my Harvey Keitel. I've known Ashton for a few years now. I first met her when she auditioned for Trap. The thing I noticed 1st about her was her boots. Honestly I don't really recall her initial audition except for her boots, her big blue eyes and the fact that I thought she was very cool. Which is why I called her back for the role of Tennessee in Trap. And I'm glad I did, cuz she's the real deal.
|Ashton Blanchard as the script girl.
1.Tell me who you are and what you are doing here.
I am Ashton Lynette Blanchard and I am here to ROCK.
2.Monsters in the Woods is our 2nd movie in a row. How would you describe our working relationship?
We've worked together???? Oh, oh yes. Now I remember. Our working relationship is so: you love me, i love you and we love making movies together.
3. Did you prefer shooting one over the other?
HHHmm. Well I always prefer being the star, in life and in movies.BAHAHA. But I knew you better on the set of monsters and we had swank digs and I got to scream and slap someone and get my brains blown out (wait that happened in both movies, geez Jason is there something you wanna tell me?)...Over all Monsters was a fun ass time.
4.What's your method? How did you approach your role in Monsters in the Woods?
How I approach all my acting gigs. Be truthful. Be bold. And Be praying like a motherfucker that it comes off as genius as I know that I am.
5. How would you describe your character in Monsters in the Woods?
Scripty is fun loving with a heart of gold but at the same time a bit bitter and untrusting of people. She is a tough ass scrapper and no one says when she dies but her.
6. How's being covered in blood?
When you think about it, it's awesome. When it first happens, it's awesome. Five minutes later, not so awesome.
7. How would describe my eyes?
Your eyes are of the bluest skies and if they thought of rain, I'd hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain.....Wait, what? OH, that's how guns n roses would describe your eyes.
* We were actually looking for "You eyes are as deep and clear as a Minnesota lake. I want to take off all my clothes and skinny dip in them." We'd have also accepted "blue-green."
8. You have a lot of chemistry in the movie with both Glenn Plummer and Lee Perkins, What was it like working with them?
It was so great to work with both of them and I learned a lot. But mostly it was just, easy. That's one of the perks of having good chemistry, you don't really have to do much work.
9. What's your worst onset Monsters in the Woods memory?
REALLY? Alright here goes. Facial Prosthetic being put on. Walking around the woods with facial prosthetic. Bloody hair clumping and sticking to facial prosthetic. Facial Prosthetic being taken off. And typing the words, facial prosthetic. You asked!
9.5 What's your best?
Drinking in the Starbucks parking lot with Annmarie. Drinking in that humongous bed with Annmarie. KFC. Listening to Glenn's crazy ass stories. Hillary jamming out to 'Ain't no way' by Aretha. Acting with Lee. That big ass cheese you get when you say cut and you know you got a good shot. And.....KFC.
10. What are you working on next?
I just booked my first network gig! I will be a series recurring on a new show for MTV called Petito Feo created my Bert V. Royal the writer of Easy A. I am playing Bridgit, the awkward, quirky, cheery geek with a heart of gold. No one says when she dies but her either. I am just ON with the wit!


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Fly an Endless Summer with the New Parajet Flying Suit
Fly an Endless Summer with the New Parajet Flying Suit
The Summer is over and the Winter season is upon us, but don't let that stop your enjoyment of flying. Parajet International, the UK-based paramotor manufacturer, have launched their new flying suit aimed at paramotor, paraglider and microlight pilots. Strategically designed by pilots for pilots, the result is a suit that works with the pilot to enhance comfort and flying experience.
The Parajet Flying Suit offers a 3 layer barrier against the wind, rain and cold. Its insulation and water-repellency take warmth beyond anything pilots have felt before, keeping them in the air for longer in cold conditions. The premium low-profile and powerful insulation maximises core comfort with the breathability and mobility demanded by pilots. Engineered for maximum heating efficiency the Parajet Flying Suit serves as a low-bulk heater that feels like summer all year round.
Its performance oriented, articulated fit enhances the function-first design and style while delivering a higher degree of mobility and comfort both on the ground and in the air. From the integrated communications cable management to the multitude of pockets, every feature and element has been well-thought through, right down to the last detail. Other features of the suit include fleeced lined collar, lateral YKK leg zippers for easier suit access, elasticated & Velcro cuffs with extended Lycra gloves and reinforced instrument holding loops on chest and thigh. Thanks to the benefits of its high-quality design and manufacture combined with a fully integrated array of functional pilot aids, the Parajet Flying Suit delivers performance, refinement, comfort and practicality—a flying suit that is pure Parajet.
"Dread the winter no more. I've been wearing this suit for a while now," explains Parajet Team pilot and 2012 British Paramotor Champion Dean Eldridge. "It's the warmest, yet comfiest of flying suits, packed with a full list of great features as standard. Every part of the suit has been designed with the pilot in mind and it shows. This suit will enable me to comfortably continue my aerial exploits through the colder months ahead."


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Become a Speaker
So you want to speak...
Absolutely no problem! Let us know what's the topic and we will sort you out with a slot. If you are unsure about the subject, below you can find a few general suggestions from the community.
- BDD and DDD
- AWS environment
- Algorithms
- Current RFCs and PHP-FIG PSRs
- RESTfull APIs - Best Practices
- Coping with burnout
Practical Sessions
Furthermore, we are looking to do more hands on sessions, such as katas and workshops involving peer programming. Suggested topics include:
- Deploying and migrating databases the right way
- Refactoring old codebases
Speaker package
We want to reward the time you put into preparing the talk/session. That's why we have a small giftbag for our speakers. You can expect a GlasgowPHP t-shirt as well as a "mystery bottle" of either foreign or locally sourced alcoholic beverage.
Event sponsors
Let us know how you could help the community.


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Consumers nationwide should brace themselves for higher electricity tariffs, with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Monday approving a Rs. 1.90-lakh crore debt restructuring package for the State Electricity Boards to facilitate a turnaround of the State distribution companies (discoms).
The CCEA, which met under the leadership of the Prime Minister, approved the package that will force the distribution companies, which are in the red, to begin a fresh round of tariff increase.
"The restructuring by lenders is subject to certain steps to be taken by the State government/discoms and their commitment to fulfil mandatory conditions aimed at bridging the gap between the average cost of supply and the average revenue realised to restore the viability of the sector," says a Cabinet note.
In other words, it will be mandatory for the State governments or distribution companies to revise their tariffs regularly to avail themselves of the package.
"For financing operational losses and interest for the first three years on a diminishing scale, a separate arrangement will be worked out in respect of focus States such as Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh after due consultations with the States concerned and the Ministry of Power," the note states.
The scheme provides for 50 per cent of the outstanding short-term liabilities as of March 31, 2012 to be taken over by the States governments. This shall be first converted into bonds to be issued by the distributing companies to lenders and guaranteed by the State governments.
The State government will take over the liability during the next 2-5 years by issuing special securities in favour of the lenders in phases, keeping in view the fiscal space available till the entire loan is taken over. The State governments will also provide distribution companies full support in repayment of interest and principal. The rest of the short-term liabilities will be rescheduled by the lenders and serviced by the distribution companies with a three-year moratorium on principal.
The State governments will convert all loans into equity or defer their recovery, along with interest, until the loans rescheduled by banks/financial institutions are fully repaid. The State governments shall pay by November 2012 all their outstanding energy bills as on March 31, 2012, and the utilities shall give a certificate to this effect by December 31.
Furthermore, a road map for involving the private sector in the State distribution sector through franchisee arrangements or any other mode of private participation will be prepared within a year by distribution companies and submitted to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for approval.
The tariff order for 2012-13 will have to be notified before the financial restructuring package is approved, and for subsequent years, it should be notified by April 30 of each financial year as per the model tariff regulation. The State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) shall be requested to allow revised tariff with effect from April 1 each year so that the impact of tariff revision is fully realised during the financial year.
The scheme also makes prepaid meters mandatory by March 31, 2013 for all government consumers and large consumers (1 MW and above), in whose cases defaults have occurred.


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YouTube vlogger Oli White lent a hand (and video camera) to help launch My subscribers make me happy. Check out the @CocaCola_GB pin board in brick lane. Pin your #ChooseHappiness #ad pic.twitter.com/pmYdQ2Q0Ii
What does happiness mean to you?
Always looking positive, and surrounding yourself with people that make you happy and smile, and that have an impact on your life and make you change and feel good about yourself.
Where's your happy place?
I've just moved to London, so at the moment it's my flat. I haven't really been there much this week, as I've been so busy, but it's definitely my happy place. I've tried to make it a really creative environment, and somewhere I can invite friends over so even when we're not hanging out they can work there. It's a really bright space so it has an instant impact on how you feel.
What's your happiest childhood memory?
When I was younger I used to love having my friends over, it was one of the most fun experiences. I was a massive WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) fan, and I'd always pretend wrestle with my friends - we'd even claim belts. I used to host this thing called 'Oli White's Summer Slam', and I had an agenda of who was playing who too.
What's your happy soundtrack?
At the moment I find myself waking up to Ayo by Chris Brown and Tyga, and for some reason it makes me so happy. The song makes me feel really uplifted and motivated for the whole day.
What film makes you happy?
I'm a massive fan of comedy and action films, and Jason Statham in The Transporter. I love those films so much, they put a smile on my face.
Surrounding myself with other people that make me laugh, and who make me happy, like Joe Sugg and Caspar Lee. They're a massive part of my life now, from making videos and the business side to just having fun. Most people associate YouTubers as business partners, but we have so much fun and such a laugh, and we get on so well. It's quite unusual because you don't usually find a strong connection in the world of YouTube, because everyone's always too busy, so normally that's not a lot of time to hang out together. But now that I've moved to London, and I live five minutes down the road from them, I can visit them when I want. And working together and seeing them succeed is one of the happiest things to me.
What's the best thing about your job?
The best thing is that I can do what I want, and no-one can tell me different. It's still crazy when I think about where I am now, and how my life has changed so drastically. What makes me the happiest is being able to support myself, and my parents not having to pay for me anymore, like my food and rent. At the age of 20 I can happily pay for things myself and offer them money, which is one of the most incredible experiences.
What's your happiest day of the week?
I have a lot of happy days at the moment! It's a very busy period of my life, and this month there's been a meeting or filming almost every single day. Even just that makes me so happy. If I ever have a quiet period then I'm thinking "right, I need to do something". I enjoy having free time and playing on my console for a bit, but I need to be doing something.
Which make you happier: cats or dogs?
I would say dogs because I have one and she's the most amazing dog ever. I miss her so much now that I've moved to London. I'd love to bring her here. We have one dog called Georgie who's very old, and a little puppy called Millie who's got so much energy. She's a ball of fun! I never thought dogs could have memories and personalities, but when I come back from being away, even if it's a day, she'll run up to me and start barking and jumping.
Who is the happiest person you know?
That's a difficult question! I would say I try and be as happy as possible, and if I ever see other people down I try and put a smile on their face. I wouldn't say I'm the happiest person I know, but if I see someone having a hard time I'll do something funny or stupid to bring up their energy levels. My job revolves around entertaining people, and making them happy, so I'd like to think I do the same for my friends as well.
My subscribers make me happy. Check out the @CocaCola_GB pin board in brick lane. Pin your #ChooseHappiness #ad pic.twitter.com/pmYdQ2Q0Ii— Oli White (@OliWhiteTV) May 11, 2015