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Picture by Britton harper of Winona Van Norman, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Barrels hardly ever wear evenly, and therefore a worn barrel needs to be honed to the size of the most-worn section. The maximum amount that a barrel can be honed is dependent on a number of factors including the wall thickness of the barrel, the extrusion pressure generated, the material being processed and the geometric properties (compression ratios etc.) of the screw. All these factors must be considered before a barrel is honed, but in many cases the performance of the barrel and screw can be increased. It is critical that the barrel and screw are assessed and refurbished as a unit.
Yes. Nitrided Barrels are made from steel with a specific alloying of of chromium, aluminium and nickel. The nitriding process creates a layer of hardened material between 0.2 and 0.8mm thick on the surface of the material. Below this layer, the material remains mostly unaffected. The honing process removes the hardened layer, and allows another nitriding cycle to be applied to material.
Yes. In many cases, a screw will break at the smallest diameter, and the remainder of the screw will still be in good condition. We may be able to repair these screws so that you can put them back into service for a fraction of the cost of a new one. We typically make mechanical joins to ensure durability and reliability, although all screws should be replaced as good practice. It is also possible for us to join twin screws, but these repairs should be regarded as a interim measure which allows the plant to run while new screws are manufactured.
A check-ring is a hollow cylindrical device that is usually part of a tip assembly for an injection moulder screw. The check ring slides forwards during the charging stroke of the screw, allowing the melt to flow into the barrel ahead of the tip assembly. When the screw moves forward to inject the melt into the mould cavity, the check ring seals against the seating washer and prevents the melt from flowing back down the screw. This allows more consistent injection volume and allows the pressure in the mould (cushion) to be held for a period while the melt cools in the mould.
Pitcture by Glenn McKechnie / CC BY-SA
Yes. In many cases, a tie bar will break at the smallest diameter or at the threaded end of the tie bar nut, and the remainder of the tie bar will still be in good condition. We are able to repair these tie bars so that you can put them back into service for a fraction of the cost of a new one. The joins are stress relieved and heat treated to ensure durability and reliability. If required, we can manufacture anew tie bar or refurbish it by grinding, chroming and grinding it to OEM specification.
Yes. We are able to provide you with a turnkey plastic recycling line that will take post-consumer plastic items like bottles, crates and film and turn it into pellets for onward sale to plastic conversion company.
All we need is for you to estimate what volume and type of plastic that will be recycled each month so that we can configure and size the line appropriately. Then you can produce a business plan and obtain financing. Give us a call and we can discuss your requirements.
Corona treatment (sometimes referred to as air plasma) is a surface treatment process that improves the bonding characteristics of most materials such as: paper, films, foils, and polymers by raising surface energy (dyne level). Most plastics, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, have chemically inert and nonporous surfaces with low surface tensions causing them to be non-receptive to bonding with printing inks, coatings, and adhesives. Although results are invisible to the naked eye, surface treating modifies surfaces to improve adhesion. Polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, vinyl, PVC, PET, metalized surfaces, foils, paper, and paperboard stocks are commonly treated by this method. It is safe, economical, and delivers high line speed throughput. Corona treatment is also suitable for the treatment of injection and blow molded parts, and is capable of treating multiple surfaces and difficult parts with a single pass. Source
polyethylene terephthalate (sometimes written poly(ethylene terephthalate)), commonly abbreviated PET, PETE, is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in synthetic fibres; beverage, food and other liquid containers; thermoforming applications; and engineering resins often in combination with glass fibre. Source
high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyethylene high-density (PEHD) is a polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum. It takes 1.75 kilograms of petroleum (in terms of energy and raw materials) to make one kilogram of HDPE. HDPE is commonly recycled, and has the number "2" as its recycling symbol. In 2007, the global HDPE market reached a volume of more than 30 million tons. Source
Polypropylene or Polypropene (PP) is a thermoplastic polymer, made by the chemical industry and used in a wide variety of applications, including packaging, textiles (e.g. ropes, thermal underwear and carpets), stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes. An addition polymer made from the monomer propylene, it is rugged and unusually resistant to many chemical solvents, bases and acids.
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a thermoplastic made from petroleum. It was the first grade of polyethylene, produced in 1933 by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) using a high pressure process via free radical polymerisation. Its manufacture employs the same method today. LDPE is commonly recycled, and has the number "4" as its recycling symbol. Source
Polystyrene, sometimes abbreviated PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the aromatic monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is commercially manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry. Polystyrene is one of the most widely used kinds of plastic.
Polystyrene is a thermoplastic substance, which is in solid (glassy) state at room temperature, but flows if heated above its glass transition temperature (for molding or extrusion), and becoming solid again when cooling off. Pure solid polystyrene is a colourless, hard plastic with limited flexibility. It can be cast into molds with fine detail. Polystyrene can be transparent or can be made to take on various colours.
Solid polystyrene is used in disposable cutlery, plastic models, CD and DVD cases, and smoke detector housings. Products made from foamed polystyrene are nearly ubiquitous, for example packing materials, insulation, and foam drink cups.
Polystyrene can be recycled, and has the number "6" as its recycling symbol. Unrecycled polystyrene, which does not biodegrade, is often abundant in the outdoor environment, particularly along shores and waterways, and is a form of pollution. Source
Polimerek / Public domain
Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a thermoplastic engineering polymer that is used as an insulator in the electrical and electronics industries. It is a thermoplastic (semi-)crystalline polymer, and a type of polyester. PBT is resistant to solvents, shrinks very little during forming, is mechanically strong, heat-resistant up to 150&176;C (or 200&176;C with glass-fibre reinforcement) and can be treated with flame retardants to make it noncombustible. It was developed by Britain's Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI).
PBT is closely related to other thermoplastic polyesters. Compared to PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PBT has slightly lower strength and rigidity, slightly better impact resistance, and a slightly lower glass transition temperature. PBT and PET are sensitive to hot water above 60&176;C (140&176;F). PBT and PET need UV protection if used outdoors, and most grades of these polyesters are flammable, although additives can be used to improve both UV and flammability properties. Source
polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is the third most widely used thermoplastic polymer after polyethylene and polypropylene. Around the world, over 50% of PVC manufactured is used in construction. As a building material, PVC is cheap, durable, and easy to assemble. The PVC world market grew with an average rate of approximately 5% in the last year and will probably reach a volume of 40 million tons by the year 2016.
It can be made softer and more flexible by the addition of plasticizers, the most widely-used being phthalates. In this form, it is used in clothing and upholstery, and to make flexible hoses and tubing, flooring, to roofing membranes, and electrical cable insulation. It is also commonly used in figurines and in inflatable products such as waterbeds, pool toys, and inflatable structures. Source
A polymer is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules, or macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic and natural polymers play essential and ubiquitous roles in everyday life. Polymers range from familiar synthetic plastics such as polystyrene to natural biopolymers such as DNA and proteins. Polymers, both natural and synthetic, are created via polymerization of many small molecules, known as monomers. Their consequently large molecular mass, relative to small molecule compounds, produces unique physical properties including toughness, high elasticity, viscoelasticity, and a tendency to form amorphous and semicrystalline structures rather than crystals. Source
H Padleckas / Public domain
A polyolefin is a type of polymer produced from a simple olefin (also called an alkene with the general formula CnH2n) as a monomer. For example, polyethylene is the polyolefin produced by polymerizing the olefin ethylene. Polypropylene is another common polyolefin which is made from the olefin propylene. Source
polyolefins are impossible to join by solvent cementing because they have excellent chemical resistance and can only be adhesively bonded after surface treatment because they have very low surface energies. They are also extremely inert chemically and exhibit decreased strength at lower temperatures.
Polyolefin is used for blown film as well as rash guards or under garments for wetsuits. Polyolefin eloastomer POE is used as a main ingredient in the molded flexible foam technology such as in the fabrication of self skinned footwear (think Crocs shoes), seat cushions, arm rests and spa pillows etc. Source
Rotor DB / Public domain
Natural rubber is an elastomer (an elastic hydrocarbon polymer) originally derived from a milky colloidal suspension, or latex, found in the sap of some plants. The purified form of natural rubber is the chemical polyisoprene, which can also be produced synthetically. Synthetic rubber is often used as a covering for rollers in the film extrusion and printing industry. Source
Nitrile rubber, or Buna-N, is a synthetic rubber copolymer of acrylonitrile (ACN) and butadiene. Nitrile is often used as a covering for rollers in the film extrusion and printing industry. Some trade names are: Nipol, Krynac and Europrene. Source
Wikipedia user Akane 700 / CC BY-SA
Neoprene or polychloroprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by polymerization of chloroprene. Neoprene in general has good chemical stability, and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range. It is used in a wide variety of applications, coverings for rollers in the film extrusion and printing industry, such as laptop sleeves, orthopedic braces (wrist, knee, etc.), electrical insulation, liquid and sheet applied elastomeric membranes or flashings, and car fan belts. Source
Roughness is a measure of the texture of a surface (the finish after a manufacturing process). It is quantified by the vertical deviations of a real surface from its ideal form. If these deviations are large, the surface is rough; if they are small the surface is smooth.
Roughness plays an important role in determining how a real object will interact with its environment. Rough surfaces usually wear more quickly and have higher friction coefficients than smooth surfaces (see tribology). Roughness is often a good predictor of the performance of a mechanical component, since irregularities in the surface may form nucleation sites for cracks or corrosion.
Although roughness is usually undesirable, it is difficult and expensive to control in manufacturing. Decreasing the roughness of a surface will usually increase exponentially its manufacturing costs. This often results in a trade-off between the manufacturing cost of a component and its performance in application. Source
Emok / Public domain
Honing is a manufacturing process that produces a precision surface on a workpiece by scrubbing an abrasive stone against it along a controlled path. Honing is primarily used to improve the geometric form of a surface, but may also improve surface texture.
Honing is classified as an abrasive machining manufacturing process. As with all abrasive machining processes, material is cut away from the workpiece using abrasive grains. In the case of honing, the grains are bound together with an adhesive to form a honing stone (or hone). Generally, honing grains are irregularly shaped and about 10 to 50 micrometers in diameter (300 to 1,500 mesh grit). Smaller grain sizes produce a smoother surface on the workpiece.
A honing stone is similar to a grinding wheel in many ways, but honing stones are usually more friable so that they conform to the shape of the workpiece as they wear in. To counteract their friability, honing stones may be treated with wax or sulfur to improve life; wax is usually preferred for environmental reasons.
Any abrasive material may be used to create a honing stone, but the most commonly used are corundum, silicon carbide, CBN or diamond. The choice of abrasive material is usually driven by the characteristics of the workpiece material. In most cases, corundum or silicon carbide are acceptable, but extremely hard workpiece materials must be honed using superabrasives. Source
Nitriding is a process which introduces nitrogen into the surface of a material. It is used in metallurgy, for example, for case hardening treatment of predominantly steel but also for titanium, aluminium and molybdenum. Nitriding is widely used in automotive, mechanical and aeronautical engineering. Typical components receiving this metallurgical process are gears, crankshafts, camshafts, cam followers, valve parts, extruder screws and barrels, die-casting tools, forging dies, extrusion dies, injectors and plastic-mould tools.
All nitriding processes enrich the surface of a material with nitrogen. Processes are named by the medium used to donate nitrogen. The three main methods used are gas nitriding, liquid or salt bath nitriding or ion (plasma) nitriding.
A nitrided barrel is usually made from a carbon steel with a combination of nickel, chromium and aluminium to produce an alloy that most readily accepts the nitriding process.
A bimetallic barrel has a hardened alloy layer fused to the inner bore of the barrel. The hardened layer is intruduced into a barrel blank as a powder. The barrel is placed in a high temperature furnace that subjects the powder to temperature of more than 1100 deg C while spinning the barrel, which fuses them together. Barrel cooling is carefully controlled on removal from the furnace and this results in a super-hard, highly uniform lining in the bore. The inner layer is then precision honed and the resutling bore lining is at least 1.5mm thick.
Users Cbuckley, Jpowell on en.wikipedia / Public domain
Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic amorphous solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular weight, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce costs.
There are two types of plastics: thermoplastics and thermosets. Thermoplastics, if exposed to enough heat, will melt. Thermosets will keep their shape until they are charred and burnt. Some examples of thermoplastics are grocery bags, piano keys and some automobile parts. Examples of thermosets are children's dinner sets and circuit boards.
Common plastics and uses :
Special-purpose plastics :
Pigment is a concentrated colourant, supplied in a powdered form generally used for smaller runs or specialised applications such as Rotational Moulding. These are usually compatible with HDPE, PP, LLDPE, LDPE, EVA, AVS, PVC, GP Styrene, although not exlcusively.
Bleeding: the situation in which parts of the colouring constituents either stain an adjacent contact material or are released into a surrounding solvent.
Blooming: migration of pigment or additive particles in the component to the surface which results in the appearance of a 'haze' or bloom on the surface of the product. Generally confined to a few organic pigments and some UV stabilizers this effect can take some time to develop. It is more likely to be seen in masterbatches where the higher concentrations of colourants and additives may exceed their compatibility with the carrier polymer.
Blue Wool Scale: (ISO 105-B01-1988) is a means of measuring the colour fastness to natural daylight of a colour by comparing it to a blue wool standard. It was originally developed to compare the fastness properties of textile dyes. Expressed on a scale of 1-8, where 1 is the lowest value, the next digit corresponds to twice the fastness level of the previous digit. i.e. double the exposure time at the same exposure level.
Colour Index: a system of classifying colourants by their chemical type. For example titanium dioxide is C.I. Pigment White 6 and a fluorescent yellow dye is C.I. Solvent Yellow 98.
Dispersing aids: additives incorporated into the masterbatch formulation to promote dispersion and development of the active constituents. These can work in a number of ways, reducing friction, wetting and separating the pigment particles, helping to break down pigment aggregates, improving melt rheology, lubricating the particles to name a few.
Dispersion: defines the quality of the breakdown of pigment aggregates and separation of pigment particles to maximize colour development. Usually referred to in the general terms of good and bad. Poor dispersion results in pigment specks being present in the final part and low colour strength. Pigment specks can lead to low impact strength and process failures in blow moulding or film extrusion. In metallic and pearl colours poor dispersion can also be (erroneously) applied to the streaking caused by the pigment platelets being orientated in different directions.
Distribution: describes how well the masterbatch pellets are spread throughout the base polymer. Poor distribution can appear as variations in colour between successive mouldings.
Dyes: powdered colourants that are soluble in the molten polymer matrix (see pigment).
Fillers: solid additives, usually inert inorganic compounds (e.g. Chalk, Talc etc) added to plastics and masterbatches to increase polymer bulk or reduce costs. Some fillers are incorporated to produce specific physical properties, for example stiffness, temperature resistance or raised specific gravity in polymer compounds.
Fish eyes: contamination of incompatible material resulting in scale like appearance (frequently found with use of regrind material)
Granule: standard pellet size of 3.2mm
Grey Scale: (ISO105-A02-1993) is a scale from 1-5 (where 5 is no change) used to describe colour change due to weathering and other environmental exposure.
Heavy metal pigments: the coloured salts of heavy metals (lead and cadmium) that make good, economical pigments. Concerns about heavy metals in the waste/recycling chain and in toys and food containers have led to their control by legislation in some applications and their replacement with organic substitutes.
Homogenisation: the term to describe the evenness of mixing of the constituents in the compound. Poor homogenisation appears as colour streaks in the parts.
Lamination: occurs when there is stratification of the polymer due to poor homogenisation of the masterbatch. Usually a processing problem, it is often blamed on masterbatch incompatibility although it can be created by inappropriate use of universal masterbatches.
Let Down Ratio (LDR): the level at which a master batch is incorporated into the base polymer. Hence an LDR of 3 (%) is 97 % polymer, 3% masterbatch.
Melt fracture: describes the alternation of adhesion/slip between the extrudate and the side of the extruder barrel or die on processing plant giving a 'sharkskin' effect on the products, especially film and profile or hose extrusions.
Metamerism: the term used to describe the phenomena in which two colours are a good match under one illumination but are not a good match when illuminated under a different light source. This is due to different pigment combinations in the composition of each colour and the different absorption and reflection characteristics of each pigment under the differing illuminations. To avoid metamerism it is important to specify the illumination conditions under which the final part will be used, especially if it will be alongside other materials (fabrics, painted items etc) that it is required to match in colour.
Micro-pellet: granules with a standard size of 0.8mm,
Migration: a term applied to the mobility of colourants usually attributed to the partial solubility in the polymer of one of the components of the colour. It can appear as 'bleeding' or 'blooming'.
Mini-pellet: granules with a standard size of 1.1mm
Monopigment concentrates: special masterbatches featuring high pigment loadings up to 65% developed for in-house processors who want to minimize contamination and reduce cleaning costs, or those wishing to produce their own colours or masterbatches
Multi-functional masterbatches: composite masterbatches that combine colour with functional additives, for example UV stabilizers, anti-oxidants, anti-static additives.
Pigment: powdered colourants that are dispersed through the polymer matrix (see dyes).
Plate out: this is the separation during processing and deposition on the metal surfaces of the equipment of one or more components of a material. It appears as staining on processing equipment and is sometimes referred to as 'mould staining' although it can also affect extruder screws and dies. Usually it is attributed to a limited compatibility of part of the formulation
Polymer specific masterbatch: a masterbatch in which the carrier for the colourant(s) or active additives is the same polymeric type as the polymer it is to be used in (see universal).
Prill: spherical beads typically 1.2 to 1.5mm diameter - presents a high surface area that gives better distributive mixing of pigments and additives and hence significantly enhanced homogenization. Smaller spherical pellets present higher surface areas that give better distributive mixing of pigments and additives and hence significantly enhanced homogenization. For applications requiring only low levels of colour or additive the low LDRs involved can lead to poor distribution due to the small number of masterbatch pellets present in the mix. As the masterbatch pellet size decreases the number of pellets rises for any given LDR, greatly improving their distribution and the quality of the final product. The smallest pellets also are of great benefit when adding colour or additives to powdered base materials. Addition of conventionally sized masterbatch to powders such as PVC blends can lead to separation after mixing; Mini- or Micro-pellets are much closer in size to the powders and are much less likely to separate during conveying or feeding into the process equipment.
Slip: as the name implies this refers to the 'slippery' nature of a polymer surface (low co-efficient of friction). Also used to describe a family of additives that increase this property.
Universal masterbatch: a highly concentrated masterbatch in which the 'carrier' or 'binder' is formulated from ingredients selected for their compatibility with a range of polymers enabling it to be used in a number of different polymers. It should be recognized that use of a universal masterbatch to colour several different polymer types is unlikely to result in components that are all the same shade. This is due to the different base colours of polymers and the effects that some polymer types have on colourant chemistry.
Weld line: the meeting of two material flows in a moulding. This can be a source of potential failure of the part under stress if the two flow fronts do not retain sufficient energy to mix well when they meet. Weld lines can be particularly noticeable in mouldings containing metallic or pearlescent colours. In these cases the laminar nature of the pigments results in their being oriented in a particular direction by the flow of the polymer, leading to an unsightly boundary line where the flows meet. Visibility and strength of weld lines can be optimized by tool design and moulding conditions.
Pigment is a concentrated colourant supplied in a powdered form generally used for smaller runs or specialised applications such as Rotational Moulding. These are usually compatible with HDPE, PP, LLDPE, LDPE, EVA, AVS, PVC, GP Styrene, although not exlcusively.
Masterbatch (MB) is a solid additive for plastic used for colouring plastics (colour masterbatch) or imparting other properties to plastics (additive masterbatch). A liquid dosage form is called liquid colour. Masterbatch is a concentrated mixture of pigments and/or additives encapsulated during a heat process into a carrier resin which is then cooled and cut into a granular shape. Masterbatch allows the processor to colour raw polymer economically during the plastics manufacturing process.
Is this Mechanical and Machine Tool Services cc the same business as Mechanical and Machine Tool Services (Pty) Ltd? Yes, at the end of 2010, the company was re-formed into a Close Corporation by Justin after the closure of the Activia Park factory. We provide all the services we have in the past.
Does the old 011 828 1653 or 011 828 1081 telephone number still work? No. We have switched to mobile numbers because they are more reliable. More contact info on our Contact page.
Does the old 011 828 5987 fax number still work? No, we do all written communication via e-mail and whatsapp. Please refer to the info on our Contact page.


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Dec.15.Singapore ------ Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced that it has received this year's "Outstanding Asia-Pacific Semiconductor Company Award" by the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA). Hidetoshi Shibata, President and CEO of Renesas, and Board Member of GSA accepted the award at the Awards Celebration held in Santa Clara, California on December 8, 2022 PDT.
"It is a privilege to receive this award on behalf of all Renesas employees," said Hidetoshi Shibata, President and CEO of Renesas, and Board Member of GSA. "We owe this accolade to the tremendous support we received from our customers, partners, and the GSA community. We will continue our transformational journey and hope to receive even more recognition in the near future."
Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723) empowers a safer, smarter and more sustainable future where technology helps make our lives easier. A leading global provider of microcontrollers, Renesas combines our expertise in embedded processing, analog, power and connectivity to deliver complete semiconductor solutions. These Winning Combinations accelerate time to market for automotive, industrial, infrastructure and IoT applications, enabling billions of connected, intelligent devices that enhance the way people work and live. Learn more at renesas.com.

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British influencer Oli London, who transitioned to a Korean woman earlier this year, said he is now transitioning back to be a British man. Londo
British influencer Oli London, who transitioned to a Korean woman earlier this year, said he is now transitioning back to be a British man.
London, 32, who was embroiled in controversy after identifying as 'transracial' and undergoing multiple surgeries to look like a K-Pop star, laid the blame on American schools.
Speaking to Fox's Tucker Carlson on Friday night, London, a newly converted Christian, admitted it was a mistake to identify as 'transracial.'
'I realize that was a big mistake and I just want to be a boy,' London said, 'but is it any wonder people like me and young people want to change their gender when we have normalization of this in our schools in this country.
'Children are taught from a young age, from the age of five in some cases, that it's okay to change their gender, it's okay to wear a skirt, it's okay for a boy to use the gender neutral toilet when it puts girls at risk,' he added.
London also accused schools of teaching kids to 'idolize weak men like Harry Styles,' referencing the popular British singer.
Oli London, who transitioned to a Korean woman earlier this year (above), said he is transitioning back to a British man and blamed American schools for his gender dysphoria
Speaking with Tucker Carlson, London said the American culture wars over gender have left people confused on the topic
The British influencer sparked controversy after identifying as 'transracial' and spending more than $271,000 to look like Korean pop-stars
London claimed schools are doing away with masculinity and making kids idolize 'weak men like Harry Styles,' bashing the popular British singer (pictured on November 1)
London, who hails from the British capital, first made headlines in October 2018 after news broke that he had spent more than $88,000 on 15 surgeries to look Korean, causing a massive backlash on social media.
Following the transition, London said he finally felt at peace after struggling with his identity for eight years, but he has done a complete U-Turn following his conversion to Christianity over the summer.
London has since laid the blame on the American culture wars over gender and schools, saying the ideals of masculinity have been 'eroded' in the nation.
'This is the new norm and schools are teaching about toxic masculinity, they're eroding the alpha male,' London told Carlson. 'The alpha straight male has been eroded.
'What happened years ago when kids used to idolize Superman and astronauts. Now kids are being pushed by this radical ideology.
'They're taught to idolize weak men like Harry Styles. Weak men like Beto O'Rourke,' he added, bringing up the Democrat who lost the race for Texas governor against Gregg Abbott.
London (right, pictured with Aliia Roza) said he has long struggled with his gender identity, but found peace after converting to Christianity over the summer
London underwent several surgeries to look like BTS vocalist Jimin. He said his obsession to 'become Korean' came after living in the country for a year in 2013
London then transitioned to a woman while still identifying as Korean. He is pictured with fellow influencer Justin Jedica in 2018, who has also undergone many cosmetic surgeries
London told Carlson that it was a mistake to become a Korean woman. London's criticism of gender transitioning comes following his conversion to Christianity
London has had a total of 30 surgeries, spending more than $271,000 over the last eight years.
Prior to his decision to become a British man, London told DailyMail.com that his look was based on Korean-New Zealand singer Rosé, who is a member of popular girl band Blackpink.
London said he began 'identifying as Korean' after living in South Korea for a year in 203 and falling in love with the culture.
As he stated that he wanted to be Korean, London received criticism that he was racist and that 'transracial does not exist.'
Speaking with the Catholic News Agency last week, said he still didn't feel right about his transition, which he said may have been fueled by the popularity of plastic surgery in South Korea.
London, a former atheist, said that after finding God, he is now able to accept who he really is.
'This actually kind of saved my life. It's brought me back to who I am as a person, finding God,' London told CNA.
London is not the only person who has 'de-transitioned' that is speaking out against transgender surgeries.
Chloe Cole said she launched legal action against the doctors to hold them 'accountable' for removing her breasts and pumping her full of puberty blockers
Cole 'medically transitioned' between the ages of 13 and 16, having her mastectomy surgeries at 15 in June 2020
Chloe Cole, a de-transitioned teenager who had a double mastectomy aged 15, told Carlson she is suing the surgeons who operated on her.
Cole launched legal action against the doctors to hold them 'accountable' for removing her breasts and pumping her full of puberty blockers.
The 18-year-old spoke about how she was 'devastated' by the operation and fears she will now never be able to bear children.
She transitioned to a male at age 13 after telling her parents she was 'distressed' with her gender and consulting medical professionals.
Cole, from Central Valley in California, had the life-changing surgery when she was just 15, before regretting it and de-transitioning a year later.
Now she said she was suing the doctors who performed on her and slammed them for letting a child make such an important decision.
She told Fox News' Tucker Carlson: 'They were concerned, and they wanted what was best for me.
But they weren't really sure what to do with me, so they sought professional help and from then on, I was basically referred [to] in my gender identity without any questioning from any medical professionals, and they pushed transitioning as the way to treat gender dysphoria.'
Chloe Cole, 18, who transitioned to male at 13 before later regretting her decision at 16, said she believes the acting president is 'trying to advocate for further experimentation on children'
Alia Ismail, 27, pictured as both a male and a female
Along with Cole, several people who have undergone gender-transitional procedures are voicing regret for their choices, with many saying they feel they were influenced into making drastic choices without proper counseling.
Alia Ismail, a 27-year-old from Michigan, is detransitioning after becoming a male at just 18.
She legally changed her name to Issa in August 2015 and underwent a double mastectomy in February 2016.
But after realizing she wanted to de-transition, the 27-year-old stopped taking male hormones in February 2021 and is going by the name Alia again.


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2022 | Annual Report
The Future of Innovation is Collaboration
Michelle Orsini
VP, Relationship Management
In the midst of the pandemic, a client leveraged their partnership with COCC to deploy innovative technology and a series of in-demand financial services to their customers, resulting in an exponential growth of
This past year has been fast-paced, high-volume, incredibly complex, but most importantly — extremely encouraging. At our recent annual conference, 300 clients were present. Between the hugs, we heard phrases like "we missed COCC," or "we're so happy to be part of COCC." This wasn't only a post-pandemic reaction; it was a reflection of a deeper understanding that COCC will support you and always be there for you. For our community, these sincere reactions were affirmations that through our growth and the integration of a hybrid workplace we continued to provide positive results for our clients.
In addition to spontaneous hugs at conferences, we have multiple ways of collecting client feedback — from surveys and report cards to meetings and user groups. We make every effort to gather valuable insights so we can provide meaningful support. While we certainly focus on addressing core banking needs, we sometimes go outside our product and service set, identifying opportunities to offer third-party assistance. Why? Because we believe such commitment adds value to the overall relationship and redefines us as a partner, not only a vendor.
Most importantly, when clients present us with challenges, it underscores their trust in us and makes us extremely proud. Our community banks and credit unions have come to know that with COCC they will have an all-encompassing team to ultimately support their community. From executive leadership and relationship managers to comprehensive aspects of technical support, clients have full access and transparency throughout our organization. Frankly, this is what makes COCC unique in the industry. While some financial institutions are waning, those organizations supported by COCC have grown stronger — and they will continue to do so.
As we head toward our 60-year milestone, we're excited for what's ahead. For some companies, the pandemic experience was an anchor, but for COCC it was a catapult. We demonstrated an ability to make changes quickly and were very nimble in responding to our clients' evolving needs. There were moments we weren't sure we were going to be able to pull it off, but we did. Now, we are able to harness that momentum and bring it forward with different initiatives. We developed new ways to communicate with clients, installed a new case management portal, and found new ways to be inclusive. It's exciting to think ahead to what we can accomplish next, together.


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Project Olympia is a project aimed at covering every ability in the Kingdom Hearts series. The goal is to have an article for every ability throughout the series.
Per the Manual of Style, ability articles should be written as follows:
- Introduction: A brief introduction of the ability.
- Ability: A brief explanation about how the ability works, including, where applicable, how it appears visually
- Obtain: A list of all the events in which the ability can be obtained or learned.


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Golf Course Advisory Board
The Smith Center Golf Course Advisory Board was established February 24, 2000. Board members serve 3 year terms, with no term number limitations.
The board provides leadership and strategic guidance for the municipal golf course and is accountable to the members for the performance of the course and its activities.
Current members:
Billy Thayer
Taylor Kuhlmann
Matt Teselle
Blake Kirchhoff


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CAS Welcomes 2023 Classes of New Associates and Fellows
Over 230 insurance industry professionals recently earned their Associateship (ACAS) or Fellowship (FCAS) credentials from the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) by passing examinations given during the CAS's Fall 2022 exam sitting.
The new classes of credential holders include 168 new Associates and 72 new Fellows; all have successfully completed the examinations, online courses, VEE requirements, and the Course on Professionalism required to earn CAS designations. The full list of names can be found online; recipients will be honored at a future CAS meeting.
For over 100 years, the CAS has been setting the standard of expertise, credibility, and professional integrity for the P&C actuarial profession, and the new credential holders join a vibrant community of over 9,000 CAS members sought after for their insights and ability to apply analytics to solve insurance and risk management problems.
"We're thrilled to welcome these new Associates and Fellows who will bring valuable new perspectives and talents to our profession," said CAS President Roosevelt Mosley. "CAS credentials remain the gold standard for property and casualty actuaries, and achievement of the ACAS and FCAS is a remarkable milestone in any P&C actuary's career. Employers across the globe continue to value CAS members for their deep technical training, ability to harness new data and technologies, and capacity to solve complex business problems."
For more information on CAS credentials please visit the exams/admissions section of the website.
The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) is a leading international organization for credentialing and professional education. Founded in 1914, the CAS is the world's only actuarial organization focused exclusively on property and casualty risks and serves over 9,000 members worldwide. CAS members are sought after globally for their insights and ability to apply analytics to solve insurance and risk management problems.


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By: Zeynep Ilgaz
The tech industry has developed the negative (but accurate) reputation of being a homogenous boys' club. But fortunately, companies are beginning to make an effort to boost their diversity.
A 2012 CEB survey revealed that 77 percent of executives feel a strong support for diversity initiatives. But we still have a long way to go, as the same study showed that just 40 percent of employees feel like their organizations are truly diverse and inclusive.
To help steer things in the right direction,
Your company may not have hundreds of millions of dollars to spend on diversity initiatives, so here are four easy steps any organization can take toward becoming a place that accepts and embraces diversity:
1. Understand the True Perks of Diversity
Diversity isn't just a moral issue; there's more to it than filling quotas and complying with affirmative action initiatives. From a business standpoint, diversity is all about building a dynamic team that incorporates different backgrounds and cultures. Ideally, your team members should represent your entire customer base.
Extensive research has been conducted on the business-related benefits of diversity. One study in particular focused on the perks of thought diversity and found that ethnically varied businesses reap the rewards of improved innovation, better decision-making, and a more effective utilization of their workforce. I would also argue that it breeds creativity, leads to sales growth, and improves employee retention.
2. Identify New Talent Pools
A huge step toward a more diverse workforce is a more creative recruitment strategy. Look beyond traditional hiring sources such as university programs and industry organizations, and search for more unique talent pools.
Have you ever considered hiring veterans? More and more veterans are heading for the U.S. job market. These candidates come with tremendous passion and discipline, and our nation as a whole needs to do a much better job of embracing them in the workforce.
3. Incorporate Diversity Beyond HR
Your diversity initiatives should extend far beyond the hiring process, and your HR department shouldn't be the only people who enforce them. Your entire organization, from top to bottom, needs to develop this inclusive mindset. Make sure everyone is aware of the true benefits of diversity, and find ways to incorporate your initiatives into your professional development efforts, leadership training, and more.
Organizations that don't take a companywide approach to diversity will have an awfully difficult time retaining whatever diversity they currently have.
4. Make Diversity a Part of Your Brand's Identity
It's not enough to simply state that you're a diverse organization; actions speak much louder than words. Show everyone that your organization embraces differences by hiring a vibrant staff of different races, genders, nationalities, and backgrounds.
By the year 2050, there will no longer be a clear racial or ethnic majority in America. And over the next 40 years, immigrants and their children will account for 83 percent of our country's workforce growth.
The general population is becoming more diverse, so why shouldn't your business reflect that?
As a female immigrant from Turkey, this topic and trend hits close to home. Embracing diversity doesn't just benefit me on a personal level, but it has also done wonders for my business. Take these four easy steps toward increasing your company's innovation, employee retention, and overall bottom line.
Originally from Turkey, Zeynep Ilgaz and her husband immigrated to the United States with two suitcases, their love for each other, and a desire for entrepreneurship. They co-founded Confirm BioSciences and TestCountry in San Diego, and Ilgaz serves as president of both. Confirm BioSciences offers service-oriented testing technologies for drugs of abuse and health.


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Is the Realtek HD Audio Manager constantly popping up with notifications like 'You just plugged a device into the audio jack' or similar messages? It can be annoying, but don't worry. The following methods may help you make it disappear.
Try the below methods one by one to see if you can resolve the issue of the Realtek HD Audio Manager randomly popping up with one of these methods.
Method 1: Disable the auto popup option in Realtek Audio Manager
Method 2: Turn off the notifications of Realtek Audio Manager from Settings
Method 3: Update the Realtek audio driver
Method 4: Uninstall the program
Method 1: Disable the auto popup option in Realtek Audio Manager
The Realtek HD Audio Manager usually comes along with the motherboard, and there is an auto popup option inside the program which is enabled by default. If the auto popup option is enabled, the Realtek HD Audio Manager can randomly pop up. In this case, you can disable the auto popup option in Realtek Audio Manager to fix the error.
In Realtek HD Audio Manager, you can go to Connector Settings where you can disable the auto popup option. The specific steps depend on the motherboard you use. Here taking the Gigabyte motherboard as an example:
1) Open Realtek HD Audio Manager.
2) Click the tool icon at the bottom right corner of the audio manager window, then you'll be directed to Connector Settings.
3) In Connector Settings, if you see the option "Enable auto popup dialog, when device has been plugged in" selected, deselect it, then click OK to save the changes.
4) Close Realtek Audio Manager.
5) Restart your computer and check to see if you're still facing the error.
Method 2: Turn off the notifications of Realtek Audio Manager from Settings
You can disable the notification of Realtek Audio Manager from Settings. After that, you won't receive any notification from Realtek HD Audio Manager including the random popups.
Here's how to do it:
1) Right-click on the Start menu button and then select Settings.
2) At the Windows Settings window, select System.
3) In the left pane, click Notifications & actions. In the right pane, under 'Get notifications from these senders', scroll down and turn off Realtek HD Audio Manager.
4) Check to see if the popping up error still occurs.
Method 3: Update the Realtek audio driver
Updating the Realtek audio driver can reinstall and reset Realtek Audio Manager. This may help fix the popping up error.
You can update the driver via Device Manager:
1) Right-click on the Start menu button and select Device Manager. Then the Device Manager window will pop up.
2) In Device Manager, expand the category "Sound, video and game controllers". Right-click on the Realtek Audio entry and select Update driver .
3) Select Search automatically for drivers, then Windows will search your computer for a newer driver and install it on your computer.
Alternatively, you can go to the device manufacturer's website to download the audio driver. Usually, drivers can be downloaded from the Drivers, Support or Download section.
Method 4: Uninstall the program
If you've tried the above methods but with no luck, the last resort is to uninstall Realtek HD Audio Manager from your computer. In most cases, uninstalling Realtek HD Audio Manager won't cause any sound issues. But if it causes issues for you, you can reinstall it.
You can follow these steps to uninstall Realtek HD Audio Manager:
1) Right-click on the Start menu and select Apps and Features.
2) Scroll down and select Realtek HD Audio Manager.
3) Click Uninstall, then the confirmation dialog will pop up, then click Uninstall again.
Hopefully you find the article helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment below. I'll get back to you ASAP.


text: Welcome to 646 Acton Ridge Road! This Waterfront Home located in the desirable town of Wakefield is a must see. This spacious 10-room waterfront home has ample space for family and friends to gather or spend the night. Located on pristine Lake Ivanhoe, this home offers year-round panoramic views of the lake and its wildlife from the living room, upstairs enclosed porch, balcony, or spacious deck. The oversized kitchen includes double wall ovens, commercial range and a large center island, an ideal environment for the chef in the family. There is additional space for entertaining in the huge second floor family room complete with a custom-built fieldstone gas fireplace. The gathering room opens into an enclosed porch complete with ping pong table and pool table, as well as a balcony. The master suite with full bath is downstairs, while upstairs you will find a full and half bath plus 2 bedrooms and 3 additional guest rooms. The large .88-acre double lot is perfect for outdoor activities with family and friends. The 200' of sandy shoreline provides excellent fishing and boating opportunities. This house is a must see for a family who enjoys the quiet serenity of a smaller lake but needs space for a growing family.


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2020-06-15 13:18:57
Protests have erupted in Atlanta, where the police killing of unarmed African American man Rayshard Brooks in a Wendy's parking lot has outraged residents.
The autopsy revealed that Brooks was shot in the back as he was running away, and the death has been ruled a homicide by the county medical examiner.
Brooks's killing comes as protests against racism and police violence continue across the country. The Atlanta police chief has already resigned, and the officer who shot Brooks has been fired.
"What we saw happen to Mr. Brooks is, unfortunately, something that we continue to see repeated in our communities all across this country," says Mary Hooks, co-director of Southerners on New Ground, which is part of the National Bail Out collective and the Movement for Black Lives.
"What we continue to see is police being called in as first responders to things that they should not be showing up for."
Democracy Now! produces a daily, global, independent news hour hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan González.
Our reporting includes breaking daily news headlines and in-depth interviews with people on the front lines of the world's most pressing issues.
On DN!, you'll hear a diversity of voices speaking for themselves, providing a unique and sometimes provocative perspective on global events.
Missed an episode? Check out DN on FSTV VOD anytime or visit the show page for the latest clips.
#FreeSpeechTV is one of the last standing national, independent news networks committed to advancing progressive social change.
#FSTV is available on Dish, DirectTV, AppleTV, Roku, Sling, and online at freespeech.org.
Human Rights and Equality
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Get updates about the policies and topics that matter the most to you. Progressive news directly to your email.


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We believe in sustainable design
Sustainability is integral to the Baresque business, from design thinking right through to disposal. We promote planet-positive products wherever possible to improve the health and wellbeing of those who use them.
Products that last
We believe product quality is integral to reducing waste over time, so our design solutions use durable materials that withstand the wear and tear experienced by commercial spaces.
Renewable materials
We prioritise high-quality renewable materials that are sustainably sourced, such as recycled fibres, timber from certified regrowth forests, FSC-certified paper and post-consumer PET plastic. This helps conserve our planet's resources for the long term.
Sustainable manufacturing
We use sustainable processes that minimise emissions, and focus on conserving energy by using our solar panels. We sort and dispose of waste responsibly – that's metals, timbers, cardboard, paints, solvents, and airborne waste.
Carbon footprint
We source our materials and manufacture our products locally where possible to reduce carbon-intensive transportation. And our paints, coatings an substrates use low levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) to reduce harmful air-pollutants.


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"Taxes are the sinews of the state" – attributed to Cicero. True in his time and true today. Since the state is a coercive body the servant of the exploiting class it will collapse with the advent of a socialist society.
Taxing the Rich
Don't tax the rich – Abolish them
Statistics abound showing how the wealthiest around the world have grown even wealthier. Economists explain that never before in history has any society's inequality been so extreme as in this current epoch. The concentration of wealth in the hands of an ever smaller minority is a global phenomenon. Money goes to money as it is said.
In the USA the combined fortunes of the richest seven billionaires passed $1tn for the first time. The richest 0.01 percent of Americans, 33,000 individuals, now pay just one-sixth of what they used to pay in tax, when measured as a percentage of their total wealth. The IRS recently published estimates that the richest 1 percent of US households don't report around 21 percent of their income, using complex tax avoidance strategies that allow them to cheat the federal government.
In the UK, between March 2020 and 2021, the 54 UK billionaires saw their wealth increase £40 billion (US $54.9 billion), a gain of 36 percent.
Around 500 super-rich Russians, who make up less than 0.001 percent of Russia's population, owned more than the poorest 114.6 million, or 99.8 percent of the adult population. In China, Zhong Shanshan saw his wealth during 2020 increase by 3,300 percent ($66 billion). Nor was he alone, with many others enjoying a rise in profits. So much so that the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, is now demanding financial sacrifices from the country's wealthy.
And such is the embarrassment of riches among capitalists that in the USA some have formed an organisation called 'Patriotic Millionaires' aimed at making wealthy people pay more in taxes.
Even the conservative International Monetary Fund has called on governments to shift the burden of taxation away from low and middle earners and towards the better-off, warning that unfairness in taxation leads to social unrest.
Politicians are uniting to combat international tax avoidance and tax evasion schemes. We already see that there are efforts to unify different countries' tax codes to close down loopholes that enable various methods of dodging local taxes.
Rather than attempting a redistribution by levelling incomes and reducing the disparity using government fiscal policies, the Socialist Party proposes a much more fundamental solution – the expropriation of the capitalist class.
Austerity policies and reductions in the welfare state are paying for tax cuts to the wealthy and this is proving to have deadly consequences. The USA is described as the richest society ever known, yet we wouldn't guess it given the 'deaths of despair' caused by addictions and mental ill-health taking the lives of tens of thousands.
Billions of people are being affected by reduced pensions and social security benefits; by lower subsidies, including those for food and fuel; by government and local authority caps on the delivery of public services like education, health, social work, water and public transport; by the rationalisation and narrow-targeting of social protection so that only the very poorest of the population receive ever more frugal state benefits with more people being excluded.
The Socialist Party takes the uncommon, but very much the orthodox Marxist position that the ultimate burden of taxation, despite a few minor exceptions, falls upon the capitalist class (this is explained elsewhere in our publications). When particular businesses cheat by tax evasion, they are stealing from their fellow capitalists by not paying their 'fair' share of the revenue for the upkeep of government services.
This all leads to our unusual stance that we don't really care at all about the rich tax dodgers, although it does reveal their hypocritical nonsense of being patriotic and law-abiding. Indeed some of the wealthiest claim to be philanthropists who donate to charities but it exposes the undemocratic attitude that spending policy is to be decided by these individual capitalists and not collectively by their 'executive committee', the state.
So when it comes to naming and shaming the rich for tax dishonesty, we say it is a crime far less than the thievery from working people of the fruits of our labour-power through the exploitation of the extraction of surplus-value. But we may take a well-deserved feeling of schadenfreude when those 'captains of industry' are being exposed as the crooks that they are. The capitalist system is rigged from the start and working people have been conditioned since childhood to love it, preserve it and ultimately defend it with our lives even as it enslaves, impoverishes and kills us. The problem is not the billionaires but instead the ownership of the means of production by the capitalist ruling class. And the problem is not greed but instead the way the capitalist system works, the creation of surplus value from the sweat toil and, yes, often the blood of working people.


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The Miami Hurricanes football team is on a much deserved bye week - following a long stretch of ACC play, the Canes' come into the week off while on a winning streak. And while The U rests this weekend, this is still plenty going on - especially as the basketball season is just kicking off. Let's get you to the Saturday edition of news and notes.
Around The Site
Play calling requires a comfort zone, a feel for the personnel and the opponent. Let's dive into what an OC does, while the 'Canes are enjoying a week off. https://t.co/2Po96K6QXo pic.twitter.com/Z2NoTKARBh
— StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) November 15, 2019
Justin Dottavio breaks down the intricacies of playcalling and why Miami's is finally getting going on the back half of the 2019 season.
"Gotta put 60 on FIU' and more things Canes fans said during the bye week. #TheU #TNM https://t.co/FONWRlJK2t pic.twitter.com/f0giDsed8l
— StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) November 15, 2019
Some words of wisdom from Canes' fans all over Twitter during this quiet weekend.
Miami Hurricane recruit schedule—Week 13: Tyler Van Dyke plays for a championship on Saturday; Florida high school playoffs continue for Hurricane verbal commitments #TNM #Canes #Miami https://t.co/wyDvMPTmjb pic.twitter.com/8yyNByWpgu
— StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) November 15, 2019
When and where Miami's recruits will be playing in Week 13 of the HS football season.
Week 12 College Football Lines and Picks https://t.co/N2WOUP5pfL
— StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) November 15, 2019
The lines you need to know for Week 12 - and Craig Smith's best picks from the bunch.
Canes Hoops: Miami to Continue Early Season Push with Matchup Against Quinnipiac https://t.co/dHvBbYAAZ0 pic.twitter.com/273PEkwUlA
— StateOfTheU.com (@TheStateOfTheU) November 15, 2019
Canes Men's Hoops is off to a solid start at 2-1, and they'll look to keep the Ws piling up with a date against Quinnipiac today at 2 pm.
Around The Web
.@adidasFballUS cleats + a Miami alum (@CushyGigs) = A one-of-a-kind cleat canvas featuring the @UM_Sebastian Turnover Chain.
— Canes Football (@CanesFootball) November 15, 2019
There is some serious art in the Dr. Albert Cohen Family Recruiting Suite.
, and : https://t.co/i2XZx8VD5B pic.twitter.com/1hwG37TT8b
Some ultra-slick, environmentally-friendly artwork done by the talented "Miami Quake." On the gridiron and in the community, it's all about The U.
Updated path to the Coastal crown for Miami pic.twitter.com/PU16yT3FcU
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) November 15, 2019
Miami's pathway to winning the Coastal right now; and yes, we are saying there's a chance.
NFL Career Earnings for TEs this century;
— CanesCabeza (@CabezaCanes) November 14, 2019
Miami: $258,000,000!!!!!!
Georgia: $73,000,000
Florida: $46,000,000
Alabama: $16,850,000
TE Usage the last 4 Years;
Miami: 202 rec - 2550 yds - 25 tds
UGA: 124-1523-8@CoachField
Tight End U. Period.
another day, another bucket for @ClutchREED_5
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) November 15, 2019
26 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST | 4 @CanesHoops ↗ @SFSkyforce pic.twitter.com/8oaE0oeRTG
Davon Reed showing out in the G-League.
That's all for today Canes' fans, remember...


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Mersey Tigers ensured there will be at least some silverware on Merseyside this summer, by defeating Guildford Heat in the BBL Trophy Final at The O2 Arena.
The Tigers put their off-court distractions behind them to banish memories of their painful BBL Cup Final defeat back in January, with captain Drew Sullivan winning the MVP award for the game's best player.
Sullivan racked up 16 points, as well as eight assists and eight rebounds, but he was ably supported, amongst others, by Andrew Thomson, who top scored with 21.
It was a third quarter blitz of 22 unanswered points which ultimately led the Tigers to glory, after the Heat had pushed them all the way in the first half.
Tafari Toney got the scoring underway with a trademark slam dunk, to forget his missed sitter early on against Sheffield back in January, and the Tigers opened up a six point lead twice in the first quarter, at 10-4 and 18-12.
Both sides struggled in a slow second quarter and it took a seven point run for the Heat towards the end of the half to spark the Tigers in to life. Trailing 37-36, Tony Garbelotto called a time out on the stroke of the half and then spent the break masterminding a glorious second half.
After falling five points behind early in the third quarter, the Tigers hit their straps and started playing some of their finest basketball, the type of which saw them dominate the league before Christmas.
The key moment came at 48-43 when the excellent Sullivan snatched an interception and strode away to slam dunk the ball, to trigger the Tigers' dominance, and their third quarter was summed up by a sensational three pointer from just inside opposition territory by Nate Reinking on the buzzer.
With a 20 point lead established at 65-45, all the Tigers had to do was close out the game in the final ten minutes, and they did just that to claim their first silverware of the season, with the league title and play-offs still to play for.
Coach Tony Garbelotto said: "It's an emotional time for the club and the people of Liverpool. We know we've got something special, this is a great sport, a great club, and this venue is as good as Anfield or Goodison Park.
"We're trying to build something really special and promote the sport. We just want a fair crack off the court and for the success to continue."


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Incremental learning for interactive sketch recognition
In this paper, we present the integration of a classifier, based on an incremental learning method, in an interactive sketch analyzer. The classifier recognizes the symbol with a degree of confidence. Sometimes the analyzer considers that the response is insufficient to make the right decision. The decision process then solicits the user to explicitly validate the right decision. The user associates the symbol to an existing class, to a newly created class or ignores this recognition. The classifier learns during the interpretation phase. We can thus have a method for auto-evolutionary interpretation of sketches. In fact, the user participation has a great impact to avoid error accumulation during the analysis. This paper demonstrates this integration in an interactive method based on a competitive breadth-first exploration of the analysis tree for interpreting the 2D architectural floor plans.
Origin : Files produced by the author(s)


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Georgia's public broadcaster has suspended one of their analytical news programmes soon after the far-right group behind last year's homophobic riots threatened to end the show.
Imeda Darsalia, a journalist and anchor on the Georgian Public Broadcaster's (GBP) 'Akhali Kvira' ('new week') programme, claimed on Thursday that the show was put on hold following a report critical of the Conservative Movement, the political party of the far-right extremist group Alt Info.
Darsalia and his colleagues recalled threatening comments left by members of Alt Info on Facebook following a 26 November programme criticising their party's 'anti-western and antiliberal ideology'.
Alt Info registered the Conservative Movement as a party last December. The group was largely responsible for organising mass attacks on journalists several months earlier, on 5 July, in Tbilisi. The groups have since continued a campaign of harassment against journalists, especially those critical of them.
'We are going to deal with you very soon…', Konstantine Morgoshia, one of the leaders of Alt Info, wrote on Facebook on 28 November addressing journalists at 'Akhali Kvira'. 'We promise you will not be able to continue in your profession… Your time is up.'
Darsalia said the channel's management informed him that the 'format' of his show had 'exhausted itself' on 28 December, and that it faced 'reorganisation'.
'A month later, the channel did what Alt Info's leaders, the party leaders, publicly threatened to do — to make us disappear from [our] profession', Darsalia said.
Suspicions over the timing of the show's suspension have been compounded by persistent rumours of links between Alt Info and the government, rumours lent credence by the lack of action taken by the authorities against the group's violent rhetoric and actions.
While the publicly-funded GPB has been increasingly described as having a pro-government editorial line, since launching in 2018, 'Akhali Kvira' has taken on a number of politically sensitive topics.
Darsalia told TV channel Pirveli that 'Akhali Kvira' had faced persistent political censorship from the channel's management, including no-go topics and 'blacklisted' commentators that they should never contact.
The Director of the GPB, Khatuna Berdzenishvili, has dismissed the allegations as 'not serious'. The broadcaster soon followed up with a written statement insisting they had not cancelled 'Akhali Kvira', though they did not deny putting it on hold.
While Darsalia and his team are still employed by the channel, the future of their show remains in question.
A track record of attacking the media
Since organising attacks on journalists last July, Alt Info have continued a campaign of harassment against media critics.
On 17 February, the Conservative Movement threatened Misha Darbaidze, a journalist at TOK TV.
'Behave yourself or TOK TV will be least of your concerns', the Facebook account of the southern regional office of the Conservative Movement wrote to Darbaidze after the channel highlighted that a local public school director was openly supporting the far-right group.
The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics promptly condemned the threat and demanded a criminal probe into it.
Before Akhali Kvira was suspended, Alt Info did not limit their attempts to intimidate the show to online comments. On 24 December, two days before Darsalia was notified the programme was to be suspended, far-right activists associated with the group accosted Keti Tutberidze, the journalist responsible for the show's report on them.
As she attempted to cover a demonstration against coronavirus green passes, the demonstrators, led by far-right blogger Beka Vardosanidze, turned their attention to Tutberidze encircling and harassing her.
As with the online threats from Morgoshia, no prosecutions for obstruction of a journalist's work, which is criminally punishable in Georgia, followed the incident.
Despite the incident and the continued targetting of Tutberidze online, the Georgian Public Broadcaster made no public statement about it.
Last December, Darsalia's employer also invited a homophobic, anti-abortion and antivax campaigner, Zviad Tomaradze, to one of their debate shows devoted to the coronavirus vaccination.
Suspicions about ties with the authorities
Speculation about Alt Info's ties with the government have grown after none of their leaders faced criminal charges for organising and leading the violence that successfully thwarted a Pride march planned in central Tbilisi last July.
Members of Alt Info, including the current Chair of the Conservative Movement, Zurab Makharadze, were directly involved in ransacking anti-government tents outside the Parliament building on 5 July.
The incident was followed by mobs attacking journalists nearby on Rustaveli Avenue and under the instructions of Alt Info's Konstantine Morgoshia, ransacking the offices of queer group Tbilisi Pride as well as the Shame Movement, which supported them.
Since July, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili has faced criticism and calls to resign not only for allegedly shielding members of Alt Info from prosecution, but also for echoing conspiracy theories pushed by the group's leaders.
[Read more on OC Media: Calls mount for Georgian PM's resignation following journalist's death]
Despite the violent riot and strong pressure from the EU and USA to pursue the perpetrators, Alt Info faced no problems registering a political party several months later or in opening a number of regional offices throughout the country.
[Read more on OC Media: Demands for ban of new far-right party in Georgia]
Upon launching their political groups, the Conservative Movement called for direct dialogue between Georgia and the Russian Federation while their TV channel and network on Facebook have recently disseminated a fabricated video discrediting Ukraine.
Georgian watchdog the International Society for Fair Elections And Democracy (ISFED) reported on 14 February that thanks to its status as a political party, Alt Info have begun regaining their presence on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, where they had previously faced bans.


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Want To Attend A Concert?
The Orpheus Club of Philadelphia performs for those who join us as "Associate Members". Request an application to join us as a member today.
The Orpheus Club of Philadelphia
The Orpheus Club of Philadelphia welcomes you! As we celebrate our 152st season, we will feature an engaging, refreshing and joyful array of concerts, events and experiences truly not to be missed.
For all Associate Members and their guests, the Orpheus Club is making the most of this season with fantastic concerts, special events and access to unique experiences. New this season, we will feature special events, contests, and much more.
Please mark your calendars for our Christmas Concert on Wednesday, December 13 at Verizon Hall in the Kimmel Center, and look for additional information regarding our annual Twelfth Night Revels, which will run during our traditional January/February timeframe in early 2024. The Revels is one of the most popular events of the winter calendar, and the players will return to the OC stage this winter with afterglow parties to follow for all attendees.
Upcoming events include the annual OC Quartet Contest in Spring 2024, our Midwinter Concert in March, and a return to the festive Devon Horse Show grounds for our Spring Concert in May. There are sure to be additional surprises and events in store throughout the season.
Orpheus events are open ONLY to Associate Members and their guests – do renew your membership today so that you can stay up-to-date with our activities and register for tickets and events online as soon as invitations launch. We look forward to celebrating with you this season!
Ecce Quam Bonum - Our Theme
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity"– 133rd Psalm
Doors at 8pm. Transportation will be available to the City from Bryn Mawr. Details about the concert, transportation, pre-concert dinner and afterglow will be coming soon.
Tickets to our concerts are not sold individually but are included, along with other benefits, in Orpheus Club membership.
Pre-Concert Dining Returns to the Orpheus Club!
Reservations are necessary at the Orpheus Club. Click the button below to learn how to make your reservation!
This season, pre-concert dining is returning to the Orpheus Club! We are featuring a new caterer that will provide a superb dinner. Space is limited, so make your reservation today. For your convenience, transportation will be available from Bryn Mawr to the Clubhouse for dinner, and from the Clubhouse to the Kimmel Center.
The Club
Founded in 1872, the Orpheus Club of Philadelphia is one of the longest-standing, independent, male choral societies in America. For nearly a century and a half, the Club has been a prominent fixture in the social and cultural life of the city of Philadelphia.
The Singing Membership consists of approximately eighty active members ranging in age from recent college graduates to men in their eighties and beyond.
The Club gives three formal concerts each year for its Associate Members and their guests in major Philadelphia venues, such as Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Academy of Music, and the 23rd Street Armory. Our repertoire spans classical, jazz and pop, with the Club often debuting new arrangements commissioned for its use. Each winter, at the Club's colorful center city house, a select group of Singing Members presents to Singing and Associate Members, an all-original musical satire, the "Twelfth Night Revels", featuring popular songs specially arranged, comic skits, a loose plot, and elaborate costumes.
Proud of its history, the Orpheus Club continues to thrive and looks eagerly ahead to a bright future.


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Mega Seminar With Professor Dave Ulrich 2017
Victory Through Organization "Winning thru Organization Capabilities, Not Just Talent" World's #1 Management Guru & Top 5 Business Coach
The Mega Seminar will be facilitated by Prof Dave Ulrich whose facilitation style focuses on "Learning Solutions" where participant bring their real time cases & business problems to the workshops, then leave with specific solutions to those problems. He engages in "Conversation" with parcipants where he integrates theory and practice. He is committed to ideas with impact and participants leaves his workshop able to apply latest theory and research to their unique situations.
The 2nd Day would be facilitated by GML's best consultants with interractive presentations involving Indonesia's most prominent business & HR Leaders to Share practical research-based tools and methodology in bringin Prof. Dave Ulrich's concepts alive in Indonesia
Opening Speech:
Lilik Oetama, CEO of Kompas Gramedia Group
Suwardi Luis, CEO of GML Performance Consulting
Keynote Speaker
Tanri Abeng, President Commissioner of PT.Pertamina (Persero) & Former Minister of Meneg BUMN
Handoko Said, Director HR Consulting & Assessment Services GML Performance Consulting
Lianawati Suswono, PT. Bank Central Asia, 2016 Stellar Workplace Award Grand Champion