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The Indian hospitality industry is one of the top business enterprises of its economy and accounts for around 14 to 15% of its GDP. The Indian hospitality market is one of the top five hospitality markets and also amongst the fastest growing hospitality markets in the world.
To ensure that industry leaders keep pace with this fast changing exciting industry, ETHospitalityWorld.com tracks all the media outlets focusing on hospitality industry and brings the most relevant and important news & analysis on the industry.
We cover whatever matters in the hospitality Industry in India, aggregating news, opinion and analysis on new launches, Mergers & Acquisitions, FDI, Industry Research, Joint Ventures and other business developments.
ETHospitalityWorld.com sends out a free daily newsletter to our subscribers - summarizing day's essential news, reports and analysis.
ETHospitalityWorld.com accomplishes this by linking to stories from all around the web. We track all the top sources, including news sites, reporters, tweets and status updates to bring to our subscribers a comprehensive view of the latest updates in the industry.
Our newsletter attracts a readership of decision makers, policy makers, investors and professionals from the hospitality industry in India.
Contact Us
You can reach us on firstname.lastname@example.com
Physical Address
Times Internet Limited, FC 6, Film City, Sector 16 A, Noida.


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Landmark Alert Care can bring you urgent, personalized care by a medical team familiar with your health history. We can help you avoid unnecessary trips to an urgent care facility or emergency department when your doctor's office is unavailable.
Alert-Care in-home urgent services may include:
• Wounds and suturing
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All urgent visit notes can be shared with your PCP.
Landmark will also conduct a yearly health visit to catch up on your health status and keep our records up to date. This helps us to be ready when you need us.
For eligible members, these urgent home visits are covered by your health plan and are available at no additional cost.
Call today to get started!
If you are enrolled with a Medicare Advantage plan with one of the health plans listed below, you may be eligible for Landmark Alert Care. Contact us to see if you qualify.
Landmark Health and its affiliated medical groups work with health plans to bring medical, behavioral, palliative and social care to patients living with multiple chronic conditions.
We don't discriminate. Landmark Health and its affiliated medical groups (Landmark) comply with Federal civil rights laws. Landmark does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.
Get help in your language.
Importante: ¿Puede usted leer la información que le dimos? De no ser así, contamos con servicios gratuitos de ayuda con otros idiomas. Llame al: 1-833-364-2886 (TTY: 711).
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subset: commoncrawl


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Job Number 19176932
Job Category Rooms and Guest Services Operations
Location The Ritz-Carlton| Millenia Singapore| 7 Raffles Avenue|
Singapore| Singapore| Singapore
Brand The Ritz-Carlton
Schedule Full-time
Position Type Non-Management/Hourly
Start Your Journey With Us
At more than 80 award-winning properties worldwide| The Ritz-Carlton Ladies
and Gentlemen create experiences so exceptional that long after a guest stays
with us| the experience stays with them. As the premier worldwide provider of
luxury experiences| we set the standard for rare and special luxury service
the world over. We invite you to explore The Ritz-Carlton.
Job Summary
Monitor club lounge for seating availability| service| safety| and well being
of guests. Maintain cleanliness and condition of bar| bar unit| tables| and
other tools. Prepare and serve hot| cold| and/or alcoholic beverages. Stock
ice| glassware| and supplies. Anticipate and communicate replenishment needs
promptly. Wash dishes and serving utensils as needed. Complete opening and
closing duties. Requisition all necessary supplies| transporting supplies from
storeroom to bar set-up area as required. Secure liquors| beers| wines|
coolers| cabinets| and storage areas. Document pertinent information in
department logbook. Forecast additional meal requirements and communicate
special requests to the kitchen. Report accidents| injuries| and unsafe work
conditions to manager.
Follow all company policies and procedures| ensure uniform and personal
appearance are clean and professional| maintain confidentiality of proprietary
information| and protect company assets. Welcome and acknowledge all guests
according to company standards| anticipate and address guests| service needs|
assist individuals with disabilities| and thank guests with genuine
appreciation. Speak with others using clear and professional language| prepare
and review written documents accurately and completely| and answer telephones
using appropriate etiquette. Develop and maintain positive working
relationships with others| and support team to reach common goals. Comply with
quality assurance expectations and standards. Move| lift| carry| push| pull|
and place objects weighing less than or equal to 25 pounds; and stand| sit| or
walk for an extended period of time or for an entire work shift. Perform other
reasonable job duties as requested by Supervisors.
_The Ritz-Carlton is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a
diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. The Ritz-Carlton does
not discriminate on the basis of disability| veteran status or any other basis
protected under federal| state or local laws._


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Home » What is Fusion? » Fusion on Earth
Our current energy landscape is heavily dependent on the fast-depleting fossil fuels, with 80% of the global energy consumption being based on fossil fuels, and changing this dependence is critical to cut down on the greenhouse gas emissions. Once harnessed, fusion has the potential to be a nearly unlimited, safe and CO2-free energy source.
On the Sun, the process of fusion is driven by the Sun's immense gravitational force and high temperatures. But the Earth does not have the immense gravitational force required to confine the hydrogen nuclei. So a different approach is needed to achieve fusion reactions on Earth.
In order to achieve fusion on Earth, gases need to be heated to extremely high temperatures of about 150 million degrees Celsius. That is 10 times more than the temperatures in the Sun's core. Fusion researchers have established that the easiest to accomplish fusion reaction on earth is that between two hydrogen isotopes: deuterium, which is extracted from water, and tritium, which is produced in the wall of the fusion reactor from lithium. When deuterium and tritium nuclei fuse, they form a helium nucleus and a neutron with a lot of energy.
fusion fuel of the future
Fusion scientists have developed methods that are able to heat plasma to temperatures of 150 million degrees Celsius. There exists no material however that can contain plasmas at such unimaginable temperatures. So, different plasma confinement methods are used by fusion scientists. One of them is the magnetic confinement wherein the hot plasma particles are contained in a magnetic "cage" made by strong magnetic fields which prevent the particles from escaping. For energy production the plasma has to be confined for a sufficiently long period for fusion to occur.
The most advanced and best investigated fusion device design available today is the tokamak. Tokamak is a Russian acronym for the term Тороидальная Камера с Магнитными Катушками meaning a torus-shaped vacuum chamber surrounded by magnetic coils, which create a toroidal magnetic field. The largest operating tokamak today is EUROfusion's flagship device the Joint European Torus or JET. It is located in the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy. ITER, the biggest fusion experiment, being built in Cadarache, France, is also a tokamak. Once operational, ITER will demonstrate the feasibility of fusion as an energy source.
an acronym for a torus-shaped vacuum chamber surrounded by magnetic coils


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May 2014 Report
On January 1, 2012, you woke up to find $200,000 on your bedside table, which you decided to invest. Then, on May 2, 2014, you sold your investment. Below are approximate returns depending on where you placed your cash.
Gold: you bought at $1566 per ounce and sold at $1300 per ounce: Bad timing.
Certificate of Deposit: 1% annual interest rate; interest taxed as ordinary income: It seemed like the safe thing to do in an uncertain world.
Stock purchases: Apple stock jumped 46% and the S&P 500 50%; plus an estimated dividend yield of 5%; profit taxed as long-term capital gains. (No transaction costs included in calculation.)
Home purchase: $200,000 down-payment on $1 million home; 35% home-price appreciation per Case-Shiller; 2% closing costs on purchase and 7% on sale deducted from gain. No capital gains tax due to the $250,000/$500,000 exclusion for sale of primary residence. The estimated $28,000 reduction in loan principal was not included in gain, as it pertains to monthly home payments made after initial investment.
It is assumed that the net monthly home cost – principal, interest, property taxes and insurance, after tax deductions and reduction in loan principal – at an estimated $3250/month, was comparable to cost of renting. This has generally been true in San Francisco due to high rents and low interest rates.
There are 3 big reasons why real estate dramatically outperformed the stock market, though both markets boomed: 1) leverage – 35% home-price appreciation equals 175% appreciation of your 20% cash down-payment (before closing costs); 2) big tax deductions subsidize home ownership costs, and 3) the capital gains exclusion on the sale of a primary residence.
Important: Timing is everything in investing. In this analysis, the chosen buy date was January 2, 2012 when the financial and housing markets were poised for big rebounds. Picking a different purchase date, such as January 2, 2008, would completely alter the results. *
White Hot Spring Market
The hotter the competition between buyers, the higher home prices are bid up. The great majority of SF home listings are selling quickly and for over – sometimes far over – asking price.
This link charts the trend over the past 2+ years.
Sales Price over List Price Trend
Current Buyer & Seller Dynamics
Since Paragon does so much business in San Francisco – our Van Ness branch represents more successful SF home-buyers than any other office – we surveyed our agents on what they were seeing in the market. This chart looks at buyers, and this link goes to our full survey report:
Paragon Agent Survey
New Housing Construction
A look at the ebb and flow of new housing development in the city – which is generally very inadequate to growing demand.
And this link looks at the "pipeline" of projects under construction or planned for future years:
New Homes Pipeline
Ranking San Francisco
On a lighter note, we recently collected rankings by dozens of "authorities" – some more reliable than others – regarding San Francisco. This link goes to the full list:
The Full Ranking Report
Apartment Building Market Report
We just issued our quarterly update on Bay Area residential investment real estate. This chart looks at current asking rents by neighborhood, and this link goes to the full report:
Paragon Apartment Update
Since opening our doors in 2004, the Paragon Community Fund has donated over $500,000 to local charities and social services. The San Francisco Bay Area isn't just where we do business; it's our home and our community.
* The investment analysis above is simply one scenario based on specific circumstances. It was performed in good faith, but may contain errors or assumptions you may disagree with, or may not apply to your specific tax situation. Investment and tax issues should be investigated with a qualified accountant or financial planner.


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Etihad Garden Phase 2 Map Rahim Yar Khan
We are providing the most accurate and up-to-date maps of the approved new and old societies in Pakistan. The maps are based on the latest and official sources. We have created these maps based on detailed data and research to provide information to people on the real situation on the ground, as well as to offer an alternative perspective on the history and development of the country. We provide High-Resolution Maps of Societies in Pakistan embedded in Google Maps. You can view high-resolution top societies maps and search for Pakistan cities and projects in all the other cities of Pakistan. emap.pk can help you to find the location of any housing society. This will be very helpful to you when you want to buy a house in Pakistan. Maps of Housing Societies in Pakistan can also help you to find the location of your friends' houses in Pakistan. It is very easy to locate the exact address of any housing society in Pakistan


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Incident & Breach Response , Managed Detection & Response (MDR) , Security Operations
How Yahoo Hacks Itself
Red Team Leader Chris Rohlf Shares Penetration Testing SecretsTo stay one step ahead of online attackers, Yahoo takes a proactive security approach: It employs specialists who attempt to hack it first.
"Our mandate is basically to break as many things as we can," says Chris Rohlf, who heads Yahoo's six-person penetration testing group and red team. Its mission is "to be the offense and find as many security vulnerabilities inside of Yahoo before attackers can find and exploit them to gain access to our systems," he says. "And the primary reason for this role existing is because 'you can't grade your own homework.'"
That's a quote from the book "Red Team: How to Succeed By Thinking Like the Enemy" by Micah Zenko, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Rohlf says the underlying ethos pervades Yahoo's approach to information security, as well as its use of penetration testing to find bugs and red teaming to improve the organization's overall security posture for its multiple brands, including Flickr and Tumblr.
Rohlf notes that the company resolves every bug report as quickly as possible. "When we find them, we treat them the same way as if someone externally had reported them. If we gain arbitrary code execution on an internal system that's sensitive, we treat it as if someone on the outside found that vulnerability, and we patch it within 24 hours."
In this interview with Information Security Media Group (see link below photo), Rohlf also discusses:
- Developing the skills required to identify bugs and other security problems.
- Applying threat modeling to identify the most likely risks to an organization.
- Using tools, techniques and procedures to test the likely effectiveness of real-life attackers.
- Blending penetration testing and red-teaming practices.
- Working with organizations when reporting code flaws, and the growth of bug bounty programs.
Rohlf, senior manager of penetration testing for Yahoo, has 10 years of experience as a security researcher, consultant, developer and engineer, and serves on the Black Hat conference content review board. He previously founded and ran information security consultancy Leaf Security Research, was a security consultant for Matasano Security as was a security researcher for the U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center.


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1st F-35 jet fighter for Britain
23 July 2012Remembering Hiroshima
6 August 2012Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is satisfied the Air Force has identified the cause of hypoxia-like symptoms 12 F-22 pilots suffered, and restrictions he placed on use of the fifth-generation fighter will be lifted gradually. Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz and other Air Force leaders told Panetta on July 20 that they are confident the root cause of the symptoms is the supply of oxygen to pilots and not the quality of oxygen, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today at a news conference. Reporters asked why these shortcomings weren't picked up earlier. "I can't go back in time and conduct technical archeology on this type of aircraft," Little said. "I would say the Air Force has taken very prudent measures … over the past year and a half or so with respect to the F-22. And they have come to the conclusion as to what is causing these hypoxia events. "With any aircraft — be it the F-22 or the F-16, [or] with a helicopter or a ground vehicle — we can never take the risk to zero," he said. "But we have an obligation to our troops and our airmen to make whatever equipment they are using as safe as possible, and that's what we think we're doing here."
In May, Panetta directed the Air Force to limit all F-22 flights to remain near potential landing locations to enable quick recovery and landing should a pilot encounter oxygen deprivation. The secretary also directed the Air Force to expedite the installation of an automatic backup oxygen system in all of the planes, and he asked for monthly progress reports as the service continued the search for the root cause of the problem. These actions were in addition to steps the Air Force already was taking to determine the root causes of the hypoxia-like symptoms pilots have experienced. Panetta made this decision, in part, due to the reluctance of some pilots to fly the aircraft, Little said at the time. The Air Force has made two changes that appear to have solved the hypoxia problem. The first was to order pilots not to wear the pressure garment vest during high-altitude missions. Pilots use the vest to combat G-forces generated flying a high-performance aircraft. The vest inflates to stop blood from pooling, which would cause pilots to black out during high-speed turns. The Air Force found that a faulty valve "caused the vest to inflate and remain inflated under conditions where it was not designed to inflate, thereby causing breathing problems for some pilots," Little said. "The garment has been suspended from flight since June." This problem was not identified during initial F-22 testing.
Second, the Air Force removed a canister filter from the oxygen delivery system, and that has increased the volume of air flowing to pilots. The service also is looking at improving the oxygen delivery hose and its connections. Following the Air Force briefing last week, Panetta decided to lift restrictions on the aircraft gradually. Beginning today, F-22s may resume long-duration flights for deployments, aircraft deliveries and repositioning of aircraft. "Secretary Panetta has authorized deployment of a squadron of F-22 aircraft to Kadena Air Base, Japan," Little said. "The aircraft will fly to Japan under altitude restrictions using the northern Pacific transit route." Following completion of the flight to Japan, the Air Force likely will approve most long-duration flights, officials said. Still, initial long-duration flight routes will be designed to pass near airfields. The Air Force also has imposed an altitude restriction on the aircraft so pilots will not need to wear the pressure vest. Training sorties will remain near runways until completion of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board-recommended corrective actions. This is expected by the end of the summer.The Air Force will notify Panetta when fixes are finished with the pressure vest and related cockpit life support components. Pending successful completion of associated testing and NASA's independent analysis, Panetta can decide to return the F-22 fleet status to normal operations.


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Dark Passage (film)
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Dark Passage is a 1947 American film noir about a man convicted of murdering his wife who escapes from prison and works with a woman to try and prove his innocence.
- Directed and written by Delmer Daves, based on the novel of the same name by David Goodis.
In danger as violent as their love! (taglines)
Vincent Parry
[edit]- You know, it's wonderful when guys like you lose out. Makes guys like me think maybe we got a chance in this world.
Madge Rapf
[edit]- [to Vincent] I've cried myself to sleep at night because of you. She's got you now. She wants you very badly doesn't she? She's willing to run away with you and keep on running and ruin everything for herself. But she wouldn't care because she'd be with you and that's what she wants. Well she doesn't have you now. She'll never have you. Nobody will ever have you! And that's the way I want it! You're nothing but an escaped convict. Nobody knows what you wrote down. They'll believe me! They'll believe me!
[edit]- Vincent Parry: Don't you get lonely up here by yourself?
- Irene Jansen: I was born lonely, I guess.
- Dr. Walter Coley: Ever see any botched plastic jobs? If a man like me didn't like a fellow... he could surely fix him up for life. Make him look like a bulldog, or a monkey. I'll make you look as if you've lived.
- Vincent Parry: I have, doc.
- Cabby: Nice looking suit you're wearing.
- Vincent Parry: Thanks, and I don't feel chatty.
- Cabby: Some fares like to talk.
- Vincent Parry: Well I don't.
- Cabby: You always that way?
- Vincent Parry: Yep. That's why I don't have many friends.
- Cabby: Where do you want to go to?
- Vincent Parry: Might as well make it the police station.
- Cabby: Don't be like that. You're doing all right. You're doing fine.
- Vincent Parry: If it was easy for you to spot me, it'd be easy for others.
- Cabby: That's where you're wrong. Unless you'd be happier back in Quentin.
- Vincent Parry: Yeah... yeah, sure. That's why they sent us up there. To make us happy.
- George Fellsinger: Gert didn't hate you. Gert just didn't care for you. There's a difference. She would have walked out on you if she'd have found somebody permanent. She wouldn't frame you when she was dying. She was no prize package, but she wouldn't frame you. Madge framed you. Madge wanted to hook you, and when she found she couldn't have you, she framed you, sent you up for life. We both know that.
- Vincent Parry: My attorney couldn't shake her story. Maybe someday she'll get run over or something.
- George Fellsinger: That's what I pray for every night.
- Vincent Parry: I'm hiding.
- Detective: From what?
- Vincent Parry: My wife, my friends, my family, everybody.
- Detective: Come on now, it can't be as bad as all that.
- Vincent Parry: Well, I tell you what you do. You go up there and spend seven years with my wife, and then if you're still in your right mind, come back down here and tell me about it.
- Baker: I got the license number. I always had a good head for figures.
- Vincent Parry: My only interest in your head is how easy it'll crack open.
- Baker: Just take it easy, Parry. You're gonna be better off that you ever were. As soon as I rake in the chips, I walk out of the game. Want your hat?
- Vincent Parry: You make it sound pretty simple.
- Baker: It is, and don't make it complicated by trying to make a break. I'll have to kill ya and only make myself $5000. One way you die, either way I make money.
- Irene Jansen: [Taking off his bandages and revealing his face for the first time] Humphrey!
- Vincent Parry: Baby!
- Irene Jansen: Here's looking at you kid!
- Vincent Parry: That's my line!
- Vincent Parry: [looking in a mirror after the bandages are taken off] Same eyes. Same nose. Same hair. Everything else seems to be in a different place. I sure look older. That's all right, I'm not. If it's all right with me, it ought to be all right with you.
- Irene Jansen: Can you shave?
- Vincent Parry: The Doc said that I could.
- Irene Jansen: Why don't you get dressed? I'll wait downstairs and sort of get a fresh impression.
- ...
- Irene Jansen: [seeing Vincent after he shaves] It's unbelievable. but it's good. I think I even like you better.
- Vincent Parry: Well, don't let it give you any ideas.
- Irene Jansen: What kind?
- Vincent Parry: Don't change yours. I like it just as it is.
- Irene Jansen: I thought I had a good life here... but your going away doesn't make it seem good anymore. I've sort of joined your team and... and I don't look forward to being without you.
- Vincent Parry: When I leave here, you're off my team, and lucky to be. Nah, I've got the Indian sign on me. It seems I can't win.
- Irene Jansen: You won't tell me cause you think I'll come there. You think I'd follow you.
- Vincent Parry: You'd be insane to follow me.
- Irene Jansen: Was I insane to pick you up on the road? Was I crazy to let you stay here?
- Vincent Parry: Yes.
[edit]- Humphrey Bogart - Vincent Parry
- Lauren Bacall - Irene Jansen
- Bruce Bennett - Bob
- Agnes Moorehead - Madge Rapf
- Clifton Young - Baker
- Douglas Kennedy - Detective in Diner
- Rory Mallinson - George Fellsinger
- Houseley Stevenson - Dr. Coley
[edit]- In danger as violent as their love!
- Two Of A Kind ! Tough . . . Torrid . . . Terrific !
- Together again
External links
[edit]- Dark Passage quotes at the Internet Movie Database
- Dark Passage at Rotten Tomatoes


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ACCRA, Ghana, May 14, 2018: The Ghana Rugby Eagles managed to lift the 2018 Rugby Africa Bronze Cup (Bronze Cup) on the Nduom Sports Stadium in Elmina-Ghana by beating Mauritius by 23 points to 17 on 12 March 2018 in a nail-biting final.
The win ensured that Ghana Eagles was promoted to the 2019 Rugby Africa Silver Cup – a step closer to the mission of the Union's President, Herbert Mensah, to take the Ghana Eagles to the global stage of Rugby (Rugby Africa Bronze Cup).
The President of Rugby Africa, Abdelaziz Bougja, sent a congratulatory message to Mensah, in which he said:
"On behalf of Rugby Africa, please accept my sincere thanks and congratulations for hosting the 2018 edition of the Rugby Africa Bronze Cup in Elmina, Ghana.
From the feedback I received, our executive member Zahui as well as all the staff members from Rugby Africa and World Rugby, the match officials, and the visiting teams felt welcome and enjoyed your hospitality.
Please pass on my thanks to your team for a well organised and successful tournament. I know how much work is required to deliver a well-run competition and appreciate the efforts of Ghana Rugby Union.
It is the second time you are hosting a regional competition on our behalf, and we value your collaboration to grow rugby in Africa and raise our standards.
Finally allow me to congratulate your team for their victory, winning the tournament while it was your first participation in the Bronze Cup is a big deal, and I wish you all the best in your future preparations for the Silver Cup 2019."
Mensah, in response to Bougja's letter, replied as follows:
"Dear Mr President
Your comments touch me. As Africans, hospitality is always a mark of our upbringing and we recognise that having been given the honour of staging this prestigious event that we make Africa Rugby proud.
The change in venue at a late stage in our preparation radically increased our various exposures, but we strived to ensure that we kept the word we gave when making the bid.
In winning and getting promoted to the Silver Cup, my plans were in line with all our previous discussions and our trajectory of development and success over the past three years is a vindication both in our planning and in the trust that you have placed in Ghana.
(Rugby Africa Bronze Cup)
Our programme of getting into rugby, development of women rugby and other areas of compliance have been undertaken as directed and with the close assistance and supervision of the excellent Coralie and your team.
My Brother, thank you once again, thank you.
Respectfully and with kind regards
PS. We will be submitting a bid for the 2019 Silver Cup (by which time the Accra Stadium will have been refurbished.)"
Mensah also said that Ghana Rugby is grateful for the support and guidance that the Union had over the years from its governing body, Rugby Africa and specifically from its President.
"When my administration and I took over the reins of Rugby in Ghana on 5 June 2014 with nothing to show after 11 years, my first step was to reach out to Rugby Africa for guidance on the way forward.
That guidance together with a focus and relentless pursuit of the important and right things to do culminated in this sweet victory and step closer to the stage of global competitions," Mensah said.
The Tournament Commissioner, Charles Yapo, had the following to say on arriving back home after the tournament, "I arrived safely in my country. Thank you to the GRFU (Ghana Rugby Football Union) for all the attention we received throughout this friendly week.
Congratulations for this beautiful organisation of the competition and especially thank you to all volunteers who have contributed to its success. The best is yet to come."
The first match on Saturday was played between Lesotho and Rwanda for the 3rd Place Playoff.
Rwanda managed to beat Lesotho by 32 points to 15 and survived relegation to the Rugby Africa Regional Challenge. Unfortunately, Lesotho, who managed to get promoted to the Bronze Cup only last year, will have to return to the bottom Rugby Africa Regional Challenge.
Mensah also said that the successful hosting of the Bronze Cup was a feather in the cap of Ghana as country as a whole, and not just to Ghana Rugby.
"We were honoured to be given the hosting rights uncontested for the second year in a row. With the forced change by the National Sports Authority (NSA) of the venue from Accra to Cape Coast the tournament hosting presented huge challenges and specific challenges and losses on the financial side of things.
Without our sponsors, this tournament could not have taken place, and I take my hat off for Paul Kavanagh and the Golden Tulip Accra for their massive support. With that Panafrican Equipment, Komatsu, Interplast, the Gino Brands, Groupe Nduom, the GBC and others such as Ernest Chemists and Accra Brewery Limited all helped to make the 2018 Bronze Cup a significant milestone in the history of the sport of Ghana." —- APO Group


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Who can see your post?
Your post will show up in News Feed, on your profile and in search results.680,915 Global EDWARDS Family Members
Days | Hours | Minutes | Seconds |
Sunday 28th July
2pm (New York), 7pm (Ire)
Days | Hours | Minutes | Seconds |
Sunday 28th July
2pm (New York), 7pm (Ire)
Our in-person family gatherings
Our TEDx talk about family gatherings
EDWARDS Family History
This surname and its variants – Edward, Edwards, Edwardson and Edwardes – derive from the personal name Edward and, as such, is a patronymic surname which refers back to an ancestor who had Edward as a given name.
The original name Edward comes from an Old English name which is composed of the elements 'ead', meaning prosperity or fortune, and 'w(e)ard', meaning guard. It was very popular in England, as well as throughout large parts of Europe, mainly as it was the name of several English kings, including Edward the Confessor (c.1003–1066).
In England, hereditary surnames such as Edward and Edwardson, had become established by around 1400, however in Wales such surnames only became evident between the 16th and 19th centuries, depending on where in the country a family lived and on their social status. The further west and north a family lived in Wales, the later they adopted a hereditary surname. In some parts of the north west, some families only adopted such a surname during the first half of the 19th century. In Wales therefore, the Edward/Edwards surname refers back to an ancestor with the given name Edward who lived during that period.
It is widespread throughout Wales and in adjacent English counties, including Herefordshire and Shropshire. It is less common in the north of England and Scotland.
In 1881, the surname was widespread across Wales as well as the south and west of England. The highest number of Edwards entries was recorded in Kent with 2,415 occurrences. The most common occupation for Edwards family members in 1881 was farming, labouring and coal mining.
In 1891, 82,799 individuals were recorded as having the Edwards surname in England and Wales, with a further 1,272 recorded in Scotland.
Notable people
- Jonathan Edwards (1703—58), an American philosopher, preacher and president of Princeton University, was well known for A Dissertation Concerning The End For Which God Created The World. It was published after his death in 1765 along with a similar publication – The Nature of True Virtue.
- Huw Edwards (b. 1961), Welsh journalist, presenter and BBC newsreader. Raised in Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, his father was Hywel Teifi Edwards, a prominent Welsh academic, broadcaster and author.
- Jonathan Edwards (b. 1966), English triple jumper and TV presenter, and Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European champion who has held the world triple jump record since 1995.
- In August 1809, a William Edwards, an English convict from Kent, was transported aboard the 'Ann', settling in New South Wales, Australia.
1881, 1891 Census
Dictionary of American Family Homes, P Hanks OUP 2003
Homes of Family Names in Great Britain, H.B. Guppy, London 1890
The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, P.Hanks, Coats, McClure OUP 2016
1860 Lower, Mark A Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom, London: J.R Smith. Public Domain
1857 Arthur, William An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain
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A Matter of Life or Death? YOU Decide | By Wknody |
So, as I try to relate to you throughout this writing, try to understand that when I speak of I, I am only referring to the mind/soul. I am not referring to the body or, as we refer to it, the "vehicle" that I am wearing. As I said earlier, this vehicle is just a container. In fact, to lose this vehicle means absolutely nothing to me, and most of the time it is an encumbrance to me. But to lose my Next Level mind, this "gift," because of denying this knowledge and, subsequently, my Teachers, who bear the only real truth, is suicide in the truest sense of the word.
In reality, I was born somewhere long ago and far away. I have returned to this civilization to finish my lessons because I was lucky enough to be literally saved - "put on ice" for further nurturing by the Next Level, the Level Above Human. That's right, They actually save souls that They deem worthy of a chance to become new members in Their world, a very real many-membered Kingdom, above and beyond this one, located in deep space. The first and foremost requirement for salvation is simple enough - for it is merely wanting to separate from this world and go with God. This is enough to be put in the keeping of the Next Level. They will save you for further nurturing, at which time you will learn more of the other requirements for actual membership. What I know to be true is that They will care for you like no one ever has, and as long you keep looking to Them, They will help you to grow into a new creature with life in it.
I am here because I have more lessons to learn in order to meet the requirements needed to graduate from this human kingdom to the Next Level. In order to learn these lessons, I must have a vehicle - a body to work through - a "tool" - and I do. It was "picked and prepped" just for me by the Next Level. It is a vehicle whose programming and experiences could offer me the most growth while overcoming its ties and addictions of this world, because to us, it's not what one gets into in this world, but rather, what one gets out of in this world. What vehicles they choose for us is a carefully thought out selection made by the Next Level, because each one of us in this classroom is at a different level of growth, different grades, if you will. Most likely, the vehicles (human containers) that They chose for those of us in this graduating class are ones with genetic packages and worldly experiences that are a match for what we need to overcome.
Now, in order to accomplish this task we must have a teacher, and we do. In fact, we have two. We refer to Them as our Older Members/our Fathers, because Their minds/souls are much older and much wiser than we. They came from the Next Level to nurture us and wean us through this process of overcoming the human kingdom. They act as "midwives" of sorts. They go by the names of Ti and Do, and it is only through them, as Representatives of the Kingdom of God, while they are here at this time, that I can come even close to graduating. I simply cannot do it alone - no one can! It is only from Members of the Next Level that I can learn Next Level thinking and behavior. It is the real truth - pure and simple - and what's more, it is what is required to become a newborn in the Next Level. It is from the Next Level that we learn restraint and dignity, with the wisdom to see our own flaws, and acknowledge what is needed to change. We learn to have no thoughts of self, no human ways. We learn to always take the higher side - the highest interpretation of what we see and hear, especially with our classmates. We learn from our Older Members to think well of each other, to always be eager to help, and not to criticize or judge. We have been taught to realize that we have no idea what someone else might be dealing with, and beyond that, we have not even been given the task to try. We learn to be objective. We want to be of the vine, a spoke in the wheel, crew-minded, and ready always to be of service in whatever task might be asked of us. In short, my Older Members, and the Next Level are my lifeline and the ones who mean everything to me. I work like crazy every day rejecting the human desires and programming of this vehicle that I am wearing in order to keep my "eye single" and focused on the Next Level through the example of my Teachers. I stay in a constant mode of asking how and what I need to change in order to be given membership as a child in Their world, Their Fathers' world, Their Fathers' Fathers' world and so on up the vine to the Chief of Chiefs - the Creator of All that is. It is a chain of minds so powerful that They are indeed a source with which to be reckoned. Believe it or not, it takes a whole lot more than going to church on Sunday (or any other day for that matter), raising a nice family, and paying your bills, to get to the Next Level. The truth is that it takes plain hard work, every minute of every day, just ridding ourselves of all human thoughts and ways - "washing our robes" and becoming pure and clean as a whistle in thought, word, and deed - and doing it cheerfully, with a healthy Next Level sense of humor (another very important aspect of this classroom). Then maybe, just maybe, we will be accepted as a newborn in Their world.
Mind you, this is a very real experience where the stakes are high if you turn away, but the reward is a hundred-fold if you give your trust and loyalty to the Next Level, the only real truth that exists. But the fact remains, that if for any reason someone is not happy in doing this, Ti and Do will encourage them to go back into the world, and find what they need to make them happy. We call it free will. The Next Level designed it that way. Our option to choose will never be taken away. You know, the Level Above Human doesn't really need anybody, and as is written, "Many are picked, but few are chosen." The bottom line is, that I have to do my homework of aborting humanness and applying the lessons that I have received from Members of the Next Level about Next Level behavior and conduct. I have a future if I act accordingly.
Now, all this talk of the Second Coming? Guess what? It's really here! We are at the End of the Age, where it is our understanding that all minds/souls are back for another chance to choose what path they wish to pursue. And what I know from my Teachers is that the time has come for this Next Level classroom to close, and for us to make the transition from this world to Our Father's World. What I also know, in my heart, is that my Older Members bear the only truth there is. They are what we've all been waiting for, and for anyone to doubt their worth is literally playing with fire, and, to use my Older Members' words, "that's the Gospel!" Personally, I simply cannot imagine anyone not jumping for JOY and lapping this information up, but then I am actually living this truth, so my perspective, as well as my expectations, are more real and exciting. It's much like Jonah and the Whale, for one has to actually do this to know it. And you can, that is, if you have a mind to.
Because I find no knowledge, and therefore no truth here on Earth, I have made my choice to "lay down my life in this world" and go with my Father, Do, and His Father, Ti, to Our world, the only true Kingdom of God, that is, if They will have me. Hopefully, They will give me a passing grade and a new vehicle (body) that will certainly be more efficient and refined than the one I am wearing in this world, and will be an appropriate Next Level "suit of clothes" necessary for the task I am given in that world. Remember, my mind - my soul - is all that matters, and I must forever continue to be thirsty for Their knowledge and drink it, so I can grow closer to my Older Members. I want to become more and more grafted to the vine - be of the same mind as my Older Members, always ready to be of service - which would be an honor, to say the least.
A lot of people say I'm lucky, and they're right. And if there is but one mind out there who recognizes this priceless information, all that we have said and written will not be in vain. Because if you do recognize my Older Members as Representatives of the Kingdom of God, and if you recognize the truth that they bear, you can be pretty sure that the Next Level has found you worthy of this "gift." More importantly, if you act upon this simply because this world holds nothing for you and you want out of here, you will be saved for further nurturing and service at another level and another time, like I was.
The bottom line is that Representatives from the Next Level are the only ones who can offer you a real future. If you exert the effort, the Next Level will give you a chance to grow above and beyond this human kingdom and realize everlasting life in its truest form. So, if this information "strikes a chord," ask for help from the highest source that you can reach, even calling on the names of Ti and Do, if you desire. They will assist you, if They feel that your asking is sincere.
The truth of the matter is that the Kingdom of Heaven is, indeed, at Hand, and whether you accept this information as truth or reject it is a decision only you can make. For your sake, I hope that your decision is not made hastily. What do you think? Is this a matter of life or death?
Written from my heart, as a student of Ti and Do.
Thank-you, my Older Members, for this "Gift of Life."
I am forever grateful and always honored to be of service.
April 6, 1996 |


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Law Firms, Paralegal Professionals, Legal Support Companies, and Attorneys!
Author: By: J. Hammer
Published: Aug 14th 2023
Nationwide Directory Service Revolutionizes Access to Service Providers
Date: JUly 17, 2024BREAKING NEWS
ATTENTION: Law Firms, Paralegal Professionals, Legal Support Companies, and Attorneys!
In a move set to redefine the way individuals and businesses connect with essential Richland County, South Carolina service providers, a groundbreaking nationwide Directory Service has emerged onto the scene. This innovative platform offers instant access to an extensive network of thousands of vetted professionals, including process servers, mobile notaries, skip tracers, and courthouse couriers.
Gone are the days of sifting through endless search results or relying on word-of-mouth recommendations. With the Nationwide Directory Service, users can now streamline their search and connect with the right service providers, such as within Richland County, South Carolina, within seconds, ultimately saving precious time and resources.
The directory's user-friendly interface provides a seamless experience for visitors searching for service providers in Richland County, South Carolina or anywhere else in the nation. Whether you're in urgent need of a Richland County, South Carolina process server for legal documents, a mobile notary to authenticate crucial paperwork, a skip tracer to locate individuals, or a courthouse courier for swift document delivery, the Richland County, South Carolina platform has you covered. We urge you to take a look at the platform as it will change your professional tasking dramatically! The days of navigating multiple websites and making countless calls are over – all it takes is a few clicks to be connected to the perfect professional service providers for your needs.
One of the standout features of the Nationwide Directory Service is its ability to provide users with competitive fee quotes from a variety of service providers. This ensures that individuals and businesses can make informed decisions based on their budget and requirements. By eliminating the need for multiple inquiries and negotiations, this feature alone saves both time and money, making the service an invaluable resource.
"We recognized the need for a centralized platform that not only connects people with essential service providers but also streamlines the entire process," said Jonathan Hammer Levey CTO of the Nationwide Directory Service. "Our goal is to empower individuals and businesses by providing them with an efficient and reliable way to access the services they require, while also supporting service providers in reaching a wider audience."
As the Nationwide Directory Service continues to gain traction, it's clear that this revolutionary platform is changing the landscape of service provider connections. With its user-friendly interface, time-saving benefits, and commitment to quality, it's quickly becoming an indispensable tool for anyone in need of essential services.
In a world where efficiency and reliability are paramount, the Nationwide Directory Service stands as a shining example of technological innovation, making the process of connecting with vetted service providers a breeze. As more and more individuals and businesses embrace this modern day solution, the days of lengthy searches and uncertainty are now a thing of the past.
View additional listings of Process Servers in Richland County, South Carolina


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Geoff Cox's DVDs: Big Eyes; Dumber And Dumber To; The Hobbit 3
And that's exactly what has happened in BIG EYES (12: Entertainment In Video), a real-life tale of fraud and female subjugation in the 1950s and '60s.
Directed by Tim Burton, Amy Adams stars as artist Margaret Keane, whose paintings of doe-eyed children were tremendously popular.
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Hide AdWaltz plays her controlling conman husband, manipulating her in order to take credit for her work. Margaret discovers he is claiming to have painted the pictures himself, and she and her daughter are forced to live a lie for years.
Burton's style is a good visual match for the subject matter. The film has the soft, cartoonish look of one of Keane's paintings. It's kitsch and amusing, albeit shallow, and trivialises the abuse that Margaret must endure.
The script tends toward the blunt, with the narration over-explanatory and Waltz's involvement building to a cringe-making courtroom appearance after Margaret resolves to prove his deceit.
But it's still a fascinating story told with flair and Adams acts with bewitching delicacy to anchor the film.
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Hide Ad> Two decades have passed since Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels goofed their way to box office success in Dumb And Dumber. But reprising their roles in DUMB AND DUMBER TO (15: Universal) is an exceedingly dumb move.
It isn't just that the joke has gotten old, and the actors look tired, it's that the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter, push too hard for jaw-dropping moments, robbing the characters of the innocence and spirit of camaraderie that once balanced the stupidness. This time, the dim-witted guys just come across as obnoxious.
When Harry (Daniels) discovers a long-lost daughter, he breaks his friend out of a psychiatric hospital and they go on a road trip. Harry needs a kidney and aims to harvest one from the daughter, Penny, while Lloyd (a very creepy Carrey) joins the search only because he has designs upon the rest of her body.
Kathleen Turner is a rare bright spot as Penny's world-weary biological mother.
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Hide AdNostalgia may tempt fans of the 1994 film, but there are fewer laughs in this sequel than Harry and Lloyd have brain cells.
> Director Peter Jackson is at the peak of his powers as an epic journey finally comes to an end in fantasy adventure THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (12: Warner). Even if he doesn't match the gravitas of Tolkien's writing, he leaves Middle-earth on an adrenaline-pumping high.
He marshals elves, dwarves, orcs and mortal men in awesomely staged conflict after Thorin (Richard Armitage) hunkers down at Erebor to protect the glittering dunes of gold that Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) has left behind.
Spectacular opening scenes find the dragon breathing fiery havoc on Lake-town, challenged only by human hero Bard. Despite having the title role, Martin Freeman's Bilbo is again a supporting character, trying to broker peace using the all-powerful Arkenstone, while Thorin's quest is the real heart of the story.


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This is the simplest but nevertheless strongest word that comes to my mind. Thanks to all those who have worked to help other people, in order to build a better world together.
The world in which we live is not the most beautiful place on Earth. It keeps on being struck by tragic events, by natural disasters, by wars, it keeps on being afflicted by Man's cruel hand. These events, which thanks to the media we daily witness, profoundly affect the balance and integrity of communities.
Faithful to the hospitaller traditions of the Order of Saint Lazarus, volunteers coming from the four corners of the world, from different cultures, languages, religions, ideologies and opinions, have set themselves a common target: to help and provide aid for people in distress.
The content of this report is just a factual summary, a partial reflection of everyone's actions and commitments. These figures conceal incalculable hours of work, the personal costs and sacrifices incurred, the energy expended and a multitude of small acts which can never be recorded. This report conceals that there is something more important, each member's heart.
The heart which allows a child in distress to dream again, the heart which gives bread to a beggar, the heart which alleviates the pain of a wound to the body or the mind, the heart which offers love…
This heart is not quantifiable, nevertheless it is essential for us: it guides us day after day in our struggle for life. The members of Saint Lazarus are the new generation of nobility: the noble of heart.


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Jewish students in the University of California system labeled terrorists for their support of Israel. Black high school students pelted by bananas on a Tennessee campus tour. A hostile student in Maryland challenging his professor to a fight after the teacher limited the use of cell phones and laptops during lectures.
In a society where anonymous internet commenters freely lob insults, and politicians spew partisan barbs, the decline of basic civility isn't limited to academia. But the push for more polite discourse—often as an extension of more entrenched diversity efforts—is firmly taking root on campus.
From the University of Missouri to Penn State and Vanderbilt, colleges across the country are treating the erosion of common decency as a public health epidemic on par with measles outbreaks and sexually transmitted diseases.
"What we're trying to do is remind me people of what they already know, to get back in touch with things they probably learned growing up," said Noel English, who heads a new Missouri civility campaign called "Show Me Respect," a nod to the state's nickname.
The Missouri campaign comes after two white students pleaded guilty in April 2010 to misdemeanor littering charges for dumping cotton balls outside the school's black culture center during Black History Month; the students were sentenced to 80 hours of community service, two years of probation and had their driver licenses suspended for two months. A 2009 survey of more than 3,500 students found that nearly one in seven reported incidents of harassment on campus, from racial slurs to hostile emails.
At a campus civility workshop earlier this week, Eric Waters, a junior from Mansfield, Texas, who is the football team's starting tight end, described how other students often label Mizzou football players as "mean" and "disrespectful" womanizers, sometimes to his face.
"It's not about the stereotypes people put on us," he said. "We try to carry ourselves like true gentlemen."
The University of Tennessee enacted its civility campaign in 2011. There had been a cotton ball incident at the Knoxville school's black cultural center after President Barack Obama's election and, in 2010, bananas were thrown at a group of more than 100 black high school students from Memphis during a campus visit.
"We want to be a campus that's welcoming to all, and hostile to none," said Chancellor Jimmy Cheek, who now outlines the school's 10 "principles of civility and community" at freshman orientation. The shared values range from inclusivity and collegiality to respect and integrity.
In some cases, the campus civility campaigns are being challenged by First Amendment advocates who fear that such programs muzzle unpopular speech in the name of tolerance and diversity.
That was the complaint at North Carolina State University, which revised a residence hall policy that, among other stipulations, prohibited dorm dwellers from wearing T-shirts or hanging posters "disrespectful and hurtful to others" while also requiring students to "confront behavior or report to staff incidents of incivility and intolerance."
The new policy now includes a written caveat calling the civility effort a set of "voluntary expectations" while emphasizing that the school is "strongly committed to freedom of expression."
"Civility is an important value," said Robert Shibley, senior vice president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which protested the Raleigh university's civility policy. "But at the same time, it can't be made the paramount issue in a free society, because there has to be space for people who have intense feelings about things to express those feelings in a way that really communicates the urgency and the depths of feeling that lies behind their opinions."
When campuses attempt to compel civil behavior, Shibley said, they become "so committed to civility that if you say something uncivil, you are going to be penalized In some way, that's going too far. It starts to infringe on the very expressions that are protected by the First Amendment."
Many credit Pier Forni, a professor of Italian literature at Johns Hopkins University, as the dean of the campus civility movement. He started the Hopkins Civility Project 15 years ago, wrote the 2002 book "Choosing Civility" and is a frequent guest speaker on other campuses, including at Missouri earlier this year.
For Forni, the culprits behind contemporary incivility are numerous, from what he called "the crisis of civil engagement" in this country to eroding workplace manners to "radical informality" heightened by Facebook and related social media. Yet he has no interest in making civil behavior a campus requirement.
"Civility should be promoted, not believed in," he said. "Civility is not something to enforce. "
Among the schools embracing those beliefs is the University of Arizona, which last year opened the National Institute for Civil Discourse after the shootings in Tucson, Ariz., that killed six people and injured 13, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
In 2010, Rutgers University launched its "Project Civility" just before freshman Tyler Clementi killed himself when a roommate secretly recorded the teen's sexual encounter with another man. English, the Missouri campaign leader, said the New Jersey student's suicide helped influence her decision to start a program on campus.
She, too, favors the voluntary approach, though her initial instincts said otherwise.
"My first thought was, 'I'm a lawyer, we need a rule or a policy,' but then my thinking was, 'That's not really necessary,'" she said. "We can have all the policies in the world, but what we want to do is raise awareness and get people thinking … We want to change the culture so it just becomes embedded."
Or, as Noor Azizan-Gardner, Missouri's chief diversity officer, put it: "I'm hoping when they graduate they will know what it means to be civil, kind and compassionate."
- 5 things CIOs need to know about IoT - March 20, 2017
- First-ever mobile predictive analytics solution - February 25, 2016
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EL wire, or electroluminescent wire, is an energy efficient lighting technology used for a wide variety of applications. An EL wire is composed of a copper wire coated in a phosphor that glows when an alternating current is applied to it. The energy efficient technology allows just a few hundred feet of EL wire to be driven by AA batteries for several hours.
Ben Rousseau and Ian Douglas–Jones, a designer and an architect by training, joined forces to work on this project as well an illuminated furniture line to be released next year. The duo were asked to create a TRON-inspired art suite for the Icehotel this winter using the EL wire to provide a futuristic lighting scheme. They had 13 days to build out the interior of the hotel room suite, install the lighting and polish and buff out the interior furnishings, which includes wall panels, a reindeer pelt covered bed and a table. Grooves for the EL wire were cut into ice slabs with a variety of tools and then the wire was laid into the grooves and water was used to create new ice to "glue" the wire into place.
The Icehotel in Lapland, Sweden is the first, largest and most famous of the various ice hotels around the world. Each year the Icehotel is constructed anew and artists and designers are asked to collaborate in the process. A large warehouse and various snow and ice making techniques are utilized to create ice blocks, ice slabs, snow packed domes, furniture and features that make up the temporary hotel.
The duo were also being followed around by a video crew who shooting for a TV show called Extreme Design, which will feature designers working in extreme conditions. Temperatures reached -32 degrees Celsius, and the duo were outfitted from head to toe in Oakley winter gear in order to stay warm as they built their suite in the Swedish hotel.
+ Icehotel
Images ©Linus Nordensson Spångberg and Adrian Nordenborg
Via Archinect


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I never could have guessed the amount of interest my little canister labels project (posted back in February) would generate. I have been happily inundated with comments and questions ever since!
One stand-out request has been for me to share the original PSD (Photoshop Data File). For those of you who don't know what the heck that is, you probably don't have Photoshop, so unfortunately it won't be much good to you anyways, though if, like me, your brain likes to know stuff, you can read more about PSD files here. Basically, it's a freely editable version of my labels.
Well, I'm pleased to announce that you've all finally worn me down :-) So for everyone lucky enough to have Photoshop you can now download my baking canister labels in PSD format for FREE below! If you're not fortunate enough to have Photoshop you can also download the printable PDF version below. Oh, and if you happened to miss my original tutorial for applying the labels you can view that here.
The downloadable zip file comprises two documents; one for CS users (which contains neat folders of grouped layers) and one for Elements users (which contains a gazillion layers though is folder free, thus compatible).
Because I'm a big computer nerd now, I decided to do some research on PSD's for the purpose of this post, and aren't all you Elements users glad I'm such a geek? Otherwise, I never would have discovered that Elements doesn't support layers grouped in folders and I never would have created a special folder-free document just for you – you can hug me later :-)
To conserve my labels in their original form, ensure you have installed all three free fonts listed below.
Have fun!
Mrs Eaves Bold
Courier New
Another Typewriter
Baking canister labels PSD. Click here to download.
Baking canister labels PDF. Click here to download.
Original Canister Labels Post
Free for personal use only.
Republication, reproduction or redistribution in any form is forbidden.


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Protecting Your Certification: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle
- Distinguishing Effects
- Protection Plans
- Certified Experts
- IT Efforts
- Making Progress
- New Approaches
- Summary
Sign up for a free subscription to Certification Magazine.
Concern over the security and integrity of IT certification exams has become increasingly important with the growing significance of certification in the hiring process. There are many different facets of security that need to be considered—from technical queries of test-question storage and data transmission to the behavior of proctors and administrative employees at test sites. Day-to-day operational procedures are as important as the integrity of subject matter experts and other contributors to test development whose behavior is governed under non-disclosure agreements from exam vendors. This "supply side" of IT certification testing is frequently discussed and seems to be well understood. Yet hardly any attention is given to the test-takers, the individuals who are preparing to become IT experts or further their careers as IT professionals.
Imagine the following scenario: Two young lawyers meet and talk about their recent bar exams. Both are clearly glad they finally made it! The grueling experience of exam preparation and test-taking is now history for them—though the assessment marathon was not that bad after all, as they readily admit. Both take some pride in the fact that they passed with a bare minimum of preparation time and effort. Being able to sneak some notes into the test center proved to be rather helpful. Even more importantly, knowing the majority of questions upfront was even more beneficial. How could that be? Spending quality time on this cool new Web site "Fake-it-rather-than-take-it.cheat" really paid off nicely. They were able to find an ample supply of answers to real-life test questions that numerous soon-to-be lawyers had posted there after taking the bar exam. What a godsend that was! Officially accredited—and well-rested—our two friends felt truly ready to exercise their profession.
How would you like to have lawyers like these represent your interests in a legal dispute? How would you feel about being treated by a doctor who faked exams? What would be your feelings about dealing with accountants or architects who brag about the many shortcuts they have taken to get their professional credentials? Most likely your confidence in their skills and abilities is badly lacking....
Why is it that we seem to have a very hard time accepting unprofessional behavior by just about any more established profession, yet we are prepared to tolerate or at least ignore wrong-doings among IT professionals in our industry? Are there differences here that justify greater scrutiny and higher ethical standards for one group versus the other? It would seem that the IT industry deserves the same assurances of adequate skills and knowledge as any other profession out there. Why should we tolerate network administrators who got their qualifying certificate due to memorization of test answers published on the Web? Do we really feel our company's computer system is adequately protected by Webmasters who managed to forage the Internet security test designed to assess their true skills and capabilities?
Distinguishing Effects
Certification exams have been created to effectively measure a person's ability to perform certain job roles and functions. Employers and employees alike rely on the distinguishing effect of assessment programs. The difference between people with appropriate skills and those that are not yet fully qualified is important for the IT industry and needs to be protected. That's why we as an industry care so much about the security of certification exams. To get to the highest possible level of security, many things have to be in place. It is a challenging, complex puzzle, and the conduct of the individual test-taker makes a huge difference.
Testing and certification have become major factors in the IT industry. In just over 10 years, we have seen the unprecedented creation of a extensive industry around IT certification training and testing. Gone are the days when candidates were faced with the choice between just one or two well-established certification programs and a few test sites scattered around the country.
Now the global IT certification industry offers at least 300 different programs in a minimum of 50 categories. At the beginning of 2000, at least 1.7 million certification credentials had been granted to individuals in the United States and more than 140 countries around the world. The test site infrastructure has rapidly grown to about 5,000 testing sites worldwide, delivering more than 3 million IT exams last year. Clearly, the IT certification industry has blossomed and there is a lot to be lost if the security of our exams cannot be guaranteed.


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I am so excited to announce that I've joined another baking group! Lorelei of Mermaid Sweets has started a baking group called Sweet Melissa Sundays! Every Sunday, we'll be baking one of the recipes from an incredible book, The Sweet Melissa Baking Book, and posting about our experiences on our blogs. I've been on the fence about joining another baking group (there are TONS of them out there!) but when I saw that Lorelei started a group I just had to join. I've been following her blog for a while now and it's truly fabulous. Plus, she's a fellow lawyer, and we have to stick together 🙂 I'm thrilled that I'm joining this group at the start so I'll get to bake each and every recipe from the book with the group. If you're interested, you can learn more about our group here and heck, maybe you'll even want to join us!
Our fearless founder, Lorelei, chose the first recipe for this week: honey beescotti! I will admit that I'm not a huge fan of biscotti (mostly because I don't drink coffee or tea so I don't have anything to dunk them in!) but I was still excited about this recipe because it includes honey, candied orange peel and almonds. Those ingredients sounded like they would work so well together that I knew these would be delicious.
I decided to try my hand at making my own candied orange peel for this recipe instead of buying it and it was a really fun experience. I've included the recipe I used below (as well as some photos) if you want to give it a shot! It's simple, if not a bit time consuming. I rolled half of my candied peels in sugar and left the others plain. I used the ones rolled in the sugar for this recipe. I haven't been brave enough to eat one but they look really pretty!
I was surprised by how little trouble these biscotti gave me. Yes, the dough is a bit sticky and was somewhat challenging to shape but a little dusting of flour made it very manageable. Otherwise, things went well. Some other members of the group reported problems with their dough spreading, so I chilled mine well before baking it and it cooperated beautifully. The real clincher for me though was how nicely the logs cut after their first bake. Every time I make biscotti I dread cutting them after the first bake because mine always tend to morph into a crumbly mess. Not this time though! I did a little dance of happiness when I saw how cute they were as they headed back into the oven for their second bake.
Despite my aversion to biscotti I simply had to try one of these when they cooled. The house smelled so delightful as they baked that I couldn't help myself. The verdict? The flavors are wonderful! No one flavor overwhelms the others – they just work together perfectly. I loved the hint of honey and the subtle almond flavor. I didn't think there were enough candied orange pieces though so next time I would definitely add a few more to the dough. I skipped the caraway seeds the recipe calls for because I really don't like them. I'll be giving the rest of the biscotti away tomorrow and can't wait to hear the report from others!
Thanks again to Lorelei both for starting this group and for her selection this week! She has posted the recipe (and some fab photos of her biscotti!) on her blog if you'd like to give it a shot!
By Tracey
Candied Orange Peel
from FoodNetwork.com
- 2 thick-skinned Valencia or navel oranges
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 1/2 cup water
Cut the tops and bottoms off of the oranges and score them into quarters, cutting down only into the peel and not into the fruit. Peel the skin and pith of the orange in large pieces, use the orange for another recipe. Cut the peel into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Put the orange peel in a large saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Pour off the water from the pot and then repeat this process 2 more times. Remove the orange peels from the pan.
Whisk the sugar and water together in the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes or until a thermometer registers about 230 to 234 F (the soft thread stage). Add the peels and simmer gently, reducing the heat if necessary to retain a simmer. Cook until the peels get translucent, about 45 minutes. Remove the peels from the pan and place them on a rack or on parchment paper to dry. If desired, you can roll the peels in sugar before drying them.


text:
Bay Area Video Coalition, San Francisco, June 8, 2011
Sarolta Cump and Lauren Sorensen work in the video preservation department of the Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC)1. BAVC is a non-profit organisation founded in 1976 in San Francisco to allow independent producers and underrepresented communities to use emerging media technologies such as the Portapak video system. In 1992 BAVC developed a Preservation Centre and today it is still one of the biggest non-profit preservation programs in the United States. In 2003, BAVC produced PLAYBACK2, a DVD that shows the technical practices of video preservation and the complex decision-making process engaged by artists, conservators and video engineers as they reconstruct video artworks. Emanuel Lorrain (PACKED vzw) met Lauren Sorensen and Sarolta Cump in order to know more about their digitisation workflow and to find out how they deal with the obsolescence of the decks used to digitize contents on old video carriers.
PACKED: What are you respective backgrounds?
Lauren Sorensen: I went to grad school for Moving Image Archiving and Preservation3 at NYU and then I worked for three years at a 16 mm film distributor called Canyon Cinema4. Now I'm working here as Preservation Specialist.
Sarolta Cump: I have a postproduction background. I actually worked at BAVC in the late nineties for postproduction technical support, and then I left and got a degree in film & video production. But I came back because I was familiar with a lot of the equipment. That's my area of speciality but we also do a lot of cross-training which is really nice.
PACKED: Could you summarize the services that BAVC offers, and to whom especially?
Our mission is to work on non-commercial projects, so we work with a lot of arts organizations and non-profit and community-based and cultural institutions. We have some larger clients like 'the Kitchen' in New York, which is a performance space that's been around since the seventies. We also work with local organizations like the Exploratorium, which is a science and children's museum in San Francisco.
PACKED: What formats can you transfer?
Sarolta Cump: We can transfer ½" open reel5, 1 inch, U-maticfn]¾" U-matic is an analogue video format that was developed at the end of the sixties and consisted of a ¾" video tape in a cassette. It was the forerunner of the analogue Betacam., Hi-86, 8mm7, VHS8, Betamax9, Betacam10 and Betacam SP11, audiocassettes and ¼" audio tapes.
PACKED: For 1/2 inch open-reel, can you transfer both CV and- AV?
Lauren: Yes, we have both, and both type decks are getting more difficult to repair. We are really only working with one person who repairs them so sometimes it's challenging getting the timing right between our clients' deadlines and repairing such rare playback decks.
PACKED: Do you use tape-cleaning machines?
Sarolta Cump: Yes, we have an RTI12 tape check cleaner for 3/4" U-matic tapes from which the burnishing blades have been removed, so only gentle, pellon material is used in cleaning. We also have a VHS cleaner and a ½" tape cleaning machine, for which we are in the process of trying to find a service provider to repair.
PACKED: Is that a cleaner you've built yourself out of another machine?
Lauren Sorensen: The 1/2" tape cleaner used to be a data tape cleaner for computer tapes that was altered to work for 1/2 inch open reel video specifically. Past BAVC staff took off the burnishing blade on that machine as well. It's a vacuum type system which will clean along the cloth and also has a…
Sarolta Cump: …a vacuum chamber. People from BAVC back in the nineties adapted that machine and now if we need it to be repaired, we'd have trouble finding a service provider, considering it was a custom made deck; the company that made it doesn't support even the computer tape cleaning machine anymore, much less our altered machine!
PACKED: do you use baking?
We do use baking13 yes, a dehydrator, and we use very specific temperature control, as well as timing and workflow.
PACKED: For which tapes do you use that treatment?
Sarolta Cump: Generally for U-matic and 1/2". Those are the two main type of tapes for which we use baking.
PACKED: Do you clean the tapes before baking them?
Sarolta Cump: Yes, for the U-matic tapes we clean them up to four times and then attempt a transfer. If we still have issues and it looks like a sticky shed syndrome14 problem, then we bake it. After the baking we clean it again once before attempting to transfer a second time. With the 1/2" open reel tapes, for now we play it and if it has sticky shed syndrome issues we bake it and try to transfer it a second time.
Lauren Sorensen: There are no rules as to which format will have sticky shed. Much of the time it depends on trying out the tape, so it is really hard to evaluate this prior to playback. It mostly depends on how the tapes have been stored, but sometimes just basic manufacturing issues with the original result in deterioration; these tapes were made by companies who keep formula under wraps, proprietary. So we have no way of knowing, as preservationists, what we are working with except very general specifications.
PACKED: Is there anything else you do with the tape on a physical level?
Lauren Sorensen: We carefully inspect each tape upon arrival. Sometimes cassettes need repair, so we keep extra supplies in house for this purpose, e.g., if the tape case is cracked and needs re-housing. We have a workflow for inspection and document it carefully when we receive the materials from our partners and clients. It is based on ISO 18933, Imaging materials — Magnetic tape — Care and handling practices for extended usage15.
Sarolta Cump: We have some spare casings. If it looks like a mechanical problem, we will take the tape apart and then put it back together.
PACKED: Could you go through the digitization workflow at BAVC?
Sarolta Cump: We evaluate the tape and document its condition when it first comes in and then, if it is a format that can be cleaned, we clean it just once to see if it has residue or sticky shed. Depending on if it's a U-matic or not, as we said before we continue cleaning up to four times before we attempt to playback and digitize the tape . At the moment we are recommending 10-bit uncompressed files to our client base.
Lauren Sorensen: Yes, because it results in an accepted, lossless, high quality file. There are some other formats that we are investigating to recommend to clients right now like FFV1. We are thinking about moving to that format just because it is a lossless compression and results in smaller files, it is open source codec and in line with chroma subsampling and other factors that affect authenticity. Right now, the codec that we are using is not open source, but is widely supported. Codecs such as DV16 may be open, however they are lossy, so moving forward in preservation of these digital assets can result in loss of quality.
PACKED: Are you using either the KONA17 or the Black Magic18 capture card codec now?
Lauren Sorensen: Yes. With uncompressed 10-bit, we use data movie files, mostly a Quicktime wrapper. It's because we mostly have a Mac environment, but we can produce AVI-wrapped files as well, depending on client need.
PACKED: Can you also work with an MXF19 wrapper?
Sarolta Cump: We can, we have done it in the past, but we generally use .MOV20 unless the client wants a different wrapper.
Lauren Sorensen: Yes, we definitely work with our clients kind of as partners, so we investigate what format would be most useful for them. Most of the work that we do is with those who manage archives as well as individuals. They usually have an idea of what they want from their own research based on what the rest of their archive is already composed of. Many of these archive handlers are trying to come up with a set of practices and standard format for the preservation of analogue video; until now, many have been using Digibeta21 or digital tape, and – less often – high quality analogue tape which is now obsolete. Digital tape, while for the most part not obsolete, is unstable and especially in the case of MiniDV22 and DVCAM23, prone to errors in transfer. Most of the time, we can be pretty flexible on what we deliver to our clients in terms of the file format, but for individual clients it's a bit more tricky because they might have a Windows operating system for instance, or not enough memory available or slow processor speed to decode and playback the file in real-time; this is why we also recommend "mezzanine" level files which are appropriate for editing purposes and access. All the same, we need to take into account what kind of environment they are playing and storing the files in. There are a lot more questions that need to be evaluated in analogue-to-digital preservation, and context is key.
PACKED: So you investigate that for the clients?
Lauren Sorensen: Yes, like for instance we ask what kind of quality they want, what kind of longevity they're thinking about? What use will the files have moving forward? Right now, we are working on trying to figure out where these collections can go in the long-term because obviously we are preserving it to a digital format, but with digital files it has to be an active process for archiving. If we are preserving and giving it to an individual it's different from giving it to an institution where there might be an infrastructure for a preservation strategy; this isn't something individuals or smaller organizations have the capacity to consider. There's also a shifting skillset within archives that needs to be addressed; a lot of traditional archivists are not versed in what it takes to preserve digital objects, and so we are attempting to work on advising them and individuals about that right now by keeping our knowledge in the field current.
Sarolta Cump: I feel like we are spending a lot of time with people, trying to explain what access files are, as well as the general process of preservation and what it involves.
Lauren Sorensen: Digital archiving of moving images is so new that it involves a lot of exploring for each different context, which is really interesting and challenging.
PACKED: What kind of access copy do you produce? Do you also provide documentation of the digitisation process to your client?
Sarolta Cump: Generally, for most people we make an access file and then maybe even a DVD or a low resolution viewing file like an MP4, sometimes with an h.264 codec.
We also make a preservation log. All of our preservation and transfer is supervised so the technician records in real-time all the artefacts, what the playback equipment was, what machine we cleaned the tape on, how many times we cleaned it, etc. We capture all that kind of metadata and then we get back to the client. We use PREMIS24 in part, but also our own in-house schema.
PACKED: Do some clients come to control the transfer themselves at times?
Sarolta Cump: No, because we don't do any colour correction and we don't really do restoration either. We do the transfer and try to do it without any aesthetic choices. We are a good place for people who want to make an uncompressed file and then take it somewhere else to have it colour-corrected if they are interested in altering the piece.
Lauren Sorensen: Our mission and goal is to preserve the work as authentic instead of making it into something else, but on the other hand, we get clients that are filmmakers and it is fine if they want to turn it into a separate chunk of the file that could be something else. Those types of clientele will have their own workflow for editing and production, however, and that is outside our scope of work.
Sarolta Cump: That is the other group of people we work with the most; independent filmmakers or documentarians who are making works for which they use old footage, or who have their old U-matic and 1/2" open-reel tapes and who want to use their footage or simply look back at it.
Lauren Sorensen: Sometimes they don't have a playback machine for it. A lot of these types of clients say, "I could just transfer it myself but I don't have that machine anymore" and they don't want to go to a dub house because they are looking for playback equipment that is in refurbished shape. They want special handling and technicians who are going to run it through a couple of different time-based correctors to find the right signal, etc.
PACKED: So you wouldn't erase drop-outs for instance?
Lauren Sorensen: We don't, as a general practice. Much of the time, dropout and other artefacts are not detrimental to the meaning of the work and what is conveyed to future audiences. If it does feel overly detrimental to the point of damage, there are further preservation actions that we can take. Dropout could be considered part of the provenance of the piece. We have clients who have other perspectives on this idea, and we work with them to think about quality and restoration work and what that might mean.
So, I would say that there are contexts for which clients and partners would want to do restoration; we are a small department so we don't work on restoration at this point in time, but BAVC has been involved in restoring video art, including Ant Farm's Media Burn in 2002. This was a larger project that resulted in production of a DVD and we are now working with Pacific Film Archive25 in preserving more Ant Farm group work documentation on ½" open-reel.
I should mention too, that if there is excessive dropout, we will pursue treatments such as incubation of the tape (also known as "baking" in a controlled environment, with client permission). We will also try the tape on multiple playback decks and time base correctors which can help us minimize artefacts and dropout and get a more authentic signal to the original.
PACKED: Why did you go from an Aja Kona capture card to a Black Magic capture card?
Sarolta Cump: The Kona card was actually donated, and after they did some research on different capture cards they decided to work with Black Magic instead. I think that the workflow is a little bit simpler with Black Magic because we can go directly from analogue to digital without an analogue-to-digital convertor. The convertor is already within the capture card.
PACKED: Are you thinking about doing MJPEG200026 as well?
Lauren Sorensen: No. I haven't researched into that codec much, so I could be wrong, but I've heard from colleagues that many types of MJPEG-2000 require proprietary hardware for decoding. We have discovered that there are a variety of "flavors" of MJPEG-2000 and many of these will only playback on certain operating systems and media players; so we generally do not recommend it to our clients and partners.
Sarolta Cump: Yes, it requires proprietary hardware to decode it. Our predecessors did a fair amount of research into it.
Lauren Sorensen: Yes, we actually have a compression study, which is something that is going to be in the Electronic Media Group publication. It was presented at the EMG conference in 200927 and it basically outlines why we use 10-bit uncompressed codec as opposed to other codecs: just because we don't want to get stuck with proprietary hardware. The individuals, smaller archives and institutions that we work with much of the time don't have a lot of money to purchase this proprietary hardware, and archives which may ingest material will not want a codec that requires hardware as a barrier to playback, inspection, muxing and transcoding.
PACKED: Is the equipment you have catalogued?
Sarolta Cump: We have an inventory of our equipment; it is in BAVC's general database, is called 'Salesforce' and is a cloud database. This is where we keep detailed records of repair and maintenance of the playback equipment and analogue monitoring tools.
PACKED: Apart from the transfer rooms, where do you store your equipment and all the spare machines?
Sarolta Cump: We have a storage closet and elsewhere, in the larger facilities, we have some storage space as well, but generally we just keep all the equipment we have in a climate controlled environment.
PACKED: What are the conditions in this closet?
Lauren Sorensen: In the closet, for storage, it's kept at about 60 degrees Fahrenheit and 45-50% RH; we also have an HEPA air filter running all the time in this space.
PACKED: Do you have a regular maintenance protocol for your equipment?
Sarolta Cump: Right now, we are establishing a protocol for a regular maintenance routine, since the department-staffing shift in October 2010. In the past BAVC has done maintenance on a deck-by-deck basis but we also do an annual calibration when we bring in an engineer to calibrate all of our time-based correctors and check our cabling, etc. Heather Weaver28 and her partner John Selsey were two of the key people of the preservation department here in the late 90s and early-mid 2000s. They were doing the transfer and also a lot of this serial technique around it, a lot of testing and actually, John Selsey is the one who comes to BAVC to help coordinate engineering and other things.
PACKED: Will the cleaning of the tape path, the heads, etc. be part of that protocol?
Sarolta Cump: We clean the heads in between each tape we transfer, because it leaves residue, and is always part of the transfer process. For U-matics, and 1/2" open-reel we clean by hand and for Hi8, because it is more touchy, we have a cleaning cassette that we use every so often to clean the heads.
Lauren Sorensen: With Hi8 we don't see sticky shed syndrome as often as with 1/2" tapes so we do not clean heads and tape path every time. With Hi-8 and VHS formats we do it less regularly. We clean U-matic and 1/2" systematically. They're where we mostly see hydrolysis.
PACKED: What do you clean it with? Isopropyl alcohol? Paper? Cotton swabs?
Yes, we use isopropyl alcohol, though we are now considering denatured alcohol as another possible option. We use densely knit cotton that we have to purchase from a medical supply company. It doesn't leave any residue or flakes of cotton; we also occasionally clean the whole deck, and use a small computer vacuum and cotton-tipped swab.
PACKED: When the oil packing is gone or if a problem has its origin in the mechanical or electronic parts, is this when you would call a skilled technician to do the maintenance?
Sarolta Cump: Yes, if there is an actual mechanical malfunction with a machine, or when the oil packing is gone, that's when we send them out. But our 1" machine for instance is holding up pretty well and it rarely needs repair.
Lauren Sorensen: We will also send these decks out for yearly maintenance and technician evaluation,as well as calibration of monitoring tools such as Waveform/Vectorscopes.
PACKED: Do you still buy equipment?
Sarolta Cump: We haven't for a while because of budget concerns (we are a not-for-profit). However, we purchase them as often as we can due to the rapid obsolescence of such decks. I think that we have about sixteen 1/2" open-reel decks. Some of them are for spare parts only, but we have got a good collection of those as well as a fair amount of U-matic players. So in the future we can get them repaired and use them when the others wear out and we can also scavenge some for spare parts, such as fragile videotape heads. That is one of the main issues we are running into. We have people that can repair the equipment in Northern California but a lot of the parts are starting to be close to retirement age without apprentices.
PACKED: Do the repair people that service your equipment have a stock of heads for instance?
Sarolta Cump: Yes, heads and different rollers and other items.
PACKED: Do you also buy some spare parts from them?
Sarolta Cump: We have our stock of spare parts and spare machines that we keep in storage. We haven't really bought spare parts from these repair people, we gathered some on our own.
Lauren Sorensen: We mostly buy them from eBay and then we get them serviced.
Sarolta Cump: In the long term, we are starting to worry about our repair people because most of them are in their sixties, so we are not sure what is next for that. We work with a couple of individuals like Ken Zin who does a lot of work with us and has an office at the NASA Ames Research Center as well. He does videotape playback deck repair and calibration. In the past year we have started to realize that you not only need the parts and the machines, but you also need skillsets and people who actually know how to do the repair. You also need to figure out if someone who knows other types of machinery can do this specific repair work, and a lot of other questions.
Lauren Sorensen: Keeping the decks in good shape is a big issue in our field. We are focused on preservation of analogue videotape and playback decks needed for preservation aren't produced anymore.
PACKED: Are you also transferring knowledge from one person to the other with BAVC?
Sarolta Cump: Yes, I have a lot of background in the soft engineering of how things are set up and connecting the decks, etc. It is knowledge in the workflow in terms of digitising from analogue.
Lauren Sorensen: I think that having knowledge in video production is extremely valuable to us because we can talk to our clients, to the filmmakers who used that equipment and know their workflow and think along the lines of 'do they have a master that's in a different format and what are they going to do with it? Are they going to use it again? What are they editing from this time?'
My background is in archiving, so that's why I am working on the Dance Heritage Coalition Project29 because I'm involved in best practices, documentation, and digitization. I'm providing the department with that kind of perspective; what archives are looking for and what you could expect from them in terms of client needs? So we share knowledge on a regular basis and have internships and fellowships, and attend conferences in order to bring about awareness.
PACKED: Because those service people will soon not be available anymore to service your equipment, do you plan to obtain such knowledge on particular problems with the machines in-house?
Lauren Sorensen: That's something that we would really like to do and we have talked about before; doing some kind of oral history or follow some training with these people because it is very specialized knowledge and skillset.
Sarolta Cump: It is also about starting to formulate a plan on how we can keep that. It could be by getting one of us to be an apprentice with them or by documenting it and trying to find other service providers. It is something that we are definitely concerned with and hopefully we will be figuring out a plan by the end of the year. We haven't figured out whether we want to try to increase one of our skillsets to be able to repair decks - as we have all the old manuals and some of the repairs are more straightforward than others -, or whether we just want to find other people that we are going to contract, or whether we are going to look for funding to have a position that is dedicated to that. There are a lot of different options available and we haven't narrowed it down yet.
PACKED: Do you keep all the documentation for the players you have? Do you have some sort of technical library where you keep them?
Sarolta Cump: Yes, we do keep all the manuals and we have a small open shelf with all our manuals and an inventory where we log our maintenance.
PACKED: Is the maintenance logged in the same database used for the decks?
Sarolta Cump: We are transitioning into that. It has been paperwork in the past but now the Salesforce documentation that we use allows us to actually attach documents so if we get information back from our repair service providers we can upload it and keep it with the decks.
PACKED: Before going to file-based format, were you doing all the masters on DigiBeta?
Sarolta Cump: We still do some masters on DigiBeta; that depends on the archive.
Lauren Sorensen: 'The Kitchen'30 in New York for instance wants both a DV file and a DigiBeta tape.
PACKED: And when you look for spare parts is it mostly heads?
Yes, right now, we are mainly looking at buying heads for 1/2" and U-matic players. We are also starting to think about plans for the future, for formats like BetacamSP and DigiBeta, which are going to come down the line. We have two really solid Digital Betacam decks, but we have to start stockpiling that as well and start a collection soon for digital tape-based formats.
e-mail correspondence (October 23, 2012)
PACKED: Can you speak about the A/V Artifact Atlas31 that was recently put online?
Yes, it is an initiative we are collaborating on with Stanford University Media Preservation Lab32, and New York University Digital Library Technology Services33. Its purpose is to serve as a reference guide and glossary for naming terminology in documenting artefacts in transfer and what steps need to be taken to correct those errors, if any exist. It tells the user and provides the tools and knowledge base to become comfortable identifying and understanding these anomalies. People can contribute to the Wiki.