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Who are we?
'We', 'us' and 'our' refer to Resi Mortgage Corporation Pty Limited (ACN 092 546 415, Australian Credit Licence 390669), a subsidiary of Yellow Brick Road Holdings Pty Limited (ACN 119 436 083) and our related businesses, authorised representatives and credit representatives.
Our commitment to protect your privacy
We understand how important it is to protect your personal information. This document sets out our privacy policy commitment in respect of personal information we hold about you and what we do with that information.
We recognise that any personal information we collect about you will only be used for the purposes we have collected it, or as allowed under the relevant law. It is important to us that you are confident that any personal information we hold about you will be treated in a way which ensures protection of your personal information.
Our commitment in respect of personal information is to abide by the Australian Privacy Principles for the protection of personal information, as set out in the Privacy Act and any other relevant law.
Personal information
When we refer to personal information we mean information from which your identity is reasonably apparent. This information may include information or an opinion about you. The personal information we hold about you may also include credit information.
The kinds of personal information we may collect about you include your name, date of birth, address, account details, occupation, and any other information we may need to identify you.
Credit information is information which is used to assess your eligibility to be provided with finance and may include any finance that you may have outstanding, your repayment history in respect of those loans, and any defaults. Usually, credit information is exchanged between credit and finance providers and credit reporting bodies.
Registration information is the information you provide in the course of registering for or acquiring a service, for example, to create an account, become a subscriber or enter a competition. Registration information may include name, email address, address details, gender and date of birth. It includes additional information which you provide in the course of that relationship.
If you are applying for finance we may also collect the ages and number of your dependents and cohabitants, the length of time at your current address, your employment details and proof of earnings and expenses.
Why we collect your personal information
We collect personal information for the purposes of assessing your application for finance and managing of that finance. We may also collect your personal information for the purposes of direct marketing and managing our relationship with you. From time to time we may offer you other products and services.
To enable us to maintain a successful business relationship with you, we may disclose your personal information to other organisations that provide products or services used or marketed by us. We may also disclose your personal information to any other organisation that may have or is considering having an interest in your finance, or in our business.
How do we collect your personal information?
Where reasonable and practical we will collect your personal information directly from you. We may also collect your personal information from finance brokers and other people such as accountants and lawyers.
Do we disclose your personal information?
We may disclose your personal information:
• to prospective funders or other intermediaries in relation to your finance requirements;
• to other organisations that are involved in managing or administering your finance such as third party suppliers, printing and postal services, call centres;
• to associated businesses that may want to market products to you;
• to companies that provide information and infrastructure systems to us;
• to anybody who represents you, such as finance brokers, lawyers and accountants;
• to anyone, where you have provided us with consent;
• where we are required to do so by law, such as under the Anti-Money or Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth);
• to investors, agents or advisers, or any entity that has an interest in our business; or
• to your employer, referees or identity verification services.
• to provide you with targeted advertising based on your online activities.
Prior to disclosing any of your personal information to another person or organisation, we will take all reasonable steps to satisfy ourselves that:
a) the person or organisation has a commitment to protecting your personal information at least equal to our commitment, or
b) you have consented to us in making the disclosure.
We may use cloud storage to store the personal information we hold about you. The cloud storage and the IT servers may be located outside Australia.
We may disclose your personal information to our overseas service provider located in the United States of America. You may obtain more information about these entities by contacting us.
Direct marketing
From time to time we may use your personal information to provide you with current information about finance, offers you may find of interest, changes to our organisation, or new products or services being offered by us or any company with whom we are associated.
If you do not wish to receive marketing information, you may at any time decline to receive such information by telephoning us on 1800 927 927 or by writing to us at email@example.com. If the direct marketing is by email you may also use the unsubscribe function. We will not charge you for giving effect to your request and will take all reasonable steps to meet your request at the earliest possible opportunity.
Updating your personal information
It is important to us that the personal information we hold about you is accurate and up to date. During the course of our relationship with you we may ask you to inform us if any of your personal information has changed.
If you wish to make any changes to your personal information, you may contact us. We will generally rely on you to ensure the information we hold about you is accurate or complete.
Access and correction to your personal information
We will provide you with access to the personal information we hold about you. You may request access to any of the personal information we hold about you at any time.
We may charge a fee for our costs of retrieving and supplying the information to you.
Depending on the type of request that you make we may respond to your request immediately, otherwise we usually respond to you within seven days of receiving your request. We may need to contact other entities to properly investigate your request.
There may be situations where we are not required to provide you with access to your personal information, for example, if the information relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings, or if your request is vexatious.
An explanation will be provided to you if we deny you access to the personal information we hold about you.
If any of the personal information we hold about you is incorrect, inaccurate or out of date you may request that we correct the information. If appropriate we will correct the personal information at the time of the request otherwise, we will provide an initial response to you within seven days of receiving your request. Where reasonable, and after our investigation, we will provide you with details about whether we have corrected the personal information within 30 days. We may need to consult with other entities as part of our investigation.
If we refuse to correct personal information we will provide you with our reasons for not correcting the information.
Using government identifiers
If we collect government identifiers, such as your tax file number, we do not use or disclose this information other than required by law. We will never use a government identifier in order to identify you.
Business without identifying you
In most circumstances it will be necessary for us to identify you in order to successfully do business with you, however, where it is lawful and practicable to do so, we will offer you the opportunity of doing business with us without having to provide us with personal information, for example, if you make general inquiries about interest rates or current promotional offers.
Sensitive information
We will only collect sensitive information about you with your consent. Sensitive information is personal information that includes information relating to your racial or ethnic origin, political persuasion, memberships in trade or professional associations or trade unions, sexual preferences, criminal record, or health.
How safe and secure is your personal information that we hold?
We will take reasonable steps to protect your personal information by storing it in a secure environment. We may store your personal information in paper and electronic form. We will also take reasonable steps to protect any personal information from misuse, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Using online services
When you access and interact with our services, we may collect certain information about those visits. For example, in order to permit your connection to our services, our servers receive and record information about your computer, device, and browser, including potentially your IP address, browser type, and other software or hardware information.
If you access our services from a mobile or other device, we may collect a unique device identifier assigned to that device, geolocation data, or other transactional information from that device.
Cookies and other tracking technologies (such as browser cookies and local storage) are comprised of small bits of data or code that often include a de-identified or anonymous unique identifier. Websites, apps and other services send this data to your browser when you first request a web page and then store the data on your computer so that such websites, apps and other services can access information when you make subsequent requests for pages from that service. These technologies may also be used to collect and store information such as pages you have visited, content you have viewed, search queries you have run and advertisements you have viewed in relation to your usage of our services and other websites you have visited.
Third parties that support our services such as allowing you to share content may also use these technologies to collect similar information. We do not control these third-party technologies and their use is governed by the privacy policies of those third parties.
Most browsers are initially set to accept cookies, but you can change your settings to notify you when a cookie is being set or updated, or to block cookies altogether.
For more information, consult the "Settings" or "Help" section of your browser. Please note that by blocking any or all cookies you may not have access to certain features or content available on certain sites.
Information disclosure for merger or sale of assets
If we sell all or part of our business or makes a sale or transfer of our assets or are otherwise involved in a merger or transfer of all or a material part of our business, we may transfer or disclose your information to the party/ parties involved in the transaction as part of that transaction and as part of any due diligence processes which take place in contemplation of a potential transaction.
If you are dissatisfied with how we have dealt with your personal information, or you have a complaint about our compliance with the Privacy Act, you may contact our Complaints Manager on firstname.lastname@example.com.
We will acknowledge your complaint within seven days. We will provide you with a decision on your complaint within 45 days.
If you are dissatisfied with the response of our Complaints Manager you may make a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner who can be contacted via the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website (www.oaic.gov.au) or on 1300 363 992.
Further information
You may request further information about the way we manage your personal information by contacting us.
Change in our privacy policy
We are constantly reviewing all of our policies and attempt to keep up to date with market expectations. Technology is constantly changing, as is the law and market place practices.
As a consequence we may change this privacy policy from time to time or as the need arises. You may request this privacy policy in an alternative form. This Privacy Policy came into existence on 19 September 2016.


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Home > Academics > Programs > ESL > Welcome
Welcome to ESL Program
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Midwest University ESL Program. It is our intention to provide you with the best possible learning experience during the course of your studies.
The English as a Second Language (ESL) Program develops students' English proficiency for effective communication in the American community and success at the Midwest academic classes that are offered in English.
The ESL Program offers its students four proficiency levels of English language studies in the areas of listening and speaking, reading, writing, and grammar. Placement into the appropriate level will be based on a placement exam, an oral interview, and a weeklong study with the instructors. Elective courses are also offered in pronunciation, American culture, current events, TOEFL preparation, and English for ministry.
ESL instruction is delivered by degree holding, committed and experienced instructors in classroom settings, and through cultural excursions. The student-teacher ratio is typically about 10:1, providing students with opportunities for individual assistance.
We are proud of our program and encourage your inquiries and consideration to join us in at the Midwest University ESL program.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Through the innovative design and flexible manufacturing, Guangzhou Casen Door CO.,LTD has built a unique and innovative portfolio of vast product range, such as hdf doors-waterproof doors. We constantly and consistently provide a safe and good working environment for all our employees, where each can develop to their full potential and contribute to our joint goals - maintain and facilitate the quality.. In recent years, Casen has gradually received a good reputation in the international market. This benefits from our continuous efforts on brand awareness. We have sponsored or participated in some of China local events to expand our brand visibility. And we post regularly on social media platform to effectively execute on our brand strategy of the global market.. We can all agree that no one likes to get a response from an automated email, therefore, we have built a reliable customer support team which can be contacted via [网址名称] to respond and solve customers' problem on a 24 hours basis and in a timely and effective manner. We provide them regular training to enrich their know-how of products and improve their communication skills. We also offer them a good working condition to keep them always motivated and passionate..


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High-power RF and microwave signals are often associated with electron tubes, but solid-state devices have been gaining ground on their vacuum counterparts in recent years. With the maturation of gallium-arsenide (GaAs) power transistors, and as device designers continue to explore the capabilities of gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon-carbide (SiC) power-transistor technologies, solid-state devices offer noteworthy output-power levels.
The number of technologies supporting RF/microwave transistor developments has grown steadily over the years. Silicon bipolar transistors once handled the bulk of the solid-state amplification at radio frequencies. But over the last 30 years, GaAs field-effect transistors (FETs) have provided amplifier designers with higher-frequency performance while eventually matching the output-power levels of lower-frequency silicon bipolar transistors. In recent years, bipolar junction transistors based on SiC have established new marks for output power at lower microwave frequencies, while FETs and high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) based on GaN have continued to boost solid-state power levels at higher microwave frequencies.
This transistor technological diversity is probably greatest for high-power applications around or below 1 GHz, such as in radio broadcast systems and in pulsed ultra-high-frequency (UHF) and very-high-frequency (VHF) radars. At these frequencies, silicon is still king, and a number of different transistor configurations have provided reliable results for many years. These include silicon bipolar transistors, silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor FETs (MOSFETs), and silicon lateral-diffused-MOS (LDMOS) FETs.
For example, model IB1011S1500 is a silicon bipolar power transistor from Integra Technologies designed for L-band radars at 1030 and 1090 MHz. The firm offers a range of high-power devices for air-traffic-control (ATC) and avionics applications, based on different device technologies that include silicon LDMOS and GaN HEMT technologies. The IB1011S1500 is designed for pulsed applications, and when fed with a 150-W, 10-µs, 1%-duty-cycle signal at 1030 MHz, delivers 1432 W peak output power with better than 48% drain efficiency. The company also offers a more broadband model IB0912M600 bipolar transistor, designed for L-band TACAN systems from 960 to 1215 MHz. When supplied with a 90-W pulsed input signal, it can generate 845 W peak output power and more than 56% efficiency at 960 MHz. Both transistors are housed in beryllium-oxide (BeO) packages to aid thermal management.
Freescale Semiconductor might be most closely identified with silicon LDMOS transistors, especially with that technology's ubiquitous use in cellular communications infrastructure applications. In addition to a wide range of silicon LDMOS transistors for cellular, ISM band, and commercial L- and S-band pulsed applications, and its extensive lines of integrated circuits (ICs), Freescale also offers RF power GaAs FET transistors through about 6 GHz). As an example of its L-band LDMOS technology, model MRF6VP121KHR6 is an L-band power transistor for applications from 965 to 1215 MHz. It is designed for a supply of +50 VDC (150 mA quiescent current) and can deliver 1000 W peak output power (and 100 W average output power) with a 128-µs pulse at 10% duty cycle. The power transistor achieves 20-dB power gain with 56% drain efficiency, but is only rated to handle a 5.0:1 VSWR maximum load mismatch. It is internally impedance matched to 50O with integrated electrostatic-discharge (ESD) protection and supplied in a flange package.
The company also supplies unmatched lateral N-channel broadband RF power MOSFETs for applications requiring broadband amplification. The model MRFE6VP61K25HSR6 power transistor, for example, is +50-VDC device (100 mA quiescent current) that operates from 1.8 to 600 MHz with 1250 W CW output power at 230 MHz, 24-dB gain, and 74% drain efficiency. It can also deliver 1250 W peak output power at 230 MHz with a 100-µs pulse at 20% duty cycle, 22.9-dB gain and 74.6% drain efficiency. This device has been designed for applications in industrial plasma exciters, broadcast, aerospace, and land mobile communications and can tolerate a load mismatch as severe as 65.0:1 at +50 VDC.
In attempting to provide a more-robust LDMOS transistor, NXP Semiconductors last year announced its XR family of "eXtremely Rugged" LDMOS RF power transistors (see figure). Designed to withstand the severe conditions of applications such as industrial lasers, metal etching, and concrete drilling, these transistors are built to survive VSWR mismatches as severe as 125.0:1, which was the limit of the company's mismatch test system. One of the targets in developing the devices was to exceed a VSWR of 100.0:1, ruggedness thought to be necessary for many Industrial-Scientific-Medical (ISM) band applications. The first device in the product line is model BLF578XR, with 1400 W pulsed output power from DC to 500 MHz. It delivers 24-dB small-signal gain at 225 MHz with 70% drain efficiency, and can handle a load mismatch of 125.0:1 through all phases at 1200 W output power.
Several years ago, devices based on SiC substrates showed great promise for use in high power continuous-wave (CW) and pulsed RF power applications. Device manufacturers including Cree and Microsemi Corp. developed RF power transistors based on the SiC material, including static induction transistors (SITs) for high-power pulsed radar applications working with UHF and VHF signals. Microsemi, for example, still offers the model 0405SC-2200M Class AB, common gate, depletion mode SIT for use at a drain voltage of +125 VDC. It provides 2200 W peak output power from 406 to 450 MHz with 7.5-dB typical gain when operating with 300-µs pulses at 6% duty cycle. It offers 55% drain efficiency and can handle load mismatches to 10.0:1. Suitable for UHF weather radar and long-range tracking radar, the power RF SiC transistor is supplied in a rugged flange-mount package.
SiC has excellent thermal properties, however, and is being used by many companies in conjunction with devices based on GaN epitaxial material, to form GaN-on-SiC power transistors. M/A-COM Technology Solutions is one of the growing list of suppliers for GaN-on-SiC power transistors. These devices offer unparalleled power densities at higher frequencies from smaller transistor cells, but require thoughtful thermal-management planning. For example, M/A-COM's model MAGX-000035-150000 is a GaN-on-SiC power transistor that can provide 150 W CW output power from 30 to 3500 MHz with as much as 30 dB gain. The firm's model MAGX-002735-180000 GaN-on-SiC transistor operates from 2700 to 3500 MHz with 180 W peak output power for a 500-µs pulse at 10% duty cycle. It can deliver 13-dB typical gain over that frequency range. In addition to these discrete transistors, the company also offers "pallet" circuits or amplifiers, such as the model MAPG-002731-330L0S which combines two discrete devices on a printed-circuit board (PCB) with coaxial input and output connectors matched to 50 Ω and bias connections for ease of use. The model MAPG-002731-330L0S pallet operates from 2700 to 3100 MHz with 330 W peak output power when running with a 300-µs pulse at 10% duty cycle; it yields 11-dB gain.
Rather than mounting GaN devices on SiC, Nitronex has developed its SIGANTIC® NRF1 GaN-on-silicon process to support high CW and peak output power levels from its devices. In addition to supporting high-performance levels, the process is economically attractive, since it is production qualified for fabrication of GaN-on-Si devices on standard 4-in. silicon semiconductor wafers. The firm's model NPT1007 GaN-on-SiC power transistor, for example, is a +28-VDC device that can be used from DC to 1200 MHz. It is designed for push-pull applications and can withstand load mismatches as severe as a 10.0:1 VSWR without damage or degradation. The transistor is rated for CW power levels to 200 W at 900 MHz with better than 18-dB small-signal gain and 63% typical drain efficiency. The company offers an excellent 25-page white paper on thermal management of GaN-based power transistors (application note AN-012) as a free download from its website.
In addition, Freescale offers an excellent application note on evaluating the temperature of RF transistors, "Thermal Measurement Methodology of RF Power Amplifiers." Copies are available for free download from www.freescale.com.
Late last year, Nitronex announced its move to +48-VDC GaN-on-silicon technology with a process designated NRF2. Intended to provide higher power densities and higher gain than the +28-VDC NRF1 process, the new process is also claimed to provide improved long-term reliability with a mean time to failure (MTTF) of more than one million hours (114 years) at an operating temperature of +230°C.
In addition to the firms mentioned, power transistors are available from a wide range of suppliers. These include Advanced Semiconductor, Inc. (ASI), which designs and fabricates a number of replacement devices for older broadcast and aerospace power transistors; Integra Technologies, Inc., which provides silicon bipolar and MOSFETs and GaN HEMTs; IXYS RF, a supplier of silicon MOSFETs; Spectrum Devices, a source for silicon bipolars and MOSFETs; ST Microelectronics, which supplies silicon MOSFETs; TriQuint Semiconductor, which provides GaAs and GaN power FETs; and Richardson Electronics, a distributor for numerous device manufacturers.


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A Dangerous Effort to Undermine the Work of the Congressional Budget Office
For Immediate Release
When the House of Representatives considers the so-called appropriations "minibus" for fiscal year 2018, which includes funding for the legislative branch, it will consider two amendments targeting the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The first amendment, offered by Representative Morgan Griffith (R-VA), would eliminate CBO's Budget Analysis Division, which produces hundreds of cost estimates of legislation considered by Congress every year. The second amendment, offered by Representative Scott Perry (R-PA), would cut funding for CBO by more than half, from $48.5 million to $23 million. These amendments follow several comments by policymakers harshly criticizing CBO and questioning its role as an independent scorekeeper for legislation.
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget president Maya MacGuineas issued the following statement:
The Congressional Budget Office serves an invaluable function providing Congress with solid, nonpartisan analysis of the costs and tradeoffs of thousands of different proposed policies. While estimates of complex legislation are inherently uncertain and no estimates will be perfect, the estimates produced by CBO are based on objective analysis of evidence and data without regard to partisan interests.
CBO does not make judgements regarding the merits of legislation; it provides information regarding the costs and effects of legislation so lawmakers can make informed decisions. Without CBO, lawmakers would be flying blind on major legislation affecting hundreds of millions of Americans and costing hundreds of billions of dollars.
Recently, there has been an aggressive effort to undermine the work of CBO, and these two amendments would remove critical resources from the agency. This is a disappointing and dangerous effort. If lawmakers have suggestions for how CBO should improve its work, they should make them constructively instead of attempting to bully it into submission with threats to gut the agency.
You don't beat up the referee just because you don't like the score.
For more information contact Patrick Newton, Press Secretary, at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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The organisation representing African countries has demanded that US President Donald Trump apologise after he reportedly called nations on the continent "shitholes".
The group's mission in Washington DC expressed its "shock, dismay and outrage" and said the Trump administration misunderstood Africans.
The US leader made the alleged remark in a Thursday meeting on immigration.
He has been backed by two Republicans who were at the White House meeting, but Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said Mr Trump called African countries "shitholes" several times and used "racist" language.
On Friday, Mr Trump on Friday tweeted that his language he used at the private meeting with lawmakers to discuss immigration legislation had been "tough".
But he added that the words attributed to him were "not the language used".
What did the African Union say?
It said the "remarks dishonour the celebrated American creed and respect for diversity and human dignity".
It added: "While expressing our shock, dismay and outrage, the African Union strongly believes that there is a huge misunderstanding of the African continent and its people by the current Administration.
"There is a serious need for dialogue between the US Administration and the African countries."
The pan-African grouping represents 55 member states throughout the continent. It succeeded the Organisation of African Unity – which originated in the decolonisation struggles of the early 1960s – in 2002.
What exactly did Trump say?
The remarks were allegedly made when lawmakers visited him on Thursday to discuss a bipartisan proposal that would impose new restrictions on immigration but protect the so-called "Dreamers" – hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the US illegally as children – from deportation.
Mr Trump was said to have told them that instead of granting temporary residency to citizens of countries hit by natural disasters, war or epidemics, the US should instead be taking in migrants from countries like Norway.
"Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" the Washington Post quoted him as saying.
Mr Durbin said that when Mr Trump was told that the largest groups of immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) were from El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti, the president responded: "Haitians? Do we need more Haitians?"
But in another tweet on Friday the president denied that he insulted Haitians.
Many US media outlets reported the comments on Thursday, quoting witnesses or people briefed on the meeting. The White House did not deny them.
What has been the political fallout?
"I cannot believe that in the history of the White House, in that Oval Office, any president has ever spoken the words that I personally heard our president speak yesterday," Mr Durbin told reporters on Friday
House Speaker Paul Ryan, a top Republican, said the reported comments were "unfortunate" and "unhelpful"
Hillary Clinton, who lost to Mr Trump in the 2016 presidential election, said the country had been subjected to his "ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesn't look like him" and noted that it was eight years since Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake
Republican Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue, of Arkansas and Georgia, said that they could not remember Mr Trump describing countries as "shitholes" in the meeting
Mia Love, a Utah Republican and the only Haitian-American in Congress, demanded an apology from Mr Trump for the "unkind, divisive, elitist" comments
Steve King, a right-wing Republican Congressman from Iowa, backed the president in a tweet:
source: bbc


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Photography 155
All of my Blog articles & videos on how to improve your photography.
Lightroom & Post Processing 13
This category has all Lightroom, Photoshop or other post processing articles. There might be a few printing or workflow videos too.
Keep Shooting! Mondays 132
Weekly Photography show hosted by Gregory Cazillo where he answers your photography questions, discusses photo related links from around the web, featured equipment & photo assignments to improve your photography.
Photo Critiques 17
Greg and a few #Cazillions critique photos shared in either the forum or Flickr Group.
Video Playlists 10
Here is a great way to catch up on all my videos! I created a few playlists to help you watch them all!
Product Reviews 14
Once in a while I will review a good product then share them with you, this is the place.
Community 4
Articles about the #Cazillions Community & Forum
Cazillo Live! 5
Live shows on Ustream or YouTube.
Website Design 7
Blog articles on website design.
Newsletters 1
Some of my public newsletters.


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It is time take a look at how action in the bitcoin price fared overnight in an attempt to try and figure out if we can use the action we have seen to try and put together a strategy for the European session today.
Instead of spending too much time discussing what just happened, it's probably worth jumping straight into the chart for the purpose of this morning's analysis because it's looking as though we may get a near-term entry if things continue to move as they are doing right now.
So, with this noted, let's get straight to it.
As ever, take a quick look at the chart below before we get started so as to get an idea where things stand right now. It is a one-minute candlestick chart and it has our primary range overlaid in green.
As the chart shows, the range that we are looking at for the session today comes in as defined by support to the downside at 10463 and resistance to the upside at 10706. If we see price close above resistance, we will enter long towards an immediate upside target of 10850. A stop loss on the trade somewhere in the region of 10675 will work to define risk nicely and will ensure that we are taken out of the position in the event that the price turns against us mid-trade.
Looking the other way, if price closes below support, we will jump in short towards a downside target of 10200. Again we need a stop loss on the position so somewhere in the region of 10485 looks good from a risk management perspective.
We will see how things play out during the European session today and we will revisit the markets later on this evening to try and adapt our strategy in the wake of any volatility.
Charts courtesy of Trading View


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Would YOU like to join the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Design Team? We are looking for not one, not two but THREE talented
designers to join us! This challenge is dedicated to a more
Vintage/Mixed Media Style so we are specifically looking for designers
who are more in touch with their artsy side.
This Design Team call is open to everyone but you must have a blog.
The call will close on Tuesday 19th January, 9 am EST
For more information please visit THIS POST on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog


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Share your passion for carefree living with other like-minded 55+ residents at Heritage Park Senior Apartment Homes, located in beautiful Ladera Ranch, California. Situated just off the 241 Toll Road in the wonderful community of Ladera Ranch, you will find pristine hillside views and magnificent, tree-lined streets.
Heritage Park is one of two Heritage Senior Communities offering one and two bedroom custom apartment homes that have been uniquely designed with your comfort and convenience in mind. Our spacious apartment homes are equipped with complete appliance packages including: refrigerators, microwaves, dishwashers, in-home washers and dryers, custom white cabinetry, plush designer carpeting and generous closet space.
At Heritage Park Senior Apartment Homes, we offer friendly, low-maintenance, resort-style living with first-class amenities throughout the community. You'll also be just minutes away from gourmet restaurants, unique shops, beautiful parks and trails and local golf courses. We invite you to browse our photo gallery or call to schedule a tour today and let us show you why Heritage Park is the ideal place to call home!
FIND YOUR APARTMENTOur luxurious amenities were designed with our residents in mind. Come see what makes us the exclusive choice when it comes to selecting the perfect place to live in Ladera Ranch.
AMENITIESSeeing is believing. Fall in love with all that Heritage Park Senior Apartment Homes has to offer.
VIEW PHOTOSVisit myQUALITYLIVING to pay online, submit maintenance requests and view community announcements.


text: USDA Midwest Direct Hog Summary 01/03 15:00 NW_LS831 Des Moines, IA Mon, Jan 3, 2012 USDA-IA Dept of Ag Market News As of January 1, 2012, this report will no longer be available. All information contained in this National Direct Hog Price Comparison (NW_LS831) is already, and will continue to be, included in the National Daily Hog and Pork Summary (lsddhps.pdf) released from Des Moines, Iowa. Source: USDA Market News Service, Des Moines, IA Jodie Pitcock - 515-284-4460 firstname.lastname@example.com 24 Hour recorded market information 515-284-4830 www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/NW_LS831.txt www.ams.usda.gov/LSMarketNews 1448C


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Merchants of the Dark Road – $57 taxes incluses – Épuisé
1-4 players:
After half a year of daylight, we must now prepare for the dark season. The roads will be treacherous but they will still need to be braved by a select few in order to keep our cities thriving. In Merchants of the Dark Road, you are one of these brave few merchants that travel the dangerous paths between cities. While the job is perilous, fame and fortune await.
Discover the capital city where most of your actions will take place using a rondel action system. Collect and produce items to add to your caravan, or sell these items to local heroes and hire them to travel with you. Manipulate the market price of items, visit the back alley sellers, or delve a nearby dungeon for magical items to gain the potential for even more coin and notoriety.
Gather lanterns to ease your passage along the dark roads as you guide your caravan to distant villages. Deliver goods and heroes to the best destinations and gain fame for your bravery! Balance the money you earn with the height of your fame because your final score after a number of game rounds will reflect the lowest of these two values.
After all, what good is a purse full of the coin if the people don't sing songs about you, and what good is a song with an empty mug of ale?
Détails supplémentaires: version anglaise - Elf Creek Games -


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The nature of our economy could help it withstand the disruption.
Provided by Christian H. DePaul, CFP, MS, CDFA
A trade war does seem to be getting underway. Investors around the world see headwinds arising from newly enacted and planned tariffs, headwinds that could potentially exert a drag on global growth (and stock markets). How badly could these trade disputes hurt the American economy? Perhaps not as dramatically as some journalists and analysts warn.1,2
Our business sector may be impacted most. Undeniably, tariffs on imported goods raise costs for manufacturers. Costlier imports may reduce business confidence, and less confidence implies less capital investment. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, which regularly surveys firms to learn their plans for the next six months, learned in July that businesses anticipate investing less and hiring fewer employees during the second half of the year. The survey's index for future activity fell in July for the fourth month in a row. (Perhaps the outlook is not quite as negative as the Philadelphia Fed reports: a recent National Federation of Independent Business survey indicates that most companies have relatively stable spending plans for the near term.)1,2
Fortunately, the U.S. economy is domestically driven. Consumer spending is its anchor: household purchases make up about two-thirds of it. Our economy is fairly "closed" compared to the economies of some of our key trading partners and rivals. Last year, trade accounted for just 27% of our gross domestic product. In contrast, it represented 37% of gross domestic product for China, 64% of growth for Canada, 78% of GDP for Mexico, and 87% of GDP for Germany.3,4
Our stock markets have held up well so far. The trade spat between the U.S. and China cast some gloom over Wall Street during the second-quarter earnings season, yet the S&P 500 neared an all-time peak in early August.5
All this tariff talk has helped the dollar. Between February 7 and August 7, the U.S. Dollar Index rose 5.4%. A stronger greenback does potentially hurt U.S. exports and corporate earnings, and in the past, the impact has been felt notably in the energy, materials, and tech sectors.6,7
As always, the future comes with question marks. No one can predict just how severe the impact from tariffs on our economy and other economies will be or how the narrative will play out. That said, it appears the U.S. may have a bit more economic insulation in the face of a trade war than other nations might have.
Christian may be reached at (434) 385-1340 or email@example.com.
This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please note – investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.
Christian H. DePaul is a Registered Representative offering securities through Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. DePaul Wealth Management and Cadaret, Grant are separate entities.
1 – reuters.com/article/us-usa-economy/us-weekly-jobless-claims-hit-more-than-48-and-a-half-year-low-idUSKBN1K91R5 [7/19/18]
2 – nytimes.com/2018/07/24/upshot/trade-war-damage-to-us-economy-how-to-tell.html [7/24/18]
3 – money.cnn.com/2018/07/25/news/economy/state-of-the-economy-gdp/index.html [7/25/18]
4 – alliancebernstein.com/library/can-the-us-economy-weather-the-trade-wars.htm [7/17/18]
5 – cnbc.com/2018/08/06/the-sp-500-and-other-indexes-are-again-on-the-verge-of-historic-highs.html [8/6/18]
6 – barchart.com/stocks/quotes/$DXY/performance [8/7/18]
7 – investopedia.com/ask/answers/06/strongweakdollar.asp [3/16/18]


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Porcelain Modern Deco Small Plate Blue Seonds
Porcelain Modern Deco Small Plate Blue Seonds
What is a Seconds Piece?During production, and as a result of our high-quality standards, we produce a quantity of Seconds pieces every week. During kiln firing, variations in temperature can occur which result in glazed pots appearing lighter or darker than the ideal colour standard or surface imperfections can arise. These imperfections are usually quite minor but can vary from piece to piece and range to range. They are purely cosmetic blemishes and in no way detract from the safety, strength or durability of the pieces concerned and all Seconds items are 100% safe to use in the dishwasher, freezer, microwave and oven. However, if you are buying Seconds pieces to mix with your Best Quality items you may see a difference in colour of the pieces, especially on some of our more reactive ranges where the colour differences can be more noticeable. If you have specific aesthetic needs or preferences for your Seconds items, you may prefer to visit one of our Denby Retail stores where self-selection is available. To find your nearest store click here.
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This letter is quite different from any we've ever sent to you. For years we wrote to you about WETA's great programs and the need they filled in your life. Today, I must write to you about WETA's needs. And if friends like you don't respond to them, there will be far less programs to enjoy.There is something wrong with this letter: I have gotten the exact same letter from them for about 4 years now. Hence the statement This letter is quite different from any we've send to you is not just false but verifiably false.
While I expect letters to exaggerate I do not expect to have easily verifiable lies that do not even help their cause. So why did they do this? I do not know. But whatever the reason, it is sheer incompetency. Hence I will not give to them. This raises the following question:
If a charity (or whatever Public TV is) asks for money they can exaggerate how much they need it. Should they?
- Some readers will say GOSH, they really need the money! I better give!
- Some readers will say They always need money. I am not going to bother.
How can they get out of this trap? I do not know. However, the least they can do is to not say things that are obviously false. There may be a well defined Game Theory or EC problem here. Or it may be a public policy problem. We won't know until its solved.
UPDATE IN May 2016: I keep getting these letters and got one today.
UPDATE IN July 2017: Got another letter today
UPDATE IN Sept 2017: Got another letter today
UPDATE IN March 2018: Got two in the month.


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Three months ago, Frank Newman sent me a book entitled Freedom From National Debt. I finally got around to reading it — all 89 pages. It's a little book, packed with evidence that America is being held back by incorrect assumptions and misguided fears about the national debt and government finance in general. Here's the takeaway:
America has convinced itself that it can no longer afford many of the productive things that it has done so well over its history. Infrastructure repair, jobs programs, military modernization, tax reduction…have all been stifled because of this fear.
Like the proponents of MMT, Mr. Newman is frustrated by the pervasiveness of these falsehoods and their devastating effects on our social and economic well-being. He sees what we see, the potential for a vastly more prosperous, more stable, and more secure America that is being kept out of reach through the adoption of economic policies that were designed for a country whose currency was still tied to gold.
He draws many of the same "unconventional conclusions" reached by proponents of MMT:
- Saving cannot generate productive business Investment; it's the other way around: Investment generates Saving.
- Deficits do not reduce national Saving or Investment
- Issuance of Treasury securities (deficit financing) cannot "use up" equivalent amounts of funds intended for private-sector use.
He recognizes that this runs counter to the conventional wisdom, but he insists that these truths simply follow from an accurate portrayal of "how the system actually works." And he should know. He served as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. Prior to that, he was Vice Chairman of the Board and CFO of BankAmerica Corporation, and Executive Vice President and CFO of Wells Fargo Bank.
So when Mr. Newman writes, "This author recommends Mr. Mosler's book, as well as various writings by academic proponents of 'Modern Monetary Theory'," it really means something.
Follow: twitter.com/deficitowl


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This is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. I'm Michel Martin. Coming up, we have some dramatic stories about retirement. One, somebody who retired young, and I mean really young. And another about how even the best planned retirement can go wrong when life happens. We hope you'll find something useful in each of those conversations, which is in just a few minutes.
But first, we are taking a new look at a difficult topic that has bedeviled this country's military and civilian leaders. That topic is sexual assault in the military. And this might be a good place to tell you that this conversation might not be for every listener. The issue is in the news again because Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has pledged to investigate a case where a sexual assault conviction against an Air Force officer was thrown out by his commander.
But that's just one of the cases that will be reviewed today on Capitol Hill as members of the Senate Armed Services Committee meet to talk about how the military addresses sexual violence and harassment, which is also being discussed as more military jobs, including infantry positions, are opened to women. In advance of today's hearing, we caught up with reporter Jennifer Hlad.
She's been covering this story for Stars and Stripes. That's an independent newspaper which focuses on military affairs. Also with us once again is Anu Bhagwati. She is a former Marine officer and she is the executive director and co-founder of SWAN, the Service Women's Action Network, and she is scheduled to testify at today's hearing. Welcome to you both. Thank you both so much for joining us.
JENNIFER HLAD: Thank you.
ANU BHAGWATI: Thank you.
MARTIN: So, Jennifer, let's start with you. This hearing is the first time that the Senate has formally addressed sexual assault in the military in the last almost 10 years. Why is this coming up now?
HLAD: Well, I think it's a confluence of things. There was a documentary that came out last year called "The Invisible War" about military sexual assault. I think that really got people talking about it more than had been in the past. Also there was the scandal, you might call it, at Lackland where...
MARTIN: Lackland Air Force Base?
HLAD: Right. At Lackland Air Force Base. Dozens of the recruits were sexually assaulted by trainers there. And unfortunately, not very many of the trainers who have been involved have been sentenced yet and the ones that have, many of their sentences have been - they seem a little light, you might say. Now recently, there's this case in Italy where an Air Force lieutenant colonel was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and sentenced to a year in jail.
And told that he was going to have to leave the Air Force. And then his commander overturned that and said, no, just kidding. You know, you can go back into the Air Force and you're not convicted anymore. So...
MARTIN: So he vacates the conviction and restores him and reassigns him.
HLAD: Right.
MARTIN: And there's been a lot of, what? How would you describe the reaction?
HLAD: Well, I think people are really, really upset about it. I mean, and Secretary Hagel has pledged now to look at this case and try to figure out what's going on there. He's reviewing the case. He's also reviewing the rule that allows the convening authority, which in this case is the general who overturned the case, even the authority to overturn such a case. So I think most people are pretty upset about it.
MARTIN: Congresswoman, combat veteran Tammy Duckworth recently finished a stint in the Department of Veterans Affairs, ran and won a seat in Congress, has been quoted as saying that this isn't a victim's problem, it's a predator problem. Anu, as a former Marine officer - I know you don't speak for Congresswoman Duckworth - but what is she talking about? Why does she say that?
BHAGWATI: Well, the perception is, and I would say the reality is also, that the military is not handling these cases well, that perpetrators are generally not prosecuted, not punished. There's very little reporting to begin with, and what often happens is victims are retaliated against when they do come forward. They're threatened. They're made to feel unsafe. In fact, they are unsafe in many cases. And they end up feeling the brunt of the punishment.
MARTIN: But is there something in particular about the process that makes complainants feel that justice is weighted against them?
BHAGWATI: Well, the criminal justice system in the military is very insulated. And it's also - it operates differently than it does in the civilian world. And so you actually have a system right now in which not only sex crimes, but crimes generally, are not adjudicated by the most professional people. And by that what I mean is that commanders are actually endowed with what Jennifer called convening authority to determine which cases go to trial.
And so, you know, while we generally are speaking for the victims of these crimes, we're not in a situation in which even the accused is necessarily receiving a fair and impartial trial. Because it's his officer in his own chain of command that is the convening authority. So at some point he either directly knows the accused or someone the accused is working for.
MARTIN: If you're just joining us, we are talking about sexual assault in the military. Our guests are former Marine officer Anu Bhagwati. She is with the Service Women's Action Network. That's one of the advocates for women in the military. And also with us Jennifer Hlad. She's a reporter at the independent newspaper Stars and Stripes. It focuses on issues of importance to the military.
So, Jennifer, what about the reporting? Anu suggested that sexual assault is probably very much underreported in the military. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that there were more than 3,000 reported cases of sexual assault alone in the military in 2011, but from your reporting is there a sense that that number is accurate?
HLAD: Secretary Panetta had said that there were 3,192 reported in fiscal 2011 but he thought that there were closer to 19,000 actual...
MARTIN: Nineteen thousand?
HLAD: Yes. And that's...
MARTIN: What accounts for that big gap?
HLAD: I mean, there are a couple factors. What Anu was talking about is a big factor in the military, which is, if you are sexually assaulted and you are in the military, you have to report that to your boss. And then your boss decides whether you are telling the truth or the person you have accused is telling the truth. And so, I mean, there's just a lot of problems there, as you might imagine.
And then you have a lot of people who have said that they did report it, then they were retaliated against and people were harassing them. Everyone knew who it was who had reported it, even if they didn't want everyone to know, because it gets out.
MARTIN: Anu, you were talking to us about the fact that, you know, obviously sexual assault is an awful thing to experience wherever you are, whether you're in the military or whether you're in the civilian world. But you are suggesting that there is also an added emotional dimension. Can you sort of describe what you think that extra dimension might be?
BHAGWATI: Sure. Victims in the military experience trauma that's much closer to what incest victims experience.
MARTIN: How do we know this?
BHAGWATI: Well, psychiatrists and mental health providers speak about this quite well, but the point being that when you're attacked, harassed, abused, assaulted by someone who's also wearing the uniform, you know, that person is akin to your brother, your father, or your sister. And so the kind of relationship you have to the uniform, to your branch of service, to your nation, which is really what we're kind of indoctrinated to believe and to kind of grow up in when we're in the military, is completely shattered.
MARTIN: So that extra sense of betrayal.
HLAD: And victims often experience what we call a triple betrayal. First, they're betrayed by their perpetrator, you know, their brother-in-arms. Then they're often betrayed by their unit or their commander. So that the larger, you know, the larger military who doesn't believe them. And then the third betrayal often happens in the VA department, where a veteran who's experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment is filing that disability claim for post-traumatic stress related to assault or harassment in service, are flat-out denied.
MARTIN: Jennifer, we've been describing this as a particular issue for women, which are only about 11 percent, right, of active-duty military. But are they all women?
HLAD: No. They're not. The unrestricted reports, which are - the military makes a distinction. You can report it and have your name associated with it and try to go forward with charges. That's an unrestricted report. Twelve percent of the people who reported a sexual assault in that capacity were men. It's generally thought that there are tons more men who haven't reported because all of the things that stop women from reporting, the men have that. And then they maybe have an extra layer of: I'm this male warrior and therefore, I don't want to make my boss think that I'm not.
I was going to say, too, the other thing that maybe causes people - men and women - to not report it is, if they are in a certain situation when they are attacked that, maybe they're drinking underage, maybe they are off base when they're not supposed to be off base, something that they could get in trouble for, they may hesitate to report because they don't want to get in trouble for this other, you know, probably minor offense, but they don't want to be charged with that.
Or, sometimes, they can be charged with things. You know, I've heard of people being charged with adultery after they reported being raped. So there are just lots of reasons that you might not want to report it.
MARTIN: Anu, I'm going to ask you, since you are an advocate. You've been working on this for quite some time. In fact, this is one of the main reasons that your organization was founded. What are the recommendations that you are making and do you have any confidence that you are getting a hearing now, given all of these issues that are now before the public?
BHAGWATI: Well, we have two sweeping recommendations. The first involves the military criminal justice system as it exists and we want to professionalize the process for both victims and the accused; which is to say that commanders should have nothing to do with whether or not a case goes to trial and certainly should never be given the authority to, you know, reverse a conviction. Really, prosecutors are the folks who should be dealing with these issues, just trained lawyers, period.
The second sweeping recommendation that we are suggesting is that service members deserve and must have access to civil courts. The civilian justice system offers victims of workplace harassment and discrimination this very necessary form of redress so that you can actually take your employer to court and sue for damages. Military personnel - basically, that option is off-limits for them.
MARTIN: Jennifer, before we let you go, I wanted to give you the final word as a person who's reported on this as the new Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, who just recently came back from his first overseas trip, a very dramatic one. Has he indicated that he believes this is an area that needs to change?
HLAD: He has. During his confirmation hearing, he was asked about it and he said that he wanted to make it an important issue that he would focus on and he - with the Lieutenant Colonel Wilkerson case, he had said that he was going to review it. I think that he's definitely looking into it, and he's not just looking into that case because, unfortunately, he actually can't do a lot about that case. But, as far as the authorities that are in place that allowed that situation to happen, he is looking at that.
I think that some people in Congress are hoping to maybe push that along a little bit more and maybe allow for more changes to take place, but he has said that this is something he's going to focus on, so that's a good sign, I think.
MARTIN: Jennifer Hlad is a reporter for Stars and Stripes. That's an independent newspaper that focuses on issues of particular interest to the military. Anu Bhagwati is a former Marine officer. Can I thank you again for your service?
BHAGWATI: Thank you.
MARTIN: And she's the executive director and cofounder of SWAN, the Service Women's Action Network. They were both kind enough to join us in our Washington, D.C. studios.
Thank you both so much for joining us.
HLAD: Thank you.
BHAGWATI: Thank you.
MARTIN: Coming up, Stan Hinden spent years reporting on business and finance as a financial journalist, but none of that really prepared him for his own retirement, especially when his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
STAN HINDEN: I don't feel cheated. I feel sad, and I feel more sad for Sara than for me. It's probably more difficult for her.
MARTIN: He shares advice from his journey in his new book, "How to Retire Happy." That's ahead on TELL ME MORE from NPR News. I'm Michel Martin.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) -North Charleston police say they arrested a couple Wednesday morning after they were caught having sexual intercourse inside a display shed at Home Depot.
Shaun Bowden, 31, was charged with indecent exposure and congregation for unlawful purpose. Emily Craig, 20, was charged with providing false information to police and congregation for unlawful purpose.
According to an incident report, police were called out to Home Depot on Northwoods Blvd around 8:38 a.m. after the two suspects were spotted entering a display shed and closing the door behind them.
Officer say they arrived to find both suspects in the shed, and it was apparent they were having sex.
Police say Craig was partially clothed with the top of her dress untied and hanging at her waist, and the male was not wearing a shirt and his pants were down to his knees, exposing his penis.
Craig originally provided police with a fake name and date of birth, but her real identify was later discovered, the report states.
Both suspects were booked at the Charleston County Detention Center and Bowden was later released.
Craig was issued a $75,000 surety bond and was ordered to report to her probation officer within 24 hours of her release. As of Friday morning, she remained behind bars.
Story from KPTV


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The tortured and decapitated body of 39-year-old María Elizabeth Macías Castro was found on a Saturday evening in September 2011. It had been dumped by the side of a road in Nuevo Laredo, a Mexican border town ravaged by the war on drugs. Macías, a freelance journalist, wrote about organized crime on social media under the pseudonym "The Girl from Laredo." Her murder, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, was the first in which a journalist was killed in direct relation for reporting published on social media. It remains unsolved.
A total of 28 journalists have been killed for their work in Mexico since 1992, when CPJ began compiling detailed records on journalist deaths. Only three were killed while on dangerous assignments. The rest were targeted and murdered–many of them kidnapped and tortured as well–in retribution for their work. Half died during the six-year tenure of former President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa. In only a handful of these cases has there been justice of any kind.
But impunity in journalist murders is not unique to Mexico. Around the globe, more than 660 reporters, editors, photographers, and cameramen have been murdered, and in 90 percent of their cases, no perpetrator has been brought to justice. Conflict-ridden Iraq and Somalia have the highest impunity rates. They are closely followed by the Philippines, Pakistan, Russia, India and Brazil, among other democracies. The beats most often covered by murdered journalists–politics, corruption, conflict, crime, and human rights–are all issues of vital concern to any citizen.
In places where censorship-by-murder is common, the killers' message is simple: Be silent or die. And in many instances, this message is echoed by local authorities that lack the capacity, or will, to find and punish perpetrators, and to protect journalists who are still alive.
This cycle of fear fosters silence. It nurtures self-censorship. It weakens the ability of the press to hold governments to account, and to keep citizens informed. In northern Mexico, where Macías lived and reported, organized crime groups have terrorized the press. The rule of terror and violence, combined with the perception that authorities are powerless, has pushed Mexican journalists into widespread self-censorship on crime, corruption, and violence.
But the cycle of silence and fear can be broken. Today, CPJ in collaboration with global and local partner organizations is launching a new digital campaign, Speak Justice: Voices Against Impunity, to demand justice for journalists murdered and protection for those still working to get us the news.
The campaign's dedicated website, www.speakjusticenow.org, features interactive maps and an infographic video that allow users to explore the places where journalists are being murdered, and the issues that they were killed for: politics, corruption, conflict, crime, and human rights. Participation in the campaign allows e-advocates to speak up against the cycle of impunity by sharing up-to-date news, data and specific messaging on social media. Our collective goal is to achieve justice and better protection for journalists, like Macías, working hard to get us the truth.
This week, as new Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto settles into office, Speak Justice advocates will call on him to bring to justice all those responsible for the 28 murders of Mexican journalists, including Macías. Next week, on December 9, International Anti-Corruption Day, advocates will spread the word about the 190 journalists murdered for their investigations into corruption worldwide. And on Human Rights Day, December 10, they will join the global call for human rights, reminding the world that we share a collective right to information, one that is taken from us when journalists are murdered. Join us, speak justice.


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Kitchen Towel Black
100 % Linen
Out of stock
Table Linen
Seeking a product for covering a table, Roland Pieter Smit chose linen. Environmentally friendly, because what's good for the earth is good for mankind. He found this in a traditional weaving mill in Lithuania.
Special luxury through the centuries
For more than ten thousand years, humans have been aware that linen is the basis of materials with very special qualities. Linen is fresh, clean and comfortable. It feels pleasantly soft and, at the same time, is strong and durable. In the past, you could find linen textiles in every home: tables were covered with tablecloths and napkins of linen; in the kitchen, use was made of linen kitchen towels. Nowadays, linen has become a luxury textile and will not be used so often.
Sensible and durable
Across the whole world, Lithuania is famous for its linen ware and linen products and it is of good quality, for Lithuania has a long tradition in the manufacture and use of linen fabrics. Flax, the basis for linen, is a strong, relatively environmentally friendly fibre. The more often one uses it, the softer and stronger it becomes. The material is colourfast, easy to wash and non-allergenic. In the cultivation of flax, considerably fewer pesticides and fertilisers are needed than is the case with other crops. The fibres are recyclable and ultimately decomposable in nature.


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We are delighted to announce that Path Solutions was ranked highly and named a winner in three categories among top firms worldwide at the recently held Fintech Prize 2021 on December 1st via a virtual ceremony over YouTube:
- Path Solutions was named Best Islamic Fintech Solution Provider Of The Year, for second time in a row.
- IFIN Services, a joint venture between IFAAS and Path Solutions was selected Islamic Fintech Startup Of The Year.
- And the Fintech Leader Of The Year category was secured by the former Group Chairman & CEO of Path Solutions, Mohammed Kateeb.
Path Solutions is a global Islamic banking software firm dedicated to providing pioneering, fitting, relevant and world-class Islamic banking solutions that uphold and comply with Sharia principles and with the ongoing rise of digital banking services. The company has recently been acquired by tech giant Azentio Software.
"This triple recognition is indeed an honor and a tribute to a team that prides itself in developing unique and innovative Islamic banking software unlike any other in the market today", commented Mohammed Kateeb. "We look forward to continuing to empower Islamic banks with breakthrough technologies enabling them to reap the benefits of the digital age".
Mustafa Kugu, Founder of Faster Community said, "Path Solutions has been a cornerstone of the Islamic financial services sector with a remarkable thought leader such as Mohammed Kateeb at the helm of this institution, which makes it truly deserving of this triple recognition. Congratulations on this achievement, and I am looking forward to seeing the incredible opportunities that lie ahead now that they are key part of Azentio Software".
Launched in 2020 by Faster Community, Fintech Prize is a tribute to excellence in the Islamic banking and finance sector. It aims to recognize fintech leaders, startups and top-performing software providers for their ground-breaking solutions in transforming experiences, with adherence to Sharia rules and commitment to Islamic finance.
View the 2021 winners here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRJs1MzVkVk


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Safety Doors and Windows
Fibrolux Ballistic Panels can easily be integrated into door fillings and window frames. According to the requirements, we can offer many different options, e.g. panels with cut-outs, or special shapes, always tailored to the required safety class.
The high insulating properties and easy processing make this material especially attractive for use in doors and windows.
This post is also available in: Norskt Bokmål Engelska


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This is just the greatest little jewel of a program. It is just the diamond I was looking for. Once I have finished playing with it I must look into your other products. Russell McManus, mcmanusrps(at)ns.sympatico.ca
GREAT!!!! This is a great product. I absolutely love the Home Keylogger. Please give the programmer who made it props as he did a great job. Brandon, jackbquick(at)ameritech.net Simply Wonderful This program is great! You can secretly monitor every keystroke on your computer. This program tells you what was typed, when it was typed, in what program it was typed, and on what web site it was typed. It even monitors who someone is chatting with on Instant Messaging programs. I highly recommend this program. Centri Alpha
IT Support Sutherland Shire


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President Muhammadu Buhari was not allowed to see his wife during her recent visit to the United Kingdom, presidency sources informed SaharaReporters on Tuesday. In the stunning disclosure, the sources affirmed that the president has been kept away] from several of his aides and even those bodyguards who supposedly traveled with him.
The President's Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari who also frequents London to take care of himself, is still the manipulator-in-chief, according to the sources.
Furthermore, SaharaReporters learned that Mr. Buhari has not spoken to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for several weeks following his departure from Abuja for a second round of medical treatment for an undisclosed medical condition suspected to be cancer.
The sources gave the example of Wednesday last week when members of Buhari's cabal called the Acting President and asked him to await a call from the ailing President, pointing out that no such call was received except one that was just a few seconds of hellos before the person hung up the phone.
SaharaReporters also learned that the public declaration by Orji Uzor Kalu, a former Governor of Abia State, that he met Buhari in London is a complete fabrication as Buhari did not at any time receive the Mr. Kalu, who recently decamped to the president's All Progressives Congress party. One particular presidency source told SaharaReporters they suspect Kalu was using that gimmick to intimidate the judge who is trying him for corruption, considering that he wore a turban to court a few days later.
Our sources confirmed that Buhari is incommunicado, and is only reached by two aides, Tunde Saburi and Sarki Abba, who have maintained stoic silence about his condition.
It is notable that when Mrs. Buhari returned from her recent trip, she sent messages to her family members in Adamawa claiming her husband was recovering fast but asked for intensification of prayers.
The cabal reportedly reduced access to Buhari in an effort to control information leaks to the public. They cabal reportedly as far as forging Buhari's signature so as to give the impression that he is still in control even after Buhari himself had handed over power to his vice, trying to create the impression that he is still in charge.
Mr. Kyari is said to be in charge of all the behind-the-scene moves. It was he, they claimed, who a few days ago passed a fake document to Garba Shehu, one of Buhari's spokespersons, claiming that Buhari had given Osinbajo the go-ahead to sign the 2017 budget.
According to their account, Osinabjo had already decided on the date he would sign the budget, a decision that was delayed only by a last-minute discussion to include some projects such as the Lagos-Apapa Port road repairs. They said they were not surprised at Mr. Shehu's fake statement claiming Buhari sent a letter granting the Acting President the right to sign the budget.
Buhari is said to be rather unaware of his environment, his memory somewhat affected. For instance, on his way to the UK, he was said to have asked if he was on his way to Sokoto. Our sources said that the cabal working with Buhari might bring him back the same way he was returned in February, in a scheme to use his presence to perpetrate more fraud and control power.


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I see Dr. Cilona on an ongoing basis and he has worked with me through personal crisis and I highly recommend him to anyone who is reading this and looking for an excetional therapist. I couldn't imagine myself working in this capacity with anyone else.
He is very clear and conise with his direction and in the most trying of times, has gone above and beyond the call of duty on my behalf. He is a very nice person and is easy to talk to. He makes you feel welcome and comfortable and reamins engaged throughout the session.
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text:
I got this pack from Andy over at 78 Topps Cards. I promised to put Pete Rose's tattoo on my butt if I pulled him from this pack, so if we're all lucky you'll see Pete and my Butt in this post.
This is how to put on the tattoo, just replace the hand with my butt for Pete Rose tattoos.
I was really tempted to chew this, but I have a bad psychological reaction to chewing gum out of packs of cards now. Thanks Topps! Thanks for being cheap and ruining my gum chewing experience!
First strip, top half:
I think that says 22 or 24 up top. Maybe. Lots of Tigers and Expos here. Kirk Gibson is probably the biggest name of the bunch. There's two little tattoos of one guy swinging away and another one bunting. Who would put a tattoo of a bunt on their arm? Then again, who would put a tattoo of Bryn Smith on themselves?
First strip, bottom half:
I'm pretty sure I didn't mix up the scans, but if I did I'm sure some internet detective will point it out. There are only three players on this half, but they out match the ones up top. Boggs is a Hall of Famer, Concepcion is a subject of constant debates on whether he should be in the Hall, and Gorman Thomas is just a badass. The combination of that exquisite mustache and the old school Mariners Trident logo on a two-color tattoo is is so cool it's almost illegal. If Gorman was still with the Brewers and had the glove logo we'd all be under arrest. There are some really crazy mini tattoos in this strip, they all look like they are suffering from St. Vitus' dance.
Second strip, top half:
Wow, this is the all-underrated strip. Every single player on here was fantastic, but other than Molly don't get their due. One of them has an MVP award, do you know which one?
Second strip, bottom half:
Pudge!!! What a terrible drawing of Pudge! That doesn't look like Carlton, it looks more like Mark King from Level 42. Mike Scott also looks ridiculous, but Lou manages to become a tattoo while keeping his dignity intact. Check out the wind up of the guy next to Whitaker! If someone did that for real about three joints would pop right out of their sockets. Sorry folks, no Pete. I know you are all disappointed, but I think this pack was pretty good anyway.
Monday, December 01, 2008
3 comments:
- madding said...
Your 1985 NL MVP, Willie McGee! Man, they couldn't even make a two-color tattoo version of Willie into a reasonably attractive person.
Pudge kinda looks like a future Bobby Hill of King of the Hill. - 7:39 AM
- Andy said...
Damn I was very excited to see your ass.
- Ben said...
I say put Gorman on your ass.
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WW MBA Partner: The University of Indianapolis
About The University of Indianapolis
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Fellows will receive a full tuition scholarship, which includes a fully paid international travel experience with a focus on researching global business and educational systems.


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What is udlfb?¶
This is a driver for DisplayLink USB 2.0 era graphics chips.
DisplayLink chips provide simple hline/blit operations with some compression, pairing that with a hardware framebuffer (16MB) on the other end of the USB wire. That hardware framebuffer is able to drive the VGA, DVI, or HDMI monitor with no CPU involvement until a pixel has to change.
The CPU or other local resource does all the rendering; optionally compares the result with a local shadow of the remote hardware framebuffer to identify the minimal set of pixels that have changed; and compresses and sends those pixels line-by-line via USB bulk transfers.
Because of the efficiency of bulk transfers and a protocol on top that does not require any acks - the effect is very low latency that can support surprisingly high resolutions with good performance for non-gaming and non-video applications.
Mode setting, EDID read, etc are other bulk or control transfers. Mode setting is very flexible - able to set nearly arbitrary modes from any timing.
Advantages of USB graphics in general:
Ability to add a nearly arbitrary number of displays to any USB 2.0 capable system. On Linux, number of displays is limited by fbdev interface (FB_MAX is currently 32). Of course, all USB devices on the same host controller share the same 480Mbs USB 2.0 interface.
Advantages of supporting DisplayLink chips with kernel framebuffer interface:
The actual hardware functionality of DisplayLink chips matches nearly one-to-one with the fbdev interface, making the driver quite small and tight relative to the functionality it provides.
X servers and other applications can use the standard fbdev interface from user mode to talk to the device, without needing to know anything about USB or DisplayLink's protocol at all. A "displaylink" X driver and a slightly modified "fbdev" X driver are among those that already do.
Fbdev's mmap interface assumes a real hardware framebuffer is mapped. In the case of USB graphics, it is just an allocated (virtual) buffer. Writes need to be detected and encoded into USB bulk transfers by the CPU. Accurate damage/changed area notifications work around this problem. In the future, hopefully fbdev will be enhanced with an small standard interface to allow mmap clients to report damage, for the benefit of virtual or remote framebuffers.
Fbdev does not arbitrate client ownership of the framebuffer well.
Fbcon assumes the first framebuffer it finds should be consumed for console.
It's not clear what the future of fbdev is, given the rise of KMS/DRM.
How to use it?¶
Udlfb, when loaded as a module, will match against all USB 2.0 generation DisplayLink chips (Alex and Ollie family). It will then attempt to read the EDID of the monitor, and set the best common mode between the DisplayLink device and the monitor's capabilities.
If the DisplayLink device is successful, it will paint a "green screen" which means that from a hardware and fbdev software perspective, everything is good.
At that point, a /dev/fb? interface will be present for user-mode applications to open and begin writing to the framebuffer of the DisplayLink device using standard fbdev calls. Note that if mmap() is used, by default the user mode application must send down damage notifications to trigger repaints of the changed regions. Alternatively, udlfb can be recompiled with experimental defio support enabled, to support a page-fault based detection mechanism that can work without explicit notification.
The most common client of udlfb is xf86-video-displaylink or a modified xf86-video-fbdev X server. These servers have no real DisplayLink specific code. They write to the standard framebuffer interface and rely on udlfb to do its thing. The one extra feature they have is the ability to report rectangles from the X DAMAGE protocol extension down to udlfb via udlfb's damage interface (which will hopefully be standardized for all virtual framebuffers that need damage info). These damage notifications allow udlfb to efficiently process the changed pixels.
Module Options¶
Special configuration for udlfb is usually unnecessary. There are a few options, however.
From the command line, pass options to modprobe:
modprobe udlfb fb_defio=0 console=1 shadow=1
Or change options on the fly by editing /sys/module/udlfb/parameters/PARAMETER_NAME
cd /sys/module/udlfb/parameters
ls # to see a list of parameter names
sudo nano PARAMETER_NAME
# change the parameter in place, and save the file.
Unplug/replug USB device to apply with new settings.
Or to apply options permanently, create a modprobe configuration file like /etc/modprobe.d/udlfb.conf with text:
options udlfb fb_defio=0 console=1 shadow=1
Accepted boolean options:
fb_defio |
Make use of the fb_defio (CONFIG_FB_DEFERRED_IO) kernel module to track changed areas of the framebuffer by page faults. Standard fbdev applications that use mmap but that do not report damage, should be able to work with this enabled. Disable when running with X server that supports reporting changed regions via ioctl, as this method is simpler, more stable, and higher performance. default: fb_defio=1 |
console |
Allow fbcon to attach to udlfb provided framebuffers. Can be disabled if fbcon and other clients (e.g. X with --shared-vt) are in conflict. default: console=1 |
shadow |
Allocate a 2nd framebuffer to shadow what's currently across the USB bus in device memory. If any pixels are unchanged, do not transmit. Spends host memory to save USB transfers. Enabled by default. Only disable on very low memory systems. default: shadow=1 |
Sysfs Attributes¶
Udlfb creates several files in /sys/class/graphics/fb? Where ? is the sequential framebuffer id of the particular DisplayLink device
edid |
If a valid EDID blob is written to this file (typically by a udev rule), then udlfb will use this EDID as a backup in case reading the actual EDID of the monitor attached to the DisplayLink device fails. This is especially useful for fixed panels, etc. that cannot communicate their capabilities via EDID. Reading this file returns the current EDID of the attached monitor (or last backup value written). This is useful to get the EDID of the attached monitor, which can be passed to utilities like parse-edid. |
metrics_bytes_rendered |
32-bit count of pixel bytes rendered |
metrics_bytes_identical |
32-bit count of how many of those bytes were found to be unchanged, based on a shadow framebuffer check |
metrics_bytes_sent |
32-bit count of how many bytes were transferred over USB to communicate the resulting changed pixels to the hardware. Includes compression and protocol overhead |
metrics_cpu_kcycles_used |
32-bit count of CPU cycles used in processing the above pixels (in thousands of cycles). |
metrics_reset |
Write-only. Any write to this file resets all metrics above to zero. Note that the 32-bit counters above roll over very quickly. To get reliable results, design performance tests to start and finish in a very short period of time (one minute or less is safe). |
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