text:
A simpler way tostay connected
Workplace helps teams stay connected. Discover familiar features to share information, engage employees, build culture and connect people everywhere. We'll even help you measure the impact so you know what's working.
Secure tools to meet your business needs
The great thing about Workplace is that it's flexible enough to meet your business needs but secure enough to give you peace of mind
Supercharge your business communication by sharing information with the right people at the right time, and get everybody on the same page.
Our user-friendly intranet makes it easy for people to create, discover and share important content, especially on mobile
Automatically add people to company-wide, regional or team groups so you can reach the right audience with your updates or big announcements
A scrolling stream of posts that uses AI to prioritise the information people care about based on past engagements and team interactions
Highlight important company announcements with key updates to make sure that your message is seen by the right people – both on and off Workplace.
Improve employee engagement by holding meaningful conversations that give everybody a voice.
Broadcast live to share company news in an authentic way, add Q&As, captions and video chapters to improve engagement
Bring people together for key moments and build a culture of inclusion with in-person and virtual events
Get involved in the conversation by leaving feedback or sharing ideas on Workplace posts
Whether it's a project catch up or a quick coffee, video chat is the easy way to connect on desktop or mobile
Give people everywhere a chance to have their say by automatically translating posts into 91 languages
Strengthen culture by taking the pulse of your organization and empower people to express themselves.
Ask people what they want to talk about at the next company meeting, or just learn more about whatever is on their mind
Introduce the real you by uploading a photo, choosing your pronouns and even letting people know how to pronounce your name
Send short, automated surveys via instant message so you can see how people are feeling, even if they're on mobile
Bring your entire company together on a single platform and measure the impact of building a community.
Add people to Workplace in one click using Google Workspace, Azure AD, Okta or OneLogin
No email? No problem. Use a one-time code to get anybody set up on Workplace
Automate key ways of working for frontline employees, including shift swapping, document signing and employee recognition
Measure the things you care about, like views, sentiment and employee engagement with straightforward analytics
Keeping your data secure.
At Workplace, we pride ourselves on security as well as simplicity. That's why we serve demanding organisations from AstraZeneca to the Government of Singapore. We're ISO 27018 certified, GDPR compliant, and we keep all Workplace accounts separate from Facebook.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Continuing on the blueberry theme, I did a blueberry jam next. The blueberries were much easier to prepare for jam than the strawberries or cherries. I just needed to rinse them, pick out any bad ones and remove a few stems. I used a mixture of cultivated and wild blueberries. The blueberry jam set really well. With only a few hours to set it was solid enough to be a bit difficult to spread on lightly toasted bread. The next time I make jam I am going to have to try making it without the use of pectin to see how it goes.
Blueberry Jam
- 5 cups blueberries (halved and crushed)
- 1 cup water
- 1 box Certo pectin crystals
- 2 & 1/2 cups sugar
- Bring the blueberries, water, pectin and 1 cup of sugar to a boil with high heat in a large pot.
- Add the rest of the sugar.
- Bring to a hard boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir and skim foam for 5 minutes.
- Pour into sterilized jars.


text:
Tuesday 7 November 2017
Tom Gardner in Ambo
The Gurdian
A brutal crackdown on protest and the return of soldiers to the streets of Oromia region has fuelled growing anger and frustration with central government
It began with a rumour. On 25 October, residents of Ambo, 120km west of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, heard word on social media that a shipment of smuggled sugar was due to pass through town.
"Sugar is so expensive now, the price has tripled," explains 18-year-old Israel, a first-year undergraduate at Ambo University. "And they're exporting it to other parts of the country but the people here don't have any. It's not fair."
So Israel joined the large crowd of young men and women that erupted in protest as three trucks rolled down the high street later that day, seizing hold of the vehicles and setting up roadblocks. He threw stones in the ensuing confrontation with police and covered his face with a scarf to avoid the teargas launched in his direction. And he watched in fear as the national military entered the town that evening and, the next morning, began firing live bullets, killing 10 people and injuring more.
"They were shooting at us with silencers on," he says. "One of the boys killed was only 15. They killed girls too – one was my friend. A lot of my friends have died."
The sugar rumour and the tragic events it sparked exposed the bitter web of grievance felt by many in Ambo and the surrounding region of Oromia, home to Ethiopia's largest ethnic group: anger at what is perceived to be an unequal distribution of the country's wealth, a pervasive sense of ethnic marginalisation, frustration with the endemic corruption that facilitates crime and contraband, and, above all, a deep mistrust of the authoritarian federal government in Addis Ababa.
Protests and strikes have resumed across Oromia since a nine-month state of emergency intended to quell them was lifted in August. In September hundreds of Oromos were killed and tens of thousands displaced amid an outbreak of sustained violence along Oromia's border with the neighbouring Somali region. And reports of communal clashes in other parts of the country have emerged in recent weeks.
But for many the return of violence to Ambo's streets was especially significant: it is the symbolic home of the Oromo struggle.
"Ambo is the heartbeat of the revolution," says Bilisuma Deberie, a former Oromo activist and political prisoner now living in Addis Ababa. "It is where it all began."
Since the October protest, federal police have been stationed in Ambo and other towns along the road to Addis Ababa, some of which experienced similar confrontations between security forces and protesters in the days that followed. Ambo is once again occupied by military troops, whose street patrols bring back unpleasant memories of life under emergency rule.
"They walk around the city with their guns, intimidating people," says Galana, a student in health science at the university. "People are afraid."
Shops and businesses were shut for several days after the unrest. Classes at schools and universities were suspended for a week, as students protested against the extra police presence on campus.
"Students fear for their lives," says Galana's friend, Ganeti, also a student at the university. "Some don't want to come to class."
Though they avoided joining the protests for fear of violence, both sympathise with the cause. In particular, they echo many in Ambo and elsewhere in expressing anger at the mass displacement of Oromos from the Somali region, and outrage at the perceived failure of the central government to protect them from what survivors say were unprovoked attacks and human rights abuses by Somali regional security forces.
In the weeks running up to the protests many of the displaced had arrived in Ambo and the surrounding area seeking shelter.
The fact that the military were sent quickly into Ambo has fuelled suspicions about the motives of the central government. Gadisa Desalegn, head of the town's communication bureau, says he doesn't know where the order for the intervention came from. "The people are demanding an answer," he says.
Since the uprising, the town has been gripped by speculation and conspiracy theory – fed in part by social media – and many now believe the protests were the work of outsiders sent by the central government to incite violence to justify reimposing emergency law.
"The sugar rumour was intentionally circulated to provoke unrest," says Habtamu Wondemagne, a 28-year-old rickshaw driver. "Sugar always comes through this town – there's nothing unusual about that."
He points to two burnt-out trucks on Ambo's main road and, like other young men in the town, says it was the military, not protesters, who set them alight during the unrest. "This was not a genuine protest," he says.
The belief that outsiders are responsible for destabilising the region is common across Oromia, strengthened by the mass arrests of largely non-Oromos by the regional government in recent weeks, which has led to concerns that minorities in the area are being targeted unfairly.
Others blame the protests on members of the new Oromo regional administration, pointing to an upsurge in ethno-nationalist sentiment across Oromia in recent months. "A wing has emerged within the leadership that plays the ultra Oromo-nationalist card and could be behind this unrest," argues René Lefort, a longtime observer of Ethiopian politics.
He is among those who argue that instability across Ethiopia stems in large part from the weakness of the central government and efforts of the various ethno-regional wings of the ruling coalition party, the Ethiopian People's Ruling Democratic Front (EPRDF), to attain political pre-eminence.
But the most striking shift in Ambo and elsewhere in Oromia over the past year is the widespread popularity of the new regional leadership, with many singling out Lemma Megersa, the regional president, for approval.
"I love him," says Israel, the young protester. "He is my life."
Under Megersa, Oromia's government has promised land redistribution, imposed higher taxes on foreign investors, and demanded that they provide more jobs for local young people.
Locals also note that demonstrations this year have been policed more peacefully by local security forces. The Oromo police, once seen as lackeys of the ruling party, are now widely considered allies in the struggle against the federal government.
For residents of Ambo, it is the assertiveness of this new government that best explains the brutality of the federal military in suppressing the October protest.
"Lemma and his administration are on the side of the people," says Galana, the student. "The problem now is the central government."


text:
All hair colors are stunning in their own way but redheads are more stunning like blondes and brunettes. Variety is the spice of life and considering natural red heads will only make up 10% of the population, their rarity may make them more desirable. The highest percentage of natural redheads in the world is in Scotland, followed closely by Ireland. In the US, about 2% of the population are natural redheads.
credit: Laurent Jean Philippe


text:
A month or two ago, Paul Yuknewicz and I sat down to record a Hansselminutes podcast with Scott Hanselman, talking about the past, present and future of Visual Basic. It was a lot of fun, check it out!
Also, here's a little holiday love for VB from some Microsofties you might recognize:


text:
The book of Daniel is key to the entire Old Testament prophetic revelation. Who better to help you understand Daniel's stories, prophecies, and dreams and give you a brighter hope for things to come than John F. Walvoord, one of evangelicalism's most prominent leaders, and Charles Dyer, a Bible professor and expert on Israel.
In this second in a renewed series of commentaries from Dr. Walvoord, he addresses the alleged historical inaccuracies and considers past and future fulfillments of specific prophecies. At key points different views and approaches to interpretation are explored. Walvoord devotes special attention to textual and doctrinal issues while avoiding technical language. Refined, updated with the English Standard Version (ESV), and streamlined, this classic text is set to help you understand and interpret the book of Daniel and gain a better grasp of what will come in the future.
Hardcover, 427 pages – Revised and Edited by Charles H Dyer and Philip E Rawley


text:
Event Details:
Date: January 24, 2020
Time: 12:00 pm
Price: No cover.
Liven up your lunch hour with an acoustic set by singer-songwriter Jamie Allanach at The King Eddy!
About Jamie Allanach:
Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, Jamie has been working professionally as a solo musician since 2015. With tours including Scotland, the UK, continental Europe, China and North America, Jamie is no stranger to bringing his music to new audiences. Having recently moved to Calgary for love he is eager to make his mark on the music scene doing what he does best. A fun, friendly and endearing performer, he is sure to set the atmosphere just right for that romantic evening or get together with friends. Jamie is delighted to have been invited to perform throughout January at The King Eddy… you can expect an afternoon filled with unique interpretations on eclectic classics you know and love interspersed with an original or two inspired by his adventures both at home and abroad and by the wonderful souls he's met along the way.
Sound production equipment for the King Eddy is provided by PK Sound and Yamaha.


text:
How to find the best laptops for video editing.
From storage and memory to graphics cards and processors, discover what really matters when it comes to purchasing a video editing laptop.
What professional video editors look for in a laptop.
Videographers spend just as much, if not more, time behind their computer as they do their cameras. And many creatives value the portability that laptops offer. However, the laptop you use for browsing the internet might not be able to quickly or smoothly process the large amount of data in video files, especially in high-resolution clips.
Investing in a powerful laptop is key, whether video editing is a passion project or the way you pay your bills.
If you plan to edit your videos with Adobe Premiere Pro, the minimum requirement is that your machine support a compatible operating system.
For Apple computers at this time, that's macOS X 10.9 or later. For PCs, it's Windows 7 or later, although your best bet is to always update to the newest operating system possible for your device. For PCs in 2021, the latest is Windows 10. And for Apple laptops, it's macOS X 11.1.
Popular video editing laptops
In addition to the right operating system, you'll need a laptop with components strong enough to manage video files with high bitrates (the amount of data in your video) and frame rates (the number of frames per second). Luckily, there are many high-end machines that are up to the task.
As you research the best laptops for imagery and video work, you'll see certain brand names popping up often. Here is a small sampling of laptop models used for video work:
- For community seekers: The Apple MacBook Pro gives you access to the Apple ecosystem.
- For versatile workers: The Microsoft Surface Book is a tablet and laptop in one.
- For extreme-climate dwellers: The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme can take heat and humidity.
- For light packers: The Dell XPS 15 boasts a light weight and vivid colors.
- For the adventurous: The MSI WS65 9TM features military-grade durability.
- For the color-obsessed: The Acer ConceptD 3 Pro offers Pantone-validated color accuracy.
- For the multitasker: The Asus ZenBook Pro has a dual touchscreen.
- For the gamer/editor: The Razer Blade 15 has both gaming and video editing capabilities.
The building blocks of a great video editing laptop.
The right laptop for video editing is less about brand name or storage space and more about the right components for your workflow.
"For video editing, the number one thing you have to look at is your processor and your graphics card. Then your RAM, or your memory," says videographer Chris Printz. "When I buy a new laptop, I don't care as much about the storage. That's because I don't edit from my desktop. All my footage that I'm editing is going to be on an external SSD."
"Storage isn't that important because you're probably editing all on external hard drives," seconds videographer Joshua Flom. "I would say get a minimum of 1TB SSD, just so you can have proxy files or render files on your actual device."
SSD stands for solid-state drive, a newer and faster version of a hard disk drive (HDD). If budget is a concern, a 512GB SSD might even be enough in terms of internal storage since external SSD storage is an affordable and easy way to enhance your laptop's performance.
If you dig a little deeper on SSDs, you'll likely run into the acronyms PCIe and NVMe: good news if you'll be handling more intense projects. These terms represent the latest interface and protocol for managing the data on your SSD quickly, and most high-end workstations, such as the Apple MacBook Pro, already use them.
Memory (RAM)
"Memory is a very important piece when it comes to video editing. I would say get a minimum of 32GB of RAM. But if you can get 64 gigs, that's bonus points," says Flom. "If you're going to be editing anything 4K, 32 is the lowest you want to go. I have 64, and I wish I had more."
The buzzword you're likely to run into when researching RAM (which stands for random-access memory) is DDR4. This is the latest configuration of memory, and it gives your device a higher bandwidth than its predecessors (DDR3 and prior). Most high-quality laptops released in the past two years feature DDR4 RAM, including those from Dell, Asus, Apple, HP, and more.
Processor (CPU)
Your processor or CPU might be described as the heart of your laptop. And investing in the most advanced CPU you can means your computer will stay sharper longer. "Obviously you need a strong processor," says Flom. "Max that out."
Your CPU chip contains a certain number of cores with which it processes instructions, and the speed at which it processes is measured in GHz (gigahertz). More cores means faster processing: a quad-core (common in many of today's premium workstations) is faster than a dual-core, and so on.
Intel's core processors are common in many popular brands of laptops, with 10th-generation Intel processors at the forefront of advancement in 2021. The Intel Core i5 processor and the Intel Core i7 processor provide sufficient performance for creative tasks, and the even faster Intel Core i9 processor powers the MacBook Pro.
Many premium Intel processors nowadays include a Turbo Boost feature. This allows the processor to run at lower speeds to conserve energy when possible and then boost up to higher speeds only when faster performance is needed.
Another item you'll find in the best laptops for video editing is a dedicated graphics card, or GPU. Some more affordable computers process graphics using a graphics card that's integrated with the CPU, while more powerful laptops used for gaming or project creation often boast a separate GPU with its own memory for powerful imagery processing (VRAM, or video random access memory). If you can, aim for four to eight gigabytes of dedicated VRAM.
"The biggest piece people always forget about is the graphics card," says Flom. "They think that if you shove a computer full of memory, you're good to go. But your graphics card is processing all the images, creating the proxy files, everything else. Boost up that graphics card."
Chances are, if you want to invest in a high-quality machine, part of what you'll pay extra for is a strong graphics card. But if you work on a laptop without a dedicated GPU, you can purchase an external GPU (eGPU) and plug it into your Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port.
Nvidia is known for its line of gaming laptops, which use the company's trademarked Max-Q technology to fit a lot of power into a small machine. The company also creates the advanced graphics cards inside several laptops made for video editing and design by companies like Asus, Acer, Dell, and Microsoft. Some examples include the Nvidia GeForce GTX and Nvidia Quadro RTX. The AMD Radeon Pro is another GPU featured in high-powered machines, such as the MacBook Pro.
Displays, monitors, and all the trimmings.
Screen quality is crucial in video editing. If you edit high-resolution (HD) video footage that viewers will watch on HD devices, you need to make sure you see an accurate depiction of the footage on your screen as you edit, including crisp imagery and color accuracy.
Most laptop screens are LCD screens that use the RGB (backlit red, green, and blue hue) system to display their color gamut, or the full array of colors they can successfully mimic. The brightness of your display is measured in nits, and the definition is measured by the number of pixels contained in one column of the screen.
A high-quality display on your laptop is important, but the size of it matters less. Because you'll likely plug into a larger external monitor for editing work, shelling out extra money for a bigger screen on your laptop isn't wise.
Many cheaper monitors display at full HD (FHD) or less (meaning they display 1080 pixels per column), which can be just fine for a secondary monitor. However, a UHD (Ultra High-Definition) display, as found on many premium laptops, offers crisper video resolution and is a good tool for video editors.
UHD is the equivalent of roughly 4,000 pixels in a column and is sometimes referred to as 4K UHD. Slightly more high-definition than 4K, Apple's trademarked Retina display is named for the fact that it claims to make pixels undetectable to the human eye.
If you're looking for an HD monitor with a bright display that can be seen from all angles, a 4K OLED display will do the trick. OLED technology is an advanced way to light up vibrant colors and keep images vivid, even when you're standing to the side of the screen.
A more affordable way to increase your viewing angles than an OLED screen is to look for an LED monitor with IPS (in-plane switching) screen technology. The liquid crystals used in an IPS LCD monitor can shift horizontally, which helps increase the screen's color accuracy when viewed from an angle.
Connectivity, battery life, and add-ons
If you plan to invest in a high-end laptop, the ability to connect to Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices should never pose a problem. Battery life, however, does vary between premium machines and should be considered. This can range anywhere from eight hours to nearly 20.
Don't let little odds and ends sway your purchase. If you require more ports for HDMI or USB cords, a memory card reader, or other extras like external webcams, you can purchase these items easily from Amazon and other major retailers and then simply plug them into your laptop.
Edit like a pro on any compatible laptop.
Once you know what components are important for video editing, it's clear there isn't just one best video editing laptop but instead many ways to get the bang you need for your buck. And with a computer that runs smoothly, you're free to do amazing things with video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro.
While a high-end camera is a fantastic tool, it isn't the end of the story when it comes to photography and videography. "When you think about cameras, we could be spending $10,000," says Flom. "But in reality, the laptop is 75 percent of what we're using. So throw some more dollars in your computer, and you're going to be thankful you did."
Equip yourself with all the right tools, and you can edit videos to your heart's content.
Do more with Adobe Premiere Pro.
Make visually stunning videos virtually anywhere — for film, TV, and web.
You might also be interested in…
Understanding camera shots in film
Explore the most common camera shots, and learn when and how to use them to greatest effect.
A beginner's guide to frame rate.
Learn the fundamentals of frame rate to make sure your footage looks perfect.
Understanding how to calibrate your monitor.
Learn how to manage your monitor's color settings so your video stays true to your vision.
Experimenting with video effects.
Dive into popular post-production effects, and explore the moods and styles each can achieve.
Get Adobe Premiere Pro
Create flawless productions with the industry-leading video editing software.
7 days free, then CAD $29.99/mo.


text:
Since I've had less time to really review as much and as frequently as I would like, I'm allowing a couple of more contributors to Full Moon Reviews to keep the content flowing. I will still be reviewing more often than not, but it's also nice to have friends who don't mind sharing their opinions on this blog as a way to help each other out. So like with Mike Huntley's "The Watchtower of Justice" posts, you'll be getting more guest contributors to spread the wealth across Full Moon Reviews.
My good friend, Reverend Phantom, has started a new podcast called "Midnight Confessions" - which was the name of his massively popular YouTube video review series until YouTube decided to be copyright Nazis and limit what Phantom wanted to present. Phantom and I go way back since MySpace [remember that?] and he's always had my back. So I wanted to return the favor. So I will be posting his podcast episodes on Full Moon Reviews from now on. He has a great voice, and great knowledge for all things horror and exploitation - which I'm sure many of you readers are very interested in. And yours truly will probably pop in on the podcast from time to time as well.
So check out Episode 1, which is an introduction to all things Phantom and what he plans to do with this new venture. You can also subscribe to his podcasts on iTunes if that's your thing. Thanks Phantom for allowing me to share your knowledge with my readers. 2014 is going to be a very interesting year for Full Moon Reviews.


text:
Click on each section header to expand and see full details, please make sure you read the dislaimer, by joining the website or submitting content you agree to be bound by these.
a: All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Classical-Crossover.co.uk makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. |
a: This website links to many external websites, however we will not link to any inappropriate content nor do we give bias to any artists over another in their content. All artists if accepted onto the website will be given a profile and this profile will link to any suitable external websites attached to the artist. We reserve the right to choose whether to link to any third party groups affiliated with the artist, e.g. managers, labels etc. In all cases we would require the artist or immediate representative to contact us if you would like us to consider adding an additional link to a profile. We are not required to add anything; changes and additions will be made at our discretion only. |
The majority of the images on this website are images taken from the public domain or provided by the artists themselves. If however you wish an image removed, in the first instance you should contact us with the proof of your copyright ownership and request us to remove the image. We will be happy to comply once ownership has been confirmed. |
a: Anyone reading the blog does so in the understanding that they cannot hold Classical-Crossover, its subsidiaries, staff, owners or affiliates liable for what is said or displayed. |
a: This website does not include any pay to post blogs, articles or interviews. All content is offered and supplied freely to all. Certain features of the site require membership but membership is free to all as long as they follow our terms and conditions of membership (details further down). |
a: This website is written in English (United Kingdom version). The website cannot be held liable if any words within the website can be translated, pronounced, interpreted or sound similar to an offensive or inappropriate word in another language. |
This Website was designed, created and is owned by Adam Tilley.
Please be aware that the website is housed on UK servers and as such is required by law to conform with UK data protection laws. This means:
One account per household! Duplicate/multiple accounts will be banned and any impact they had on the website will be removed. E.g. if you created 10 accounts so you could vote for 10 times for the same artist all 10 votes would be deleted and all 10 accounts would be blocked. |
We believe in freedom of the press and do not agree with censorship or propaganda and do not include either within this website, we will not bend or bow to those who believe they are above the law or feel they can dictate the terms/inclusions of an article, profile, review or interview after the fact.
We will also not seek approval or assent to post an agreed review, profile or interview. By offering products or agreeing to an interview or article an artist accepts this and trusts our editorial skills to portray them in the best possible light. We do not aim to harm or hurt anyone in the running of this website.
US CC Album Shop (Best for non-UK members)
UK CC Album Shop (Best for UK members)
You can now purchase albums in our shops.
All Rights Reserved. Classical-Crossover.co.uk
View this websites Disclaimer
You can now support your favourite artists
by becoming a member and voting for them.
Click here for more details.


text:
By Brittany Jablonsky, NFU government relations representative
Beginning today, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce plans to markup H.R. 3989, the Student Success Act. One of the amendments to this legislation that the committee plans to consider has particular implications for rural schools an amendment based on H.R. 2485, the All Children Are Equal (ACE) Act.
The ACE Act, sponsored by Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., reforms the current number weighting system used to distribute federal funds to school districts with low-income children, also known as Title I funds because of the section of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in which the grants were authorized. The current formula is based on two factors: the number of disadvantaged students, and the percentage of disadvantaged students.
School districts in which more than two percent of the students come from low-income families are eligible for basic grants under Title I. However, additional "concentration grants" are distributed to schools where the number of low-income children exceeds 6,500, thereby directing more funds to large urban schools and barring rural schools with a high rate of poverty but low population from receiving the funds they need.
The Formula Fairness Campaign, endorsed by National Farmers Union, outlines in detail exactly how the formula is calculated using two school districts that are vastly different in size but with nearly identical percentages of disadvantaged students. Because of number weighting, one student at the school with 70,947 of 244,500, or 29 percent, disadvantaged students, receives the funding equivalent of 2.69 students. One student at the school with 310 of 1,110, or 28 percent, disadvantaged students receives the amount of funding designated for one student.
Although the Student Success Act is expected to pass out of the committee along party lines, with only Republican support, NFU is hopeful the ACE amendment will garner significant bipartisan support in order to elevate, and resolve, this important issue. Rural students face a number of challenges to receiving a quality education. It's time that equal funding isn't one of them.


text:
Barring Taiwan from WHO a 'serious' health concern: Canada, US, allies
A letter says Taiwan's early success at controlling the pandemic qualifies it for a seat at the World Health Assembly meetings
OTTAWA — Canada, the U.S. and six major allies have told the World Health Organization that its ongoing exclusion of Taiwan has created a serious public health concern during the COVID-19 crisis.
That sharp message was delivered in a letter, a draft of which has been viewed by The Canadian Press, that tells WHO director general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus to allow Taiwan to be given observer status at a major meeting of the organization on Monday.
Geneva-based diplomats from Canada, Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand, Britain, Japan and the US issued the demand orally in a May 7 meeting with two other senior WHO officials, with the envoys from Washington and Tokyo taking the lead.
Canadian health officials also took part in a videoconference that was hosted by Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare, said a senior government official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the issue due to its sensitivity.
Support for Taiwan is controversial because China vigorously opposes granting any such access. It views Taiwan as a breakaway province and wants the world to heed its "one-China policy."
While Canada does not recognize Taiwan's sovereignty, it does maintain trade and cultural relations, and Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne has said the island's presence as a non-state observer at this week's meetings would help the pandemic fight.
The draft of the letter delivers a sharp explanation of that point: it says Taiwan's early success at controlling the pandemic qualifies it for a seat at the World Health Assembly meetings, and the letter essentially tells the agency to stop playing politics.
"Taiwan's isolation from the global health community not only presents a serious public health concern, but also is an obstacle that hampers ongoing and future efforts," letter states.
The letter also says the international community is "harmed" when important health information is not permitted to "flow freely and easily."
The letter calls Taiwan a capable and responsible player in the world's health community, and says it has scientific and technical expertise "that could help save lives around the world."
The letter says it was "regrettable" that the WHO broke with its guiding principles by excluding Taiwan from the assembly. It defines the WHO's guiding principle as ensuring that "all people" have a right to the highest health standards, regardless of political belief, race, religion or economic or social conditions.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke May 15 with his British counterpart Boris Johnson and they discussed their work together in "various international organizations, and committed to continuing to work together on shared priorities such as combating climate change and promoting democratic values," according to the Prime Minister's Office.
The WHO has faced accusations from US President Donald Trump and Canada's Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer that it is too cozy with China, and that the People's Republic was not forthcoming to the international health agency as the pandemic was breaking out in Wuhan earlier this year.
The move is politically sensitive for Canada because it is mired in a dispute with China over what Canada calls the "arbitrary" imprisonment of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.
Despite co-operation on health and trade since the pandemic's outbreak, relations between Canada and China have been severely strained since the RCMP arrested Chinese high-tech scion Meng Wanzhou on an American extradition warrant in December 2018.
China arrested Kovrig and Spavor nine days later in what is widely viewed as retaliation and has levelled accusations that the former diplomat and the entrepreneur were engaged in actions undermining China's national security. Canada has marshalled a broad coalition of international support calling for their release and that has angered Chinese leaders.
The message in the letter to the WHO is echoed a new report released this past week by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, an agency of Congress that advises on the national security implications of trade with China. It says Taiwan's continued exclusion from the WHO is "jeopardizing global health."
The report noted the WHO ignored Taiwan's early requests for information about the pandemic, which it said created "critical delays" in how other countries responded.
"The spread of the virus to 185 countries – with more than four million confirmed cases and 286,000 deaths worldwide as of May 12 – demonstrates the deadly ramifications of China's influence over the WHO for the international community's pandemic preparedness," says the US report.
"Had the WHO allowed Taiwan's health experts to share information and best practices in early January, governments around the world could have had more complete information on which to base their public health policies."
As of May 19, Taiwan had 440 confirmed cases of COVID-19, a "stunningly low" number in a population of 23.6 million, the report said.
Adam Austen, a spokesman for Champagne, reiterated Canada's support for "Taiwan's meaningful participation in international multilateral fora where its presence provides important contributions to the public good."
Canada has "clearly communicated" to the WHO that Taiwan should be allowed to take part in the upcoming World Health Assembly meetings, said Austin.
"We continue to encourage the WHO to engage with experts from Taiwan and to support Taiwan's meaningful inclusion in global discussions on health."
The spokesman for China's foreign ministry once again registered Beijing's strong objections to including Taiwan at the WHO, calling it an attempt to "seek independence under the pretext of the pandemic with the help of some Western countries."
Spokesman Zhao Lijian said the "few countries" that are backing Taiwan "are only aiming to politicize the health issue to seek selfish political gains," according to a translation of his remarks on his ministry's website. He said that would only result in "hijacking the WHA and undermining global anti-pandemic co-operation."
— By Mike Blanchfield


text:
Important Concepts In Qt Quick - Data - Models, Views and Data Storage
Most applications will have data that needs to be displayed to the user. That data might come from a variety of sources: network sources, local files, and databases are all common sources of data.
Models and Views
It is often advantageous to show similar data in a similar manner, within an application, and this gives rise to the idea of having a model which contains data, and a view which displays the data. The view will display a delegate for every datum in the model.
For information about how the Model/View paradigm is implemented in Qt Quick, see the page titled Models and Views in Qt Quick.
Data Storage and Access
Databases are commonly used to store information in applications. Qt Quick provides simplified access to relational databases via the QtQuick.LocalStorage module.
© 2024 The Qt Company Ltd. Documentation contributions included herein are the copyrights of their respective owners. The documentation provided herein is licensed under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License version 1.3 as published by the Free Software Foundation. Qt and respective logos are trademarks of The Qt Company Ltd. in Finland and/or other countries worldwide. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.


text:
Cogent Communications CEO to Present at an Upcoming Conference
WASHINGTON, D.C. May 26, 2022 – Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc.("Cogent") (NASDAQ: CCOI), one of the largest Internet service providers in the world, today announced that Dave Schaeffer, Cogent's Chief Executive Officer, will participate in the following conference:
The Cowen and Company 50th Annual Technology, Media & Telecom Conference is being held at the Lotte New York Palace. Dave Schaeffer will be presenting on Thursday, June 2nd at 2:10 p.m. ET
Investors and other interested parties may access a live audio webcast of the conference presentation by going to the "Events" section of Cogent's website at www.cogentco.com/events. A replay of the webcast will be available for 90 days following the presentation.
About Cogent
Cogent (NASDAQ: CCOI) is a facilities-based provider of low cost, high speed Internet access and private network services to bandwidth intensive businesses. Cogent's facilities-based, all-optical IP network provides services in over 216 markets across 50 countries.
# # #
Information in this release may involve expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc. as of the date of the release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement. The statements in this release are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from our current expectations. Numerous factors could cause or contribute to such differences. Some of the factors and risks associated with our business are discussed in Cogent's registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in its other reports filed from time to time with the SEC.


text:
Gas Hot Water - Halswell
When You Want Superior Gas Hot Water Solutions, You Need the Hot Water Shop
Need gas hot water in Halswell that delivers an instant and uninterrupted supply of hot water?
Your gas hot water systems are in specialist hands with our expert team getting your hot water up and running with carefully and cleanly installed gas pipework, repairs and maintenance services.
We know gas hot water systems, and we know great service – you can get both right here!
"*" indicates required fields
Need a hot water system that doesn't waste hot water or dollars?
Try gas hot water for your Halswell Property
Gas hot water systems are the popular and efficient choice with modern households looking for cost-effective and affordable water heating solutions. No more waiting for your hot water cylinder to heat up, and no more risk of running out of hot water after your teenagers have concluded their twenty-minute shower ritual.
Gas hot water is the continuous flow solution for functional households to get all the hot water they need without paying anything extra for unused hot water heating.
Say goodbye to cold showers and unused heat going to waste sitting in a cylinder somewhere!
Contact us today to discuss your Halswell Gas hot water system options!
Why choose gas hot water?
There's a fairly substantial list of reasons why gas hot water might be the right solution for your household, but let's talk about the main benefits of a gas water heater.
People often ask us, "Do you need a hot water cylinder with gas?" when concerned about having to find somewhere to hide a huge hot water heating cylinder – and the answer is no! With no bulky storage cylinder to worry about finding a home for, there's also no loss of energy from stored hot water you're not actually using when you switch to a gas hot water system.
Gas hot water systems are super-efficient as they only heat the water you need, only when you need it, which saves you money and time and offers a continuous flow of hot water. Zero worries about running out of hot water, even when it's a particularly heavy shower or bath day!
The required water is efficiently and instantly heated up by running through a gas califont tank, which is a non-invasive small tank taking up barely any wall space, unlike the large traditional hot water cylinder. As soon as you turn on the tap, the water is heated and sent to you, wasting less water as you don't have to wait for it to warm up.
With gas hot water, you can even set the temperature through a smart thermostat controller, depending on the gas hot water model you select and keep a controlled handle over your safe heating temperatures. Safer hot water temperatures can take a weight off your mind when you have little ones running around, especially during bath time when curious hands can reach the taps.
Gas hot water systems are suitable for mains pressure, allowing you both great pressure from your showers but also a continuous flow of hot water – win, win.
Want to chat pros and cons of gas hot water vs electric, and how to get your gas hot water heater organised?
Want to know how much gas hot water systems cost?
Get a free quote today for a gas hot water system and installation in Halswell.
Our Other Plumbing and Installation Services
For transparent pricing and quality expertise for your next hot water cylinder installation in Halswell, get in touch with the team at the Hot Water Shop today.
Need a hot water cylinder repair in Halswell?
Get in touch with us now or call us on 0800 468 928
"*" indicates required fields


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google's earnings growth throughout the past quarter decelerated to its slowest rate in two yrs as advertisers reined in their expending
Tag: Att Business Customer Service
Google's parent reports slowest quarterly growth in 2 years | Business
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google's revenue growth all through the past quarter decelerated to its slowest tempo in two yrs as advertisers reined in their
Watch now: Google moving into Chicago's downtown Thompson Center | Govt-and-politics
Google has agreed to buy the soon-to-be-renovated James R. Thompson Center in heart of the Loop, a victory for Chicago's central business district and for
Google offers to split part of its ad-tech business to avoid DOJ trouble
In their hottest initiatives to fend off a lawsuit from the US Office of Justice, Google is offering to break up the section of the
The story behind Google's in-house desktop Linux
If you glance all-around Google's Mountain See, CA offices, you may see Windows machines, Chromebooks, Macs — and gLinux desktops. G what, you request? Very
What to Look For From GOOGL
Key Takeaways Analysts estimate EPS of $1.14 vs. $1.36 in Q2 FY 2021. Google Cloud revenue is expected to rise YOY, but at the slowest
Google Has a Genius Method for Discovering Top Talent–No Degree or Experience Required
Google is one particular of the world's most attractive companies, according to a study by Universum, landing it some of the world's most proficient staff
Google Stock Is A Steal (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Alena Kravchenko The valuation of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is out of line with the tech company's strong and recession-resistant market place situation. Google's company
Google Business Profiles Messaging With FAQs For Automated Responses
Google My Small business has added a new feature to automate responses to client messages through Google Research and Google Maps. It is a usually
Google will slow hiring for the third quarter, company insiders say
Howdy and welcome to this newsletter. I'm Jordan Parker Erb, and you, pricey reader, are about to get a heaped serving of news: From Google's


text:
If you're like most people, when you borrow money, you have every intention of paying it back. But then something happens; perhaps you lose your job or your hours get cut, your small business slows down, you get sick or you have to stay home to care for your children or an elderly parent. Whatever the reason, you find yourself unable to keep up with your payments.
When you find yourself struggling with debt, you're no doubt searching for solutions. But the one you avoid — bankruptcy — may be the one you need the most. Here are four signs you should consider bankruptcy.
The Hole Just Keeps Getting Deeper
You're paying and paying on your debts but the balances just won't go down. Maybe they are even going up. For example, our reader Carrie wrote on the Credit.com blog:
"So I had a judgment against me since 1997, it started off about $3000 dollars. I didn't start paying on it until 2006 when I made a payment plan of 40 dollars a month, by then with the interest it was $6000 dollars, like I said I've been paying on it since 2006, now this new guy is trying to pressure me saying I have to pay it right now 2000 dollars."
The fact that Carrie's balance has doubled since she started making payments should tell her that her current strategy isn't working. "If your debt is such that you can't afford to pay it off in full over the next 36 months, you may want to consider bankruptcy," suggests bankruptcy attorney Jay Fleischman.
Similarly, someone who finds themselves unable to make the minimum payments on their accounts should consider getting legal advice. "If your monthly budget leaves you short of being able to make all of your minimum payment on unsecured debts, first find out if you can qualify for payment reductions through a credit counseling agency," says Michael Bovee, a debt negotiation expert and founder of Consumer Recovery Network. "If the reduced monthly payments you quoted by a certified counselor are still out of reach, talk with a bankruptcy attorney about your options."
You're Raiding Your Retirement
Are you tempted to take an early withdrawal from your retirement funds to keep the wolf from the door? Or if you are at retirement age, are you withdrawing retirement funds to pay debts? If so, then it's a good idea to talk with a bankruptcy attorney first.
The older you are, the more risk raiding your retirement funds to pay debts carries. Cathy Moran, a California bankruptcy attorney, encourages debtors to take a hard look at what they have saved for retirement, adding that "No one but public service sector folks have decent retirement resources."
"When you raid your retirement funds you are not getting out of debt cheaply, you are stealing money from your 82-year-old self that will depend on that money to get by," warns Steve Rhode, founder of GetOutofDebt.org. "There can be significant consequences to borrowing from the retirement funds instead of considering learning a lesson from bankruptcy and doing better moving forward. He also warns that just borrowing from a retirement account to pay off debt can cost a retiree far more than the money saved by paying off the loan faster.
Charles Phelan, a debt negotiation expert and founder of ZipDebt.com, agrees:
"The demographic group that is usually the most emotionally resistant to filing bankruptcy is senior citizens, yet they are also under more financial pressure than people with long working careers still ahead of them, and therefore often in need of the relief that bankruptcy can provide. Given that seniors are often retired or about to retire within a few years at most, they should be extremely careful about using precious retirement funds to pay off credit card debts or settlements on such debts."
He says he always encourages seniors he talks to about settling their debts to consult with a local bankruptcy attorney first.
Others Will Suffer If You Don't File
Almost a decade ago, bankruptcy researcher Elizabeth Warren — now Sen. Warren (D-Mass.) — described one of the findings from her research into consumer bankruptcy in sobering terms: "Having a child is the single greatest predictor that a woman will end up in financial collapse."
Whether it is children, a disabled spouse, or an elderly parent, taking care of others financially in addition to trying to meet your own needs can quickly drain your resources. It doesn't matter if you are female or male, if you are struggling with your debt and weighing your options, consider the "number and age of people dependent on you and emergency fund to care for them if the unexpected happens," says Moran. "The larger the number of people dependent on the person sitting across from me, the more likely they need an emergency fund, health insurance, etc. rather than paying unsecured creditors," she observes.
Our reader Katherine writes on the Credit.com blog:
"I received a judgement from something that was back in 1997. (The collector) has spoken to my employer who was upset with me, which (in turn) threatens my job. I don't have that kind of funds, i am a single mom supporting two kids in college and still 2 small kids at home. I cannot afford to lose my job…How do I pay my rent and feed my children and buy gas for work!"
You're Upside Down On Your Home
While many in the news are already celebrating a housing recovery, an estimated 7 million Americans remain underwater on their mortgages. Bankruptcy is one of six main options for dealing with an underwater mortgage and it can provide relief in a number of ways. By filing, you may be able to:
- Catch up on past due mortgage payments or negotiate a loan modification so you can stay in your home;
- Eliminate a second mortgage or home equity loan through bankruptcy;
- Erase debt that could be due if the lender foreclosed and sold your home for less than you owed;
- Free up money that you were paying on other debts so you can afford your home loan; and/or
- Avoid a big tax bill from "cancellation of debt income" that may result if your home goes into foreclosure or if you negotiate a short sale.
Phelan reports that many homeowners he talks with "are shocked to learn that their second mortgages or home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) were not resolved when their property went to foreclosure or was sold short." He goes on to explain, "Many second mortgages are 'recourse' loans, which means that a lender can still try to recover the balance. It's common to see unresolved balances of $100,000-200,000 on these second mortgage loans, especially in certain parts of the country where property values went sky-high during the real estate boom."
The Credit.com blog is filled with comments from taxpayers who have received 1099-Cs reporting canceled debt as income and are potentially facing enormous tax liabilities as a result. Some of the largest debts come from homes that have been foreclosed upon or were sold in a short sale for less than the balance due on the loan.
Some consumers will be able to use the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Relief Act to avoid paying taxes on that canceled debt. But for those who don't qualify for that exclusion, filing for bankruptcy may have been a wise move, since debts discharged in personal bankruptcy are not taxable.
If you are currently underwater and either facing foreclosure or trying to sell your home via a short sale, talk with a tax professional before you decide on which approach to take. If it looks like you may owe taxes as a result of the foreclosure or short sale, meet with a bankruptcy attorney as soon as possible.
Where to Get Help
A consumer bankruptcy attorney can help you understand how filing may help you. Many offer low-cost or free consultations.
You may also want to talk with a credit counseling agency. "If you were to choose bankruptcy, your counselor can even provide a list of local resources to help you get started," says Thomas Fox, Community Outreach Director for Cambridge Credit Counseling Services. Before you can file for bankruptcy, you will need a certificate from an approved credit counseling agency showing you have completed a credit counseling session.
"Be sure to ask your counselor if they provide such a service, and if so, if that program is authorized through the Executive Office of the United States Trustee," Fox advises. If you hope to find another way to pay back your debt, the counseling agency will be able to explain alternatives.
Even though you probably see bankruptcy as your last resort, don't wait too long to get help if you think you may need it. "Being informed about all debt relief options, even if you do not follow through with bankruptcy, is quite literally a responsible thing to do," says Bovee.
Image: iStockphoto
You Might Also Like
May 30, 2023
Managing Debt
September 7, 2021
Managing Debt
December 23, 2020
Managing Debt


text:
Hundreds of millions of Facebook users had their account passwords stored in plain text and searchable by thousands of Facebook employees — in some cases going back to 2012, KrebsOnSecurity has learned. Facebook says an ongoing investigation has so far found no indication that employees have abused access to this data.
Facebook is probing a series of security failures in which employees built applications that logged unencrypted password data for Facebook users and stored it in plain text on internal company servers. That's according to a senior Facebook employee who is familiar with the investigation and who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.
The Facebook source said the investigation so far indicates between 200 million and 600 million Facebook users may have had their account passwords stored in plain text and searchable by more than 20,000 Facebook employees. The source said Facebook is still trying to determine how many passwords were exposed and for how long, but so far the inquiry has uncovered archives with plain text user passwords dating back to 2012.
My Facebook insider said access logs showed some 2,000 engineers or developers made approximately nine million internal queries for data elements that contained plain text user passwords.
"The longer we go into this analysis the more comfortable the legal people [at Facebook] are going with the lower bounds" of affected users, the source said. "Right now they're working on an effort to reduce that number even more by only counting things we have currently in our data warehouse."
In an interview with KrebsOnSecurity, Facebook software engineer Scott Renfro said the company wasn't ready to talk about specific numbers — such as the number of Facebook employees who could have accessed the data.
Renfro said the company planned to alert affected Facebook users, but that no password resets would be required.
"We've not found any cases so far in our investigations where someone was looking intentionally for passwords, nor have we found signs of misuse of this data," Renfro said. "In this situation what we've found is these passwords were inadvertently logged but that there was no actual risk that's come from this. We want to make sure we're reserving those steps and only force a password change in cases where there's definitely been signs of abuse."
A written statement from Facebook provided to KrebsOnSecurity says the company expects to notify "hundreds of millions of Facebook Lite users, tens of millions of other Facebook users, and tens of thousands of Instagram users." Facebook Lite is a version of Facebook designed for low speed connections and low-spec phones.
Both Github and Twitter were forced to admit similar stumbles in recent months, but in both of those cases the plain text user passwords were available to a relatively small number of people within those organizations, and for far shorter periods of time.
Renfro said the issue first came to light in January 2019 when security engineers reviewing some new code noticed passwords were being inadvertently logged in plain text.
"This prompted the team to set up a small task force to make sure we did a broad-based review of anywhere this might be happening," Renfro said. "We have a bunch of controls in place to try to mitigate these problems, and we're in the process of investigating long-term infrastructure changes to prevent this going forward. We're now reviewing any logs we have to see if there has been abuse or other access to that data."
Facebook's password woes come amid a tough month for the social network. Last week, The New York Times reported that federal prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation into data deals Facebook struck with some of the world's largest tech companies.
Earlier in March, Facebook came under fire from security and privacy experts for using phone numbers provided for security reasons — like two-factor authentication — for other things (like marketing, advertising and making users searchable by their phone numbers across the social network's different platforms).
Update, 11:43 a.m.: Facebook has posted a statement about this incident here.


text:
Chapter 3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal. As unto little ones in Christ.
2 I gave you milk to drink, not meat; for you were not able as yet. But neither indeed are you now able; for you are yet carnal.
3 For, whereas there is among you envying and contention, are you not carnal, and walk according to man?
4 For while one saith, I indeed am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollo; are you not men? What then is Apollo, and what is Paul?
5 The ministers of him whom you have believed; and to every one as the Lord hath given.
6 I have planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase.
7 Therefore, neither he that planteth is any thing, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth, and he that watereth, are one. And every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour.
9 For we are God's coadjutors: you are God's husbandry; you are God's building.
10 According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble:
13 Every man's work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.
16 Know you not, that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 But if any man violate the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which you are.
18 Let no man deceive himself: if any man among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written: I will catch the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again: The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Let no man therefore glory in men.
22 For all things are yours, whether it be Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; for all are yours;
23 And you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.


text:
You bag is empty
continue shoppingOnline Exclusive
Luxury fashion meets casual style in this exclusive online collection exuding contemporary appeal. Think attitude with pieces adorned with the contemporary Balmain logo. A logo that channels the heritage of an iconic Paris fashion house, a design echoing 75 years of references, Pierre Balmain's timeless symbol given a contemporary twist in 2018 by Olivier Rousteing.
Discover audacious looks in striking two-tone color palettes, with flashes of signature gold. An exclusive online collection of meticulously crafted T-shirts and sweatshirts with a rebellious soul that's effortlessly understated. Each item is designed to stand the test of time with a playful, expressive appeal. Finish your looks with a pair of distinctive Balmain sunglasses – an essential accessory reflecting a confident aura.
Live limitlessly, dare to be true to yourself with a hypnotizing style that's all your own. Celebrate individuality, create you own look, be rebellious, inventive, try something new and exclusive. Join the Balmain Army with items exclusive to our online collection.


text:
Outfit 1: Sweater – mum's Molton, Polo – Courtesy of Uniqlo, Pants – Gmarket, Shoes – New Look, Sunglasses – Urban Outfitters, Bag – Lithuania market; Outfit 2: Polo – Courtesy of Uniqlo, Pants – Zara, Gold T-bars – Topshop, Clutch – mum's vintage
The fact that this polo shirt is the brightest of blue (and the fact that my forehead is basically a lightbulb) does not help the fact that this balcony faces a wall of cars waiting at the lights on the main road outside my house. For innate self-defence's sake I guess the body pulled the I need to pee pose in order to make the outdoor cinema crowd to assume that I'm just standing on my balcony in front of a tripod because I truly do have to pee. In two different outfits.
This second polo of Uniqlooks was quite the challenge, which is worrying in itself because a few years ago I remember insisting on only wearing polo shirts. What does that say about my highschool fashion sense? I guess it doesn't say much, other than douchebag.


text:
King Shocks 3.0'' COIL SPRINGS 16"/450 - SPR3-16-450
Coil Features
- King coil springs are manufactured to our specifications right here in the USA.
- Coils are made from the finest quality, high tensile, chrome silicon wire available.
- Coils are closed and ground to sit flat and deflect true.
- Specifically wound for off-road applications; spring rates, wire diameters and coil lengths have been developed through extensive real world testing on all types of terrain.
- Over 10,000 springs in stock and ready to ship
3 x 16 x 450lb Coils
King has one of the largest and most complete spring inventories in the off-road industry
King coil springs are manufactured to our specifications in the USA using the finest quality, high tensile, chrome silicon wire available. Our springs are specifically wound for off-road applications, not repackaged car springs. Our spring rates, wire diameters, and coil lengths have been developed through extensive real world testing on all types of terrain. Our race winning designs have been put to the test in the heat of battle from Baja to Dakar.
All springs have closed and ground ends to sit flat and deflect true. We have the largest selection of springs to match your application. We sell thousands of springs a month with barely a return ever, yet we offer a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser against sagging and breakage. You will have the added peace of mind knowing you're covered, just in case. In the rare occurrence that a spring does fail, it will be cheerfully replaced with no questions asked. Our customer support is second to none just like the quality and performance of our products. Nothing rides like a King.
Decoding King coil part numbers:
- Example: SPR375-22-250
- 375 = 3.75" internal diameter spring
- * fits 3.0" shock
- 22 = 22 inches long
- 250 = 250 lbs. spring rate
The spring rate is a number that represents the amount of force in pounds that it takes to compress the coil 1 inch.
King shocks are available with many coil spring options depending on your application. A single rate spring is a single coil on the shock. As the coil compresses the rate increases at a linear rate. If the spring rate for that coil is 300lbs per inch then compressing that coil one inch generates 300lbs., two inches generates 600lbs., 3 inches equals 900lbs. You can also have a dual rate spring which is two coils mounted to the shock. If the spring rates are equal on both coils your spring rate will be close to half that of each spring. As the coils compress equally the shock travels one inch but each coil only travels one half inch. Using our 300lb spring rate in the previous example if you have two 300lb springs and they each travel ½ inch then their combined force would be 150lbs.
You also have the option of more highly sophisticated dual rate configurations that use combinations of differently rated coils and secondary travel stops to give you non-linear spring rates. They can be softer initially and then reach higher levels of firmness than a linear coil of the same length. The variations and applications involved would require too lengthy an explanation to fit on this page but rest assured our experienced sales technicians can guide you through the process of configuring your shocks to provide the ultimate in ride comfort and control regardless of your application or driving style.
- King Shocks
- New
Shipping Information
- Item Requires Shipping
Customer Reviews
Total Reviews (0)
Write the First Review!
You must login to post a review.


text:
Previously, I explored (computationally) the normal vibrational modes of Co(II)-tetraphenylporphyrin (CoTPP) as a "flattened" species on copper or gold surfaces for comparison with those recently imaged[1]. The initial intent was to estimate the "flattening" energy. There are six electronic possibilities for this molecule on a metal surface. Respectively positively, or negatively charged and a neutral species, each in either a low or a high-spin electronic state. I reported five of these earlier, finding each had quite high barriers for "flattening" the molecule. For the final 6th possibility, the triplet anion, the SCF (self-consistent-field) had failed to converge, but for which I can now report converged results.†
- J. Lee, K.T. Crampton, N. Tallarida, and V.A. Apkarian, "Visualizing vibrational normal modes of a single molecule with atomically confined light", Nature, vol. 568, pp. 78-82, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1059-9


text:
Karissa Shannon's BF -- Rolls-Royce Wannabe
Karissa Shannon's sex tape partner wasn't 100% honest when he implied that he owned a certain badass Rolls-Royce -- because TMZ has learned ... dude actually borrowed the car from a friend.
Sam Jones III stepped out of the baller Rolls Phantom outside Premiere Supper Club in Hollywood over the weekend -- Karissa by his side -- claiming, "That is not a rental ... young mogul style."
Unfortunately for Sammy the real owner of the car -- Jay Grdina, the guy behind the website kikster.com -- contacted TMZ and says, "Considering I have the only matte black Phantom in L.A. ... ole Sam just told a nice lie to TMZ."
Grdina tells us, Sam borrowed the car Saturday night as a favor ... free of charge. Mr. Young Mogul must have forgotten that part.


text:
The light Albert Watson shapes
04 septembre, 2017Albert Watson is one of the photographic industry's most successful image creators with a body of work that's as celebrated as it is extensive. His fashion and portrait work has graced the pages of the world's most influential magazines for the best part of five decades and in that time, he has photographed countless iconic figures, celebrities and supermodels.
The latest in that long line is the bad boy of ballet Sergei Polunin, who at the age of 19 became the London Royal Ballet's youngest ever principal and a dancer credited with bringing a refreshing edginess to his craft. In many quarters, he has been hailed as the greatest dancer of his generation.
Both artists came together this summer in New York for a remarkable day's shoot where Albert set about capturing Sergei's astonishing physicality. Albert set out to create what he called 'a portrait in movement.' Sergei frozen at the climax of his jump. To achieve this Albert worked with four Profoto Pro-10's.
The Pro-10 is Profoto's flagship flash with a unique combination of power and speed. It has an incredibly short flash duration of 1/80,000th of a second and remarkably, both flash duration and recycling time remain significantly shorter than any other generator on the market higher up the power scale. The perfect tool then to assist Albert in capturing his hero shot.
Because for Albert light has been at the center of every image he has created since the start of his career. For him the key word is "simplicity." To start simply and then take a journey, experimenting, shifting and shaping light until he gets exactly the effect he wants.
Albert put it like this: "Sometimes it's not a distinct road to the final shot. You don't know until you get there."
Influenced by the art of Michelangelo and Caravaggio Albert experimented with different fabrics and backdrops before finally settling on Sergei leaping through black chiffon. This was achieved by assistants releasing the fabric from ladders and Sergei timing his jump to perfection – and the four Pro-10's were on hand to ensure that there was no chance of that perfect moment being missed.
The resulting image was quintessentially Albert Watson. Sergei captured at the zenith of his balletic leap enveloped in fine black chiffon. But most of all it was a masterclass in light shaping – painterly and yet utterly contemporary.
Beyond capturing the lead portrait in motion, Albert further demonstrated his masterly of light in capturing two other portraits that Sergei felt resembled modern sculptures. In his words, "You want to be in that picture."
At the end of the day Albert did what Albert has done throughout his long and storied career, shaping light in his unique way, he created extraordinary imagery that captured the very essence of this extraordinary dancer – and with the Pro-10, Profoto were proud to play a part in it.


text:
O'Connor Roof Restoration Services
There are many older homes around O'Connor and when it comes to older properties, roof maintenance is something that can be easily forgotten, especially if you have never had problems with your roof before. It is important to have a roof inspection every few years to make sure you have no roof leaks, broken roof tiles, and other damage. Older roofs, such as steel or colorbond and tile roofs are prone to damage, as old tiles become brittle and break easily, and old metal roofs can be riddled with rust. If you have not checked your roof in a while, or your roof is damaged, call the team at Powerdrive Roofing. We can provide a professional Roof inspection, repair any damage, and completely restore your roof. We also give you the option to install for you a brand new roof, if you are building, renovating or extending your current property. Powerdrive are your roof restoration specialists in O'Connor.
Our professional Qualified Team Specialised in Roof Restorations
With over 20 years of experience, our roofing specialists are among the best when it comes to O'Connor Roof Restoration. They are qualified roof plumbers, roof tilers and registered painters, hand-picked to give you the best possible service. Having a well-built professionally constructed roof is crucial. Without professional trades construction, a roof can cause huge problems in the future. At Powerdrive we won't take shortcuts. We work to our best so that you can feel safe and secure in your home, with a roof that is guaranteed to last a the test of time. All our jobs come with full insurance, and our professional roofing experts are police checked for added peace of mind. A fantastic service every time, that is our guarantee to you.
Roof Restoration O'Connor Services
We specialise in a variety of roof repair and roof restoration services in O'Connor. Workmanship and service is something Powerdrive pride themselves on, providing you with a roof that will raise the value of your home, look amazing and give you and your family peace of mind long in to the future. We offer concrete roof tile resealing and re-colouring processes, as well as terracotta tile roof repair, metal roof repair, roof restoration and de-mossing or roof cleaning. All our services are carried out by our fully qualified and professional roof restoration team.
We can restore just about any roof, but specialise in restoration for metal roofs, concrete roof tiles and terracotta tile roofs. When you decide to have a roof restoration, you will generally have the option to get your existing roof restored, or replace your roof completely, this of course will depend on the condition of your roof at the time of inspection. once you have decided you then have a choice of roof tiles or a Colorbond Steel Roof. These roofs are fantastic, durable and the new look moving forward, as sad as that is to say as a Roof Tiler. A Colorbond steel roof can add value to your home and last several years with minimal maintenance required.
Contact us Now For Roof Restoration in O'Connor
When you work with us, you can be sure you are getting the best possible service. Powerdrive use only the highest quality materials available in Western Australia and take care of the whole project from that first phone call and the service doesn't end when you make payment, you are now part of the Powerdrive family. We will even clean out your gutters for you and make the process as smooth and hassle-free as possible.
With our knowledge of roofing, we know how to give your roof a superior finish, and help it survive Perth's tough weather conditions, and stand the test of time. If you are looking for professional roof restoration in O'Connor, talk to our team today for a free quote.
Combine your roof restoration service with our Roof Cleaning, Pressure Cleaning, Painting, Roof Painting, Chemical Delignification Treatment or any one of our other Roofing Services in O'Connor and discuss discounted rates, ask us for your Free Roof Inspection to get the ball rolling today
Contact us today for a Free Quote on Roof Repairs in O'Connor today


text:
Home Ecológicos Practical Solutions
Creation of Partnership Agreements
On deregulated markets, such as in the UK except for London, partnership agreements made between operators and local authorities, which involve substantial investment by the operators and the adoption of legal framework and policies to make bus and coach travel easier for people by the local authorities, lead to an essential shift from cars to buses and coaches.
Examples: In Cambridge, working in partnership with Stagecoach, the Council has restricted traffic access to the historic core, developed park & ride sites and introduced parking restrictions on the key access route to the station. Stagecoach has introduced a fleet of new low-floor buses (costing GBP 7.8m) branded as the Citi network. The result is a doubling of bus passengers in 8 years.
In Peterborough, Town Bridge is a critical link in the local traffic network. The Council and Stagecoach forged a new partnership providing bus priorities on the approaches to the bridge and automatic number plate recognition to prevent abuse by motorists. The Council also upgraded its bus stops and Stagecoach has introduced a branded Citi network with a fleet of new low-floor buses (costing GBP 4.3m). The result has been a 40% increase in bus passengers in 4 years.
Another good partnership example can be found in Brighton. For many years, Brighton & Hove bus company and Brighton & Hove unitary authority have done a lot of work together. Basically, the council gives the buses lots of bus priority and in return the bus company continually invests in services, infrastructure and marketing. This long-standing, award winning relationship was crowned the 2009 Bus Operator of the Year at the UK Bus Awards.
North of Brighton, West Sussex County Council started developing a Bus Rapid Transit project, some years ago, known as Fastway, mainly to give airport workers better public transport links to and from Gatwick Airport. The scheme opened in 2003 and the council provided all the infrastructure, including some guided busway sections. Metrobus (a Go Ahead subsidiary) provides the buses, sets the fares, determines the frequencies and does all the marketing. This entire relationship is underpinned by a simple two-page agreement where it is agreed to meet some very broad quality thresholds. This relationship works mainly because the authority provides the infrastructure, and the operator, which takes all the revenue risk, is incentivized to keep improving the service.
Fastrack, the award-winning bus rapid transit system in North Kent in the UK, operated by Arriva on behalf of Kent County Council and Kent Thameside, is being delivered through one of the best examples of a public/private sector partnership. Since its launch, the system has carried more than three million passengers and is one of the leading UK examples of an innovative bus rapid transit system that can attract people away from the car.
For more information:
Greener Journeys, Make the switch to bus and coach, p.2, http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/uploadedFiles/Resources/Global/Greener%20Journeys%20pamphlet.pdf
Busfacts, Institut für Angewandete Wirtschaftsforschung und Regionalanalyse, p.12


text:
Three years ago, on 14 March 2016, the Bernese Mars camera CaSSIS started its journey to Mars with the "ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter" spacecraft. The camera system developed at the University of Bern has been observing Mars from its primary science orbit since April 2018 and provides high-resolution, colour images of the surface. On 2 March 2019, CaSSIS also delivered its first image of InSight, NASA's lander on Mars.
ExoMars is a space mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) in cooperation with the Russian space agency Roskosmos. ExoMars stands for exobiology on Mars: for the first time since the 1970s, active research is being conducted into life on Mars. So called trace gases including methane and their sources are being detected by the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) while the ExoMars programme as a whole (combining TGO with a rover, Rosalind Franklin, due to launch next year) will investigate how the water and the geochemical environment has changed with time.
The Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) on board the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) was developed by an international team led by Prof. Nicolas Thomas of the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH) at the University of Bern. The TGO launched three years ago today, on 14 March 2016. It arrived at Mars on 19 October that year, and spent over a year demonstrating the aerobraking technique needed to reach its science orbit, starting its prime mission at the end of April 2018.
Hello, InSight
Amongst a new showcase of images from CaSSIS is an image of NASA's InSight lander – the first time a European instrument has identified a lander on the Red Planet. InSight arrived on Mars on 26 November 2018 to study the interior of the planet. Images of the lander have already been returned by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, these are the first images from TGO.
The panchromatic image was captured by CaSSIS on 2 March 2019, and covers an area of about 2.25 x 2.25 km. At that time, InSight was hammering a probe into the surface in order to measure heat coming from inside the planet. The CaSSIS view shows InSight as a slightly brighter dot in the centre of the dark patch produced when the lander fired its retro rockets just before touchdown in the Elysium Planitia region of Mars, and disturbed the surface dust. The heat shield released just before landing can also be seen on the edge of a crater, and the backshell used to protect the lander during descent is also identified.
"The TGO is being used to relay data from InSight to Earth," says Nicolas Thomas, CaSSIS Principal Investigator, from the University of Bern. "Because of this function, to avoid uncertainties in communications, we had not been able to point the camera towards the landing site so far – we had to wait until the landing site passed directly under the spacecraft to get this image."
CaSSIS is expected to provide additional support to the InSight team by observing the surface of Mars in the surrounding area. If the seismometer picks up a signal, the source might be a meteorite impact. One of CaSSIS's tasks will be to help search for the impact site, which will allow the InSight team to better constrain the internal properties of Mars near the landing site.
The image of InSight also demonstrates that CaSSIS will be able to take pictures of the future ExoMars mission. The mission comprises a rover – named Rosalind Franklin – together with a surface science platform, and is due to be launched in July 2020, arriving at Mars in March 2021. TGO will also act as the data relay for the rover.
Science showcase
Also released today is a selection of images capturing the impressive science capabilities of CaSSIS, ranging from high-resolution views of curious surface features and images that highlight the diversity of minerals on the surface, to 3D stereo views and digital terrain models. The images have been produced by teams from the University of Bern, the University of Arizona, and INAF-Padova.
The images selected include detailed views of polar layered deposits, the dynamic nature of dunes, and the surface effects of converging dust devils. The stereo images bring the scenes alive by providing an extra insight into elevation differences, which is essential for deciphering the history in which different layers and deposits were laid down.
Colour-composite images are processed to better highlight the contrast of surface features. Combined with data from other instruments, this allows scientists to trace out regions that have been influenced by water, for example. These images can also be used to help guide surface exploration missions and provide broader regional context for landers and rovers.
"The InSight landing site image is just one of many really high quality images that we have been receiving. The ones in the ESA Gallery represent some of the best from recently. The digital terrain models also look really nice", said Nicolas Thomas.
"This stunning image showcase really demonstrates the scientific potential we have with TGO's imaging system," says Håkan Svedhem, ESA's TGO project scientist. "Over the course of the mission we'll be able to investigate dynamic surface processes, including those that might also help to constrain the atmospheric gas inventory TGO's spectrometers are analysing, as well as characterise future landing sites."
Support of the SERI / Swiss Space OfficeCaSSIS is a project of the University of Bern and funded through the Swiss Space Office via the European Space Agency's PRODEX programme. The instrument hardware development was also supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), INAF/Astronomical Observatory of Padova, and the Space Research Center (CBK) in Warsaw. It must be noted that, for all instruments developed in Switzerland and under the lead of the University of Bern, significant work and/or supplies have come from Swiss industry. The PRODEX programme under which scientific instruments or sub-systems are provided requires an industrial share of at least 50% of the overall project. This condition enables a knowledge- and technology transfer from and to industry and provides the Swiss workplace with a structural and competitive advantage – this includes spill over effects to the non-space sector of the involved companies. Swiss contributions to ESA programmes enable swiss scientists and industry to participate in selected missions. |
Bernese space exploration: working together with the world's elite for 50 yearsWhen viewed in terms of figures, Bernese space exploration reveals an impressive balance sheet: Instruments have flown into the upper atmosphere and ionosphere with rockets 25 times (1967-1993), into the stratosphere on balloon flights 9 times (1991-2008), 33 instruments have accompanied space probes on their missions, and a satellite has been built (CHEOPS, start of the 2nd half of 2019). The successful work of the department of Space Research & Planetology (WP) from the Physics Institute of the University of Bern was consolidated by the founding of a university competence center: the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH). The Swiss National Fund also awarded the University of Bern the national research focus (NRF) PlanetS, which they manage together with the University of Geneva. |


text:
When One Door Closes another Opens
By Anubhav Sapra
In the past couple of years I have taken refuge in Old Delhi. The waft of the meaty fragrant kebabs draws me in to the alleyways of Matia Mahal. But this time I decided to explore, skip the hustle and bustle of 'purani dilli' and traverse across the city. The rain gave me an excuse to flee from the old to the new. I landed at one of the upscale markets of South Delhi- Defence Colony, which for me has always been synonymous with Swagath, the south Indian restaurant and Salim Kebabs.
Salim Kebabs, the reason why I come to Defence colony. There was something special about that place, may it be Javed bhai who owns the eatery or the bubble of nostalgia that surrounds the restaurant. It was disheartening to come to know that it had shut down. But thankfully I was saved by Koyla Kebabs.
Koyla Kebabs had a lot on their plate, literally. Malai tikka and tandoori chicken, both succulent pieces of heaven, then came the mutton kakori kebab and Galaouti Kebab the former was so soft that it fell right of the skewer while the latter would melt in your mouth like butter. The Kakoris were served with a crisp Warqi paratha making it a perfect combination in terms of textures.
The best part is that all the non-vegetarian kebabs have their vegetarian counterparts. Vegetable Kakori, Galaouti, Tandoori Soya Tikka, Paneer Malai Tikka and the list goes on and on. What makes their food different from any other Kebab joint is the way they cook their biryani, rather than having your traditional mutton or chicken options you can request for any kebab or boti to be combined with you rice and served, quite untraditional yet scrumptious. The addition of chat masala to their kebabs provides that perfect tang and makes your mouth water for more.
They have introduced the Keema Naan which is Naan dough stuffed with mince and chopped onions and cooked in a scalding hot tandoor served with onion rings and mint chutney.
The journey to Defence Colony has been well worthwhile; the palatable food gives you an excuse to visit this area anytime.
Address- Shop no.3, next to Popular Medicos, Defence Colony
Cost for two- Rs.500+


text: COOPAFSI (Cooperative Agraria "Frontera San Ignacio" Ltda) was officially established in June 1969. Gender equality was an important factor when the land was purchased and divided among producers. This particular cooperative is unique because they empower and promote "women grown" coffee. These women contribute to the physical and sensory quality of the coffee. They are always managing new projects and developing new ways to improve the lives of their families. They focus their efforts on improving quality and delivering consistent coffee to different markets. In 2016, a committee of women was created by the cooperative and they are responsible for distributing loans which will enable producers to improve their own land while also taking part in new developments for their kitchens, crafts and livestock. They also created a computer lab which allows all members to stay up to date with modern technology.


text:
Thank you for visiting the Quail West Sales Group web site. Quail West Sales Group's policy is to respect and protect the privacy of web site visitors. The purpose of this privacy policy is to provide you with a description of the type of information that is collected and how that information is used.
Collecting Information:
When guests visit the Quail West Sales Group web site, some basic information may be collected. This information may include, but is not limited to, which pages are visited and for how long, which homes are viewed, which property searches are run, where the visitors come from, and what ISP they are using. In addition, you may voluntarily provide such information, including but not limited to name, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address.
Using Information Collected:
Quail West Sales Group uses the information collected to improve the quality of this web site, enhance or tailor the information offered, do what you ask us to do, and make your experience on this site as valuable and efficient as possible. We also use this information to inform you about our products and services.
By using Quail West Sales Group's web site, you consent to Quail West Sales Group's collection and use of your information as described in this policy. As a general rule, we do not share your information with unaffiliated third parties. We however reserve the right to disclose your information under certain circumstances such as but not limited to an inquiry by law enforcement or judicial authorities to protect our own legal rights or to protect the public good. Whenever you are online, you run the risk that the information you provide will fall into the wrong hands. Although Quail West Sales Group implements and maintain reasonable security procedures and practices to safeguard your privacy, Quail West Sales Group cannot guarantee the security of any information you provide us. Quail West Sales Group nor anyone associated with this website accept no responsibility or liability for the activities of third parties.
Updating Information:
If Quail West Sales Group updates this privacy policy, such changes will be posted on this page. So that you are always aware of what information collected and how it is used, we recommend that you review this page regularly.
Links to Other Web Sites:
Please be aware that when you click on links that take you to third-party web sites, you will be subject to their respective privacy policy. While Quail West Sales Group supports the protection of privacy on the Internet, Quail West Sales Group cannot be responsible for the actions of third parties. You are encouraged to read the posted privacy statement whenever interacting with any web site.
What are cookies and how do we use them:
Cookies are small pieces of text sent as files to your computer by the website you are visiting. Quail West Sales Group uses cookies to improve your browsing experience, and to recognize you as you move from one page to another. Without cookies enabled, you will still be able to browse the site, but will not be able to take advantage of certain website features. You can manage your cookie preferences from within your browser. Please see the Help section of your browser for information on how to manage your cookie preferences.