text:
Covid-19 "lab leak": Why it's worth looking into
It's essential we understand where Covid-19 came from — and that includes taking a critical look at the lab leak hypothesis.
A year and a half into the pandemic, we still do not know exactly where the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, came from. The prevailing view so far has been that the virus "spilled over" from bats into humans. But there are increasing calls to investigate the possibility that it emerged from a lab in Wuhan, China, where Covid first appeared at the end of 2019.
So what do we know for sure, and what do we need still to find out?
We know the sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is close to that of bat coronaviruses. Several decades ago its "ancestor" was circulating in bat populations in southern Asia.
But there are still many unanswered questions: we don't know how the virus arrived in Wuhan, how its sequence evolved to allow human infection, and under what conditions it infected the first people who crossed its path. And for each of these stages, we don't know whether there was a human contribution (direct or indirect).
Zoonotic transmission pathways, in other words, the passage of viruses from animals to humans, are now widely documented around the world. Scientists even consider that this is a principal mechanism for the spreading of new viruses.
But the fact that the pandemic began in the vicinity of a main virus research center that specializes in the study of coronaviruses with epidemic potential in humans — the Wuhan Institute of Virology — has given rise to another hypothesis, the lab leak theory. Lab accidents have already led to human infections, including the H1N1 flu pandemic of 1977, which killed more than 700,000 people.
Which theory is correct? In the absence of definitive proof, and without promoting conspiracy theories, there needs to be a serious international conversation about the origin of SARS-CoV-2.
The zoonosis theory of Covid-19
In the scientific community, the debate on the origin of SARS-CoV-2 started with the publication of two articles at the very beginning of the outbreak.
The first, dated February 19, 2020, was published in the medical science journal The Lancet. This article, signed by 27 scientists, highlighted the efforts of Chinese experts to identify the source of the pandemic and share the results.
The authors deplored "rumors and misinformation" about the origins of the virus, and stated that they "strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that Covid-19 does not have a natural origin." The authors based their opinion on the first published sequence data but did not detail the scientific arguments supporting a natural origin.
In March 2020, another article published in Nature Medicine provided a series of scientific arguments in favor of a natural origin. The authors argued:
- The natural hypothesis is plausible, as it is the usual mechanism of emergence of coronaviruses
- The sequence of SARS-CoV-2 is too distantly related from other known coronaviruses to envisage the manufacture of a new virus from available sequences
- Its sequence does not show evidence of genetic manipulation in the laboratory.
This last argument can be questioned, as methods do exist which allow scientists to modify viral sequences without leaving a trace. These include cutting the genome into fragments that can later be joined together or, more recently, using the ISA protocol, whereby overlapping fragments naturally come together in cells through homologous recombination: a phenomenon in which two DNA molecules exchange fragments. Besides, genetic manipulation is not the only scenario compatible with a laboratory accident or leak.
Meanwhile, intense research that has been carried out for more than a year to try to prove the zoonotic scenario has not been successful so far: all 80,000 animal samples, from some 30 species, have tested negative. The samples came from farm animals and wild animals from different provinces in China. But it is important to note that this large number of negative samples does not refute the zoonotic scenario.
The lab theory of Covid-19
The first articles arguing for the laboratory accident theory received little attention, perhaps because they came from groups like the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which tends to be critical of technology, or outsiders such as the DRASTIC team (an acronym for "decentralized radical autonomous search team investigating Covid-19").
Composed of 24 self-styled "Twitter detectives" who are mostly anonymous with the exception of a few scientists participating under their real names, the DRASTIC group formed on Twitter in 2020 and has set itself the mission of exploring the origins of SARS-CoV-2.
Information and arguments from the group have been examined in their own right, taken up and developed by some virologists, microbiologists, and science communicators.
The first scientific articles discussing the possibility of a laboratory accident appeared in peer-reviewed scientific journals in July and August 2020 — one of them co-authored by an author of this article, Etienne Decroly.
The lab leak theory gained wider traction after a May 13 article in the journal Science, signed by 18 scientists, called again for the origins of SARS-CoV-2 to be examined.
So is it possible? Several elements regarding the emergence of the virus do raise questions. In particular, it has been established that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was handling viruses close to SARS-CoV-2 collected in southern China.
In addition to direct genetic manipulation, a laboratory accident could also have occurred as a result of infection during collection in the wild or during an experiment with a virus that evolved in cells or mice in the laboratory, without necessarily directly manipulating its genome.
How can we find out for sure?
In an investigation at the start of this year, a joint commission between China and the World Health Organization (WHO) failed to identify the cause of the pandemic, concluding that a zoonotic origin is most likely and the hypothesis of a laboratory accident is very unlikely. But the director-general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced there were still questions that "will need to be addressed by further studies".
Determining whether SARS-CoV-2 has escaped from a laboratory will require a more thorough investigation in which investigators have access to sequence databases as well as to the various resources used by Chinese researchers, including laboratory notebooks, submitted projects, scientific manuscripts, viral sequences, order lists, and biological analyses.
Unfortunately, sequence databases for SARS-CoV-2 have been inaccessible to scientists since September 2019.
In the absence of direct evidence, alternative approaches may provide additional information. By analyzing the available sequences of SARS-CoV-2-like coronaviruses in detail, it is possible that the scientific community will reach a consensus based on strong clues, as they did for other outbreaks, including the 1977 H1N1 virus.
Biological black boxes
Whether the origin is zoonotic or not, it is necessary to question the consequences of our interactions with ecosystems, the industrialization of intensive breeding, safety protocols on collecting and experimenting on potentially pandemic viruses, and the proliferation of high-security laboratories, particularly those near megacities.
We need to equip facilities that study viruses with safety systems as demanding as those used for studying nuclear energy. This could include the introduction of "biological black boxes", similar to flight recorders which allow investigators to recreate the final moments of a plane accident.
Access to certain high-risk labs could be made dependent on detailed digital descriptions of experiments; sequencing data could be systematically archived; laboratory air filters could be collected, and if there is a suspicion of pathogen dissemination, the genetic material on their surface could be sequenced.
Such new safety measures should be put in place internationally to limit the risk of future pandemics. As for SARS-CoV-2, it is important to trace its exact origins in order to understand precisely what flaws may have led to its spread.
This article was originally published on The Conversation by Virginie Courtier from the University of Paris and Etienne Decroly from the Aix-Marseille University. Read the original article here.
This article was originally published on


text:
Why the staycation boom is exactly what hotels need
City hotels are looking to locals during the lull in travelling further from home
Photo by ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images
The Singapore government last month reopened hotels for residents booking so-called staycations. It didn't take long for locals to fully book out weekends.
The hunger for a vacation is palpable the world over after months of lockdown. But amid travel restrictions, and general public wariness around safety, staying in a hotel close to home – and in many cases the same city – is on the rise from the U.S. to Britain.
It has been a boon for hoteliers facing swathes of empty rooms.
"City hotels are all going after the staycation market," says Sashi Rajan, senior vice president of advisory, JLL Hotels and Hospitality Asia. "Even though the quantum from staycations is by no means near to what hotels used to make pre-COVID, it is better than having empty rooms."
The rush to book Singapore hotels was boosted by two long weekends in July and August. Hotels in Hong Kong have devised packages, such as champagne and whisky themed stays, to woo domestic guests.
In the UK, when holidaying at home restrictions were lifted in June, one staycation was booked every 11 seconds.
"During lockdowns, there was limited options for hotels to make any revenue from its rooms unless it was serving as a government-supported quarantine quarter," says Rajan. "But more importantly, accepting staycations is a big morale booster for everyone in the hotel business to see and serve guests again. It gives them a renewed sense of purpose."
Bigger domestic versus smaller markets
The staycation is especially crucial for gateway destinations like Singapore that serve as an entry point and economic hub for a region or country. The chief executive for hotel group Accor's Asia Pacific business said in an interview with Bloomberg that "unless we have a return to international business, the hotel industry is going to be decimated as up to 90 per cent of our bookings (in Singapore) come from international travellers." A Hong Kong lawmaker representing the tourism industry put it more starkly: "tourists are virtually zero."
It is a different picture in other territories, especially those with large domestic markets to support the hospitality sector. For instance in Australia, regional properties outside cities are seeing a healthy spike in staycations as locals prefer to take a drive out for a change of scenery.
Rajan says what hotels in smaller markets can do is to increase its experiential factor.
"Beyond attractive discounts or bundled meals, I think what holiday-makers want is new experiences," he says. "This is a time for hotels to get creative, test out different engaging concepts and value-add to their guests."
For instance, hotels could collaborate with businesses or restaurants in their neighborhoods, or gear offerings towards different demographics such as couples and families.
More than a weekend stay
Another way hotels in gateway cities are maximizing the staycation demand is looking beyond a weekend stays. Previously staycations used to be a one or two-night affair, but with many cities still enforcing working-from-home policies, a longer hotel getaway can be possible.
In India, hotels have been offering "workcations," which combine the ability to work in a comfortable hotel room with perks from gourmet meals to sight-seeing. Luxury properties such as JW Mariott in Mumbai and Conrad in Bengaluru are dangling workcation packages for professionals to check in for four to seven nights.
Hyatt Place in India, for instance, promises remote printing from anywhere in the hotel as well as round-the-clock access to its business centre on top of free Wi-Fi and room service meals.
Japan has similarly caught on to the workcation idea, with the government throwing its weight behind it. Its environment ministry is giving financial support to hotels located in natural environments to improve their telecommunications infrastructure as a way of enticing Japanese workers to base themselves in these places.
"Hotels have been receiving calls from guests asking if they have a room free for the day and the next thing they know, the guests are checking in immediately because they need a change of environment instead of working from home," says Rajan. "This is also an opportunity for hotels to stretch out the staycation beyond the weekend, since it is here to stay for now."

subset: commoncrawl


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Thursday, October 27, 2011
Know-how boost
We are happy to welcome a valuable addition to our family - Irenej "Jirka" Stalmach.
Jirka has been for many years a test driver and driving instructor at Scania Czech Republic, and now he has kindly agreed to keep an eye on our projects and assist us in fixing the most glaring sins against trucker lore in our games. It may take non-trivial time to address the various imperfections, but we are hoping to establish long-term cooperation way beyond the release of Euro Truck Simulator 2, to guide us in our quest to build true truck simulators one day.
52 comments:
- AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 8:57 AM
Great news for all of us.
Now the vehicle physics will get better, waaay better.
The most important improvements everybody will hope are;
- Shifting delay (not shifting as if driving a Formula 1 car)
- Acceleration time
- Braking time (especially engine brake)
- Realistic turns (turning corners wide as in real life)
I am writing this message as I have driven tractor-trailers in Canada. - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 9:17 AM
thats so cool scs! very good help for you and a big wish is coming true for all fans of ETS2.
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 9:33 AM
This is incredible! It's going to be the Best truck simulator ever!
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 10:59 AM
That is a great news. I think that is wery good idea, that some day you would be able to play a real simulator of truck driving, like you are realy in the truck. It would be great if you coul use all of the buttons on the dash bord not by presing the keyboar buttons but with the mouse klick. Exsample: you should hold the handbreak with the mouse and pull it to engage it, and the ligts and all of that.
Obout the trailers, i think that would be great in the game that you would have to buy your own trailer and use it. If you want to drive diferent cargo (gravel) you shold buy another trailer for transport.
P.S.: Great work SCS, looking forward on a release. - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Really great news! I'm so glad you taking it more and more seriously - and I'm convinced this collaboration bring sweet fruit one day. :-) Good luck to you, Jirka, and of course good luck to whole SCS.
ReplyDelete - brun3tz3luOctober 27, 2011 at 11:43 AM
welcome and I hope you do a good job together and that you will keep your account's advice and maybe you will look and my comntariu about what I would like to be added to the game with the elements... I do and I like all those users who use this blog to ask for something and live with hope that I will review these items implemented in the game and I would like to start with the first if they can get that when you are charged with transportation of oversized type to be accompanied by escort cars in front and rear oversized cargo type to be more varied and more large in size and also be a few more shipments of oversized type, add and Romania in the game map, I would like cabin can be powered by big little more light on its exterior like a tuning-like if can solve anything with lights that change positions when you want to get high beam and low beam on not to be forced to give up several times so you can turn off lights at getting short if you could also add and tires that when you have to brake suddenly your footprints remain on the pavement so the cab and the trailer or back when instead of remaining traces of the trailer on the asphalt with anterior game Pedal To The Meta,car traffic also to stop the sudden stop when you change the belt on stiu that it is hard because they ask to be released game time but I think it would be more realistic if you could add this in the game and those who criticize this effort will not be taken into account because it sits in front of the screen and typing is easy but trying to communicate with his fans and try appease everyone because all come with ideas perhaps best some not so good you have to harden and you can try as much as his reconciled or even to select the ideas that are offered ... and another aspect to the video that you have noticed lam previous post and I hope that this to find all cars not just certain movements and iveco scania and cabins in trucks and trailers like and this is something that brings the game do not know how many have noticed this increase will want to work and I hope you will take into account and my ideas but also those that you think are good and worth at stake...I apologize for my English not very good
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 12:15 PM
- Shifting delay (not shifting as if driving a Formula 1 car)
- Acceleration time
- Braking time (especially engine brake)
- Realistic turns (turning corners wide as in real life) - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 1:22 PM
Dear SCS. That's an awesome idea. You take the community very seriously and I respect you for that. Now let us see a video with engine sound and weather effects ;-)
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 2:30 PM
I'm a fan of the ETS and the German Truck Simulator. I think your games are realistic and very good, but I always miss the last part of reality on the highways. I would like to see coaches, motorbikes and smaller tucks driving there. Furthermore it would be great if you could involve passagers walking along the streets in the cities. At night there should be fewer passagers that at midday. If you could itegrate that ideas I would be restles happy.
I cannot wait untill the 10th of January,
Greets from Munich (Germany) - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 3:39 PM
Well that work is really fantastic and i think that the game step by step will grow.
And the more important aspects to improve is :
- Shifting delay/(Do you know the sound of the car when reduction gears? That is the essence
- Acceleration time
- Braking time (especially engine brake)
- Realistic turns (turning corners wide as in real life)
But You are doing a really good work. - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 4:12 PM
GOOD CHOICE SCS TEAM. Greetings for Mrs Irenej "Jirka" Stalmach, please watch at team job carefully! :D
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 4:52 PM
Welcome aboard Jirka. This is goods news because it shows you guys are committed to giving us realism. I always say truck driving is only a small part of the trucking experience. Especially if you own your truck, then the business side consumes your life. There are so many great ways for SCS to expand this game given the great foundation you already have.
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 6:19 PM
Wow, can't wait till the release on 20th November, 2012... !!! ;D
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 6:20 PM
And Please SCS Fix The cabin height.
The cabins in T&T are too low ,so please make it high.
Cheers - Mikkel AdrianOctober 27, 2011 at 7:34 PM
Helo SCS, this is a good news.
I would love to have an aprosomote release date of the game. Will it come out in the first quater of 2012, the first half or must we wait for this fantastic game until August 2012?
Do you have any idea? If you do not tell us that as wel?
And for fans, SCS have said that the game will not come out before new year. This is sad, but we wil just have to practice parking in Trucks and Trailers and wait. While i'm into it, is there anyone who have gotten gold on all the tracks at difficoult level? - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 8:02 PM
Do you guys already know when the release date is? I can't wait to play this OVER-nice game!!
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 8:25 PM
Thank you!
Now you can work on realism of driving the truck. In previous games, it was aful. This steering and especially the GEARCHANGING AND ACCELERATION?!?!?!
Hope those things will be fixed, before the release of ETS2.
The game looks fabiolus now. 11 point form 10. Just amazing. But if the realism is same as in your previous games, it would be 2 or 3 point from 10.
WELCOME TO SCS JIRKA! - AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 10:27 PM
30,000 kg truck stops from 150 km/h in like 50m in ETS 1...how? It's simple, you downshift to R and press motor brake and handbrake :D
Hope you fix this - AnonymousOctober 28, 2011 at 2:38 AM
Excellent news! He will help in the important part of making the game more authentic and realistic.
Finland Really a great news.
With German Truck Simulator you feel in a truck. But can see many imperfections that make the game a game, understand.
You know that driving a loaded truck is more than that. We see Mercedes Benz Atego and Volvos VM all the time(here). Behave differently in the game, how rock, go up hills slowly.
I really always thought the game should have more than just looks.
Now, more than ever, I will gladly drive my Actros, and 6X2.
Thanks SCS Soft.
Gean from Belo Horizonte.That was me, who posted the first message..:)
By the way, SCS is doing good job. A really good job this time. I haven't comment on graphics side or any other thing, because SCS has already done these things great. All we want is realistic physics, nothing else.
Please, pay more attention to shifting delays. 0-100 on trucks takes time. The main reason is not the horsepower, as many people know the opposite. All trucks today have power, nothing to say about it. But upshifting through 10+ gears takes time. This is the most important thing you should consider.
And braking time... Especially, slowing down of the vehicle without braking. In the former editions, fully loaded trucks slowed down as if they were not loaded and they were under braking. That's unrealistic. When I let off the gas, it should keep most of its speed.
We are requesting these small but important points from Jirka. Jirka will be the truck gamers' hero..:D- AnonymousOctober 28, 2011 at 12:10 PM
VERY good news for us! Euro Truck Sim must be realistic. We aren´t childern. We know trucking is a hard job and we want to see it also in Euro truck Simulator. Don´t make game, make the SIMULATOR.
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 28, 2011 at 5:05 PM
^ But you must understand that they doing it primarily for business. And true simulators are always much less saleable then games. Of course - some things need to be improved, no doubt about that! Optimal would be to make balanced compromise; to develop game which is not "offending" for true simulator fans, but not so hard for casual players. (Believe it or not, casual players are majority of SCS's paying customers.) Of course it's very hard to develop software like that, but it's possible - and I believe with new, professional reinforcement (and Jirka is professional for sure), things will be much easier.
ReplyDelete - Emanuele /ItalyOctober 28, 2011 at 5:25 PM
This is one of the most wonderful new you have tell us. Now I really think that ETS2 trucks will not run like a small car!!!!
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 28, 2011 at 9:01 PM
Moment! Takze Jirka je testovaci vodic v Scanii a este pritom aj recenzuje hry v GamePage? Som vobec nevedel ze robi v Scanii! Ten sa ma!
Tato hra bude musiet byt super, inak sa odstrelim - AnonymousOctober 28, 2011 at 9:06 PM
Excelente contribuição para o game, nada melhor do que alguém que sempre esteve ligado diretamente aos caminhões. Parabéns.
ReplyDelete - AnonymousOctober 30, 2011 at 2:19 AM
maravillosas noticias scs ahora jirka podra indicarles que estos camiones llevan ademas de las marchas comunes los cambios en alta y baja asimismo la intermedia en el diferencial que es como si fueran dos marchas mas en una el diferencial queda mas lento y en otra mas rapido ahhh por que no agregar un conductor en ets2 con la apariencia de jirka en agradecimiento a su colaboracion seria una gran idea muchas gracias scs
ReplyDelete has a good job and I envy him:))) and I'd like this job:))
And SCS just you all to know we are trying to promote this game as much as possible for free :))
all best SCS..from Croatia fun ClubYeah, With a real truckdriver this can be really interesting, i am one myself here in Sweden, driving one of those crazy 24m long and 60ton trucks here. And the biggest issue in your other games is that a 44ton truck doesnt feel like a 44ton truck. Its more like a very big slower car. 0 up to 45-50km/h doesnt have that much difference if you are fully loaded or not, but 50 up to 90km/h there is a huge difference in empty or loaded.
ReplyDelete- AnonymousNovember 11, 2011 at 12:00 PM
just had an idea, would it be possible to add waiting time when loading or unloading, like when you are sleeping and the clock forwards, i think this would make it more realistic, keep up the excellent work anyway guys
ReplyDelete - AnonymousJanuary 6, 2012 at 7:45 AM
Bug Shield/windscreen stone shields like in Rig'N'Roll and 18wos ET2. I have been searching for a mod for a while and no success.
Thanx guys, the best series of games I have ever enjoyed playing, keep it up!
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Accommodation price per night | ||||
Date | For 2 persons | Minimum stay | Arrivals | |
Season 5 | 15.07.2024 - 24.08.2024 | 80.00 € | 1 night | Any day |
Season 6 | 25.08.2024 - 01.09.2024 | 70.00 € | 1 night | Any day |
Season 7 | 02.09.2024 - 17.09.2024 | 60.00 € | 1 night | Any day |
Season 1 | 18.09.2024 - 02.01.2025 | 40.00 € | 1 night | Any day |
Season 2 | 01.03.2025 - 20.06.2025 | 50.00 € | 1 night | Any day |
Season 3 | 21.06.2025 - 01.07.2025 | 60.00 € | 1 night | Any day |
Season 4 | 02.07.2025 - 14.07.2025 | 70.00 € | 1 night | Any day |
Every visitor of this ancient city is sure to find his own fraction of tranquillity and magic, so generously offered by this charming place. Strolling along the monuments such as Fortica Fortress, Hvar Cathedral, theatre, Arsenal and franciscan monastery will lead you through the long history of this city, whose every stone is telling its own old story. Should you be in pursuit of crystal clear sea, enchanting perfume of the Mediterranean plants and plenty of sunshine, Hvar is the place to seduce you with its beaches, nearby bays and island chain – Pakleni otoci (Pakleni islands), making your holiday an unforgettable experience. Choose one of the numerous Hvar restaurants and inns to be greeted by welcoming inhabitants and taste exceptional gastro – specialites: fresh fish topped with home made olive oil, with a choice of wine from the island vineyards. If you are into active holidays, there are tennis, baseball and handball courts, beach volleyball, a net of bicycle and jogging paths and trecks, rock climbing, possibilities for sea kayaking, sailing, and scuba diving introducing the visitors of Hvar to luscious world of its submarine polulation. From the rich offer of the tours and activities offered by the town of Hvar choose half-day or full day tours by boat from the port of Hvar or visit one of the numerous vine tastings tours offered by famous Hvar vinemakers. Choose the Blue cave tour from Hvar or walking city tour and discover rich history and cultural heritage of the town of Hvar. Hvar is known to be very much alive, and its parties and pulsating night life attract young people from all over the world. Accommodation possibilities are numerous, including quality hotels, apartments, rooms and camping sites. Discover Hvar and let it grow on you, listen to its centuries old story, submerge in the sun and reward yourself with unforgettable moments of joy and relaxation.
Pakleni otoci In front of the town of Hvar there are some twenty islands and rocks called Forski škoji (Islands of Hvar), representing a vast Hvar tourist resort. For all those looking for the charming summer vacation they offer the abundance of sunny beaches, restaurants, and all kinds of other intersting places for mind and body as well. Boats connetc Hvar port with most of Hvar tourists resorts.


text:
Tutorial: adding MIME information to the database
This tutorial is for application authors and users who want to extend the database. For example, the Gimp may wish to add:
- image/png can be edited using the Gimp.
- image/png should be described in English as "Portable Network Graphics file".
- Files whose names end in .png should have the type image/png. Users should normally use a graphical editor application, such as MIME-Editor, to edit the database (although ideally no user-editing should be required at all). If you really want to do it manually, create a file called $XDG_DATA_HOME/mime/packages/Override.xml in the format described below.
(see the Base Directory Specification for information about the XDG_ variables)
When your application is installed, it should install a file with the application's name in $XDG_DATA_DIRS/mime/packages. For example, doing ./configure && make install with Gimp should create /usr/local/share/mime/packages/gimp.xml.
This file has the following format:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<mime-info xmlns="http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/shared-mime-info">
<mime-type type="image/png">
<comment xml:lang="en">PNG image</comment>
<comment xml:lang="af">png beeld</comment>
<magic priority="50">
<match type="string" value="\x89PNG" offset="0"/>
<glob pattern="*.png"/>
This provides a comment (in two languages), a rule to recognise PNG files by their contents, and a rule to recognise them by their names. You can provide information about several types in the single gimp.xml file. You do not need to provide any information which is also in the base package (in fact, all the information above is already present; this is just an example!).
You can also add extra elements, provided they are namespaced to avoid conflicts. For example:
This indicates that the named desktop entry file describes an application that can edit image/png files. Note that the above is just an example; the desktop entry specification does not currently define this element. See the ?MIME actions specification for more details.
Note also that information added to the database should be static ("gimp can edit PNG files"), not configuration ("gimp is the preferred editor for PNG files"). See the shared configuration system for storing configuration information.
Once you have installed the gimp.xml file, run the update-mime-database command to rebuild the output files. This program checks that the syntax of your file is correct and merges the information in it with that in the other XML files in the packages directory. It then puts the rules for recognising files into one set of files, and the information about each type into other files (eg $XDG_DATA_DIR/mime/image/png.xml), where other programs can access it easily.
When the Gimp is uninstalled, it should remove the gimp.xml file and run update-mime-database again to remove the information from the database.
Submitting patches for the main package
If you have added types that should go in the common freedesktop.org base list of types, you should create an enhancement request on the MIME bugtracker following the instructions in the HACKING file (note that sending the created XML file will not be enough).


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Jayavarman Cruise
- 0 Reviews
Considered the father in Heritage Line's "family" of cruise ships, the majestic Jayavarman was named after Angkor's most venerated king, a devout Buddhist who ruled from 1181 to 1218. King Jayavarman oversaw the construction of some of the most famous temples in Angkor which include Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, and the unforgettable Bayon.
Not only was it inspired by the serenity and artistry associated with this great Khmer monarch but Jayavarman's design was also influenced by the French cruise liner Normandie, which launched in 1935. Traveling the Mekong between My Tho, Vietnam and Siem Reap, Cambodia, Jayavarman marries the art deco charm of 1930's France with the romance of Indochina.
Cabins and suites
Superior Stateroom
- Number of cabins: 14
- Average cabin size: 22 sqm
- Type of cabin: Double/ Twin bed
- Max occupancy: 2 adults
- Private sitting area and balcony
Superior Stateroom
Deluxe Stateroom
- Number of cabins: 4
- Average cabin size: 24 sqm
- Type of cabin: Double/ Twin bed
- Max occupancy: 2 adults
- Private balcony
Signature Stateroom
- Number of cabins: 9
- Average cabin size: 26 sqm
- Type of cabin: King size bed
- Max occupancy: 2 adults
- Private balcony
Services and activities
The hall is natural lighting during the day and romantic with its antique ceiling lights in the evening. It offers freestyle seating and food is served via buffet or set menu.
Henry Houhot Lobby Lounge
The lounge also hosts the boutique shop and the reception. The Lounge has a decidedly scholarly air about it – dark furniture with harmonious Asian fabrics, a fine smell of teak wood; white ceiling and rose-painted walls together with a bunch of stunning Khmer artifacts bring back memories of the past French Colonial era.
Club 1930 Funnel Bar & Lounge
Bar and Lounge
The bar has a warm classical feel and the lounge is spacious and airy. Observe the passing landscape from your dark-wood colonial styled and cushion filled chaise longue or sink in your comfy cane chair for a quick snooze.
Apsara Beauty & Wellness Spa
The room is designed to accommodate two guests at the same time. Selected Asian spa treatments are available ranging from relaxing foot massage up to East Western fusions.
Other choices for cruising trip in Mekong Delta includes Le Cochinchine Cruise or Cai Be Princess.
About discount policy
We apply discount policy for different customers as follows
- From 4 to 8 years old: 50% of adult's fare and sharing bed with parents.
- From 9 to 11 years old: 75% of adult's fare and using existing bed.
- Students with ID card student: 95% of adult's fare and using existing bed.
- Over 11 years old: 100% of adult's fare and using existing bed.
For details about the terms, you can see at Our terms and conditions.


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Rate Sheet
RVPs and SVPs (including Circle of Champions members) earn annual income achieved by fewer than 1% of ACN IBOs. Their success stories and earnings are extraordinary and not typical. Earnings as an ACN IBO are based solely upon the successful sale of products to customers and their usage of those products. Individuals will incur expenses in operating their ACN business, such as the sign-up fee and renewal fee, as well as other possible operating expenses. As with any business, earnings and success at ACN are not guaranteed but depend primarily on the individual's commitment, persistence and effort. Individuals may not earn income and may lose money as an IBO.


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Updated at 7:43 a.m. ET
On the eve of Independence Day, President Trump celebrated at the foot of Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, S.D., with a fireworks display and an impassioned speech against what he called a "new far-left fascism."
About 7,500 attendees won an online ticket lottery sponsored by South Dakota's state tourism department. Despite the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, crowds in red, white and blue were seen packed close together and mostly maskless. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem told Fox News ahead of the event that while free masks would be provided, attendees would not be required to wear them or to practice social distancing.
Trump opened his speech by denouncing the protesters who have called for the removal of Confederate monuments and statues nationwide that have honored Americans who have supported or benefited from slavery. The movement has stemmed from nationwide protests for racial equality following the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky., and the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.
The president called the movement a "merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values and indoctrinate our children."
The president signed an executive order in late June reinforcing an existing law that protects federal monuments. In a tweet, he promised "long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country!"
At Mount Rushmore, Trump announced he was signing another executive order to establish the National Garden of American Heroes, an outdoor park that would hold statues of the "greatest Americans to ever live."
Trump also lamented "cancel culture," which he described as a "political weapon" used to intimidate dissenters and political opponents, calling it "the very definition of totalitarianism." He warned of a far-left agenda that was teaching children in schools to hate their country but said Americans would not succumb to the "web of lies."
"They think the American people are weak and soft and submissive," he said. "But no, the American people are strong and proud, and they will not allow our country and all of its values, history and culture to be taken from them."
In response, the crowd erupted in cheers of "USA! USA!" and "Four more years!"
Protesters had blocked one of the major highways into the site hours before the event. The demonstration was organized by Native American protesters, according toLee Strubinger of South Dakota Public Radio. Many were protesting the Mount Rushmore monument itself, which is carved into a mountain sacred to the Lakota. Demonstrators were also concerned that the fireworks display could damage the mountain. Fireworks had been banned at the site for more than a decade. Others were worried the event would put tribal members at risk of a coronavirus outbreak. About 15 protesters were arrested, according to The Associated Press.
On Friday night, it was announced that Kimberly Guilfoyle, a campaign fundraiser and Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend, had tested positive for the coronavirus. Sergio Gor, chief of staff for the Trump campaign's finance committee, said in a statementthat Guilfoyle was immediately isolated after her positive test result. Trump Jr. tested negative, but the two will cancel future events and self-isolate as a precaution. Guilfoyle is asymptomatic, and Gor said she would be retested to confirm her diagnosis.
On Saturday, Trump is to appear at the Salute To America event and give remarks on the South Lawn of the White House. Like last year, a fireworks display will take place at the National Mall. The Department of the Interior cautioned anyone who planned to view the fireworks on site to practice social distancing and wear face coverings.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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DALLAS, TX, May 23, 2023 – (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) – mindzie, inc. ("mindzie"), a leading provider of AI-driven process mining and business process optimization software, is proud to announce the launch of its groundbreaking Business Process Mining platform now powered by Generative AI. This cutting-edge technology revolutionizes the way organizations analyze, optimize, and find ways to automate their business processes, driving efficiency, productivity, and cost savings.
mindzie's Business Process Mining platform now integrates Generative AI, a breakthrough technology that uses machine learning algorithms to automatically discover, visualize, and analyze business processes. By leveraging this advanced technology, mindzie enables organizations to accelerate their process improvement initiatives and achieve rapid digital transformation.
The revolutionary approach trains the AI on how to think like a "Process Analyst" and leverage mindzie's proprietary block language to provide process insights. The customer's data is never trained on or exposed to the AI keeping it private, safe, and secure.
Users will be able to gain critical business process insights through simple questions like:
– "Show me the bottlenecks in my manufacturing process…"
– "I want to see the conformance and compliance issues…"
– "Graph ReWork overtime by week…"
– "Filter for cases that take longer than 48 hours…"
– "Now tell me the root cause…"
"We are thrilled to introduce our industry-first Business Process Mining platform powered by Generative AI," said James Henderson, mindzie's Chief Executive Officer. "AI is changing the way businesses work; however, data security and safety needs to come first. Our unique approach will allow customers to leverage the power of AI chat to discover process insights, while never exposing their data. Process analysis will no longer be limited to data scientists but will now extend to business users through the power of natural language AI."
The integration of mindzie's Business Process Mining platform with Generative AI marks a significant milestone in the company's commitment to simplification and democratization of process mining and intelligence. With its pioneering use of Generative AI, mindzie continues to push the boundaries of intelligent automation and solidify its position as a leader in the industry.
The mindzie studio is available in Cloud Hosted, Enterprise On-Premise, Desktop Professional Edition, and Free Desktop Edition all enabled with Generative AI. Allowing companies to select the platform that best fits their unique requirements. For more information, please contact https://mindzie.com/contact/
Contact Information
mindzie media
Media Relations
Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)


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Ohio Couple Arrested for Giving Away Their Two-Year-Old Daughter
A young Ohio couple was arrested Thursday after police discovered they had given their neglected 2-year-old daughter to a neighbor 10 days earlier.
Cleveland police received a tip and went to the home of Courtney Followay, 23, and Gavin Aldridge, 24, where they found an emaciated pit bull and fecal matter inside the house, but no child. The officers then discovered Followay and Aldridge had given the little girl away to friends in the neighborhood who agreed to take custody of their daughter if the couple would get help for their alleged drug addiction.
According to the police report, when the child was given away, she had numerous bug bites and her eyes were crusted shut.
Officers took custody of the little girl and gave her to her maternal grandmother, Theresa Cox, after having her examined at a local hospital. The woman seemed to be completely unaware of the situation.
"I can't imagine what this child was thinking about or going through at the time," she said. "That's who concerns me the most. What she went through and why she should have to go through that."
The parents face charges of child endangering, obstructing official business and cruelty to animals.


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Portfolios is a social platform showcasing the achievements, know-how and creativity of students and graduates from LCI Melbourne and other campuses in the LCI Education network. The platform provides students and graduates with the opportunity to exhibit their creations and CVs to the public as well as employers in search of emerging talent.
Students and graduates registered with Portfolios also have access to exclusive job offers, internships and practical advice.


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Replete with spellbinding multiverses, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" topped the 95th Academy Awards nominations with 11 nods. Elsewhere, stories of friendship and family permeated 2022 cinema and the nominations this year, as did big-budget blockbusters.
Some of the nominated films are still in theaters but many are also available online to stream now. Here's where you can find the movies:
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11 nominations. Digital rental.
The A24-produced indie "Everything Everywhere All at Once" has been a critical success and crowd-pleaser since it came out last spring. The film is nominated for best picture and Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu and Jamie Lee Curtis received nods for their performances. Yeoh, Quan and Hsu carry a mind-bending multiverse story about a Chinese American family's disconnection and how they find each other again through the existence of other versions of themselves. The film is available for streaming on Paramount+ with a Showtime add-on.
Nine nominations. HBO Max.
Securing a best picture nomination and nods for Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Kerry Condon, "The Banshees of Inisherin" tells a tale of the ebbs and flows of the friendship between Farrell's Pádraic and Gleeson's Colm while highlighting haunting Irish landscapes. It can be streamed on HBO Max and rented on YouTube and Amazon.
Nine nominations. Netflix.
"All Quiet on the Western Front," an unflinching German-language adaptation of a classic antiwar novel about life and death in the World War I trenches, is nominated for best picture and a slew of other Oscars. The film is available to stream on Netflix.
Eight nominations. HBO Max.
In "Elvis," Baz Luhrmann's vision transforms the relatively unknown former child actor Austin Butler into the King. The unconventional biopic tells the life of Elvis Presley from the perspective of his former manager, Colonel Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks. Butler snagged a best actor nomination and the film received a nod for best picture and director. The film is available to stream on HBO Max.
Eight nominations. Digital rental.
Steven Spielberg's most personal film yet documents the joys and ultimate perils that fragment the Fabelman family forever. In a love letter to film and his family, Spielberg allows viewers to see behind his passion for film and his search for the meaning of family and life. Spielberg is nominated for best director and his film is nominated for best picture, while Michelle Williams up for best actress. The film is available to purchase on Amazon.
Seven nominations. Digital rental.
Cate Blanchett plays a renowned conductor, Lydia Tár. As the titular character, she is cunning, talented and on too high of a pedestal to fall — but she does. "Tár," which is nominated for best picture and best actress, deals with the dichotomy between power and art and takes on the culture wars dominating politics and popular discourse. It is available for rent and purchase on Amazon and iTunes and will stream exclusively on Peacock beginning Jan. 27.
Six nominations. Paramount+.
Thirty-six years after the original "Top Gun," "Top Gun: Maverick" is nominated for best picture. Tom Cruise reprises his role as "Maverick," taking on a leadership and mentor role for supporting cast members Miles Teller and Glen Powell. "Top Gun: Maverick" is available on Paramount+ and Amazon.
Four nominations. Still in theaters.
After a 13-year wait, "Avatar: The Way of Water" delves into the journey of original "Avatar" main character Jake Sully's family through adversity and loss. Director James Cameron builds a spiritual and visually compelling world in this sequel that stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña. Nominated for best picture, the film is still in theaters and is not yet available for streaming.
Four nominations Digital rental.
Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund has created a prickly social satire examining race, wealth, social class and inequality and secured a best director nomination in the process. It stars the late Charlbi Dean and Harris Dickinson as a model/influencer couple who end up on a sponsored yacht trip with other wealthy guests. Chaos ensues when the yacht gets stuck in the middle of a storm and the guests end up on a deserted island. The film later focuses on maid-turned-ringleader Abigail, played by Dolly De Leon. The film is nominated for best picture and it is available to rent on YouTube, Apple TV and Amazon.
Three nominations. Still in theaters.
Brendan Fraser receives a best actor nod for his portrayal of Charlie, the 600-pound central character of "The Whale." Charlie is a father, an English teacher and has terminal health issues that give him a life expectancy of a week. In that week, he attempts to bond with his estranged daughter. The film is based on and adapted from the off-Broadway play by Samuel D. Hunter and also earned a best supporting actress nod for Hong Chau. The film is still in theaters and is not yet available for streaming.
Three nominations. Still in theaters.
From "La La Land" director Damien Chazelle comes a journey into 1920s Hollywood hedonism and a drug-fueled fever dream of the bygone cinematic era. The film stars Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt and newcomer Diego Calva in a three-hour story about filmmaking at a crucial time for American cinema. Earning only three below-the-line nominations, the film is still in theaters and is not yet available for streaming.
Two nominations. Still only in limited theaters.
Director Sarah Polley weaves the story of pervasive sexual assault plaguing the women in a Mennonite community. "Women Talking" is an adaptation of a 2018 book by Miriam Toews. It stars Claire Foy, Rooney Mara and Frances McDormand. The best picture nominee is still in limited theaters and is not yet available for streaming.
Best supporting actress nominee. Still in theaters.
Angela Bassett has been nominated for best supporting actress in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," a superhero movie made in the wake of the death of Chadwick Boseman. She becomes the first actor nominated for a Marvel role. Director Ryan Coogler's film allows the audience to grieve the character T'Challa and Boseman. The film is still in theaters but is coming to Disney+ on Feb. 1.
Best supporting actor nominee. Apple TV+.
Brian Tyree Henry snags a best supporting actor nod in "Causeway," an Apple TV+ drama starring Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence. The film homes in on the relationship between a military engineer (Lawrence) recovering from the effects of a severe brain injury and an auto repair shop mechanic (Henry) living with the guilt and the physical aftereffects of a car accident. The film is available to stream on Apple TV+.
Best actress nominee. Netflix.
Ana de Armas receives her first nod for best actress for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in the adaption of Joyce Carol Oates' novel, "Blonde." The film is not quite a biopic of the late movie star's life; it is more of a bruising narrative told from the perspective of director Andrew Dominik. The film is available to stream on Netflix.
Best adapted screenplay nominee. Netflix.
The sequel to director Rian Johnson's "Knives Out," "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" features the return of Daniel Craig's southern twang-heavy detective Benoit Blanc. The twisty whodunit does what the original did best: allow problematic and murderous rich people to measure their egos and decipher which one is a killer. The film is available to stream on Netflix.
Best actor nominee. Digital rental.
Writer-director Charlotte Wells illustrates the bond between a father/daughter duo portrayed by first-time Oscar nominee Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio. "Aftersun" touches on the pivotal moments in an adolescent life when the world feels so big but childlike wonder starts to fade when the reality of life peeks through the cracks. "Aftersun" is a dreamy, heartwrenching debut from Wells. The film is available for rent on Amazon and YouTube.
Best animated film nominee. Netflix.
The decades-old child's tale "Pinocchio" gets retold through the lens of Guillermo Del Toro's dark mind. This is not the Disney version of "Pinocchio" — in Del Toro's still musical version, themes of fascism are explored. The cast includes Christoph Waltz, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton and Ewan McGregor and it is nominated for best animated film. The film is available to stream on Netflix.
Best international feature nominee. Still in limited theaters.
"EO" is the story of a circus donkey who is taken from his owner and begins a long, spiritual journey through the modern Polish and Italian countrysides, encountering humans both kind and cruel. It is a love letter to animals, directed by Jerzy Skolimowski. "EO" is still in limited theaters and is not yet available for streaming.
Best international feature nominee. Amazon Prime Video.
"Argentina, 1985" establishes the 1985 Trial of the Juntas, a historic moment for Argentina that helped launch the country's democratic future after seven years of military dictatorship. Director Santiago Mitre shaped the classic political thriller into a story about preserving history and the years it takes to receive justice. The film is available to stream on Amazon.
Best documentary feature nominee. Still only in limited theaters.
American photographer Nan Goldin's life's work is told throughout "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed," and it's not just about photography. Directed by Laura Poitras, this documentary dives into Goldin's political activism and how the sticky web of the Sackler family's philanthropic interests in the art world intersected with their pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma, which has faced a barrage of lawsuits alleging that it helped spark an opioid addiction and overdose crisis. The film is nominated for best documentary feature. It is still in limited theaters and is not yet available for streaming.
Best animated film nominee. Digital rental.
"Marcel the Shell With Shoes On," is a feature-length, stop-motion animation film based on the YouTube shorts made by Jenny Slate, who voices Marcel in a high-pitched octave, and director Dean Fleischer Camp. The experience of being small, cute and unassuming is the heart of the film about a mollusk. The film is available to rent on Amazon.
Best animated film nominee. Disney+.
"Turning Red" is the first Pixar movie directed solely by a woman. Helmed by Domee Shi, who also made the Oscar-winning short "Bao," the animated film is a coming-of-age tale about a Chinese Canadian eighth-grader who turns into a big, fluffy red panda — a walking metaphor for growing young womanhood. The film is nominated for best animated film. "Turning Red" is available to stream on Disney+.
Best original song. Netflix.
S.S. Rajamouli's three-hour maximalist action epic "RRR" is one of India's most expensive — and top-grossing — films of all time. It pairs two of Tollywood's biggest stars, N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, as revolutionaries fighting against the British colonialists in 1920. The film, nominated for best song, topped Netflix's streaming charts over the summer and is still available to watch there.


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PLAYERS 1 to 4 | MINUTES 30 to 60 | AGE 14+ |
This is an expansion and requires the base game to play: No
Tiny Epic Tactics utilizes a simple combat system with variable player powers and 3-D terrain to achieve endless layers of strategy and fun.
Tiny Epic Tactics offers competitive play, cooperative play and solo play!
Conquer your opponents in tactical combat where every calculated move matters... or journey across the land and through the caves in a grand cooperative/solo adventure!
Nesting inside the game box are 5 smaller boxes and a map/scroll. Players will set up the game by placing these 5 boxes, plus the box bottom, onto the scroll in designated areas. This creates the environment that players will explore and battle across.
In Tiny Epic Tactics, players will have a team of four unique heroes: a Fighter, a Wizard, a Rogue and a Beast. Each hero type, and each character within that type, offers unique advantages to movement, attacks, and/or support. Finding the synergy in your team is key to victory.
In competitive play, players will pit their teams against one another in effort to score the most victory points by the end of the game. Each turn, players will have three actions to assign across their team. They can move and/or attack with their heroes. Victory points are rewarded for area control, enemy heroes captured, and keeping your own heroes alive. Gaining complete control of one, or multiple, specific areas offers the most victory points in competitive play. Gaining control of said areas requires your heroes maintaining majority presence in these areas over the course of a few turns. This requires a careful balance of offense and defense. The control of these areas can easily shift from one player to another based on which player has the majority heroes present in the designated spaces. Once a set number of areas are captured, or one of the players has lost all of their heroes, the end game is triggered.
Tiny Epic Tactics offers a distinctly different experience for solo and cooperative play. In these modes, players will adventure across the map, fighting spawning enemies and exploring caves (printed on the interior of each of the boxes). The goal is to acquire treasures, that belongs to the enemy, from these caves while keeping your heroes alive. Once the end of the game is triggered, victory points are tallied based on how many treasures you took from the enemy and how many of your heroes you kept alive.


text: Grumpy Cat hates you! Well actually no, she tolerates you but she just looks really peeved. Catch her in all her glory on this Keychain as she explains "I had fun once, it was awful." This Keychain will remind everyone that those are YOUR keys, not theirs. You will fill the halls with your Grump-itude and your keys will jangle the jeers of sarcasm.


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- Updated On:
- April 27, 2022
Paul D. 'Doug' Agarwal was raised in Bloomfield, Michigan, where he attended Michigan Technological University, and studied Metallurgical Engineering. His father, Dr. Paul Agarwal, was the renowned head of electrical engineering at General Motors Research Laboratories in the 1970's and 1980's, and also an entrepreneur, who held over 60 patents with the company including the electric power steering and anti-lock braking systems.
After relocating to Austin in 1980, Doug began his real estate career in brokerage with several firms over a span of 11 years. He spent his first 4 years at a boutique residential brokerage, and the following 5 years at Henry S. Miller, where he excelled as Austin's top multi-family producer in 1985, 1987, and 1988, and was a Texas Top 10 Producer in 1987 and 1988. During this time, he also started his own brokerage entity, Capital Commercial Consultants, Inc., through which he sold 4,880 multifamily units for a total transaction volume of over $100 million.
In 1992, Doug founded Capital Commercial Investments, Inc., to serve as a vehicle for contrarian value-add real estate investments across the United States. After over 200 limited partnerships and 30 years in the business, CCI has developed an exceptional base of private and institutional investors, oversees $1.5 billion in Assets Under Management, and continues to successfully reposition commercial real estate into stabilized assets.
Michael Brigance is an Executive Vice President of Asset Management at CCI. He is responsible for overseeing the performance of the firm's Dallas portfolio and leads the negotiation of CCI's largest leases in the region.
Michael Brigance contributes over 25 years of real estate investment experience. Prior to CCI, he was a founding partner at Corporate USA Real Estate, which is a management firm that has managed over 30 million square feet of space to date to clients that include Mellon Investment Management and Mutual of New York. Corporate Real Estate has also leased over 23 million square feet to date and has overseen the construction of over 52 million square feet since inception.
Michael received a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Oklahoma and holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University.
Robb Buchanan is an Executive Vice President at CCI. He is responsible for all aspects of the company's operations and focuses on the pursuit of acquisitions and dispositions, development opportunities, and structures partnership agreements with private and institutional equity. He is an active member of its Investment Committee. Since joining CCI in 1998, he has gained extensive experience in commercial real estate investment and development throughout the South and Southwestern United States, having completed in excess of $2 billion of real estate transactions during his career. He is responsible for joint ventures via syndication with our extensive network of High Net Worth (HNW), Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) individuals and families, Single Family Offices (SFO) and institutional clients. Robb has a proven track record in diverse areas of raising capital through alternative means including crowd funding, and he has an extensive background in the field of office, industrial and land asset classes. He has been responsible for acquisitions closing coordination, oversight of loans and equity partnership, and investor relations.
A native Texan, Robb has lived in the Austin Area since 1994 and have served in a leadership capacity of numerous professional and community service organizations. He considers charitable works of great importance. He holds a real estate brokerage license in the State of Texas and is a Notary Public.
Robb's education includes B.A. studies in Computer Science and Photojournalism at the University of Texas at Austin. He is an Eagle Scout and an active member of his church.
Trey Guajardo currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for Capital Commercial Investments. In this capacity, Trey is primarily responsible for increasing profitability and operating performance by implementing best practices in the areas of Acquisitions, Asset Management, and general Portfolio Management. Prior to joining CCI in 2019, Trey held executive positions with USAA Real Estate Company over his 24-year tenure. As the Acquisitions lead for the Western half of the U.S., he completed $1 billion in acquisitions consisting of office and industrial projects. Later, as Executive Director, Head of Asset Management for USAA Real Estate Company's national office portfolio, his responsibilities included the performance of the company's office portfolio, consisting of approximately 13 million square feet of quality office properties valued in excess of $7.5 billion, risk management, direction of leasing and property management and financial reporting.
Trey received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi in 1994. Trey is a member of the San Antonio/South Texas CCIM Chapter. He received his Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation in 2001.
Teddy Childers is a Vice President of Asset Management at CCI. He is responsible for overseeing the firm's portfolio and monitoring asset performance.
Prior to CCI, Teddy was on the Asset Management team at USAA Real Estate Company for 12 years, where he oversaw the operation and performance of office properties primarily in the Southeast and West Coast. His portfolio while at USAA included 30+ assets in excess of 4 million square feet and $2.5 billion in value. He has completed over 250 lease transactions totaling more than 4.0 million square feet, and he has led 12 asset dispositions exceeding $1 billion in value. Prior to USAA, Teddy began his real estate career as an analyst at InvestWood Capital, where he underwrote CMBS loan originations.
Teddy received a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas A&M University.
Bio coming soon.
Andrew Lodeesen is a Vice President of Development at CCI. He leads the firm's repositioning strategies, project management, and capital planning.
Prior to CCI, Andrew was the Director of Project Development at Peloton, now a portfolio company of Cushman & Wakefield. While at Peloton, Andrew oversaw an average of 65 projects across 1,000,000 RSF and an annual budget of $22MM. He also brings experience from CBRE, Town of Jupiter, and Karcher.
Andrew has a B.B.A. in Business Administration from Northwood University and holds several professional licenses, including LEED AP, PMP, General Contractor, and Structural Building Inspector.
Jonathan Sandstrom Hill joined CCI as General Counsel in 2015. He is responsible for all legal affairs relating to CCI, including deal structure, risk mitigation, acquisitions, and dispositions. He spends a significant amount of his time on transactional matters related to assets owned by CCI.
Prior to joining CCI, he was a trial attorney at the Ross Law Group focusing on employment and business litigation. Jonathan received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from Boston College.
John Reed is a Senior Vice President of Acquisitions for CCI. With over 35 years of experience in commercial real estate, he leads acquisitions and dispositions, feasibility analysis, and sources debt and equity.
Prior to CCI, he was a Senior Vice President at Midnational Investments, where he led the acquisitions, dispositions, asset management and sourced debt and equity for the firm.
John received a B.A. in Business Management from Texas State University.
Kris Keck is a Vice President of Acquisitions at CCI. He leads the firm's land acquisitions efforts and manages CCI's investor relations.
Prior to Capital Commercial, Kris was an Anesthesiologist from Capitol Anesthesiology Association and was a Resident and Staff Anesthesiologist for the United States Air Force.
Kris received his M.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. He holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of New Mexico.
Roger Shipp is a Senior Vice President of Acquisitions at CCI. Mr. Shipp, along with CCI's financial analytical team, is directly involved in sourcing, researching, modeling, structuring and negotiating potential acquisitions for the company. Prior to joining CCI, Roger served as a Senior Vice President of Acquisitions, Development and Leasing from two boutique real estate investment firms. Roger also spent several years in a strategic leasing role at The Taubman Company, where he sourced, structured and negotiated some of the largest and most complex lease transactions in the company's history at the time. Roger also led a team of financial analysts in a role as a Regional Vice President of Financial Advisory Services at CBRE, where he oversaw the due diligence, cash flow modeling, asset pricing and deal-structuring throughout the deal negotiation lifecycle. These transactions included major real estate acquisitions, dispositions, built-to-suit, and large-scale leasing transactions, with extraordinary success in institutional shopping center, office and multi-family transactions. Roger was also a Senior Real Estate Consultant at Price Waterhouse Coopers, where he focused on cash-flow oriented valuation and investment feasibility engagements, of complex, institutional-level real estate projects throughout the United States.
Roger holds a Master in Real Estate Development from Texas A&M University. He also holds a B.B.A. in Finance from Sam Houston State University and a B.B.A. in Accounting from Texas State University. He previously earned both his CPA and MAI designations, and has earned real estate broker's licenses in Texas, California, Georgia and Alabama.
Sam Mainord is a Senior Vice President of Development at CCI. He works out of the Houston office on CCI's repositioning strategies for the Houston portfolio. Sam was previously a partner at Resource Development Group, a real estate investment and development group specializing in shopping center, office condominium, and land development in Houston in Austin.
Sam holds a Master in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Oklahoma School of Architecture. He received a B.S. from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Kalen is an Investor Relations Associate at CCI. She is responsible for building relationships with existing and new investors and creating marketing materials for raising equity and debt.
Prior to CCI, Kalen worked in the Custom Brand Marketing division of YETI Coolers, where she managed over 100 clients and accounts on a weekly basis. She also brings marketing experience from QuantHub and African Safari Corporation.
Kalen holds a B.A. in Marketing from Texas A&M University.
Bo Rodman is a Vice President of Capital Markets at CCI. He leads the firms debt acquisition efforts by establishing and maintaining strong relationships with potential lenders for CCI's newly added and existing portfolio.
Bo brings over 7 years of commercial banking experience to CCI, having served as a vice president of lending at a couple banks prior to him joining in 2020. He has strong relationships with many banks in Texas and also brings powerful equity partners to CCI's investor network.
Bo received a B.A. from Texas A&M University.
Matt Dominguez works for the Capital Markets team at CCI. Following his time in the U.S. office he moved to London to set-up our European base, concentrating on raising capital through foreign institutions, family offices and HNW individuals.
He has previous experience in the finance industry working for Tradition on their Frontier markets team and most recently Cantor, trading forwards on their Eastern European desk. Matt has a first-class honors BS, along with a Masters in Business from The University of St. Andrews, Scotland.
Alexander Horton works for the Capital Markets team at CCI. He joined our European office to concentrate on raising capital through foreign institutions, family offices and HNW individuals. Prior to CCI, he worked for Universis Trading, Madrid, Spain, where he was responsible for deal sourcing, financial analysis and client reporting. Alexander received a B.S. from The University of Plymouth, England.
Corbin Brown is an Associate Asset Manager on the Asset Management team at CCI. He is responsible for monitoring asset level performance and ensuring the business plans for the Austin portfolio are realized. Corbin brings a wealth of experience across various asset types to CCI. Before joining CCI, Corbin was the Senior Acquisitions and Development Analyst for Rastegar Property in Austin, TX where he sourced and modeled over $500MM in value add multifamily properties. Prior to joining Rastegar Property, Corbin worked with Newmark, Knight, Frank in Atlanta, GA where he modeled over $1.5 billion in ground-up developments and medical office space including urgent care sites, regional cancer centers and hospital campuses. Corbin began his CRE career in the Value Add Grocer Anchored Retail Sector at Gemini Real Estate Advisors based in Charlotte, NC.
Corbin received a B.B.A. in Business Management from the University of North Carolina. He also holds both a Master in Real Estate Development and Finance and a MBA from the University of North Carolina.
Ben Sobczak is a Financial Analyst on the Asset Management team at Capital Commercial Investments in the Austin office. He is responsible for financial modeling, asset level performance, dispositions, and due diligence. Prior to CCI, he was an analyst at Marcus and Millichap where he led the financial analysis for over $200MM in multifamily properties. Ben was also an analyst at St. Croix Capital where he provided research and underwriting support for the firm's acquisitions team.
Ben is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Economics.
Reasat Bhuiyan joined CCI as a Financial Analyst in 2020. He works in the Austin office on the acquisitions and development team. He is responsible for financial modeling, due diligence, and capital markets activity for CCI's nationwide portfolio. Prior to CCI, Reasat was an intern at Endeavor and Marcus & Millichap, where he learned how to perform financial underwriting and investment analysis across a variety of project types.
Reasat received a B.B.A. in Finance from the McCombs' School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.
John-Bradley Greene is a Financial Analyst for the Acquisitions team at CCI in the Houston office. He is responsible for financial analysis, due diligence, and market research.
Prior to CCI, JB was a Market Research Analyst for SVN|Riverstone CRE, where he provided support on site selection, tenant representation, and investment sales. He also performed underwriting for all major property types while at SVN|Riverstone CRE. JB also brings analyst experience from Place Development USA, a mixed-use development and urban planning company.
JB received a B.B.A in Management from Texas A&M University. He also received his Master of Real Estate from Texas A&M University.
Logan Jones is a Financial Analyst on the Acquisitions and Development teams in the Austin office. He is responsible for construction management and supports acquisition financial modeling on the capital side.
Prior to CCI, Logan was a Development Intern for National Property Holdings, where he supported the construction management of 1.5 million square feet of industrial developments. He was also a Project Engineer Intern for Vaughn Construction.
Logan received a B.S. in Construction Science from Texas A&M University, and holds a Master of Real Estate degree from the Texas A&M Mays School of Business.
Christian Dillard is a Construction Manager at CCI. He oversees the construction process of the firm's repositioning strategies for the Dallas portfolio. Christian has over 40 years of experience in construction, having owned several contracting companies that perform real estate design services.
Christian holds a B.A. from the University of North Texas.
Tracy Short is an Associate Asset Manager with more than 20 years of professional business experience. Focused on developing business plans to maximize total return for each of CCI's assets and identifying opportunities for improved performance, Tracy is responsible for CCI's Austin, Dallas, and national portfolio. Prior to CCI, Tracy was the Regional Vice President at a CRE Tech company where she oversaw regional sales and marketing efforts designed to expand market share. She also worked in Tenant Advisory and Agency Leasing at Transwestern.
Tracy received a B.B.A. in Marketing from Texas Tech University.
Michael Tabler is the Assistant Controller at CCI. He is responsible for process management, compliance reporting, and general ledger management.
Prior to CCI, Michael spent 4 years as a property accountant with Summit Hotel Properties, a hospitality REIT in Austin, Texas, where he focused on SOX Controls, process improvement, and portfolio month-end reporting analysis.
Michael received a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin and holds a Master of Accountancy from Texas State University. Michael is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Jason Bucy is an Events and Venue Management Associate at CCI. He is responsible for the marketing, sales, and event operations for CCI's portfolio of event spaces.
Prior to CCI, Jason worked in Experiential Marketing for Civic Entertainment Group, where he managed production for an international B2B tour promoting Verizon's 5G infrastructure. He also brings experience from Comic Con, SXSW, and Nike Air Max Day.
Jason received a B.A. in Advertising from the University of Oklahoma.
Derik Morales is an Accountant at CCI. He is responsible for reconciling corporate accounts, note investments, and assists in GL auditing. He comes to CCI after contracting for several different companies in accounting. He brings experience in reconciling AP, AR, franchise taxes and tax returns, and is rehearsed in helping prior companies structure budgets and refine their accounting procedures.
Derik received his B.A. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin. He also served several years as a United States Marine.
Jimmie Fudge is an Asset Manager at CCI in the Houston office. He is responsible for overseeing the execution of the business plan for CCI's Houston portfolio and monitoring asset performance on a property management level. Prior to CCI, Jimmie was a property manager at Cushman & Wakefield.
Jimmie received a B.S. in Management from the University of Houston – Clear Lake.
Tammy is a Senior Accountant at CCI. She is responsible for overseeing the reconciliation of corporate accounts and processing transactions between CCI-owned entities.
Prior to CCI, Tammy was an accountant for a non-profit group, but also brings with her real estate accounting experience. She also has experience with accounting for logistics, e-commerce, and has worked in public accounting.
Tammy holds a Master of Accountancy from Texas State University. She also received her B.B.A. in Accounting from Texas State University.
Canaan Clark-Bateman is a Financial Analyst on the Acquisitions team in the Austin office. He is responsible for market research, financial analysis, and due diligence. Before starting as an analyst for CCI in 2022, Canaan was an intern for the acquisitions team beginning in May of 2021, and provided intern support until he joined full-time. Prior to his CCI internship, Canaan worked as an analyst for SVN|Riverstone, where he provided financial analysis, market research, and deal sourcing for the sales, leasing, and development teams. He has also interned for Riverside Resources and Cushman & Wakefield.
Canaan received a B.S. in Economics from Texas A&M. He also holds a Master of Real Estate degree from Texas A&M.
Rob Evans has been involved in real estate asset management, property management and investment since 1990 starting his career at Granite Properties of Texas. Prior to re-joining Capital Commercial Investments in August 2022, Mr. Evans served as Vice President-Asset Management at M-M Properties from 2016 through 2022 and Senior Vice President-Investment Management at NAI Houston from 2014 through 2016. Prior to this, Mr. Evans served as Managing Director-Operations at Capital Commercial Investments, Inc. and was responsible for the asset management of a $500 million portfolio totaling in excess of 6,000,000 square feet. Mr. Evans holds a BA in Economics, with a minor in Government, from The University of Texas at Austin.
As Business Development Director, I focus on commercial construction projects in the Austin area including, healthcare, retail, and tenant improvement.
With 20 years in marketing, sales, customer service, client relations and management, I've honed the following skills:
Identifying KPIs
Partner Sales
Business Analytics
Social Media Marketing/ Management
Relationship Building
Overcoming with Objections
Active Listening
Cold Calling
Team building
Product Knowledge
Strategic Prospecting
Time Management
Recent graduate from UT Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the Cockrell School of Engineering in addition to an Entrepreneurship Minor from the McCombs School of Business. Aligning with my love of buildings and development, my professional experiences have been in commercial real estate finance as well as commercial construction management.
I am a problem solver by nature and a lifelong learner, and I am always looking for opportunities to hone and expand my skillset! To view some of the academic projects I have completed, visit my website (also linked in my 'Contact Info' section above): scottgriffintx.wordpress.com
Murray Jardine is Senior Vice President of Asset Management at CCI focusing on the portfolio of investments in the DFW market. Additionally, he works with CCI's development team on land planning and supports the firm's acquisition efforts in Dallas.
Murray has nearly 30 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry with experience in acquisitions, development, asset management, and portfolio management. Prior to CCI, he was a founding partner at Alterra Capital Management, a Dallas-based firm focused on mixed-use development projects in growth markets. He also spent time at TIER REIT where he led the firm's acquisition efforts and served in a variety of roles at Sarofim Realty Advisors, Highgate Holdings, and Archon Group. Collectively, Murray has been responsible for the acquisition, design, development, and management of 7.2 million SF of space valued at over $2.6 billion.
Murray received a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from The
University of Texas at Austin.
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Polls or Fundamentals in N.Y. 1st District Race?
I have been watching New York's 1st district since I came to Washington, D.C., in 1980.
The suburban district on the east end of Long Island has often had competitive races and has flipped from one party to the other a number of times during the past 30 years.
I saw incumbent Bill Carney (R) win re-election that November, and I watched George Hochbrueckner (D) win the seat when Carney retired four years later. I saw Republican Michael Forbes beat Hochbrueckner in 1994, and I watched Forbes switch parties and then lose his bid for the Democratic nomination in 2000.
Later that same year, I saw Republican Felix Grucci win the open seat, and only two years later, I saw Grucci lose to Democrat Tim Bishop. And in 2010, I watched Bishop win re-election against GOP challenger Randy Altschuler by just 593 votes in one of the closest outcomes in the country.
That history is why I was surprised by a July 17-18 Garin-Hart-Yang survey for the House Majority PAC, a Democratic super PAC, that showed Bishop leading Altschuler by a stunning 24 points, 56 percent to 32 percent, in this year's rematch.
It's not that the five-term Bishop shouldn't have a slight advantage this year. He survived the 2010 GOP wave, so it isn't unreasonable to think that he is more likely than not to survive again (which is why my newsletter rates the race as Tossup/Tilt Democratic). But a 24-point lead?
Not surprisingly, I had to wait only a few days until Altschuler started crowing about the results of his new poll, conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, which uses "automated polling methodology and procedures licensed from Rasmussen Reports, LLC."
The survey showed Altschuler leading Bishop by 4 points, 47 percent to 43 percent. That's not impossible. But the survey also showed presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney ahead of President Barack Obama 54 percent to 40 percent in the district, which is very hard to believe.
Obama beat Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the district by about 3 points in 2008, 51 percent to 48 percent, so it's certainly possible that Obama would trail in the district by a point or two now. But a 14-point lead and Obama drawing only 40 percent?
So, I'm stuck with two very different surveys. What should I believe?
Let's start with the polls themselves. The Democratic survey is a traditional poll conducted by a respected polling firm. The GOP survey is an automated survey conducted by a polling firm without much of a track record and appears to be connected with Rasmussen Research, a GOP firm that is not usually included in a list of the most respected survey firms.
Interestingly, Pulse Opinion Research isn't Altschuler's regular polling firm. John McLaughlin of McLaughlin & Associates, an established GOP firm, did the Republican hopeful's polling last cycle and will do it again this year. My guess is that when the Altschuler campaign saw the House Majority PAC survey, it decided to do what most insiders refer to as a "quick and dirty survey" to rebut the Democratic poll.
While the Pulse Opinion Research poll showed Romney leading in the presidential race in the 1st district by 14 points,
Garin-Hart-Yang had Obama up by
5 points, 49 percent to 44 percent.
Given where the presidential race is nationally and how the district voted four years ago, I would expect current polling to show something from a small Obama lead to a small Romney lead. The president's lead in the House Majority PAC might be a few points too big, but it's probably a better reflection of the competitiveness of the race than the Pulse Opinion Research survey.
The two surveys also had different results on Bishop's and Altschuler's name identification.
The Garin-Hart-Yang survey showed Bishop's image at 45 percent positive/
27 percent negative. It found Altschuler's at 25 percent positive/24 percent negative. The Pulse Opinion Research automated survey found Bishop's ID at
50 percent favorable/43 percent unfavorable and Altschuler's at 53 percent favorable/34 percent unfavorable.
Even though Altschuler and Bishop ran against each other in 2010, it's hard to believe that about 90 percent of likely voters now have an opinion of both men, as the GOP survey showed. And after the bitter race last time, it seems unlikely that both candidates would have favorable ratings of more than 50 percent.
Which survey should you believe? I can't be sure, so I tend to fall back on the district's fundamentals and look for reasons the 2012 vote might be different from the results of two years ago.
Maybe Suffolk County is changing. After all, less than a year ago, Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone (D) defeated Republican nominee Angie Carpenter, the county's treasurer, to become the new Suffolk County executive.
But it's always wise not to read too much into a local election. Bellone, 42, outspent his 68-year-old GOP opponent heavily, and Carpenter wasn't regarded as a strong candidate. And Bellone's record in Babylon of cutting taxes and cutting town employees isn't particularly identified with the national Democratic Party.
There is one obvious way the 2012 contest differs significantly from the 2010 race, but it benefits Altschuler.
Bishop was the Independence Party nominee in 2010, and he earned 7,370 votes on its line. But this year, Altschuler is the Independence Party nominee, and that development alters the 2010 baseline vote for the two candidates and changes the arithmetic of the 2012 race.
Certainly a presidential year electorate is different from a midterm electorate, especially a Republican wave midterm electorate. But, considering the weakness of the national economy, will the different electorate benefit Bishop or Altschuler? While Obama won the 1st district narrowly in 2008, he isn't likely to do as well this year.
The bottom line? Obama carried the district with 51 percent four years ago. Bishop won by 593 votes last time. Altschuler locked up the GOP nomination earlier this time than he did two years ago.
In other words, no matter what various polls now show, you don't have to go far out on a limb to expect a close race in New York's 1st district in November.
Stuart Rothenberg is editor of the Rothenberg Political Report.


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Visitor Information
Visit Your Loved Ones
Visitors are encouraged to visit friends and family members. Visiting hours are open but we encourage you to check with admission or the main desk prior to visiting to make sure your visit occurs at the most appropriate time.
Contact Us With Your Questions
If you have questions concerning visiting hours or to find the best times to visit your friends and family members feel free to Contact Us.


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Eric Church Won't Attempt an Undertaking Like the Double Down Tour Again
Country music superstar Eric Church might have found out what his limitations were after embarking on his Double Down Tour. Church, whose tour plays two nights in each city he hits, discovered how demanding the process can be, especially where there is not an opening act on tour with him.
In short: While this is an extraordinary feat and most certainly a tedious one, Church will most likely not attempt it again.
Church opened up to his record label UMG Nashville about the experience, saying, "You had your Friday night set and your Saturday night set, but then you have people that came to both nights.
"I feel like from now on, I hope that we can focus on those people that come one night of the year that they've traveled however many miles, they want to hear 'Round Here Buzz,' they get to hear 'Round Here Buzz,' and I still want it to be unique.
"I want it to be different, but I don't know if [I'd do] another tour like this," he admits.
However, Church does not regret his decision to embark on the tour with its parameters. Rather, he is more appreciative and thankful that he did it, especially when it comes to the fans coming out to support him.
"I love that we did it," he says. "I love that it was a success. I love that there were people that came to both nights and got it. There were people that came to one of the two nights and got it, but at the same time, it's not something I would do again. I think that's good...We stretched and you're not gonna get to see it again."
The tour has been a huge success for Church. With only one performance in Nashville, Church broke an attendance record that was previously held by Taylor Swift. Church's Nashville show attracted a crowd of 56,521 people at Nissan Stadium.
Church launched the Double Down Tour in support of his latest record Desperate Man, which was the singer-songwriter's first release since the colossal success of his previous record Mr. Misunderstood.
Church's Double Down Tour continues until the end of November this year. For tickets and a list of remaining dates, you can visit his website.
Learn Your Favorite Country Stars' Real Names


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This is a 1.5 x 4.5 metre, double hinged end door, skillion roof garden shed with single sliding side door.
As this shed has a sliding door you don't need the swing space required for hinged doors. This saves space for paths or when you are close to a fence. It is also ideal to position under the carport, next to the car. You never have to worry about the shed door dinging the car. We use light industrial tracks on all our sliding door sheds. Each door has 16 rollers, 8 top and 8 bottom, that roll in a "C" section channel. This sliding door system is superior to the plastic glide system that is commonly used in garden sheds. It costs slightly more but the added expense pays off in the longer term with less maintenance and fewer jamming issues.
Narrow garden sheds 4.5 metres in length are hard to find. So, we developed an extensive range of this size to suit a wide range of situations. These narrow garden sheds are ideal for the space between the house and the fence. They are also great to run down driveways or along the back fence.
A shed like this can turn wasted space into valuable outside storage and add value to your home.
The 1.5 metre end of this shed opens right up with double doors to give a 1420mm opening. This is ideal for ride on mowers, mobility scooters or even motorcycles. We include a heavy-duty bottom channel protector ramp so getting large, heavy equipment in and out of this shed is easy and you don't damage the bottom channel.
We use light industrial tracks on all our sliding door sheds. Each door has 16 rollers, 8 top and 8 bottom, that roll in a "C" section channel. This sliding door system is superior to the plastic glide or single wheel systems that are commonly used in garden sheds.
Inferior – single wheel bracket 2 per door bottom mounted only.
Inferior – single plastic peg glide 2 per door top mounted only.
Superior – 4 wheel bogie - 2 top + 2 bottom - 16 wheels per door.
We use hot dipped galvanized steel in our garden sheds that is tested to an International Standard ASTM-A653, it is either standard galvanized or galvanized then coated with a polyester color coating.
The coated steel is tested to a further International Standard ASTM-A755M. Every batch of steel we buy is independently tested to ensure it meets these standards.
Over the years we have learned that 0.32 thick steel provides the best performance/value ratio for garden sheds. So, this is the steel we use for our full range of sheds.
We are happy to offer a 30-year warranty on our garden sheds, as we know we use quality steel. If you want to read more about International Standard ASTM-A653 click here.
A lot of people ask do you use Colorbond© Steel? Colorbond is a trademark of Bluescope Steel for their coated steel. We do not use Colorbond steel in our sheds.
However, our Midland Green color is equivalent to a Colorbond color called Pale Eucalypt© Sandrift Cream is equivalent to a Colorbond color called Paperbark© and our Onyx Grey is equivalent to a Colorbond color called Monument© These are probably the most common steel colors used architecturally today.


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BA. Purpose, Powers and Responsibilities of the Board
The purpose of the Board of Regents is to provide for the program and welfare of the College and to establish the policies that govern the College's organization and operation.
The Board, composed of lay members, shall exercise the traditional and time-honored role as it has evolved and shall constitute the keystone of the governance structure. In this regard, the Board:
- Is expected to preserve institutional independence and to defend its right to manage its own affairs through its chosen administrators and employees.
- Shall enhance the public image of the College.
- Shall interpret the community to the College and interpret the College to the community.
- Shall nurture the College to the end that it achieves its full potential within its role and mission.
- Shall provide for financial resources to support institutional goals.
- Shall appoint the President of the College, conduct periodic evaluations of the President's performance, and assist the President in the achievement of performance goals.
- Shall establish and periodically review the mission of the College.
- Shall establish goals consistent with the role and mission of the College.
Education Code 51.352(a), 51.352(d)
All authority not vested by the laws of the State of Texas in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or in the Texas Education Agency shall be reserved and retained locally in the College District or in the Board as provided in applicable law. Education Code 130.002
Date Issued: March 10, 2005
Revision Issued: November 15, 2012