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On Sunday, April 10, 2016, world renowned and much-decorated Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and his acclaimed fellow musicians, James Ehnes, violin, Tabea Zimmermann, viola and Clemens Hagen, cello, performed a thrilling all Brahms concert, his three piano quartets (Opus. 25, 26 and 60) at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago.
The two and one-half hour concert was lyrically beautiful, led by the ardent Andsnes who took the lead from the very beginning with the rich and complex No. 1 in G minor, sustained control through the less commonly performed but densely romantic No. 2 in A major and held it until the last notes of what many believe to be composer Johannes Brahms' paean to Clara Schumann, the more compact but no less thrilling No. 3 in C minor. Andsnes, who has attained rock star status in Norway, is a pianist at the very peak of his considerable powers. Confident and strong, his hands like sculpted birds, he was a joy to hear and to behold.
The Piano Quartet in G minor, Op.25, composed by Brahms between 1856 and 1861 premiered in 1861 in Hamburg, with Clara Schumann playing the piano. It was also performed in Vienna the following year by the Hellmesberger Quartet with Brahms himself at the piano. The quartet, orchestrated by Arnold Schoenberg in 1937, is structured in four movements. The allegro begins immediately with the first theme for piano alone, with the other instruments soon joining and developing an additional 5 themes. Secondly, the intermezzo and trio, which contains consistently repeated eighth notes creating an almost agitated effect. Thirdly, the slow andante, with a very poetic first idea and a second idea bringing back the repeated eighth notes from the intermezzo, and then presenting a second theme which is rhythmic, exuberant and energetic. Finally, the fourth movement, or rondo, (marked "presto"), whose subtitle "Rondo alla zingarese" has given it the nickname "Gypsy Rondo'; like many of Brahms' endings, it contains a very rapid, rhythmic simple tonal idea. This movement is notably difficult to play, rhythmically and metrically complex; when the ensemble came to the end, there were spontaneous calls of "Bravo" and audible gasps of delight from the audience.
The Piano Quartet in A major, Op. 26, was completed in 1861, and premiered in November 1863 by the Hellmesberger Quartet with the composer playing the piano. Lasting approximately 55 minutes, it's the composer's longest piece of chamber music, performed immediately after the intermission. The first movement, allegro non troppo, is in sonata form. The second movement, poco adagio, is in rondo form. The third movement, scherzo: poco allegro, is a scherzo and trio in compound ternary form, where both the scherzo and trio are in sonata form. Finally, the fourth movement, allegro, is in sonata form with foreshortened recapitulation. The main theme of this quartet has been described by Orrin Howard, Director of Publications and Archives for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as four piano-alone measures "that float in gentle triplets and regular eighth notes, met by cello at the fifth measure, with an important, frequently present scale figure. This benign lyricism is soon to rouse the piano to a powerful outburst". On Sunday, this reviewer frequently observed Andsnes' hands moving with enormous strength, propelled by his back and shoulders, his rapt face bent forward, moving through the romantic drama of this piece.
The Piano Quartet in C minor, known as the Werther Quartet, was completed much later than the first two, in 1875, and also consists of four movements. The first, allegro non troppo, in sonata form, begins with the piano playing bare octaves, and then the three others play the first theme, a "sighing" motive, which many have speculated is a musical utterance of the name "Clara", the wife of composer Robert Schumann, herself a composer, pianist, and lifelong friend, colleague, and love interest of Brahms. Also contained within the first movement is Brahm's transposed version of Robert Schumann's "Clara theme", on which both Brahms and Clara had previously written variations. Next, the piece sweeps into a tempestuous scherzo in the second section, followed by the andante in E major, the only movement of the quartet not in C minor. Finally, the finale, with the piano accompaniment beginning immediately, ends with the music quietly subsiding , the piano playing one last descending chromatic scale, until the piano and strings reach their final notes. Two sudden C major chords complete this quartet, after which the audience exploded with applause, calling out "Leif, Leif", and "Yay!"
Throughout the remarkable performance, Clemens Hagen, award-winning Austrian cellist, a soloist who has toured throughout the world, and a professor at the Mozarteum since 1989, dressed in white tie and tails, sat stage right across from violin and viola, and resembled the famous statue of Beethoven in Vienna. The leonine white head nodding and drooping as he sometimes gently, sometimes ferociously, always proudly plied the bow. His entire body bent and swayed with the effort; he at all times appeared to be listening to the cello, the instrument an extension of his person. By contrast, Canadian concert violinist James Ehnes, dressed (as was Andsnes) in a dark business suit, sat stage left, the beautiful Stradivarius tucked securely under his chin, often smiling gently, but upright and still, only his right arm flying. The winner of 9 Junos, a Grammy and a Gramaphone award, the brilliant violinist stood in at the last minute for Christian Tetzlaff, awaiting an imminent birth, and performed admirably. Tabea Zimmermann, German viola player, sat center, clad in vibrant black and red, playing the superb instrument she won at competition in Paris in 1983. This international prize winner and professor since 2002 of viola and chamber music at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin has performed with numerous major orchestras. Her calm yet enthusisastic manner rounded out the truly magnificent concert.
For more wonderful music from the Chicago Symphony and it's varied series, go to www.cso.com


text:
200W LED Linear High Bay Light-4 modulars design
Raw Materials: 6060 Aviation aluminum housing with anodizing treatment
IP66 Waterproof Rubber ring : US Dow Corning rubber ring
LENS: PC acrylic from Germany Bayer company
Power: 200w
Raw material: 6060 Aviation aluminum
Size: 1200*141*134mm
Input Voltage: 100-240v AC50/60Hz
Input Current: 0.90A @ 220v
Output Voltage: 48v
Output Current: 3.75A
Light Efficiency: >130Lm/w at CRI 80
Luminous Flux: 25000-27000Lm
IP Rating: IP66
Color Temperature: 2700-6500k
Power Supply: MEANWELL / MOSO high quality optional
Light Source: Lumileds, Nichia with LM-80 Test Report
Beam Angle: 40°, 80°, 120°, 30*70°, 70*140°, Asymmetric 40°
Work Temperature: -35° ~ +55°
Storage Temperature: -40° ~ +85°
Installation: Suspended / Surface / Adjustable Bracket Mounting
Warranty: 5years
Certification: TUV CE ROHS FCC IK08 IP66
IP Rated IP66 : Gear Slotting Fins
By using water proof connector and The Fins couple into the base of the
silicon rubber sealing,the protection heatsink tightly,minimum the heat
rate can achieve IP66, meeting the transfer resistance.
requirement for harsh, tough
Electrophoretic Wide angle for adjustment
The entire housing coated by With multiple adjustment points,
electrophoretic treatment, the adjustment angle can be up
measured by 200 hours salt to 180°.
spray test,having excellent
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Warehouse Lighting: 40°, 80°, 120°, 70*140°
Aisle Lighting: 30*70°, 70*140°
Billboard Lighting: 30*70° , Asymmetrice 40°
Tunnel Lighting: 40°, 80°, 120°, 70*140°, Asymmetrice 40°
Wall Lighting: Asymmetrice 40 °, 30*70°
Installation Method:
A. Suspended Mounting
B. Z-shape bracket Mounting
C. U-shape bracket Mounting
D. Adjustable bracket Mounting
With multiple adjustment points,the adjustment angel can be up to 180°
IES Report Download:
IES-200w-25°-1.2m-LED Linear HB_IESNA2002.rar
IES-200W-30x70°-1.2m-4 modulars-134Lm-LED Linear HB.rar
IES-200w-40°-1.2m-4 modulars-125Lm-LED Linear HB.rar
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IES-200w-Asy40°-1.2m-LED Linear HB_IESNA2002.rar
More info: email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Home Alone 2
Year: 1992
Developer: Imagineering Inc.
Publisher: THQ
Players: 1
Based on a movie that generally recieved worse ratings than its predecessor, Home Alone 2 was released for the NES in a less-than-thrilling format that tried and failed to be creative. Had you not seen the movie, the little story sessions between different areas of the game may leave you still baffled as to your objective. To put it simply, a whole lotta people are after you, including the returning Marv and Harry from Home Alone, and it's up to you to get away!
You start out in the lobby of a hotel, where some of the higher-ups believe you're carrying a stolen credit card. With the entire staff of the hotel after you, you must run to floor after floor of hotel levels before making your escape outside, narrowly escaping trouble with Marv and Harry. Your next objective would be to run through the streets as rats, bats, and gang thugs continue after you before you reach a broken down building, where you'll soon be trying to figure out traps to hinder Marv and Harry, who are hiding right inside. Once outside of the buidling again, you'll have a little run through the streets trying to get away from the dangerous crooks, finally coming to a climax in a treetop with a helpful friend of yours. The entire format, with it's different stages of gameplay, is a bit of a bold move, but the poor way in which it was carried out proves ineffective in the long run.


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Growing grocery chain, Aldi, has launched a line of private label vegan products in its stores. The products, under their new Earth Grown brand, contain no animal products, eggs, dairy or honey.
This is the second private label launch the grocery chain has announced since the 2016 debut of their Little Journey baby line. Earth Grown products include veggie and black bean burgers, vegan cheese, chickenless tenders and patties as well as meatless meat balls. All items can be found in Aldi's frozen or refrigerated food sections.
The company is already known for supporting veganism in their stores. They even went as far as providing a vegan consumer guide for their stores online. This allows vegan consumers to see Aldi's entire selection of vegan products, making it easier and more appealing to shop there.
The market for plant-based foods has grown 8.1 percent over the past year according to a report by the Plant Based Food Association and the Good Food Institute. According to the Neilson commissioned data, the total market for the plant-based foods sector reached over $3.1 billion in sales. This data includes sales in grocery stores, drug stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, dollar stores and military stores including Whole Foods Markets.
Aldi's move to accommodate this increasing trend allows the company to benefit from future growth in this category. Data from HealthFocus shows that 17 percent of consumers between the ages of 15 to 70 claim to have predominately plant-based diets. Over 60 percent of consumers report to be cutting back on meat products, with 55 percent of these people claiming this dietary change is permanent and 22 percent saying they hope it is permanent.
These results are promising for companies investing in more plant-based selection in their stores. Retailers like Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Costco and Wegmans are following this trend as well.
Second to Germany, the United states was one of the leading countries for developing new vegan products in 2016. America accounted for 17 percent while Germany accounted for 18 percent of new vegan-product launches globally. Germany leads the vegan-product sector with numerous all-vegan supermarket chains and a variety of stores offering private-label vegan goods. The UK and France came close as the third and fourth leading countries, respectively.
Having won many awards for their private label brands, German-based Aldi stands out in the grocery sector for their quality-meets-value proposition. The chain's low-prices are also a big differentiator in the market. Aldi plans on expanding to have over 2,500 stores in the US in the next few years, which will offer stiff competition for other grocery chains.


text:
Integrate third party thermocouple with your securityProbe!
The thermocouple adapters are designed to integrate either the AKCess Pro thermocouple, or a third party thermocouple with the securityProbe series of units. Available in either J or K type adapter it subscribes to the industry standard for thermocouples.
Thermocouples are typically used in heavy industry and cryogenics fields due to their accuracy and resistance to extremes of high and low temperatures. The setup is straightforward. Plug your thermocouple into the adapter, and then connect the adapter to an intelligent sensor port on the securityProbe base unit.
A free 5ft CAT5 cable is supplied for you to do this. Once connected the securityProbe recognizes the thermocouple automatically and configures the unit. All the user needs to do is set the thresholds for high and low warning and critical levels.
- Designed for us with AKCess Pro J/K type thermocouples
- Compatible with industry standard J/K type thermocouples
- Comes with free 5ft cable
- Powered by securityProbe, no additional power needed
J type thermocouple
- +ve electrode of Iron
- -ve electrode of constantan (copper-nickle alloy)
- For use in vacuum, oxidizing, inert or reducing atmospheres.
K type thermocouple
- +ve electrode of chromel
- -ve electrode of alumel
- For use in oxidizing inert or dry reducing atmospheres.
- Exposure to vacuum for short periods only
- Reliable and accurate at high temperatures
- Comes with a 5 foot CAT5 cable. User can use a customized cable up to 100 feet
- RJ-45 connection for easy and simple installation
- Full autosense including disconnect alarm
- Power source: powered by the securityProbe. No additional power needed.
- Power Consumption: Typical 7.80 mWatt, 1.56mA
- They are "simple", rugged, need no batteries.
- Can measure over very wide temperature ranges and more
Typical applications
- Industrial and high tech laboratories
- Heavy industries such as petrochemical and metal processing.
- The cryogenics field
- Superconductor and semiconductor research & development.
- Scientific research
|Measurement Rate
|One reading every second
|Accepts All Standard Size Male Connectors for Thermocouple Types J and K
|Designed to work with the securityProbe and securityProbe 5E and E-sensor8 expansion modules only
AKCP TCAJ Thermocouple Adapter
- Brand: AKCP - sensorProbe2, securityProbe series
- Product Code: AKCP TCAJ
- Availability: In Stock Ships in 1-2 days
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Tags: akcp, tcaj, thermocouple, adapter
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Monitor and manage server room environmental and security conditions over an IP network.


text: Have been using SmartMX2 P60 Secure Element and as per the ATR response CLOCK Stop mode ( SLEEP Mode) is enabled. And as per the datasheet the SLEEP Mode current is very low but the actual current consumption of the card is same as the normal operational. Is there any specific steps/configuration needs to be executed in order to get into SLEEP Mode. ?


text:
Fuel your body with research
- Fundraise
- Why Research
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With every purchase, you help support innovative research that is moving us closer to a world without breast cancer. Shop these great brands and products, knowing that each one makes a meaningful difference.
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Image Credit @FancyCraves
In this #2 of Rick Birtles series of five blogs, we tempt you with tips 'n' tricks for increasing online engagement, intent and end of aisle positioning
The average user attention span online is 8 seconds [look at your page speed and avg. session duration in your data analytics] which is why it's important to attract and persuade your visitors as quickly as possible.
..those which produce a significant margin, or product in limited quantity
As soon as a potential customer arrives on your site, he or she should feel a sense of trust, and that good deals await. Think of your site's category pages like your end-of-aisle displays. They should highlight certain key products [those which produce a significant margin, or products in limited quantity that will soon be out of stock, for example].
Diversifying your offering will help you to generate more conversions and grow your average basket value.
In the digital world, your product universe should be designed to serve the customer experience. Make sure your product catalogue is in perfect order so that neighbouring categories are easily accessible. By offering a high-quality loss leader product, you can then engage customers with other products they could find elsewhere, but which they choose to buy from you. Diversifying your offering will help you to generate more conversions and grow your average basket value.
The experience on your site must feel unique and exclusive to your customer.
If users who consider themselves #loyal feel they aren't being recognised at all by a brand, they may very quickly go elsewhere. The experience on your site must feel unique and exclusive to your customer. This is one of consumers' major expectations today… and we all know the customer is king (in the digital world, too!). In exchange for data collected on your customers (their contact details, purchase history, loyalty points, etc.) you should personalise each individual experience.
Don't hesitate to offer a maximum of choices (sizes, colours, brands) to boost your sales. And analysing customer behaviour – notably thanks to digital analytics data (visits, searches, products viewed and purchased) – is therefore critical to providing the right products and services.
So what's the takeaway?
Think about these 4 behaviours, try the site and answer them yourself, ask others to try the site and give you some feedback. The more you listen to your customer, the better your data to help read the user, the better audience conversion you will provide
- What events do users fire?
- What page loops are they stuck in?
- Whats making them drop?
- What was their intent?
Rick Birtles is Senior Data Analyst at PRWD Ltd – Recognised Google Digital Garage Trainer and Lectured at MMU
In this series of 5 short blog posts on data insights and analytics, Rick Birtles from UX & Conversion Optimisation specialists, PRWD sets the scene why eCommerce has taken off so dramatically and what it means for digital marketeers.
Below are links to the other 4 articles in this series:


text:
Return to all Announcements | Send to a Friend | View Printable
Published: March 08, 2013
ColumbiaGrid Seeks New Director Apply by March 22, 2013
ColumbiaGrid Seeks New Director
Published: March 8, 2013
Contact: Dan Dettmer
Contact: Dan Dettmer
ColumbiaGrid Seeks New Director
Note: This is an update to an announcement originally made on April 20, 2012. The date for potential candidates to respond has been extended to March 22, 2013.
On April 17, 2013, at a Special Member Meeting open to the public, ColumbiaGrid will elect a new director to fill the seat recently vacated by Shelly Richardson. Later this summer it will hold a separate election for its annual director election (this year, for the seat currently held by Ed Sienkiewicz). Candidates must demonstrate substantial and relevant experience with the electric power system in the Pacific Northwest and may not have any conflicts of interest with the director position as described in the ColumbiaGrid Bylaws (to be amended as described below).
In accordance with the current Bylaws, last year, ColumbiaGrid originally sought suggestions from its list of Interested Persons for candidates for Ms. Richardson's Board position. A number of highly qualified individuals applied. With an array of challenges currently facing the industry, the Members decided to delay the selection of a new director to give themselves additional time to consider a strategic response to those industry challenges. The Members are now ready to proceed with selecting a replacement director.
As part of their deliberations, the Members decided to amend the ColumbiaGrid bylaws with respect to the directors and the election process. In short, there will no longer be an absolute disqualification to a director having worked for a Member or another market participant in the year prior to the election. Rather, applicants will be required to disclose any such relationship to the Members as part of the application process. Other changes will also be made giving the Members, and not the existing Board, the responsibility for selecting a final slate of candidates and assumption of other responsibilities relating to the election. Finally, the prohibitions on work that a director might pursue after stepping down from the Board will be modified. These amendments will be applicable to the upcoming elections. The Members intend to finalize the bylaws amendments in the next few weeks and will post them upon their completion.
Given the amount of time that has passed, the Members will confirm that prior applicants are still interested in the reposted position. Also, as the Bylaws amendment will change the eligibility requirements such that barred applicants from applying last year might now be qualified, the Members will reopen the application period until March 22, 2013.
The current Bylaws, two relevant ColumbiaGrid Policies, and a job description for the directors drafted by the Members, can be downloaded from the ColumbiaGrid website using the following links:
The Sixth Amended ColumbiaGrid Bylaws will be posted as soon as they have been amended.
Please send candidate suggestions, or if applying directly; your cover letter, resume, and completed Conflict Disclosure Statement, by Friday, March 22, 2013 to:
Dan Dettmer
Treasurer& Corporate Secretary
8338 NE Alderwood Road, Suite 140
Portland, Oregon 97220
[email protected]
8338 NE Alderwood Road, Suite 140
Portland, Oregon 97220
[email protected]
Thank you for your input in this important matter, and for your continued interest in ColumbiaGrid.
Allen Burns
President & CEO, ColumbiaGrid
President & CEO, ColumbiaGrid


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CentOS Dojo @ Barcelona, Spain 29th Oct 2014
The CentOS Project
Wednesday, 29 October 2014 from 09:00 to 17:00 (CET)
Event Details
IMPORTANT: Our Venue has changed to accomodate more people. Please Note the new venue details at http://wiki.centos.org/Events/Dojo/Barcelona2014
The CentOS Dojo's are a one day event, organised around the world, that bring together people from the CentOS Communities to talk about systems administration, best practices in Linux-centric activities and emerging technologies of note. The emphasis is to find local speakers and tutors to come together and talk about things that they care about most, and to share stories from their experiences working with CentOS in various scenarios.
This is a Free to attend event, but we require people to register in advance. Seats are limited, so please register early to avoid disapointment later.
We also have speaker slots open, if you would like to present a user-story or come talk about a success story around CentOS, please get in touch with us at email@example.com ; We welcome talks in both Spanish and English. People attending Dojo's also typically appreciate content on and around technology and culture in IT operations. Talks around those subjects are also welcome.
The CentOS Dojo is colocated with the OpenNebula TechDay that runs on the 28th October from 15:00 to 19:00 in the same venue. The tutorial is aimed at people looking to get started with Cloud on private and public infrastructure. Please remember to let us know in the registration if you are going to be attending the Tutorial as well as the Dojo.
When & Where
VX (Vertex) Building - UPC
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Eusebi Güell Square, 6
08034 Barcelona
Wednesday, 29 October 2014 from 09:00 to 17:00 (CET)
Add to my calendar
The CentOS Project
The CentOS Project is a volunteer group of people from around the world who build, deliver and manage the CentOS Linux Distribution. We are an open group with lots of opportunities for everyone to come and contribute, be a part of a very rewarding process. CentOS Linux is used from small stand alone appliance type machines to some of the larges high performance computing clusters in the world. Its also one of the top operating systems in the Cloud systems these days.


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SRNS is a rare disease of kidney filtration, with an incidence of approximately 2 to 3 per 100,000. It affects both children and adults and results from breakdown of the first filtering unit in the kidney, the renal glomerulus. This contains a highly sophisticated macromolecular sieve with size and charge restricting characteristics called the glomerular filtration barrier (GFB). Its malfunction results in excessive amounts of protein leaking into the urine. Normally only trace amounts are present, so this excess loss results in the other features of the syndrome such as low protein levels in the blood, consequent fluid retention and swelling, high blood lipid levels and eventual kidney failure. The extent of protein loss is a prognostic marker as well as independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity/mortality.
SRNS may occur as an isolated kidney defect or be part of a syndrome involving other organ systems especially if onset is in early childhood. At present our understanding of how the filter becomes damaged is poor and as a result, only non-directed treatment strategies centred on immunosuppression with steroids and other toxic drugs is available. These alleviate symptoms, but rarely result in a .cure., instead resulting in multiple side-effects from years of strong medication. The most common type of kidney damage seen in SRNS is focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS); the pathological changes develop focally (not in all glomeruli) and segmentally (only in parts of a glomerulus). This pattern suggests that an initial localised insult caused by environmental stressors may lead to cell injury. It is also becoming increasingly clear that the response to injury is influenced strongly by the genetic background as some cases progress to renal scarring, whereas others manage the insult and are able to repair. Infections can trigger nephrotic syndrome and some damage may result from abnormal cell signals triggered by atypical immune activation. However the genetic errors and mechanisms underlying these responses remain unknown and their identification forms the focus of this project. Any genetic advances in SRNS would also provide insight into other glomerular diseases and in the longer term, the potential for individualised diagnosis and therapy.
Centres at which BPD is recruiting:
Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital, London
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Ania Koziel
Professor Graham Lord
Dr Michael Simpson
Professor Moin Saleem
If you feel your NHS site would be suitable to recruit for PAH please get in contact with the PAH Study Coordinator Katherine Yates


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A group of parents say the situation outside an Earslfield school is becoming "increasingly dangerous" and have called on the council to remedy this.
Kate Bunkall is leading a campaign that would see a pedestrian crossing installed in Garratt Lane at its junction with Farlton Road, which would be just outside the office of Floreat Wandsworth Primary School.
The Floreat is a free school that opened in 2015 and started filling from the bottom.
Mrs Bunkall says that as the student population grows, as do the concerns of parents.
"We are gradually growing each year which means more and more children joining and inevitably crossing Garratt Lane several times a day," the mother of two said.
"Many families cross at the end of the day to go to King George's Park and to use the facilities at the Nuffield, which I'm sure the council would support in terms of getting children to be more active.
"The crossing is especially dangerous when cars and lorries are parked in the bays outside the two pubs and it's almost impossible to see what is coming."
Her youngest travels in a buggy and Mrs Bunkall often finds herself have to venture out into the road so she can see what traffic is coming.
"As my older daughter grows up I fear I won't be able to let her walk to school on her own and have some independence because crossing Garratt Lane is simply too dangerous," she added.
"The situation is becoming increasingly dangerous with lots of families crossing Garratt Lane and being forced to dodge the traffic constantly."
As part of her campaign she started an online petition which has already amassed more than 300 signatures.
When contacted for comment about the campaign, a Wandsworth Council spokesman said: "Once we receive the petition we will consider its merits in accordance with our road safety policies."
Currently the closest pelican crossings to the school are at the Kimber Road/Swaffield Road junction and next to Atheldene Road/Haldane Place. They are roughly 240 and 160 metres away from where Mrs Bunkall and the group of parents would like to see a crossing installed.


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It has been 1 full year since the launch of Mariano "Big Dawg's" Corner on ANEW podcast and we are so excited to bring you upcoming announcements, an overview of this last year's guest, what's going on with them right now, merchandise and much, much more!!!
Through the last 12 months we have brought you some of the best in MMA Fighters, Bare Knuckle Fighter's, UFC Fighters and even the creator of the UFC himself! Legendary Martial Arts Actors, Master's, Actors, Producer's, Filmmakers, Stuntman, Music Artist, Comedian's, Veteran's and even a Cake Boss, just to name a few... I know we have to wonder what some of our past guest are up to now as well, and if you follow them then you know how busy they can be!!! If you haven't been keeping up, you should... We have put our entire first year right here on this page so just click any feature photo of ANEW guest BELOW today's show and check out their Bio and Interview!!!
And for our Co-Host Mariano "Big Dawg" Mendoza he has been quite the busy bee as of late, so busy in fact we put together his career and what's going on right HERE for you so you can keep up!
WATCH Our 1 YR Anniversary Special BELOW
CLICK any feature photo to read our guests' Bio and WATCH our exclusive interviews' BELOW
Toby "TigerHeart" Grear is a MMA, UFC Fighter and TFA Lightweight Champion as well as Actor, Talent Manager, Boxer, Personal Trainer and Owner of 2 TWF (True Warrior Fitness) Schools.
Toby started training in Judo at the age of 6 and has been trained in several styles. In 2005 Toby had his 2nd Professional Fight in MMA with the specific goal of fighting the Ultimate Fighting Championship one day under the watchful eye of Dana White. This dream was fulfilled in less than 5 years when he was one of the featured fighters on the 12th Season of the Ultimate Fighter which Debuted on Spike TV in July of 2010.
(See full IMDb bio)
Toby "TigerHeart" Grear is the only Professional Fighter Licensed in California with Knockout Wins as a Professional Boxer, Muay Thai Fighter AND Mixed Martial Arts Fighter. On his MMA record Toby has 7 Wins- 5 TKO, 2 Decisions 5 Losses- 3 TKO, 1 Submission, 1 Decision and 1 Draw.
His TWF schools are located in Los Angeles, CA and (Lake Norman) Moorseville, NC.
Toby as well as his school has been in TV Series such as Pit Boss (2010), Entourage (2015) and The Mentalist (2011). (For Toby's full IMDb Click here)
You can follow Toby to keep up with what he's up to on Facebook, IG, YouTube, Twitter and his Official Website.
TUNE INTO our interview with Toby BELOW and check out his fight video too!
Toby TigerHeart Grear: MMA Highlights: Slams, KO's & WINS
Toby Grear on HDNet's Inside MMA
Fullerton Car Repair
Fullerton Car Repair is the place you want to take your vehicle for repair if needed and if you are located in or around Fullerton, California.
It has been rated 4 1/2 stars with 77 reviews alone on Yelp! alone and recieved an award in 2017 as business of the year which usually goes to a restaurant.
Fullerton Car Repair is locally owned and operated. When you go in ask for Ghadi. You can even watch TV while you wait!
Auto repair, tires, oil changing stations and more!
Check out the video below and stop in today!
Author & Host
October 2019


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Advance Diploma in Graphic and Website Design
The Advanced Diploma in Graphic and Web Designing is a 100% practical course that encompasses all the essentials of web responsive design based on latest international demands and trends. This course is one of the numerous practical web design courses offered by Animex Multimedia.
A Web designer is responsible for coding all the various aspects of a website. They may need to code in Flash, PHP, HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. On a web designing course you will get hands-on practice working with basic through advanced techniques to get the most out of your experience.
Course Objective
Advanced Diploma in Graphic and Web Designing is a practical course covering Advanced UI design and UX development intended to train the students through live projects, the intricacies of web designing to promote content Management, Excellent User Experience and efficient site architecture for search engines. This course would also include Domain, hosting and payment gateway integration for students interested in becoming online business owners. With this web designing course, student would be able to develop their skill set in designing internationally standard and state of art websites and also benefit from the course incorporation of web marketing, advertising as well as optimizing websites for search engines.
Equipment and Software
Nowadays, just about everyone who wants to work on the web, with the web, or through the web, needs a portfolio. Web designers are no exception. Create a variety of different pieces that will appeal to your target audience and create them in a range. You want to show off what you can do with your design skills. The larger and more varied your portfolio is, the better chance you have of bringing in the clients you need to make a successful business; this is especially true if you are freelancing instead of working for a larger corporation.
Course Outline
At the end of this web design course, Projects would be conducted and each student would be expected to build a web design portfolio for the purpose of placements. Web projects would include.


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Learn Free Instagram Private Profile Viewer
We can at long last reveal to you how to see private instagram profiles on the web, without following! We have recently discharged another online apparatus which – as its name recommends – enables clients to perceive any private instagram photograph and profile they want. This is a historic accomplishment for us and the entire group. You can at last begin utilizing it today. Discover more about how we accomplished by perusing this page or basically tap on the catch beneath to get to it and you will have the opportunity to perceive any private photograph on instagram inside seconds.
- Go to the profile page of the account you want to (View Private Instagram profile).
- Copy the username from the address bar.
- Paste the username in the field bellow.
- Click on the "START" button and wait for the program to hack the account.
- Enjoy!
>>Click Here To View Private Instagram <<
>>Click Here To View Private Instagram <<
Try not to succumb to counterfeit tricks, don't tune in to the con artists. You at last found the genuine Private Instagram Watcher. Presently it's a great opportunity to begin utilizing it!
I have been attempting to figure out how to rapidly observe private instagram photographs without following the profile being referred to. While searching for it I have been misled commonly and I have never discovered anything that works. That is the reason I, alongside my devoted group of software engineers chose to build up a device that enables you to hack into private instagram profiles. It has quite recently been discharged and I am so cheerful to declare that. It works extremely well and it has been tried by many our companions as of now.
As you probably imagine, it's not an easy task to find a quick fix to how to see private Instagram photos if you don't have an account yourself or simply don't want to follow someone. The easiest one is pretty obvious – follow the profile in question and as long as it accepts your followers request you will be able to see all of their pictures. This isn't always possible for various reasons. That is your business and we will not ask why you decided to find an alternate method. The important thing is that you asked and we delivered. Thousands of people were looking at tutorials that tell you how to view private Instagram profiles and photos without following, unfortunately up until now there weren't any real working methods or tools which allowed you to do that. In the past there was some interesting software that had a function which did in fact let people see private ig profiles but it stopped working a few months ago after Instagram patched the exploit it was using. After that people have struggled to find an alternative.
For months' various groups tried to develop a working Private Instagram Viewer and they have failed multiple times – some of them succeeded but the tools they released remained functional for less than a few weeks. We have developed our private profiles viewer over 3 months ago and before we released it on this website we tested it vigorously. It has been tested by hundreds of people, Instagram is already aware of its existence and they are unable to patch it! One day they probably will but in our opinion it will take more than six months and even if they fix it we will release a new version for sure. We all want to know how to view private Instagram profiles and we are ready to deliver you a solution to this problem that will work forever.
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Did you know that you could be eligible for significant savings that lower the cost of a new energy-efficient air conditioner? By upgrading to a highly efficient cooling system this summer, you can take advantage of the savings offered with the 25C federal tax credits.
Between now and Dec. 31, 2013, you may qualify for tax credits equal to 10 percent of the cost of a new high-efficiency air conditioner or heat pump, up to a $300 limit. In order to qualify, your new air conditioner must meet the following criteria:
- Qualifying split-system central air conditioners must meet or exceed a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 16 and an Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of 13.
- Qualifying package system central air conditioners must meet or exceed a SEER of 14 and an EER of 12.
- To apply, you'll need to fill out Form 5695 before submitting your 2013 tax forms. You'll also need to obtain a copy of the Manufacturer's Certification Statement from your contractor for your records.
Buying an energy-efficient air conditioner is only part of the complete picture for excellent home comfort. With that in mind, here are a few tips you should remember as you take advantage of the 2013 tax credits:
- Avoid buying an oversized unit. Oversized air conditioners cycle on and off frequently, causing excess wear and tear while raising your utility bills. An oversized unit won't be able to dehumidify the air as well as a properly sized unit, either.
- Make sure your contractor sizes and selects your air conditioner according to Manuals J, D and S created by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA). Some contractors try to rely on rules of thumb or the size of the previous system, which often results in inaccurate sizing.
- Make sure your new air conditioner is installed properly. Improper installation can easily rob your air conditioner of its efficiency and performance.
Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal can help you qualify for tax credits and other incentives before the year is out. We've proudly helped homeowners in northwest Arkansas save money on their energy-efficient A/C equipment for more than 40 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Northwest Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about tax credits and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock


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Hopp Schwiiz! (Literally)
With the 2014 Winter Olympic Games behind us and the Paralympic Games well underway, now seems an appropriate time to post about the Swiss love of winter sports.
As you might expect of citizens from a country full of mountains, they love throwing themselves around on ice and snow. And they're pretty good at it too. Despite being a relatively tiny country, Switzerland finished 7th in the Sochi medals table, bringing 11 medals back to the land of cheese, 6 of them gold.
While we Brits may have outdone them in curling, the winter equivalent of crown-green bowls, they were victorious in bonkers, dangerous sports such as alpine skiing. Of course I don't feel too bad about this. In Britain we don't have any alps to practice on. If they made "Milton Keynes snowdome skiing" an Olympic sport we'd probably fare much better.
That said, even for the Swiss, winter sports are dangerous. Between October and March the number of people you see hobbling around Zürich on crutches is astounding. Between 10,000 and 12,000 cruciate ligaments are torn in Switzerland each year. That's about one per hour. And I'm pretty sure most of them are because of winter sports. The cry of Swiss fans as they cheer in their nation's heroes is "Hopp Schwiiz" (roughly translated as "go Switzerland"). But it's equally applicable in the cities after any winter weekend of good weather. Everyone seems to be "hopping" about on crutches. They've all done their knees in skiing and snowboarding.
Zoe and I don't ski. We've tried it but we don't 'do' it. When you tell a Swiss person this they often seem baffled. They will also be baffled if you ask them whether they "ski or snowboard?". This is a perfectly legiitimate question to a Brit. But they are Swiss. They can do both. Probably even at the same time.
We do, however, love being in the mountains. We recently went to the Grindelwald region, home of the Jungfrau and the Eiger, to do a bit of snowshoeing. Check out some of the pics below. It was great fun. Even if it isn't perhaps as thrilling as skiing, being able to walk on giant drifts of snow to take in incredible views was still breathtaking.
While we were in the area we also joined hoards of Asian tourists to head to the "top of Europe". A special train takes you up to the Jungfraujoch - within a stones' throw of the peak of the Jungfrau itself. It was spectacular.
Though as a Brit, and a lily-livered one at that, I may never feel on top of the world when it comes to winter sports, I literally felt atop the world that day. I can really see why the Swiss love their mountains. But I still have no urge to throw myself off one.
Taking a hike
Swiss people are proud of their mountains. And rightly so. As peaks go, they have some of the very best.
Then, this weekend, Zoe and I headed to Bannalp, just north of Engelberg – proper mountain territory. And this time it was proper hiking. Meticulously connected public transport got us painlessly to a cable car which took us up to 1713m. And the weather was perfect. Zoe had planned a combination of two routes. A gentle uphill and then a descent on a route classified as "difficult" though I was assured we were skipping out the tricky bit. The climb up to 1951m wasn't too tough and we were rewarded with a seemingly endless view of the glacial valley below. It was truly breath-taking (probably as we're not very fit).
The thing is, as we're not Swiss, we hadn't quite got our plans right. The descent of almost 1,000m turned out to be THE tricky bit of the route and though we had planned lunch in a quaint little "Hütte" on the mountainside, one never emerged. So, I'm not going to lie, it was tough going. My knees are still sore from acting as brakes the whole way down. But I tell you what, it was worth it. The great outdoors, the fresh air, the incredible views, the repeated "Grüezi"s from passers by – it all made for a great experience and a sense of achievement at the end. If you want to feel reinvigorated then I now know what to recommend: take a hike.
Hope you like the pics,
From walking in the air to the sound of a young Aled Jones, or starring in last year's festive John Lewis advert, the UK cherishes the humble snowman as a symbol of the fun that can be had in Winter despite low tempeatures. In Zurich it's a bit different. Here, the snowman gets executed.
Instead of being allowed to gently dissolve to form a slushy puddle when the mercury in the thermometer starts to rise, he is perched upon a pyre to burn until his head, stuffed full of fireworks, explodes.
This is Sechseläuten (pronounced 'Zeks-uh-loy-ten) or, in Swiss German: 'Sächsilüüte' (zeks-uh-loot-e) and is the traditional Zurich festival for saying goodbye to the winter and welcoming spring. Celebrated on the 3rd Monday in April since the early twentieth century, it's a national holiday in the Canton of Zurich (but not elsewhere in Switzerland). Last weekend for 2013's celebrations saw glorious weather here and we were fortunate to have had my parents with us to witness this fascinating cultural event as well.
The day begins with a parade through the city by the members of the 'Zuenfte' - the old city Guilds, each with their own marching band and floats. My favourite was the 'Zunft zum Kaembel' or 'Camel Guild'. Derived from an organisation of fruit and vegetable sellers from way back when, they were dressed in arab clothing and their procession included actual camels (see pic in slide show below). I've tried to find the reason for this link with the middle east but even on their website in doesn't seem to be explained - presumably they were wheeling and dealing with tradesfolk from that part of the world to stack their own veritable Aladdin's caves here in Zurich.
The origins of the festival go back to medieval times when the first day of summer working hours was celebrated in the guildhalls across the city. Back then, the powers that be strictly regulated the length of the working day and during the winter period the workday in the various workshops lasted as long as there was daylight. During the summer months, however, the law stated that work must cease when the church bells tolled at six o'clock. Sechseläuten is Swiss-German for "The six o'clock ringing of the bells". Changing to summer working hours traditionally was a joyous occasion because it marked the beginning of the season, though the parade and snowman execution didn't begin until 1902.
The procession of guild members heads to a dedicated square next to the lake where the snowman or 'Böögg' as he is known (a bit like a bogey man - very different to Raymond Briggs' interpretation!) is perched ready to meet an explosive end.
At 6pm we, and a staggering 5000 other specatators, gathered around as the bonfire was lit. The legend has it that the quicker the fire reaches the poor fellow to blow off his head, the better the summer will be. The quickest execution on record was in 1974 when his carrot nose was sent into orbit after just over 5 minutes, indicating a scorcher of a summer on the way. The longest burning at the stake on record was 26:23 in 2001. That is, until this year.
Despite a hot sunny day, it took 35 minutes and 11 seconds for the final giant pop to indicate our bogeyman had gone to snowman heaven. This of course doesn't bode well for our first summer in der Schweiz. In fact, since the Böögg met his violent end the clear skies have been replaced by clouds. Even the UK has had better weather than us.
I'm beginning to wonder whether sacrificing Mr Snowman was such a good idea...
P.S. Just in case the spirit of winter is here to haunt us for a while I've included a few pics below from the trip we took with my folks to Luzern before the weather changed. And thanks to Dad for providing most of the below photos.
P.P.S - this YouYube video will give you a good feel for - the festivities: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQBEMWfVAuE - skip to the end for the snowman's final moments.
Cake on the Lake - Luzern
A coupe of weekends ago, having got ourselves unpacked, and with the weather forecast cold but clear, we decided we'd have our first mini-adventure outside of the limits of Zurich with a trip to Luzern (or Lucerne as the french swiss call it and you may know it).
Despite being only a 45 minute train ride away, Luzern delivered all that we hoped for when first getting excited about making the move to Switzerland in winter time. Built at one end of a huge crystal clear lake, Luzern is framed on all sides by beautiful snow-capped mountains.
Having got our bearings with a bracing walk around the old town we ventured out on a boat tour of the lake with a round trip to nearby Beckenreid. But this was no ordinary boat ride. This, dear readers, was
'Cake on the Lake'.
Just when we thought that things couldn't get much better than bright blue skies and mountains straight from the Toblerone packet, we settled ourselves in for a boat tour that specialises in offering all passengers a huge selection of cakes and sweet treats. On board the 'Tortenschiff' (literally cake ship) we treated ourselves to a chocolate nut brownie and a decadent slice of raspberry gateau. Ironically the 'icing on the cake' was nothing to do with cake at all and came when it emerged they served cold beer too! Though I must confess the cup of tea we had subsequently was probably better accompaniment to the baked delights.
It was a lovely day and a brilliant first real taste of the natural beauty that Switzerland offers. With Luzern such a short distance away we'll definitely be back, not least for the cakes. Enjoy the pics.
The Author
Mike Stuart moved to Switzerland in 2013 when his better half Zoë landed a job in Zurich.
January 2017


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Reminiscing the past
Proves that time flies fast
Once each detail is remembered
A new one is hammered.
Prime Collection in 2008 - Here's an Optimus Prime collection from Toycon 2008 in the Philippines. Little did we know then, that we would see many more reissues, masterpieces, third ...
1 year ago


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The South African Trophy Wine Show 2002 - BronzeDelicious, highly intense with layers of fruit flavours, blackberry, cherry, plums, earthyness and a touch of cigar box, with a slight hint of mint. Well-structured elegant wine, with an exquisitely elegant tannin infusion.Serving suggestion: Shoulder of Lamb with rich sauce, Fillet of Beef, Rack of Lamb.
ageing : Further maturation will ensure this wine to develop with great concentration.
please select a country


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3 Ways to Wear Fall's Turtleneck Trend
Fall is officially here, which means it's time to get your wardrobe ready for the cooler, crisper days that are (hopefully!) in our very near future. While the season has a whole slew of staples that make a reappearance year after year, one style that is back—and bigger than ever—is the turtleneck.
Read more »


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[Unboxing] ASUS XG Station Pro Thunderbolt™ 3 eGPU Dock
It's been a long wait since I first played with the XG Station Pro at CES 2018. ASUS finally got a sample unit my way. Here are some unboxing pictures and my first impressions.
The retail box is about the size of a gaming console. Similar the ROG XG Station 2's box, the accessories box has a clever handle that serves as the retail box handle too.
Aluminum construction and 1.5m Thunderbolt 3 are some big selling points. Here you can see Thunderbolt logo next to 1.5m TB3 cable wording at bottom right corner of the box.
Opening the retail box reveals accessories box and the XG Station Pro enclosure wrapped in a cloth with foam paddings. Accessories are 330W external power adapter, power cord, 1.5m Thunderbolt 3 cable, manual book, and driver CD. The power brick is at least the size of the Dell DA-2.
Rear I/O consists of the proprietary power plug, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and one USB-C port. Here's a closeup of this power connector.
The Thunderbolt 3 cable is rated for 40Gbps and 100W PD (20V/5A). Unfortunately ASUS tuned this enclosure to accommodate power-hungry cards and reserved only 15W through power delivery.
There are plenty of space inside. I test-fitted an AORUS XTR RX 580 GPU which is a 2.5 slot card and it had no issue with fitment. There's even more room for much longer and taller cards. The dual 120mm enclosure fans are spinning but quiet at idle. They're hard to hear during heavy load over the GPU's fans.
The two PCIe power cables are 6+2-pin. They're nicely sleeved and feel great to the touch. Here's a photo of the power brick next to an SFX power supply for scale.
It was plug-and-play with my 2016 15" MacBook Pro in macOS 10.13.5 beta. PD is confirmed at 15W and the Thunderbolt firmware shows 29.1.
Next was Windows Bootcamp testing. I used the eGPU Bootcamp setup guide to attach the iGPU to the internal display and disable the PCIe Controller to the dGPU in order for AMD eGPU to work without error 12. AIDA64 showed full TB3 eGPU bandwidth. The USB controller for the expansion USB-C port is 3.1 gen 2 (10Gbps).
External monitor and USB-C expansion port work well in both macOS and Windows.
I will be doing tests for a full review of this eGPU. Please let me know if I left out any information you'd like to know.
Would like to know:
-Any driver issues under Windows 10, especially with NVIDIA cards?
-Any future upgrades that can send more power to the the laptop?
-Out of stock in the US, when will it be back?
Pending: Add my system information and expected eGPU configuration to my signature to give context to my posts
How is the size compared to other cases?
Do the case fans draw cool air into the case or ventilate warm air out?
Some close ups of the PCBs would be nice.
Present: 2012 Mac mini + PowerColor RX 56 Vega Nano @10Gbps-TB1 +
PowerColor eGFX Mini 180F via TB3->TB2 adapter + macOS Catalina 10.15.4
Previous: 2012 Mac Mini + [email protected] (AKiTiO Thunder3 via TB3->TB2 adapter) + macOS
I wonder if it will ever Mae it to the UK... judging by most the over enclosures I would say not...
I reached out to my ASUS contact for availability and will update when I hear back. In the coming days I will test this enclosure with Nvidia 1070 and RX Vega 56. The 15W PD is here to stay though. ASUS decided to reserve more power for power-hungry GPUs. ASUS stated you can install GTX 1080 Ti. RX Vega 56 will probably work fine too.
@itsage, unusually Asus specs this enclosure as having a USB 3.0 port whereas your hwinfo64 screenshot of the SSD is showing up as a 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen2 port. Did you want to run a SSD benchmark highlighting > 600MB/s transfer rates?
I am also not seeing any eGFX certification for it on Intel's website. If it was eGFX certified then it would be the only one so far with a 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen2 port on it. Perhaps a missed marketting opportunity for Asus?
EDIT: Even the USB-C connector has a "SS10"marker. Looks like Asus has an error against their specs.
Thanks for the sharing. I have a particular concern on the height of the inner space, say if I want to put a MSI GTX 1080ti gaming x inside, can we close the top cover? I saw many builds using Razer Core (which is similar to XG Station Pro in terms of the size/compatibility) while in most cases users cannot close the enclosure.
Thanks again for the review!
Pending: Add my system information and expected eGPU configuration to my signature to give context to my posts
@nando4 It's definitely an error on ASUS' website. This USB-C expansion port is 3.1 gen 2. I don't currently have a capable external SSD to test this. As far as I'm aware the Sandisk Extreme 900 is the only external drive that exceed 600MB/s transfer speed.
I also heard from ASUS contact about availability and eGFX certification. In the US, the XG Station Pro should be well stocked by the end of May. It will be available in certain APAC/EU countries early June. Here's ASUS' statement on eGFX:
ASUS XG Station Pro is now officially compatible with macOS. After working closely with Apple to meet rigorous standards, we are pleased to offer designers (and gamers) certified compatibility on Thunderbolt™ 3 capable Macs with select AMD Radeon™ graphics cards. The certification extends to systems running macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 or later that are paired with an AMD Radeon RX 570, RX 580, or Radeon Pro WX 7100."
Just checked NEWEGG, it is now back in stock for the US
Pending: Add my system information and expected eGPU configuration to my signature to give context to my posts
Can you test whether the eGPU accelerates Lightroom CC/Classic and FCPX with and AMD card?
Is it possible to accelerate the internal monitor in MacOS/Win 10?
Can you test the bandwidth of the USB port with an external SSD?
Has anyone tried this with a 2017 15" MBP? I would like a setup that works quite reliably and easy with a 4K monitor (LG 24-UD58) in both MacOS (with FCPX and Lightroom) and Bootcamp (for gaming)
Pending: Add my system information and expected eGPU configuration to my signature to give context to my posts
How's the review coming along @itsage ? I'm very keenly hanging out for both this and the Gaming Box RX 580 to become available in Aus.
I was leaning toward the gaming box due to it having Power Delivery, but after hearing about the onging USB issues (I''ll be running a USB SSD through it), I'm getting swayed back towards the XG Stations sleek look and full size GPU capability, despite needing to continue using my Mac charger alongside it. Plus with alt coins on the way down I'm thinking I'll be able to get a second hand 580 quite a bit cheaper in another month or so.
If PD is reported as 15w, does that mean the XGS will trickle charge a laptop that's not under load?
late-2016 13" Macbook Pro Non-TouchBar + RX580 [email protected] (ASUS XG Station Pro) + macOS 10.13.5
Dell U2715H - Samsung T5 External SSD 500GB
What is the weight of the power supply? In the buyers guide on this site the weight of the asus egpu is listed as 2.95 kg, would that include the power supply?
Is this the smallest egpu that comes without a gpu?
Pending: Add my system information and expected eGPU configuration to my signature to give context to my posts
@itsage, unusually Asus specs this enclosure as having a USB 3.0 port whereas your hwinfo64 screenshot of the SSD is showing up as a 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen2 port. Did you want to run a SSD benchmark highlighting > 600MB/s transfer rates?
If you have a look at this post and other from me, you see NVMe SSD can do higher than 600MB/s on the USB-C port of the Asus XG Gaming Pro. This is a fine feature, IMO better than a couple of 5GBs USB-A port.


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For the past two years, Dota 2 has been on the decline. Valve's hugely popular game ended February 2017 with 1.04M peak players but by the end of 2018, it had lost more than 26% of its players. During the entire 2018, it peaked above 800,000 only four times, two of which were August and September: the months surrounding The International and the release of the latest hero, Grimstroke.
But now, Dota 2 is in a popularity renaissance. The game is putting in numbers it hasn't seen since that February 2017 peak. According to SteamCharts, the last 30 days have seen an average player count of 567,557. And its peak numbers? SteamDB recorded a peak of 1.007M on Mar. 3.
Dota 2's current numbers are still a far cry from its best days. In March 2016, the game peaked at 1.29M players, while the month before had the highest average of 709,178. But maybe, the good is yet to come (again) for the father of MOBAs.
The Auto Chess effect
When you Google Dota 2 these days, there's a good chance Dota 2 Auto Chess appears as a suggestions. The Dota 2 mod made the headlines at the start of 2019 as the new craze. In less than two moths, Auto Chess hit 4M subscribers. Fast forward another three weeks, and it is at almost 5.7M subscribers. Reports are even indicating that Valve might bring developers Drodo Games in-house to develop and commercialize Auto Chess as part of the Valve family.
Read more: Valve eyeballing Auto Chess for potential acquisition
The easy-to-learn, hard-to-mater gameplay of Auto Chess has also attracted players for various scenes outside Dota 2, most notably ones from the Hearthstone community due to its strong likeness to deckbuilding games.
Mars to cross the finish line
What might consistently hold Dota 2 over the 1M line is the release of the new hero Mars. The Sparta-inspired fighter has been out for just one day, but already the Dota 2 community has accumulated 40 years worth of playtime.
Dota 2 fans also have several big tournaments to look forward to. The DreamLeague Major is coming Mar. 14-24, preceded by the already ongoing SLi Minor.
With a new hero in the roster, a flaming-hot mod bringing in new fans and Major tournaments on the calendar, this might be the month Dota 2 goes back to having regular seven-figure numbers


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Trumpreoccurs desire to proceed yet claims he will certainly satisfy knowledge policemans while Putin routine thinks about reaction to White House steps
TheObamamanagementon Thursday introduced its revenge for Russian initiatives to hinder the United States governmental political election, getting sweeping brand-new permissions that consisted of the expulsion of 35 Russians.
United States knowledge solutions think Russia gotten cyber-attacks on the Democratic National Committee( DNC ), Hillary Clintons project and also various other political companies, in an effort to affect the political election for the Republican candidate, Donald Trump.
Ina declaration released 2 week after the head of state claimedhe would certainly reply to cyber-attacks by Moscow each time and also location of our pick, Obama claimed Americans must be distressed by Russias activities and also vowed further activity.
I have actually released an exec order that use extra authority for reacting to particular cyber task that looks for to hinder or weaken our political election procedures and also companies, or those of our allies or companions, Obama claimed in the declaration, launched while he was vacationing with his household inHawaii
Usingthis brand-new authority, I have actually approved 9 people and also entities: the GRU and also the FSB, 2 Russian knowledge solutions; 4 individual policemans of the GRU; and also 3 business that gave worldly assistance to the GRUs cyber procedures.
Inenhancement, the assistant of the treasury is assigning 2 Russian people for utilizing cyber-enabled methods to trigger burglary of funds and also individual determining info. He additionally introduced the closure of 2 Russian substances in the United States.
Obamaincluded that even more activities would certainly be taken, a few of which will certainly not be advertised.
OnThursday, Trump, that has actually formerly rejected records of Russian disturbance in the political election, claimed in a declaration: Its day for our nation to proceed to larger and also much better points.
Heincluded, nonetheless, that for our nation and also its excellent individuals, I will certainly meet leaders of the knowledge neighborhood following week in order to be upgraded on the scenarios of this scenario.
Ina teleconference with press reporters, elderly White House policemans claimed the president-elects change team was educated of the permissions prior to they were introduced onThursday Trump and also Obama talked on Wednesday, they claimed.
Thepolicemans included that the activities were an essential reaction to really troubling Russian hazards to United States nationwide safety.
Thereneeds to be an expense and also a repercussion of what Russiahas actually done, an elderly management authorities claimed. It remains in a phenomenal action for them to conflict in the autonomous procedure right here in the United States ofAmerica There should be a rate for that.
InMoscow, a Putin representative claimed Russia was sorry for the brand-new permissions and also would certainly think about vindictive steps.
Diplomaticexpulsions are generally consulted with precisely reciprocatory activity. In this situation, nonetheless, Moscow could stop for think. With Trump, that has actually talked favorably regarding Russia and also VladimirPutin, simply 3 weeks far from the White House, Russia could feel it is unadvisable to reject 35 United States mediators.
However, Russian authorities on Thursday bought the Anglo-AmericanSchool of Moscow closed, inning accordance with CNN, pointing out a United States main informed on the issue. The college offers kids people, British and also Canadian consular office employees, and also would successfully make a Russian publishing tough for United States mediators with homes.
KonstantinKosachyov, chairman of the worldwide events board in the top residence of the Russian parliament, was priced quote by the RIA information company as stating the United States relocation stood for the fatality throes of political remains.
TheTwitter feed of the Russian consular office in London, on the other hand, called the Obama management unluckyand also connected an image of a duck with words LAME jazzed up throughout it.
Onthe White House telephone call, policemans were inquired about the possibility of Trump rescinding the permissions. They recognized that a future head of state can turn around training course yet advised versus such an unwise action.
Wehave no need to think that Russias tasks will certainly stop, an elderly authorities claimed. Since theres every factor to think Russia will certainly conflict with future United States political elections, One factor why I believe it is essential to maintain these activities is.
OnCapitol Hill, Democrats commended the head of states activity, required additional steps and also emphasized bipartisan assistance for a comprehensive examination right into Russian hacking.
I really hope the inbound Trump management, which has actually been much also near Russia throughout the project and also change, will not think for one 2nd regarding compromising these brand-new permissions or our existing routine, inbound Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer claimed in a declaration.
Bothevents should certainly be joined in withstanding Russian disturbance in our political elections, to their cyber strikes, their unlawful addition of Crimea and also various other extra-legal treatments.
BenCardin, the top Democrat on the Senate international relationships board, required additional permissions from the brand-new Congress when it assembles in January.
GOP leaders fasted to mount the brand-new permissions as insufficient, far too late.
Whiletodays activity by the management is past due, House audio speaker Paul Ryan claimed in a declaration, it is an ideal means to finish 8 years of unsuccessful plan withRussia And it functions as an archetype of this managements inadequate diplomacy that has actually left America weak in the eyes of the globe.
Republicanlegislators John McCain and also Lindsey Graham, 2 of Russias fiercest doubters, resembled Ryan yet additionally required challenging Congressional permissions.
Ultimately,[ the sanctions]are a little price for Russia to spend for its brazen strike on American freedom, both males claimed in a joint declaration. We mean to lead the initiative in the brand-new Congress to enforce more powerful permissions on Russia.
The35 Russian mediators being gotten rid of are knowledge operatives, Obama claimed. The state division has actually proclaimed them identity non grata and also they will certainly be provided 72 hrs to leave the nation.
Startingon Friday at noontime, the White House claimed, Russia will certainly be refuted accessibility to substances in Maryland and also New York that have actually been utilized for intelligence-related functions.
A declaration from the state division claimed the polite expulsions were an action not just to hacking yet to a pattern of harassment of our mediators overseas, that has actually boosted over the last 4 years, consisting of a considerable boost in the last 12 months.
Thedeclaration claimed the harassment has actually consisted of approximate authorities quits, physical attack, and also the program on nation TELEVISION of individual information regarding our employees that establish them in jeopardy.
Fortime, United States mediators in Russia have actually anecdotally reported being adhered to and also bothered by authorities.
InJune, a United States mediator was battled to the ground by a police officer as he rushed to obtain inside the consular office. Russian authorities claimed the guy was a CIA representative operating under polite cover.
Reada lot more: www.theguardian.com


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We all recall the day that Trump issued his new EO about the banning of people from 7 specific countries…Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya and one and on….7 total. We also remember the a judge issued a stay and then it was back to the drawing board.
Shortly after Trump issued his silly ban the Iraqis retaliated……
Iraq's lawmakers on Monday backed a "reciprocity measure" that would bar Americans from entering Iraq in retaliation for President Donald Trump's banning of Iraqis and citizens of six other majority-Muslim countries from traveling to the United States.
After this vote became public the M-IC went batcrap crazy…..they would not be able to rape the country for contractors and munitions and other assorted American expertise. Not to mention the billions of dollars lost in profits if the Iraqi ban was upheld.
You can bet that there was a flurry of meetings at the Pentagon trying to find the right pressure to get this situation repaired……and guess what?
The clout of the M-IC is just amazing……
President Trump's new immigration order will remove Iraq from the list of countries whose citizens face a temporary US travel ban, US officials say, citing the latest draft in circulation. Trump is expected to sign the executive order in the coming days. Four officials told the AP that the decision followed pressure from the Pentagon and State Department, which had urged the White House to reconsider Iraq's inclusion on the list given its key role in fighting ISIS. Citizens of six other predominantly Muslim countries—Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen—will remain on the travel ban list, the officials say.
The new order includes other changes as well. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the order before it's signed, say the 12-page document no longer singles out Syrian refugees for an indefinite ban and instead includes them as part of a general, 120-day suspension of new refugee admissions. The officials also say the order won't include any explicit exemption for religious minorities in the countries targeted by the travel ban. Critics had accused the administration of adding such language to help Christians get into the United States while excluding Muslims. Unlike under the first order, existing visas will be honored, the officials say.
If that ban was a real concern then Iraq would still be part of it…..this moronic ban was purely arbitrary and does NOTHING to protect American national security.
This change of heart proves it.
"Money talks and bullshit walks"…..and Trump has taken a walk.


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Tag Archives: herefordshire
Purchasing the picturesque: Hampton Court and Lasborough Park for sale
What is beauty? Though it is often in the eye of the beholder, some have attempted to define just what it is. In architecture, this can be seen in the development of the Picturesque ideal which sought to combine natural … Continue reading
Country House Rescue: the weight of history – Kentchurch Court, Herefordshire
For some who inherit, the weight of family history can easily overcome the burden of running a historic home on a limited budget. As we saw in the previous episode of Country House Rescue at Trereife House in Cornwall, the … Continue reading
Posted in News Tagged architecture, ashridge park, At Risk, caerhays castle, conservation, cornwall, country house, country house rescue, demolished, devon, downton castle, estate, fonthill abbey, garnons, garnstone castle, georgian, goodrich court, grade-ii-star, hafod, hampton court castle, herefordshire, heritage, holme lacy house, horace walpole, houses, James Wyatt, john nash, kentchurch court, lee priory, listed, lucas-scudamore family, luscombe castle, pevsner, picturesque, regency, restoration, richard payne knight, ruth watson, saltmarshe castle, sir uvedale price, strawberry hill, thomas johnes, wales 7 Comments
Country House Rescue returns for Series 3: Wyresdale Park, Lancashire
The history of the country house is sadly often a cycle of rise and fall with the main variable being the speed of each respectively. The old phrase was 'one generation made the wealth, the second enjoyed it, and the … Continue reading
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A bad omen: the spring country house relaunch
One rather unscientific barometer of the health of the country house market is the thickness of Country Life magazine as it comes through the letterbox each week. After the thinning of the issue in the run-up to Christmas it's always … Continue reading
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The growth of smaller country houses: Harewood Park, Herefordshire
The size of a country house was traditionally the physical embodiment of the wealth (or aspirations) of the owner. Yet as the role of the country house changed and the emblems of power altered, new, smaller forms of houses to … Continue reading
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Houses as hospitals: the country houses in medical service
Our country houses have always been adaptable as changing fashions or functions required they accommodate new ways of living or roles. One role which quite a few houses have taken on is that of hospital – either privately or as … Continue reading
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A shock return: Abbey Dore Court
Memories of a happy childhood can seem all the stronger as time passes, yet when confronted with the reality when revisiting once familiar haunts it can make any changes seem all the more jarring. For Clare Sage, her return aged … Continue reading
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Hail the Caravan
As an immigrant I know what it's like to leave all you know for the unknown. We had visas, we weren't penniless, we flew to the US and regardless I felt fear. When you emigrate everything familiar is gone and you don't know how it will be replaced, nor do you know what will happen next. I heard and read about the caravan from Central America and I can't help thinking about those courageous people who are willing to walk a couple of thousand miles or more in search of some safety, in search for some opportunities out of assured poverty and violence, in search of better lives for their families. They banded together to avoid the criminals who prey on migrants, the kidnappers, the thieves, the smugglers, they are walking because they cannot pay a smuggler what is often upwards of $9000. They are determined, they are willing, they are brave and still they are called criminals by far too many, and their right to an asylum is likely to be denied even before it is asked. We need to stop thinking of migrants as criminals, of those in the US as undocumented as criminals. Seeking safer conditions away from violence and a better life doesn't make one a criminal. The US was founded on such a principle by people fleeing conditions they could no longer abide. The early Americans of settlements such as Jamestown were not much different than those in the caravans. Closing borders is not a lasting answer, certainly cutting off foreign aid is not. Anti-violence programs have been tried and shown success, yet they are ignored. What we must do before any answer can truly be found is make sure the harmful and erroneous rhetoric is rebutted if not stopped. The caravan members walk, alone or with their families; they must tire; they must know fear at the uncertainties ahead for them, frustrations at the obstacles they encounter; they must experience difficulties at finding food or sanitary facilities. Still they march and press onward. They deserve our esteem, our respect. They reveal a positive side of human nature, while those who cannot see their struggle, their reason for walking, those whose compassion is absent perhaps show us the opposite
Work of the Future and Reskilling
By 2025 machines will perform half of "all work tasks"—right now it is 29%. These are 2 of the figures from a report from the World Economic Forum, the elite group that meets in Davos every January. The report informs us that between now and 2022 75 million jobs will therefore be displaced. But, and just as important, the report also says that 133 new roles (note, not jobs, roles) will be created, thus a gain of 58 million new jobs—or roles, or positions. The reality is that while on a societal level there will be a gain, these facts spell much difficulties for the 75 million workers who hold these jobs at present and who will soon lose them. While data analysts and software developers will be in demand, data entry, accounting and payroll jobs will become redundant. The report highlights a new keyword, reskilling saying that 54% of jobs now existing will require retraining. And that's where whether the future will be a huge problem or an opportunity will be determined. Employers, employees, governments, individuals and companies must take the needed steps. We haven't heard much about reskilling and all it implies maybe because not enough attention is given to it. The hope is that since the World Economic Forum report tends to go to heads of corporations, decision makers and others who affect policy, the idea and what it means will be heeded. Still it is something we need to know, remember and use.
One Billion Without Toilets
This piece is about a subject we shun, open defecation, but the article it stems from touched my heart and I think it will touch yours. Andrea Bruce, now a freelance photographer was on a National Geographic assignment and her photographs on the subject of open were on exhibit at a photo festival in Perpignan, France in early September. Yes open defecation sounds like a topic we don't want to know about, yet what it means is important to anyone who cares about the welfare of others. It means no sanitation, no sanitation means, no clean water, and no clean water means diseases like cholera. Almost one billion people in the world today do not have sanitation, about half of those in India. Some actually have to relieve themselves in open fields, making them prey to being raped. Many have to use community toilets which as the article shows often do not work. Lack of sanitation means young girls drop out of school when they start menstruating for lack of privacy and facilities. In Haiti, the problem can be severe, for the lack of sanitation is pervasive and in some instances difficult to resolve. It's easy to dismiss the problem, to undermine its importance, and certainly because we have an access to sanitation which we can essentially take for granted, it's hard to identify with how the lives of so many are affected. But caring about what happens to the disadvantaged, the dispossessed, the forgotten, is one of the traits that mark our humanity, and the lack of sanitation certainly evokes that caring.
Guns, Ammo and 3-D
Beginning next year in California, gun shops will be required to keep logs of ammunition sales. Gun rights groups have long fought laws on ammunition saying it is a way around the second amendment. But as Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan reminded some 25 years ago, "guns don't kill people, bullets do." California already has more anti-gun laws than most states and now it is going after ammunition. For people like me who do believe guns need to be restricted in order to save lives and life altering injuries, such laws are welcomed. But what is even more welcome is the impact it looks it will have on 3D printed guns. True there are those who are working on 3D printed bullets, but that is way off in the future. Right now the plastic bullets from 3D won't do much. But what is relevant for now is that 3D printed guns may not be as easy to use as some may say, and when they fire real bullets they may injure the shooter or break down right after it. Still harm with them is still possible and even more so in the future. That is because for now 3D printed guns are still rudimentary but those in the know say not for long. That is why laws regulating ammunition acquire even more importance.
Regulating ammo may sound like a simple solution yet one that is powerful beyond its simplicity. It's a hopeful idea, an idea with a future if other states adopt it. Let's work to ensure its potential.
DNA Testing and Errors
A recent NYT op-ed strongly alerted readers to a study that found errors in DNA testing. The National Institute of Standards and Technology gave the same sample of DNA mixtures to 105 US crime labs and 3 Canadian ones and asked them to compare it to the DNA of 3 suspects from a mock robbery. A DNA mixture is a biological sample of 2 or more individuals from which a DNA profile could be drawn. Today's DNA testing is advanced enough that an analysis can be done even if someone has lightly touched an object. The labs correctly identified 2 of the suspects, but 74 got the third one, an innocent person, wrong. The implications for this are according to the piece's author, Greg Hampikian, a professor of biology at Boise State University, alarming. Think of how often DNA testing is used and relied upon. Certainly it has freed the innocents, but that was when it was supervised by organizations like the Innocence Project. But DNA has also convicted many innocents. The use of DNA mixtures have become more common, and according to the author now make up 15% of DNA testing. This is apparently not the only study revealing errors with DNA testing, Hampikian also mentions the problems found in a similar study. What is particularly troubling to me is that when one further factors in the fact that minorities are more likely to be arrested and end up in jail, it would seem that people of color would be far more affected by DNA testing errors. The good news we are told is that computer programs exist to reanalyze old mixture and correct errors. But of course that means someone must first suspect an error, or what is far more relevant, an accused or convicted person must have a strong advocate.
Ode To Libraries
We have a stereotype of the spinsterish librarian and of the austere domain she (for it's always a she) rules. Yet libraries are hubs of activities as the new Frederick Wiseman's film "Ex-Libris: The New York Public Library" illustrates. Even more recently a NYT article by sociologist Eric Klineberg "To restore Civil Society, Start with the Library," reminds us how much we owe libraries and how much they contribute. He says that libraries are valued and necessary but often influential people do not understand what he calls the expansive role they play in contemporary life. Years ago I heard the author Ray Bradbury speak about his love of libraries. As many might know He didn't go to college instead he spent countless weeks in the library's stacks and rooms reading and educating himself. My friend, the writer Sanora Babb, a friend of Bradbury, had lived in small towns in her youth and libraries were how she discovered and learned about writers and literature. Perhaps that's why I couldn't forget the Klineberg article, because its point about libraries being so important to contemporary culture is one I believe needs to made and made loudly. Today's libraries have adapted to digital culture. Large parts of collections have been digitized and I admit there's still something I cannot take for granted about sitting at my computer and with a few clicks downloading a book to my Kindle. Libraries also make computers and the Internet available for many, hold lectures from authors and others, book discussions, children books readings, homework clubs… The article's author cites the fact that while countless public officials declare and believe that libraries are obsolete he reminds us that "in New York and many other cities, library circulation, program attendance and average hours spent visiting are up." Indeed every time I go to one of the two libraries I most use, I have difficulty finding parking.
To Ponder On
"It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers."
James Thurber


text: Are you new to the field of research? Animal Sounds can often be misheard for those of Sasquatch, and it is important to know and learn the difference. Many animals are very distinct in their howls - we have attached a few videos for novice woodsman to listen to as we compare these sounds with that of Sasquatch.


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Talaysay's Talking Trees Tour – Stanley Park
Tour Description: Each plant, each tree has its own special story. Explore Vancouver's iconic Stanley Park, Beaver Lake, with a local Indigenous guide - cultural ambassador who will highlight how the local trees and plants of the Pacific Northwest are harvested by our people for food, medicine and technology. Our guides, who are members of the local Indigenous communities and the surrounding region, will share with you our ecological practices, ancient and contemporary history, stories, legends and Indigenous ways of living.
Options for all fitness levels. Talking Trees Walking Tour is approximately 2.2 km and we walk at a leisurely pace with frequent stops to explore and discuss.
What to wear/bring: good walking shoes. Wear layers with the changing seasons. Sunglasses, sunscreen and hats in the warm weather are recommended. Umbrellas if raining.
Who we are: Talaysay Tours, owned by Candace and Larry Campo, Shíshálh (Sechelt) and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) First Nation, offer you an enriched cultural outdoor experience.
Talking Trees Tours- Indigenous Interpretive Walk - Stanley Park
We are closed for FIT Travel in the months of November 1st to February 29th 2020.
May to August 31st - we operate with a 4 hour cut off for booking. In September to April 30 we require a 12 hour notice for bookings.
Current Schedule – Fall, Winter, Spring Tours (September to June)
Tour A start time: 10:00 am Tour A end time: 11:30 am Duration: 1.5 hrs Tour C start time: 2:00 pm Tour C end time: 3:30 pm Duration: 1.5 hrs
Summer Schedule – July and August Tours
Tour A start time: 10 am Tour A end time: 11:30 am Duration: 1.5 hrs
Custom Group Tours - When booked in advance via email and phone.
With advance notice, groups can arrange a custom time.
Max/Min number of participants: Min: 2 Max. 15. What qualifies as a group: 15 ppl.
What to expect on your Tour: We respect the schedules of all of our guests attending our cultural experiences and tours. All of our tours begin promptly. If you miss your tour, there will be no reimbursement. We will work with you to reschedule you on another tour at a later time or date.
When you book, you will receive a confirmation email and a receipt of payment from our office manager with the itinerary details for your tour which will include digital maps links of our meeting location and a photo of the Gazebo.
Your guide will be waiting at the Gazebo 15 minutes prior to every tour. In spring, fall and winter, the guide will be travelling from another tour at a different location of the park and will arrive just before the 2 pm tour start. This only applies to the 2 pm tour. When booking, for customer service needs, we ask you to provide the first names of all guests. Your guide is trained within our tribal cultural protocols to be your host and deliver and share an indigenous cultural experience. All questions are welcome. We like all of our guests to enjoy themselves and have fun.
2020 Rates $65 per adult $52 per youth/child 3 years and younger is free.
This tour is recommended for children 12 and older. Parental discretion: If your child is younger and you think that this tour suitable for them, we will be happy to have your child attend.


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Technology Fridays: This Has to Be One of the Craziest, Most Exciting Blockchain Projects I've Ever Seen
Welcome to Technology Fridays! A few weeks ago, I came across Fetch.ai and I was blown away by the ambitions and innovative concepts behind this project. Since them, I've found myself re-reading their whitepaper over and over again to try to grasp( and copy 😉 ) some the ideas from their architecture for my own work. Today, I thought I use this small article to give you an initial exposure to this fascinating project.
Fetch.ai sits at the intersection of two of my passions: artificial intelligence(AI) and blockchain technologies. However, Fetch.ai is not simply (if that term applies here) another platform trying to enable decentralized AI. The company is trying to provide the foundation for a world in which autonomous, intelligent AI agents can work and collaborate together under the right economic and regulatory incentives. You can think about Fetch as the first virtual world for AI agents. How cool is that?
As AI evolves and we get closer to self-learning, autonomous agents, we should ask ourselves, what type of environment will those agents require? As humans, we live in under a combination of economic, social, biological dynamics that allow us to evolve as species. If we want AI to evolve semi-organically, we need to provide autonomous agents with a virtual environments that combine the right mechanisms for them to collaborate and evolve. This is where Fetch.ai comes in.
If you want to summarize Fetch in a single term, you can think of the platform as a decentralized digital representation of the world in which autonomous software agents perform useful economic work. Ok, I agree that wasn't very simple 😉 Imagine a platform that allows AI programs to perform tasks such as collecting data or providing a prediction and they receive crypto tokens as a result. Fetch leverages blockchain technologies to complement unsupervised AI agents with the right economic incentives and execution environment in order to perform their tasks.
Technologically, the Fetch platform has three fundamental building blocks: The Fetch Smart Ledger, The Open Economic Framework and Autonomous Economic Agents. Each one of the components abstracts a fundamental part of society: citizens, economics and rules.
A New Type of Distributed Ledger and Consensus Mechanism
The Fetch Smart Ledger is a new type of decentralized ledger that includes a new consensus model called Useful Proof of Work(uPoW). The role of the ledger is to keep track of the activities performed by autonomous agents and process the economic transactions between them. To enable that, the Fetch platform has created uPoW, a new consensus model that addresses some of the limitation of traditional PoW algorithms and allows participants with less computing power to benefit from solving computation puzzles. uPoW will be used in tasks such as training new autonomous agents or exchanging rewards between AI programs.
Economics as a First Class Citizen
The Open Economic Framework(OEF) is the component of the Fetch platform that provides life-support for autonomous software agents. These agents live in an environment that is constantly changing and they see a different world from its perspective: a world that is reorganized for its perceived and declared needs. The OEF is the high-level node functionality: the layer on top of the raw protocol and ledger that delivers this environment and all the other operations agents need in order to go about their day-to-day work. The OEF is responsible for abstracting services such as the provisioning of data for decisioning, the trading of excess capacity, energy, computation, or the storage, transfer and transportation of digital or physical assets.
Autonomous Intelligent Bots
The main elements populating the Fetch.ai world are know as Autonomous Economic Agents(AEA). These are digital entities that can transact independently of human intervention and can represent themselves, devices, services or individuals. The platform includes different types of agents such as Inhabitants (which represent hardware to exist in the real world ), Digital Data and Sales(which are attached to data sources in different marketplaces) or Representatives(which represent an individual in the Fetch world). The different types of agents can be seen as the first role in the brand new Fetch society.
Plenty of Innovations
In addition to the three main building blocks, the Fetch platform includes plenty of interesting ideas for the constructions of decentralized, economically viable environments. For instance, the platform introduces the notion of geography in a decentralized digital world using the concept of Domain Spaces to assign regions based on proximity. Similarly, Fetch.ai introduces a basic protocol for conducting business transaction between AEAs that mimics many of the dynamics of the real world.
Not Just Fantasy
The Fetch.ai platform is one of the most ambitious projects I've heard of. However, the work is not only theoretical. The platform is currently being used today across a number of scenarios in transportation, energy and IOT industries.
Technology Fridays: This Has to Be One of the Craziest, Most Exciting Blockchain Projects I've Ever… was originally published in Data Driven Investor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.