text:
- The Plate
The Luke-Warm, Gluey, History of Portable Soup
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, when they set off in May 1804 on their famous expedition across America to the Pacific Ocean, went well-supplied.
Lewis spent a cool $2,324 on equipment. His extensive Packing List, neatly categorized, lists items under Transportation (a 55-foot keelboat, 2 pirogues, and 35 oars), Clothing (45 flannel shirts, 30 pairs of stockings, and 15 pairs of woolen overalls), Medicine (a fearsome list heavy in emetics, and including "4 Pewter Penis syringes"), Mathematical Instruments, Arms & Accoutrements, and Camp Equipage (6 copper kettles, 24 tin cups, 4 tin trumpets, and one—just one—"Sea Grass Hammock"). The Corps of Discovery also took along a hefty selection of Indian Presents (including 35 pounds of assorted beads, 144 "small Cheap" looking glasses, 4 dozen "Rings for Fingers," and 30 calico shirts) and an assortment of Books, among them a 4-volume dictionary and Carl Linnaeus's 2-volume tome on the Latin classification of plants.
They didn't pack much in the way of food: the self-sufficient expedition was planning to hunt, fish, forage, and trade along the way. Under Provisions and Means of Subsistence, Lewis lists assorted spices, three bushels of salt, and 193 pounds of "Portable Soup," which last—a reduced and dehydrated mix of beef broth, eggs, and vegetables—was the 19th century's version of space food. It was intended for periods of dire dietary emergency. They seem first to have cracked it out on September 14, 1805.
According to the journal of Patrick Gass, the Expedition's carpenter, "none of the hunters killed any thing except 2 or 3 pheasants; on which, without a miracle it was impossible to feed 30 hungry men and upwards, besides some Indians. So Capt. Lewis gave out some portable soup, which he had along, to be used in cases of necessity."
The soup was not a hit. The men decided, instead, to kill and roast one of the horses.
Portable soup, also known as pocket soup or veal glew—the forerunner of the bouillon cubes and dehydrated soups of today—has been around since at least the late 17th century. An early recipe from The Receipt Book of Mrs. Ann Blencowe ("To Make Veal Glew"), dating to 1694, calls for a leg of veal, boiled, then the broth reduced and cooled until it forms a slab of jelly about the size of a hand. Wrap this in paper to dry, the recipe instructs, and "it will keep many years."
Hannah Glasse, author of The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (published "by subscription" in 1747), has a ritzier take on portable soup. Her recipe calls for two legs of beef, anchovies, cloves, mace, black and white pepper, onions, marjoram, thyme, and "the dry hard Crust of a Two-penny Loaf," all to be boiled for eight or nine hours until it forms "a very rich good jelly." The jelly is then strained, cooked some more (until it is "like a stiff glue"), dried, and packed in boxes.
Despite attempts to gussy it up, however, portable soup seems not to have been anyone's first choice for dinner. Touted as a staple for sailors and explorers, staying power seems to have been its prime attribute. Portable soup is frequently (but never nicely) cited in Patrick O'Brian's nautical novels, a 20-volume series set during the Napoleonic Wars, beginning with Master and Commander (1969). "I thought it was luke-warm glue. But it goes down quite well, if you don't breathe," says a character in The Fortune of War (1979)The Fortune of War (1979); and in The Far Side of the World (1984), the ship's doctor is found angrily flinging slabs of portable soup into the sea.
Captain James Cook—heading for Australia in 1772—took 1,000 pounds of portable soup on board the Endeavour, in hopes that it would be beneficial for sick sailors. The stuff was served boiled in water and mixed with pease flour. Some sailors, the records show, were flogged for refusing to eat it.
Portable soup did find a handful of supporters. Virginia planter William Byrd II—after some miserably hungry experiences on a surveying expedition in the Great Dismal Swamp in 1726—recommended for travelers "a wholesome kind of Food, of very small Weight and very great Nourishment, that will secure them from Starving, in case they should be so unlucky as to meet with no Game." His solution was "Glue-Broth," for which he provides a helpful recipe, adding that, once "perfectly dry," the "Solid Substance" will last for an entire East India Voyage. A mere two pounds, he adds, should be plenty for a journey of six months, and if push comes to shove, "should you be fainting with fasting or Fatigue, let a small piece of this Glue melt in your Mouth, and you will find yourself surprisingly refreshed."
Late 18th-century newspapers promoted it, claiming that gentlemen taking trips to country "will find it highly convenient to have along with them a few canisters of portable soups by which they can in a few minutes be provided with a wholesome, pleasing, and ready beverage." French-born Alexis Soyer—the most famous chef in mid-19th-century England, and a notable humanitarian–devised a much-improved version of portable soup for the malnourished soldiers of the Crimean War.
Soyer, who volunteered his time to the army, established an efficient provisioning program for army hospitals, revised military diets, trained regimental cooks, and invented a new form of field stove. His portable-soup-like vegetable cake was known as "coarse julienne;" each cake, when added to boiling water, was capable of providing soup for one hundred men. The cakes were made from the shredded, boiled, and dried residue of 20 pounds of carrots, 20 pounds of turnips, 10 pounds of parsnips, 15 pounds of onions, 20 pounds of cabbage, 5 pounds of celery, 10 pounds of leeks, and a pound of mixed aromatic seasonings. They seem to have been successful: soldiers, asked their opinions of standard military fare versus Soyer's innovations, came down resoundingly in favor of the latter.
A cake of portable soup, thought to have originally come from Captain Cook's supplies, survives in Britain's National Maritime Museum in Greenwich—a flat rectangular cake stamped with a broad arrow, looking much like a "slab of glue." It was tested in the 1930s by food scientist Sir Jack Drummond, who pronounced it "changed very little."
Tactfully, he failed to describe what it tasted like.
This story is part of National Geographic's special eight-month Future of Food series.
- Holland, Leandra Zim. Feasting and Fasting with Lewis & Clark: A Food and Social History of the Early 1800s. Old Yellowstone press, 2003.
- Rumble, Victoria. Soup Through the Ages. McFarland, 2009.
- William Byrd's History of the Dividing Line Betwixt Virginia and North Carolina (1728).


text:
$10.00 for 2 General Admission Tickets to Paws & Schnauze Pet Festival
- Regular Price20
- Savings50%
Today's Orange County Deal
$10.00 for 2 General Admission Tickets to Paws & Schnauze Pet Festival
Regular Price20
You Save50%
Time Remaining00:00:00 -220504386
Company Info
Paws & Schnauze(714) 375-2188 | Website
Shoreline Aquatic ParkAquarium Way
Long Beach, CA 90802
- Fido Fun Walk/Parade
- Dogtober Canine Costume Contest
- Demonstrations in the PAWformance Arena
- Featured Rescue Groups
- Dozens of Interactive Exhibits & Displays
- Parkwide Beer Garden & Gourmet Food Trucks
- Breathtaking Peninsula Adjacent to the Iconic Queen Mary
Fine Print
- Expires 10/29/2016.
- Voucher cannot be redeemed until the day after deal closes.
- October 29th, 2016 - Only good on this day
- 500 Total Tickets - 250 Pairs
- Limit one per person
- May purchase 3 as gifts
- Please Redeem tickets through eventbrite to receive your tickets
- See the fine print that applies to all deals.
Additional Information
Paws and Schnauze
Saturday, October 29th, 2016
Tickets only $10 (online) for General Admission!
Paws & Schnauze is a unique ocean-front pet festival that offers a family friendly atmosphere, features hourly demonstrations in the PAWformance Arena. The Fido Fun Walk-Parade around the park, rescue and adoption groups, dozens of interactive exhibits, a craft beer and wine garden, music and more!
Questions about this deal Question about the Deal? Ask it here.
Well, no one's posted any questions, but you could be the first by asking a question below.
Please login if you'd like to ask a question.
Discover Deals on the Go!
Download our
View in App Store »
iPhone App now
More Local Offers
Feature Your Business
VOICE Daily Deals is a fantastic way to bring your business exactly what every business needs: more customers!
Let us show you how easy it is to reach an entirely new audience AND all of their friends.
Looking For Another City?
VOICE Daily Deals has partnered with Voice Media Group and will soon provide our "Daily Deals" in many new markets around the country. Sign up now for great deals and we'll send you the VOICE Daily Deal as soon as we launch in each location.
How It Works
VOICE Daily Deals works like this: Everyday, we e-mail you one terrific deal on the best events and places in your city. If you're interested, you buy the deal. If you're not, you don't.
Sign up now and receive a daily opportunity to save big on big fun in your city.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Grouse Hunting in our area can be an adventure in itself! Riding the back roads & trails on your ATV can make for some awesome thrills. Just taking in the spectacular fall colors, peaceful wilderness & the wildlife that you'll encounter will make you feel like you are definitely "North of the Tension Zone".
The ruffed Grouse & spruce Grouse are plentiful. It will not be hard to fill your limit each day. Most of the grouse in our area have never seen a human so they are not skittish at all.
On a sunny day you'll find them out on the roads & trails soaking up the sun. Most shots won't be more than 10 to 15 yards. It doesn't get much better than that!! There are many clear cuts in the area as well that provide excellent opportunities for Grouse Hunting.


text:
by Madsanjiv
(Sri Lanka)
I am very new to card-making... Living in Sri Lanka, I do not have much access to all the equipment that many people in most Europe countries are using in various beautiful projects.
But I try my best to get a wonderful result from the effort I put in to my cards :) I hope you will enjoy them... :) thank you very much for this opportunity Christina...
Christina says ...
This is a wonderful project for you to attempt with limited resources but I think it is lovely and the colours are bright and cheerful.
I am sure that whoever is to receive this will be delighted with their gift.
Comments for Chest of drawers card
Click here to add your own comments
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Card Making Gallery.
Oct 15, 22 09:17 AM
Jul 19, 21 10:12 AM
Jul 19, 21 09:34 AM


text:
I'm Sebastian, an audio engineer and mixing artist based in Los Angeles. My range of mixing experience, extreme attention to detail and desire to collaborate are what set me apart. I'm here to make your project sound its best. Check out my tracks to see if we're a good match!
I have an ear for a wide range of genres, this versatility is my biggest strength as a mixing artist. It is what enables me to make a mix that fits perfectly within the aesthetic vibe of a particular style, or create a mix that pushes beyond to a completely new and unique sound. One of my favorite parts about mixing is collaborating with the artist to achieve their particular vision. I bring my many years of mixing experience to the table as we create your perfect song mix, together.
If you are looking for sound design, I have a particularly strong background in sound for visual media (commercials, TV, film, video games), always designing new sounds to fit the needs of the action.
Click the 'Contact' above to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.
4 Reviews - 1 Repeat ClientEndorse Sebastian Apolinario
- check_circleVerified
Sebastian is one of the best mix engineers out there- super super pleased with his work- very patient, delivers great mixes quickly. Honestly a pleasure to work with. I will definitely be asking him to mix more of my music.
- check_circleVerified
Great engineer, was very responsive and helpful with recommendations.
- check_circleVerified
Sebastian was great! He knew exactly what I was talking about when I requested any changes, and has a creative outlook for the result of the song. Easy to understand and a caring guy. Money well spent!
A great engineer, vey professional, fast, easy going and sounding wonderful! Highly recommended!


text:
Friday, September 28, 2012
Christian Dior Spring 2013 Collection - Paris Fashion Week
Posted by Smaranda at 6:27 PM
Labels: Dior, fashion, Womenswear
2 comments:
I don't know why but I am a bit disappointed from this collection, I have expected so much more for some reason / Claire
- September 29, 2012 at 12:34 PM
- Smaranda said...
Me too, I am very disappointed. I agree with you, I had expectations, but unfortunately I don't think Raf Simons is the right person for the job.
- September 30, 2012 at 2:56 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Sofia is 20 years old and lives with her parents, older brother and sister in Colorado. Aside from being a TEGA, Sofia has three jobs which keep her very busy during the week and means she often works long shifts. Because of her busy schedule, Sofia uses her days off to socialise with her friends, and often goes out to restaurants and ice cream parlours to hang out. She also likes to visit bookstores like Barnes and Noble, her favourite book shop.
The super easy simple step of just washing your hands, taking care of yourself, wearing a mask and social distance is a very very big thing. And just kind of realising that you don't want to put anyone else in harm.


text:
The use of stable value funds in today's defined contribution (DC) plans tends to break down along three main lines, according to panelists at the 2016 PLANSPONSOR National Conference in Washington, D.C.
"The first big use is by older investors who need to protect the wealth they have while gaining some modest capital appreciation," explained Andy Apostol, head of stable value client service at Invesco. "Next, we are also seeing more use of stable value within custom target-date funds (TDFs), and finally, related to this, we are seeing stable value serve as a capital preservation tool sitting as the anchor of a diversified portfolio."
James King, managing director and client portfolio manager for Prudential, agreed with that assessment, explaining that from purely a return perspective, stable value has quite similar characteristics to intermediate duration, high-quality bonds.
"That gives you an idea of how they will perform in a portfolio, but it's obviously not the entire picture," King said. "Stable value is lower risk, and it's designed to reduce the probability of loss as much as possible. In the simplest terms, stable value funds are basically bond portfolios, paired with insurance wrap contracts that seek to deliver a guaranteed return even when bond markets turn negative."
There are obviously extra fees that come along with building the insurance wrappers, the panelists explained, but that's pretty much the point: Stable value is a good option for those who are willing to pay a little more compared with bond funds in order to smooth out the return cycle.
"The best example we can give of this comes from 2008 and 2009," Apostol suggested. "While so many funds lost a whole lot during the period, stable value delivered a steady, daily positive return. The asset class outperformed money market funds as well, and they can be expected to do so over the long term."
NEXT: Significant variability within stable value
The panelists went on to outline the main types of stable value being offered on the market today, although there is even significant variability within the general archetypes, described as follows:
- Insurance company general account products – These tend to have longer durations in the underlying bond investments, and therefore they can offer higher crediting rates in general. The wrap contracts in this case are usually single-provider contracts, however, so there is credit risk to consider regarding the insurance company. Be mindful of the crediting rate reset rules, panelists urged. There will also likely be less transparency and less portability compared with other approaches.
- Insurance company separate account products – These have some similarities with general account products, but the insurance company agrees to hold the underlying fund assets in a separate account disassociated with the insurance guarantee, potentially reducing credit risk. Panelists suggested this approach can provide an additional level of security, a wider variety of investment strategies, and an enhanced level of portability—usually for a higher cost, of course.
- True separately managed accounts – This approach utilizes multiple investment wrap contracts and multiple insurance guarantors, panelists explained. Securities are also held by a third-party custodian, further segmenting the insurance guarantees from the asset management portion of the product.
- Pooled funds designed for small investors – This approach is increasingly being utilized by plans with, say, $50 million or less, to access stable value investments. There is significant variability in how these pooled funds are invested and guaranteed, but the idea is to bring institutional pricing to smaller plans by having them all bargain together. A plan sponsor can actually use the three previously described stable value styles under this pooled approach, panelists suggested. One key things to consider, they warned, is that the book value crediting rate of the pooled fund can be impacted by each co-investors' decisionmkaing, especially when there is only a small number of investors in the pooled fund.


text:
Ray Mc Anally
Born on 30th March 1926 in Buncrana, Co. Donegal, Ray McAnally was educated at Saint Eunan's college, Letterkenny. During his time there, he wrote, produced and staged a musical called 'Madame Screwball'. Upon leaving, Ray entered the seminary but left again a short time after. In 1947 he joined the Abbey Theatre where he met and married actress Ronnie Masterson. Together they formed Old Quay Productions, putting on an array of classic plays throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
He made a triumphant London theatre debut in 1962 with "A Nice Bunch of Cheap Flowers" and was cast as George in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" opposite legendary British actress, Constance Cummings, at the Piccadilly Theatre. He routinely acted in the Abbey and at various Irish festivals, achieving award-winning notice on TV and films in the last decade of his life. His impressive performance as Cardinal Altamirano in the film "The Mission" (1986) earned him Evening Standard and BAFTA awards. His role in the BBC production of "A Perfect Spy"(1987) also earned him a BAFTA award.
In the last year of his life, McAnally portrayed the role of Daniel Day-Lewis' father in the Academy Award-winning film "My Left Foot" (1989). McAnally died suddenly of a heart attack on June 15th of that year and received a posthumous BAFTA award for this, his last movie. McAnally had four children; Conor, Aonghus, Máire and Niamh.
Growing up in an atmosphere of theatre and television, it was quite natural that Ray's children would follow him into the entertainment industry. Ray's son, Conor is a professional television producer/director with 30 years experience in music and television programming. He has been Director, Producer, Writer or Executive Producer of more than 2000 show episodes in a wide range of genres . His shows have won 22 major awards including 5 British Academy Awards and 3 from the Royal Television Society
Ray's son Aonghus is a well known TV presenter and personality in Ireland, working on various renowned RTÉ TV and radio productions including 'Anything Goes" and "The Lyrics Board". The brothers recollect that summer caravan holidays on Shrove beach in Co. Donegal were very special: 'playing on the sand dunes was a thrill as an innocent 8 year old!'says Aonghus.
One summer Conor was featured on the John Hinde postcard of the harbour in Moville. Aonghus jokes that for years he has resented the fact that Conor never called him to be in the picture, despite the fact he was only around the corner. Due to hectic work schedules and geography, both brothers regret that they are not able to visit Donegal more often but when they do, Aonghus claims that they have a definite sense of feeling closer to their father:
'Whenever I am there I feel his spirit around me. We are all formed by our memories of parents and Donegal was a pivotal part of who and what he was… If it's your county or your people's county then when you touch the soil under foot then you are home. Simple as that!'.


text:
At TMG, we're all about results. Below are just a few recent examples of how we've helped our clients to unleash their customer potential.
Customer Experience Intent StatementTMG International Inc. took BCAA through the process of defining the ideal customer experience, as well as creating internal alignment and excitement.
Revenue Optimization ModelSupported by TMG, VIA Rail was able to improve its two call centre's revenue generation opportunities, customer experience and efficiency. TMG's proprietary framework transitioned the contact from a transactional model to a revenue optimization model.
Rogers Smart Home MonitoringTMG helped Rogers develop a Marketing Strategy and Take to Market Plan for their new Smart Home Monitoring service that enabled them to address the challenges of penetrate a highly competitive, rapidly evolving market.
Value Proposition DevelopmentMeridian engaged TMG International Inc. to develop a concise value proposition with prioritized proof points that the organization could take forward to ensure the delivery of a consistent brand message and a positive Member experience.
Revenue Generation StrategyA major loyalty rewards contact centre with more than 1,000 agents that was operating as a transactional, redemption service found its mandate significantly expanded to include service and sales as a result of a significant corporate reorganization. TMG International Inc. was brought in to redefine this contact centre's business model and supporting practices in order to drive an increased focus on customer experience, a renewed focus on efficiency, and a new focus on revenue generation.


text:
American naturalist William Bartram visited Manatee Springs in 1774 and wrote about it a little over a decade later in his popular book in 1791. But people had been coming to this area long before Mr. Bartram. Paleo Indians probably discovered the cool, first-magnitude spring about 10,000 years ago. It's been a popular spot ever since.
Today, Manatee Springs State Park may be best known for its 800-foot boardwalk that juts out into a deep cypress forest and ends past the east bank of the Suwannee River. You can see many manatees here, especially during what passes for cooler months in Florida. Other activities include local hiking trails and a connection to the 32-mile Nature Coast State Trail.
Let's face it. Most people come to Manatee Springs State Park to see manatees and springs. The summer is the best time to go scuba diving. The spring pumps out about 125 million gallons of cool, clear water every day, so this part of the Suwannee River never gets really warm. The state regulates scuba divers very closely, and there are too many rules to reprint here. It's better to focus on the fun anyway.
Just off of FL-320 on FL-115, you can reach Manatee Springs State Park from US-98. It is only six miles northwest of Chiefland and 11 miles southwest of Andrews. If you were thinking of visiting Jacksonville, it is only 121 miles to the northeast. You should not have any trouble getting to the park as the roads are mostly wide-open highways with well-paved surfaces.
However, once you get into the park, you will need to slow down and pay close attention. Of course, you should always go slow in any park, but this one has some large potholes, bumpy gravel roads, and the trees can be very low hanging during much of the year. Larger rigs should try to get a spot in Hickory Loop or Magnolia 2 Campground because Magnolia 1 Campground can be difficult for RVs over 30 feet.
Many visitors to the park prefer to leave the rig at the campground and drive another vehicle, ride a bike, or walk wherever they want to go. If you don't have a bike, you can find bike rental services at the concessionaire near the beach or in town. Parking your rig is iffy in many of the parking lots around the park so if you do not have another vehicle, foot power is the best way to get around.
Magnolia 1 Campground at Manatee Springs State Park has 40 campsites with 30 that can accommodate RVs from 15 to 40 feet in length. Some of the sites are much smaller and can only handle a pop-up or a tent. Make sure you check the length limits when you book your reservation. Each site is partially shaded by moss-covered cypress and maple trees. You'll enjoy full utilities with 30- to 50-amp electric and water hookups. Some sites also provide sewer hookups.
Many people prefer to cook outdoors on the provided campfire grill or their own camp stove. After all, you came to the park to enjoy the outdoors, not the inside of the RV. Your family can all fit around the large picnic table where you can eat without having to worry about holding your food in your lap as you eat. The campground also has a comfort station right in the middle with modern restrooms and showers. Pets are allowed but must be leashed or crated at all times during your stay.
Just to the west of Magnolia 1 Campground, Magnolia 2 Campground has 16 sites that can handle rigs from 25 to 35 feet in length. These prime sites are spaced further apart and are closer to the river than the other campgrounds. Each of them has 30-amp electric, water, and a large open area to play. Also, there is a restroom with running water and a bathhouse with hot showers nearby.
You can cook and eat indoors or out since the park provides a large picnic table that seats eight people and a campfire grill with plenty of room to cook on. You can bring your four-legged family along as well so they can enjoy the park, but they must be contained or leashed at all times. Reservations are required and can be made up to 11 months in advance. Be sure to bring plenty of bug repellent to keep the ticks and mosquitoes at bay.
If you are bringing the kids, make your reservations early so you can get a spot in the Hickory Loop Campground. The little ones will love the two playgrounds nearby and the bigger kids will enjoy the trails, swimming, and boardwalk accessibility. These 17 sites have 30-amp electric hookups and water so you can cook indoors or outside on the campfire ring provided by the park. You can also bring your own BBQ pit or a camp stove to use if you prefer.
This campground is the closest to the Catfish Sink Hotel, which is right down the walkway. There is also a path that takes you to the springs and picnic areas by the boardwalk. You will have plenty to do to keep everyone busy. You can even bring your pooch. However, you will have to supervise them and keep them leashed or otherwise restrained during your stay. Reservations are required and can be made from one day to 11 months in advance.
With two different group camping areas, you have your choice of which is best for your needs. Each campsite can accommodate up to 35 guests and are located just off of the main road between the main campgrounds and the ranger station. You will have access to potable water spigots, an outdoor shower house, and a port-a-potty. Each campsite also has a campfire ring with a grill to cook on and several picnic tables. You don't have to worry about the kids having to balance their food on their lap in a camp chair.
You will need reservations, which can be made from one day to 11 months in advance. It is best to book your site early since there are only two of them. There must be one adult per 12 children at the campsite; no exceptions. Pets are not allowed, and neither are alcoholic beverages. However, you are allowed to have as much fun as you want. Hiking and biking trails are nearby, and it is just a short walk to the playground, beach, and boardwalk.
Part of the fun here includes the Catfish Hotel. As the name implies, it's an underwater cave where catfish abound. If you've never been scuba diving as catfish pass a few inches from your eyes, you should try it. This is a pretty cool experience. A solid layer of duckweed covers the water, so when you come out, you'll look a little bit like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, which was filmed nearby. A concessionaire rents snorkeling and scuba equipment. You have to register with the ranger with your certification or with an instructor who has certification for cave diving.
If you are not a certified diver but still want to see some amazing underwater sights, why not try some snorkeling? This is one of the best parks to enjoy this activity because of the crystal-clear water in the springs. You can spot some vibrantly colored fish and other aquatic creatures in the sink holes, as well as the Suwannee River. However, the river has a strong current so be careful there. Be sure to wear a life jacket if you are not a seasoned swimmer. If you don't have snorkeling gear or want to know the best spots to snorkel, check out the concessionaire in the park.
Although you are not allowed to fish near Catfish Hotel, you can find plenty of other places to drop a line elsewhere in the park. The Suwannee River does not have very many large, trophy bass, but it does have a lot of somewhat smaller fish. Look for deep water areas or spots where the water flows around cypress trees. These fish also like to congregate around water lilies, fallen logs, and other water shelters. In the fall, you can catch shrimp as well as bass.
This portion of the former Atlantic Coastline Railroad track runs from Chiefland up Highway 98 to Wilcox. Bikers can then go east to Trenton or west to Cross City. It's a wide, paved trail that cuts through thick forests. Don't miss the historic Suwannee River Railroad Bridge in Old Town. In Florida, bikers under 16 must wear helmets, and everyone else should wear one too. This trail and others like it have so much to see and do; it is a good idea to bring a backpack with snacks and water. You should also pack a first aid kit just in case.
Speaking of other trails, the North End Trail is popular with hikers and bikers visiting Manatee Springs State Park. In this part of Florida, the weather almost always feels like mid-spring. So, the climate is excellent for exploring the winding, 8.5-mile North End Trail system. The landscape is mostly sandhills and hammocks. However, the cypress swamps are amazing so bring a camera along. The trail is well-marked and almost countertop flat, and there are two restrooms near the youth camp center. In addition, the Sink Trail Loop, a hiking-only trail in the southeastern part of the park, takes you on a tour of some of the largest sinkholes in the area. It's in one of the more remote areas, so there are lots of wildlife viewing opportunities and the trail does not have much traffic.
Are you here to see the manatees? Well, you are in the right spot. However, you will need to come during the right time of year for the best possibility of seeing them. The best time to spot these majestic peaceful creatures is the winter between January and April. These amazing West Indian manatees are one of Florida's endangered species, and there are strict rules about keeping your distance. It is best to view them from the 800-foot boardwalk. Be sure to bring your camera so you can share some pics on your favorite social media pages.


text:
12 - 13 October 2016
SW Regional Group Meeting Report
The South West Regional group of the SRP returned to the beautiful and historic setting of Dillington House in Somerset for a conference covering 'Radiation Protection from Concept to Practical Implementation.' The conference was held over two days (12-13 October) and provided the opportunity for speakers to deliver presentations covering a wide range of topics from Emergency Planning to Laser use.
The meeting commenced in the evening of Tuesday 11th with a drinks reception and meal allowing delegates plenty of time to view the exhibition and to network in the bar and in front of the log fire in the hall. On Wednesday 12th the meeting, chaired by Colin Partington, commenced with an interesting talk by Roger Coates examining the ethics of radiation protection. During the day variety of topics were covered, from what makes a good radiation protection professional, to practical aspects of Radiation protection - laser safety, control of radiological work, area monitoring, and internal and external dosimetry. Jon Taylor reminded the nuclear industry people present that there was life outside the wire with his talk on RP in the non-nuclear sector, and the day finished with a reminder that things can go wrong and how they are investigated when they do. Following the excellent hog roast in the evening the delegates enjoyed more opportunities for networking.
On Thursday the topics ranged through emergency planning, Learning from Experience in the medical sector, Risk communication and safety culture and finished with an update on the progress of the BSS.
The SW Regional Group would like to thank Colin for chairing the meeting, making sure speakers stayed to time and facilitating the discussion sessions, to Sue and Charlene for all their help and to Dillington for the excellent facilities and refreshments.
Report by Sharron Wormald, Babcock International.
View the programme from the two days here.
See the presentations below (SRP member access only, you have to be logged into MySRP):
Wednesday 12th October
Radiation Protection Ethics - Roger Coates OBE, IRPA President
Characteristics of a Good RP Professional (Training Requirements) - Lorna Galbraith, Nuvia
DRDL Radiological Work Control Procedure Update - Scott Tucker, Babcock International
Laser Safety - Lindsey Simcox, Aurora
Non-nuclear Role of HP - Jon Taylor, Aurora
Monitoring Areas - Simon Morris, EDF Energy
External Dosimetry - Gareth Roberts, Nuvia
Internal Dosimetry - Derek Bingham, AWE
Investigating Radiological Incidents - Alec Brannan, Babcock International
Thursday 13th October
Learning from Experience (Medical) - Jim Thurston, Royal Marsden Hospital
Communicating Risks to Workers and the Public - John Skegg, EDF Energy
Emergency Plans - Cliff Ellis, HP2 RP Services
Emergency Requirements for Transporting Radioactive Materials - Phil McNamara, EDF Energy
Safety Culture (Summary) - Grant Ingham, ONR
BSS Update - Roger Collison, Babcock International


text:
Contact: Beth Stone- (508) 584-8120
BROCKTON – State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office investigated five homicides and responded to 130 suspected fatal drug overdoses in 2016, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.
"I am proud of our State Police and these numbers reflect the hard work they put in every day working together with local police and federal authorities to solve these murders, investigate violent crimes, and take guns and drugs off the street," DA Cruz said. "We will never completely solve the problem of crime, but we can work to control it and maintain a sense of safety and security for Plymouth County communities."
In 2016, State Police assigned to the District Attorney's Office responded to a total of five homicides in Plymouth County, which is down from the 14 homicides they responded to in 2015. That number does not include motor vehicle homicides.
State Police assigned to the District Attorney's Office responded to 130 fatal suspected overdoses in towns and cities in Plymouth County, with 106 of the victims being male and 24 women. In 2015, State Police responded to a total of 142 fatal suspected overdoses in the county for the year.
"The number of suspected fatal overdoses in Plymouth County is down just slightly from last year and that signifies that there is more work to be done to combat the issue of opioids," DA Cruz said. "I am hopeful that the number of overdoses in our county continues to decline, but until significant progress is made, we will press on with our efforts at battling the opioid epidemic in 2017."
DA Cruz and Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald have formed the Plymouth County Drug Abuse Task Force, a group comprised of approximately 30 members meeting regularly to address the opioid issue in Plymouth County. The task force goal is to create a central clearinghouse of best practice information for all sectors involved in the fight against opioids, including in the areas of law enforcement, healthcare, education and community-based services.
There are 62 Assistant District Attorneys who work in the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office. The various attorneys prosecute in the two Superior Courts in Brockton and Plymouth, work as part of the Appellate Unit within the office, and are assigned to district courts in Brockton, Hingham, Plymouth and Wareham.
January 4, 2017


text:
Values are often an important part of close relationships. Having a conflict in values can sometimes even make the relationship one that cannot work. Yet values may not be something that you pay attention to. There are different ways that a mismatch or a conflict in values can affect you.
Sometimes your values don't match the values of the other person. If the values that don't match are primary values for you, addressing this will be an important part of making the relationship work. Sometimes the values are such that the relationship can't work. But if you don't address the difference, then not talking about it is likely to be an issue that will underlie many arguments and hurt feelings. You may not even realize that the main issue is a difference in values that hasn't been discussed. Imagine that you highly value many friendships. The other person is more focused on having one very close friend. If you don't recognize and talk about this difference, one of you may feel smothered (when the friend wants to share everything with you) and the other one devalued and unimportant (when you do things with other people).
Maybe you are focusing on values you have to the detriment of your own well-being. For example, you may see yourself as being kind to others. That's great. But you put others above yourself on a consistent basis. You say it doesn't matter, that you can let the other person have their way. You may label it as being kind to others when in fact you aren't standing up for yourself. That's actually not kindness. Most of the time being kind means being truthful as well. Is it being kind to let a relationship deteriorate because you don't want to bring up an issue? Relationships thrive on honest, open communication.
Perhaps you aren't clear about your values. You take on the values of other people. This means that you are hiding who you are. You are not being true to yourself. You are likely to be changing from day to day or person to person, and others will be confused. You will have no true guide for who you are and so others won't know who you are either. There can be no self-respect without having a moral compass and identity–making decisions that are consistent with your values and living your values. That's self-respect.
If you struggle with liking yourself, consider whether you are maintaining your self-respect and living your own values. Many times, it's people-pleasing efforts that lead to you not liking yourself or blaming yourself for past traumas.
Live a skill-full life


text:
A quiet envoy to the hermit kingdom of North Korea
A Korean-American scholar named Kun A. 'Tony' Namkung plays a significant behind-the-scenes role in exchanges between the US and North Korea.
| Washington
In an atmosphere of North Korean threats and rhetoric, a mysterious Korean-American plays a behind-the-scenes role that may be more significant than that of the better known actors in the drama.
His name is Kun A."Tony" Namkung, a self-styled "independent scholar and consultant," and he's been offering advice to high-level US missions to North Korea ever since the first nuclear crisis that nearly plunged the US into armed conflict with the North in the early 1990s.
Most recently, Mr. Namkung was the central figure in arranging two missions to North Korea last month – first when he accompanied Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and the former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson to Pyongyang, and again at the side of Associated Press Vice President John Daniszewski as the AP marked the first anniversary of the opening of its Pyongyang bureau.
Namkung stringently denies, however, that he's an advocate, much less an apologist, for North Korea. "The general impression is that I'm not at all critical of the North Korean regime," he says. Rather, "my purpose is to act as a back channel," he explains. "It's like pulling teeth as you might imagine."
Long-time Korea-watchers find Namkung's role and outlook puzzling, to say the least.
"He is smart sophisticated and subtle, as one might suspect of a person who has grown up in a number of very different countries," says Nicholas Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute, author of numerous books and studies on North Korea. "The North Korean side has considerable trust and confidence in him. If they did not, they surely would not have allowed him so many visits and so much travel in their country."
Fixer and go-between
How Namkung, soft-spoken and suave, came to assume his role of inside fixer and go-between on missions to Pyongyang goes back to his origins in Shanghai as the grandson of a Presbyterian theologian, from a prominent Korean family, who had gone there to escape Japanese colonial rule.
An older sister, he says, nicknamed him "Tony" after the movie star, Anthony Quinn, and he adopted "Anthony" as his middle name. Moving to Japan with his family after the war, Namkung went to the US while in his teens, graduating from Calvin College, a Christian college in Michigan, and earning a doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley before teaching at universities.
After serving for a decade as deputy director of Berkeley's Institute for East Asian Studies, Namkung was at mid-career when he first visited the North in 1991 with a delegation from the Asia Society in New York. He emerged as an influential figure at a time when North Korea was brandishing threats very similar to those emanating these days from Pyongyang.
An unofficial intermediary in attempts to get the North not to withdraw from the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, Namkung takes credit for drafting North Korea's promise, in a joint communiqué with the US in 1993, in which the North said it was ready for "consultations" with the International Atomic Energy Agency "on outstanding safeguards," including IAEA inspections of its nuclear facilities.
On the basis of the confidence he had built in Pyongyang, Namkung says he convinced the North to admit Jimmy Carter for talks in June 1994 after the North Koreans asked him about the former president's relationship with Bill Clinton, in the second year of his presidency.
Namkung's response was unequivocal. "We were on the brink of a major crisis," he says. "Nothing was more important than to try every angle to keep going down that path, a situation not unlike the one we are facing at this very moment. I advised the North Koreans to invite Carter as a last-ditch attempt to stave off a major confrontation and certain war on the peninsula."
The result was that North Korea's "Great Leader" Kim Il-sung, grandfather of the North's current leader Kim Jong-un, agreed in talks with Carter on a boat in the Daedong River to "freeze" the nuclear program. The crisis worsened after Kim Il-sung died several weeks later, but the US and North Korea came to terms in Geneva in October 1994 on a "framework agreement" under which the North shut down its nuclear program and accepted IAEA inspectors.
Two years later, Namkung formed an enduring relationship with Mr. Richardson, then a New Mexico congressman. Together they negotiated the release of a deeply troubled American, Evan Hunziker, captured by the North Koreans after swimming across the Yalu River from the Chinese side.
'I float trial balloons'
In the years after Richardson's election as governor in 2003, Namkung advised him not only on North Korea but a wide range of Asian issues. The Richardson-Namkung relationship was crucial in the release in 2009 of a pair of American television journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, picked up by North Korean soldiers while filming along the North's Tumen River border with China.
"I was informed within a day or two of the two female journalists' capture that they would be released upon completion of a judicial procedure that might take several months," says Namkung. "During the entire period of their captivity, I worked hard to ensure that they were treated properly and would be released in due course."
While Richardson "remained in close contact with the families," he says, "I contributed a great deal to their eventual release." Indeed, he says, he and Richardson were about to "go get the detainees" when Bill Clinton "entered the scene with the backing of the administration and the North Koreans were forced to accept him, a superior envoy, at the very last minute."
Namkung denies that he and Richardson work together on more than an occasional basis but serves as "consultant" for the Associated Press on its bureau in Pyongyang, staffed by two former employees of Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency. He does not discuss how much freedom the AP has to report from Pyongyang or what advice he gives on AP coverage from inside North Korea that rarely mentions such issues as the North's human rights record or abuse of political prisoners. [Editor's note: The original version of this paragraph was changed.]
Namkung, however, hardly sees himself as a naïve advocate of reconciliation. "My main interest is not to be painted as a card-carrying member of the engagement crowd," he says. "I am held in confidence by all parties. I pass messages. I float trial balloons."
His final wish: "I hope when my epitaph is written, it will read, 'He helped defuse tensions.' "


text:
This time last Friday, at Stitches Midwest, I was in another Barry Klein class — this one about fit. During our lunch break, I happened to buy a bag (10 balls; half price!) of Kathmandu Chunky in a lush grey tweed. And it occurred to me that what I wanted was to convert that lovely Walpole cardigan pattern (by Hannah Fettig for Wool People 3, which I already had on my iPad) to work with this yarn — and that I had the perfect opportunity for Barry to check my math. So I quickly swatched it up on a couple of different needles, got my stitch and row gauge, and talked through the basics of the pattern with him as he mapped it out on his giant notepad.
Late that night I cast on and knit two rows. Saturday night I started over! (I'd overlooked one tiny detail in calculating my cast-on count.) And with this in my bag, Sunday was one of those rare travel days where I didn't mind so much that it took me hours upon hours to get home.
So far, the pattern is pure pleasure, as is the yarn. I can hardly wait to spend some more time with it this weekend. As always, I'd love to hear what you're all up to …


text:
CFD Consulting for Heavy Industrial & Manufacturing Settings
Heavy industrial applications tend to be in hot, dirty and challenging operating environments. M/E Engineering has provided CFD consulting for modeling worker comfort and safety in steel and aluminum mills, extremely uncomfortable moist, hot environments involved with paper products, drying applications using very high air velocities, quenching operations both with and without phase changes, heavy duty heat transfer in the heat exchangers of combustion air preheaters (recuperators), explosion modeling and a host of other applications.
CFD modeling provides architects and engineers the benefit of trying new ideas to improve industrial settings without the investment of prototypes or mockups. When processes or machinery are being evaluated, we can also use the CFD solution (temperature, humidity or pressures) to calculate stresses.
What we do:
- CFD simulations of heat index and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).
- Models of manufacturing processes or machinery.
- Quenching studies and liquid processes.
- Combustion reheat and preheat studies.
- Radiative flux calculations.
- Fire models.
- Effective ventilation in challenging environments.
- Ventilation studies of very moist or dirty environments.
Spaces Modeled:
- Aluminum extrusion factory environments
- Quenching of steel sheets or ingots in steel mills
- Recuperators using exhaust to preheat combustion intakes for industrial ovens
- Comfort, heat index and absolute temperature on factory floors
- Paper mills & processing plants
- Spray coaters
- Petrochemical refineries
- Ultra-dirty environments
- Industrial ovens
- Hydraulic machinery
- Mixing tanks and stirring operations


text:
The World of Intelligence Intrigue
Lately there has been a lot off attention regarding Russia and its authoritarian regime. We have seen journalists and opposition leaders murdered. That process is not characteristic of just recent Russian history. I have a story from my past which is germane to current events and how we view our world.
Being in graduate school at Duke University working on my Ph.D. was fascinating in so many ways. The South was having a civil rights war, I found myself deep in Duke University Medical Center and I was meeting all manner of fascinating people. Not the least of whom was Nicolai.
One day a new student arrived. He was older than most of us and had a heavy Russian accent. How curious? In time I learned he had been the head of KGB operations for Eastern Europe. One night we fed him ample vodka and he told us about how his life had been as a high level intelligence operative. Like so many people, he considered himself to have been a patriot. But being a patriot of the kind he had been required to be turned out to be a proposition he could not, in the end, suffer. He decided to defect.
Of course American intelligence was interested and he agreed on a condition. When he went on Radio Free America to announce his defection his wife and children would be picked up by our people and taken out of Russia. We didn't do it and he lost his family.
Nonetheless he was true to his word partly because he could not accept the moral problems associated with the kind of murderous activities in which he had to be involved. Like other Russians recently working for reform he survived a poisoning with a radioactive substance and came to the United States to study clinical psychology. Interesting choice.
Honor and Truth
He was a touching individual and I never would have guessed his past. He was such a gentle and respectful person with a deep sense of honor. The stories he told us that night were immensely troubling. But his concluding statement about his past in intelligence was one I will never forget. "You think intelligence work is like James Bond. It is in fact like Get Smart." In case you don't remember Get Smart, it was a television comedy series about international intrigue. The players on that stage were often inept if not just plain incompetent. Nicolai was speaking a truth.
It was clear he meant the statement and the details of his life bore out his conclusion. What he conveyed was that we often have a view of things which we hold as truth. But truth is illusory and Nicolai's story was yet another confirmation that we do, indeed, live on the cusp of reality.
What do you think of Nicolai's conclusion?
Gaia's Majesty-Mission Called: Women in Power by Roger B. Burt
Roger B. Burt's Amazon home page
Creating Characters and Plots by Roger B. Burt
Stepfamilies: Professionals and Stepcouples in Partnership
Whatever Happened to Community Mental Health by Roger B. Burt


text:
What's N-Up, Doc? (A DataWindow story…)
Would like to add potency to your PowerBuilder applications?
You may want to check-out this presentation by Ronnie Po about the DataWindow N-Up presentation style, perhaps one of the most underutilized DW features…
How does this feature work, and how can you employ this gem to ?
This presentation examines concepts behind the N-Up DataWindow style and demonstrates a few reasons to add this feature to your bag of PowerBuilder tricks.


text:
Ever since the update to Mac OS X 10.4.6 installed (flawlessly), my version of Microsoft Word 2004 started crashing on me whenever trying to open an existing document. I tried everything I could think of (short of reïnstalling the system - we're not Windows, after all), but nothing helped. So, this morning I decided to ask the Support Forum at Apple, and guess what: I had a solution within 4 hours! Thanks, Whoopy!
The solution consisted in - arcanely enough - replacing the new (sic!) version of the German Hyphenation Dictionnary files with an old version. How sick is that!?! One more proof that you want to eradicate whatever Microsoft infestation you have on your system!
Word crash
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
A French judge has been appointed to lead a judicial investigation into suspected "corruption" and "favouritism" over the 7.8-billion-euro sale to India of 36 Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter aircraft, Mediapart can reveal. The highly sensitive probe into the inter-governmental deal signed off in in 2016 was formally opened on June 14th.
It was following Mediapart's "Rafale Papers" series of investigations into the secret dealings behind the contract, published in April, that French anti-corruption NGO Sherpa filed a complaint with the tribunal of Paris, citing "corruption", "influence peddling", "money laundering", "favouritism" and undue tax waivering surrounding the deal.
The financial crimes branch of the French public prosecution services, the PNF, confirmed to Mediapart on Friday that the newly opened investigation is focussed on all of the alleged crimes.
As Mediapart has previously reported, in 2019 the former head of the PNF, Eliane Houlette, dismissed an initial complaint filed by Sherpa, against the advice of one of her staff and without carrying out any investigations, justifying her decision as "to preserve the interests of France".
Now, two years later, her successor as head of the PNF, Jean-François Bohnert, has decided to support the opening of a probe, after the complaint was updated with details from Mediapart's recent series of investigations.
The criminal investigation, opened on June 14th and led by an independent magistrate, an investigating judge, will, among other elements, examine questions surrounding the actions of former French president François Hollande, who was in office when the Rafale deal was inked, and current French president Emmanuel Macron, who was at the time Holllande's economy and finance minister, as well as the then defence minister, now foreign affairs minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian.
In a statement to Mediapart, Sherpa's lawyers William Bourdon (founder of the NGO) and Vincent Brengarth said the launch of the probe "will necessarily favour the emergence of the truth and the identification of those responsible in what increasingly resembles a state scandal".
In a statement published in April, reacting to Mediapart's investigation, Dassault Aviation said that the group "acts in strict compliance with the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and national laws".
"Numerous controls are carried out by official organizations, including the French Anti-Corruption Agency. No violations were reported, notably in the frame of the contract with India for the acquisition of 36 Rafales", Dassault added.
The probe will notably focus on the role of wealthy Indian businessman Anil Ambani. The Chairman and owner of Indian conglomerate Reliance Group, who is personally close to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ambani is at the heart of the suspicions of corruption surrounding the Rafale deal, which was concluded by Hollande and Modi in an inter-governmental agreement in 2016.
In this report, Mediapart can reveal the details of a partnership contract signed between Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation and Reliance, which in 2017 created a joint venture company called Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL), with the building of an industrial plant close to the central Indian city of Nagpur.
The confidential documents obtained by Mediapart reveal how Dassault had in fact no interest in forming a partnership with Reliance other than for political reasons.
It emerges from the documents that Dassault provided Reliance with remarkably generous financial terms for the establishment of their joint venture. Ordinarily, the partners in a jointly owned subsidiary would provide equal funds for its capital. But that was not the case with DRAL.
The two partners agreed a maximum investment in the subsidiary of 169 million euros. Of that sum, Dassault, which held a 49% stake in DRAL, pledged to provide up to 159 million euros, representing 94% of the total, while Reliance would provide just the remaining 10 million euros.
This meant that Reliance was given the majority 51% stake in the joint venture in return for a relatively very modest sum.
While Reliance brought neither funds nor know-how of any significance to the joint venture, it did bring to it its capacity for political influence. In an extract from one of the documents obtained by Mediapart detailing the agreements between Reliance and Dassault, Anil Ambani's group was handed the mission of "marketing for programs and services with the GOI" – the acronym for "government of India".
Contacted by Mediapart, Dassault Aviation declined to comment. Also contacted, the Reliance Group failed to respond to Mediapart's questions.
Amid recurrent media revelations in India, the controversy over how the fighter jet sale was concluded has for more than three years persistently dogged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leader of the ultra-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and caused outrage among his opponents. Modi is accused of imposing into the contract, signed between France and India, Ambani's private group as Dassault's principal local industrial partner, to the detriment of India's giant state-owned aviation manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
In a previous interview with Mediapart, François Hollande confirmed that the decision to appoint Reliance as Dassault's industrial partner was made by the Indian government, and that France "didn't have the choice" in the matter. The Indian government, Reliance and Dassault all denied that version of events.
At the time of the deal, the Reliance Group, which had no experience in aeronautic manufacturing, was gripped by financial difficulties. Despite this, Ambani succeeded in entering the huge defence contract, and in the process both the Indian prime minister and two successive French presidents have come under suspicion over their roles in the deal.
In January 2016, just months before the signature of the inter-governmental contract for the sale of the 36 Dassault Rafale jets, an arm of the Reliance Group provided 1.6 million euros of funding for a feature film co-produced by then French president François Hollande's personal partner, the actress Julie Gayet.
Meanwhile, according to a report by French daily Le Monde, current French president Emmanuel Macron, who was at the time Hollande's economy and finance minister, was allegedly involved in a surprising decision to waiver a tax adjustment claim of 143 million euros against a French subsidiary of the Reliance Group.
By allying itself with Dassault, Reliance gained a large part of the 4 billion euros-worth of contracts Dassault was required by the terms of the Rafale deal to give to Indian companies, in what is called an "offset" agreement, intended to benefit the local economy.
It was in 2012 when, following the issuing of a public tender, Dassault Aviation was chosen to supply the Indian Air Force with 126 Rafale jets. Under the terms of the contract, the state-owned company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was appointed as Dassault's principal industrial partner, and it was to assemble 108 of the fighter jets in India.
Negotiations to hammer out the fine detail of the definitive contract continued for several years before a sudden turnaround was announced on April 10th 2015. That was when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had been elected to office the previous year, announced during a visit to Paris that he wanted to overturn the terms of the original tender, and instead purchase just 36 Rafale jets, all of which would be manufactured in France.
The surprise announcement had been kept secret, to the point where the Indian foreign affairs ministry had referred just two days earlier to continuing contract discussions with HAL.
But the documents seen by Mediapart show that Dassault and Reliance had in fact signed their first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) – a document setting out broad outlines of an agreement – on March 26th 2015. That was 15 days before Modi's announcement of the turnaround, and with it the exclusion of HAL, and begs the question as to whether the two companies had been informed of it in advance.
The events were all the more surprising in that the negotiations between Dassault and HAL had apparently by then ironed out any differences between the two companies, as was announced by Dassault Aviation CEO Éric Trappier, in the presence of both the head of the Indian Air Force and the chairman of HAL, in a speech on March 25th 2015 at the biennial Aero India airshow in Bengaluru (the former Bangalore).
In a video recording (see below) released by the Indian National Congress party, which represents the principal political opposition to the Modi government, Trappier declared: "You can imagine my great satisfaction to hear […] from HAL chairman that we are in agreement for the responsibilities sharing, considering as well our conformity with the RFP [Request for Proposal] in order to be in line with the rules of this competition. I strongly believe that contract finalisation and signature would come very soon."
Yet the very next day, according to documents now obtained by Mediapart, Dassault signed the MoU with Reliance, which was soon followed by Modi's overturning of the original tender agreement and removing, as a result, the obligation for Dassault to partner with HAL.
The MoU prudently allowed for a "possible joint venture". It would include "program and project management", "research and development", "design and engineering", "assembly and manufacture", "maintenance" and "training". But it avoided explicit mention of the tasks allotted for HAL in the tender.
With Modi's turnaround, the road was now clear for a new alliance, and in November 2015, Dassault CEO Trappier and Reliance Group chairman Ambani signed a "strategic partnership agreement", a more detailed document than the previous MoU, for the establishment of a joint venture in India.
That agreement set out a project by the two companies whereby, in the case of "subsequent sales" to India which would include local manufacturing activity, it would be the joint venture company that would be in charge of the "aircraft final assembly line", to the exclusion of HAL (see document below).
More troubling still was the plan for Dassault and Reliance to take part in fighter jet development for which HAL was in charge. Dassault and Reliance planned to provide "design consultancy" for a future version of the Tejas single-engined Indian "Light Combat Aircraft" (LCA) manufactured by HAL, which had been designed together with the Indian defence ministry's Aeronautical Development Agency.
The "partnership agreement" also confirmed that Dassault had hardly any industrial interest in allying itself with Reliance. It detailed how Dassault was to provide almost every essential activity in the joint venture, including its "technology and know-how", its "technical assistance", and its "international marketing" capabilities.
On its side, Reliance was to provide "production facilities". Given that the group had at that time no aeronautical manufacturing plants, this was probably with an eye to the implantation of the future DRAL joint-venture factory near the city of Nagpur.
Importantly, the second mission given to Reliance was the explicit task of "marketing for programs and services with the GOI [Government of India] and other authorities (such as local states) in compliance with applicable laws". In sum, it was to use its powers of influence (see document below).
The inter-governmental agreement finalising the sale of the 36 Rafale was signed in September 2016. Two month later, on November 28th 2016, Dassault and Reliance signed a "shareholders' agreement" which set out their relationship in the future joint venture company. But the financial details of this were so sensitive that they did not figure in the contract, and instead were contained in a confidential "side letter" which was signed that same day.
It is that "side letter" that contained the funds gifted to Reliance by Dassault.
As almost equal partners, the two companies each pledged to provide up to 10 million euros for the capital of the joint venture. Up to that point, everything followed business logic. But Dassault also promised a "share premium", a supplementary sum on the price of the shares, of a maximum 43 million euros, plus loans detailed as "not exceeding 106 million euros".
This meant that Dassault had pledged to provide up to 159 million euros out of the total investment of 169 million euros, representing 94% of that total. Meanwhile, the contribution by Reliance, it was noted, "shall not exceed 10 million euros, all in equity".
Just how much of these sums was invested is unclear. On March 31st 2019, the DRAL joint venture company's capital stood at 7.5 million euros, of which Reliance would normally have been expected to fund half, namely 3.25 million euros. For its part, Dassault, in a statement published on its website announcing the inauguration of the Nagpur plant, announced that the joint venture represented an "unequalled Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by Dassault Aviation of over 100 million euros, the largest such Defence FDI in one location in India". It omitted to mention that its partner Reliance, in comparison, had made but a very modest contribution.
It appears that, in 2019, Reliance had provided just 3.25 million euros out of a total of more than 100 million euros, representing a saving on its part of more than 45 million euros. Presented with these figures, Dassault Aviation declined to comment while Reliance failed to respond.
The beginnings of the DRAL joint venture were financially unimpressive. After its first year of production activity, signed off on March 31st 2019, it recorded a turnover of just 250,000 euros and losses of 750,000 euros. At that rate, Dassault would be hard pressed to reach the objective of spending 4 billion euros in local offset agreements as set out in the Rafale contract.
If you have information of public interest you would like to pass on to Mediapart for investigation you can contact us at this email address: firstname.lastname@example.com. If you wish to send us documents for our scrutiny via our highly secure platform please go to https://www.frenchleaks.fr/ which is presented in both English and French.
- The original French version of this report can be found here.
English version by Graham Tearse


text:
A public review draft has been released for the BSR/ASHRAE Web Services Addendum to the ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135-2004 (BacNet). The Building Automation and Control Networks (BACnet) specification is an American national standard (ANSI), a European pre-standard, and an ISO global standard.
The BACnet data communication protocol provides a set of rules governing the exchange of data over a computer network. The rules govern, for example, "what kind of cable to use, or to how to form a particular request or command in a standard way. What makes BACnet special is that the rules relate specifically to the needs of building automation and control equipment, i.e., they cover things like how to ask for the value of a temperature, define a fan operating schedule, or send a pump status alarm."
According to the ASHRAE announcement, potential uses of the Addendum's Web Services technology include "simplifying access to building energy and performance data for inclusion in spreadsheets and other management reports; accessing equipment run-time data for use by maintenance management systems; allowing tenant control of space temperature setpoints; coupling of room scheduling with ventilation and comfort control, etc."
Creation of the new Web Services Interface Addendum was motivated by a recognition that Web services "is emerging as the predominant technology for the integration of a wide variety of enterprise information. The addendum therefore defines a standard means of using Web services to integrate facility data from disparate data sources, including BACnet networks, with a variety of business enterprise applications."
The BacNet Web Services Addendum reflects deliberations of the XML Working Group over two years, beginning with an initial meeting which discussed several XML spplications: "object profiles, EPICS documents, a Device Definition Language specification, protocol analyzer traces (i.e., what is seen on the wire, including timestamps, source and destination addresses), router configuration information, network topology information, and anything that can be extended by a vendor.
The BACnet XML Working Group "is working on defining applications of the Extensible Markup Language (XML) relevant to BACnet systems. It is also working on Web service definitions that will allow data exchange between building automation and control systems and various enterprise management systems. In June 2004, after months of intense effort by the Web Services Task Team of the BACnet/XML Working Group, SSPC 135 unanimously voted to recommend public review of the WS addendum to BACnet-2004.
The specification is composed of two parts: Part 1 (135-2004c-1) Normative Annex N defines "Adding BACnet/WS Web Services Interface." This interface "is intended to be communication protocol neutral in that the defined Web services can be used with any underlying protocol including BACnet, Konnex, MODBUS, LON or legacy proprietary protocols. This has been accomplished by defining how to read and write the common elements of all building automation and control systems such as values, schedules, trend logs and alarm information using services such as 'getValue' and 'setValue' that use a simple path to define the intended data source."
Addendum Part 1 also defines mechanisms for localization "where certain types of data such as time, date and numbers can be formatted according to local custom and language: A BACnet/WS server may support multiple locales simultaneously, and several of the attributes of a node are accessible for different locales. For example, in a server that supports multiple locales, the 'DisplayName' attribute can be used to get a user interface presentation name for the node in more than one language. Specifying a locale in a service also allows the client to request dates, times and numbers in a format appropriate to that locale."
Addendum Part 2 is the Normative Annex H, "Combining BACnet Networks with Non-BACnet Networks." It "prescribes how a gateway should be constructed that translates web service requests specifically to and from BACnet messages. The Annex M subclause (H.6 Using BACnet with the BACnet/WS Web Services Interface) "provides examples of the correspondence between BACnet/WS node attributes to specific properties of BACnet Objects. For some nodes and attributes, mapping may not be to any BACnet property but rather to a static value or to a function that transforms internal information to a BACnet datatype or concept."
The modifications of the BACnet/WS Web Services Interface Addendum are the result of change proposals made pursuant to the ASHRAE continuous maintenance procedures and of deliberations within Standing Standard Project Committee 135. SSPC is a "Standing Standard Project Committee" as defined and authorized by the ASHRAE Standards Committee. SSPC 135 participants, according to the published roster, include representatives from Novar, Automated Logic, Delta Controls, VVS Tekniska, ABOK, Siemens Building Technologies, Kyoritsu Kiden Co., Ltd., SIA, Sebesta Blomberg, NAVFAC, Cimetrics, Tridium, NIST, Siemens, Lithonia Lighting, JDL Business Services, University of Cincinnati, ESS Engineering, Montgomery College Maryland, and Andover Controls.
The BSR/ASHRAE Addendum c to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135-2004 approved for review by the ASHRAE Standards Committee will be open for comment during 45-day period October 22, 2004 through December 6, 2004.
Related standards work is being done within the OASIS Open Building Information Exchange (oBIX) Technical Committee, chartered to "define a standard web services protocol to enable communications between building mechanical and electrical systems, and enterprise applications. This protocol will enable facilities and their operations to be managed as full participants in knowledge-based businesses. The oBIX specification will utilize web services for exchange of information with the mechanical and electrical systems in commercial buildings."
Bibliographic Information
Proposed Addendum c to Standard 135-2004, BACnet — A Data Communication Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks. Public Review Draft, ASHRAE Standard. BSR/ASHRAE Addendum c to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135-2004. First Public Review. Released: October 22, 2004. 32 pages. Copyright (c) American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. August 30, 2004. This draft shows proposed changes to the current standard.
Standard 135-2004 — BACnet — A Data Communication Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks. ANSI approved. Published by ASHRAE. 2004. ISBN/ISSN: 1041-2336. 611 pages. The purpose of this ANSI approved standard is "to define data communication services and protocols for computer equipment used for monitoring and control of HVAC&R and other building systems and to define an abstract, object-oriented representation of information communicated between such equipment, thereby facilitating the application and use of digital control technology in buildings. This standard is under continuous maintenance, which is a process ASHRAE uses to keep standards current through the issuance of addenda, or revisions."
Excerpts from BSR/ASHRAE Addendum c to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135-2004 Public Review Draft
This annex [N - BACnet/WS Web Services Interface] "defines a data model and Web service interface for integrating facility data from disparate data sources with a variety of business management applications. The data model and access services are generic and can be used to model and access data from any source, whether the server owns the data locally or is acting as a gateway to other standard or proprietary protocols.
Implementations of the services described in this annex shall conform to the Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I) Basic Profile 1.0, which specifies the use of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) 1.1 over Hypertext Transfer Protocol — HTTP/1.18 (RFC2616) and encodes the data for transport using Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0 (Second Edition), which uses the datatypes and canonical encodings defined by the World Wide Web Consortium XML Schema..."
Data model: "A node is the fundamental primitive data element in the BACnet/WS data model. Nodes are arranged into a hierarchy in the data model... A path is a character string that is used to identify a node or an attribute of a node. The hierarchy of nodes is reflected in a path as a hierarchy of identifiers arranged as a delimited series, similar to the arrangement of identifiers in a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for the World Wide Web. A path like '/East Wing/AHU #5/Discharge Temp' identifies a node, and a path like '/East Wing/AHU #5/Discharge Temp:InAlarm' identifies the InAlarm attribute of that node..."
Security (N6): "BACnet/WS does not define its own authentication mechanism; rather, this annex specifies the use of a transport authentication defined by other standards. Authentication may be provided by a simple HTTP username and password, or may be secured through SSL/TLS certificates or more advanced options such as WS-Security/SAML and others yet to be defined. To ensure a base level of interoperability, this annex requires that all servers be capable of supporting the HTTP 'basic' authentication, which is supported by all major Web services toolkits and application servers. Once a user is authenticated to a server, the authorization as to what that user can access and/or modify is according to authorization policies in the server. The configuration of these authorization policies is a local matter..."
Normalized Points: "Most building automation protocols, both standard and proprietary, have the concept of organizing data into 'points' that have 'values.' In addition to their values, points often contain data such as 'point description' or 'point is in alarm.' But these data may be named, structured, and/or accessed differently in different protocols. To ensure that a Web service client can retrieve data without knowing these naming and access-method details, this annex defines 'normalized points.' This means that the common attributes of points available in the majority of building data models are exposed using a common set of names..."
Extending BACnet/WS (N.13) "The data model defined by this annex can be extended in the following ways: (1) extended information that might be considered to be a property of a node may be modeled by adding children nodes with a NodeType of 'Property'. This allows for the extended property data to be arbitrarily complex; (2) Node classification can be extended by local application of the NodeSubtype attribute; (3) The Units enumeration may be extended by configuring the Units attribute to the canonical value of 'other', and setting a localized value of the Units attribute to the new units string..."
List of added entries for BACnet Standard 135-2004 Clause 25, pages 448-449:
- IETF RFC2616 (1999), Hypertext Transfer Protocol — HTTP/1.18, Internet Engineering Task Force, http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2616
- IETF RFC 3066 (2001), Tags for the Identification of Languages, Internet Engineering Task Force, http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3066.html
- W3C (2000), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) 1.1, World Wide Web Consortium, http://www.w3.org/TR/SOAP
- W3C (2001), XML Schema Part 0: Primer, World Wide Web Consortium, http://www.w3.org/XML/Schema#dev
- W3C (2001), XML Schema Part 1: Structures, World Wide Web Consortium, http://www.w3.org/XML/Schema#dev
- W3C (2001), XML Schema Part 2: Datatypes, World Wide Web Consortium, http://www.w3.org/XML/Schema#dev
- W3C (2003), Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0 (Second Edition), World Wide Web Consortium, http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml
- WS-I (2004), WS-I Basic Profile 1.0, Web Services Interoperability Organization, www.ws-i.org/Profiles/BasicProfile-1.0.html
About BACnet and ASHRAE
BACnet — A Data Communication Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks has been developed under the auspices of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), BACnet is an American national standard, a European pre-standard, and an ISO global standard. The protocol is supported and maintained by ASHRAE Standing Standard Project Committee 135..."
"BACnet is a Data Communications Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks. It is an ASHRAE, ANSI, and ISO standard protocol... BACnet became an ASHRAE/ANSI standard in 1995, and an ISO standard in 2003. BACnet is under continuous maintenence by the ASHRAE Standing Standard Project Committee 135. The BACnet protocol defines a number of services that are used to communicate between building devices. The protocol services include Who-Is, I-Am, Who-Has, I-Have, which are used for Device and Object discovery. Services such as Read-Property and Write-Property are used for for data sharing. The BACnet protocol defines a number of Objects that are acted upon by the services. The objects include Analog Input, Analog Output, Analog Value, Binary Input, Binary Output, Binary Value, Multi-State Input, Multi-State Output, Calendar, Event-Enrollment, File, Notification-Class, Group, Loop, Program, Schedule, Command, and Device. The BACnet protocol defines a number of data link / physical layers, including ARCNET, Ethernet, BACnet/IP, Point-To-Point over RS-232, Master-Slave/Token-Passing over RS-485, and LonTalk..." [see the BACnet entry from Wikipedia]
The goal of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is to "advance the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and related human factors to serve the evolving needs of the public and ASHRAE members. ASHRAE has some 87 active standards and guideline project committees, addressing such broad areas as indoor air quality, thermal comfort,energy conservation in buildings, reducing refrigerant emissions, and the designation and safety classification of refrigerants..."
"ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of 55,000 persons. Its sole objective is to advance through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve the evolving needs of the public..." [ASHRAE web site]
Principal references:
- Download BSR/ASHRAE Addendum c to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135-2004. See the file listing. The distribution contains the Addendum in PDF format, a "Form for Commenting on a Public Review Draft Ashrae Standard, Guideline or Addendum", and "[Instructions for] Comments on Draft Standards." Send comments to email@example.com.
- Download BSR/ASHRAE Addendum c to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135-2004. BacNet web site.
- ASHRAE Standards Actions and Public Review Drafts
- "BACnet Web Services Addendum Proposed for Review." July 2004. [source]
- "BACnet/XML Working Group Recommends Review of BACnet Web Services Addendum."
- Web Services in Works for BACnet. Announcement February 25, 2004.
- "BACnet Web Services Addendum Proposed for Review." In BACnet Europe Journal Issue 1 (September 2004), page 39.
- "ASHRAE Committee SSPC-135 Submits XML/Web Services Addendum to BACnet Standard for Public Review." From Engineered Systems. Posted on 07/12/2004. Also from AutomatedBuildings.com.
- "BSR/ASHRAE Addendum c to ANSI/ASHRAE 135-1995, BACnet — A Data Communication Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks." Supplement to ANSI/ASHRAE 135-1995. Notice published in ANSI Standards Action Volume 35, #44 (October 29, 2004). "This proposed addendum defines a standard means of using "web services" to integrate facility data from disparate data sources, including BACnet networks, with a variety of business enterprise applications. It is essential to provide this information in Standard 135 because Web services is emerging as the predominant technology for the integration of a wide variety of enterprise information..."
- ASHRAE web site
- ASHRAE International Standards Activities
- International Secretariats and U.S. TAGs Administered by ASHRAE
- ASHRAE history
- BACnet XML Working Group
- BACnet XML Working Group Convener: H. Michael Newman, Cornell University
- BacNet.org - Official Website of ASHRAE SSPC 135
- "BACnet/XML: BACnet Opens Doors for New Technology." ASHRAE Press Briefing for BACnet. By Michael Newman. January 27, 2004, revised January 28, 2004.
- "BACnet Innovations." ASHRAE Press Briefing for BACnet. By Jim Lee (President, BACnet Manufacturers Association). January 27, 2004.
- "Web Services in Works for BACnet." From the 2004 AHR Expo. February 25, 2004.
- BACnet tutorials
- BACnet FAQ document. From PolarSoft.
- BacNet FAQ document
- BACnet-XML-WG. SSPC 135 BACnet XML Working Group (Yahoo!Groups).
- "BACnet." See this entry in the Wikipedia.
- SSPC 135 Contact Information
- Building Automation and Control Networks (BACnet). Local references.
- XML and Web Services for Facilities Automation Systems:
- aecXML
- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
- Automating Equipment Information Exchange (AEX)
- Building Automation and Control Networks (BACnet)
- Continental Automated Building Association (CABA)
- Control System Modeling Language (CSML)
- Green Building XML Schema (gbXML)
- IAI Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)
- LonTalk Protocol
- NIST Product Data Standards for HVAC/R Systems
- OASIS Open Building Information Exchange Technical Committee
- Open Building Information Xchange (oBIX)
- OLE for Process Control (OPC)


text:
Be sure to tune-in to our Twitch Channel from 12pm to 2pm EDT (GMT -4) on March 28th and 29th to see, play, and give feedback on MANGO!
We will be playing, testing, and seeing how it goes. No prizes offered other than a good time.
This weekend and in future streams, our MindTip Twitch channel will be showing off a game idea we've been working on called MindTip MANGO. It is a tropical rendition of the popular wait-for-a-ball and fill-in-a-card game that most elder people find amusing.
Instead of Balls, the game offers MANGO Fruits appearing randomly on the screen.
Each players' job is of mark off numbers on their card when the Mango with the number is on screen.
This is done in the Twitch chat while the game is actively running.
The Host (who else but Ron), will choose the game type and they await active players.
The Game Types are Mango Tree and Mango Tree Co-Op
There are various options of Auto-Fill in, Free-For-All entry and Wild Mangos
The object of all the games is to fill in as many spots as you can on your card and get 5 MANGO Card covered spots in a row (a MANGO Line) vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.
Host sequence –
Start the Game – Pick the type of game to play.
- MANGO Tree (Compete) – First player to get a MANGO on their Card wins the bonus points and receives a Win for their profile. Bonus Points is depending on the number of players. (Max of 12)
- MANGO Tree Co-Op – All Players get as many MANGOs as they can to reach the number needed to Win before time expires. There are point bonuses for Double, Triple, Quadruple MANGOs and a FULL CARD. If the number of MANGOs is reached within the time limit, all players get the Game Bonus Points. Bonus Points is depending on the number of players. (Max of 12)
(If Free-For-All is not selected, the Lobby Screen appears. Otherwise, the game screen will show.)
MANGO Lobby
With the MANGO Lobby on-screen, any Twitch player can enter the CODE to enter in the Twitch Chat Window. Their username will be entered into the Lobby.
Once in the Lobby, each player can TEST the Twitch delay by Opening a "whisper" (Twitch's Direct Message) to MindTip (the host) entering "!test" and then the special number in the Whisper that the Player sees on their card.
This Twitch Delay result will help the Host determine the setting of Twitch Delay for the Games being played.
Once all players are in the Lobby (or the Host gets tired of waiting), the Host can go into the Game.
The MANGO game starts with each player's MANGO card being on the screen and all will have a chance to view before the Host starts the game.
Once the game starts, all players will then be able to control their card via MindTip Twitch Chat or Whispers to MindTip channel. The MANGO tree will appear and start producing Mango Fruits with random numbers on them from 1 to 75. Each Mango Fruit will drop off the tree after a few seconds and splatter on the ground or sidewall. Once Splattered, the Mango Fruit is out of play. The player can successfully cover a spot on their MANGO Card if they enter the number of the spot in Chat or Whisper while the Mango Fruit of the matching number is visible on the screen. If the Player Entry is successful, the MANGO Card number will be covered and the Player will receive points and progress toward making a MANGO line on their card. The player can enter the same number over and over again even if the Card Number is already covered for Bonus Points.
If the Player enters a Number in Chat or Whispers that is not on their card or on their card but not an in-play MANGO Fruit, a Mistake will be recorded on their card. A Player can have a maximum of 3 mistakes visible and still be in the game.
How to Enter the Game – Lobby
During the Lobby scene, there will be a 5 Letter Code on the screen (it changes with each game). Any player that wants to join in the next game would enter this code into the Twitch Chat. If successful, the player will see there Twitch username appear in the game lobby and they will be ready to play when the Host starts the game.
How to Enter the Game – Free For All
During Free For All game modes and while the game is running, any player that wants to join in would enter "!playnow" into the Twitch Chat and hit Send. If successful, the player will see there Twitch username appear on a MANGO card and can start playing the game. The player at that point can begin sending numbers into Twitch chat to cover their squares.
How to Enter Numbers into Chat or Whispers to play the game (e.g. "!54)
To enter a number, type an ! (exclamation point) followed by the number you want to try and cover. (e.g. !32 !67 !3 !10). As soon as you hit Send or push the Enter Key on your keyboard, the command is sent to the game via Twitch services. The Chat Room and Whispers are the MANGO Game Controller for each player.
How to Test the Twitch Delay – Lobby only
After the player enters the game in the Lobby, they can test the Twitch Delay and help the Host determine the Twitch delay setting needed to be set for the games. Enter "!test" in chat and look for a unique code on your player card to chat back. The result will show on the Player's card and tell how long the delay is for Twitch Video Stream to the player's browser.
Game Objectives
MANGO Tree (Compete) – the first player to successfully fill a single MANGO Line on their MANGO card will end the game and be the Winner. That player receives the Bonus Points for their score and a Compete Win.
Mango Tree Co-Op – This is a Timed Game. All Players try to get as many MANGO Lines as they can to exceed the Co-Op Game MANGO Lines Objective before time runs out. The Game MANGO Lines Objective is dependant on the number of players in the game. Typically it is 3 per number of players. Once the Game MANGO Lines Objective threshold is reached. the Game is Over and all players receive a Co-Op Win and the Co-Op Prize Bonus to their score.
If time expires before the Game MANGO Lines Objective is reached, the game is over with no winner and no bonuses.
MANGO CARDs
Each player's MANGO card has five columns and five rows of random numbers, 25 coverable spots overall. The numbers range from 1 to 75. Each card has a capacity for 12 MANGO Lines. There is room for 3 Mistakes and 3 Wild holders on each card. A MANGO Line is five numbers covered in a row either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. A Full Card is achieved when all spots are covered. Double, Triple, and Quadruple MANGO lines are bonus achievements for covering a single MANGO card spot successfully that results in 2, 3, or 4 MANGO Lines respectively.
MANGO CARD Mistakes
Each MANGO Card can hold a maximum of 3 Mistakes and the player can still play the game. If the player makes one more Mistake while having 3 Mistakes on their card, they will be OUT for the rest of the game and not receive any points or bonuses. Mistakes will disappear after a few seconds allowing the player to "cool off" from the Mistakes made. So, if a player gets 3 Mistakes on their card it is recommended to wait until at least one Mistake falls off before trying to enter another number for their card.
MANGO CARD Wild Icons
Each Wild icon is considered a Free Entry on the Card. Special WILD MANGO Fruit can be captured during the game. Once a player captures a WILD Mango, all Mistakes on their card will be removed and a WILD MANGO Lightning Bolt icon will be added to their card. If the player has any Wilds on their card, they can enter any Unmarked number on their card and it will be covered whether a matching MANGO Fruit is on the screen or not. A player's card can hold a maximum of 3 Wild Icons.
GAME Play Dashboard
Time Remaining (Co-Op)
MANGO Lines needed to Win (Co-Op)
GAME Prize
Special Game Options –
Free For All option – the game will start and the players can join in progress using the Special Chat Room code "!playnow"
Auto-Fill option – The Player's MANGO Card auto-fills as soon as the MANGO with a matching number appears on the tree. This option removes the Player' need to interact for filling in their card squares.
Special MANGOs –
If enabled, special large glowing MANGOs will appear from above and drop below. Each of these MANGOs will do something special. The first player to enter the number of the Special MANGO will receive the special prize associated with it. Important Note – as soon as one player takes the Special MANGO it is removed from play and no other players can get it. Any attempts to try to capture the removed Special MANGO will result in a Card Mistake.
- Silver MANGO – 100 point bonus to player's score.
- Gold MANGO – 200 point bonus to player's score.
- WILD MANGO – Adds a Wild MANGO Icon to the player's card and clears all Card Mistakes. Max of 3 per any one card. A Wild Mango means the Player can fill in any spot on their card whether it is on the MANGO tree screen or not.


text:
Saturday, November 01, 2014
Girls Like Us, by Gail Giles
Written in alternating chapters with Quincy's and Biddy's distinctive voices, the text takes a bit to warm up to. But once you do get accustomed to it, the story is an eye-opener. Giles takes her career in Special Education and uses it to give an authentic and inspiring voice to these two marginalized women. The result can be heartbreaking at times, but it is ultimately uplifting.
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Club 567+1 takes place on the 1st Sunday of each month.
Venue: Panmurefield Baptist Centre, 154 Lawers Drive, Broughty Ferry
Timing: 3pm to 5pm
Age range: Primary 5, 6 and 7 + Secondary 1st year
There will be table tennis, pool, basketball, air hockey, football, badminton, board games, chill out zone, tuck shop, arts & crafts, special visiting activities and much more!
We will finish each session with fun group games and challenges followed by a together time chatting about different Bible heroes and how their story can help us.
All this for £1 a session!
Next Session
To be confirmed….
Important Information
– All children must be dropped off and collected by a parent/guardian/known adult.
– A registration form must be completed by a parent/guardian on their first visit.
– Children must leave mobile phones at home or store them in the locked box provided during the club time.
– Children should come dressed appropriately for the sporting activities they may wish to take part in and bring a water bottle.
– Tuck shop is available so Children may wish to bring along a small amount of cash.
All our church helpers are PVG checked and the church has in place appropriate insurances.
To book a place please Contact Us.
Photo Gallery
Check out some of the photos from previous sessions, below:
November 2018
Great fun at Club 567 this month.
Thank you to Home Computers Support for visiting again.
Thank you to Lizzie and Janet for the fireworks baking.


text:
Aug 10, 2021
By Andy Johnson
A leading Russian dissident and human rights activist who fought for the victims of oppression in Soviet times and was exiled to the gulag, has died in Moscow.
Sergei Kovalyov was a tireless advocate for Russian democracy and a bitter critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Putin's moves to curb rights groups, freedom of speech and the right to protest.
His death was confirmed by "Memorial," the human rights organization he helped found. Cause of his death was not announced, but it's understood he'd been in poor health in his final years.
Kovalyov was a colleague of nuclear physicist Andrei Sakharov and who wrote an open letter in 1974 calling for an amnesty for all Soviet political prisoners. He was arrested and convicted of anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda and served seven years in Soviet labour camps.
Memorial called Kovalyov's death "an irreparable loss."
He was 91.
To learn about advertising opportunities with Zoomer Radio use the link below:


text:
MY Bora Bora 85'
MY Bora Bora got delivered in 2004. On the size of 85′ she is still able to get handled by the owner himself.
Very volume in space, she offers many cabin spaces.
The fly bridge is very large and still there is no yacht on the market that size and style, which offers that huge fly bridge space.
Following some key numbers:
Type of vessel Twin screw motor yacht
Type of hull High speed planing
Hull material E-glass & epoxy composite sandwich
Main power 2 x MTU 12V 2000 M90 marine diesels ( 1500 hp – @ 2300 rpm )
1. Dimensions / Displacement
Length overall 25.90 meters 85,0 feet
Length on waterline 20.60 meters 67.5 feet
Beam 6.40 meters 20.9 feet
Keel draft 1.25 meters 4.1 feet
Maximum draft 1.70 meters 5.5 feet
Design displacement 56,000 kilograms 123,500 pounds
Gross tonnage approximately 190
(Actual GT for any vessel can only be determined by tonnage surveyor)
2. Tank Capacities
Standard fuel 8,700 litres 2,298 US gallons
Fresh water 2,000 litres 528 US gallons
Grey water 1,000 litres 264 US gallons
Black water 1,000 litres 264 US gallons
3. Performance
Total propulsion power 3000 hp
Top speed at design displacement 32 Knots
Economical cruising speed 23Knots
Range at economical cruising speed with Standard Fuel 800 Nautical Miles


text:
RITM Australia attended the recent Wellness Expo in Darling Harbour, Sydney. The expo was focused on holistic approaches to staying healthy and keeping fit at home and at work.
During the event RITM's team demonstrated the SCENAR technology – non-invasive, quick and effective pain relief electrotherapy.
We have been approached by over 30 visitors, looking for holistic and natural modality for mental and physical health.
Our team has provided demo treatments to over 15 people with various pain conditions and, all of them has experienced pain relief regardless of the pain level. The quickest treatment took one and a half minute with pain reduction of 4 (VAS from 7 to 3).
Our booth was so busy that we didn't have time to make may photos.
We are really pleased with the show as this gave us the opportunity to show and provide more information about the brilliant SCENAR technology.