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By Martin Walker
Aycliffe police officers are implementing some preventative measures in the town thanks to council cash.
With ever-increasing cutbacks to public spending, our Neighbourhood Police Team are constantly looking for innovative ways to make the best use of their resources.
So they applied to Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership (GAMP) to help fund a new Community Safety Project.
GAMP has donated almost £5,000 which will help fund a range of policing measures.
The first lot has gone on a batch of new shed alarms, safety notices and UV security pens to enable residents to mark their property.
Officers have already started distributing them in the Burdon Close and Marshall Road areas of Aycliffe.
PCSO Gavin Laycock said: "We're going into areas where there's been a crime committed and there had been an incident recently.
"It's just to make residents feel a bit safer and hopefully gives the public confidence in us.
"It's a pretty close-knit community around here and I think the word will get around fast that we're working alongside communities, with the help of GAMP's donation, for the benefit of the whole community."
Ken Robson, chairman of the Acorn Residents Association pictured with vice-chair Glenn Gibson and PCSO Laycock, added: "It's the community's way of fighting back, with preventative measures like this.
"We get involved and help as much as we can. We pass on information, but it's nice to see the police come back and help with preventative measures such as these."


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The Kevlar Wrap & Strap Safety Device, a safety product – researched, tested and developed by the ABB High-Voltage Services division – is patent-pending and the only product of its kind in the power industry to contain the results of a substation insulator explosion.
The safety device includes predetermined outlet openings at the top and bottom that allow high-pressure gases and small insulator fragments to escape in the event of an insulator failure. The device will not eliminate an insulator from exploding due to high pressures or fractures, but will limit the extreme results of what is otherwise a catastrophic event. An uncontained explosion has been known to distribute itself in a radius of more than 100 yards from the initiation point.
ABB has implemented new features with this product to its already stringent set of safety standards and requirements. These features include:
- A product made with three layers of ballistic Dupont Kevlar
- A product compatible with virtually any insulator design
- Simple installation performed in parallel with other maintenance activities
- Cost-effectiveness, lower risk and peace of mind
- No need to remove high-voltage leads prior to installation
"We would like to thank ABB for its work on creating a product to increase safety for our employees working on or near electrical equipment containing pressurized porcelain," said Fred Hudson, director of safety and security, ITC Holdings. "When properly attached, ABB's new Kevlar Wrap & Strap busing blankets appear to serve as an effective barrier to protect workers from blasts and resulting fragmentized porcelain. The product design also appears to be usable on many different manufacturers' equipment and can be easily installed and removed."
ABB www.abb.us

subset: commoncrawl


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Sony has been discharging a ton of data about the PlayStation 5 this year, including its "days off 2020" discharge date, however, the organization has kept quiet with regards to the PS5's plan. Be that as it may, recently spilled pictures of what's purportedly the comfort's dev unit could give us a thought of what's in store. The photograph of the asserted dev unit originates from Zone of Tech and looks practically indistinguishable from the Sony patent that was revealed in August. The two pictures show a surprising looking machine that is formed like a "V," which is the Roman numeral for 5. The new picture gives us a superior take a gander at the support and has been transformed into a render by LetsGoDigital, which found the first Sony patent.
We see that the dev pack has six USB ports—most likely one USB 2.0 and five USB 3.0—alongside the standard on/backup, reset, and discharge catches. At the upper right, there's what seems, by all accounts, to be a worked in-camera, which would almost certainly permit one-contact 4K live-spilling—a component that is additionally reputed to be available in Microsoft's cutting edge Xbox Scarlett.
There are likewise status lights on the left-hand side numbered zero to seven, which could identify with each associated controller. The "Framework" and "System" INIT ports are believed to be dev units just highlights.
Regardless of whether this is a genuine picture of the PS5 dev unit, and it ought to be taken with a spot of salt, the last form of the machine could change radically from what we see here. Given that numerous individuals aren't enthused about this strange structure, expect to see something very extraordinary when the comfort lands in around a year.
Source: TechSpot


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- February 24, 2024
The journey from high-level banker to one of the state's top elected officials to budding tech entrepreneur and startup rainmaker, for Alex Sink, started out at a quiet moment at home.
It came eight years ago, soon after Sink, onetime Florida president for Bank of America and the state's elected CFO from 2007-2011, lost a grueling election to now-Florida Gov. Rick Scott. A Democrat, Sink came within 60,000 votes of becoming Florida's first female governor.
"I took a bit of a breather and licked my wounds. I went through lots of ups and downs," says Sink of the time she spent at her family's home in Thonotosassa, in east Hillsborough County. "Then I told myself, 'so, you're not governor. What can you do now?'"
There were opportunities to get back into banking, and politics too. She eventually did get back to banks, at least from a board level, joining the board of St. Petersburg-based C1 Bank in 2013, for example. And she's been active politically, advising and mentoring candidates.
But starting about five years ago Sink, who grew up on a hog farm in Mount Airy N.C., began to find her new career passion: helping tech startups grow and prosper.
She's been a senior adviser for Hyde Park Capital Investments, a prominent Tampa firm, and she founded a nonprofit that supports entrepreneurs in several communities statewide, the Florida Next Foundation. Her latest gig, and her highest-profile post since she ran for governor, is chairwoman-elect of Tampa Bay Wave, a nonprofit dedicated to helping entrepreneurs build, launch, and grow breakout tech businesses. Sink's chairwomanship begins in November. Says Sink: "Our goal is to get these companies investor-ready."
Sink, 69, joins several others in getting behind the area's startup scene, from Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik to a dozen or so co-work spaces and incubators that dot the town. "I really believe we are at a tipping point," says Sink, adding while a corporate headquarters is nice, local companies are the lifeblood of a community.
Tampa Bay Wave is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2018, having grown from a peer group for local entrepreneurs to a thriving tech hub that supports more than 200 startups. Tampa Bay Wave President Linda Olson, says the organization, like Tampa, is bubbling over with never-before seen opportunities, including interest from out-of-state investors and partnerships with national entities.
"If you haven't been here in the last six months," says Olson, of the downtown Tampa digs, on Kennedy Boulevard, "you wouldn't recognize this place."
Next life
Sink has two core reasons for diving into Wave, at which she's been on the board since 2016.
'Florida does not have a lot of Fortune 1000 companies. We have a lot of small and midsize businesses. We are the land of dreams.' Alex Sink
One motivation can be traced back to her gubernatorial campaign vision. She was a big booster for small business interests back then, she says, promoting the idea of homegrown successes. "I've always said I'd rather have 100 small businesses hire three or four people each and keep growing than have one business make one big splash with 400 jobs," says Sink. "Florida does not have a lot of Fortune 1000 companies. We have a lot of small and midsize businesses. We are the land of dreams."
Sink honed that philosophy during her 26-year banking career. With Bank of America, Sink became something of Florida pioneer, opening the office in Miami. That's when the bank was NCNB, which became NationsBank, and later Bank of America. Working under legendary BofA executive Hugh McColl Jr., Sink grew the Miami operations into a statewide powerhouse: while she was president, the bank's branch network grew to 800 and deposits more than tripled, from $13.7 billion to $43 billion.
The employee side was her other passion, particularly in guiding young bankers. So much so Sink's daughter Lexi would often joke that in her mom's next life she would come back as a high school guidance counselor. "I've always considered myself to be something of a mentor," says Sink, the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce's 2017 H.L. Culbreath Jr. Profile in Leadership Award winner. "I like being able to share my knowledge and experience to help others be successful."
Her pupils from Bank of America form a top-notch roster of Tampa area business executives, people Sink mentions like a proud parent. The list includes Jamie Harden, who now runs Creative Sign Designs, an $18 million company with 130 employees; Steve Raney, the president and CEO of Raymond James Bank, a Raymond James Financial subsidiary; Gordon Johnson, co-owner of Highway Safety Devices and a board member at Raymond James; Pilot Bank President Rita Lowman, the 2017 Florida Bankers Association chairwoman; and Penny Parks, founder and president of Links Financial.
Company connector
Sink says her goals at Wave include utilizing both her mentoring skills and her large base of contacts to connect young entrepreneurs with investors, potential investors and customers. "I'm very blessed to be in a position financially where I can pay it forward," Sink says.
That includes working with a Wave company like Harness, which created a software app that helps nonprofits, schools and other organizations improve fundraising campaigns. One of its features is a roundup part of the app, similar to Amazon smile, where people can donate leftover change to groups. Founded in October 2015 by Miraj Patel, 27, and Andrew Scarborough, 26, Harness has nine employees and had about $250,000 in revenues last year. "We want to disrupt the fundraising space by bringing these new tools to donors," Patel says.
Patel and Scarborough met Sink at a Wave breakfast event late last year. The young entrepreneurs and the veteran businesswoman connected over a shared passion for helping nonprofits while also building a business. Sink has since connected Harness with a bevy of nonprofits for potential business, including the board of the United Way. Says Patel: "She's opened doors left and right at some of the biggest groups in town."
Sink has also mentored the co-founders on everything from the nuances of targeting nonprofits to constructive criticism on elevator pitches. "Alex even called me on a Sunday morning once to talk about a presentation I had just given," Patel says. "She's just a genuine human being."
Olson, at Wave, agrees that Sink's sincerity is both what draws people to her and will also be an ally for Wave going forward. "She has a true passion for this, and she just gives and gives and gives," says Olson. "And her attitude is infectious."


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Growing up, National Signing Day was a holy day for me. After a teacher in the fifth grade, the father of a letterman from a prominent program, showed me there were websites that ranked the players that would be entering college the next year, I was hooked. Recruiting has changed a lot since then, the fall of 2005, and so has signing day. For one, there's now two of them in college football. The first is the early signing period, that the NCAA instituted in 2017, is the third Wednesday in December and runs until the third Friday in December. The traditional February signing day remains the first Wednesday of that month.
The early signing day has been the more popular one amongst prospects, with around 80 percent of power 5 prospects signing their letter of intent in the early period as opposed to the late period.
With arguably the craziest coaching carousel in the sport's history, storylines heading into early signing day are abundant. Here are some of the most intriguing from around the country.
*All recruiting rankings are based on the 247 composite rankings unless otherwise noted
1. Texas A&M Poised to Sign Best Class in School History
When Aggie administrators and boosters signed Jimbo Fisher to a then-record 10-year $75 million contract after the 2016 season, recruiting classes like the one Fisher is poised to bring to College Station in this cycle are what they had in mind in Aggieland. The class as it looks now is elite. It's highlighted by the nation's top player in interior defensive lineman Walter Nolen, a coup led by recruiting wunderkind Elijah Robinson, the defensive line coach for the Aggies. It also features the nation's top wide receiver in Evan Stewart, and a five-star quarterback in Conner Weigman, the highest-rated signal caller Fisher has brought to College Station.
More could be coming for the Aggies, enough to give them a recruiting national championship. They're still in it for several five-stars including Cypress (TX) linebacker Harold Perkins, South Florida d-lineman Shemar Stewart, and Houston-area corner Denver Harris, who may be my favorite player in the entire class. Some of those guys may not sign tomorrow, and Stewart's recruitment has been complicated by Mario Cristobal returning to Miami. Cristobal is working around the clock to keep the Florida native home.
There's one very big prospect out there for the Aggies I haven't mentioned yet, which leads me to…
2. What Does Kiyunta Goodwin Do?
I said there was a big prospect, and I meant that, literally. Goodwin is arguably the most physically imposing offensive tackle in the class, and the Kentucky commit would be one of the biggest signings in the history of Wildcat football. But, this recruitment seems wide open, with A&M, Michigan State, Florida State, Michigan, and Alabama all getting official visits this fall. The five-star could still sign with Kentucky, but no one really has any clue how this one is going to go tomorrow.
3. James Franklin Gets His $80 Million Quarterback
Some around the nation were shocked when Penn State signed Franklin to an $80 million extension in November amidst Penn State limping to a 7-5 campaign. It was the second straight unsatisfactory season for Franklin after Penn State won 11, 11, 9 and 11 games from 2016-2019. One reason Penn State was willing to invest so heavily in Franklin?
Enter Drew Allar.
The Ohio native may be someone the Buckeyes wish they had recruited harder earlier, as Allar has risen up rankings unlike anyone else, regardless of position, in the entire class. Allar got a late start to the quarterback position, but he's taken to it like a fish and water. He's rated as the third best player in the nation in the 247 rankings as well as being the top quarterback. His film is as good as any quarterback recruit in at least a decade, and that includes former 2022 quarterback Quinn Ewers. His size, athleticism, ball placement and arm strength would impress NFL scouts right now. Time will tell if he will live up to the billing, but his impending arrival, as well as the rest of a top-ten ranked Nittany Lion recruiting class that also features the nation's top running back in Nicholas Singleton is what Penn State bet big on.
4. Can Steve Sarkisian Capitalize on Momentum?
Seemingly for the first time in his year-long tenure, Steve Sarkisian seems to have built some momentum at Texas after the commitment of Quinn Ewers Sunday. Before the circus he brought upon himself by reclassifying from 2022 to 2021 and enrolling early at Ohio State to capitalize on NIL opportunities, Ewers was considered by many to be the quarterback recruit of a generation. The Southlake Carroll (TX) product decided to go to Texas, the school he was committed to originally before flipping to Ohio State last fall. The Longhorns also got a five-star commitment from offensive tackle Kelvin Banks over the weekend, moving the recruiting class into the top ten at number seven. Of course, that would make them only the fourth best class in the SEC, where Texas will end up as soon as possibly next season.
That class could be added to though. The aforementioned Evan Stewart is reported to have a close bond with Ewers and could flip from Texas A&M to Texas. Five-star offensive tackle Devon Campbell is considered likely to choose the Longhorns, as well. While lack of talent has never been an issue at Texas, landing a few more blue chippers Wednesday and beyond would certainly signify that Sarkisian has the respect of the type of players he will need to get Texas up to speed in the SEC.
5. Lincoln Riley Makes His Pitch
The newly minted USC coach has hit the road running in Los Angeles. The Trojans only have four commits for their 2022 class, but one of them is Top 50 overall running back Raleek Brown, a flip from Oklahoma. He's also already flipped the second overall player in the 2023 class, quarterback Malachai Nelson, from Oklahoma, as well as high school teammate and five-star athlete Makai Lemon, who was also headed for Norman. Late Monday night, news broke that top-100 receiver and Southern California product C.J. Williams was decommitting from Notre Dame. USC is seen as a heavy favorite to land Williams, whether it be Wednesday or later on in the process.
Unlike most coaches across the country who are convincing kids to put pen to paper on Wednesday, Riley will be doing the opposite. He's surely working the phones telling targets who may be committed elsewhere to hold off on signing right now and take a visit to USC between now and February. The allure of an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles is something that could persuade some to wait around and see what Riley has to offer at USC.
One recruit that will not wait is five-star defensive back Domani Jackson. The seventh-ranked player in the 247 sports composite will decide between Alabama and USC on Friday. These are the types of recruits Clay Helton did not keep in Southern California, and Riley keeping the Mater Dei product home would send quite a message that USC is going to operate at its full potential.
6. Oklahoma Tries to Stop the Bleeding
If you've been living in a cave for the last few weeks and came out of hiding to read some signing day articles, I hope you're not an Oklahoma fan. It was less than three weeks ago that Lincoln Riley stared at the media and said he would not be taking the LSU job, easing the minds of Sooner fans. Of course, he took the USC job instead, and recruits and current players fled Norman like someone had dropped plague-infested rats in the city. Oklahoma has had ten players decommit in the 2022 and 2023 classes. Nine of those ten were ranked in the top 150 in their respective classes. Spencer Rattler was likely to portal no matter where Riley was next year, but offensive playmakers like Theo Wease, Jadon Haselwood and Austin Stogner all also entered the portal before Oklahoma hired Brent Venables.
Venables has his work cut out, and no program this year may be more victimized by an early signing day than Oklahoma. Things are looking up though, as Venables landed a commit from 2022 top 247 quarterback Nick Evers on Monday. It appears like there is a good chance 2023 Heisman candidate and last year's top quarterback recruit before the reclassification of Ewers, Caleb Williams, is going to stay in Norman, Oklahoma. Top 150 linebacker Kobie McKinzie, who flipped to Texas after decommitting when Riley left, flipped back too, preferring to play for the defensive-minded Venables.
Venables may be in a similar situation to the guy he replaced in that he may be on the phone with recruits telling them to hold off on signing and getting them to visit Oklahoma before the February signing period.
7. What's Going on at Clemson?
After Clemson beat Alabama for the national title for the second time in three years back in January of 2019 with a freshman Trevor Lawrence at the helm, one could've said with a straight face that Clemson was the best program in America, and if not that, 1B with Alabama has 1A. Things haven't gone quite as well since. They only won one more playoff game with Lawrence, and limped to 9-3 this year in a god-awful ACC.
It's the off-the-field stuff that is most concerning, though. Clemson had been more stable than the other elite programs of the last seven or so years, as they've had much less coaching turnover than Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State. That unraveled in a big way over the last few weeks. Longtime Tiger defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who many thought would be a lifer with Dabo Swinney, left for Oklahoma. Offensive coordinator Tony Elliot, the ace recruiter for Clemson on that side of the ball, is now the head coach at Virginia. To put the cherry on top, esteemed athletic director Dan Radakovich, thought of as one of the nation's best, was poached by Miami.
Looking at Clemson's recruiting class, it's not much more encouraging. Yes, the 247 composite ranking's top quarterback Cade Klubnik will sign for Clemson on Wednesday. And Klubnik is good, don't get me wrong. He's about to lead Austin Westlake, in my opinion the nation's best high school team this year, to a second consecutive state championship in Texas. But, the rest of the class is underwhelming to say the least. It features only fifteen commits heading into national signing day. That number is not as alarming as it has been in the past around the country, as the advent of the transfer portal and free transfers has allowed teams to save scholarships on high school kids and focus on proven college players. However, Swinney has been reluctant to recruit from the portal since its advent. He's softened his stance in the last month or so, but the enthusiasm he has for it does not meet the level of what it should be for a program that right now is projected to be double digits under the 85-scholarship cap for next season.
For the first time in nearly a decade, there's real belief Clemson is going backwards. A strong national signing day would help beat back that narrative, but that seems to not be in the cards for the Tigers. When the dust settles Wednesday, expect Clemson' mediocre (for their recent standards) class to be a topic of conversation.
8. Michigan Looks to Capitalize on a Playoff Bump
What a difference a year can make. It looked like the Jim Harbaugh experiment was as good as dead a year ago. Fast forward, and the Wolverines are the No. 2 team in America heading into the playoff after finally getting over the Ohio State hump, and recruits are taking notice. Most of the playoff bump will likely take place in the 2023 class, but Michigan's performance this season has surely helped them with a few prospects.
Top 100 wide receiver Darrius Clemons visited Michigan last week, and Michigan appears to have a real shot of landing the Portland native. Top 100 defensive lineman Derrick Moore of Maryland also visited Ann Arbor Friday, and while no one is sure where he's going, Michigan seems to have as good of a shot as anyone. Keon Sabb, a New Jersey-turned-IMG top 100 safety, has been predicted to go anywhere but Michigan up until the last few weeks. If Michigan lands those three, that would be icing on the cake of a Top 10 ranked recruiting class as it currently stands.
9. The Transfer Portal Looms Large
Classes going into signing day are smaller than normal for a few reasons, but the biggest reason is the transfer portal. More specifically, the 2021 special edition of the portal. After the NCAA voted to allow basically all NCAA student-athletes one free transfer during their eligibility clock with no sit-out penalty, it created what is more-or-less free agency in college football. And, with on-campus recruiting severely curtailed for the class of 2021 due to the pandemic, many players enrolled at schools they had never been to, thus more likely to transfer. The NCAA surprisingly expected this and decided to allow teams to take up to 32 new scholarship players this year, up from the previous limit of 25. At this point that's just a one-year rule, but many expect it to be renewed.
So, if you're a fan of a program who has had a rough go of it in recruiting, or a place who lost their coach and a lot of recruits, like Oklahoma, not all is lost. Michigan State had the nation's 46th recruiting class last year coming off a 2-5 season in 2020, and they used the transfer portal to turn themselves into a ten-win team this year.
Programs like Arkansas, who brought in Jadon Haselwood, have already been active in the portal with big additions that could pay huge dividends in the win column next year. One thing is for sure. There are now two entirely different and important groups of recruits: those in the transfer portal and those coming out of high school.
10. Even with the Portal, Recruiting High School Players Still Matters
Some said that the transfer portal would harm the chances of high school players. They may have a point in college basketball, where coaches are deliberately undersigning and waiting to bring in portal options. But, despite classes being just slightly smaller, the effect has been overstated in college football.
Recruiting budgets across the country reached an all-time high, pandemic be damned. Fan interest in recruiting is at the levels it was previously. And top programs like Alabama, while they will use the portal, will bring in the vast majority of their new players next year via high school recruitment. The portal certainly can help programs fill holes, as it did for Alabama this year with Jameson Williams at wide receiver, among others. But, the bottom line is, coaches know the pathway to national titles is bringing in the best prep talent and coaching them up. That has yet to change, and likely never will.
Follow Garrett Carr on Twitter @GarrettCarr


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TOKYO (REUTERS) - The recent volatility in the Japanese stock market is not surprising as it is natural for stock prices to move randomly, Mr Koichi Hamada, a special economic adviser to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said on Thursday.
Mr Hamada, speaking to reporters, also said he is not worried about the rise in Japan's long-term yield as real interest rates remain low.
The Nikkei share average dived to a five-week low on Thursday as the yen firmed further against the dollar.


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Rep John Culberson (R-TX) pursued a line of questioning in committee to Attorney General Eric Holder about the Black Panthers and voting in Philadelphia during the 2008 presidential election. We've all seen the photos of two young black men standing at the entrance of a voting place, one welding a baton of some kind as he was dressed in the Black Panther uniform of choice. Holder has since decided to not pursue the case for prosecution.
Attorney General Eric Holder finally got fed up Tuesday with claims that the Justice Department went easy in a voting rights case against members of the New Black Panther Party because they are African American.
Holder's frustration over the criticism became evident during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing as Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas) accused the Justice Department of failing to cooperate with a Civil Rights Commission investigation into the handling of the 2008 incident in which Black Panthers in intimidating outfits and wielding a club stood outside a polling place in Philadelphia.
The Attorney General seemed to take personal offense at a comment Culberson read in which former Democratic activist Bartle Bull called the incident the most serious act of voter intimidation he had witnessed in his career.
"Think about that," Holder said. "When you compare what people endured in the South in the 60s to try to get the right to vote for African Americans, and to compare what people were subjected to there to what happened in Philadelphia—which was inappropriate, certainly that…to describe it in those terms I think does a great disservice to people who put their lives on the line, who risked all, for my people," said Holder, who is black.
Holder noted that his late sister-in-law, Vivian Malone Jones, helped integrate the University of Alabama.
"To compare that kind of courage, that kind of action, and to say that the Black Panther incident wrong thought it might be somehow is greater in magnitude or is of greater concern to us, historically, I think just flies in the face of history and the facts.," Holder said with evident exasperation.
In a series of questions and comments earlier in the hearing, Culberson insisted that race had infected the decision-making process. "There's clearly evidence, overwhelming evidence, that your Department of Justice refuses to protect the rights of anybody other than African Americans to vote," the Texas Republican said. "There's a pattern of a double standard here."
"I would disagree very vehemently with the notion that there's overwhelming evidence that that is in fact true," Holder replied. "This Department of Justice does not enforce the law in a race-conscious way."
My people, Mr. Holder? Isn't the Attorney General suppose to demand justice for all people? At the least, this sounds unprofessional.
As long as Holder is in the office of Attorney General, the American people are his people. All of us.


text: Yana was sponsoring a Challenge "It's not just a Pearl" at the Young Talent Cup in Graz. 8 Finalists had to create 2 dishes with Yuzu Saffron Pearl and the Pearl of Sherry Pedro Ximenez and promote the picture on Instagram. At the stand there was a guest Innocent Ntawihiga who was presenting a Cocktail with the Pearls of Crème de Cassis "Japanese Soir" www.party-innovation.at.


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ff @portablehardey on twitter
My navel is the only beautiful thing that gives my stomach a dent. This central point surrounded by sleeping hairs have lines that stretch out to my face vertically and an eye in the middle that portrays the marks of life.
O my love is like a red red Rose
that's newly sprung in June
o my love is like the melodie
that's sweetly play'd in tune
Robert Burns (monaliza smile)


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GREEN BAY, Wisc. –It was another impressive outing against an NFC North opponent for Stefon Diggs.
The Vikings receiver made a splash early, snagging a 17-yard catch from Case Keenum on Minnesota's second play of the game.
Diggs, who didn't wear sleeves for the prime-time matchup, seemed unaffected by the sub-zero wind chill. On the Vikings third series of the game, Diggs was targeted downfield by Keenum and drew a pass interference call on Packers cornerback Josh Hawkins.
Diggs, who had steps on Hawkins, noticed that the pass was a little short and reacted accordingly. Hawkins made contact with Diggs before the ball arrived.
"When I start running a couple steps, I can kind of gauge where the ball is about to be," Diggs said.
The penalty moved the ball up to the Green Bay 6. After a 2-yard rush by Latavius Murray, Keenum found Diggs on second-and-goal and hit him in stride in the back of the end zone to give the Vikings a 10-0 lead.
"It was a good ball," Diggs said of the pass. "It was a great ball in the back [of the end zone], he threw it away from the guy. I just tried to make the play for Case and get my feet in.
"I kind of felt where I was at," Diggs later added. "I kind of wish I would have dragged my feet just to be a hundred percent sure, but I felt like I was in."
Diggs made another impressive grab in the third quarter. A one-handed haul-in moved the chains 11 yards and the Vikings into a goal-to-go situation.
Murray ran the ball three consecutive times and was stopped by Green Bay's defense, but Kai Forbath knocked through his second field goal of the night to extend the Vikings lead to 13.
Saturday marked Diggs third-straight game with at least five catches, his longest streak this season.
He emphasized that the offense could have played better but that walking away from a gritty game at Green Bay with a 16-0 win was rewarding.
"We didn't play the best, but we did enough to get a win, and that's what's most important," Diggs said. "We look forward to cleaning things up moving forward – just clean up the little things, and we'll be fine.
"I have to find a way to come up with the ball no matter what," he added. "When I get a chance on a 50/50 [with] a guy, I want to make all my plays."
The third-year receiver led the Vikings in receiving with five catches and 60 yards.
After the game, Keenum spoke highly of Diggs and his ability to capitalize on opportunities.
"Diggs is explosive," Keenum said. "When I gave him a chance, he made some big plays. He got behind the defense a couple other times. One, we got the [pass interference call], but there were a couple others that I'd like back. [He's a] big-play guy that can change the momentum of a game in a hurry."
Diggs' touchdown marked his third career score against the Packers and eighth total against NFC North opponents.
While he believes it's more of a coincidence that some of his bigger games have come against division rivals, Diggs said it only adds to the fun.
"I just try to make all the plays that come my way," Diggs said. "But you know, I love playing in division games, especially Green Bay."


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Still a seller's market in MetroWest, Milford area despite slowdown in the real estate market due to coronavirus pandemic
The following article, quoting ERA Key President and COO Cheryl Eidinger-Taylor, appeared in The MetroWest Daily News and The Milford Daily News on May 28, 2020.
By Alison Bosma
When Framingham-based real estate agent Kathy Foran shows potential buyers a house, she suits up with a mask, gloves and even protective booties.
"That's a no-brainer," the 30-year industry veteran said. "That's required."
Sellers are also asked to leave open interior doors, like closets, and leave lights on, to help agents and house hunters avoid touching anything, and potentially picking up COVID-19.
"A vacant home has certainly been a hot commodity right now," said Cheryl Taylor, president and CEO of ERA Key Realty Services of Northbridge, which oversees several offices in the Milford and MetroWest region.
That's because it means no one who potentially has the virus has been in the house lately, she explained.
Though agents have modified how they do their jobs, the business of buying and selling houses has continued throughout the coronavirus pandemic, as one of the state's essential industries.
"I spent most of the weekend in sellers' homes and ended up with over 10 offers, I think," Taylor said, adding that sale prices have not dropped. "It's an amazing time to sell right now. .... As long as you're comfortable, and you can do it safely and without putting yourself at risk."
Low inventory, meaning there aren't nearly enough houses for sale as there are buyers, was a known issue before the pandemic. It's still a seller's market, even though sales are down sharply, compared to where they were this time last year.
Residential real estate: What to expect
Home sale prices will remain high, and bidding wars could continue. There are not as many homes on the market as there are people looking to buy, and that's not an issue going away anytime soon. Supply and demand basics make that a seller's market, though prolonged unemployment could affect that formula eventually.
Buyers, don't despair. Low mortgage rates mean buyers might have more wiggle room to get that sought-after home.
Expect more virtual options. Not sure about a house that's hours away, or want to save some drive-time when meeting with your agent? Virtual options that allow for social distancing will likely continue to be used once the pandemic is over.
April's pending sales took a 47% nosedive in Massachusetts, according to data from Peabody-based real estate analytics firm The Warren Group. May is shaping up to be a little better, at just under 30% down from last year's May.
"I guess I would characterize it as sort of a shame. We were doing so well. I guess that's generally true of the entire economy," company CEO Timothy Warren, Jr. said. "The spring market was really shaping up to be one of the best in years."
Local real estate agents characterize the drop as a delay in the annual springtime boost in residential transactions, rather than a harbinger of bad times to come.
"All those listings that were supposed to come in March, April, May, we're probably going to see them come in June, July and August," Foran said.
Taylor said she thinks the market will "level out."
That's on par with forecasts from national real estate companies, Warren said, which predict anywhere from a half a percent decline to a 1 percent increase over the previous year's transactions.
"I think we have reason to believe this real estate market won't suffer as it did in the Great Recession," Warren said, "just because they haven't gotten crazy."
He's cautious, though. It took six years for median home sale prices to recover after the 2006 crash.
Current market speculation is based on the idea of a recovery, statewide reopening, and no resurgence of the virus, Warren and real estate agents said.
If COVID-19 cases spike again, all bets are off.
Past the year, real estate agents say some of the virtual options the pandemic compelled them to experiment with could result in more enduring changes, even after they can take off the masks and booties.
"I think ... the consumer is always looking for these conveniences, and we've seen that time and time again over the years," Taylor said.
Those include virtual walk-throughs of a house, such as potential buyers watching on FaceTime while a real estate agent tours the house alone with her cellphone, and virtual meetings with the agent.
"In some ways, some of these virtual meetings make it possible to have a very personal meeting," Taylor said, "without the consumer having to drive to the office or the agent driving to the seller's home."
Foran said the need to do away with open houses and schedule private, individual tours has opened her eyes to the pros and cons of both types of showings, where once the open house reigned supreme.
"Houses have been selling very fast even without open houses," she said.
Warren said he's also heard speculation that the coronavirus pandemic, which hit densely-crowded cities hard, might spark an urban exodus.
He doesn't think that will happen, though.
"I don't really subscribe to that," he said, noting that jobs are in the city. "People may be worried about public transportation, but they don't want to be an hour drive from a good paying job."


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JavaSnoop v1.0 Final available
Normally, without access to the original source code, testing the security of a Java client is unpredictable at best and unrealistic at worst. With access the original source, you can run a simple Java program and attach a debugger to it remotely, stepping through code and changing variables where needed. Doing the same with an applet is a little bit more difficult.
Unfortunately, real-life scenarios don't offer you this option, anyway. Compilation and decompilation of Java are not really as deterministic as you might imagine. Therefore, you can't just decompile a Java application, run it locally and attach a debugger to it.
Next, you may try to just alter the communication channel between the client and the server, which is where most of the interesting things happen anyway. This works if the client uses HTTP with a configurable proxy. Otherwise, you're stuck with generic network traffic altering mechanisms. These are not so great for almost all cases, because the data is usually not plaintext. It's usually a custom protocol, serialized objects, encrypted, or some combination of those.
JavaSnoop attempts to solve this problem by allowing you attach to an existing process (like a debugger) and instantly begin tampering with method calls, run custom code, or just watch what's happening on the system.


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Olokele Canyon or Valley, was used to set up the electrified fence for Jurassic Park. Even though most people just see "a fence" in the film, Michael Lantieri and his team put great effort in getting the wires tight. The size of the fence made that very difficult.
Jurassic Park – Allerton Garden
Allerton Garden (4425 Lawai Road, Koloa) on Kauai is definitely a place where you don't want to go… if you have seen Jurassic Park. First this is the place where Grant finds the hatched raptor eggs. Later in the movie, this location was used to build the shed, where a raptor attack took place. But […]
Pirates of the Caribbean : St. Vincent
The deserted Island where Captain Jack and Elisabeth Swan get marooned is the little Island of Petit Tabac in Saint Vincent. If you look at behind the scenes movie stills, it does not look half as bad to get stranded there…. yohoho and a bottle of rum….
The Force Awakens – Puzzlewood
A long time ago, before the production of Star Wars episode VII, Puzzlewood forrest was used for movies and TV shows like "Merlin" and "Jack the Giant Slayer". These days, it might become more famous for the blockbuster "The Force Awakens".


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My African Journey, the Canadian first edition
Toronto: William Briggs, 1909. First Canadian edition. Hardcover. Here is a rare prize. This first and only Canadian issue of My African Journey is among the scarcest English language first editions of Churchill's book-length works. We have seen only a precious few on the market over many years. My African Journey is Churchill's travelogue on Britain's possessions in East Africa, written while he was serving as Undersecretary of State for the Colonies. This book is notable, among other things, for being the only one of his many books to contain photographs apparently taken by the author. In the summer of 1907 Churchill left England for five months, making his way after working stops in southern Europe to Africa for "a tour of the east African domains." In early November, Churchill would kill a rhinoceros, the basis of the striking illustration on the front cover of the British first edition of his eventual book.
By now a seasoned and financially shrewd author, Churchill arranged to profit doubly from the trip, first by serializing articles in Strand Magazine and then by publishing a book based substantially upon them. In November 1908 Hodder and Stoughton published My African Journey as a book, which was a substantial 10,000 words longer than the serialized articles. Both the Canadian and British first editions are striking, with a vivid red binding and a pictorial front cover bearing a woodcut illustration of Churchill with his bagged white rhinoceros depicted in blue, grey, and black. This Canadian edition is distinguished by the publisher "BRIGGS" on the lower spine, in lieu of the British edition's "Hodder & Stoughton". This Canadian edition also bears a unique title page.
As with the British edition, the red cloth spine of this Canadian proved exceptionally vulnerable to sunning and the 61 photographs were tipped in rather than bound, so copies should be carefully checked to ensure the presence of all illustrations and maps. This Canadian edition is not only extravagantly rare, but also in quite respectable condition, approaching very good overall. The original, unrestored red cloth binding is square and tight. Spine presentation is better than decent for the edition, modestly sunned and scuffed with minor fraying to the spine ends, but with the red color still distinct and the gilt spine print clearly legible despite some dulling. The illustrated front cover remains bright and clean with a single, trivial scratch spanning "FRICAN" in the title and minor wear to the corners. The plain rear cover likewise is unmarred save for a light horizontal scratch and minor wear to the corners. The contents are surprisingly bright, crisp, and clean for the edition, with no spotting. The sole previous ownership mark we find is the curiously inked words "Mother Dear." on the front free endpaper recto. All maps and illustrations are present, as is the protective tissue guard at the frontispiece.
Reference: Cohen A27.7, Woods/ICS A12(ac), Langworth p.85. Item #005772
Price: $2,600.00


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Know about the best dentist for wisdom tooth extraction Singapore
Wisdom tooth extraction is surgery to eliminate at least one wisdom tooth – the four long-lasting adult teeth located in the back corners of the mouth, at the top, and the base. If a wisdom tooth does not have room to develop (wisdom tooth affected), causing agony, illness, or other dental problems, one will probably have to pull it. Wisdom tooth extraction can be completed by a dental or oral specialist. To avoid possible future problems best dentist for wisdom tooth extraction Singapore removes it, regardless of whether the affected teeth are not causing problems at the time.
Because it's over
Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last long-lasting teeth to appear (emit) in the mouth. These teeth mostly appear between the ages of 17 and 25 years. Certain individuals never adopt wisdom teeth. For other people, wisdom teeth eject normally – just as they do – and cause no problems. Many individuals develop affected wisdom teeth – teeth that need more space to emit in the mouth or grow normally. Affected wisdom teeth may emit a little or not emit at all.
how do one plan
The dentist can practice the method in the office. However, if the tooth is deeply affected or if extraction requires careful top-down methodology, the dentist may suggest that one see a dental specialist. In addition to making the area insensitive to neighborhood sedatives, the specialist may propose sedation to allow one to be more open during the system.
During the technique
The dentist or oral specialist may use one of three types of sedation, depending on the normal complexity of wisdom tooth extraction and the level of comfort. Alternatives include:
Neighborhood sedation
The dentist or oral specialist oversees neighborhood sedation with at least one infusion near the site of each extraction. Before receiving an infusion, the dentist or specialist will likely apply a substance to the gums to numb them. One is alert during tooth extraction. Despite feeling some pressing and developmental factors, one should not find torment.
General sedation
In unusual circumstances, one may receive general sedation. One can breathe the drug through the nose or have an IV tube in the arm, or both. So at that point one passes out. The careful group closely examines the medication, breathing, temperature, fluids, and circulatory tension. One will not find any grievances and will have no memory of the strategy. Neighborhood sedation is also administered to help with post-operative discomfort.


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Test #1: Fly Racing F2 Carbon Helmet paired with the Kinetic Mesh-Tech gear set.
Test #1: Fly Racing F2 Carbon Helmet paired with the Kinetic Mesh-Tech gear set.
June 1st… Summer… HOT. With this type of weather breaching it's way around the country, it was only right to kick off my very first PulpMX review with one of the most important necessities for any rider, riding gear! Being a true Desert Rat at heart and living in Las Vegas, this test was completed in "cool" summer temps (101 degrees Fahrenheit to be exact). Lucky for us desert folk, we don't have to deal with the humidity aspect of the sport, just rocks, cactus, silt, and the occasional Jack Rabbit.
Our friends over at Fly Racing (WPS) hit the nail on the head to accommodate our needs of staying cool. Their love package included an Andrew Short replica F2 carbon helmet, and a complete set of their fully vented Kinetic Mesh-Tech riding gear. I know the term "swag" is important for a lot of riders these days, when making sure they look faster than they ride, but for me, function is more important. Fly Racing combines the best of both worlds by making gear that looks great and works even better. Let us take a gander into the details of these said products:
F2 Carbon Helmet: Advanced thermal-cured carbon Kevlar construction. DOT, SNELL, and ECE approved. Multi-port air induction system. Dual density "flow-thru" EPS. Quick release padding with Cool Max liner.
Kinetic Mesh-Tech Pant: Ultra durable mesh panels. Leather knee panels, stitched with Kevlar (also pre-shaped for knee braces). Zipper lock system, with adjustable waist belt. Comfort mesh liner.
Kinetic Mesh-Tech Jersey: 100% mesh panel construction. Tagless and comfort stretch collar. Shorty cuffs with elastic sleeves. Extended tail.
Initial fit was almost spot on… unfortunately for me, I have an odd-sized melon over my shoulders, so the helmet didn't fit perfectly. Keep in mind most helmets need a few rides to break in and take form. Being impatient, I'm lucky that Fly Racing offers different sized cheek pads to alleviate these problems, which was a huge help. The pant and jersey fit very well and were already comfortable before riding. The pants have ample room for knee braces, and the jersey being 100% mesh was perfect for 100 degree weather. My Pro Lite racing gloves were a bit tight, as they offered no Velcro strap to aid with extra room when putting them on. But, after squeezing your hand through, they fit "like a glove"… (get it??). On the flip side, I know Fly offers several different styles of gloves to accommodate any riders' demand, with or without Velcro.
After spinning some laps in our local "CNC" compound, there was no denying the performance of the Fly Racing products. The helmet was plenty breathable through the featured exhaust ports, and the Cool Max liner helped keep moisture away. The jersey could not have been better; it was soft, had a great fit, and kept air flowing perfectly. The Kinetic Mesh-Tech pants were very similar, with a superb fit from top to bottom. The mesh panels in front of the thigh and waist area helped to stay cool and comfortable, and the adjustable waistband was vital for some of us that still wear a kidney belt.
Overall, Fly Racing has made huge strides over the last few years. Their gear continues to grab the attention of fans, riders, and professional race teams, and its also great that most of their star riders are within the top 10 during any given weekend. The look, feel, and functionality are top notch, and I'm sure that any rider wearing the new Fly Racing line can agree. Keep your eyes and ears open within the next couple months, because they will once again release some new products that are destined to be favorites for many of us around the country.
Thank you for reading!
Written By: Dominic Cimino
Photos By: Cody Boor


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St. Albert and the LSD Revelation Revolution
Alex Grey, MAPS
Waking Times
On January 11th, 2006, the Swiss chemist who discovered LSD, Dr. Albert Hofmann, turned 100 years old. The birthday celebra- tion was an elegant gathering of family, friends and colleagues held in Basel, Switzerland at the Museum of Cultures. My wife Allyson and I were invited because of our association with psychedelic culture and participation in a Symposium later that week. Distinguished guests at the birthday gathering spoke in German, but even monolinguistic Americans could understand the reverence and enthusiasm shown in speeches praising Dr. Hofmann as a scientist and a sage. A reception followed where invited guests mingled and toasted. Allyson and I greeted many old friends and made some new ones. I was intrigued to learn that none of the members of Dr. Hofmann's large family or any of his relatives, except for his wife, had ever tried LSD. The good doctor has always steered away from advocacy, yet has come to feel that some kind of divine intervention or destiny did play a role in his discovery.
I was especially glad to see Stanislav Grof, M.D., and H.R. Giger because they could not be in attendance at the Symposium. Stan Grof is the leading psychiatric researcher, having led over 4,000 LSD psychotherapeutic sessions, and premier cartographer of the spectrum of consciousness that LSD gives a person access to. Grof has commented that LSD is a tool for exploring the mind in the same way that the telescope gives one access to the celestial realms and the microscope gives one access to the world of the cellular, molecular and atomic. He has also included in all his research some amazing drawings and paintings by LSD patients and fine artists that help describe the various altered states of awareness. Grof has used Giger's work in many of his books, such as Realms of the Human Unconscious and Beyond the Brain. When I asked the obvious question to Giger as to whether LSD had made a difference in his own work, he would only say, "Oh no, no, it is against the law, it is forbidden!" I guess you've got to respect a man's privacy. Though I do admire artists like R. Crumb and Keith Haring who admitted they used LSD and that it was critical in the development of their own style. That is the way Allyson and I feel regarding our own work. The next day we and some good friends visited the Giger Museum, which is an astonishing, in-depth immersion into the artist's unique visionary shadow realm. You have to be a bit determined to find Giger's castle in the small and beautifully Swiss alpine town of Gruyere. We enjoyed seeing the biggest collection of his work ever on display. The dark galleries felt filled with the demons of modern life, a festering biomechanical psychosexual orgy of predators and victims. On an upper floor Giger exhibits some of his collaborative works with several artists and then has several galleries filled with his own art collection, which includes Joe Coleman's amazing Charles Manson portrait and a few beautiful originals by Ernst Fuchs. No one leaves without getting a drink at the Giger Bar. Gaudi meets Gunter Von Hagen.
To honor Dr. Hofmann's centennial, a three-day LSD symposium was held January 14, 15, 16 in Basel, Switzerland. Leading scientific, psychiatric, pharmaceutical, legal, artistic, mystical voices spoke on the various physiological, personal, social and spiritual impacts of LSD. Dr. Albert Hofmann spoke the first and last evening and was showered with praise and applause by over two thousand attendees (we also sang, "Happy Birthday to you"). Hofmann was swarmed with fans wherever he went, and one of the Symposium announcers said, Dr. Hofmann apologizes that he will not be able to sign everyone's book, because he explained, "I'm no longer 90."
Dr. Hofmann first synthesized the compound in 1938, while researching ergot derivatives as a chemist for Sandoz Pharmaceuticals in Basel. The substance was tested on lab animals with no interesting results, so like hundreds of similar test compounds, investigation of this drug was abandoned.
Yet, in 1943, at the horrific height of WWII and shortly after Fermi made his discovery that led to the atomic bomb, Hofmann had a "peculiar presentiment" to re-synthesize LSD. These were dark days in 1943, I imagine the smoke of the ovens of Auschwitz psychi- cally wafting over Switzerland. Hofmann said that never before or since had he any similar "presentiment." His remix of LSD-25 in April of 1943 was when he discovered the psychological vortex of acid. He experienced overwhelming fear of dying and feelings of having left his body and later, heavenly kaleidoscopic visions. The first LSD trip, April 19, 1943, is also widely known as "Bicycle Day" because of Hofmann's wild bike ride from his lab to his home through the streets of Basel, full of perceptual distortions, not knowing whether he would ever return from his madness. The last element I painted on the portrait was a little bike riding Hofmann, and in honor of the good doctor, I was on LSD as I painted it.
In my portrait of Dr. Hofmann, the eye of transcendental spirit in the upper left hand corner of the painting releases spiralic streams of primordial rainbow spheres of potential, one of which becomes a compassionate alchemi- cal angel, whose tears drip down to anoint or "create" the LSD molecule that the doctor holds in his hands, and a demon, here identified with Nazi power, tugs or pushes at it. LSD opens a visionary gateway to the heart, as shown by the spiral of fractally infinitizing eyes resembling the stripey eye-spheres of the molecule, swirling into the center of the chest. On St. Albert's shoulderblade is a portrait of Paracelsus, the Alchemist of Basel, 500 years ago, who is credited with founding modern Chemistry, yet his alchemical goal was to discover the Philosopher's Stone. Alchemy was the art and science of the transmutation of the elements, like turning lead into gold and the identification of the soul of the alchemist with the chemical transformations as a metaphor of their journey to enlightenment. Modern Chemistry took the psyche and mystery out of the material weighed and measured world, reducing the world to a heap of atoms. LSD brought psyche
back front and center to the chemical material world, that is partly why I believe that LSD is the Philosopher's Stone, the discovery of which, also in the town of Basel, is the result of an alchemical process put in motion by the great Paracelsus.
I put a lot of LSD personalities and symbolism in the aura of Dr. Hofmann. Some of these people were Dr. Hofmann's friends, like Aldous Huxley, Gordon Wasson, Maria Sabina, and Richard Evans Schultes, each of whom had a special connection to psychedelics. Huxley wrote fearlessly about the psychedelic experience in The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell, which also talks about visionary states and works of art. His dying wish was to be injected with 100 mcg. of LSD and this was noted by his wife Laura to assist his transition. Gordon Wasson brought the magic psilocybin mushrooms to the world by attending the Mexican curandera, Maria Sabina's sacred mushroom healing ceremony, then writing about it in Life magazine. Hofmann later analyzed the mushroom and distilled the previously unclassified psychedelic, psilocybin.
I put the classic folks in like Timothy Leary, Ram Das, Ralph Metzner, Grof, Ott and McKenna. I tried to put in a few lesser known psychedelic stories, like the Pittsburgh Pirate, Dock Ellis, who pitched a "no-hitter" on acid and said there were comet trails on every ball. An article originally appeared in The Daily Mail (London) on Sunday, August 8, 2004, with the headline, "Crick was high on LSD when he discovered the secret of life!", explained how Francis Crick used it for creative thinking, in this way unraveling the structure of DNA, the discovery that won him the Nobel Prize. Directly under Crick is Kary Mullis, who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1993 for his invention of PCR, a method for detecting even the smallest amount of DNA in ancient materials. "Would I have invented PCR if I hadn't taken LSD? I seriously doubt it," he says. "I could sit on a DNA molecule and watch the polymers go by. I learnt that partly on psychedelic drugs."
One of the best summaries of the mystical impact of acid was George Harrison's Rolling Stone interview from 1987. In it he says, "For me, 1966 was the time when the whole world opened up and had a greater meaning. But that was a direct result of LSD. It was like opening the door, really, and before, you didn't even know there was a door there. I had such an overwhelming feeling of well- being, that there was a God, and I could see him in every blade of grass. It was like gaining hundreds of years of experience within twelve hours. It changed me, and there was no way back to what I was before."
The LSD Symposium could be a turning point in the story of this amazing molecule, as the subtitle of the conference, "From Problem Child to Wonder Drug" suggests. Thousands of people from all over the world came together to discuss the proven possibilities of LSD in psychotherapy, spirituality, the arts, for creative problem-solving in all fields, and how LSD was misused and abused by the CIA, and also by many people seeking a recreational high who catalyzed their own latent psychoses.
Yet, as has been proven in the Good Friday Experiment and in follow-up studies, psychedelics can evoke a mystical experience and bring a person closer to God. Even if only a glimpse of the infinite, a person never forgets that encounter. The hope is that such a vision of unity can help bring people to care more for themselves, each other, and our world. I believe that taken in the proper set and setting, LSD can be the right medicine for humanity's ailing and alienated soul. God help that it find a more fair legal and spiritual status around the world in the 21st century. One of the most intensely beautiful moments from the trip to Basel came when Dr. Hofmann generously signed the back of my portrait of him, adding also the date of his birthday and the LSD formula. He wagged his finger at me and in Germanic-sounding English said, "You've got the eye!" He agreed to sign an edition of 50 prints to help fund scientific psychedelic research through MAPS, and to assist our cultural center in New York City, the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (www.cosm.org). Forty-nine of the portraits have been sold, and print 1/50 will be auctioned online in October 2006. St. Albert and the LSD Revelation Revolution will be on display in the Chapel. Please come visit.
**This article was re-printed with permission and previously appeared in Juxtapoz Art and Culture Magazine, www.juxtapoz.com/. Please support MAPS.org for their important research, and please review Manifesting Minds: A Review of Psychedelics in Science, Medicine, Sex, and Spirituality.**
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The last 2 sides to win the Grand Final clash on Friday night Rugby as Wigan travel over the Pennines to take on Leeds.
The 2 sides had differing fortunes in the cup last weekend as Leeds lost a cracking game against Hull whereas Wigan reached Wembley with a win over out of sorts Salford.
This Rhinos side will look very different to the one that turned up at the DW 2 weeks ago as coach Brian Mcdermott rested most his players for last week's semi final, the Rhinos name the same squad that lost in Doncaster 6 days ago whilst Shaun Wane has to make do without Joel Tomkins and the banned Sam Powell.
The Warriors are just getting their season up and running after a mid season slump but with the bulk of their squad now back out on the park they will be hoping to go on a decent run , this is a must win game for them if they're to keep in touch with the top 4 which is looking a little closer now they have lost only once in their last 6 League and Cup games.
Leeds form has been quite inconsistent of late we can forget the defeat at Wigan due to the side they put out but they have won 3 and lost 3 from their last 6 in League and Cup. Their form at Headingley has kept their season together though as they've only lost twice all season on home turf.
The bookies make the Rhinos around 5/6 favourites to win this but the momentum seems to be with Wigan and I think the Warriors can win a tight game here by 6-10 points.
The visitors are around 6/5 to win the game but if you shop around you can get them with a 2 point start at around even money on the handicap.
Wigan's away form isn't great but they have played a large chunk of the season with the kind of absentees Leeds had at Wigan 2 weeks ago, it's no coincidence that results have improved as players come back.
They looked very good in parts against Salford last week but average in other areas, like a side in pre season which is understandable given players returning.
Leeds were badly beaten in the 2nd half last week, albeit by a very good side, and that has to be a worry despite their 2nd place in the league.
This is a fixture that has tended to be won by the home side in recent years but that trend has to end sometime and now could just be the time, you get the feeling this is a bigger game for Wigan, defeat and their league campaign is all but over but a win could leave them only a couple of points off the top 4 places. Especially after Saints impressive win at Castleford.
If you disagree with me and fancy the hosts you can either back them at around 5/6 to win the game or around 10/11 conceding a 2 point start.
Ryan Hall proved he's the man for the big games last week with the 1st try and I see no reason to ditch him for this at 11/1, Joe Burgess was robbed of a try last week and he looks a value favourite at 9/1 to score 1st today.
Finally the man of the match, Tomkins looks like getting back to his best and landed for us last week, he is a real danger at 7/1 but in what could be a real scrap I just prefer John Bateman at 16/1.
Danny Mcguire has put Wigan to the sword plenty of times in the past and looked Leeds best player last week, he is popular in the Sky Studio so he just gets my vote at 12/1 over 9/1 Parcell.
Usually low scoring between these 2 are Headingley and I expect defences to be on top again.
3 other games tonight, Hull may be resting a couple of players but they still give Salford an 8 point start on the handicap.
The Red Devils seem to be out of form at the wrong time of the season and you'd want more than 12/5 for them to win at the KCOM.
FC may be short at 1/3 bit I think they can win this by more than 2 scores.
Another team struggling for form, Wakefield, travel to Huddersfield.
A poor defeat to St Helens cost Trinity the extra home game in the middle 8 and I think they may lose here today aswell.
The Giants turned their season around at just the right time to escape the middle 8 and are around 4/9 to win this despite being below Wakefield in the table.
If I'm honest neither side appeals, it's 15/8 for an away win, but if pushed would just prefer Huddersfield to win by more than the 4 point handicap.
Finally in the middle 8 Warrington travel to Widnes.
This is a 7 game shoot out to secure a place in Super League next year and unlike the Super 8 the points are reset to zero for all clubs.
The game may have been overshadowed by the Rangi Chase failed drug test but a win here will set Wire up for survival with 4 home games to come.
The Wolves concede 8 points on the handicap but Widnes could possibly keep this to within a score, Widnes are too short at 2/1 to pull off a win and the visitors are worthy 2/5 favourites.
2 live games in the middle 8 on Saturday as always please gamble responsibly.


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Helios Organic Farm
Helios House has an Organic Farm to grow many fruit and vegetable varieties that do well in Eleuthera. Over the years, the Farm has produced Arugula and other Lettuces, Basil, Beetroot, Bok Choi, Broccoli, Carrots, Cilantro, Corn, Green Beans, Parsley, Parsnip, Peppers, Sugar Peas, a number of varieties of Tomato, Spinach and various other crops. The season tends to run from December until June and the Helios House chef incorporates as many of the organic vegetables in the various dishes as possible. Fruits in the Farm include Banana, Coconut, Guava, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Sapodilla, Water Melon and others.


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Code: CE350
A small abstract oil on board painting, dated 1969. The image has a textured look with strokes scratched into the surface of the paint and some impasto areas. It comes in its original simple, white painted wood frame. There is a faint signature at the bottom of the painting, along with the year - '69. This attractive painting is ready to hang in your home.
Condition: Good original condition commensurate with age.


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Merida Big Trail 400 Orange/Black Mountain Bike Hardtail MTB
- Regular price £937.50
Product Description:
Built in versatility
While clearly a trail loving long-travel hardtail, Merida's new BIG.TRAIL also offers built-in versatility through hidden rack, fender and kick stand mounts in case you like to turn the BIG.TRAIL into an 'SUV' commuter.
Double bottle
Ability to fit two water bottles into the frame without making the bottles difficult to reach. Perfect for long marathon races and extended trail sessions.
Tyre clearance BIG.TRAIL
The BIG.TRAIL rolls on 29er wheels and has tyre clearance for up go 2.5" trail tyres. The combination of 29er wheels and 2.5" tyres offer plenty or corner and climbing grip, while the big tyre volume and the 29er 'rolling over ability' give our trail hardtail extra comfort and stability.
Trail mount
The new 'Trail Mount' is positioned underneath the top tube/seat tube junction and these ingenious fixing points makes fitting an additional tool or a pump a breeze. The 'Trail Mount' offers a real advantage if you prefer to keep the weight off your back or if you are heading out for an extra-long outing where you might need to carry additional gear.
Internal cable routing
The BIG.TRAIL features internal cable routing on all models. Cables are routed through the frame, entering and exiting through smooth sockets. Only a clever system for our internal guiding and fixing guarantees reliable and rattle free routing, whilst the cables are protected from moisture and dirt and gives the bike a cleaner look.
Modern trail geometry
A long reach, paired with a slack 65.5° head angle and a steep seat angle make our BIG.TRAIL a solid descender even when the trail is littered with roots and rocks, while maintaining impressive climbing abilities, due to the central seating position over the bottom bracket. The extra short seat tube and low stand over hight help to create lots of space to manoeuvre the bike when the trail gets demanding but also allow for long travel dropper posts.
Boost technology
Most models offer Boost technology at the front and rear. The shallower axle standard of 110 mm (front) and 148 mm (rear) allows for a wider spoke angle, resulting in a stiffer and stronger wheel, hugely beneficial on these bikes given the impacts they endure. The Big Trail 400 has 100 mm fork spacing.


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The Uniform Law Commission (ULC), an organization that seeks to develop model legislation to help bring consistency and uniformity to state laws, has been working on a model privacy law for several years — and had the opportunity to introduce a meaningful consensus document that raises the bar for consumer data privacy. But the ULC's finalized Uniform Personal Data Protection Act (UPDPA), approved last month, misses the mark.
The model law would do little to reform companies' inappropriate data collection and sharing behaviors — including by explicitly exempting behavioral advertising from the protections in the bill. If such a bill were to be implemented, it could be worse than doing nothing at all, as it could forestall future privacy legislation that is more beneficial to consumers and holds companies accountable.
Please click here for a full analysis of the bill. For CR's comments on an earlier draft of the bill, please see the attached PDF.


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Food makes us happy. And we think these food, wine, and beer events in Traverse City, Leland, Gaylord, Petoskey, and Mackinaw City will fill you with joy, too.
First Fridays for Foodies | January 5
Enjoy the Crooked Tree Arts Center Artisans & Farmers Market in Petoskey, and then stop in the kitchen for a one-hour informal class/demonstration. This month the presenter is Watta Cookie owner Terri Morgan who will be showing you how you can enjoy the authentic flavor of New York Style bagels without leaving your kitchen. She'll go over all the steps, from making the perfect yeasted dough to boiling in barley malt for the chewy exterior, brown crust, and distinctive flavor of a New York classic, YUM! And it's free.
Wilderness Sleigh Ride Dinner | January 6, 12,13, 20, 26, 27
Get ready for a beautiful winter adventure. You'll meet the shuttle on the main property and take a 15 to 20-minute ride to Treetop Resort's remote Project Nature property where a fire and a hot drink will await you. A 25-minute sleigh ride through the woods will deliver you to the Wilderness Cabin where you'll enjoy a four-course meal and assorted beer and wine. After a leisurely dinner the shuttle will pick you up at the Wilderness Cabin and return you to Treetops' main property. Be sure to dress warmly! Tickets cost $119 per person (includes tax and gratuity). Call 866.348.5249 to reserve your spot.
Sleigh Ride Dinner Menu
Course 1: Lobster Bisque
Course 2: Treetops Wedge Salad
Course 3: Grilled Beef Filet with Onion Straws, Grilled Shrimp Skewer, Cheddar Chive Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Vegetables
Course 4: Crème Brûlée
Special Dinners at The Cooks' House | January 9, 23
A fun evening of food and wine at the downtown Traverse City restaurant. Enjoy a five-course dinner paired with wines from Bonobo Winery (January 9) and Mari Vineyards (January 23). Tickets are available at MyNorthTickets.com.
Winter Warm Up | January 13
Beat the blues with the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula's annual Winter Warm Up. Savor delectable comfort food creations paired with wine. Tickets are available at MyNorthTickets.com.
Downtown Traverse City Cook-Off | January 13
Area restaurants cook up their special chili recipes to compete in different categories: 1 and 3-alarm, white, vegetarian, seafood, and ethnic as well as the coveted "people's choice" award. The cookoff runs from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. behind the State Street Marketplace. Additional seating will be provided inside so you can enjoy a brew from Monkey Fist Brewing Co. All proceeds from the event help support downtown community activities like Friday Night Live, the Halloween walk, holiday activities, and more. Tickets will be available at the door for $10.
Mackinaw City's 25th Annual Winterfest Celebration | January 19–20
Earn your meal at this annual celebration. Partake in amateur and professional snow carving, outhouse races, sleigh rides, a poker walk, indoor ice skating, euchre tournament, ice fishing, and more fun activities, then refuel at the chili cook-off.
Fustini's Cooking Classes | January 30
Prepare for the Super Bowl Fustini's-style with a cooking class at their Traverse City location (classes at 1 and 5 p.m.). Fustini's has events all month long at their Ann Arbor, Holland, Petoskey, and Traverse City locations. View the full calendar and reserve your spot online.
Cheer Fest | January 20
Cheer Fest (formerly Party in Your Parka) celebrates winter at the Leland Lodge with sledding, ice-skating, live music, food and drink specials, and more! Check out this video taken at last year's fest.
Sips & Soups | January 20
Savor delicious soup and wine pairings along the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. Tickets are $20 per person and include a souvenir wine glass—$5 from each ticket sold is being donated to the local food banks. The 2016 and 2017 events sold out, so get your tickets early on MyNorthTickets.com.
Fire & Ice Wine Dinner | January 27
Be one of the first to experience Chateau Chantal's first annual Fire and Ice Wine Dinner—part of their first annual Ice Wine Festival. Each course of the dinner will pair with a wine hand-selected by the vintner, including all three of the winery's ice wine products: Vidal Ice Wine, Entice (a port-style wine), and "liquid gold" Estate-bottled Ice Wine. Other wines will also be featured during the dinner. Tickets range up to $125 and include food, wine, tax, and tip.
Fire & Ice Wine Dinner Menu
Course 1: Poached pear stuffed with chèvre and topped with granulated sugar and caramelized. Served over a bed of baby arugula with walnuts, and a raw honey tarragon vinaigrette | Dry Riesling
Course 2: Roasted red pepper and poblano bisque with smoked gouda served with a crostini and chipotle rouille | Reserve Malbec
Course 3: Potato gnocchi, Dragon's breath (bleu cheese) cream sauce | Late Harvest Riesling
Course 4: Koulibiac of Sustainable Trout—Puff pastry filled with trout, rice, mushrooms, egg, and herbs | Pinot Noir
Palate cleanser: Cranberry limoncello granita | Entice
Course 5: Petite filet with blood orange and balsamic gastrique with citrus-whipped potato, demi and seasonal vegetables | Cab Franc
Course 6: Winter salad with roasted root vegetables, bitter greens, hazelnuts, and dried cranberry in a shallot vinaigrette | Vidal Ice Wine
Course 7: Bananas Foster ice cream in a pool of grilled banana purée. Served with a flambéed brandied caramel sauce prepared tableside | Estate Grown Ice Wine


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Grape variety: Moscato and Brachetto
Production process: grape pressing and separation of the must from the skins within 48 hours. Temperature controlled second fermentation at 18 19 C (natural fermentation in sealed tanks, which leads to the formation of carbon dioxide, enhancing the aromatic and fruity notes). Fermentation is interrupted at 6.5%, maintaining a sugar residual around 80 g/l.
Alcohol: 6.5%
Sugar content: 90 gr/l
Colour: lightly intense pink
Perlage: delicate and persistent bubbles
Bouquet: fresh with intense aromatic notes
Taste: harmonious and sweet, full and velvety with a delightful finish
Serving temperature: 6 8 C
Food pairings: Ideal with puddings and pastries


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Rise of a D-List Supervillain "Book 4"
EJB Networking (August 24, 2017)
Written By: Jim Bernheimer (@JimBernheimer)
Illustrations by: Raffaele Marinetti (Illustrator)
Edited by: Valerie Kann (Editor), Tara Ellis (Editor)
"Book 4 of D-List Supervillain Series"
The citizens of the D-List world are teetering on the edge of the apocalypse (again!) and only Cal Stringel and his band of misfit Renegades can save the day. Jim Bernheimer's wacky world where superpowers are real and hero/villain are occupation choices on LinkedIn, returns for more adventures in the fourth installment of his bestselling series. Rise of a D-List Villain may sound like an ad for Superpowered Viagra, but it delivers the fun, fast-paced, action which has served as the series trademark since book one. Though superheroes primarily exist in visual mediums, Bernheimer's prose and vivid descriptions paint his characters as vibrantly as any artist on the canvas of the reader's mind. If you haven't picked up this series yet, I recommend you download them all at once. Like potato chips, you cannot stop after just one D-List Supervillain book.
This particular installment features protagonist Cal Stringel in hiding deep underground in his Alabama bunker. After a series of unfortunate events in previous books, the world believes him to be dead. Cal is a brilliant designer who can build radios from rocks but still manages to come across as a relatable every-man to readers. His long list of failures as both a hero and villain led him to previously faking his own death but saving the world all at the same time. In typical Cal fashion, he had to die in a nuclear explosion to gain any semblance of admiration from the public. As usual, Cal's Big Lies return to bite him in the ass when an imposter claiming to be him washes up on the shores of the beach to claim his years of back pay from the Superhero group Gulf Coast Guardians and royalties from his best-selling book (See: Confessions of a D-List Supervillain)
This wild adventure contains undercover infiltrations into the lairs of supervillains and wild mutations all compacted in a volume that I just kept wishing was longer. Bernheimer has put considerable effort into fleshing out an entire series that began as a short-story novella in a larger collection. At times, the story became so self-referential that I found myself wishing I had re-read the previous three books right before picking this one up, even though I've read them all multiple times in the past year. He also seems to have fallen in love with one of his creations, the Biloxi Bugler. The plucky southern hero did not appear in this particular book, but he was mentioned so often that I thought I could play a drinking game with Hillbilly Bobby and take a shot of tequila each time he was mentioned.
The story may feel disappointing at less than 200 pages and it was an added frustration reading on Kindle. I thought I had more to read but the last 30% of the book is a tease for another story. This was the literary equivalent to coitus interruptus when the book drew to what felt like a premature close.
I'm also lukewarm with the continued theme of Cal relying so much on dinosaur magic to solve his problems. I had the same feeling in the past volume Secrets of a D-list Supervillain and it only intensified here. The hook for Bermheimer's flawed protagonist was that he was a tech-based character with expensive needs who constantly found himself broke. Cal's use of dinosaur magic may provide a highly convenient plot solution for how the resourceful mechanic can carry on his elaborate mechanical operation on a shoestring budget. However, it feels too far removed from the ingenious engineer I grew attached to in the first volumes. Bernheimer does offer the tech geeks several moments of glee when Cal designed a makeshift power suit to fit his lizard form, but it did not have the same allure as when he scavenged to build the many versions of his Mechani-CAL armors in the past.
This volume also answered many questions about the foundations and origins of the D-List world. Most notably, it told the story of how superpowers became so relatively common. Some readers may hate the added exposition and prefer the superpowered world simply as the status quo with no need for further explanation. In some instances, less is more and fantasy fans will have no problem accepting this crazy earth at face value with characters like Tyrannosaurus Rex or 2K Bitchslap (which is a cooler name than NegaSonic Teenage Warhead!)
To me, the world building sections were compelling, but I also felt I had been "told" this epic story when I could have been "shown". Cal's hot girlfriend Stacy, A.K.A supermodel heroine Aphrodite, dumped the info all at once at the reader in scenes that felt jammed between her sexual escapades with Cal. Though that may just be my own jealousy speaking. I would like to know if Jim has an actor in mind to play Aphrodite in a D-List live action format. When I read I already picture Martin Starr (Silicon Valley, Knocked Up, Spider-Man: Homecoming) to play Cal in my mental movie, coming soon to a Nowhere Theaters everywhere!
If brisk, world-building, superhero prose is your taste, then the D-List universe is for you. The stories are shorter than I would like, but this seems like a deliberate choice by the author to capture a serialized comic-book adventure feel in a non-graphic novel. I will definitely be re-reading the entire series before I pick up the next entry by Jim Bernheimer and crew, which should be coming soon. In the meantime, check out the D-List Supervillain series: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075719ZQX?ref=series_rw_dp_labf
If you love battling superheroes, be sure to check out my podcast with @JamesGavise right here on the GWW Radio Network: #WhoWouldWin? https://thegww.com/category/podcasts/whowouldwin/ Follow me on twitter (@JSandlinWriter) and read my other reviews and articles on GWW at www.JaySandlinWriter.com


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Vaquero Neighborhood
Vaquero Homes for Sale on Golf Course
Vaquero Club real estate is some of the most desired and exclusive real estate in Texas. This gated and protected enclave of beautiful homes, luxury estates and pastoral acreage is intertwined with the lush green of the golf course and the picturesque views of the rolling hills of Westlake, Texas - only twenty minutes from Dallas.
Featured Home For Sale in Vaquero Club, Texas
Click on above photographs to see Vaquero Club, Texas real estate and homes for sale or that have sold
Vaquero Club offers Texas space, golf club luxury and elegant homes in one of the most prosperous towns in North Texas, Westlake.
- Douglas Newby
Today's New Vaquero Club, Texas Listings and MLS Status Changes
Keep Current with Vaquero Club, Texas Home Market
Vaquero Club, Texas Map
Vaquero Club, Texas inside Outside of Dallas. Click on the map and discover homes for sale as you explore this neighborhood.


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USS pension: UUK announces its expert panel members
UUK has announced its three nominated members to the USS Joint Expert Panel (JEP).
Universities UK (UUK) has announced that Ronnie Bowie, Sally Bridgeland, and Chris Curry will join the Joint Expert Panel as UUK's nominated members.
The Joint Expert Panel has been set up in conjunction with the University and College Union (UCU) to examine the valuation of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).
>>Visit the USS pension reform For Staff pages
Posted in: University newsIn depthUSS Pension


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SARS Graduate/Internship Programme
If you seek the opportunity to work in the financial industry, be sure you apply for graduate/internship programme by SARS. Herein, the applicants will get such knowledge and skill that relates to financial sector (generally) like understanding about central bank's role toward economy. Becoming the successful applicant of SARS graduate/internship means if you have chance to include such Programme within qualification of International and Central Bank. However, before applying this graduate/internship opportunity make sure you are in process or already completed one from these following degrees; Risk Management, Commercial Law or Finance, Mathematical Sciences, Econometric, Business Statistics, Accounting, Economics and Money and Banking.
Nevertheless, if you want to apply for this graduate/internship programme, be sure that you are a citizen of South Africa who holds one among those degrees which mentioned previously above that you get about past two years. Anyway, when you become the graduate of SARS graduate/internship programme, you are allowed to join a 12 month graduate/internship programme that is conducted in Bank's Head Office, Pretoria. Simply say, the programme will be started from January to December. During the graduate programme, all of the graduates will be got intense work-based learning by SARB Academy.
Apply SARS Graduate/Internship Programme
Another thing you should know that, once you become the graduate of one-year graduate/internship programme by SARS, besides getting work-based learning you will also get contract salary within the programme. Nevertheless, if you think that you are qualified enough to join this graduate/internship opportunity, applying to this graduate/internship programme is recommended. Addition, SARS graduate/internship programme will be closed on June 7th, so then, ensure you to send your application letter together with everything that is needed like the requirements that are mentioned above, before its closing date. You can send your application through their base which located in Pretoria.
Picture Source: www.sars.gov.za


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September 12, 2022
by Patty Silbert
September 12, 2022
If your organization is like most, then to get to know your candidate you rely on assessments during the selection process to identify skills and cultural fit for the role. These assessments are important, but don't often determine how happy a person is going to be in that role. And if your new hire's not happy, they're not going to give their best, and they're certainly not going to last.
You need to have answers to some very important questions, long before you've narrowed down your candidate pool.
Do you know what makes someone in Bob's role love their work? What makes their job most rewarding? Or what drives them to look for another role?
Knowing what makes your existing employees and your potential candidates "tick" is the key to engagement with your organization. Whether they are engineers or nurses or auditors, the candidates you're speaking with have specific wants and needs that they share with others in their profession that drive their actions to seek out a new employer or stay at your company.
In the marketing world, when companies are trying to appeal to their customers, it's common for marketers to identify those types of drivers among audience groups and create "pictures" of the ideal customer to market to, called a candidate persona. Creating these candidate personas improves efficiency and brand connection by helping marketers define their audience (who needs, and is going to be happy with, their product) and speak directly to them.
Can you imagine how impactful this type of information could be to your recruiting strategy?
I'm going to let you in on a trade secret: the most successful recruiters are those who use what they know about the specific industry and the disciplines that make up that industry they're hiring for to color all their communications with those audiences. They bring in top talent because they have identified key drivers that make that audience receptive to the company's offer. Don't get me wrong; your brand contributes to those efforts, but it is only one of the factors that help attract the right fit.
The best recruiters get to know what drives their candidates' actions, including:
Having a well-defined candidate persona will help you build a better sourcing and attraction plan in the long run and help you target your opportunities to the right groups of prospective candidates. It helps you better sell your open position to them. And, at the end of the day, it helps you hire people more likely to be engaged because they value what your position offers. It also helps for your hiring leaders to promote and talk about their industry — and the professions that make up that industry — from their vantage point.
So how do you go about building a candidate persona to fill Bob's spot? It's important to consider factors that reach far beyond anything you would see in a job description, a resume or what you are to pick up in an interview, and for that you'll need to do some investigation:
Once you have gathered this information just don't sit on it. Use it to drive your:
Candidate/Industry personas will help you identify with your audience and better position your recruitment marketing messages to speak to your candidates' career aspirations. And when you speak to those needs, you win by attracting top talent.
Be sure to include your marketing team, Business Unit HR members and Management leadership when developing these personas as everyone brings a different perspective and different information to the table. Then once you have your candidate personas in place, act on them by using specific messaging in your content and by empathizing with candidates as they go through your talent pipeline.
Validate your personas as your business evolves, company innovations often dictate the need for new types of talent based on new technologies that may be driving that change.
Measure your results. Validate that your candidate experience and engagement levels have improved as a result of your content recruitment marketing efforts. Knowing what impact these efforts have had on these important KPIs will keep you ahead of your competition.
Interested to learn more? Fill out the form to see how Aspirant RPO can help you develop candidate personas for your business.


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Hundreds of people paid tribute to "happy' and "bubbly" Nottingham Trent University student Arjun Singh at a city centre vigil marking his death.
The 20-year-old, of Derby, died in hospital after an incident in Long Row at around 4am on Saturday (January 18).
Candles were lit and flowers laid outside the Slug and Lettuce, in Long Row, on Wednesday evening (January 22).
Friends, family, students and members of the Sikh community were among those who paid their respects.
A 58-year-old woman, a cashier, of West Bridgford, who has known the family for about 40 years, said: "Arjun was a nice young man.
"They're a respectable, nice family. My heart goes to the family, God bless them."
Gagandeep Singh, 31, of the Sikh Community Youth Service, who lives in Alyth Court, Old Basford, told Nottinghamshire Live: "As we've heard, he was a happy, bubbly guy who got on with everybody and had loads of friends.
"It's all about coming together, paying your respects. He's one of our brothers from the Sikh community.
"Again, no matter what culture or race you're from, we're here to pay respect."
Bhupinder Singh Sanghera, 45, a courier, also of the Sikh Community Youth Service, was shocked by the tragedy.
"That's not any age, that's 20 years of a parent's life gone in a second," he said.
"With the community, it's not a matter of knowing them personally. As a community we are all one family."
The vigil lasted for about an hour and there were several speeches.
Ranveer Singh, 20, a third-year economics student at the University of Nottingham, where he is a member of the Sikh society, said: "The reason why we held the vigil is to show solidarity for the family. He died in such a tragic way.
"Support is needed when something so tragic happens."
Councillor Sally Longford, deputy leader of Nottingham City Council, told the gathering: "On behalf of Nottingham City Council, I offer my deepest condolences to Arjun's family, his friends and the communities in both Nottingham and Derby who have been affected by this devastating tragedy.
"Nottingham is a place where we want people to feel safe, where people have a sense of belonging and pride, where we promote and encourage people to come together, respecting individuals and communities where people come to learn, to live and to discover.
"I know that our communities will be hurting but in times of deep sadness, we reach out to friends, our community and our family to stand as one in solidarity. Our hearts go out to a family who never imagined that their loved one would be taken from their lives so suddenly.
"The loss of such a young man, with his whole future in front of him, is a tragedy."
Addressing the crowd, the Rev Dr Richard Davey, co-ordinating chaplain at Nottingham Trent University, said Arjun meant a lot to students.
He said: "Whilst they may have only known Arjun for just over a year, there were people who studied with him, who lived in halls with him, who went out for nights with him, who are hurting and who are deeply upset."
Two people have been charged in connection with Arjun's death.
Mathiwos Tekle, 20, of Ryeland Gardens, Nottingham, made a brief appearance at Nottingham Magistrates' Court accused of manslaughter. He is also charged with robbery and supplying cocaine to three people.
Aron Kahsai, 23, of Queens Walk, Nottingham, has been charged with offering to supply a controlled drug and has been released on bail.
A 22-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of murder, has been released.


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Archived News | Return to News Center
September 12, 2007
ULM announces enrollment numbers
Enrollment for the 2007 fall semester at the University of
Louisiana at Monroe is 8,541, which is essentially flat from the 2006 fall
enrollment of 8,571.
While enrollment certainly impacts ULM, President James Cofer emphasizes
that it's just one way of measuring ULM's progress.
"These numbers impact our budget and how we plan our fiscal future," Cofer
said. "Equally significant, we examine what is behind those numbers. And
what's beneath those numbers—our ever-improving student body—is quite
incredible. Our faculty and staff are attracting more academically-prepared
students than ever before, as evidenced by the number of TOPS scholars and
the average ACT score of our freshmen class."
The institution will continue to focus on recruiting academically prepared
students, as well as focusing on retention and graduation rates, Cofer said.
"Our innovative First Year Experience initiative ensures our freshman are
bolstered from the minute they step onto our campus. Our focus on
quality—quality in student life and quality in student learning—is
captivating our students, according to recent Student Satisfaction Survey
results. All of this success will shape the future of our institution."
ULM is a top choice for an increasing number of high-ability students,
said Lisa Miller, associate provost for enrollment management.
"Academically competitive high school students are choosing to dually enroll
at our institution and continue their education here. We're extremely
pleased with that trend."
PLEASE NOTE: Some links and e-mail addresses in these archived news stories may no longer work, and some content may include events which are no longer relevent, or reference individuals and/or organizations no longer associated with ULM.