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The National Guard is unlike the regular army or any other branch of the military as it allows you to serve part time. Here are five reasons for why joining the National Guard can be a good thing for you.
5 – You can serve in the Army National Guard part time while you are pursuing a full time career or going to school in order to pursue a higher education.
4 – While serving part time as a member of the Army National Guard, you can work on building up a military retirement in order to give your future family some peace of mind.
3 – By serving the Army National Guard you can earn money that will allow you to pay for vocational training, college credit and other needs that may arise.
2 – By serving the Army National Guard, you can earn state educational incentives that can offer as much as 100% free tuition for school and other training and education.
Are You Interested in Travel and Learning a Professional Skill? There are career fields in the United States Army Reserves and National Guard for YOU! Click HERE for Details.
1 – By joining the Army National Guard, you can potentially serve in one of more than several thousand different Guard units which are located all over the United States as well as Puerto Rico, Guam and the US Virgin Islands as well.


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We have a couple of the daylight white CREE LED dimmable daylight 60w light bulb in the A19 form factor. Now they're well on their way to lasting as long as CREE predicts. If they make it, they'll pay for themselves at least several times by the time they burn out. So far, we've had none stop working.
CREE 60w LED Daylight 5000k Dimmable Light Bulb Intro
We've used two 9-watt (60-watt incandescent equivalent) units as kitchen counter lights for nearly four years now. These bulbs have run in that time, at least ten hours per day, and haven't burned out. While lasting so long, they cost us only $13 apiece at Home Depot in 2013. But a hot filament light bulb would have gone out at least a few times in that same period! So LEDs like this one are indeed a step forward in lighting tech.
Cree™ LED bulbs run silently, without buzzing, even when dimmed. On radios, they're also very quiet; generating no detectable interference on the AM shortwave frequencies most vulnerable to interference.
While a bit harder to clean, you can cut dust buildup by placing the bulb in approved enclosures. This keeps the dust away, and so, prevents overheating and early burnout.
But though still somewhat pricey, these CREE 60-watt LED light bulbs are now among the most sensible lighting choices. Finally! They now make a light bulb that you might never replace again. That's not only great for the consumer, but better for the planet as well.
These bulbs sport a big heat sink just above their bases as shown in the pictures. So they indeed operate with substantial heating. But they don't become nearly as hot to the touch as the incandescent bulbs. But you still want to be careful handling them, as when they've been operating for over a half-hour. In that case, the heat sink can become too hot to handle. Even these 60-watt versions can still get too hot to touch.
Benefits, Features, Advantages, and Pros of the CREE 60w LED Daylight Indoor Outdoor Light Bulb
Popular 60 Watt Brightness
These bulbs come in 40, 60, 75, and 100 watt (we're reviewing the 60-watt daylight version here) incandescent equivalent outputs. Note that this rating IS NOT the amount of energy that this LED bulb actually draws from the power line. Rather, it expresses the amount of equivalent incandescent lamp light output that you get with this bulb.
Cool, Daylight White Light Output
The color temperature of this CREE™ LED bulb is 5000k. This is about the color of light you see from the sky on a bright but overcast day.
The Way More Light per Watt
For the CREE™ 60-watt bulb, you get the same amount of light that an incandescent light bulb emits. Yet you only pay for 9 watts! This CREE™ gives 60 watts of "incandescent" light, while drawing just 9 watts.
The CREE 60w LED Daylight Dimmable Light Bulb Runs Cooler
With so much more power actually producing light in LEDs, there is less put into wasteful heat. Indeed, LED bulbs give off far less heat than incandescent bulbs. In fact, CREE says that their bulbs are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs.
Long Life
They rate these at 25,000 hours average life expectancy.
Durable Build
Does not break easily when dropped. The globe part appears to be made of a thick glass or very heavy plastic. And of course, you have that hefty heat sink just above the base.
Instant-On, Full Brightness
You get full brightness almost instantly upon LED turn-on. No need to "warm up" this bulb.
Near Flicker-Free Light
At full brightness, we detect no perceptible flickers or blinks, no matter the ambient room temperature. Even when dimmed to very low output values, flicker is a bit noticeable but by no means severe.
Full Brightness, Even in Winter Cold
Like incandescent lighting, but not like compact fluorescent lamps, LED bulbs operate efficiently, even in very cold temperatures. These CREE™ units are no exception to that rule. you get full luminosity even when the room is freezing cold.
The CREE 60w LED Daylight Dimmable Light Bulb Offers Less Light Loss Over Time
As incandescent bulbs run, the hot filament evaporates some. So the metal from it builds up on the inside of the glass globe. So, as the bulb nears the end of its service life, its light output has dropped somewhat. This is due to the darkened glass that results from these metal deposits from the evaporating filament.
But this loss of light does not happen as much to LED bulbs. LEDs retain much more of their new-state brightness over their lifetimes.
This line of CREE LED bulbs works well with standard dimmers. Plus, these bulbs stay quiet no matter how dim you make them.
More Constant Color Rendition Index (CRI) While Dimming
Unlike incandescent bulbs, CREE dimmable LED bulbs do not change color output nearly as much. This was a big problem in incandescent bulbs, whose color output did change when dimmed. It would shift from bright white to light yellow. Then to yellow-orange. Then to orange and to orange-red. And finally to deep read as you'd dim them down from full brightness. But with LEDs, even when dimmed to 10 percent of full, you still get mostly daylight (5000 K) output. Dim an LED, and you get less bright but same-colored light. The spectral output changes little, no matter how low you turn the dimmer.
Less Radio Interference (EMI, RMI)
These LEDs draw less current through the dimmer, since they're LEDs. So any switching noise normally heard when dimming incandescent lamps, is cut way down with LEDs.
Less Dust Build Up
With the lower heat output of LEDs, these bulbs run cooler, and so attract less dust and dirt. The fine dust particles that do accumulate, do not stick as much to these, as they did on incandescent bulbs.
Nearly Omnidirectional
The light spread patterns are very much like traditional incandescent lighting. They give off light in nearly equal amounts in all directions except for directly underneath the bulb, toward the socket. But they do radiate more light from the sides than from the top. Not much of a problem though in most lamps.
Lightly Frosted Exterior
Softens shadows and helps spread the light more evenly.
The CREE 60w LED Daylight Dimmable Light Bulb has a Ten Year Warranty
Easy to Find in Stores
Home Depot, 1000 Bulbs, and numerous other stores and online vendors carry the CREE™ brand of LED bulbs.
Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, Limitations of the 60w CREE Daylight LED Light Bulb
Cleanup can be a Challenge
Due to the tackiness on the globe part, dust can be harder than simply wiping off, to remove. Also, the heat sink fins can accumulate dirt when you put these bulbs in dusty places. Too much "clogging" of these channels make for early bulb failure. Why? Because when dirty, the sink does not as efficiently get rid of the component-damaging heat. So better heat sinking design, one with wider and fewer channels, may ease bulb cleanup issues.
May Not Fit in EVERY Light Fixture
The extra width of the heat sink near the base may not fit into some light fixtures.
The CREE 60w LED Daylight Dimmable Light Bulb is Heavier Than Incandescent Light Bulbs
Due to the electronics inside and the thick heat sink, these bulbs can weigh several times more than traditional bulbs.
Do Not Dispose in Regular Trash
These bulbs, due to the electronics they contain, should be properly recycled.
Initially Expensive
CREE bulbs pay for themselves at least a few times during their lives. Yet the cost of roughly $10 to buy each bulb may still turn away many buyers. But the pricing is getting better. Over the past few years, prices have fallen a lot. Plus quantity deals are common, and sport very deep discounts. So, we expect the higher single-unit prices to fall over the next few years.
Suggested Improvements for the 5000k CREE 60w LED Daylight Dimmable Light Bulb
Ditch the Heat Sink Fins
Removing dust and debris from the small heat-flow channel spaces between each fin can be grueling. Wider channels, or no channels, would allow for more complete and probably more frequent cleaning. Hopefully however, increasing LED efficiency will reduce the need for such heavy metal radiators in future generations of this product.
Remove Outer Tackiness
This would facilitate rapid bulb dusting.
Lower the Price
Many 100w LED bulbs these days cost less than half of what you pay for the CREE™ bulbs.
Our Rating for the Dimmable CREE 60w LED Daylight 5000k Light Bulb
We're pleased that CREE now makes an affordable yet highly energy efficient 60w replacement light bulb. So the average consumer can now go green, without going broke. We've found the CREE LED bulbs to last many years. Plus, given their ten year warranty, we do not worry as much over the cost of replacing them.
The bulbs provide a decently full, natural-looking daylight in most places. So it's good to see LEDs finally getting into mainstream lighting markets. Indeed, they sure took their time getting there.
We believe that CREE has done an bodacious job ushering this tech into mass consumer markets. With this affordable LED product, they've convinced many that it really is worth the cost to upgrade to LED. We therefore, rate this bulb at 97 out of 100. But if the price drops a few more dollars, our rating will go up.
Related Posts to CREE 60w LED Daylight 5000k Dimmable Light Bulb
- Cree™ 60w LED Soft White 2700k Dimmable Light Bulb Review
- Outdoor Christmas Light Decorating Ideas Pictures
- LED Light Bulb Picture Gallery
- Cree™ 100w LED Daylight 5000k Dimmable Light Bulb Review
- Philips LED A19 100w Daylight Light Bulb Review
- Benefits of LED Lighting, Advantages
- Cree™ 100w LED Soft White 2700k Dimmable Light Bulb Review
- Blue LED Christmas Lights Decorating Outdoors
Suggested Reading
- Fixing Noisy Window Air Conditioners, How To
- Maytag Bravos Washer MVWB750WQ Review
- Whirlpool WMB31017AB Microwave Oven Review, Over Range
- Extension Cord Safety Tips, Help, Advice
- Clean a Percolator Coffee Pot, How To
- Top Load vs Front Load Washers
- Glass Top Stove Pros, Cons, Advantages, Disadvantages
- Sleep Easy Sound Machine Review, White Fan Noise
- Safest Electric Space Heaters, How to Choose
- Utilitech Treadmill Surge Protector 0090996 Review
- Portable Space Heaters, How to Safely Use
- Belkin AC1200 DB Review, WiFi Dual Band F9K1113 Router
- Pelonis Whole Room Heater HO-0250H Review
- How to Free Up a Stuck Garbage Disposal
- Pelonis Electric Radiator Heater, Oil, HO-0260 Review
References for CREE 60w LED Daylight 5000k Dimmable Light Bulb
- CREE™ LED Bulbs Official Product Web Site
- Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) on Wikipedia
- Where to buy CREE™ 60 Watt LED Light Bulbs
Revision History
- 2019-08-19: Added key word targeting for 'CREE 60w LED Daylight', removed ad script code, and added more tags and links.
- 2018-02-28: Updated the tags list.
- 2017-02-14: Originally published.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
05 April 2009
Yes We Can - Value Mortgage-Backed Securities
Bullshit. That's make-believe. If the actual market is non-existent, just make one up. There is no justification for this nonsense, because there is a real way to value assets, which I've also written about earlier. It's called expected discounted cash flow.
Let's pick what the Wall Streeters claim is the hardest of all assets to value right now - mortgage backed securities. For each one of them, an electronic and/or written trail exists to track down each mortgage and mortgagee that is bundled into each one of those securities. It is therefore possible to track down each mortgagee and do the due diligence (check his/her credit history, income, employment stability, loan amount, monthly payment, payment history, historical and present market value of the property that is mortgaged, etc.) and make a probabilistic determination of his/her likelihood of continuing to pay that mortgage. That probability times the number of payments, times the value of the payments discounted for inflation (again estimated from the historical moving average of the Consumer Price Index over any n-year period, where n is the number of years left on the loan) is the expected discounted cash flow from that mortgage - that mortgage's value.
Now if a non-accountant like me can figure out how to value mortgage-backed securities, you can be sure that the Wall Street accountants know how to do it. So why don't they do it? Because they already have a pretty good estimate of the answer and they don't like it. They don't want to know. And more importantly, they don't want you and me to know.
In other words, they're lying. They're still trying to keep from having to come clean and do business the right way.
It is not conceptually hard to value mortgage-backed securities. It is conceptually easy. The only hard thing about it is that it is tedious. A lot of people are going to have to hit the streets and do a lot of due diligence that was not done when these things were bundled up and sold and bought in a vast game of financial musical chairs.
Well, get to work all you lying assholes in the financial industries. I'm a taxpayer, and I want my chair back.
2 comments:
- motheramelia said...
Well written and astute. I'm sure the reasons are as you state. Not wanting to know the answer and not wanting others to know seems to be prevalent in many areas, not just finance. Just look at the clergy abuse stuff.
- 06 April, 2009
Conceptually it is incredibly simple. Practically, your proposal is pretty much impossible.
Coming up with the probability of someone continuing to pay their mortgage is just as much playing make believe as guessing the value of an MBS in "normal market conditions". It's not just defaults on dubious loans causing the problem anymore. People with respectable payment records working at what were once considered blue chip companies are losing their jobs and becoming unable to make their payments.
The past is a questionable indicator of the future at best, especially in times like these.
- 16 April, 2009


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Piedmont Community College (PCC) will offer the Certified Production Technician (CPT) training in the evenings and weekend on December 3 – April 25. This class will meet from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday and 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Saturday in Person County.
Certified Production Technician training offers an industry-recognized credential designed by the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council. Students can earn certificates in the following areas:
• Safety Awareness
• Manufacturing Processes
• Quality Practices
• Maintenance Awareness
In addition, successful students gain skills in manufacturing processes and are prepared for employment in entry-level positions in the manufacturing field.
In fact, the opportunity to participate in a paid internship while in training is an option for students proving they have the ability and desire to work in a team environment.
To enroll in PCC's Certified Production Technician training or for information about possible funding, contact PCC's Workforce Development Team at (336) 322-2480. Financial assistance may be available to qualified unemployed, underemployed, and economically distressed individuals.
Photo: Students in the advanced manufacturing class


text:
Since 2009, cryptocurrency has grown from the domain of a few cypherpunks to a global phenomenon. Born in obscurity, Bitcoin is something now talked about at your neighborhood barbecue (except in New Hampshire, where crypto fans flourish and talk about the strengths and weaknesses of still-obscure coins like OmiseGo or Qtum). Although many people think that only a certain type of person is into crypto—i.e., young male techie libertarians—the types of crypto fans and the reasons why they're interested are actually quite varied. However, we can group them into some general categories, though most people will find they fall into more than one. Let's take a look at some of them.
1) Tech Geeks
Cryptocurrency is, first and foremost, a technology project. It was created by programmers and is maintained by programmers. Many of those most invested in cryptocurrency are so because of the technology behind it. And the technology really is remarkable: with cryptocurrency, many real-world problems have been solved that just a few years ago were considered unsolvable. The very idea that you can digitally send something of value to another person without fear of counterfeiting and without the need for a third party is, frankly, amazing.
2) Economics Geeks
Like technology geeks, many people are enamored by cryptocurrency because of its economic principles. Those who follow the Austrian School of economics are particularly intrigued, as they see it as a chance to put into practice one of their underlying principles: opening up money itself to the free market. The brilliance of Satoshi's creation is that it was both a technological and economic marvel!
3) Advocates for the Poor
One of the primary barriers to lifting much of the global poor out of poverty is the lack of access to financial services. For millions of the "unbanked" worldwide, just having a way to save money is a luxury. Cryptocurrency can overturn all that, because it gives the poor the ability to "be their own bank." This is the driving force for some cryptocurrency fans, who see the technology as a way to transform unfair economic conditions for much of the world.
4) Business Innovators
Successful businesses are always looking for ways to improve their business processes, making them cheaper, more efficient, and more convenient for their customers. Many business leaders are looking to blockchain technologies, especially those based on the Ethereum network, to improve everything from inventory management to real estate transactions.
5) Get Rich Quick Speculators
Cryptocurrency has risen in value exponentially more quickly than any other asset class over the past seven years. As such, it has attracted many who are in it for a quick buck. You can't scroll through the /r/cryptocurrency subreddit for more than a few seconds before you'll see someone trying to find the next "rocket launch." Speculators tend to ignore technical or economic fundamentals, focusing instead on which crypto the market will send to the stratosphere next.
6) Long Term Investors
For centuries, gold has been the safe investment for protecting one's funds from uncertainty in the market. While stocks can rise and fall, and fiat currency can rise and fall, gold remains steady, keeping its value over the (very) long term. However, a new asset seeks to dethrone gold from its lofty perch: Bitcoin. Many people who would have once looked to the precious metal to safeguard their wealth are instead trusting in digital assets like Bitcoin.
7) Anarchists
Early on in Bitcoin's history, it had the reputation of being an instrument to overthrow governments. And for good reason: cryptocurrency does have the potential to upend existing structures, including governmental ones. As U.S. President James A. Garfield once said, "He who controls the money supply of a nation controls the nation." Cryptocurrency has the potential to take that power out of the hands of government officials. Although cryptocurrency has become much more mainstream, there are still many who would like nothing better than to see cryptocurrency take down centralized governments.
8) Pacifists
One of the primary uses of a government's money is funding the military. For those who would like to see the end of war, cryptocurrency offers the potential to do so by defunding militaries. No longer would governments be able to simply print more money to fund their wars of aggression. Instead, they will have to fund their wars by raising money from the people, which is far more difficult than firing up the printing press.
9) The 99 Percenters
Although related to those who advocate for the poor, this type of cryptocurrency fan sees the technology more as the means to overthrow the 1% and radically change how money flows worldwide. Born in the crucible of the 2008 financial crisis, Bitcoin itself was created as a response to the crony capitalism that both created that crisis and flowed from it. Instead of rewarding those financial leaders who cause our problems, cryptocurrency can take their power away and put it in the hands of individuals.
10) Illegal Goods Buyers
Although it's not as highly promoted anymore, the fact remains that cryptocurrency helps facilitate the purchase of illegal items such as drugs and guns. With increased privacy features being embedded in cryptocurrencies such as Dash, Monero, and ZCash, the potential for using cryptocurrencies in the dark markets has only increased. And for those who might find this category distasteful, remember that many governments ban items arbitrarily (try to buy a Bible in Saudi Arabia).
Which Are You?
Personally, I fall into a lot of these categories. If I had to pin it down, I would say I'm 40% Tech Geek, 30% Economics Geek, 20% Advocate for the Poor, 5% Business Innovator, 3% Long Term Investor, and 2% everything else. How about you? What type(s) of cryptocurrency fan are you?


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Alan Ramsden
- Region Perth South
- Employer Highbury Homes
Training Institute: Polytechnic West – Balga Campus
Regional Results: Gold
National Results: Silver
Qualification: Certificate III in Bricklaying
"WorldSkills has helped me take my skills to the next level. I am now a lot more conscious of everything I do and I now aim to achieve perfection in my work. Through my WorldSkills journey I have met some incredible likeminded people, I have been given the opportunity to travel and best of all I have been able to achieve things in my career that I never even knew were possible."
Alan had always liked the idea of becoming a Bricklayer, being able to work outdoors and learning how to build something from scratch were two of the key attractions for him. During high school Alan decided to try his hand at bricklaying and enrolled himself in a pre-apprenticeship course. As he had suspected Alan thoroughly enjoyed the work and followed up on his preliminary course with a full time apprenticeship.
There are many reasons why Alan believes this industry is so well suited to him, "to me what I most enjoy about the trade is that I am not stuck behind a desk, the work is relatively stress free, I get to work outside, am given a lot of freedom and I am able to enjoy the fruits of my hard work by standing back and appreciating the finished product. The fact that I earn a great living through doing what I love is also a great bonus," said Alan.
Alan thanks his host trainer Mark, and his TAFE lecturer Eddie for providing him with the guidance which has set him on a path to success in his industry, "Eddie and Mark have been so incredibly supportive of me both professionally and personally. Not only did they teach me everything I know about Bricklaying but they have shaped me into the person I am today. I hope that one day, I will be looked up to as a mentor the way I look up to them now," said Alan.
In the future Alan hopes to complete his building diploma and use the skills gained to build his own house.
Troy Everett
Troy is the head teacher in bricklaying for TAFE NSW and is also the international Chief Expert for Australia at the 42nd WorldSkills
International Competition. Troy thoroughly enjoys bricklaying and teaching bricklaying and is glad to be in a position where he
can influence industry and promote opportunities for young people both through his role with WSA and TAFE NSW. Troy has
attended six International Competitions, starting with Seoul, South Korea where he went to support a student who was competing.
Troy has been the Australian expert for Bricklaying since Helsinki in 2005; this year will be Troy's first time as the Chief Expert at
the International Competition in Leipzig. Troy enjoys building a good rapport with the competitors and showing them methods
and techniques that are out of the ordinary, sparking their imagination and encouraging innovative thinking. Troy's advice to the Skillaroos is, "embrace the opportunity and work hard so you make the most of it. Don't forget to enjoy the ride."


text:
18K White Gold Baguette & Round-Cut Diamond Bracelet
170-00253Regular price $24,995.00 Save $-24,995.00
18K white gold, cluster-style, diamond tennis bracelet. The diamonds are baguette-cut and round brilliant-cut with a total weight of 6.41ct. The diamonds are "G/H" color and 'VS2" clarity. The bracelet measures 7.25 inches in length. Metal: 18K White Gold Gemstone: Diamond Weight: Baguette - 5.29ct, Round - 1.12ct Length: 7.25 inches


text:
Departmental review finds no 'credible' link between Saudi arms exports and human rights abuses
Review says department has a further 48 permit applications ready for approval
Global Affairs Canada says it has found no credible evidence linking Canadian exports of military equipment to human rights violations by the government of Saudi Arabia — and it has another 48 applications for permits to export military equipment to the kingdom ready for government approval — a newly released document shows.
These revelations are part of a departmental briefing note for then-Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland dated Sept. 17, 2019.
The briefing note says the department has been examining the domestic human rights situation in Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom's involvement in the war in Yemen ever since the Canadian government announced a review of all Saudi arms sales and a freeze on new export permits in November 2018.
While the document acknowledges that Saudi Arabia's overall human rights record remains problematic, it says "officials found no credible evidence linking Canadian exports of military equipment or other controlled items to any human rights or humanitarian law violations committed by the Saudi government."
"Officials did not identify any existing permits or pending applications that would be of concern under the standard robust risk assessment framework," says the document.
The document says the department believes there is "no substantial risk" that current Canadian exports of military equipment will result in any human rights violations within Saudi Arabia.
The memo also says that, during its period of review, the "department has assessed and processed a further 48 permit applications for exports of controlled goods to KSA" — the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — and that these permits "have been deemed ready for approval by officials and await your further consideration."
The Liberal government announced its review of existing permits and a freeze on new permits following the brutal killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. U.S. intelligence has concluded that the dissident journalist's murder was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.
Canada has a contract worth roughly $14-billion with Saudi Arabia for Canadian-made light armoured vehicles. Exports of these vehicles have continued unabated during the course of the review.
Although the department says it has found no substantial risk in Canada exporting arms to Saudi Arabia, the Canadian review and the freeze on arms export permits will remain in place until Trudeau's cabinet makes a policy decision about sales of military materiel to the Saudis.
"We are reviewing export permits to Saudi Arabia and no decision has been made. While this review is ongoing, no new permits have been issued," said Natasha Nystrom, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada.
The document says the minister of foreign affairs has "broad discretion to make the determination of whether an export of controlled goods is consistent with Canada's interests, so long as it is not based on irrelevant considerations and is not arbitrary and capricious."
"The absence of any credible evidence of a substantial risk does not require that you issue a given permit, as there may be other foreign, security or defence policy reasons not to grant a permit," says the document.
One month after the briefing note was prepared, new footage surfaced that appears to show Canadian-made Saudi military equipment captured or destroyed by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Canadian government officials are "closely" reviewing that footage.
Former Canadian ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dennis Horak — who was expelled by the Saudi government last year — said he agrees with the findings in the new document.
"The arms we're selling are not being used for violations of human rights. They're just not, whether it's in Yemen or whether it's elsewhere," he said.
Horak said he thinks conditioning arms sales on evaluations of whether they will be used to violate human rights is a more reasonable measure than considering a country's overall human rights record.
"Some of the places we're going to send them to are not going to be perfect Western-style democracies," he said.
$2B in trade affected by bilateral spat
The document also includes an assessment of the Canada-Saudi Arabia bilateral relationship, which deteriorated following a tweet from Freeland last year criticizing the Saudi government's treatment of the Badawi family.
The Saudi regime was enraged by the tweet and responded, in part, by expelling Canada's ambassador to the kingdom, selling off Canadian assets and freezing new investment.
"No progress has yet been achieved in normalizing the bilateral Canada-KSA relationship," says the document. "The punitive diplomatic and trade measures that KSA instituted against Canada in August 2018 remain in place.
"Engagement by departmental officials with 20 companies that have a history of exporting to KSA suggests that approximately $2 billion in trade has been affected since August 2018."
Officials at the department also pointed to the negative impact Canada's ongoing review and freeze on export permits has had on Canadian companies.
"The open-ended nature of Canada's moratorium on new export permits, and the lack of identified conditions that would allow a resumption [of] permit issuance, present a high commercial risk for Canadian companies."


text:
Canoe Paddle Carving
Carve your own canoe paddle! From the shape of the blade, to its length, to the shape of the handle, the paddle you create will be made for you, by you. Choose either Otter Tail or Beaver Tail shaped blade for your paddle. Each participant in the class will be provided with a paddle blank laminated of carefully selected woods. Using hand tools you will carve your paddle blade to the desired shape. Once the blade is shaped, you will custom fit your paddle, by carving the shape of the grip area to fit your hands and cutting the paddle shaft to the perfect length for you. Students leave with a completed paddle. Beginners are welcome!
Dates: Saturday & Sunday, November 7&8, 2020
9:00AM to 4:00PM
Tuition: Household Member & Above: $170; Individual Member Registration: $180; General Registration: $205
Material Cost: $40 (total at checkout will include tuition and materials)
Class Size: 6
Instructor: John Van Buren
Please login to receive your member discounts. Please note that you must be a current member the date of the event to receive your discount.
Cancellation Policy: Full refunds will be offered for cancellations that occur 30 days or more before a program's registration deadline (if no deadline, the first day of the program). Cancellations between 30 and 7 days will be offered a 50% refund or credit toward another class. Cancellations after the registration deadline or within 7 days of the first day of class (whichever comes first) will not be refunded.
|Neon CRM by Neon One


text:
Flush mount kit for RO2040
€159.00 / piece
Free delivery within 3 working days in Benelux
Secured payment With iDeal, Credit Card, Bancontact, KBC/CBC and Belfius
Purchased through webshop: 1 year extra warranty 3 years in total
A cap to fit every size, only this one's invisible
This is an inwall kit that allows you to conceal your speaker in the ceiling.The kit, or 'flush mount' ensures that the Intiimi loudspeaker's design grille is exactly level with the surface of your ceiling. In other words, they blend in with each other without being conspicuous. No more differences in height, no changes in relief, however small.The flush mounts were developed for an easy and inconspicuous fit, which works.
Available for all Intiimi models.
280 x 280 x 14mm (h x w x d)
Suitable for
Int. dimensions
177.3 mm (Ø)
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text:
Arkitect is a clean HTML5 template designed to load quickly and it is ideal for architects, engineers, agencies, design studios and any other creative business.
It is fully responsive, optimized with mobile-first techniques, scalable font icons and retina display support. Easy to customize and adapt to your specific needs, this template will impress your audience at first sight.
Please note that the images shown in previews are not included in the download package due to licensing restrictions. All images used are the intellectual property of their respective owners and are used only for preview purposes.


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AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Rental Affordability Act
Employee Referral Contest
Win TWO airline tickets to any major city in the continental United States!
ALL you have to do is be the AHF employee who refers the most friends & family to donate.
RAA Employee Donor Referral Contest
- AIDS Healthcare Foundation ("AHF") will award 1 (one) prize package for an employee referral contest according to the terms and conditions of these rules. The contest will run from February 21, 2020 through May 31, 2020 11:50pm.
- AHF will award the following prize:
The contestant with the most entries will win 2 (two) round-trip airline tickets to any major city in the continental United States.
- The contest is sponsored by AIDS Healthcare Foundation ("Sponsor").
- Except as set forth below, all AIDS Healthcare Foundation employees living in the United States over the age of 17 are eligible to participate in the contest. Each individual that participates in the contest agrees to be subject to, and abide by, these rules. Any deviation from these rules, on the part of any participant, will render that participant ineligible. All decisions of the Sponsor are final.
- The employee contestant with the most entries will win.
- For this contest, an employee is defined as a person who has an email address provided by AHF.
- An entry is defined as a campaign contribution to the RAA of $1.00 or more, with the name of the AHF employee.
- An entry is limited to one per contributor.
- A contributor must be a United States resident over the age of 17.
- Donations must come through the form at: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ahf-raa
- The contributor must put the employee's full name in the field, "Name of AHF Staff Referral"
- If there is a tie, the employee whose donor entries raised the most money wins.
- The contestant's named donor referrals will be reviewed by committee.
- PRIZE RESTRICTIONS/CONDITIONS. The contest prize is non-transferable and non-assignable. By entering the contest, each participant consents without limitation and without receiving additional compensation, to make a promotional appearance such as a photo shoot, and to the use of his or her name, voice, photograph, and/or likeness by Sponsor and its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, and promotional partners for any purposes including, but not limited to, promotional purposes on television, radio, print and the internet. Failure to make such a promotional appearance requested by Sponsor, or to grant such rights as may be reasonably requested by Sponsor, may result in disqualification. Airline tickets must be claimed and used before January 1, 2021, or the prize will be forfeited. Winners are solely responsible for all taxes associated with any prize.
- RULES; WINNERS LIST. Copies of these rules and identification of the winners are available between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. PST, at 6255 Sunset Blvd, Floor 19, Los Angeles CA 90028. To receive a copy of these rules by mail, please send us a stamped, self-addressed envelope that identifies the Contest, to this same address. You can also view these rules online at the Sponsor's Website.
- GENERAL CONDITIONS. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who Sponsor reasonably believes has tampered with the entry process or the operation of the Contest, or has acted in violation of these rules, or in a non-sportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person, or for any other action deemed that Sponsor deems unacceptable. Sponsor reserves the right to change these rules at any time as it determines necessary in its sole discretion. If such changes occur after the Contest has begun, then Sponsor will post all such changes on Sponsor's Website on the day that the change takes effect. Sponsor reserves the right to terminate the contest if fraud, misconduct or technical failures adversely affect the integrity of the Contest.
- LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY. All participants agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor and all of Sponsor's affiliated companies and subsidiaries and all of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, legal counsel, and/or participating promotional partners from all losses, damages, penalties, claims, actions, suits, costs, and expenses of any kind whatsoever and any property damage, personal injury, or death to any participant or third party caused by or arising out of or in connection with participation in the contest or with the use of any prize awarded. Sponsor is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information and assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to the contest of the equipment used in its administration.
- As a condition to participating in the contest, participants agree that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with this contest, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in Los Angeles, California having competent jurisdiction, which court shall apply the laws of the State of California without regard to any conflicts of Laws principles. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will participants be permitted awards for, and each hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental or consequential damages, or attorneys' fees.


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The SOG-TAC AU features a 3.00" black CRYO D2 serrated tanto blade with a black titanium nitride finish. The blade snaps open incredibly fast with the AU-XR lock system.
The micro-textured aircraft aluminum handle scales deliver a secure, comfortable grip.
This muscular auto is perfect for military, first responders, and defensive carry users. All will love the reliably double-action safety.
- Blade Length: 2.94"
- Overall Length: 7.01"
- Handle Length: 4.06"
- Blade Material: D2 Steel
- Blade Finish: Black Titanium Nitride
- Blade Style: Tanto
- Handle Material: Textured Anodized 6061-T6 Aluminum
- Weight: 2.80 oz.
- Deep Carry Pocket Clip (Tip Up, R/L)
- AU-XR Double-Action Safety
- Made in the USA


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Valentine's Day in NYC
Valentine's Day comes with very high expectations, but it's not easy to plan something original and impressive every single year. Most guys will just stick with a classy dinner, but with everything New York has to offer, why not plan something a little different this time round? I've found six great Valentine's Day activities around the city that are sure to impress. And don't worry, they've all got great eats, of course.
-Restaurant Boy
Valentine's Day 2017 Gift Guide
It's easy to get stuck in a gift rut on Valentine's Day, and end up scavenging the holiday aisle on a last-minute run to Rite Aid. That's why we're supplying six, elegant variations on the...Read More
Valentine's Day Dining Guide 2017
A Valentine's Day dinner booking is probably the most important restaurant reservation you'll make all year. Since everyone's angling to earn brownie points with their significant others,...Read More
New York's Most Indulgent Chocolate DessertsCuisine: Bakery
While we're generally equal opportunists regarding dessert, when it comes Valentine's Day, only Chocolate will do. And we're not talking about heart-shaped boxes of corn syrupy candy from...Read More
Sweets for the Sweet: Our Edible Valentine's Day Gift Guide
If you believe the adage that the way to someone's heart is through their stomach, consider us kindred spirits. Because while long-stemmed roses and sparkling jewelry is certainly nice, the items...Read More
Where to Dine on Valentine's Day 2016
While it's easy enough to pick up a dozen roses and a heart-shaped box of chocolates at the very last minute, you'd be well advised not to neglect dinner reservations until the morning of the...Read More
Beyond Chocolates: Unique Foodie Gifts for Your Valentine
Instead of defaulting to chocolates this year, why not give your loved one a truly original (but no less delicious) gift? Think outside of the heart-shaped box with these decadent Valentine's Day...Read More
Valentine's Day Dining Guide 2015
Let's get right to the point — Valentine's Day is not the holiday to be scrambling for last minute dinner reservations. If you want to start the evening off on the right foot and avoid all...Read More
Dark Chocolate and Désir: A Taste of Belgium
If you're going to give someone your heart this Valentine's day, make it a chocolate one—Belgian chocolate, to be exact. After all, in the world of chocolate, Belgium is king. The country...Read More
New York's Sexiest Edible Aphrodisiacs
We don't prescribe to love spells and potions, but there's another, all natural way to fan the flames of passion this Valentine's Day. And that's with edible aphrodisiacs; foods that have...Read More
Chocolate Red Wine Torte
Red wine and chocolate tend to play a starring role in most Valentine's Day celebrations, and not just because they're totally yummy. It's because they're both believed to be edible...Read More
NYC's Most Creative Valentine's Day Chocolates
From the moment we started taking an interest in boys, we fantasized about receiving one of those cardboard, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates for Valentine's Day. But our tastes have thankfully...Read More
The Ultimate Valentine's Day Dining Guide 2014
Do you want to show your significant other that you really care this Valentine's Day? Then you'd be wise not to wait until the last minute to make a dinner reservation. Granted, it's still...Read More
Dark Chocolate Champagne TrufflesCuisine: Dessert
Candle light. Romantic poems. Your significant other doing the dishes for once in his or her life. They all go a long way to fan the flames of passion on Valentine's Day, but nothing stirs...Read More
The Ultimate in Chocolate for Valentine's DayCuisine: Dessert
Valentine's Day compels us to take a moment during the doldrums of February to show that special someone or crush that we really care. But it also happens to be a celebration of something...Read More
Mas FarmhouseCuisine: American
Sure, going out to dinner might not be the most original idea, but eating is our favorite pastime and you never know what you'll find at Mas Farmhouse. That's because chef Galen Zamarra changes his...Read More
French Culinary InstituteCuisine: French
You do know you don't have to go to a restaurant on Valentine's Day, right? You could take a cooking class together. That's romantic and useful. And there are plenty of classes to choose from...Read More
The McKittrick Hotel's Valentine's DanceCuisine: American
If you're looking to spice things up and do something a whole lot different this Valentine's Day, The McKittrick Hotel is the way to go. Constructed in 1939, the hotel was planned to be the...Read More
Astor Wine & Spirits
Maybe this is your first Valentine's Day with your significant other, or maybe you just really need a casual, relaxing night this time around. Either way, a wine or cocktail class at Astor Wine...Read More
Ultimate Valentine's Day Restaurant Guide
We know what you're thinking… Valentine's Day? Already? We've just depleted our savings on holiday presents and big, blowout parties for New Year's Eve. Yes, Valentine's Day may be...Read More
Valentine's Day Dining
The holiday many love to hate is fast approaching. If you're single, Valentine's Day can be depressing. If you're coupled, it can be a lot of pressure to buy roses at inflated prices or fancy...Read More
Your Guide To Valentine's Day
If you haven't done so already, you might want to nail down your Valentine's Day plans. ( Ladies, don't depend on your significant other to plan ahead.) Whether you're looking for a...Read More
Sweetest Gifts for Valentine's Day
As has become tradition, we've sorted through the tsunami of Valentine's Day gifts and found a sweets for anyone and everyone. If you're bored of sending a box of chocolates, you might...Read More
Valentine's Day on a Budget
Just when the dust was starting to settle from New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day suddenly creeps in, in the not-so-distant future. February 14th is less than a month away. That means many...Read More
Valentine's Day – Dining Out
It's getting down to the wire for Valentine's Day and you can probably write off all the usual dining suspects. Yes, they're completely booked. But there are still plenty of restaurants and some...Read More
Best Valentine's Day Chocolates
If your special someone is the type who gets teary-eyed over those Jared jewelry commercials, she/he will be probably expect a box of chocolates for Valentine's Day. Of course, you could take the...Read More
Best Valentine's Day Restaurants 2008
Where Valentine's Day is concerned, there's nothing more romantic than dining out in New York City. While veterans at the reservation game may have already secured some of the most coveted tables,...Read More
Best Valentine's Day Restaurants 2007
Valentine's Day maybe Hallmark's favorite holiday, but it may not be yours. If you're lucky enough to score a date, you might want to start contemplating your restaurant options now. Veterans at...Read More


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By PFW News
The Russian government is set to roll out electronic vaccination certificates that will provide proof an individual has received a COVID-19 jab for the purpose of traveling across borders.
RT reports that a series of instructions were published prior to the new year in which Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered policymakers "to consider issuing certificates to people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 infections using Russian vaccines… for the purpose of enabling citizens to travel across the borders of the Russian Federation and those of other countries."
Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said over the weekend that as of January 1, people who are inoculated in Russia will be issued the electronic certificate. He also mentioned that the ministry will keep a database of citizens who have been vaccinated, similar to the decision made by Spain's government in December.
The idea of issuing an "immunity passport" is being considered, and even in some cases implemented, by numerous major airlines.
In November, a spokesperson for Korean Air said there's a "real possibility" airlines will mandate passengers take a COVID-19 vaccine before being allowed to travel.
Lance Gokongwei, President and CEO of the largest budget airline in the Philippines, said in December that 'COVID passports' were "essential" for travelers to fly.
Right before the new year, Singapore Airlines became the first to officially launch a COVID passport, which will display the vaccination status and COVID test results of passengers.
Source: Planet Free Will
Image Credit: Can Pac Swire/Flickr
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Send resources to the front lines of peace and freedom HERE! Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Parler, Flote, Minds, MeWe, Twitter and Gab.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what's coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


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2018 China-Japan Dialogue on Ocean Affairs Held in Tokyo
2018-08-04 18:52:53 source:NISCSS
From 30-31 July, the 2018 China-Japan Dialogue on Ocean Affairs was held in Tokyo, Japan, co-hosted by the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS) and Sasakawa Peace Foundation Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI-SPF). Initiated in 2016 by the NISCSS and OPRI-SPF, the Dialogue aims to develop a better understanding of convergent and divergent views of China and Japan on ocean affairs and establish an institutionalized mechanism for coordination and cooperation between the two countries in relevant fields.
This year, the two-day program covered various ocean-related issues such as the latest development in ocean policies, blue economy and fishery technology of China and Japan, cooperation in disaster relief and search and rescue, as well as potential areas of maritime cooperation. Around 50 experts and scholars from a variety of related government agencies, universities, think tanks, and research institutes of both China and Japan attended the Dialogue, including the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chinese Embassy, PLA Academy of Military Science, Peking University, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Institute of Oceanology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, Hainan Provincial Department of Fisheries, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Ocean Policy Secretariat Cabinet Office, Policy Promotion Department of Shima City, Marine Technology Society of Japan, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency of the National Research and Development Agency, and Institute of Physical and Chemical Research.
NISCSS President Wu Shicun, OPRI-SPF Director Dr. Sunami Atsushi, and Mr. Iwamoto Keiichi, Director of the First China and Mongolia Division of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivered opening remarks at the Dialogue. Dr. Wu pointed out that China-Japan relationship has been back to the right track following a series of meetings between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on several multilateral occasions, and Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Japan in May 2018. The positive momentum continues as the two sides launched the maritime and air liaison mechanism, signed the Memorandum on Strengthening Cooperation in Trade in Services and Memorandum of Understanding on Third-Party Markets Cooperation. Improving bilateral relations has provided an inviting environment for security cooperation and for Japanese enterprises to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative. Following this positive trend, the maritime cooperation between the two countries could gradually expand and upgrade, starting from non-sensitive fields of non-traditional security, and ultimately enhance mutual trust and strengthen bilateral relationship. Dr. Sunami Atsushi stressed that the two sides have gained valuable experiences of cooperation through marine waste management, ocean development, and emergency responses such as those in the Sanchi Tanker Accident. Mr. Iwamoto highlighted the significance of the Dialogue marking the 40th anniversary of thesigning of China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship.
On 1 August 2018, a press conference for the Dialogue was held in Tokyo. Both Dr. Wu and Sunami spoke to the press on the background, fruit of discussions, as well as the significance and prospects of the Dialogue. Reporters from over 10 mainstream media in both China and Japan were present at the conference, including Asahi Shinbum, Sankei Shimbum, Kyodo News, NHK, Xinhua News Agency and China Youth Daily, among others.


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GBP/USD Breaking Lower, Lift Likely if Bank of England Rules Out NIRP
What's on this page
GBP price, Bank of England, news and analysis:
- GBP/USD is looking technically weak but a near-term pause for breath is likely.
- That could be triggered by a Bank of England announcement that its monetary policy committee has ruled out a negative interest rate policy (NIRP) in the UK.
GBP/USD to steady after recent losses
GBP/USD has broken to the downside from a rising channel on the charts that has been in place since early last month, suggesting further losses to come. However, as the section at the bottom of the chart below shows, the RSI is now close to the 30 level that points to an oversold market, implying that at least a pause for breath is now likely, and perhaps a near-term rally.
GBP/USD Price Chart, 30-Minute Timeframe (January 19 – February 4, 2021)
Source: IG (You can click on it for a larger image)
Looking for an analysis of EUR/GBP? We have one here
The nudge that GBP/USD needs to steady after its recent falls could come from today's announcements on interest rates and the UK economy from the Bank of England's monetary policy committee and the Bank's Governor Andrew Bailey.
The BoE will almost certainly keep Bank Rate at 0.1% but it has been consulting on the feasibility of a negative interest rate policy and the results are due today. Bailey may well argue that while NIRP is possible, more QE to boost activity is less risky. Moreover,while neither a rate cut nor more QE can be ruled out in future, and NIRP should not be ruled out as a policy tool, Bailey is not yet ready to move on monetary policy.
Ruling out NIRP for now would likely lead to a near-term bounce in GBP/USD, especially if the monetary policy report accompanying the MPC announcements points to the success of the coronavirus vaccine rollout in the UK. That has taken the pressure off the BoE to act now and indeed if the vaccination program is followed by an economic recovery the brighter outlook would point to no more rate cuts this cycle.
The announcements are due at 1200 GMT and Bailey's press conference will begin at 1230.
Source: DailyFX calendar
|Change in
We look at currencies regularly in the DailyFX Trading Global Markets Decoded podcasts that you can find here on Apple or wherever you go for your podcasts
--- Written by Martin Essex, Analyst
Feel free to contact me on Twitter @MartinSEssex
DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets.


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Gamescom 2017 | Pre-order open for Xbox One X 'Project Scorpio' and Xbox One S 'Minecraft' limited edition consoles plus related news
On Sunday evening in Germany, Microsoft's Xbox division ran a GamesCom Cologne (Köln) Livestream to show off the hardware and software they will be showcasing in their booth. NotebookCheck was watching, and we have summarised some of the key news here.
In our opinion, Xbox One X 'Project Scorpio' was the headlining announcement, billed as the most powerful console with true 4k gaming support. Xbox One X pre-order is now open and starts with a Project Scorpio limited edition featuring Project Scorpio branding on the console and controller in addition to a custom printed exterior. Packaging is themed to look similar to the original Xbox console. Existing Xbox One controllers are compatible meaning you can use any custom controllers you have purchased. The Project Scorpio limited edition also includes a vertical stand.
For those in Europe who want to experience the Xbox One X, there will be 70 playable units at GamesCom. The Xbox games library will include games which can take advantage of the extra performance of this new console. Microsoft Studio games such as Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3, Minecraft, Killer Instinct, Halo Wars 2, Halo 5, and Quantum Break will be retrospectively updated to true 4k and HDR for free to existing owners of each game. From now we can expect developers to release "Xbox one X Enhanced" games, from non-Microsoft studios who have been using the new dev-kit. A selection of these games are: FIFA 18, Star Wars Battlefront 2, PlayerUnknown's: Battlegrounds, NBA2K, Wolfenstein 2, Shadow of War, Titanfall 2, and Fallout 4.
A second limited edition console was also showcased; The Xbox One S 'Minecraft' Limited Edition console, with pre-orders open now. This console is themed as a grass block, but for the first time on an Xbox, the back panel is transparent showing a Redstone circuit around the inside that lights up when the system is turned on. In the box is a creeper themed controller, but there is an optional pig theme controller for purchase separately. The console has custom Minecraft related sounds when turning on, inserting a CD and so forth. As part of the package deal there are custom skins and textures for the game.
Other announcements include:
- Microsoft is steadfast on cross-play between Xbox and Windows 10. Cross-play titles include Sea of Thieves, Forza Motorsport 7 (built from the ground up for PC - coming October 3rd for standard and deluxe or September 29th for ultimate edition), and the recently announced Rise of Nations (cross-play with Steam version).
- Xbox One backward compatibility is expanded to now include over 400 titles from Xbox 360 and the original Xbox.
- Xbox software enhancements to bring gamers together with features such as improved notifications when someone is streaming or pop-ups when friends put out a request for help in certain co-op games.
- Mixer Creator for iOS and Android (currently in beta), featuring the ability to watch live streaming by others and game stream your own mobile gameplay.
- Xbox Design Lab controller customisation expanded to include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. These are in addition to previously available countries (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, and France).
Are you planning to pre-order either of these consoles and which feature are you most looking forward to? As a PC gamer I'm excited about cross-play, I believe it will be a good way to extend the community lifetime on games where the player base on each separate platform might not be large enough to maintain quality gameplay.
Xbox @ GamesCom Livestream


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How EGPAF is Shaping the Future of Pediatric AIDS
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation (EGPAF) strives for a future that prioritizes equal treatment, healthcare and research for children with HIV. It is playing a significant role in shaping the future of pediatric AIDS.
The Story Behind the Organization
In 1981, Elizabeth Glaser gave birth to her first child, Ariel. During labor, she contracted the AIDS virus through a necessary blood transfusion. Unknowingly, she then passed it to her daughter through breast milk and then to her son, Jake, in utero.
Due to the insufficient research-tested pediatric AIDS treatments, Ariel lost her life in 1988. Fearing for her son's life in the wake of this tragedy, Glaser decided to put her fear and hopes into action. She soon joined her two friends, Susan DeLaurentis and Susie Zeegan, and founded the Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Their central aim has not changed since then: to fund research and provide treatment and care for children suffering from AIDS. These ideals were at the forefront of Glaser's first visit to Capitol Hill.
At the 1992 Democratic Convention, two years before she lost her own battle with AIDS, Glaser presented a moving speech. Drawing on the loss of her daughter and her own experience with AIDS, Glaser's speech called for change. More specifically, it called for a stronger response to pediatric AIDS. Glaser remarked that "this is not politics. This is a crisis of caring." With this statement, she made it clear that this was not only about her life or her children. Rather, she wanted to prepare the nation to help children with HIV and shape the future of pediatric AIDS. Since then, EGPAF has become the leading nonprofit organization fighting against pediatric AIDS globally.
Recent Statistics
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1,800,000 children under the age of 14 required treatment in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2011. Roughly 27% of those diagnosed received antiretroviral coverage.
HIV in children has two primary sources: mother-to-child transmission and infections in medical hospitals. Rates are higher in countries with few resources and little healthcare and regulation. Although it is the most common contraction method, mother-to-child transmission is preventable. If the mother has access to antiretroviral therapy, the chances of her passing the virus to her child via breastfeeding or delivery, or in utero, greatly decrease. As Glaser's experience demonstrates, healthcare malpractice can also result in the transmission of the virus. In order to prevent this, healthcare workers must strictly regulate sanitation practices and blood transfusions.
By recognizing and addressing these means of contraction, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and other organizations like EGPAF increased treatment to cover 70% of the affected population in Africa by the end of 2019.
The Impact
The steady advancements in global pediatric AIDS treatment are by no means a signal to slow down. At least for EGPAF, an organization committed to eliminating childhood HIV and AIDS completely, this is only a part of the journey. Focusing on countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, EGPAF treated 96,716 HIV-positive pregnant women to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission in 2019. By improving access to HIV services, it also tested over 8,000,000 individuals and facilitated treatment to approximately 86,537 children.
EGPAF's in-house research division has also performed extensive work in the clinical and operational fields, strategizing and altering treatments. For example, The Kabeho Study was one of the first studies that assessed the implementation of lifelong antiretroviral therapy in pregnant women. Its findings suggested a decline in mother-to-child transmission when mothers receive proper treatment. Project Acclaim also showed that engaging community leaders led to the greater prioritization of newborn and child health.
From early congressional meetings and calls for change, EGPAF's impact has grown immensely. As the organization continues to advocate for the cause and raise awareness, it simultaneously provides healthcare for children without the financial means – not only in the United States but also overseas.
– Samantha Acevedo-Hernandez
Photo: Flickr


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The World's Only Self Powered Infrared Thermocouple
The Most Reliable Infrared Temperature Sensor with 1,000+ year MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) Rate
PreCalibrated Non-Contacted IRt/c's Increase Your Up-Time
Self-powered. Non-electronic, no-fail construction. Tested at >1,000 years between failures, IRt/c sensors' patent technology make them the most reliable sensors on the market. Best used for low temperatures (< 500 °F/260 °C) and non-metal or coated metal surfaces.
- Intrinsically Safe
- Fast Response time
- Calibrated to match conventional thermocouple at a specific temperature.
By adjusting the calibration, the signal output will be within 2% linear to match a conventional thermocouple at temperatures close to the calibration point.
The Exergen Industrial Creed
We are the best in the world at what we do. And our industrial sales must be commensurate with our mission of supplying our customers with the best. To help them be the best in the world at what they do.
Please contact Exergen Industrial Sales with questions and orders.


text: The Armen Living Jaguar mid-century side chair is an epitome of artistic beauty. This contemporary chair's stylish curved back and attractive fabric upholstery make it a standout piece in the modern home. Don't overlook the details of this elegant side chair, the durable wood frame, covered in plush fabric upholstery makes the Jaguar exceptionally inviting. This is a simple but unique design that you can play up or down in any room in your home. It is the perfect size for small spaces such as dorm rooms or apartments or it can be used to entertain large gatherings in style. The high cushion back is ideal for posture alignment and an unmatched support for days on end. The detailed open back adds to the aesthetic of the overall modern and mid-century look. The foundation of the product is supported by solid walnut wood for a sturdy and stylish look without comprising the practicality and functionality of this item. This item is a versatile piece that can be ideal for dining, kitchen, or even home office desk chairs. Its sleek legs are built to create balance and the back seat includes exposed zig-zag lines to enhance the aesthetic appeal. We stand by the quality, the craftsmanship, and the integrity of our product by offering a 1-year warranty for all our products. We want our customers to enjoy our product and we will always be there to help with our top-notch customer service support. The Jaguar dining chair is available in Gray, Charcoal, and Green Fabric upholstery. Armen Living Jaguar Contemporary/Modern Polyester/Polyester Blend Upholstered Side Chair (Wood Frame) in Gray | LCJASIWAGRAY


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Emergency Care
Dental emergencies can happen to anyone. Every year, millions of Americans find themselves dialing their local dental office because of an accident or severe dental pain. Magna Family Dental Studio is here to provide you with our high-quality dental care even in those unforeseen circumstances.
When Should I Visit the Dentist for an Emergency?
Learning the difference between an emergency and something that can wait for the dentist can help you get the treatment you need without having to wait at the ER. While some injuries can wait a day before treatment, others require immediate action. Smaller cracks can usually wait for an appointment but if you experience bleeding or severe pain, you should seek our emergency dental care right away.
What Are Common Dental Emergencies?
Dental emergencies can range from sudden injuries to mounting medical issues. Some of the most common include:
- Cracked teeth
- Losing teeth
- Severe and lingering pain
- Abscesses and advanced infections
How Do I Prevent a Dental Emergency?
Some general precautions can substantially decrease your chances of facing a dental emergency. For starters, if you practice sports, always use some sort of mouth guard in case of impact. You should also avoid using your teeth as tools and chewing hard foods.
Need Care for a Dental Emergency in Highlands Ranch or South Denver, CO?
If you have suffered a dental emergency, quick action is key in preventing lasting damage and possibly saving your teeth. Don't wait! Call our team at Magna Family Dental Studio and we will accommodate your situation in a short-notice appointment.


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What resources are crucial for your success? What should you do to avoid the "Gotchas"? Please read:
The Product Availability Matrix (PAM)
The PAM lists:
- Supported platforms and third party software (OS, DBs, etc) that the product (a specific version and service pack level of the product) has been tested with and that are officially supported for use with this product version. If you are not on a supported version and you run into issues, SAP Product Support will ask you to reproduce the issue on a supported version.
No support is provided for unsupported versions.
- Minimum hardware requirements
- Dates of release and maintenance end (support packs and fixes come out only for products still under maintenance).
Note: In order to have access to all the info in the Data Services PAM be sure to click on the Open in new window link, in the Essential Information section.
To access the PAM for SAP Data Services 4.2 go here.
To access PAM for the Business Intelligence Platform 4.1 go here.
To access the PAM for other SAP Software go here.
Note: SAP HANA version compatibility with SAP Data Services is listed in the following KBA that is regularly updated:
1600140 - SAP Data Services 4.x and SAP Information Steward 4.x compatibility with SAP HANA
Product Release Notes
Product Release Notes are written and released for each new major release, service pack or patch.
They list: new or deprecated features, fixed issues, known issues, compatibility, and limitations.
Release Notes for service packs (contain new features as well as fixes) are available at http://help.sap.com/bods.
Release Notes for patches (contain only fixes) are published as Knowledgebase articles (KBAs).
Log on to the SAP Support Portal to search and view KBAs.
The Compatibility Matrix between the Business Intelligence Platform (BIP) and SAP Data Services
Pre-requisite for installing SAP Data Services is to install a compatible version of the Business Intelligence Platform.
The following KBA lists compatible versions:
1740516 - SAP Data Services 4.x and SAP Information Steward 4.x compatibility with SAP Business Intelligence platform and Information Platform Services for active releases
If a newer BI version is not listed on this matrix it means it has not been tested yet and potentially might not be compatible.
SAP recommends using SAP Information Platform Services rather then your existing Business Intelligence deployment to avoid compatibility issues and make patching your BI environment easier.
Planning for SAP Data Services and SAP Information Steward Installation.
If you are planning a single machine deployment or a distributed deployment watch this very important video to understand implications, requirements and order of install/upgrade for different components.
You can also reference this KBA: 1603393 1603393 - Installation Scenarios - Data Services 4.x
5) Install and Upgrade Guides
Do not attempt an install or upgrade before reading the Install or Upgrade Guides and making sure you have set up all the requirements.
The guides are available at http://help.sap.com/bods
For upgrading and migrating Information Platform Services content please follow KBA:
1906581 - Migration of Information Steward from a Business Intelligence platform to an Information platform services landscape
Common Pitfalls and Best Practices
- Always install the latest and greatest version and patch level.
- When installing Information Platform Services do not run setup.exe but run InstallIPS.exe (or *.sh) as this will use the built-in license key.
- Make sure your version SAP Data ServicesDS is compatible with BI/IPS.
- Clustering of Business Intelligence and Information Platform Services is not supported in any fashion: •Clustering CMS of IPS with CMS of BI is not supported.•Pointing IPS (processing servers only) to CMS of BI is not supported.•Clustering CMS of IPS with CMS of another IPS is supported.
- All BI/IPS components need to be of same version and SP level (i.e. Node 1 and Node 2 can't be on different SP levels)
- Installing DS Web Tier on machine where CMC is not installed is not supported.
- Copying DataServices.war file rather then running the DS installer is not supported.
- Data Services and Information Steward need to be on same version and SP level.
- DS Management Console is not supported on 'split' configurations (i.e. ISS as Web Server and Tomcat as JAVA app server).
- SSL Keys need to be copied if Access Server and Job Server are not on the same machine. 1694761 - HANDSHAKE_FAILURE. (BODI-300001)
- Consider your geographic location and impact of network latency – use Citrix for remote Designers.
- Do not try to install DS on second machine before having installed DS CMS components on IPS machine.
- Make sure the locale is set to UTF-8
- Make sure you have Administrator rights on your OS.
- Make sure you have Administrator rights on BI/IPS.
- Use Enterprise Authentication during DS install.
- Do not use the same DB schema for DS and IPS repository (and IS). This is not supported.
- Install DS on Windows cluster only works in distributed install scenario. NOTE: BI/IPS does not support Windows cluster.
Upgrade Best Practices
- Back up configuration files and repositories.
- Ensure IPS has been upgraded first, then upgrade DS.
- If IPS is on separate machine, first run DS upgrade on the IPS machine to upgrade DS CMS objects, then run upgrade on the DS machine.
- If you are on a version prior to DS 4.x you will need to uninstall Data Services before you install the latest version.
- If the hostname of the DS Jobserver will be changing as part of your upgrade, make sure to log into the DS Server Manager and disassociate the DS repository from the Jobserver PRIOR to your upgrade.
- Reference Best Practices for upgrading older Data Integrator or Data Services repositories to the latest version of Data Services 4.2 for IMPORTANT information on repository upgrade.
- If after upgrade there are issues with either the CMC or the DS Management Console, use the wdeploy utility (see DS Administrator's Guide) to undeployall and deployall.
- Check install/upgrade log that's located in:
a. If the install is completing: <Install Directory>/InstallData/logs/date and time of install/setupengine.log
b. If install is not completing:
In Windows - C:\Users\user you arel ogged in as\AppData\Local\Temp\2\date and time of install\setupengine.log
In UNIX/Linux - /temp/date and time of install/setupengine.log


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TweetLol. I used to be so into pro bodybuilding now these names I'm seeing I don't recognize at all. That's when you know your getting old.
I do see more then one guy stole Ken Wheelers nickname, Flex. Now that should not be allowed, like they retire jerseys in pro sports Flex should have been retired in bodybuildingIf you are too young to remember to take a look at aaFKEX Wheeler in the 1993 Arnold classic. Everyone says it's the best he ever looked and maybe the best anyone ever looked.
You have to have balls to call yourself Flex.
Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
TGBSupplements REP
Use code 'Baby1' for $5 off your order
The real Flex would have stepped on him at his worst.
There is a video on you tube of Wheeler, Chris Comier and Charles Glass training at gold in California. It wasn't far from the Olympia and both trained with their shirts off. All I can say is oh my God. In that video flex is so big and so ripped with skin like paper. Honestly I couldn't believe it Comier looked awesome too but Flex took all the attention away from him.
Anyone should search for it. I'm telling you it's the most unreal bodybuilding video I've ever seen.
Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk


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In the Natural Park of Sierra de Cazorla is situated the Recreation area Cañada de las Fuentes, birthplace of the River Guadalquivir, exactly where converge several streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. In this area you can park your vehicle before performing any of the routes which are accessible from the site.
The official source of the river Guadalquivir is located near Cañada de las Fuentes and can be reached on foot.
Some routes starting at Cañada de las Fuentes:
- Pico Cabañas through a forest track in good condition along about 10 kilometres to the viewpoint of Sierra del Pozo.
- A walk along the canyon Cañada de las Fuentes
- Visit the Meadows of Navahondona
An interesting route that begins in this recreational area is the one that goes to the Valley of Tejos Milenarios (Millenary Yews), well-marked in an explanatory panel and for which you have to take the road east until you reach a blocked path to prevent the passage of vehicles, but that is the one you have to take.
The route ends at the Valley of the Millennial Yew where you can see a nearly 2000 years old specimen. The Yew has always been a highly valued tree; with highly poisonous fruit, its wood has been used for the construction of utensils and weapons throughout the history, as well as arcs for its great flexibility and endurance.
From Cazorla, take the country road to the Sierra and follow the signs that indicate the source of the river Guadalquivir. After the bridge crossing the river, take the right turn towards Puente de las Herrerias, the road JF-7091, which after approximately 11 kilometres brings you to your destination.
If you do not have a vehicle you can take a taxi from Malaga to Cazorla or rent a car at Malaga airport with us.


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Terry Pratchett's Discworld is one of the richest and most detailed fantasy worlds in the genre, competing on an even keel with Tolkien's Middle Earth, one of the worlds Pratchett is parodying. Discworld is a perfect conceptualization of the author's whimsy, being a flat disc sitting atop four gigantic elephants sitting on top of a giant turtle floating through space (an early visualization of the Earth). The humans populating the various stand-ins for Earth continents are joined by trolls and dwarfs. The witches that populate this world are remarkably down to earth people whose strength is a wisdom in other things rather than any magical ability. The magical wizards, by comparison, are usually comically inept.
Pratchett has had so much fun exploring his world, however, that his body of work can be daunting for new readers. There are 35 published novels set in Pratchett's world, falling into six distinct (sort of) sub series (not including a large set of stand-alone novels) featuring dozens of distinct characters. The characters in these sub-series interweave; a character that stars in one series may make a cameo appearance in another, possibly confounding new readers who sense that this is a person they should know more about, but they have no idea who he or she is.
Fundamentally the question new readers must answer when confronted with the entire Discworld series is, "where do I start?" The answer is: "I don't know, but for goodness sake, start somewhere!" And perhaps I can help.
Your best bet is to pick one of the leading characters of the Discworld sequence and follow them. As you encounter some of the recurring characters your character will meet, you may be intrigued by their story, and given another route into the Discworld. In my case, I started out with Tiffany Aching, first seen in the book Wee Free Men as a nine-year-old girl and budding witch forced to go up against the evil Queen of the Faries.
The success of this series (reviewed here and here) is due both to Pratchett's compelling portrayal of a girl maturing into a capable young woman, and also to the assistance lent by the Nac Mac Feegle — a group of hard-drinking, hard-fighting, six-inch-tall blue-skinned Scottish-accented "Pictsies" who feel great loyalty to Tiffany, who they see the new "hag o' the hills". Their bull-headed attitude and their accents offer much humour, especially alongside Tiffany's practical bearing. After Wee Free Men, Tiffany journeys to Lancre to receive training as a witch from Granny Weatherwax and her colleagues in A Hat Full of Sky, and her abilities are further tested as she accidentally assumes the role of Summer in Wintersmith.
From here, however, I made an improbable jump, to the series of books featuring the anthropomorphic personification of Death and his granddaughter, Susan. Although Death makes cameo appearances in A Hat Full of Sky and Wintersmith, I ended up making the jump thanks to the big-budget adaptation of Pratchett's Christmas-themed novel, The Hogfather (reviewed here). I was impressed at how this young woman handled the task of fighting back Mr. Teatime's attack on the Hogfather; how capably she acquitted herself. I wanted to know about her, and that journey of exploration took me to the book Mort, this is followed by Soul Music, then The Hogfather and, finally, Thief of Time.
Death is one of Pratchett's touchstone characters. He appears in many of the Discworld novels and for good reason. He is a wonderfully sympathetic character, combining the full power and foreboding of the task he manages with the humour inherent in his complete inability to understand the humans whose lives he watches over (and mimics… badly. His home is made up of bits of other homes he has seen, all put together improperly. He has a desk with drawers that don't open, and a manservant named Albert who is really one of the most powerful wizards ever, hiding in Deaths domain in order to avoid his final passing). Death has the power of a God, but is rarely able to exercise it (he cannot alter fate). He has genuinely come to like the human race, and has defended it from attacks by powerful, supernatural creatures, but ultimately he still has to send people to the great hereafter. He takes the role of a perpetual outsider.
In Mort, Death takes on teenage farm boy named Mortimer as an apprentice, leaves the young man with his duties and goes walkabout. Of course things go badly from there. Sparks fly between Mort and Death's adopted daughter (Ysabell, who has been sixteen for over thirty-five years, living in Death's timeless domain — and, strangely enough, I learn that Ysabell makes her first appearance before the first book to focus on Death as the main character. She first appears in the second Discworld novel, The Light Fantastic), and pretty soon Mort acts on an all-too-human impulse and somebody ends up living who shouldn't be living.
Of course Mort and Ysabell end up falling in love and marrying but, at the beginning of Soul Music, due to circumstances beyond Death's control, they meet their death sixteen years later, choosing to go off a cliff rather than accept eternal existence (but not life) in Death's domain. Clearly stricken, Death gives up the business again, and the task falls to Mort and Ysabell's orphaned sixteen-year-old daughter Susan, who has been given an education heaped up with logic and practicality as a counterbalance to Death's influence. Susan proves to be up to the task of maintaining Death's duties (even though it's odd reading her as an awkward teenager after seeing her as an adult superhero in The Hogfather), and almost saves the day against a strange living music that's started to rock the Disc, before the task proves to great for her, leading to Death's triumphant return.
The villains of the last two stories in this Tetralogy are the Auditors of Reality (who also appeared in Reaper Man, which takes place between Mort and Soul Music, featuring Death but not Mort, Ysabell or Susan). These supernatural upper-level management types prove themselves to be the enemies of humanity, as it is their job to catalogue the universe and the things that humans imagine do not categorize easily. They're the ones who commission assassin Mr. Teatime to destroy the Hogfather (the Discworld's Santa Claus stand-in) to try and eliminate that troubling aspect of human belief. In Thief of Time, they decide that time should be stopped outright, so they can finally get the filing done. In both cases, Death is forced to handle the wider aspect of the Auditors' attack, while Susan (after being somewhat coerced into participating) rolls up her sleeves and gets to the bottom of the mystery.
Pratchett has fun on a number of fronts. Pop culture parodies abound, and he loves playing with fantasy conventions. Thief of Time, however, puts together an original and offbeat sense of time. In this story, the Auditor's plan to stop time is opposed not only by Death but by the History Monks — an ancient order of Tibetan stand-ins founded ages ago by Wen the Eternally Surprised. In their monastery high on the mountains, the monks practise their fighting skills and also maintain a vast array of stone time-reels, which spin to maintain the consistency of history, taking minutes from periods when time flies and adding it to periods where time seems to stretch. One of the students, Lobsang Ludd, is confounding his teachers by being too intelligent; he is apprenticed to master Lu Tze, and the two set off to stop the construction (commissioned by the Auditors) of a great glass clock so precise that it can measure the tick of the universe (an action that will stop the universe in place).
Thief of Time is possibly the deepest novel of the four reviewed here, not only exploring the nature of time, but the nature of humanity, as the Auditors (who have no sense of individuality) decide to come down to the Discworld and take human form in order to see what life is about. Their struggles as they cope with such unfamiliar human concepts as leadership and disobedience is a joy to behold. Susan acquits herself well here, as she helps Lu Tze and Lobsang take on the Auditors and break the glass clock, and Pratchett sees fit to flesh out her character a little, giving her a weakness for chocolate.
Throughout the books, Susan is Death's polar opposite. Her hyper-practicality makes her good with children, and she ends up taking on jobs as a governess (The Hogfather) and, finally, a teacher. When children complain about a monster under their bed, most parents would waste a lot of time trying to explain how such a monster couldn't possibly exist, but Susan simply hands the children a suitable weapon. Despite this, Susan she shares Death's character trait of being an outsider, looking in at humanity. She is far too practical to accept the silly eccentricities most humans possess, and the result makes her quite a lonely figure. The romantics among Pratchett's readership will appreciate the tenuous romantic link that begins between her and Lobsang Ludd.
But for all the enjoyment I took from Thief of Time, I have to say that Soul Music is my favourite of the four books. In this story, featuring a dangerously mischevious spirit of music that infects a young musician named Imp Y Celyn (translated as "Bud of the Holly") plays with and parodies the history of rock music. Pratchett has great fun here, and populates his story with some especially groan-worthy puns. Indeed, should I ever be lucky enough to meet Pratchett in person, I may have to slap him after shaking his hand for two that stopped me in my tracks: "He looks a little Elvish to me" and the story about the felonious monk. The book rocks like its subject material, as well as firmly establishing Susan and Death's relationship, and fixing one of the more incomprehensible scenes near the climax of Mort (given that the two books were written eleven years apart, I doubt that Soul Music's fix was planned while he was writing Mort).
These four books will take you into the heart of the Discworld, introducing you to possibly Pratchett's most famous character, and his ideal foil. These provided great enjoyment to read, for the ideas presented, the depth of the characterization, and the humour that permeates the pages. Now that I've gone as far as I can on Susan's story, I need to look elsewhere for my Pratchett fix, and there are plenty of paths to follow. There are further Death books to read, or I might make friends with Sam Vimes, commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. Either way, the future promises to be bright. And funny.
Further Reading


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"If there is something moving, there is usually a ball involved somewhere"
Absolutely dust-free goods that nobody is allowed to touch
"If there is something moving, there is usually a ball involved somewhere", says Ronny Liewehr. The commercial specialist in the KGM shipping runs the warehouse management, transport arrangements and shipment preparation for other European countries. The 35-year-old sees a variety of balls every day, but when packing, he particularly appreciates the ones made of plastic materials, "because they are of course particularly light".
Preparing a shipment with rather heavy goods, affects the hoisting technology you see, says the man from Petersberg, who has been employed at the factory since July 2014 "If there are two equal-sized packages and the first is filled with steel balls and you then lift one with balls made of plastic materials, in some cases one could almost flies out of your hand due to excessive swing and due to its lightness", says Liewehr laughing.
Otherwise, it is mainly the high quality balls, for example, for use in MRI scanners, which place high demands on the type of packaging and may only be dispatched under strictly defined conditions and obligations – such as if the absolute absence of dust is required.
"Other balls may not be touched or come into contact with the skin, as there is the danger from sweaty palms that they will rust," explains the shipping expert and refers simultaneously to country-specific features.
Liewehr quickly settled into his new field of work. He came to the factory through a friend who was already in the company. The 34-year-old particularly appreciates the good working atmosphere and working hours at his employer's. The flexibility of the factory in terms of the personal concerns of the employees is worthy of mention, "you can feel very comfortable here."


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Manchester United supporters, Ronaldo needs you
Ronaldo may win games for the Reds when he comes back from injury, but will he win the fans? Cristiano Ronaldo is once again the subject of criticism in England as he was two years ago following the infamous story of Rooney's red card at the World Cup.
The last time around, his amazing progress in terms of performance – which helped Fergie to grab his first league title in four years – enabled him to win over Manchester United fans.
Now, it seems that supporters will not give him a second chance – in other words, be impressed by the controversial number 7, even if he carries United to football glory.
Arrogant, undisciplined, unfaithful, greedy, and selfish are the words that Manchester United fans employ to describe Ronaldo. Is their judgement towards the 23-year-old superstar right? Aren't they committing a mistake and reacting cruelly towards him?
Ronaldo's true face is maybe completely different from the one people created about him during the long-running saga. It seems there is more to Ronaldo's decision of moving to Madrid than his desire to fulfil his dream and enjoy fame.
The winger is still a very young man but at only 23, he has already gone through so many things in his life. Since he was 14 years of age Ronaldo, who is the youngest in his family, had to supply financially his parents as well as his sisters and his older brother Hugo.
Ronaldo unfortunately could not prevent his 52-year-old father Dinis Aveiro from passing away. Nevertheless, his money helped Hugo (formerly a drug addict) to escape death and his sister Elma to open a shop (CR7) and live a good life.
As Fergie went on to say in an interview, it is very understandable why Ronaldo opted to join Madrid who were ready to pay him more than 130 000 pounds (tax-free) a week.. Cristiano has been inspired throughout his life by the support of his mother, and the winger will splash whatever money it takes to help her combat the breast cancer disease she is suffering from.
After hearing all these explanations, are Manchester United fans still going to accuse Ronaldo and boo him?…Maybe they should think twice.
Ronaldo is perhaps a lot more caring and kind than people think he is. During the saga, his love for his family has really shown. According to his own opinion, Ronaldo likes Manchester and will play for the club next season with full commitment.
United supporters should remember his comments after the Champions League final: "I don't promise anything to the fans or to my mum,†Ronaldo said, adding that his desire was to remain at Old Trafford.
So, is Ronaldo that hateful? Does he really deserve to be insulted like this? Manchester United fans should help Ronaldo come in from the cold.
Written by: Angela Asante


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"Thank you for not smoking" sign in English, Chinese, Hmong, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Samoan, Tagalog, Tongan, and Vietnamese.
Printing tip
For indoor use you can print this sign on heavy card stock. For outdoor use ask a professional printer to print it on weather-resistant metal.
Copyright © 2006 - 2023 ETR. This material was made possible by funds received from the California Tobacco Prevention Program, under contract #21-10001. The Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California is a project of ETR.


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Seven Amendments to Overturn Citizens United
Citizens United: The Dred Scott decision of the 21st century
In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court has unleashed a flood of political spending by incorporated entities of all types: PACs, Super PACs, businesses, unions, and other associations. In essence, the Citizens United ruling says that the free speech clause of the first amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political communications by incorporated entities. Corporations have been declared to be people. This decision is so egregious that it will go down in history as the Dred Scott of the 21st century. For more historical perspective, see MLK's Dream in the 21st Century.
The bad news: because corporations have been granted first amendment rights, this will require a constitutional amendment. The good news: the House is trying. Here are seven different constitutional amendments pending as of January 2020 around this issue.
Key provisions
Checklist of issues addressed
· Theodore Deutch, D-FL
· 221 co-sponsors
o 220 D
o 1 R, Katko-NY)
· Tom Udall, D-NM
· 46 co-sponsors (44-D, 2-I)
· Congress and States may regulate raising and spending money by candidates and others to influence elections.
· Congress and States may distinguish between natural persons and artificial entities, e.g. corporations, in legislation implementing this amendment, including prohibiting entities from spending money.
· Congress and States may not abridge freedom of the press.
· Regulate spending
· Limits artificial entities
· Freedom of the press
· Primala Jayapal, D-WA
· 73 co-sponsors (all D)
· Artificial entities do not have constitutional rights and are subject to regulation by people under laws.
· Congress, states, and localities shall regulate political spending to ensure equal access to political process.
· Congress, states, and localities shall require all contributions and spending are publicly disclosed.
· Judiciary may not construe political spending to be 1st amendment speech.
· Congress and States may not abridge freedom of the press.
· Regulate spending
· Limits artificial entities
· Require equal access
· Mandates public disclosure
· Money not speech
· Freedom of the press
· Adam Schiff, D-CA
· 16 co-sponsors (all D)
· Constitution shall not forbid Congress or States from imposing content-neutral limitations on campaign contributions and expenditures.
· Constitution shall not forbid Congress or States from setting up public campaign financing to restrict the influence of private wealth by supplying public funds.
· Regulate spending
· Public election financing
· John Yarmuth, D-KY
· 3 co-sponsors (all D)
· Financial expenditures or in-kind equivalents for Federal office are not protected speech.
· Congress shall have the power to enact mandatory public financing system as sole source of funds for Federal election.
· Money not speech
· Public election financing
· Jerry McNerney, D-CA
· 2 co-sponsors (all D)
· Limits direct and indirect funding for/against campaign to money sent by individual citizens directly to candidate's campaign committee or from public financing.
· Limits funding for/against state ballot measures or constitutional amendments to money from eligible voters or public financing.
· Congress, States, and localities shall limit amount that can be donated by individuals and candidates to elections or ballot measures.
· Congress and States may not abridge freedom of the press.
· Limits artificial entities
· Regulate spending
· Freedom of the press
· Include ballot measures
· Marcy Kaptur, D-OH
· 1 co-sponsor (D)
· First Amendment does not apply to any business entity with respect to any spending on elections.
· Congress shall have power to set limits on contributions and expenditures for election to Federal office.
· States shall have power to set limits on contributions and expenditures for election to state office.
· Limits artificial entities
· Regulate spending
· Kurt Schrader, D-OR
· No co-sponsors
· Congress (and States) shall have power to limit or regulate donations of funds or in-kind expenditures to candidates or media advertisements for Federal (or State) office.
o Regulations must apply equally to all individual citizens
o Regulations must apply equally to all associations of citizens
· Non-citizens, association of non-citizens, foreign governments, or their agents may not contribute funds or in-kind to candidates or to influence an election.
· Article is limited to content-neutral regulation of political contributions and expenditures.
· Regulate spending
· Require equal access
· Prohibit foreign contributions
What can you do?
- Contact your Representative and ask them to co-sponsor one of the amendments. And ask them to lobby the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties to hold hearings on the issue this year.
- Contact your Senator and ask them to sponsor one of the amendments.
- Ask your candidates for Congress to support one of the amendments.