text:
+ the beginning after the end +
"Oh come on!"
"Unfair! Poor form!"
"Why I oughta.."
Every Friday night at the Ark, the majority of the Autobots would gather around Teletraan-1 and watch their favorite television show (excepting Knight Rider, which was almost equally beloved and even more so amongst certain factions e.g. Sunstreaker and Mirage). The finer points of The Dukes of Hazzard were much discussed and debated over, but all were in agreement on two things.
One, General Lee was some kind of supernatural badass.
Two, General Lee had one fine chassis.
Currently, outrage simmered as one of the human law enforcement officers had set up a speed trap, which was designed to change the posted speed limit from fifty-five mph to a criminally slow twenty-five. This touched a particular nerve with the Autobots, seeing as how they liked to be law abiding alien visitors but they also liked to go very, very fast. Fifty-five mph was already a form of moving death; twenty-five was simply disgusting. Although the Autobots understood that such slower speeds were the necessary requirement of a species made of flesh and slow-processing neural circuitry, if a road was posted at fifty-five that meant the humans could theoretically handle it at that speed.
To artificially lower the limit was an insult to sentient creatures everywhere.
"That dirty…" "Worthy of a Decepticon!" "Something Megaton would do, no question!"
Consensus was clear.
Passing through the control room, Tracks made a little noise of displeasure. He was one of the few malcontents who did not appreciate the glory of General Lee ("uncouth," he would opine whenever anyone bothered to solicit an opinion). Like anyone with functioning optical sensors, he could appreciate the brute elegance of the Dodge Charger style format, and he even liked the accessory paint detailing.
But it was such a waste. Such a colossal waste, the way such a gorgeous vehicle was indentured into humiliating servitude. Illegally transporting crude ethanol.
Tracks had his own secret love. He was off to indulge in the enjoyment of her at that very moment, going for an illicit jaunt to the nearest drive-in theater. He was very much looking forward to seeing that lovely DeLorean again.
Someday, he would meet her in person.
He didn't mind that she didn't have any Cybertronian cerebral circuitry, nor a living spark. Such deficits could easily be fixed by Vector Sigma. Although current access to the supercomputer on Cybertron was prohibited by Decepticon occupation, a bot could dream. Oh yes. A bot could dream.
"Tracks. Do you assay to reconnoiter Return to the Future?" Perceptor, giving Tracks an eager, hopeful look that Tracks had come to know only too well.
"Back to the Future. And yes." Tracks had stopped, giving Perceptor a steady look. It was difficult for him to decide if he should view Perceptor as a rival or not. When it came to external appearances, Tracks knew that he was the winner hands down, but Perceptor was a scientist, and the DeLorean was a time traveler. Perhaps she would prefer the brainy fellows. However, at his core Tracks was a gentleman, and knew that a healthy rivalry could only make love flourish. So even if Perceptor was a rival, he would treat him civilly, and behave honorably in the concourse of love. "Would you care to join me?"
"Yes, I-- "
Before Perceptor could say anything further, there was a sudden quake and a boom, and Teletraan's screen flickered, the human broadcast instantly severed. The overhead lights cut out; someone had cut the power. It was only an astrosecond during which the Ark was cast in shadows before the backup generators kicked in. A separate lighting came online; the room was suddenly suffused with a pallid green light, watery and dim.
"Well, well, well." A familiar voice skidded in with static sarcasm over the alarms. Starscream. "We appear to be interrupting an important strategic session, Lord Megatron."
Tracks had gone to ground when the quake hit. After a moment when he realized the mountain was not coming down on them, he executed an expert roll, moving to crouch in front of Spike, the Autobot's human friend who had been joining the main group for the evening. Several other Autobots had the same idea; Bumblebee and Jazz were at his side, and even Perceptor had rushed to join them. The rest, including Optimus Prime, were stationed in front of Teletraan, forming an ad hoc shield in front of their most precious resource.
How the slag had the Decepticons slipped through the Ark's defenses?
"Yes, Starscream." Megatron. Tracks looked around desperately, trying to find where the enemy was located. "Take note. Perhaps next time, we should defile the human's road signs." He too was deploying deep sarcasm, although in his care it was a sarcasm tinged with scornful humor.
The Decepticon leader's voice sounded tinny; worst news, that. It meant that he was in his weapon form.
Another boom. It must be Megatron's fusion canon. A hideous squeal followed, the bending of one of the main struts supporting the weight of the Ark. A swell of light, rapidly expanding and quickly extinguished, accompanied the sounds this time.
"I wasn't aware Decepticons were in the business of burying themselves alive." Thank Primus. It was Optimus Prime speaking now, fearless and gravely mocking. "Or that you were so fond of us, Megatron. Looking to spend another four million years together?"
And there he was. Or rather, they were. Starscream stood, appearing audaciously alone, against a backdrop of blackness in the arched entryway. But he wasn't alone, of course: Megatron was in his hands, and the smile burning on Starscream's face was as arrogant as it was cruel. Obviously they'd come in right through the front door. Together.
Prowl and Cliffjumper had been the ones on guard duty. They were not unreliable. They would have sounded the alarm. If they could. They would have retreated to provide warning and cover.
If they could.
Tracks shuddered a little, shaking off the distracting reverie.
"Very funny, Prime." Megatron's sneering voice lost none of its creepy intensity when he was in gun form. In fact, it was enhanced. While Megatron was retorting, Starscream continued to hold him, pointed steadily at their leader. "I know you well enough already." The Ark moaned, the loud and hollow sound of metal slowly crumpling at newly created stress points. "Heroic fool, when will you learn that this planet will be plundered regardless of what we do?"
Optimus remained unfazed, his own gun pointed directly at Starscream. "You came here to insult us into submission?"
"Something like that." Megatron practically purred. "Starscream. Your assessment?"
"A dozen Autobots, utterly disposable. One human: insignificant and disposable." In the garish light, Starscream looked positively ghoulish. "Prime will kill me if I shoot, but you might like that." Tracks felt a burst of nausea: what was wrong with Decepticons? Starscream sounded entirely too pleased prophesizing his own potential death. Tracks wished there was something more he could do than stand in as a shield; this situation was as good as détente, and any move on his part might make things worse for Optimus.
"I might," Megatron said, and then with a violent burst the Decepticon leader started to transform. Reflexively, Optimus shot, but mid-transformation Megatron was almost as impossible to hurt as when he was a gun. While Optimus was distracted, Starscream used his leader as a shield, getting a few well placed shots in at Teletraan-1 with his null ray, the sudden report of his laughter as piercing as the blistering crackle of sizzled silicon. Tracks grit his teeth, but also took advantage of the commotion to take hold of his beam gun, and shoot off one of his heat seeking missiles aiming directly for Megatron.
Tracks was not the only one.
For a moment, the room was a flash flurry of close-range fire. "Stop!" Optimus called out over the din. "STOP!"
Where was Starscream? Where was Megatron? A cloud of smoke separated Autobots from the villains.
"The stupidity of your troops is as gratifying as ever, Prime." Another wrenching, low-pitched groan vibrated throughout the Ark's infrastructure, and Tracks cursed himself, knowing suddenly (and belatedly) the truth of Megatron's words. "Good to know that Autobots can always be counted on to destroy anything of real value."
"You wouldn't know what's valuable if it kicked you in the carburetor!" Bumblebee. Tracks tsked, not annoyed at his comrade, exactly, but exasperated all the same. Bumblebee was living proof that bravery did not have to coexist with intelligence or skill. Worse, whenever Bumblebee was shouting defiance, that was usually cue for—
"No one's scared of you, you dumb lugs!"
"My, my. So provocative." Starscream's voice; it seemed to be coming from the ceiling. Of course. The Decepticons were ignoble dastards who thought nothing of making cowardly retreat. Even though evasive action wasn't exactly retreat. Still, it was deceptive, and everyone knew that just wasn't honorable.
A thin column of the smoke evaporated as Starscream fired his null ray, clearly aiming for the human. In this case, hitting Tracks. Fortunately the null ray was not designed to kill, or even maim. Tracks crumbled to the floor, numb and paralyzed.
"So idiotic."
A forced system shutdown was imminent. Tracks could feel it drawing in around him, the blackness of oblivion.
"Well, that was predictably dull. Shall we 'retreat' now, mighty Megatron?"
It looked like he wasn't going to make his movie date.
. + .
"Objective secured. ETA to Nemesis, sixteen breems under current wind conditions. Thundercracker, out."
Starscream smiled to himself, sparing a glance at Megatron who was flying next to him. As missions went, this one had been a complete success. Soundwave and the cassettes stayed behind to act as the mop-up crew, erasing all traces of hacking from the currently unresponsive Teletraan-1. If all went well, news of the various flashy raids that various Decepticons had performed around the globe would bury all hint of the Decepticon's true objective: an ancient power medallion from one of China's oldest temples. Thundercracker was bringing it now.
As usual, the Autobots had no appreciation for the finer aspects of deceit.
Although, if it were up to him, Teletraan wouldn't be merely be unresponsive. It would be dust. Megatron always proved to be surprisingly conservative when it came to direct action against the Ark; even though Starscream understood the reasons, he still couldn't agree. So what if the Ark remained the most important source of authentic Cybertronian technology on this planet? That's what the Space Bridge was for. So what if Teletraan-1 was one of the more superior mainframes ever to have been constructed by a Cybertronian? There would always be opportunities to build another.
Things would be a lot easier if they'd allow themselves to be as indiscriminate as Autobots when it came to destroying valuable tech. If Starscream were in charge, he would not fear starting from scrap.
Megatron was simply far too greedy.
The current flight path westward had Starscream and Megatron crossing the Rocky mountains, and since they were both in their respective robot modes, they were flying low and slow; not exactly Starscream's cube of energon. It wasn't as if either of them had been injured—much. Nor was it that Megatron couldn't keep up with Starscream in alt-mode, assuming Starscream were idling at a low cruising speed. No, this was just another one of Megatron's abrasive whims, a caprice almost certainly calculated to be irritating.
Just like the Autobots, Starscream hated to have his speed artificially throttled.
However, unlike those rule-abiding diode dolts, he was not constrained by anything so silly as road signs. Frag, he wasn't constrained by anything so silly as roads.
But even if Megatron took off the leash of his command and allowed Starscream to fly unbridled, there would always be restraints far more effective than anything the Decepticon leader could dream up.
This planet. This hateful, hateful planet. With its heavy, tricky winds and its oppressive gravity. He'd hated it the first time he'd been stranded here, millions and millions of years ago. Now unfortunate fate had given him the opportunity to cultivate his hatred all over again. An encore performance, if you will. In some ways, things were better this time: he wasn't alone, the planet wasn't quite so wretchedly bereft of exploitable technology, and he'd been given a new alt-mode, exchanging beloved tetra jet mode for this slower, weaker-framed F-15 model.
Starscream's feelings about his current alt mode were complicated. Since it was a "gift" from this most loathed planet, he should hate it unreservedly. But Teletraan-1 had chosen it for a reason, and had chosen well: it adapted him to local conditions, and gave him powers of maneuverability hitherto undreamed of. Powers which actually had benefits anywhere; there were limits to the battle effectiveness of interceptor-type aircraft, which was what he'd been before. Now that he was an air superiority fighter, his usefulness to the Deception cause had advanced.
Needless to say, his ability to promote his own position had advanced as well.
But none of that could make up for this planet's very real crimes. Not even the newfound delight of dogfights and stunt flying against the challenging winds could make up for what Earth had done to him, all those many years ago. Only complete obliteration would expunge its sins.
Past the Rockies, now Starscream and Megatron were running low over the flat farmlands of California, rapidly approaching the coast. Beads of yellow light marked out roads and human habitations; at night, under cover of darkness, it was sometimes possible to pretend the terrain of Earth was actually that of Cybertron. But not here, not when the nets of city light were spaced so far apart. Starscream snarled quietly to himself. It was all so ugly, and cheap, and fake.
Starscream had no doubt that Earth's hatred was personal, so he made it personal too. Could it have been a coincidence that intelligent life only developed here after his humiliating and very painful shipwreck, stranded for stellar cycle upon stellar cycle? Possible, but he seriously doubted it. The humans were just as rapacious as Decepticons, after all. Pathetic copies, of extremely inferior construction. It was simply spiteful.
After all, if it hadn't been for the humans, that traitor might even be flying at his side. Right now.
This trail of thought was swiftly banished. The topic of that traitor was something he'd forbidden, both for everyone who wasn't Megatron, and for himself.
And Megatron, perhaps surprisingly, himself rarely brought it up.
This seeming consideration was most troubling; there must have been something behind it.
Because if there was one thing Starscream had learned? Long, long ago? Was that Megatron was never considerate.
"Starscream, I wish to land." Case in point: what was this, a detour? A tour stop? A moment for some self congratulatory megalomania? "There."
Quelling an old, stale, foolish hope, Starscream dutifully looked down to where Megatron was pointing: a scrub-covered cliff just short of the Pacific Ocean.
Oh, this was just swell. A layover in scenic Pescadero.
Not that it was particularly scenic at the moment: it was night, the perpetual fog of the coast had already begun to advance, and the cresting waves of the ocean would be difficult to discern with a standard optical evaluation. Megatron landed in the sage and yarrow scrub a safe distance from the cliff edge, crushing the hardy plants under his tremendous tonnage. In a moment, Starscream did the same.
On the beach below, a small group of humans were surrounding a bonfire; they were listening to loud music and probably smoking some of their native plants in order to achieve a chemically altered state; several of them were shamelessly interfacing in front of their peers. All in all, a disgusting display, typical of the humans. They didn't even try to be anything more than beasts, did they?
Starscream aimed his null ray, itching to crash the party with his own, evolved idea of "fun."
"Go ahead," Megatron murmured.
Completely inconsiderate. Giving him permission took all the fun out of it. Starscream soured, and for a moment dropped his arm, pettishly tempted to let the humans live so as not to look like he was accepting any favors from his leader. But slag it. He really did hate humans. Starscream fired: the sound of screams as surviving humans scattered was most gratifying.
"Aren't you going to take them all?" Megatron prompted, in that same calm and almost quiet tone.
Preparing to do just that, Starscream froze. "… no," he said at last, sullen as he dropped his arm.
It absolutely galled, the way Megatron made a point to give Starscream permission for things he had every right to do on his own. Especially considering what Megatron was to him.
What Megatron was, period.
Starscream stood stock still, clenching his hands into tight fists, less to endure than to keep a lid on his temper. What he really really wanted to do right now was shoot Megatron. Turn the muzzle of his null ray onto Megatron and crank it up to the ultimate setting, freezing Megatron for long enough that Starscream could slowly, slowly dissect him alive. It would be such a beautiful thing. To tear, to rend, to mar…
To touch.
It galled, to want it. To want him.
Especially when Starscream really hadn't wanted Megatron all that much when he could touch him freely. When it had all been nothing more than a strategy, a ruse to safely seal the control he thought Megatron was bound to the cede to him.
"You're not used to it," Megatron observed.
Great. What was Megatron on about? Trademarked crypticism was just what he needed right now. Starscream turned to face his leader, lip curled and shining under the light of the moon. "Not used to what, oh mighty leader?"
Megatron raised his hands, both of them, gesturing as if to say 'all this.' That really wasn't any better, but Starscream had not spent over a million years at Megatron's side for nothing. After a moment Starscream nodded, having decrypted the meaning. "I hate it here," Starscream groused, or perhaps smarmed. It was very difficult to keep from sounding entirely petulant. "I hate this world. Why bother?"
"Why bother?" Employing the false surprise of a rhetorician, Megatron pretended to be puzzled. "Because this world exists to be plundered." Megatron himself turned to look Starscream directly in the eye. "I wasn't lying." It was almost enviable, the attenuated and strong self control Megatron clearly possessed. "To Prime, I mean. Someone will despoil this planet. Shouldn't it be us?"
Despoiling was too good for this planet. Starscream looked away. He was not so far gone with his resentment that he'd say that out loud, but he knew full well that Megatron could read him too. Those millions of years had gone both ways.
He hated it. He felt so disgustingly transparent. He knew his cranked up desires were obvious to Megatron. That Megatron doubtlessly was enjoying the sick pleasure of seeing him suffer.
Whenever Starscream was given the opportunity to take Megatron in hand, it almost always ended like this, with some quiet and maddeningly teasing debriefing. It didn't matter if they had won or if they'd lost: if Megatron had deigned to allow Starscream to handle him as a weapon, something was bound to happen. Rarely ever was it something satisfying, but still. Something.
Whatever it was, it was enough to drive Starscream mad, sometimes.
He's always known that Megatron had not wanted him, not at all, but for that brief time when he'd believed himself to have the upper hand, Megatron's lack of reciprocal feeling was a snare, something fetching and enjoyable. The promise of inevitable conquest had been absolutely intoxicating. At the time, of course, he'd desired nothing but conquest; he'd never dreamed that his attempts at seduction would backfire so terribly. Leaving him to be the one with unresolved longings and… need.
Looking back, a detached part of Starscream admired the exquisite cruelty of it all. Who knew if getting Starscream into this state had been Megatron's goal all along, but this was obviously a nice side benefit. What had been the point of that too brief time, so terribly long ago, when Megatron had yielded almost everything to him? In his millions of years of memories, that time had been a mere blip. Hardly worth remembering, let alone commenting on: except that it consumed his thoughts and passions even to this day. That time had deformed him, made him flawed. Made him less.
And he still didn't even know why.
Megatron belonged to him… or did he? Starscream clung to this belief as an article of faith, and yet as distance and compression pressed his memories down into increasingly inaccessible subfolders, it took more effort to recall the events of that time. Worse, the uncertainty of error and data drift caused him to wonder if he'd been mistaken. If Megatron had hatched that whole experience in deceit, according to a hidden planning horizon which yet stretched out into the future.
There were many undeniably frightening things about Megatron. Chief amongst them was his ruthless ability to sacrifice his own pride in order to achieve some far-off dream.
A lonely, and yet doubtlessly magnificent, far-off dream.
Taking Starscream's prolonged silence and avoidant posture as if he'd been fully answered, Megatron continued. "Neither victory nor vengeance is achieved in a day." He smiled. Starscream could practically feel the smile. "And victory trumps vengeance, every time."
Was that supposed to be a reproach? What, was Megatron openly calling Starscream petty now? Why had Megatron even bothered to make him Second-in-Command, if all he was ever going to do was mock and taunt him? It was maddening. Starscream twitched. "I hate it here," he repeated stubbornly.
"I know," Megatron said, going back to the calm tones he'd started with. He was obviously being patronizing; Starscream should have guessed all along.
For another couple breems they stood there silent and together, staring out at the black ocean, listening to the distant crashing sound of the surf. The humans were long gone.
Eventually, Megatron stirred. "Get used to it," he said simply.
And then he flew off, not bothering to wait to tell Starscream to do the same.
. + .
Author's note: finally, the end! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed so kindly. I even received some useful concrit: Drosophila, I wish to especially thank you for that, because you made several useful suggestions and observations which I am even now using as I work on my next Transformers story.
Because yes, it looks like I'm still writing! I've loved Transformers since it first aired here in the U.S., which meant that I was a tiny child at the time. It has generally been a deep but very private love. It took my best friend and beta, Anax, getting into the series and writing his own fanfiction, that caused me to see that I could get over my fear of writing giant robots and begin writing stories about these characters I have so long loved. So many particular thanks go out to him.
Lastly. The title of this chapter again comes from a song by the Montreal band, Stars. The lyric is particularly fitting: "oh the blood and the treasure, and the losing it all/ the time that we wasted, at the place where we fall/ will we wake in the morning and know what it was for/ up in our bedroom, after the war?" I have valiantly (VALIANTLY I TELL YOU) refrained from including lyrics to all the inspiring songs that have helped me along the way for writing this story, but here at the beginning after the end, I think I'll indulge. Just this once.


text:
Back in 2011, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched an antitrust investigation against Google. As the search engine's power grew, so too, did government scrutiny of its vast influence over technology. The FTC concluded that Google employed anticompetitive measures and took advantage of its monopoly to destroy competition and indirectly hurt consumers — yet Google got off with a light slap on the wrist, nothing more. The lawsuit was settled, and charges of wrongdoing and monopoly dismissed.
At the time, it was unclear why the lawsuit against Google was dismissed so quickly, but in mid-March, a series of White House visitor logs and emails obtained by the Wall Street Journal detailed the astounding 230 meetings that took place between top-level members of the White House and Google executives since President Barack Obama took office in 2009. One of Google's top lobbyists, Johanna Shelton, met with the White House more than 60 times.
The cozy relationship Google cultivated with Obama's White House hints that Google sweet talked its way out of trouble.
The subject of these meetings is not documented, though the Journal's sources indicate that the top subject of discussion in 2011 and 2012 was the antitrust lawsuit leveled by the FTC against Google.
The high number of White House visits and the cozy relationship Google cultivated with Obama, through sizable campaign donations, assistance with voter turnout software, and help fixing healthcare.gov, seem to hint that Google sweet talked its way out of trouble, the Journal said. The report also points to frequent mentions of Google in the president's State of the Union addresses to demonstrate the kind of relationship the president has with the company.
Updated on 03-30-2015 by Malarie Gokey: Added news that the Senate will investigate the FTC's dismissal of the antitrust lawsuit against Google. Also added statements from the FTC and Google.
Senators investigate claims of interference in the probe
Shortly after the article was published, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, who is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary's Antitrust Subcommittee, stated that the Senate will investigate claims that the White House interfered with the FTC's investigation into Google's tactics.
"In short, we are interested in how the FTC allowed a confidential report to be disclosed, and second, what conversations, if any, the FTC or Google had with the White House about the pending investigation," Lee's spokesperson, Emily Long, said in a statement to the National Journal. "We are not likely at this time to re-examine the underlying merits of the investigation, which was closed. Our interest is in oversight."
The subcommittee is still looking into the matter, and has yet to plan a hearing on the subject, Long added.
"We look forward to discussing these matters with Sen. Lee's office," FTC spokesman Justin Cole said, after the Senator made its current investigation public.
The FTC argues that "not a single fact is offered to substantiate this misleading narrative."
However, despite the FTC's willingness to discuss the matter, the agency is undoubtedly stirred up about the claims. The Wall Street Journal's report "makes a number of misleading inferences and suggestions about the integrity of the FTC's investigation," Chairwoman Edith Ramirez and Commissioners Julie Brill and Maureen Ohlhausen said in a statement.
"The article suggests that a series of disparate and unrelated meetings involving FTC officials and executive branch officials or Google representatives somehow affected the Commission's decision to close the search investigation in early 2013. Not a single fact is offered to substantiate this misleading narrative," the statement continued.
An uncharacteristically biting retort from Google itself also claims that the Journal's report is unfounded. The blog post, which is addressed to Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the Wall Street Journal and News Corp., the news organization with which Google has a feud, takes issue with the article's facts. It also contains two GIFs that are used to mock the report.
"We understand you have a new found love of the regulatory process, especially in Europe, but as the FTC's Bureau of Competition staff concluded, Google has strong pro-competitive arguments on our side. To quote from their report '… the record will permit Google to show substantial innovation, intense competition from Microsoft and others, and speculative long-run harm,'" wrote Rachel Whetstone, Google's Senior Vice President of Communications and Policy.
Google, the White House, and FTC defend the first ruling
Of course, both Google and the FTC argue that the settlement was reached so quickly not because Google cozied up to the White House, but because Google addressed its concerns and the evidence in the case didn't incriminate the company.
Jennifer Friedman, a White House spokeswoman, told the Journal that the FTC "is an independent agency and we respect their independent decision-making."
Co-founder Larry page met with the FTC one day, and settlement talks began the next.
She also said that the White House didn't interfere in the FTC matter, but rather talked with Google abut other pressing concerns.
"White House officials meet with business executives on a range of issues on a regular basis. These meetings help keep the White House apprised of outside perspectives on important policy issues," she said. "Our staff is cognizant that it is inappropriate to discuss issues relating to regulatory enforcement."
Justin Cole, an FTC spokesman, confirmed her statement with the following missive: "The FTC is an independent law enforcement agency. Its enforcement decisions are driven by the applicable law and evidence in each case."
For its own part, Google said it has lobbyists for the same reason that everyone else does, and there's nothing nefarious about its behavior.
"We think it is important to have a strong voice in the debate and help policy makers understand our business and the work we do to keep the Internet open, to build great products, and to fuel economic growth," said Google spokeswoman Niki Christoff.
Doubts still linger over the probe's abrupt end
In spite of all Google's and the FTC's assurances that the huge number of meetings and the giant increase in lobbying around the time of the investigation were just coincidental, the numbers show a different story.
In 2014, Google spent $16.8 million on lobbyists, which is almost as much as Comcast spent and more than what every other company shelled out, according to lobbying disclosures. To make matters worse, Google didn't have much of a lobbying presence before 2010, which is around the time the FTC's antitrust investigation started. Based on numbers from the Center for Responsive Politics, Google's lobbyist spending has tripled since then, and Google has around 100 lobbyists at 20 different lobbying firms on its side.
The Journal even goes so far as to map out the events chronologically to show that after every high-profile meeting between either the White House or the FTC with Google, things began to go in Google's favor. Co-founder Larry page met with the FTC one day, and settlement talks began the next, emails and visitor logs reveal. In the end, Google avoided being labeled a monopoly and the possible destruction of its entire business model.
Editors' Recommendations
- Google's Android monopoly finds its biggest challenge, and Apple might be next
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- Latest Google Pixel update lets users pin Google Pay to the power button menu
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
iMCU W7100A is the one-chip solution which integrates an 8051 compatible microcontroller, 64KB SRAM and hardwired TCP/IP Core for high performance and easy development. The TCP/IP core is a market-proven hardwired TCP/IP stack with an integrated Ethernet MAC & PHY. The Hardwired TCP/IP stack supports the TCP, UDP, IPv4, ICMP, ARP, IGMP and PPPoE which has been used in various applications for years.
- Fully software compatible with industrial standard 8051
- Pipelined architecture which enables execution of instructions 4~5 times faster than a standard 8051
- 10BaseT/100BaseTX Ethernet PHY embedded
- Power down mode supported for saving power consumption
- Hardwired TCP/IP Protocols: TCP, UDP, ICMP, IPv4 ARP, IGMP, PPPoE, Ethernet
- Auto Negotiation (Full-duplex and half duplex), Auto MDI/MDIX
- ADSL connection with PPPoE Protocol with PAP/CHAP Authentication mode support
- independent sockets which are running simultaneously
- 32Kbytes Data buffer for the Network
- Network status LED outputs (TX, RX, Full/Half duplex, Collision, Link, and Speed)
- Not supports IP fragmentation (driver function)
- 2 Data Pointers (DPTRs) for fast memory blocks processing
- Advanced INC & DEC modes
- Auto-switch of current DPTR
- 64KBytes Data Memory (RAM)
- 255Bytes data FLASH
- 64KBytes Code Memory
- 2KBytes Boot Code Memory
- Up to 16M bytes of external (off-chip) data memory (100pin version)
- Interrupt controller
- 2 priority levels
- 4 external interrupt sources
- Watchdog interrupt
- Four 8-bit I/O Ports
- Three timers/counters
- Full-duplex UART (max. 230kBaud)
- Programmable Watchdog Timer
- DoCD™ compatible debugger
- High Product Endurance
- Minimum 100,000 program/erase cycles (FLASH)
- Minimum 10 years data retention
Block Diagram
DatasheetW7100A Datasheet V1.2.5
Last Update: 2016.08.25
ErratasheetW7100A Chip Erratasheet v1.1.0
Last Update: 2012.09.18
Limitation NoteLimitation Note – ARP problem in the NLB environment
Last Update: 2018.03.12
Comparison SheetComparison Sheet of W7100 & W7100A
Differences between W7100A and W7100_v1.1
Application NoteW7100A Application Note (Docs & Sample Codes)
- TCP, UDP, DHCP, DNS_Client, DDNS, HTTP_Server, HTTP_Client, Telnet, Serial to Ethernet, IPRAW, MACRAW, UART, Timer, LCD, I2C, Code Flash Programming, Data Flash Programming, External Memory, WDTimer
- KEIL uVision 3 and 4 IDE Project
DriversW7100A Driver
- W7100A/ W7100 Integrated Driver (updated on 2013.04.16)
- Produced by KEIL uVision 4 IDE
UtilitiesWIZISP & Programming Guide
- Last Update: 2012.11.26
- Version : 2.1.


text:
Rob Elder
President of Elder Automotive Group
?Rob Elder is president of Elder Automotive Group (EAG), an award-winning family-owned and operated auto dealership based in Tampa, Fla., and Detroit, Mich., that encompasses seven dealerships and Elder Auto insurance, a unit of Allstate Insurance. Elder worked his way through the automotive industry under the guidance of his parents who established EAG in 1967. He has been awarded the industry's most coveted and prestigious awards, such as the Ford Motor Group President's Award, which is Ford Motor Company's highest honor, and the Salute to Dealers Award, which recognizes dealers who go above and beyond when it comes to giving back to their communities. Elder has always believed in giving back to his community and supports numerous charitable nonprofits that help local youth, such as Replay Tampa Bay and Davin's Dream Team.
Thought Leaders
From Washing Cars to Running a Multi-Million Dollar Empire
The first female to own a Ford dealership taught her children the secrets to sustaining success.


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One of the biggest reasons you dont ever do building phases is because you are scared of weight gain.
However, what you dont realize is that your methods for building are exactly why you gain more body fat than you need to/want to.
And when you wing it you risk more fat gain.
In this post I go over how you can manipulate variables to ensure that your body stays primed to build muscle so you can limit fat gain and maximize muscle growth in your building phases.
Before I dive into these I have two things I want to go over:
1. Some people can recomp/build muscle at maintenance and dont need a surplus. But at some point, you will if you want to build more muscle. If you want to read more about body recomposition you can read it HERE.
2. You still need to overload your training and make sure your intensity is there. This is what tells your body that it needs to build muscle. Without it, none of this matters.
With that out of the way, let's dive into it.
Have a slow rate of gain.
The quicker you gain weight, the more body fat you will accrue. What this means is that for every pound you gain, more of that will be body fat compared to muscle.
You will never get it to be 100% muscle, but you want as much of it to be muscle as possible.
.25 to .5% of bodyweight per week is a good number to aim for. Anything more than this for too long and you can expect more fat gain than muscle.
This doesn't mean you wont build any muscle, it just means you will gain more body fat than you'd likely want.
A 170lb person would aim for about .4 to .8lbs per week.
For building, I like to zoom out and look at monthly trends. So for this person it would be 1.6 to 3.2lbs per month.
Eat a good base of whole foods for your micros.
Too many people dont focus on food quality during a build, and they end up missing out on key micronutrients.
These micos will most likely make building muscle tougher if you dont get enough or are deficient in them.
It could result in things like lower testosterone, that are vitally important for muscle growth.
I see two problems here:
- someone only eats "clean" foods, therefore making it tough to eat the proper amount of food for building muscle.
- someone goes the "see-food" diet route and eats way too many tasty/highly processed foods that are low in micronutrients.
A good rule of thumb is to eat 80% whole foods, and then the rest of the time you can fill it in with tastier foods based on need and preference.
Take lower volume phases every so often.
Your body adapts to everything you do to it.
How much you train is no different.
You probably want to take a period where you drop your volume slightly, every once in a while.
This is where we will implement a primer phase. Deloads are good to, but at some point you'll want to take a longer period with lower volume.
For most clients, this is every 3-6 months.
Read HERE for more information about how we periodize clients training for muscle growth.
Get good sleep regularly
If you constantly get poor sleep, muscle growth will be tough to come by. 6-8 hours per night is a good amount to aim for.
Poor sleep will lower your body's ability to build muscle and recover.
One of the aspects is through insulin sensitivity. Poor sleep can make your body more insulin resistant. Think of this as your body's ability to handle the food you give it.
If you want to learn more about insulin sensitivity, listen HERE.
If you are getting poor sleep regularly you can expect muscle growth to be tougher to come by and every little bit of weight you gain is going to be more fat than muscle.
Dont go longer than 6-8+ months without a deficit.
Just like we want to take breaks from fat loss dieting, we also want to take breaks from trying to gain weight.
The more weight you gain and the longer you are in a surplus the less sensitive to muscle growth you get.
To combat this you will want to get into a deficit for a short period of time every 4-8 months.
This is where you could potentially implement a mini cut.
This helps ensure you dont gain too much body fat in your building phases as well. Plus the longer you are in a surplus the more you can expect that weight gain to shift towards fat gain.
Dont let activity levels fall too far.
Being sedentary is poor for overall health.
Staying active can help with insulin sensitivity, which will help your body utilize the nutrients you give it much better.
A good number to shoot for is 6-10k per day.
I used to think id want to move less during a build, but this probably hurts muscle growth.
Not to mention walking can be great to promote recovery as well.
This will also allow you to eat more food in your building phases.
Dont let protein fall too far.
If you let protein fall too far in a building phase it is going to hurt how much muscle you can build.
One common mistake I see made is that since you are eating more food, more of your protein will come from trace sources like your carbohydrates. These proteins dont have all of the amino acids you need to maximize muscle growth, so be aware.
What this means is that you might see you are getting enough protein, but you may be low on high quality protein. Just be aware.
You will want to make sure you get atleast .7g per lb of body weight per day.
If you follow these tips you will limit how much body fat you gain and will maximize muscle growth in a building phase.
You might not get them all perfect right away, but its important to start focusing on these things.
If you need more guidance and support in your building phase that's exactly what we work on in my 1:1 online coaching program.
If you are interested you can learn more HERE.


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- Make sure the pets are safely removed from the front door area and not given the chance to dash out the door in fear. Keep them in another safe area.
- Keep all the Halloween treats away from doggie and Kitty. Chocolate can be poisonous to animals and tin foil, candy wrappers and artificial spider webs can be hazardous if eaten by a pet.
- Keep pets away from pumpkins with candle's burning inside. Cats are naturally curious and a mishap could easily occur.
- Wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.
- Never leave your pet outside on Halloween. Your pet may become the victim of a prankster.
- Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their "birthday suits," however, wearing a costume may cause undue stress.
- Owners of black cats should be extra careful because of Halloween. Keep your black cat safe indoors.
- Please be extra careful with your pet during this special time of year.
- IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver, increaing the chances that he or she will be returned to you


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Guess What?
4 people are mad at Rihanna's show
Aaron Rodgers making decisions in darkness
Mike does play by play
Mark out here breaking records
Oscars Crisis Team
Meth Gator in production
Are these things turn ons?
Even Weirder
Chinese long distance kissing device
Bezos and Gates going all in on mind control chips
Woman predicts hell for 2023
Mexican President tweets out picture of Mayan Elf
Weird man creature spotted in Nigeria
Alien spotted in Australia?
Beyond the Pale
Evil books and dragon yoga
Reality shows real or fake
Join our Discord!
Follow us @theneatcast on TikTok
Follow us @neatcastpod on Twitter!
Follow us @neatcastpod on Instagram!
Follow us @theneatcast on Facebook!


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Turtleneck Flared Midi Knit Dress in Burgundy
The turtleneck midi knit dress is available in black, burgundy and mauve. We love the comfort and warmth of this dress. It's stunning simplicity on it's own, but add a belt and a long necklace for some interest.
Fit is true to size. Fabric does stretch.


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Keep the party going and the mosquitos at bay with the Sportsman Series Shotgun Shell Patio Torch.
Perfect for the avid outdoorsman and hunter, the realistic 12 gauge shotgun shell design can hold citronella oil to discourage pests, or regular torch oil for a long lasting flame. The canister is constructed of durable and weather resistant steel which can hold up to 24 ounces of oil, and can burn for up to 10 hours. The Shotgun Shell Patio Torch stands 4 feet tall on the included weather resistant stakes. The fiberglass wick is 8 inches long, and comes with a snuffer cap attached to the base of the canister by a chain. Outdoor use only.
- Novelty 12 gauge shotgun shell design great for outdoorsmen and hunters
- Light the backyard patio and keep mosquitos at bay
- Burns for up to 10 hours
- Steel canister can hold up to 24 ounces of citronella or torch oil
- Torch stands 48 inches high with weather resistant finish
- Includes 8 inch fiberglass wick with snuffer cap and chain, and 4 ft. stake
Item # SGST2PK


text: Research Online: An overview the RHINOS work program By GPS World Contents November 20, 2017 Leave a comment Source: gpsworldncm This article was posted in GPS World. Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. « FAA adds two more webinars on new pilot program UAVs provide cell service following hurricanes »


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Microsoft has just made what is probably the news of the day, of the week and one of the most important of the year, because like this, as someone who does not want the thing, has just officially announced that it has signed an agreement with ZeniMax Media, parent company from Bethesda Softworks, to acquire the entire company for $ 7.5 billion.
To be clear, they are responsible for the Dishonored, DOOM, Fallout, Prey, Quake, The Elder Scrolls, Starfield, Wolfenstein franchises and many more. Undoubtedly a long list of authentic games that you can imagine that will reach the future Xbox and that will also be available on the Xbox Game Pass service from day one.


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TYLER'S HOUSE KC was created in response to the need in Northeast Johnson County, KS for after school spaces of safety and belonging. As teachers, parents, artists, social workers, business owners, and community members we have committed to this collaborative effort in hopes that, by being sources of encouragement and care, our young people will begin to trust and believe that they are worthy of living bright, healthy futures.
About Us
is a community of young people who understand their value.
Tyler's House KC, Inc. is a youth organization dedicated to providing safe spaces where creative arts programming serves to heal, connect, and promote emotional wellness among the teens in our community.
By offering a warm and safe after-school space, we seek to meet our community's young people where they are. Through creative arts programs and resources, our goal is to form trusting relationships that will empower young people to navigate their worlds. Ultimately, Tyler's House seeks to be a place where all are accepted and supported.
Your support TODAY will help
change lives FOREVER!


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Speakers: Shahid Shah and Steven Ferguson
Looking Beyond Meaningful Use: New Revenue Sources for Primary Care Practices
Webinar Rebroadcast (October 24, 2012)
Primary care practitioners spend upwards of 675 hours each year on activities that are not compensated – amounting to over $34,000 in lost revenue opportunities. Those who participate in the government's Meaningful Use incentive program may find some reprieve, but HITECH payouts will barely scratch the surface in offsetting declining revenues and rising costs for most practices.
This webinar discusses innovative ways for medical practices to break out of their revenue ruts:
- Identify time spent on uncompensated tasks
- Optimize the revenue you collect from each patient, whether it is before, during or after the clinical visit
- Identify potential untapped revenue centers in your practice
- Embrace the role of health information technology in the revenue picture
- Discover a new business model that generates new top-line revenue


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Designed for the active outdoorswoman, the Women's McIntyre Durable Stretch Canvas Pant is constructed to withstand all of your favourite outdoor adventures. The durable stretch material was made to keep up on hikes, treks, or running around town, while the stash pockets allow for plenty of storage while keeping your essentials within reach at all times.
Durable stretch woven canvas
Garment washed for extra comfort
Stash pockets


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Battling Mosquitoes: The Fog of Chemical Warfare
Mosquitoes are not just annoyances. They also bring disease. But is the current patchwork of mosquito-control efforts effective? Or are the remedies, particularly pesticide spraying, worse than the problem? This week's Tipsheet has resources to help you report on balancing the risks of disease against those of spraying.


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(NC)-A baby is born. Soon after it opens its eyes, there is a critical period, during which time its visual experiences have a profound effect on the development of the visual areas of its brain. Ideally, both eyes have visual experiences of equal quality. But, if the baby is born with a cataract or with a serious vision problem in one eye, the child may develop a severe and permanent loss of vision, commonly known as lazy-eye.
Dr. Murphy's research is being funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). CIHR is Canada's preeminent health research catalyst and is funded by the government of Canada. An exciting new concept, CIHR is modernizing and transforming the health research enterprise in Canada.
To learn more about CIHR please visit: www.cihr.ca, e-mail: email@example.com or write to: CIHR, 410 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa ON K1A 0W9.


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Tourism by Genadi Samokovarov
Like the locust, and the subsequent wave of COVID-19, we have returned! 🐞
Join us on the 1st of March for our very first event of 2021. While traveling the world is still a dream for most of us, Genadi Samokovarov will talk about Tourism, a translation framework built for the on-going
Receipt Bank Dext redesign.
Join us for a talk about code-generation, development experience, type-safety, JSX/HTML support and efficiency.
Zoom is a simplified video conferencing and messaging solution across any device.


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What's New
Contact Us
About the WIARC
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AIR&SPACE Magazine
Official magazine of the National Air and Space Museum
Aviation Week Online
Leading aviation weekly magazine
FAA Aviation News
FAA Student Resources
Flight Journal
Flight Journal presents aviation-oriented material, for the most part with a historical overtone, but also with some modern "history in the making" reporting.
Plane & Pilot magazine
Monthly magazine for pilots.
Private Pilot magazine
Monthly magazine for General Aviation pilots.
Thirty Thousand Feet Aviation Directory
A large listing of aviation magazines and periodical websites (Including Web-zines)
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All Rights Reserved |
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Jamie Miller's Prince's Tale, Sophy Romvari's duo Norman Norman and Pumpkin Movie, and Sofia Bohdanowicz's Veslemøy's Song highlight some of the newer voices in Canadian documentary. The films are loosely connected by themes of mortality, history, legacy, andKeep Reading
Robert Greene's new film Bisbee '17 is about the performance of history in the present.Keep Reading
Shasha Nakhai's feature documentary debut Take Light is an absorbing character-driven study of the country's fight for sustainability amidst post-colonial corruption. Nakhai's film highlights ordinary citizens caught within a power struggle bothKeep Reading
Victory Day, Sergei Loznitsa's new film, takes place in the present and serves as a sort of companion piece to Austerlitz.Keep Reading
Watching powerful films and talking about sexual violence as a longstanding institutional problem, we can hope to reach a more forthright way to understand, and bring about change.Keep Reading
On a cold day in December 2016 in Toronto, I headed into the apartment of Mandi Gray, carrying a used camera from Craigslist, a tripod, a borrowed lavalier microphone and a ZoomKeep Reading
Maya Gallus's The Heat asks why women so rarely enjoy prominent roles as chefs when they are traditionally masters of kitchens in the domestic sphere.Keep Reading
93Queen (USA, 85 minutes) Dir: Paula Eiselt Programme: World Showcase (World Premiere) Movies about underdogs fighting for their rightful place have built-in appeal. 93Queen expertly takes you into trials and tribulations,Keep Reading
The Guardians (Canada, 104 minutes) Dir: Billie Mintz Programme: Canadian Spectrum. (World Premiere) State-appointed guardianship in Nevada has become an issue in elder abuse. Numerous cases of guardianship have cropped up,Keep Reading
King Lear (Russia, 56 minutes) Dir: Denis Klebleev Programme: Artscapes. (International Premiere) Retired actor Viktor Rotin wants to play King Lear. At 86, he's finally the right age, and he hasKeep Reading


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Head over to our on-demand library to view sessions from VB Transform 2023. Register Here
Google announced today that it is launching a service called Google Message Community that will serve as disaster insurance for Microsoft Exchange users, backing up their email and contact data into Google applications.
The search giant isn't one to shy away from pulling business from Microsoft and its Exchange products. In fact, it even offers a service to directly transition from Exchange over to Google's enterprise applications.
So why is Google warming up to Microsoft now? Well, this could be another chance for Google to get its enterprise products in the hands of potential customers. If a Microsoft Exchange server goes down, Google Message Community users can log into Gmail and Google Calendar and move on with their lives. The hope is probably that users will see Gmail as a little more reliable than Microsoft Exchange, and make the switch.
And that reliability can be critical for larger businesses that rely on Microsoft Exchange servers and a consistent email service. Email outages can cost larger businesses upwards of $90,000 every year, according to Osterman Research. For smaller companies using Microsoft Exchange, an email outage can mean losing the company's (possibly) only communication tool.
The service will cost $25 per user per year, or $13 per user per year for current Postini users. The backup service stems from Google's acquisition of Postini, a provider of security for email in a cloud environment, back in 2007. Google paid $625 million for the company when it didn't have a very robust suite of enterprise applications.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.


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All the cuteness of a cooking .gif in a short film.
A comic short describing the cooking process of its dish, Magic Mooncake combines CG and real-life cinematography into a cutesy anthropomorphic group of ingredients that are absolutely nothing like Sausage Party.
Calm-faced eggs and rowdy nuts flavor high-definition cooking porn with animated glee. Those as obsessed with learning recipes through animated .gifs as I am will find joy in the background details as much as the foregrounded shenanigans of the Mickey Mouse-like food.
It's cute and minimalist, quickly shedding any overtures of story or fable that it may have alluded to in its title, which makes for an enjoyable bit of cultural whimsy heightened by a magic present in the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival for which these cakes are made.
Related Topics: Animation, cooking, Short Films


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Anyway Sell
₹750-1250 INR / hour
I am looking for a freelancer to help me with my online store, Anyway Sell. We sell physical products, and our target market is international. Our primary sales channel will be our online store, so we need someone with experience in e-commerce and online marketing.
Ideal skills and experience for this job include:
- E-commerce website development
- Online marketing and advertising
- Knowledge of international shipping and logistics
- SEO and SEM expertise
- Social media marketing skills
- Customer service experience
If you have experience in any of these areas and are interested in helping us grow our business, please submit a proposal.
Project ID: #36702260
About the project
12 freelancers are bidding on average ₹913/hour for this job
I am not a expert but I do my work with my expireance trust me and give me one chance to proof me and my work
I will give my best An example of a freelancer would be an independent journalist who reports on stories of their own choosing and then sells their work to the highest bidder.
I am glad to hear about your project and I understand that you are looking for someone with experience in e-commerce and online marketing. As someone who has 3.5 years of experience in social media marketing, social me More
Dear Sir/Mam Hope you are doing well I have gone through your project details for Search Engine Marketing, I am placing my bid in your project because i have good experience in Search Engine Marketing and i am confide More
I have Experience on E-commerce , because i have a online shop either .. And maybe i can help with my tricks on Online Shop, and that make you get more engagment
Hello! My name is Esad Aydın and I'm a business student with a passion for working closely with people and understanding their needs. After studying various fields such as accounting, finance, and marketing, I've devel More
Greetings, As an SEO and SMM and a certified Google, Instagram & Facebook Ad Expert, I am capable of devising marketing strategies and a well-rounded strategy within a planned budget. I always use only the white-hat More
I have experience in e-commerce and online marketing. My experience for this job include: - E-commerce website development - Online marketing and advertising - Knowledge of international shipping and logistics - SEO an More


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This Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew is the ideal winter comfort food. This thick, hearty stew is full of beef, root vegetables, barley and Guinness beer for maximum flavor with minimum effort.
Here in the Midwest, we are in the thick of winter. It's not unusual to get an ice storm one day followed by a few inches of snow the next day.
What a joy. (Can you feel me rolling my eyes when I say that?)
But when the weather is cold and messy and unpredictable, I very predictably want to cozy up with a warm bowl of soup or stew.
My favorite right now? This super hearty Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew.
Are you more of a soup or stew person?
I love both, don't get me wrong. A bowl of Broccoli & Cheese Soup is one of my favorite things.
But one of the downsides to soup is that it isn't always super filling. I usually have to serve it alongside a salad (preferably topped with homemade blue cheese dressing) and beer bread or Bisquick biscuits in order to make it a full dinner.
Stews, on the other hand, actually tend to keep me fuller longer.
Like this Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew. If I forget to buy or bake a loaf of bread to serve with it, I don't stress about it because it's so hearty.
I loaded this stew up with big chunks of beef stew meat, mushrooms, potatoes, my favorite root vegetables, and barley. Then I cooked everything in a combination of beef stock, red wine, and Guinness.
The result is a thick beef stew with tons of flavor. But since I make it in the slow cooker, it's actually really easy to prepare.
This recipe has a longer ingredient list, but it can be divided into two groups: meats and veggies, and liquids and seasonings.
On the meats and veggies team, you'll need:
- 2-3lb beef chuck roast or stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
- 4-6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 8oz package whole cremini or white mushrooms, stemmed and quartered (optional)
- 1.5 lb petite Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
- 4 cups assorted root vegetables, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (ex: Carrots, parsnips, turnips, celery, rutabaga)
- 2/3 cup pearled barley or farro
Our favorite root veggies to use in this recipe are carrots and parsnips, but you can use whatever you like or have on hand. I also usually make this stew with barley, but have also used farro and it is also delicious.
The liquids and seasonings you'll need are:
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups reduced sodium beef stock
- 1 (12oz) can or bottle Guinness extra stout or dark stout beer
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs of thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
If you really aren't a fan of stout beer, you can use extra beef stock in its place. But I promise that you'll miss out on the flavor the beer adds – and it doesn't make the stew taste like beer at all!
To make this stew, start by seasoning the beef liberally with salt and pepper and searing it in a heavy-bottomed pan. Once all sides of the beef are browned, add the beef to your slow cooker and saute the onions and garlic in the still-hot pan.
Deglaze the pan with the wine and tomato paste, then add the cooked onions, garlic, and all of the liquid to the slow cooker.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.
Before serving, give it a taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
And that's it! You might think browning the beef and deglazing the pan is unnecessary, but it really does add so much extra flavor to the final stew.
The only real resolution I'm here for right now is filling my life with more comforting foods. If that means making more hearty soups and stews until the weather warms up, then that's what I'll do.
Check out these six soup and stew recipes. They're recipes you'll definitely want to add to your upcoming dinner menu!


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Garbage In Garbage Out: Mistakes in the Wire EDM are most often made before the start button is pressed. As the operator, you are often pushed to get the machine cutting, because when it's not cutting, it's not making money, right? WRONG! What if in the process of setup, your touch-off was dirty or not square? You are now cutting scrap, and may not know it until the part is out of the machine and into inspection—which may be hours or days away, so the machine was losing money all that time.
As we set up the machine, we also should think ahead a bit and plan for a re-setup. This might be for several reasons:
- the part needs a second operation
- the part needs to be inspected mid-process
- the part needs to be removed for an emergency part for another job
- the one we all think will never happen: we have a crash
Most of these unforeseen issues can be avoided by good WEDM tooling. If you look at the cost first, though, it is high! But think about the cost of that part that cut all day and was not located or picked up properly; you just paid for the tooling. Look for good quality tooling that has features that will eliminate the issues you expect or want to prepare for.
Some things to consider:
- Will you be using a robot in the future to change workpieces? Unless you're going out of business this year, the answer should be yes.
- Will I need a setup station? This is extremely useful but not required.
- How often will I be changing the workpiece on the table?
- Do I want to move the workpiece do a different machine still mounted in the tooling?
- Will I inspect the workpiece in the holder on a CMM?
- Especially important: does the tooling have known pickup locations with recorded X and Y?
- Will I mount to a tooling rail or a table receiver? Maybe both.
Another option is to make your own holding system. Although this works in some cases, it usually will cost more in the long run, and adding to the system makes it difficult at best.
Tool changing and work holding are parts of automation and can make setup and work holding predictable and accurate. This is the best way to ensure that mistakes in setup are stopped before the start button is pushed. Never time to do it right but time to do it twice. Work holding is cheap compared to the time it takes to cut the part again.


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Rafael Nadal called Lorenzo Sonego, his third-round Wimbledon opponent, up to the net on Saturday as he seemed to take issue with calls from the Italian to turn on the lights and close the roof. The pair then had another lengthy discussion after Nadal sealed his straight-sets victory, booking his spot in the round of 16.
The issue began when Nadal struck Sonego on the head, which prompted the Italian to request that the lights be turned on at 3-1 in the final set. The roof was eventually closed at 4-2, prompting a frustrated reaction from the Spaniard who was anxious to see out the job.
"He wants to get this done," said the commentator. "It would be a bit rich as Nadal likes to take his time but we're not having a fracass here like they are on Court 1. Nadal is not happy, it's earlier than normal. Nadal is actually questioning this. He feels like Sonego has dictated this."
After the restart, Sonego won two games on the spin to level things up at 4-4. Unusually, Nadal then called his opponent to the net where they had a heated exchange, prompting the umpire to get involved.
DON'T MISS: Nick Kyrgios refuses to play, calls for Stefanos Tsitsipas to be kicked out of Wimbledon
"This is interesting, he wants a word," the commentator added. "That is amazing. I'm very surprised that Rafa took it upon himself and it just shows he lost his serve to love. He has called his opponent to him and if I was Lorenzo Senogo I would be pretty offended too.
"He made a noise after the first return after the first return on the very first point and Nadal is saying it's disrespectful and I don't like the etiquette. We're trying to match Court 1 here."
Nadal then rediscovered his momentum to win the final two games and see out the match. And he made it look relatively easy too, coming through 6-1 6-2 6-4 to notch his first straight-sets victory of the tournament, but the fair came together again at the net once the result was confirmed and the discussion was clearly broader than the usual handshakes and formalities.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion shed light on the incident during his post-match interview, however, and insisted that he did not purposely escalate the situation. "Sorry, not spicy at all," he said. "I feel very sorry now if I bothered him. I just wanted to tell him something. I did it in a nice way but I feel really bad now if I bothered him. I'm going to talk to him right now."
Nadal will now gear up to face Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the fourth round – his highest-seeded opponent so far. The 26-year-old has beaten the likes of Feliciano Lopez and Richard Gasquet to get this far, and is likely to put up a stern test.
Looking further into the future, he could be on a collision course to meet Aussie sensational Nick Kyrgios in the seim-finals. Kyrgios beat fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a fiery encounter on Saturday, and looks to be a tough draw for anyone that crosses him.


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Thursday, July 1, 2021
Novajets, Novajets LLC, Novajets.com and Ryan Jones are not authorized dealers of HSDJETS, HSDJETSUK or HSDJETSUSA products.
Any products sold by Novajets, Novajets LLC, Novajets.com or Ryan Jones advertised or branded as HSDJETS, HSDJETSUK or HSDJETSUSA are not considered genuine and are not subject to factory warranty in any way. HSDJETS, HSDJETSUK and HSDJETSUSA assume no responsibility or liability for any products sold by Novajets, Novajets LLC, Novajets.com or Ryan Jones.
We apologize to members of our authorized dealership network for any inconveniences that unauthorized retailers have caused.
We look forward to fostering long lasting relationships with our official authorized dealership partners.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
Before performing any work in the City rights-of-way, you must receive a permit. You may complete the fillable application in its entirety and email directly to Public Works or print it and bring into the office for processing.
Public Works Permit Application


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Board considers new cafeteria food service contracts
According to a Board Brief from the Feb. 2014 board meeting, the school board is considering contracts for the 2014-2015 food services as the school's contract with Quest is set to expire this year. One of the main questions that the board is discussing is whether or not to seek federal funding from the National School Lunch Program. Participating in this program may reduce the cost for the school, but it would lead to a reduced variety of food available to students.
Currently, the school does not participate in the Federal funding program which means that the school does not receive federal money for students who receive a qualified lunch. The school has not previously sought out federal funding as the food received may be of "poorer quality and quantity." However, the program is being considered now as it may reduce costs for the school.
"The Federal funding program requires that nutritional guidelines have to be met. There is also a lot of paperwork that needs to be in order to make sure that students who do qualify are getting the government subsidy," said Jennifer Planson, a school board member.
The Federal funding program includes very specific food and beverage requirements that need to be met. According to the Federal Register, some of the requirements include that the food has to "be a grain product that contains 50% or more whole grains by weight", "be a combination food that contains a fourth of a cup of fruit and/or vegetable", and that the beverage has to be "plain water, lowfat milk and nonfat mild, or full strength fruit or vegetable juices". If the school decides to participate in the program, the food service company would have to comply with these requirements.
"The program affects fundraising, bake sales, anything done during the school day because that's considered competitive foods. In areas that really do need the funding, it works really well. In other areas where you don't, the main thing lost is the choice. Also, everything would have to be converted into meals," said Elena Hildreth, district manager for Quest Food Management Services.
The board is looking for feedback from the students to see if students like the food that they are being provided and to see their overall impression of the food. While the cost for the school is a big issue, another issue is the nutritional value of the food. Already, Quest has implemented healthier options in the cafeteria.
"It all comes down to a cleaner label. The food has less processed products and [fewer] additives," said Elizabeth Kujawa, Quest Food Services director.
Some of the most important issues to consider for the board are making sure that there are choices for students, ensuring good quality of the food, and making sure that the price is reasonable.
"We are looking at our options and seeing what is best for the district financially while also making sure the nutritional value is there and that there are food options available for students," Planson said.
For further information about the Federal funding program, read here.


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he Gin Book for 2013 gave me the opportunity to concept, design and art direct talent to achieve the final recipe book. The client wanted something different, but they wanted also wanted it at a small size. This book features multiple bartenders from across the nation showcasing their gin creations in a fold-out discovery layout. Each bartender is featured with … Read More
Stuga 2.0
BSOLUT requested a new look for their popular STUGA events. The theme was travel, so I created a vintage postcard look and tied it into supporting collateral including menus, invites, patches, drink labels, calk boards, buttons, a microsite and hats and bibs. The microsite won the 2013 Silver Event Technology Award for Best Event Microsite.
nspired by the TV show Portlandia, I created a look for a Pernod Ricard event called Pernodlandia. I made the logo reflect the same type treatment as the TV show's logo, but created a wooden cocktail shaker which speaks to the charm of the hipster-teasing nature of the show as well as speaking to the bartending tools of the trade. … Read More
Little Shoes!
hese hand-drawn shoes were created for a new business pitch for a well-known shoe retailer. I used some adorable pink canvas shoes and dolled them up with some polka-dots, a little girl and her kitty. The glitter pens added some fun gold and red dimension to these little kicks!
Wordy Popping Book
op-up books are the best. This one I made while still a student for a book binding project. I created some colorful characters and paired them with a different font. Each page of the book reads parts of the song "Wordy Rappinghood" by the Tom Tom Club.
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The Microsoft Surface Dock engineering team will soon be rolling out firmware support for Surface Pro X to enable users of the 2-in-1 device to directly run Microsoft Surface Dock Firmware Update. Currently, to update the firmware on Surface Dock, commercial customers can use any supported Surface device including Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4, Surface Pro (5th Gen), Surface Pro 6, Surface Pro 7, Surface Laptop, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Laptop 3, Surface Book, Surface Book 2, and Surface Go. The most recent Surface Dock firmware released in October 2019 added support for Surface Pro 7 and Surface Laptop 3.
At this time, running Microsoft Surface Dock Firmware Update on Surface Pro X generates the following error message: This installation package is not supported by this processor type. Contact your product vendor.
Upon conclusion of additional engineering work required to enable updating of ARM64 processor-based components, a new version of Microsoft Surface Dock Firmware Update will be released within the coming weeks. In the interim, Surface Dock will still run with Surface Pro X .
Source: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/...x/ba-p/1160547


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The fate of one hero and the birth of another will be decided here, as the Secret Avengers true enemy is finally exposed! It's an all-new kind of Avengers by award-winning writer Ed Brubaker and acclaiming artist Mike Deodato, Jr. Rated T …$3.99
As I stated at the top, this is the Avengers book that you should be reading. It has everything going in its favor from a terrific cast of characters to an engaging storyline to a creative team that know how to rock your socks off. Read Full Review
The fact that this book has retained my interest despite holding out on explaining Nick Fury's involvement is a testament to the quality of the title. I can't wait for the next issue to come out. Read Full Review
Secret Avengers has quickly become one of the better mainstream superhero books being published today. I was hesitant to see Ed Brubaker on a team book since he mainly excels with smaller casts, but he has won me over. Ironically, I want to see him increase his focus on the individual characters and give them all fair screen time, but he handles them all well and writes one damn fun book. There is no reason not to pick this series up, so if you havent Im telling you to go get it now. Read Full Review
The first arc was enjoyable, for the most part, but there was a fair bit of missed potential throughout the storyline as well. But again, for the most part, this is an enjoyable title thus far, with an entertaining launch arc, and I look forward to where Brubaker will take this title and this team now that the team is aware of Nick Fury's involvement in the group that was involved in the events of this arc. Recommended! Read Full Review
Whilst its not the most stunningly original or complex title Ive ever read, its a pretty good stab at what a modern Avengers book should feel like. Read Full Review
This opening series has had its ups and downs, but I think the series has a lot of potential. It just hasn't realized it yet. Read Full Review
Meh... First off, I am a HUGE fan of Ed Brubaker's writing. When given the opportunity, I have been known to gush over his work for hours on end. I'd even go so far to say that he is currently the best comic book writer in the industry today. BUT, I just never really got into this storyline... I can't exactly figure out why, but something here just didn't click for me. Read Full Review
There are qualities I liked about this issue, and about this storyline in general, but not enough of any one of them to create that drive and need and incentive for me to want to continue buying "Secret Avengers" month after month. This can be a good comic, but I don't think I'll stick around to find out. Until things improve, I'm going to wait for this to be released in graphic novels. Read Full Review
This is a major step up from issues #2 and #3, which were complete bombs (despite the strength of the debut issue), but it still suffers from a lot of the problems that held those issues back. I really dig Captain America being a momentary Nova Corps deputy, but the ease in which he takes on and controls the Worldmind's power really undercuts how special Nova is. This was a cool moment and I definitely want a Captain America Nova action figure, but I feel like it could have been handled in a way that built up both characters. The character work on the supporting cast is a bit shaky, though it doesn't help that characters like Read Full Review
So this is a good, solid issue, but it's a bit of an anti-climax to the fears building up around the Serpent Crown, which is veering off on a tangent by issue's end. Maybe it will all add up, but I wanted more of a story advance than one cool moment involving Cap. Read Full Review
Ill consider Secret Avengers a wasted concept if it never advances past the level of complexity in this issue, but for now Ill assume that Brubaker is saving his greater intricacies for later on. If the cookie cutter is ever an acceptable weapon in the writers arsenal, its in an introductory arc such as this. Read Full Review
Now, 30 years later, I can say that I was inadequately entertained by an average story. The difference is that I was much younger 30 years ago, didnt expect as much from the stories I read, and could afford to read average issues since they only cost 50 cents each. My yearly cost of living calculator tells me that 50 cents in 1980 is the equivalent of $1.31 in 2010. However, Secret Avengers costs $3.99--or three times more than Im willing to pay for an average comic book that entertains me inadequately. Read Full Review
I'm not giving up on "Secret Avengers" just yet, but I'm feeling a lot more hesitant than I did in the past. This should be a much better book, but after such an uninspired conclusion to the first storyline, I'm wondering if hopes were a little too high. Read Full Review
Steve becoming Nova to save the universe is a pretty interesting concept yet I still don't care for the Shadow Organization. Secret Avengers ha stage most interesting cast of characters yet they barely get time to shine so far. I know Brubaker write Captain America for a long time but at least sit things up evenly and give the other characters more screen time
it just seemed rushed


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Fate or Free will Romeo and Juliet
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Fate: Is it just an excuse?
Excuses are something people use to clear themselves or others of the blame of their own foolish actions. In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, it is not fate, but impulsive and desperate actions that bring about the downfall of Romeo and Juliet. In the Victorian era, fate was known as the development of events out of human control, and determined by a supernatural power. By no means was the demise of Romeo and Juliet out their control. It happened because of the choices they themselves to make.
Romeo always blames his own reckless actions on fate. Romeo is warned not to go to the masquerade party but tells fate to "steerage of [his] course" and "direct [his] sail" and goes anyway. Romeo knows himself that he will die if he goes but still chooses to go. Romeo decides that whatever happens is up to fate and it's completely out of his control. Also, after killing Tybalt, he calls himself "Fortune's fool" and realizes he will be punished severely (Rom 3.1.142). Romeo is basically says he is a subject to the whims of fate. He thinks fate is playing around with him and not taking responsibility for what he himself did. However when he hears of Juliet's "death" Romeo tries to "defy the stars" and kills himself (5.1.25). Romeo is taking responsibility for his actions by trying to defy his "fate" and finally taking thing into his own hands. This doesn't work, since he didn't bother to check if Juliet was still alive and just kills himself in his attempt to be together with her, even if it's in death. Romeo uses fate to justify his actions and say that a power outside of his control fueled his action, but instead everything was just his impulsive choices.
Juliet makes reckless and impulsive actions knowing very well what the consequences could be, and then blames it on her unavoidable fate. When Juliet first sees Romeo at the party, Juliet tells the nurse to "go ask [for his] name. If he be married" and says that her grave is "like to be [her] wedding bed", foreshadowing her own death (1.5.148). Juliet wants to know if Romeo is married, and she is just a thirteen year old girl who saw Romeo the first time in her life. Juliet is the one that eventually proposes to Romeo, and she does this knowing to be married means her own death. When Romeo visits Juliet on her balcony that night, she says she has "no joy of this contract tonight, it is too rash, too unadvised, [and] too sudden' about Romeo swearing his love to her. Even before they are married, Juliet already knows their actions are impulsive. Combined with the fact that she even foreshadows her own death, she still rashly decides to marry Romeo. This wedding was by her own choice and not like the one where her parents force her to marry Paris. In addition, after Romeo leaves Juliet after their only night together, Juliet pleads to fate to "be fickle", and to "not keep him long, but to send him back" to her (3.5.63). She also hopes that since Romeo is "renown'd for faith" unlike fate (which is fickle) fortune should be kind to him. She is excusing his killing of her cousin Tybalt with the fact that fate is unreliable and unpredictable. It wasn't fate being unpredictable, it was Romeo losing his cool and acting rashly. Juliet shows that she knows the consequences of her actions, but goes forth with them anyways.
Friar Lawrence's reckless actions brought together the deaths, and he blames them on fate. When Friar John tells him that the letter couldn't be sent, Frair Lawrence decides to blame it on "unhappy fortune" and not himself (5.2.17). He is a grown man, but decides to let Friar John travel alone to deliver the message. Instead of sending the message himself, he gives the crutial task to people that aren't even involved. Knowing this, he blames his own blatant fault on fate being unhappy. Also, when Friar Lawrence walks in to see both Paris and Romeo dead, he says it is "lamentable chance" that they are dead (5.3.151). Again, fate is blamed for something easily avoided. He is saying that it was out of his control that the two died, but Frair Lawrence was the one who married them and masterminded the plan in the first place. Not only that, when Juliet awakens the Friar tells her "a power greater than [they] can contradict has thwarted [their] intents" and as a result, Romeo is now dead (5.3.158). When he talks about a power that could not be resisted he is talking about fate and how fate ruined the plan to reunite Romeo and Juliet. He was the one that botched the sending of the message to Romeo. The Friar just doesn't take any responsibility at all for his actions and opts instead to blame uncontrollable forces.
Throughout Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the characters' own impetuous and brash choices, not fate, bring about the deaths. Characters repeatedly used fate as an excuse by saying the series of events were completely out of their control. In contrast, everything could have been avoided if the characters just decided to think rationally. By having them blame fate, Shakespeare is asserting that people need to take responsibility for their own actions. They should realize it is their own choices that affect the future, not fate. People's destinies can be changed, and it is not predetermined by an all-powerful force.


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According to the minister's statement, the skills development ministry through its online portal BharatSkills has conducted an online training programme during lockdown benefitting 9,38,851 trainees.
Further, another 1, 31,241 trainees have availed online training facilities through BharatSkill Mobile App. Similarly, National Instructional Media Institute (NIMI), an autonomous body under the ministry, has conducted 3080 online classes benefitting 16,55,953 trainees.
Besides, the industrial partners of the directorate general of training (DGT) under the ministry have conducted online training having 1,84,296 participants. In addition to the above, 16,767 exclusive online classes for 35 CTS trades and 34 craft instructors training schemes (CITS) running across 33 national skill training institutes have been conducted.
The minister, in a separate reply, said skills ministry has imparted training to 75.68 lakh as on March 17, 2020 under short term training (STT) courses. Out of these certified candidates, 17.54 lakh candidates have been provided with placement.
Also, 49.12 lakh candidates who already have the informal skills but are not formally certified have been oriented under recognition of prior learning (RPL) component of the scheme, the minister said.
Further, the government has asked training providers and training centres to organize rozgar melas with the support of sector skill councils to help skilled persons get jobs. Further, additional incentives are being given to training providers for placing candidates above the minimum required level while allocation of fresh targets is based on their placement performance.


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BrandLow & Bonar BV
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Developed to replace foam in the most demanding cushioning applications, Enkair is the result of a unique 3D-spinning technology. It features a lightweight pyramid-shaped filament structure that facilitates the manufacture of precision-engineered cushioning materials for a variety of end-uses.
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What Does Pig Detector Mean?
A pig detector is a sensing tool used to detect the movement of a pig in a pipeline during pigging operations. The detector is installed on the exterior of the pipe and consists of an indicator (such as a LED light) that alerts operators to the pig's proximity.
Pig detectors are usually placed near the launching and receiving stations, and they are useful for confirming the progress of the pig through the pipeline for maintenance operations.
A pig detector may also be known as a pig tracker.


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We are traveling to Switzerland and Italy and following is itin.
Hi jigneshmehta. Thanks for joining MySwissAlps!
The Swiss Pass is only for Swiss citizens. What you need is the Swiss Travel Pass. As for your questions:
I would like to know how I can travel from Lugano to Milan via Chiasso route using Swiss Travel Pass. I am not sure up to what station Swiss travel pass will work and I have to buy separate ticket from what point onwards.
Hi jegnesthmehta!
Did you check the validity map I linked to and combine this with the timetable? As you'll see, the coverage area ends in Chiasso, so you'll need an additional ticket Chiasso-Milan.
All you need to know about traveling by train, bus or car in Switzerland.
Hand picked Swiss hotels and other accommodations are right here.


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Modernize the bathroom with Brass Bathroom Accessories
There are many who are eager to spice up each and every room present in their bathroom with an objective to beautify it and to earn praise from family members, relatives and friends alike. The bathroom being one of the most frequented of all rooms in the house definitely requires a face lift to make it presentable and nice. This is achievable by using modern accessories and brass bathroom accessories. Making the right and well informed choice is sure to convert the bathroom into a comfort zone. It will also provide the bathroom with that elegant and fresh look. But when it comes to selecting bathroom accessories, it is necessary to ensure that it is secure, safe, made from superior quality materials, modern and well designed.
Prior to purchasing Brass Bathroom Accessories, it is important to first identify the right theme for the bathroom decoration. The theme is to match the budget, taste, choice and preference. Modern bathroom accessories can be purchased to match the decoration and theme. Browsing the web is likely to provide variety of themes that is available to decorate the bathroom and themes to select.
Tips to improve the looks of the bathroom
Besides using the best Brass Bathroom Accessories, it will be useful to follow the given below tips and suggestions to beautify the room, without having to increase the expenses.
- Bathroom towel holder can be placed near the shower as it will offer that elegant appearance to the bathroom, more especially at the shower place.
- Tissue holder and waste basket also can add plenty of elegance, if they are purchased with matching, proper design.
- Soap dispenser, tooth brush holder and bathroom soap dish with exciting color and design and matching the wall color is sure to give out that impressive appearance to the bathroom.
- Mirrors are considered to be an important addition to any modern bathroom. A major advantage to be derived in using mirrors is that it can be a wonderful bathroom decoration piece. Also it can be found in variety of shapes, sizes and colors. The shapes include square, rectangle, oval and much more. If the mirror shape, color and material are selected wisely, it is sure to give the bathroom that ornamental look.
- Lighting is to be avoided on the mirror's top, right or left side. It will help avoid that shadow effect in the bathroom. It will make the small bathroom to appear dark. Adequate ambient lighting is an absolute must to make the bathroom to appear modern, dazzling and spacious. It is to be placed at the bathroom center and therefore can spread light across the bathroom making it appear spacious and beautiful.
Taking help of the professionals and considering bathroom accessories can help the bathroom to be made beautiful and functional. The matching accessories can be installed like the vanities with sink or wash basin. Cabinet wash basin can be fitted in small bathrooms to give out that attractive look.


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Fast Ramp Up Demo Day
Stuttgart, October 2019
The Fast Ramp Up Challenge's final stage took place during a 3-day Hackathon at Arena2036 in Stuttgart where the teams from Siemens, KUKA, IBA, Seiotec, Trebing&Himstedt and AUCTA assembled for the rapid prototyping push to make the solution come to life.
Audience and team were overwhelmingly happy with the result. Nearly everyone of the 80 attendees to the invite-only industry event put the AR headset on their head and interacted with the actively working robot and augmented production map.
Where it all began
Last Edited on Sep 2, 19:00 PM.


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