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Greetings Readers!
It's time for another throwback Thursday!
As we have all learned through our European history classes, Frances economy in the 1700's was on a downward spiral. After the death of Louis XIV, his grandson Louis XV inherits the crown, however under a regency due to his young age of 5. Assuming the throne at the age of 13, Louis XV had little interest in politics or repaying the extreme debt his grandfather had created. As a result of this, Louis XV had to surpass on many luxuries, one of these luxuries included a gardening staff for the Palace of Versailles. Since there was no one to tend to the gardens, they slowly began over growing however to avoid suspicion or ridicule, Louis XV created a new style to reflect the over growing gardens of Versailles, French Rococo. Although French Rococo did not originate from that story, the style did grow further with it. French Rococo transpired as a reaction from the Baroque style, known for its stiff and regal characteristics, Rococo embraces a more romantic, exotic and feminine style, although incorporating and encompassing the classicism of Baroque.
During this time, interiors and home furnishings dictate the style. Interiors slowly were becoming less formal in palaces and wealthy homes. Romantic ornamentations and natural materials, like wood, replace formal grand materials such as marble. Rocaille designs are the asymmetrical and naturalistic details that create a plethora of decor, reflecting the overgrown and unmanaged gardens. These rocaille designs covered walls and ceilings. Color palettes included yellow, green and blue mixed with a frequent gold and white palette. The rocaille designs normally were composed of plaster and started from the walls extended into ceiling creating a feeling of abundance of life to each and every room.
The furniture in French Rococo matched their interiors exquisitely. Furnishings had elevated standards in French Rococo, attention to detail was keen and craftsmen were prided on the intricacy and delicacy of their furnishings. New pieces were orchestrated for comfort to match the new less formal style, gaming pieces also became in fashion. The curved cabriole leg evolved onto chaises or chairs, to reflect the flowing delicacy of the style. Furniture sets also began to become fashionable, they may include canapes, fauteuils, bergers, and stools. A fauteuil is a typical arm chair, normally consisting of whorl foots, cabriole legs, aprons with curves or swags, curved backs and supported arms, typically upholstered with florals or naturalistic scenes.
Encompassing the flowing grace and delicacy of naturalistic motifs, Mystics own Cottonwood Collection embodies the essence of French Rococo. Using the popular yellow, green and blue color scheme, Mystic's Cumberland fabrics flowing naturalistic designs create a peaceful esthetic.
Hope you all enjoyed todays Throwback!


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Finger Lakes Mediation Services
We're proud to offer a range of services at Finger Lakes Mediation in Rochester, NY. Here you can speak freely and know that you will be listened to and understood. Your boundaries and best interests will be honored. Read on to find out what sorts of friction we smooth out.
Divorce mediation. A marriage breaking up is never easy. You have the division of resources to consider, as well as concerns with housing, alimony, and more. Emotions often run high,
making the presence of a mediator even more valuable. We take great pride in being able to do our job in a non-adversarial way. With guided conversation and collaboration, the process is shorter, less stressful, and less expensive.
Legal separation mediation. New York recognizes legal separation as an agreement between spouses to live separately but remain married. Similar to divorce, legal separation involves division of assets, custody and visitation agreements, and setting up any spousal support. Your mediator will help you come to an agreement that is fair to everyone.
Child custody mediation. Whether from divorce or separation, all too often children are caught in the crossfire. At Finger Lakes Mediation, children's rights are our number one priority. In cases where a child or dependent's welfare is concerned, we take the utmost care to come to a resolution that is safe and positive for them.
Family mediation. Disagreements involving elder care are common, as well as sibling arguments, estate management, and more. We work to frame a discussion between those involved and move it toward a decision that all can live with.
Business mediation. Conflict in the workplace or between businesses can be very costly and upset the process of running a company. Finger Lakes Mediation is an impartial third party, trained and certified to deliver you the best outcome possible. We give you the chance to get satisfaction without going to court.
Community mediation. Do you have a problem with someone but don't want to sue them? The vast majority of personal lawsuits and civil cases settle out of court, and we believe you can too. Community mediation improves relationships between individuals and organizations. We encourage all parties to act in good faith toward everyone's best interests.

subset: commoncrawl


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Digital Currencies, or Crypto-Currencies have been around for a while, only recently gaining more attention as their value increases and more people begin to trade with them.
The most known of the digital currencies is the Bitcoin – which is one of many digital currencies which can be bought or traded online for goods or services.
These digital currencies are not produced by any country, nor are they considered legal tender in of any country, so as a result of their use in online exchanges allows for anonymous transactions which can not be easily tracked.
You can acquire Bitcoin in 3 ways:
- Through "mining" – a process in which you use computers to solve algorithms and 'discover' new coins
- By purchasing them through a Bitcoin exchange for traditional currency
- As a payment in exchange for services
As a result of their anonymity, many Cryptocurrency traders have refrained from reporting the income they have earned as the price of digital currencies skyrocketed. Failing to report that income can pose a huge problem now that the digital currency market is bottoming out.
In Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency expects all Crypto-Currency transactions to be treated in the same manner as any commodity would, which means any increase in the price produces a Capital Gain (taxable at 50%), and any losses would create a Capital Loss.
For example, if you bought Bitcoin for $1000 and sold it for $3000 you would have made $2000 off your initial investment, which is your Capital Gain. That Capital Gain would then be taxed at a tax rate of 50% ($2000 x 50% = $1000) and you would include the $1000 gain on your personal tax return as income.
If the reverse occurs and you purchase $3000 of a digital currency and sell it and only receive $1000, then you would report a Capital Loss of $1000 ($2000 x 50% = $1000) on your personal tax return and that amount could be used to reduce any taxes owing.
This, however, does not apply if you are considered a high volume trader. A high volume trader is someone who holds Cryptocurrency for a short period of time before trading them. In most cases, the CRA will consider this an adventure in business meaning you'll have to file your taxes as such.
If you don't trade in digital currencies, but use them to buy goods, the CRA considers that transaction to be a barter transaction – the exchange of one good for another without the use of cash – which is taxable.
For more information, please refer to our blog on How Bitcoins Might Impact Your Income Taxes
By law, you are required to keep records of your trades. If you didn't keep records, you will need to make an educated guess on the values. This is important so you can keep track of your capital gains and capital losses. Without supporting documentation, the CRA can over-assess you, or deny your losses.
Tax evasion is illegal. If you fail to thoroughly, or accurately report it your gains and losses on Digital Currencies, you could at the very least be assessed interest and a 50% Gross Negligence Penalty, but at the worst, be charged with Tax Evasion.
You may think that you're completely anonymous in these transactions, but your username and exchange records exist, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) south of the border, have already made progress through the courts in getting that information from an exchange. It's only a matter of time before those exchanges will be legally required to provide information to the IRS, the CRA and other taxation agencies around the world, so make sure that you include the gains and losses.
In the eyes of the CRA, the rules around the taxation of Crypto-Currencies are very clear, and reporting those gains and losses is the right thing to do and it's what is in your best interest.
- CRA: Guide for cryptocurrency users and tax professionals
- CRA (Archived – for reference only) What you should know about digital currency


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Woodland Animal Softies....
Woodland Animal Softies Pattern
Difficulty Level: Easy
Size: Each of these measures approximately 3" x 3" with 1/2" width
--4mm hook
--#4 worsted weight yarn
--buttons (optional)
--small amount of polyfil in each one
--tapestry needle for weaving
Stitch Abbreviations:
Please reference my link below for the Fox Softie/Keychain and see pics for altering pattern for each animal.
here's the LINK: https://rilla2u.blogspot.com/2017/07/fox-keyring.html
and here's the LINK for the individual features for the Woodland Animals:
I think these are super cute, easy to make and very versatile to do lots of things with...I hope you will enjoy making these as much as I have.
Happy Crocheting...
--don't claim my pattern design as your own
--don't use my pics as your own
--don't share my patterns electronically or in print format (without my prior consent) but provide a link to my blog


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A team of 200 priests comment on daily Gospel
Liturgical day: Thursday 3rd in Ordinary Time
Gospel text (Mk 4,21-25): esus also said to the crowd, «When the light comes, is it to be put under a tub or a bed?». Jesus also said to the crowd, «When the light comes, is it to be put under a tub or a bed? Surely it is put on a lampstand. Whatever is hidden will be disclosed, and whatever is kept secret will be brought to light. Listen then, if you have ears!».
And he also said to them, «Pay attention to what you hear. In the measure you give, so shall you receive and still more will be given to you. For to the one who produces something, more will be given, and from him who does not produce anything, even what he has will be taken away from him».
Illustration: Fr. Lluís Raventós Artés
Today, Jesus continues describing us how Christian life should be like. We are like a lamp that burns and shines. But so that it lightens better we have to place it on top of some furniture. Would it have any sense to light it and place it under the bed…? It would be absurd! And it is equally absurd that a Christian "hides" in spiritual tepidity: I do not cooperate but I am not bad either…
—Either I am good, or I am not useful. We have to be the light and joy of the world.


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April 11th Agenda
Hopkins District Library Board Meeting
April 11th, 2017 7:00 PM
Call to Order -
Roll Call
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes
Treasurer's Report
Public Comment
Director's Report
Programs - see newsletter, reaching out on Facebook to start up some new ones
Publicity Up to 651 likes on Facebook, planning additional advertising on facebook, Allegan County Community Foundation quarterly news is out, advert. is still up at the Regent Theater, Apr-Jun newsletter
Meetings, workshops, etc Board Meeting for LLC, Allegan County Community Foundation grant reception, Allegan County Library Association
Building Issues
Budget Issues -
Library Closings - Easter holiday
Volunteers - Egg filling, library redecorating, Friends group
Lakeland, State other library news -
Patron comments and suggestions -
Other -
Old Business - Copier quotes?
New Business - Fire Pit, Book Sales, Friends Group, Documentation for bank, Bookkeeping
Public Comment
Next Meeting Tuesday May 9th, 2017 at 7:00 PM


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Following the adoption of MiFID II by the EU Council on 13 May 2014, we signalled in our most recent MiFID II Briefing (available here) that the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) was expected to begin producing consultation papers in respect of the over 50 sets of regulatory technical standards, 16 sets of implementing technical standards, and various sets of recommendations, guidelines and pieces of technical advice which it had referred to in its 2014 Regulatory Work Programme.
In advance of the expected publication of MiFID II in the Official Journal in June 2014, ESMA has now published both a Discussion Paper (available here) and a Consultation Paper (available here), further details of which are set out below. The papers focus on:
- the structure, transparency and regulation of financial markets; and
- the strengthening of investor protection.
The deadline for responses to the questions asked by ESMA in both the Discussion Paper and the Consultation Paper is 1 August 2014. In advance of that deadline, ESMA will host three public hearings (on the topics of secondary markets, investor protection and commodity derivatives) on 7 and 8 July 2014.
The Discussion Paper
The Discussion Paper focuses on the "more innovative or technically complex" technical standards that ESMA is required to issue. Based on responses received to the Discussion Paper, ESMA will then issue a consultation paper that will include the drafts of those technical standards and the other technical standards that it is required to issue.
The key topics covered in the Discussion Paper are:
- investor protection (in particular, the authorisation of investment firms, passporting and best execution);
- transparency (in particular, the broader pre-trade transparency requirements for equity markets, the post-trade transparency regime for shares and equity-like instruments traded on trading venues, the extended systematic internaliser regime, the new trading obligation for shares admitted to trading on a regulated market or traded on a trading venue, the liquid market for non-equity financial instruments, the pre and post-trade transparency requirements for non-equity instruments, the transparency regime of non-equity large in scale orders and transactions, and the trading obligations for derivatives);
- data publication (in particular, authorisation and organisational requirements for data reporting services, the promotion of efficient and consistent dissemination of information, how the disaggregation of data is to be managed, and specifying which party to a transaction has to make the transaction public);
- access (in particular, the conditions under which trading venues will have access to central counterparties, and accessing and licensing benchmarks);
- microstructural issues (in particular, the definitions of "trading system" and "real time" (the latter in the context of algorithmic trading), together with the parameters for defining "severe market stress" and "disorderly trading conditions", organisational requirements for investment firms engaged in algorithmic trading, organisational requirements for trading venues that permit algorithmic trading, the 'Order-to-Transaction Ratio' regime, co-location services enabling access to trading venues, fee structures and tick-size regimes);
- requirements applicable in respect of trading venues (in particular, admission to trading, and suspending and removing financial instruments from trading);
- commodity derivatives (in particular, when an activity will be viewed as ancillary, position limits and position reporting);
- market data reporting (in particular, the obligation to report, and record-retention obligations); and
- post-trading issues (in particular, the obligation to clear derivatives traded on regulated markets and the timing of acceptance for clearing, and indirect clearing arrangements).
The Consultation Paper
On 24 April 2014, the European Commission (the Commission) asked ESMA to provide it with technical advice on various aspects of MiFID II within 6 months of MiFID II coming into force (MiFID II will come into force 20 days following publication in the Official Journal).
Key topics in respect of which the Commission has sought technical advice, and in respect of which ESMA is consulting, are as follows:
- investor protection, in particular:
- when an activity is provided in an incidental manner;
- possible changes to the definition of "investment advice" to remove the reference to "through distribution channels";
- improvements that could be made to the compliance function, complaints-handling and recording-keeping;
- organisational requirements for investment firms in the area of telephone recording and electronic communications;
- product governance requirements for manufacturers of investment products;
- safeguarding client assets, and the use of title transfer collateral arrangements;
- improvements to the existing conflicts of interest framework;
- organisational, conduct of business and conflicts of interest requirements in respect of underwriting and placing;
- remuneration policies and procedures, and how they interact with firms' duties to act in the best interests of clients;
- conditions for information to be fair, clear and not misleading;
- the provision of information to clients about investment advice and financial instruments, in particular as regards suitability and complexity, whether advice is being provided on an independent basis, and costs and charges;
- the management of inducements;
- the general suitability provision and the contents of the suitability report;
- reporting to clients (ESMA is not expected to recommend significant changes);
- best execution (again, ESMA is not expected to recommend significant changes, but is instead expected to propose small refinements to promote efficiency and investor protection);
- client order-handling (ESMA has indicated its view that the existing provisions should be confirmed);
- transactions executed with eligible counterparties (ESMA believes that the existing provisions should be confirmed, with the exception of the ability to recognise undertakings that are not large undertakings as eligible counterparties); and
- the criteria for exercising the new product intervention powers (as the European Banking Authority (EBA) will also have product intervention powers in respect of structured deposits, the EBA is expected to issue a separate consultation in this area);
- transparency, in particular:
- criteria for determining whether an equity or class of equity instrument is to be considered as liquid;
- clearly delineating between bonds and structured finance products and money market instruments by further specifying the definition of money market instruments; and
- regarding systematic internalisers (investment firms which, on an organised, systematic, frequent and substantial basis, deal on own account by executing client orders outside a regulated market, multilateral trading facility or organised trading facility without operating a multilateral system), the criteria for specifying what can be considered as exceptional market conditions enabling the withdrawal of quotes, when prices can be said to fall within a public range close to market conditions, when the number or volume of orders can be said to "considerably exceed the norm", and pre-trade transparency;
- data publication, in particular:
- access to systematic internalisers' quotes; and
- what constitutes a "reasonable commercial basis" in the context of the provision of certain data;
- micro-structural issues, in particular distinguishing between algorithmic trading and high-frequency algorithmic trading technique;
- trading venues, in particular:
- the requirements that SME growth markets will need to meet, and the registration and deregistration of those markets;
- the suspension and removal of financial instruments from trading where there could be significant damage to investors' interests and the orderly functioning of the market; and
- when the operations of a trading venue in a Member State would be considered to be of substantial importance for the functioning of the securities market and investor protection;
- commodity derivatives, in particular:
- contracts that must be physically settled; and
- position reporting thresholds;
- portfolio compression.
We will continue to issue updates once further consultation papers and draft technical standards are issued, and once ESMA's technical advice to the Commission is finalised.
This article contains a general summary of developments and is not a complete or definitive statement of the law. Specific legal advice should be obtained where appropriate.


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IELTS test in Lahore, Pakistan – March 2011 (Academic Module)
The IELTS exam below was shared by our friend R from Lahore, who remembered the following:
Listening test
Section 1. An information officer of a travel agency was providing information to a customer on the phone. They were talking about a tour on Santa's Island.
Section 2. An instructor was explaining a campus map to the new students of an institute.
Section 3. Students were talking about chimpanzee behavior they observed on a tour.
Section 4. A lecture about types of corporate styles.
Reading test
Passage 1. CSR – corporate social responsibility.
Passage 2. Traffic jams.
Passage 3. Don't remember.
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a report)
We were given three pie charts comparing exports of Argentina, Chile and Mexico in 2004.
Writing task 2 (an essay)
Mobile phones and the internet can be of great use for the elderly. In what ways do you think these can be helpful to them? How can they be encouraged to use this technology?
Get a self study book, for Academic click here, for General here.
No comments yet.


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Master Plus
Do a Master's!
Our Master Plus programme is aimed at students of all disciplines who are embarking on a master's degree, following the successful completion of a bachelor's degree. With financial income-related support we ensure our scholars are able to dedicate themselves fully to their studies. At the same time we accompany their personal development via our complimentary support programme.
Applications for Master Plus can be submitted for summer and winter semesters. Application periods and deadlines will be announced here in due course.
The duration of the Master Plus scholarship programme covers the standard period of study and ends upon completion of a Master's qualification.
As alumnus or alumna, our Master Plus scholars can participate in selected Claussen-Simon-Stiftung events and benefit from the alumni network even after their scholarship has ended.


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Nick Saban doesn't want to hear you criticize the quality of opponents that Alabama has on its schedule.
The Crimson Tide beat New Mexico State 62-10 on Saturday. The game was a week after New Mexico State, an independent team after parting ways with the Sun Belt, lost 58-7 at Washington State.
Following the blowout, which wasn't a contest at the end of the first quarter, Saban was asked what his team could learn from playing a team at the bottom of the FBS ranks. That led to an intriguing answer from Saban, who flatly said at one point that "we're playing the best teams that we can get to play us."
"Why don't you start calling around and see if you can get somebody else to play us and we'll play them," Saban said. "We'll play anybody you can get to play us."
Saban's thoughts on college football scheduling are well-known at this point and he expressed them in the video above. He would love to play a schedule full of Power Five opponents.
But he also realizes that isn't possible. And besides, games like Saturday's are a great way for New Mexico State to help its athletic department. Alabama paid $1.7 million to the Aggies for the game. That money goes a long way for a school that doesn't get tens of millions in television dollars for being part of a power conference.
Alabama has shifted its scheduling philosophy from major neutral-site games to home-and-home games in the near future. But power programs also like to have seven home games — or more — for their season ticket holders. And those teams get to have more home than road games by paying smaller teams to travel.
It's the way college football scheduling works. It's far from perfect. But Saban has a legitimate point. Alabama beating New Mexico State by over 50 points may not be that entertaining. But it's a necessary evil.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
More from Yahoo Sports:


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Bureau Vallee Dream Cup
With the final event of the 2019 PWA World Tour just over a week away we decided to take a quick look at the world title race to show you who needs what to win the Men's & Women's PWA Slalom World titles. The season finale will see the elite of the racing world return to New Caledonia for the first time since 2017? For the 2019 Bureau Vallee Dream Cup - which takes place between the 18th-23rd November.
Delphine Cousin Questel (Starboard / S2Maui) is in a dominant position heading into the season finale as a top 3 finish would guarantee her a 4th Slalom World Championship. On paper that would look like somewhat of a formality as the last time Cousin Questel finished outside the top 3 was in 2017.
However, with the revelation that the reigning world champion is currently battling to get back to full fitness after injuring her foot whilst wave sailing means that a top 3 finish in New Caledonia is certainly not a foregone conclusion, so that could still open the door for Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone), who is Cousin Questel's only threat. In order for Mortefon to have a chance of winning the title Cousin Questel would have to finish 4th or worse and Mortefon would have to win the event. Finishing second would see the two women tied on 30,500 points, but Cousin Questel would win the world title on countback.
In the men's, it looks like it will be a straight fight for the title between current world tour leader - Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne) and Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins), who is aiming to win his first world title. The two title contenders will enter New Caledonia tied on 30,400 points - with Iachino only ahead of countback, therefore whoever beats who will win the world title if they finish 5th or better.
However, if both Iachino and Mortefon were to finish 6th or worse, then that would open the door for reigning world champion - Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) - to swoop in and snatch a 26th world title, but only if he were to win the event… all three sailors would then finish tied on 40,300 points, but Albeau would win on countback as he would've beaten Iachino/Mortefon in 3 out of the 5 events.
Other scenarios where Albeau could win would be:
- If Iachino/Mortefon were to finish 7th then a second place would be good enough for Albeau to win.
- If Iachino/Mortefon were to finish 8th then a third place would be good enough for Albeau to win etc.
You'll be able to watch how the world title races unfold by tuning into www.pwaworldtour.com from the 18th-23rd November with Ben Proffitt to guide you through the action.


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!! History Commons Alert, Exciting News
This is a scalable context timeline. It contains events related to the event Mid-March 2004: CIA Interviews Curveball; Confirms that He's a Fabricator. You can narrow or broaden the context of this timeline by adjusting the zoom level. The lower the scale, the more relevant the items on average will be, while the higher the scale, the less relevant the items, on average, will be.
Iraqi defector "Curveball." [Source: ABC News]"Curveball," an Iraqi in his late 20s later identified as Rafid Ahmed Alwan (see November 4, 2007), travels to Germany on a tourist visa and applies for political asylum, telling German immigration officials that he embezzled money from the Iraqi government and fears prison or worse if he returns home. The Germans send him to Zirndorf, a refugee center near Nuremberg, where other Iraqi exiles seeking German visas are being held. There, he changes his story, telling German intelligence (BND) officers that he was a chemical engineer (see 1994) who had been promoted to direct a secret mobile biological weapons plant at Djerf al Nadaf, just outside of Baghdad. The plant masqueraded as a "seed purification plant," he claims. Curveball tells the Germans that in Iraq, he designed laboratory equipment to convert trucks into biological weapons laboratories. He offers the names of six sites where Iraq might be hiding them, three of which, he says, are already in operation. He also says that a farm program to boost crop yields is a front for Hussein's new biological weapons production program. He tells the Germans of a warehouse at the plant that housed trucks; the trucks had been equipped to create and transport biological weapons. His story dovetails with the long-held fears by Western intelligence agencies that Saddam Hussein was cooking up biological and chemical weapons; the Germans stash him away, nickname him "Curveball," and interrogate him every few days for the next eighteen months (see January 2000-September 2001). Curveball refuses to meet with Americans; therefore, only summaries of his debriefings will be sent to Washington. CIA analysts will be mesmerized by Alwan's information. Former senior CIA official Tyler Drumheller recalls in late 2007, "Curveball was the one piece of evidence where they could say, 'Look at this. If they have this capability, where they can transport biological weapons, anthrax, all these horrible weapons, they can attack our troops with them. They can give them to terrorist groups.'" Most arresting is Curveball's story that in 1998 he saw an accidental release of a biological weapon that killed 12 people. His story is almost entirely false. [Los Angeles Times, 11/20/2005; CBS News, 11/4/2007] Vincent Cannistraro, former head of the CIA's Counter Terrorism Center, will tell the New Yorker in 2004 that the CIA believes that Aras Habib, the INC intelligence chief later accused of providing US intelligence to Iran, played a part in Curveball's going to Germany. "The CIA is positive of it," he says. [New Yorker, 6/7/2004] Bob Drogin, author of the 2007 book Curveball: Spies, Lies and the Con Man Who Caused a War, will write that Curveball gives the Germans detailed diagrams of germ-making equipment, fermenters, mixing vats, controllers, and other items, which appear "plausible," even though they can't be reverse-engineered to "brew anthrax" or "build a bio-lab in a garage." Instead, he will write, Curveball's inconsistent information will be "interpreted, summarized, reformatted and analyzed at every stage," but will never be verified. Drogin will call the entire affair "the dark side of intelligence," and will write that, to the CIA's top officials, the risk of going so far on uncorroborated evidence would take care of itself once US forces found the fabled Iraqi WMDs. Once the weapons were in hand, Drogin will write, they will figure "no one would remember a bogus defector." As a CIA supervisor will later e-mail to a frustrated agency whistleblower, "Let's keep in mind the fact that this war's going to happen regardless of what Curveball said or didn't say, and that the Powers That Be probably aren't terribly interested in whether Curveball knows what he's talking about." [Los Angeles Times, 10/21/2007]
Entity Tags: Tyler Drumheller, Bob Drogin, Vincent Cannistraro, Iraqi National Congress, Central Intelligence Agency, Aras Habib, Bundesnachrichtendienst, 'Curveball'
Timeline Tags: Events Leading to Iraq Invasion
Dr. Basil al-Sa'ati. [Source: CBS News]The Iraqi defector known as Curveball (see November 4, 2007), who is providing German and US intelligence analysts with fascinating but fallacious stories of his involvement with what he claims is a secret Iraqi mobile biological weapons laboratory (see November 1999), provides the names of real Iraqis with whom he claims to have worked, further convincing the analysts of his veracity. One name he cites is that of nuclear scientist Dr. Basil al-Sa'ati, whom he claims was one of the mobile bioweapons program's senior officials. In late 2007, long after Curveball has been proven to be a complete fabricator, a reporter asks al-Sa'ati, "[Curveball] told German intelligence that you personally were fully involved in the project to use [a laboratory site at] Djerf al Nadaf for mobile biological weapons." Al-Sa'ati's reply: "Big lie." Had anything of that nature gone on there, he will say, he would "definitely" have known about it. "It was… really seed purification" and not a bioweapons facility, al-Sa'ati will say. Al-Sa'ati is equally dismissive with the Germans. If Curveball were involved in something so secret, al-Sa'ati asks the Germans, why did Saddam Hussein let him emigrate in 1999? Curveball had not known of al-Sa'ati's emigration and subsequent availability to Western intelligence agencies, and becomes less cooperative and more reticent. Doubts about Curveball's veracity began to grow among the Germans. [CBS News, 11/4/2007]
Entity Tags: Basil al-Sa'ati, Central Intelligence Agency, 'Curveball', Bundesnachrichtendienst
Babel TV facility, from which Curveball stole equipment. [Source: CBS News]Curveball, the Iraqi defector (see November 4, 2007) whose claims that Saddam Hussein has mobile bioweapons became an integral part of Secretary of State Colin Powell's presentation to the UN (see February 5, 2003) "proving" the existence of Iraqi WMDs, continues to disintegrate as a reliable intelligence source. His fundamental claims of being a senior Iraqi chemical engineer working on the secret bioweapons project falls apart as both German intelligence analysts and the CIA gather more information on him. Veteran CIA bio-weapons analyst publicly identified only as "Jerry," who before the war had championed Curveball's claim that Iraq had mobile biological weapons laboratories, leads a unit of the Iraq Survey Group to Baghdad to investigate Curveball's background. His team locates Curveball's personnel file in an Iraqi government storeroom and learns that the Iraqi defector's allegations consisted of a string of lies. Curveball came in last in his engineering class, not first, as he had told his debriefers (see 1994 and January 2000-September 2001). Nor was he a project chief or site manager, as he had claimed. Rather he was just a low-level trainee engineer. Dr. Basil al-Sa'ati, whom Curveball cited as his supervisor at the Djerf al Nadaf seed purification plant (Curveball claimed that the plant was a secret bioweapons production facility), confirmed that Curveball did indeed work for him at the plant, where al-Sa'ati was the head of production design. But Curveball only worked there a few months, while the facility was being built, and was fired in 1995, the very year that he presumably began working on the alleged program to convert trucks into biological weapons laboratories. The following years were not auspicious for Curveball: he was jailed for a sex crime, briefly drove a taxi in Baghdad, and worked for Iraq's Babel television production company until he was charged with stealing equipment (the charges were dropped when he agreed to reimburse the company for his theft.) He even sold "homemade cosmetics," according to his friend Dr. Hillal al Dulaimi. Curveball claimed to have witnessed a biological accident that killed 12 people at Djerf al Nadaf in 1998, but he wasn't even in Iraq by that time. He had left the country, traveled around the Middle East, and wound up in Morocco. No trace exists of Curveball between that time and when he defected to Germany in 1999. Curveball's former bosses at the engineering center tell CIA officers that they got duped, falling for "water cooler gossip" and "corridor conversations." "The Iraqis were all laughing," a member of the Iraq Survey Group will later recall. "They were saying, 'This guy? You've got to be kidding.'" The team even interviews Curveball's childhood friends who also corroborate what others have said about him. They say he was a "great liar," a "con artist," and "a real operator." Everyone's description of Curveball is the same: "People kept saying what a rat Curveball was." Jerry and another CIA analyst, having heard enough, end the investigation and return to Washington. According to David Kay, by this time Jerry is close to having a nervous breakdown. "They had been true believers in Curveball," Kay says. "They absolutely believed in him. They knew every detail in his file. But it was total hokum. There was no truth in it. They said they had to go home to explain how all this was all so wrong." But the CIA doesn't want to hear it. Jerry is accused of "making waves" and then transferred out of the weapons center. According to Michael Scheuer, another dissident CIA analyst, "Jerry had become kind of a nonperson. There was a tremendous amount of pressure on him not to say anything. Just to sit there and shut up." [Los Angeles Times, 11/20/2005; CBS News, 11/4/2007]
Entity Tags: Michael Scheuer, Bundesnachrichtendienst, Hillal al Dulaimi, United Nations, Saddam Hussein, Central Intelligence Agency, "Jerry", Colin Powell, 'Curveball', Basil al-Sa'ati
In the wake of the report by US inspector David Kay that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction (see December 2003), Secretary of State Colin Powell's mood becomes more and more glum (see February 5, 2003). His chief of staff, Lawrence Wilkerson, will later recall: "Well, [Powell] got a telephone call each time a pillar fell. It was either John [McLaughlin, deputy CIA director], calling Rich [Armitage, Powell's deputy], and Rich telling him, or it was [CIA Director] George [Tenet] or John calling the secretary. And I remember this vividly because he would walk through my door, and his face would grow more morose each time, and he'd say, 'Another pillar just fell.' I said, 'Which one this time?' And, of course, the last one was the mobile biological labs (see Mid-March 2004). Finally, when that call came, the secretary came through the door and said, 'The last pillar has just collapsed. The mobile biological labs don't exist.' Turned around and went back into his office." [Vanity Fair, 2/2009]
Entity Tags: Richard Armitage, Colin Powell, George J. Tenet, John E. McLaughlin, Lawrence Wilkerson
Timeline Tags: Iraq under US Occupation
The CIA sends one of its best officers to Germany to interrogate the Iraqi defector known as Curveball (see November 1999 and November 4, 2007). Until now, both Curveball and German intelligence officials have resisted allowing the US to interview Curveball for themselves, but evidence that Curveball is not who he says he is has already surfaced (see June 2003-Late 2003). The CIA officer, fluent in German and experienced at questioning reluctant sources, quickly determines that Curveball is a fabricator. Each night, the officer files a report summarizing the day's interrogation session, and then follows up with a phone call to Tyler Drumheller, the head of CIA spying in Europe. "After the first couple of days, he said, 'This doesn't sound good,'" Drumheller later recalls. "After the first week, he said, 'This guy is lying. He's lying about a bunch of stuff.'" [Los Angeles Times, 11/20/2005] Unable to Explain Discrepancy in Statements - One key item was Curveball's inability to explain the discrepancies between his description of the supposed mobile bioweapons facility at Djerf al Nadaf, in particular why there was a wall blocking what Curveball claimed was a secret entrance to a warehouse where mobile bioweapons trucks entered (see Mid- and Late 2001). Drumheller says in 2007, "[T]he key thing, I think, was the wall. He showed him pictures of the wall." Curveball retorts, according to Drumheller, "'You doctored these pictures.' And [the CIA interrogator] said, 'No, we didn't.'" Curveball would have no way of knowing about the wall because it had been built in 1997, two years after he had left Djerf al Nadaf. Drumheller recalls, "… Curveball said, 'I don't think I'm gonna say anything else.'" [CBS News, 11/4/2007] Curveball never admits he's lying. "He never said, 'You got me,'" according to Drumheller. "He just shrugged, and didn't say anything. It was all over. We told our guy, 'You might as well wrap it up and come home.'" [Los Angeles Times, 11/20/2005] Reporter: Curveball a Liar and Con Artist - In October 2007, reporter Bob Drogin, author of Curveball: Spies, Lies and the Con Man Who Caused a War, calls Curveball "a twitchy, possibly mentally disturbed drunk who was prone to rapid mood-swings and whose story tended to shift according to what he thought investigators wanted to hear." [Alternet, 10/22/2007]
Entity Tags: Tyler Drumheller, 'Curveball'
Rafid Ahmed Alwan. [Source: CBS News]CBS News reveals the identity of the infamous Iraqi defector, "Curveball," whose information was used by the Bush administration to build its case for Iraqi biological weapons. Curveball's real identity is Rafid Ahmed Alwan, an Iraqi who defected to Germany in November 1999, where he requested asylum at a refugee center near Nuremberg (see November 1999). The evidence Curveball provided was detailed, compelling, and completely false, but instrumental in driving the US towards invading Iraq. Former senior CIA official Tyler Drumheller, who was unable to convince either his superiors in the agency or senior officials in the White House that Curveball was untrustworthy (see September 2002), says of Curveball's contribution to the rhetoric of war, "If they [the Bush administration] had not had Curveball they would have probably found something else. 'Cause there was a great determination to do it. But going to war in Iraq, under the circumstances we did, Curveball was the absolutely essential case." CBS reporter Bob Simon says Curveball is "not only a liar, but also a thief and a poor student instead of the chemical engineering whiz he claimed to be." The CIA eventually acknowledged Alwan as a fraud. The question remains, why did he spin such an elaborate tale? Drumheller thinks it was for the most prosaic of reasons. "It was a guy trying to get his Green Card, essentially, in Germany, playing the system for what it was worth. It just shows sort of the law of unintended consequences." Alwan is believed to be still living in Germany, most likely under an assumed name. [CBS News, 11/4/2007]
Entity Tags: Bundesnachrichtendienst, Bob Simon, Tyler Drumheller, CBS News, 'Curveball', Bush administration (43)
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The Association of Fundraising Professionals South Eastern Ontario Chapter is proud to honour all National Philanthropy Day® Award nominees at our annual Celebrate Philanthropy from the Heart Event. CLICK HERE for more information about this year's event.Past recipient information can be found below:
2018 NPD Award Recipients2017 NPD Award Recipients2016 NPD Award Recipients2015 NPD Award Recipients | View the highlights from the 2015 GalaCongratulations to all our past award nominees and recipients. You are making impactful changes in the lives of others in southeastern Ontario!


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"Rebecca, I wanted to thank you again for perfectly capturing my floral visions (or lack there of haha) for my big day. I was so excited to see all the flowers and loved all of the small details. You truly area are a master of your craft and I can not tell you how much I appreciate how wonderful you made the whole experience. Wishing you all the best in your business and with your new bundle of joy. Thank you!
Ainsely B. September 2019
"Hi Rebecca!! ...... I am still in awe of the florals you created, it was exactly my vision and beyond that. I'm still speechless when I look at my bouquet!! Tyler and I can't thank you enough for being part of our special day, we wouldn't have wanted anyone else to help make our vision come to life."
Erica S. August 2019
"Thank you again for the amazing work you did on our wedding florals. They were everything I dreamed of and more and I really appreciate you worked with our vision to make it come to life. "
Ellen M. July 2019
"I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for putting the finishing touches on our wedding at Heron Hill. Without a doubt, you were our most professional vendor to engage with and you made it so easy to work with you from afar. You captured my look exactly and were so flexible with our changing styles and requests. You are truly talented and we sincerely appreciate you making our special day that much easier! I would recommend you to anyone who comes our way! .........Thanks again!"
Jackie B. July 2019
"You did an AMAZING job with the flowers. I can not find the words to describe how happy you made us!! .......Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Brenda A. June 2019
"Rebecca, you took my vision and brought it to life! Having the most beautiful flowers was very important to me on my wedding day and you understood exactly what I wanted within our budget! Thank you for being so supportive throughout the entire planning process! I'm so happy we chose you to style our flowers for our wedding! "
Caitlyn B. June 2019
"Rebecca we wanted to thank you. Your work is incredible. We had so many compliments on your beautiful flowers - they turned out exactly how we pictured them, but even better!! You are incredible and we are so thankful for everything you did for us!
Cortney B. June 2019
"Hi Rebecca, I can not thank you enough for all that you did this past weekend. Everything was absolutely perfect and fit with the vision for the weekend more than I could have ever imagined........and my bouquet, I could not have asked for anything more!! The fact that you took care of everything so seamlessly in the midst of chaos is incredible too.......Thank you again for everything!!"
Lauren S. 2018
"Rebecca, I wanted to say thank you for the amazing flowers for our wedding! You really went above and beyond, our wedding party and guests were in disbelief with how beautiful the flowers were!.....I can't thank you enough for making our day so special."
Ryan W. 2018
"Hello Rebecca, Heading home now, but couldn't let another pass without reaching out to thank you for the beautiful flowers yesterday. I could't have asked for a more beautiful bouquet and centerpieces! All the guests commented on how beautiful they were.......love and happiness."
Bruce and Julia 2018
"Rebecca, Our wedding was magical, and could not have been pulled off in 5 months without your beautiful arrangements. Thank you for your recommendations throughout the whole planning process. From the arch to the romantic reception tables and of course the brides's bouquet, it was breathtaking. Thank you!
Emma A. 2018
"Rebecca, you created the most gorgeous flowers I have ever seen in my life. Of all the weddings I've been to nothing compares to yours. Thank you from the bottom of my heart....I wish you all the great success you so deserve."
Barbara R. 2017
Photo by Alexandra Elise Photography


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Recently demised Ekushey Padak winning poet Hayat Saif was remembered at a memorial meeting held at Poet Shamsur Rahman Seminar Room of Bangla Academy on Monday.
Hayat Saif passed away while undergoing treatment at the United Hospital in the capital at 12:04am on May 13. He was 76.
The programme titled 'Kobi Hayat Saif Er Proyane Shoronshava' was organised by Bangla Academy.
Bangla Academy director general Habibullah Siraji delivered the welcome speech at the programme, presided over by honorary president of International Theatre Institute Ramendu Majumdar.
Renowned poet Asad Chowdhury, writer Anwara Syed Haq, poet Zahidul Haque, thespian Ferdousi Majumdar, Hayat Saif's youngest son Mehran Saif and poet and translator Aminur Rahman, among others, spoke at the event.
'Hayat Saif was greatly inspired by Sudhindranath Dutta and Jibanananda Das. He was not only a good writer but a skilled translator too. He enriched Bengali literature through his works. His death has left a huge void in country's literary scene,' said poet Asad Chowdhury.
'He was my classmate and one of my close friends during student life. He didn't get the recognition he deserved. He was an honest, kind, studious and wise person,' said Ramendu Majumdar.
'I had known Hayat Saif for the last thirty five years. He was always there for me whenever I needed him,' said Aminur Rahman.
'My father was a wonderful person. He deserved so much more. I urge everyone to pray for his departed soul,' said Mehran Saif.
Born in 1942 in Dhaka, Hayat Saif studied English literature at Dhaka University.
After graduation, he taught in different colleges, including Rajshahi College, for about three years and then joined the Pakistan superior service in the finance cadre in 1968. He was involved in the revenue administration and tax policy making for more than three decades. He retired in 1999 as chairman of the National Board of Revenue.
He has eight collections of poems including Rasunbonar Itikotha, Santrashe Subash and others. Saif was also prolific in translation and essays with seven titles of translations and essays to his credit.
He was conferred Ekushey Padak in 2018.
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text: Periodic paralysis - hypokalemic; Familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis; HOKPP; HypoKPP; HypoPPHypokalemic periodic paralysis (hypoPP) is a disorder that causes occasional episodes of muscle weakness and sometimes a lower than normal level of potassium in the blood. The medical name for low potassium level is hypokalemia.HypoPP is one of a group of genetic disorders that includes hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and thyrotoxic periodic paralysis.HypoPP is the most common form of periodic paralysis. It affects males more often.HypoPP is congenital. This means it is present at birth. In most cases, it is passed down through families (inherited) as an autosomal dominant disorder. In other words only one parent needs to pass the gene related to this condition on to their child in order for the child to be affected. In some cases, the condition may be the result of a genetic problem that is not inherited.Unlike other forms of periodic paralysis, people with hypoPP have normal thyroid function. But they have a very low blood level of potassium during episodes of weakness. This results from potassium moving from the blood into muscle cells in an abnormal way.Risk factors include having other family members with periodic paralysis. The risk is slightly higher in Asian men who also have thyroid disorders. Symptoms Symptoms include attacks of muscle weakness or loss of muscle movement (paralysis) that come and go. There is normal muscle strength between attacks.Attacks usually begin in the teen years, but they can occur before age 10. How often the attacks occur varies. Some people have attacks every day. Others have them once a year. During attacks the person remains alert.The weakness or paralysis:Most commonly occurs at the shoulders and hipsMay also affect the arms, legs, muscles of the eyes, and muscles that help with breathing and swallowingOccurs off and onMost commonly occurs on awakening or after sleep or restIs rare during exercise, but may be triggered by resting after exerciseMay be triggered by high-carbohydrate, high-salt meals, stress, pregnancy, heavy exercise, and coldAn attack usually lasts for several hours up to a dayAnother symptom may include eyelid myotonia (a condition in which after opening and closing the eyes, they cannot be opened for a short time). Exams and Tests The health care provider may suspect hypoPP based on a family history of the disorder. Other clues to the disorder are muscle weakness symptoms that come and go with normal or low results of a potassium test.Between attacks, a physical examination shows nothing abnormal. Before an attack, there may be leg stiffness or heaviness in the legs.During an attack of muscle weakness, blood potassium level is low. This confirms the diagnosis. There is no decrease in total body potassium. Blood potassium level is normal between attacks.During an attack, muscle reflexes are decreased or absent. And muscles go limp rather than staying stiff. Muscle groups near the body, such as the shoulders and hips, are involved more often than the arms and legs.Tests that may be done include:Electrocardiogram (ECG), which may be abnormal during attacksElectromyography (EMG), which is usually normal between attacks and abnormal during attacksMuscle biopsy, which may show abnormalitiesOther tests may be ordered to rule out other causes. Treatment The goals of treatment are relief of symptoms and prevention of further attacks.Muscle weakness that involves the breathing or swallowing muscles is an emergency situation. Dangerous irregular heartbeats (heart arrhythmias) may also occur during attacks. Any of these must be treated right away.Potassium given during an attack may stop the attack. Potassium can be taken by mouth. But if weakness is severe, potassium may need to be given through a vein (IV).Taking potassium supplements may help prevent muscle weakness.Eating a low-carbohydrate diet may help decrease symptoms.A medicine called acetazolamide may be prescribed to prevent attacks. Your provider may tell you to also take potassium supplements because acetazolamide may cause your body to lose potassium.If acetazolamide does not work for you, other medicines may be prescribed. Outlook (Prognosis) HypoPP responds well to treatment. Treatment may prevent, and even reverse, progressive muscle weakness. Although muscle strength starts out normal between attacks, repeated attacks may eventually cause worsening and permanent muscle weakness between attacks. Possible Complications Health problems that may be due to this condition include:Kidney stones (a side effect of acetazolamide)Irregular heartbeat during attacksDifficulty breathing, speaking, or swallowing during attacks (rare)Muscle weakness that worsens over time When to Contact a Medical Professional Call your provider if you or your child have muscle weakness that comes and goes, especially if you have family members who have periodic paralysis.Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you faint or have trouble breathing, speaking, or swallowing. Prevention HypoPP cannot be prevented. Because it can be inherited, genetic counseling may be advised for couples at risk of the disorder.Treatment prevents attacks of weakness. Before an attack, there may be leg stiffness or heaviness in the legs. Doing mild exercise when these symptoms start may help prevent a full-blown attack.ReferencesAmato AA. Disorders of skeletal muscle. In: Daroff RB, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, eds. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 110.Kerchner GA, Ptacek LJ. Channelopathies: episodic and electrical disorders of nervous system. In: Daroff RB, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SK, eds. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 99.Tilton AH. Acute neuromuscular diseases and disorders. In: Fuhrman BP, Zimmerman JJ, eds. Pediatric Critical Care. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 71.Zhou J, Bose D, Allen PD, Pessah IN. Malignant hyperthermia and muscle-related disorders. In: Miller RD, ed. Miller's Anesthesia. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2015:chap 43.BACK TO TOP


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Win a chocolate making workshop for two
1 prize to be won!
Treat a friend to a fabulously fun day out indulging in the nations favourite sweet treat! Chocolate! This amazing workshop begins with an informative talk, filling you in on the history of this magnificent foodstuff, by an experienced and knowledgeable chocolatier. Next sample the delicious chocolate fountain and after instruction from the professionals, make your very own unique truffle fillings, dip truffles into Belgian chocolate and decorate. Leave this wonderful day out with between 40 and 50 scrumptious delights to enjoy at home! Enter now to win this amazing prize!
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Chameleon Brass
Chameleon Brass
CHAMELEON BRASS is a vibrant, entertaining ensemble, who enjoy playing music that audiences respond to. They have performed with The BBC Singers and have played at venues such as the Millennium Dome, Fairfield Halls and St Johns, Smith Square. All members of the group have worked on Yehudi Menuhin's Live Music Now! scheme and are committed to music in education, currently working with several London boroughs. Individually the members of the group are freelance players and have worked with the RPO, Ulster, English National Opera, Royal Opera House, National Symphony and London Concert Orchestras and the Glenn Miller Band. In 2001 Chameleon Brass completed their first album "It's All Been Arranged", containing such works as Bohemian Rhapsody, William Tell Overture and Porgy & Bess Suite.
virtuosity is only matched by their enthusiasm"
Brass performed a highly professional interactive concert that left
the children enthused. I highly recommend them"
engaging and confidently professional"
playing and innovative material...encompassing such a breadth of
style takes considerable skill"
have worked with Chameleon Brass on a number of occasions and have
never failed to be delighted by their talent, skill and enthusiasm"
|Giles Fowler
Giles' early musical training came from the junior department of Birmingham Conservatories before studying at the Royal College of Music. He subsequently moved to London and has been Principal Trumpet with the Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra, (the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra), he was also a member of the European Community Youth Orchestra. During his time at the Royal College Giles won prizes for brass playing, gave the first performance of Neil Crossland's Trumpet Concerto, was lead trumpet of the Big Band under Don Lusher and participated in Masterclasses with John Wallace. Giles is currently Principal Trumpet in the All Souls Orchestra with whom he has appeared as a soloist, and broadcast on BBC 2. Recent engagements have included a live Radio 4 broadcast, playing for Her Majesty The Queen, touring with the RPO and recording for BBC TV "Songs of Praise" with Sir Harry Secombe.
|Ian Stott
|Ian started playing the french horn at the age of eleven. At sixteen he passed grade 8 and enlisted in The Life Guards Band. During his time in the Army he studied at the Guards School of Music where he won the prize of Best Horn player and later went on to study at Kneller Hall, The Royal Military School of Music, under Denzil Floyd. During his nine years with the band as Principal Horn he played live on Radio 2&3, recorded 5 CDs including work with Sony, appeared on television and regularly performed for Her Majesty The Queen. Since leaving the Army Ian has studied at the Guildhall School of Music under Jonathan Lipton. Ian is now a freelance musician playing with West Forest Symfonia as Principal Horn and the Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra. As well as Chameleon Brass Quintet, Ian is a member of the Beaufort Wind Ensemble. Ian also enjoys teaching for Kingston Music Services and Berkshire Music Trust.
|Matthew Wells
|Matthew began playing trumpet at an early age having had his roots firmly laid through playing in the Salvation Army brass band. Matthew was awarded a scholarship in 1992 to study at the Royal College of Music in London. During his four years there he studied the trumpet with Michael Laird and Malcolm Smith, and Baroque Trumpet with Mark Bennett. He was awarded many prizes during his time at the college including the Keith Falker Bach/Handel prize and the Royal College of Music Senior Brass prize. He completed his studies in 1996 with a Bachelor of Music degree. Since leaving music college, Matthew has freelanced as a professional trumpet player working both on modern and natural trumpets. He has completed tours all over the world and has performed with many leading orchestras and groups of the Royal Opera House, RPO Concert Orchestra, English Concert Orchestra and other prestigious orchestras and groups
|Richard Fox
|Richard first started playing the tuba at the age of 12, having been inspired by a recording of Jabba the Hut from the Return of the Jedi soundtrack. He subsequently won an award from Surrey County Council to go to the junior department of the Guildhall School of Music where he studied tuba with Owen Marshall. After A levels Richard went to study music at City University, and tuba at the Guildhall with Jim Anderson, and it was here that he first became interested in Contemporary Music, Jazz, World Music and Free Improvisation. Richard has performed with a wide variety of different ensembles including the London Sinfonietta, Paul Whiteman Orchestra, The Brasshoppers, English National Opera, the All Souls Orchestra, Paul Rutherford's Iskastra, and has taught at the junior Royal College. Currently Richard works as a freelance tuba player in the London area and teaches for Surrey Youth Music and Performing Arts.
|Steven Thompson
|After leaving school Steven studied at the London College of Music and subsequently at the Trinity College of Music under John Edney for 4 years where he passed the Associate of the Royal College of Music Diploma. He was then lucky enough to be given the oppurtunity to further his studies with a Jazz scholarship at the Trinity College being taught by Warwick Tyrell and Don Lusher. He is currently a freelance musician and also teaches for Berkshire Music Service as well as running his own swing band - The Blue Chips.
|Contact Details
|Ian Stott
|01306 880018
|Equally at home in the recital hall or as background music for corporate events, and their educational programme has proved very successful. Chameleon Brass has a wide repertoire that can cater to most tastes. For further information visit our website given below or contact Ian as above.
|Giles Fowler (trumpet), Matthew Wells (trumpet), Richard Fox (tuba), Ian Stott (horn), Steve Thompson (trombone)
|Web Site
|Pictures courtesy of Venture Kingston - 020 8605 1212


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Latest ASLEF News
The Jack Leslie statue campaign
AAD: Wednesday 23 May Oystein Aslaksen
24 May 2018
Øystein Aslaksen, international secretary of the Norsk Lokomotivmannsforbund, the Norwegian train drivers' union, attended AAD to talk to, and listen to, delegates 'as many of our fights are your fights, too.' His union has 1,600 members, and 100% density, across the public and private sectors in Norway.
'We choose to stay as a separate union, representing locomotive drivers, on the main line network (metro drivers belong to the municipal union) and we have good relationships, mostly, with other rail unions.
'We want to discuss policy with other trade unions because different countries can learn from each other. You have been through the privatisation process and people all over the world are very interested in listening to your thoughts and hearing the lessons you have learned. Simon Weller and I were in India recently and UK experiences are highly valued among colleagues.
'Norway is not a member of the European Union… and I strongly advise you not to use our model for the United Kingdom. Because we recognise that legislation from the EU is harmful for workers. Some of the laws – and directives – are very problematic for us.'
Back »


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Month: February 2017
February Section Meeting – Touring the UA Physical Plant
We had a great time crawling all over the UA Physical Plant for our February meeting & tour. Thanks to Doug Moore for another great tour!
Invited Talk – Serving Humanity Through a Dynamic Profession
The UA-Fayetteville IEEE/PELS students hosted a great talk from Dr. Alan Mantooth, UA Distinguished Professor and the current President of IEEE PELS. Prof. Mantooth talked about the future of the power electronics society and several exciting contests and initiatives in PELS focusing on electrification for those in need. Serving Humanity Through a Dynamic Profession –… Read more
Spring Section Meetings and Events Announced
February, March and April – lots of tours, invited talks and the Region 5 conference coming up! February Section Meeting – Turbine Generator Tour – Thursday, Feb 23 (details) For our first section meeting of 2017 we're repeating an often-requested tour of the Physical Plant at the UA-Fayetteville. All members and students are invited. We'll… Read more


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Jody N, a 18 year old student from Adelaide, Australia who has a very cold look when she is not smiling. But I know she is hiding her smile as it is simply too contagious. You will get what I mean when you look at her pictures. We simply love her sense for fashion and her ability to carry even the boldest colors. We will be getting a lot of other reviews from her so stay tune to this blog and also remember to follow her blog and instagram.
Jody in our applique ribboning hem prom dress (Wisteria) which is currently all sold. But stay tune for its come back with additional colors
Remember to like her blog and instagram.


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Week 4 (27th April - 1st May 2020)
Home Learning Update (26.4.20)
As communicated through a letter on Friday 24th April we are re-designing our home learning activities and will go live with those on Monday 4th May. In the interim we are providing you with our current daily activities as well as a weekly learning pack from the Robin Hood Trust (Under the Sea). The intention is not that the children do both but that you can pick or choose whichever suits you best. You might decide to do one or the other, or you can mix and match the activities.


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Perfored belt conveyor for the transport of aluminum shavings
AL Industrie desings, manufactures and installs any conveying solutions.
This conveyor was designed and manufactured by AL Industrie in order to transport fragmented and thready aluminum while filtering the different cutting fluids falling to our customer's machine.
Equipped with a perforated belt, the conveyor collects aluminum shavings and drop the cutting fluids to the filtration bin.
The aluminum is pulled up to a grab where it will be treated. The 100 liters of liquid per hour are filtrated, firstly via filtration grids places on both sides of the bin, and thanks to a pump triggered via a level detector. This system allows our customer to collect his cutting fluids to be cleaned and reused.
The perforated belt conveyors are mainly used in the mechanical industry, where machine tools produce a lot of shavings and cutting fluids.
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Perforated belt of 63 mm step
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Motorization with torque limiter
Design by our engineering consulting firm
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ShowingFilter 1-1 of 1 listings.
Sunset Zambezi River Cruise with Transport from Victoria Falls
$ 73
2 Hours Day Cruises Hotel Pickup Offered
Experience the stunning beauty of the African sunset on this 2-hour evening Zambezi River cruise. Enjoy a champagne toast with fellow passengers as you gaze out over the placid waters in search of hippos, crocodiles and elephants. Unlimited drinks and snacks are a part of this relaxing evening that showcases the best of the famous Zimbabwe waterway.View Tour


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Thunderstorm at Playa de las Catedrales
Thunderstorm at Playa de las Catedrales in Spain
This month's image looks quite different from the one we published here last month right after our trip to Northern Spain. But in fact it isn't, this picture was taken on the same beach (Playa de las Catedrales) and on the same day, just a couple of minutes before the other one. It shows the opposite direction, the view to the West. It was a fabulous rainy sunset, and that's why we had this otherwise pretty popular beach all to ourselves. But we did not remain long either after we took these two images. The thunder began to roll and the lightning storm chased us away and back to our "Faraday cage" (=car ;-) ).
Spring is a great season for shooting the coast in Northern Spain. Some of the rocks are covered by a striking green then, which seems to disappear during the hot summer months, leaving but bare rocks for those visiting the coast during fall season.
You will find more information about this place and the incredible "row of arches" in our two other blogs:
- Sunset at Playa de las Catedrales (information on the permits and the required tide conditions)
- Playa de las Catedrales in Northern Spain dealing with our first visit(s)
Image data: 1 s at f/14, ISO 100; Canon EF 16-35 mm at 20 mm, Canon EOS 5D Mark IV


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Timmer's Resort has been sold
Dec. 14, 2018 – Big Cedar Lake, WI – There's a new owner for Timmer's Resort on Big Cedar Lake.
It was August 23, 2018 when the story ran on WashingtonCountyInsider.com that George Prescott and his wife Judi confirmed Timmer's Resort was up for sale.
"I decided after 10 -12 years I have a nice sense of accomplishment that I brought the resort back to life and I'll turn it over to somebody else now to let them take it on," George Prescott said.
The new owner is F Street Hospitality in Milwaukee. "We are looking forward to celebrating the history and tradition that makes Timmer's Resort so special," said owner Scott Lurie. "And to ensure guests receive the same experience they've grown accustomed to after all of these years."
Lurie said the name of the resort will remain the same. "It will be business as usual; we are changing very little," he said. "We're buying a great brand and that's why we're excited for this opportunity."
Timmer's Resort has a number of outstanding gift cards and Lurie said all of those will be honored and accepted. "At some point we will eventually start issuing new gift cards that can be redeemed at our other Hospitality Restaurants but anything existing will be honored."
Lurie has been visiting Timmer's Resort for the past two years and was familiar with the area. "That's what attracted me to this purchase," he said. "I had an opportunity to go out on the lake and I fell in love with it."
The current general manager of Timmer's, Fran LeGrand Wagner, is retiring today, Dec. 14, and her position will be filled by Ashley Feucht Gregoriou of West Bend. She most recently worked at Shully's in Thiensville and Centennial Bar & Grille in Mequon.
George Prescott has been working on the sale of Timmer's for several months. "The business is in good hands," said Prescott. "
The closing on the sale happened Friday morning, Dec. 14 and Prescott said he was feeling a little "spent."
"This was a difficult decision but very bittersweet," he said.
"I liked Scott because he was the most proactive on where he thought he could take Timmer's Resort and restaurant. I think they're going to do some good things for Timmer's, the community and Big Cedar Lake."
Asked what he's going to do now with all his free time Prescott said one thing. "Grandkids. Grandkids," he said. "I haven't succeeded much in the past with retiring but I think this time it's going to stick."
The Prescotts, who live on Big Cedar Lake, paid $1.75 million for Timmer's Resort and restaurant in October 2007. That was a little more than half the original $3.49 million asking price.
Today's sale price has not been released.
Prescott qualified Timmer's as "a special place."


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Making Sense of Math
AISD Parent Newsletter for the 4th Six Weeks
Fourth Six Weeks
I hope this newsletter is helpful for parents. If you would like more explanation on any of the topics mentioned below, please feel free to contact me. I would be happy to visit with you or give you examples.
Anna Holmgreen, Director of Instruction for Math
Direct Mailing?
- count forward and backward (with and without objects), as well as read, write, and represent the numbers.
- compose and decompose numbers up to 10 using objects. They instantly recognize the number being represented by a small quantity of objects.
- compare sets of objects up to 20 and generate a set of objects and pictures that is more than, less than, or equal to a given number.
- use comparative language to describe the comparison of numbers represented using objects, pictures, or numerals.
- recite numbers up to at least 100 by ones beginning with any number.
- recite numbers by tens up to at least 100 beginning with any multiple of 10 (e.g., 10, 20, 30, 40, etc.).
They also work on the problem-solving process by working repeatedly with real-world problem situations. Students continue to distinguish between joining, separating, and part-part-whole situations and the operation needed to solve the problem. Students:
- orally explain models and representations and justify solution strategies.
- use graphing situations to represent data with numbers 0-20. Students sort and organize the data and the data is used to create real-object and picture graphs. These graphs are examined to understand the components of graphing (e.g., title, labels of categories, what each cell or picture represents, etc.)
1st Grade
During this unit, students extend their understanding of the base-10 place value system to include the hundreds place as they continue exploring the foundations of whole numbers up to 120. Students:
- compose and decompose numbers through 120 as so many hundreds, so many tens, and so many ones using objects, pictures, and numbers
- generate numbers that are more or less than a given number using tools (e.g., a hundreds chart, calendar, base-10 blocks, etc.).
- compare whole numbers up to 120 and represent the comparison using comparison language and comparison symbols.
- extend using place value and open number lines to order whole numbers up to 120.
- recite numbers up to 120 forward and backward by ones and tens; skip count by 2s, 5s, and 10s; and use place value patterns to determine a number that is 10 more or 10 less than a given number.
- identify pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters by value and record the value using the cent symbol.
- exchange coins or sets of coins for other equivalent denominations.
- apply skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s and compound counting to determine the value of a collection of pennies, nickels, and dimes up to 120 cents.
- use data represented in bar-type and picture graphs to represent, generate, and solve problem situations involving sums and minuends up to 20 using spoken words, objects, pictorial models, and number sentences.
- explore and explain strategies to solve one-step problems involving addition, subtraction, and comparison of the data. Students are expected to use a number sentence with the unknown in any position to represent the situation.
2nd Grade
- During this unit, students add up to four two-digit numbers or subtract two-digit numbers within 1,000 in real-world problem situations that include calculating how money saved accumulates over time with deposits and withdrawals.These problems should include numbers that require regrouping to solve the problem. In addition, students:
- make connections between representing and solving addition and subtraction problems using flexible methods, concrete and pictorial models, and number sentences to mental strategies and algorithms based on knowledge of place value and properties of operations.
- generate and solve problem situations for a given number sentence involving addition and subtraction of whole numbers within 1,000.
- Students transition from bar-type graphs to bar graphs and from picture graphs to pictographs. Both vertical and horizontal orientations of bar graphs and pictographs with up to four categories and intervals of one or more are experienced during this unit. Students summarize the existing data, or the inferential data, in bar graphs and pictographs to draw conclusions and make predictions.
- Students also generate and solve one-step word problems based on the information in bar graphs and pictographs with intervals of one.
Bar Graph
a graphical representation to organize data that uses solid bars that do not touch each other to show the frequency (number of times) that each category occurs
a graphical representation to organize data that uses a picture or symbol, where each picture or symbol may represent one or more than one unit of data, to show the frequency (number of times) that each category occurs
Bar Graph
a graphical representation to organize data that uses solid bars that do not touch each other to show the frequency (number of times) that each category occurs
3rd Grade
- During this unit, students solve one- and two-step problems involving addition and subtraction within 1,000 and multiplication and division within 100.
- Students reason through and solve real-world problem situations. Students explain their reasoning and solution strategies using expressions, equations, and precise mathematical language.
- Students solve problems involving multiplication of a two-digit number by a one-digit number and develop fluency using standard algorithms to solve addition and subtraction problems within 1,000.
- Experience real-world situations that involve various operations, including decomposing composite figures to determine area of the original figure.
- Use input-output tables and explore number pairs in tables to determine additive and multiplicative patterns that exist and represent the pattern (or process) using equations and expressions.
- Summarize a set of data using a frequency table, dot plot, pictograph, or bar graph. Students use these data representations to solve one- or two-step problems involving the categorical data represented.
- Sort and classifying two- and three-dimensional figures that may vary in size, shape, and orientation based on attributes using formal geometric language.
- Explore two-dimensional figures and subcategories of quadrilaterals, including rhombuses, parallelograms, trapezoids, rectangles, and squares.
- Decompose two congruent two-dimensional figures into parts with equal areas and express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole.
Composite Figure
a figure that is composed of two or more two-dimensional figures
Decompose Figures
to break a geometric figure into two or more smaller geometric figures
a mathematical statement composed of equivalent expressions separated by an equal sign
a mathematical phrase, with no equal sign, that may contain a number(s), an unknown(s), and/or an operator(s)
Input-Output Table
a table which represents how the application of a rule on a value, input, results in a different value, output
a closed figure with at least 3 sides, where all sides are straight (no curves
a mathematical phrase, with no equal sign, that may contain a number(s), an unknown(s), and/or an operator(s)
Input-Output Table
a table which represents how the application of a rule on a value, input, results in a different value, output
4th Grade
- During this unit, students begin the formal introduction to formulas to determine the perimeter and area of rectangles and squares. Students use models to determine the formulas for the perimeter of a rectangle (l + w + l + w or2l + 2w), including the special form for perimeter of a square (4s) and the area of a rectangle (l x w).
- Identify parallel and perpendicular lines.
- Students are expected to solve problems related to perimeter and area of rectangles where dimensions are whole numbers.
- In addition to solving problems involving length, students also solve problems that deal with measurements of intervals of time, liquid volumes, mass, and money using addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division as appropriate.
- Identify relative sizes of measurement units within the customary and metric systems, and apply this knowledge to conversion of measurements within the same measurement system, customary or metric.
- Identify points, lines, line segments, rays, angles, and perpendicular and parallel lines. These concepts are essential for the ability to classify two-dimensional figures.
- Use formal geometric language such as parallel, perpendicular, acute, obtuse, and right angle to classify two-dimensional figures.
- Additionally, students apply knowledge of right angles to identify acute, right, and obtuse triangles.
- Identify and draw one or more lines of symmetry, if they exist, for two-dimensional figures.
Parallel Lines
Lines are parallel if they are always the same distance apart and never meet.
Perpendicular Lines
Perpendicular lines are those at right angles (90º) to each other.
Line Segment
A line segment is a part of a line that is bounded by two distinct end points, and contains every point on the line between its end points.
Lines of symmetry
Right angle
A right angle is one that measures 90º.
See the definitions below 5th grade for examples of acute, right and obtuse angles.
Lines of symmetry
If you can reflect (or flip) a figure over a line and the figure appears unchanged, then the figure has reflection symmetry or line symmetry. The line that you reflect over is called the line of symmetry. A line of symmetry divides a figure into two mirror-image halves.
5th Grade
- Explore volume as a three-dimensional measure. Students use objects and pictorial models to develop the formulas for volume of a rectangular prism (V = l x w x h and V = Bh), including the special form for the volume of a cube (V = s x s x s).
- Students use Reference Chart formulas to represent and solve problems related to perimeter and/or area and volume.
- Classify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines or angles of a specified size to formally classify two-dimensional figures into sets and subsets using graphic organizers.
- Solve problems by calculating conversions within a measurement system.
- Students are introduced to the coordinate plane and its key attributes including the axes and origin. Students graph ordered pairs in the first quadrant of the coordinate plane. Although graphing is limited to the Quadrant I of the coordinate plane, ordered pairs may include any positive rational number, including fractions and decimals.
- Students are expected to graph ordered pairs in the first quadrant of the coordinate plane that are generated from number patterns or an input-output table.
- Number patterns are examined closely as students recognize the difference between additive and multiplicative numerical patterns when given in a table or graph. Students use input-output tables and graphs to generate numerical patterns when given a rule in the form y = ax (multiplicative numerical pattern) or y = a + x (additive numerical pattern).
Acute Angle
an angle that measures less than 90°
Obtuse Angle
an angle that measures greater than 90° but less than 180°
any of the four areas created by dividing a plane with an x-axis and y-axis
Ordered Pair
ordered pairs are pairs of numbers. When plotting ordered pairs, the first number is the x-coordinate and the second number is the y-coordinate.
Multiplicative and Additive Relationships
Multiplicative and Additive Relationships are identified often in input-output tables. To determine the relationship, you must look at the relationship between the x and y variables.
Ordered Pair
6th Grade
- Students graph both positive and negative rational numbers in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane.
- Students are now expected to compare two rules (ex. y = ax or y = x + a) verbally, graphically, or symbolically in order to differentiate between additive and multiplicative relationships.
- Students identify independent and dependent relationships and quantities. Within this unit, students represent a given situation using verbal descriptions, tables, graphs, and equations. Also, given one representation, students should be able to create one or all of the different representations for the problem situation. For this grade level, problem situations for additive relationships may include both positive and negative rational numbers, whereas multiplicative relationships may only include integers or positive fractions or decimals.
- Students extend their knowledge of triangles and their properties to include the sum of the angles of the triangle, and how those angle measurements are related to the three side lengths of the triangle.
- Students examine and analyze the relationship between the three side lengths of a triangle and determine whether three side lengths will form a triangle using the Triangle Inequality Theorem.
- Students also decompose and rearrange parts of parallelograms (including rectangles), trapezoids, and triangles in order to model area formulas for each of the figures.
- Students write equations and determine solutions for problems dealing with area of rectangles, parallelograms, trapezoids, and triangles.
- Students expand previous knowledge of converting units within the same measurement system when determining solutions to problems involving length. Conversion processes for measurement extend beyond the use of proportions to now include dimensional analysis and conversions graphs.
Dependent Variable
the variable in an equation or rule which represents the output value
Independent Variable
the variable in an equation or rule which represents the input value
Triangle Inequality Theorem
The triangle inequality theorem states that any side of a triangle is always shorter than the sum of the other two sides.
7th Grade
- Students convert between measurement systems, including the use of proportions and the use of unit rates.
- Students are introduced to the measurement of circles as they describe pi as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.
- The formulas for circumference and area of a circle are used to solve problems.
- Determine the area of composite figures consisting of rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, squares, quarter circles, semicircles, and trapezoids.
- Students model the relationship between the volume of rectangular prism and a rectangular pyramid.
- Students solve problems involving volume, including the volume of rectangular prisms, triangular prisms, rectangular pyramids, and triangular pyramids.
- Students also solve problems involving surface area by determining the area of the shape's net, including lateral and total surface area of a rectangular prism, rectangular pyramid, triangular prism, and triangular pyramid.
The ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.
3.14 is used at the value for pi at 7th grade.
Prism vs. Pyramid
A prism has two ends that are exactly the same size and shape and are parallel to each other.
A pyramid has triangular sides which meet at a point called a vertex. The base is flat.
Lateral and Total Surface Area
The lateral surface area does not include any bases. Total surface area does include bases and sides.
In the hexagonal prism to the left, the lateral surface area would be the sum of the area of the blue surfaces. The total surface area would be those plus the area of the two hexagonal bases.
3.14 is used at the value for pi at 7th grade.
Prism vs. Pyramid
A pyramid has triangular sides which meet at a point called a vertex. The base is flat.
Lateral and Total Surface Area
In the hexagonal prism to the left, the lateral surface area would be the sum of the area of the blue surfaces. The total surface area would be those plus the area of the two hexagonal bases.
Gr. 8
- Students extend previous knowledge of sets and subsets to order and describe relationships between sets of real numbers, which includes rational numbers and their subsets as well as irrational numbers.
- Students approximate the value of irrational numbers less than 225 and locate those approximations on a number line.
- Establish facts about the angle sum and exterior angle of triangles, the angles created when parallel lines are cut by a transversal, and the angle-angle criterion for similarity of triangles.
- Right triangles are examined more closely within this unit as students use models to explain the Pythagorean theorem. Students use the Pythagorean theorem and its converse to solve problems and apply these understandings to the coordinate plane as they determine the distance between two points on the coordinate plane.
- Determine the volume of a cylinder in terms of its base area and height. Students are expected to model the relationship between the volume of a cylinder and a cone having both congruent bases and heights. Students connect these models to the actual formulas for determining the volume of a cylinder and cone, which directly coincides with formulas used for determining the volume of prisms and pyramids on the STAAR Grade 8 Mathematics Reference Materials.
- Students solve problems involving the volume of cylinder, cones, and spheres.
- The concept of surface area is extended from finding the sum of the areas of the faces from the net to abstract formulas for lateral and total surface area.
- Students are expected to use previous knowledge of surface area to make connections to the formulas for lateral and total surface area and determine solutions for problems involving rectangular prisms, triangular prisms, and cylinders.
Angle-Angle Criterion for Similarity
We know that the angles of a triangle must add up to 180°. This means that if a triangle has two angle measurements of 40° and 80°, then the third angle must be 60°.
Now if a second triangle has two angle measurements of 40° and 60°, we know the third angle must be 80°. This means the two triangles are the same shape, but not necessarily the same size. Alternately we may think of one as a dilation of the other. Either way we know that the triangles are similar. We call this the angle-angle criterion for similarity
Pythagorean Theorem
When the triangle has a right angle (90°) ...
... and squares are made on each of the
... the biggest square has the exact same area as the other two squares put together!
Angle-Angle Criterion for Similarity
Now if a second triangle has two angle measurements of 40° and 60°, we know the third angle must be 80°. This means the two triangles are the same shape, but not necessarily the same size. Alternately we may think of one as a dilation of the other. Either way we know that the triangles are similar. We call this the angle-angle criterion for similarity
Algebra I
- Solve problems using systems of equations.
- Linear systems are formulated for the problem situations, solved by a method of choice (tables, graphs, or algebraic methods including substitution and elimination), and the reasonableness of the solutions justified in terms of the problem situations.
- Graphing calculator technologies continue to be utilized to explore the relationships within systems of equations.
- During this unit, the concepts of exponents are extended to generate and apply rules of exponents. Simplification and combination of expressions are extended to include multiplication and factoring with more complex polynomial expressions. These concepts are applied in problem situations.
Polynomial Expressions
Polynomials are algebraic expressions that include real numbers and variables. Division and square roots cannot be involved in the variables. The variables can only include addition, subtraction and multiplication.
Polynomials contain more than one term. Polynomials are the sums of monomials.
A monomial has one term: 5y or -8x2 or 3.
A binomial has two terms: -3x2 2, or 9y - 2y2
A trinomial has 3 terms: -3x2 2 3x, or 9y - 2y2 y
The degree of the term is the exponent of the variable: 3x2 has a degree of 2.
When the variable does not have an exponent - always understand that there's a '1' e.g.,1x
Exponent Rules
Watch these videos from Khan Academy for Exponent Rules.
Polynomial Expressions
Polynomials contain more than one term. Polynomials are the sums of monomials.
A monomial has one term: 5y or -8x2 or 3.
A binomial has two terms: -3x2 2, or 9y - 2y2
A trinomial has 3 terms: -3x2 2 3x, or 9y - 2y2 y
The degree of the term is the exponent of the variable: 3x2 has a degree of 2.
When the variable does not have an exponent - always understand that there's a '1' e.g.,1x
Exponent Rules


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Reading time: 4 minutes
Magento 2: working on the front-end with CSS and JS
18 / 08 / 2017
Working on the front-end in Magento 2 has changed significantly in comparison to the previous version of the shop. A fully modular approach has been introduced, which results in the code being stored in a slightly different, more structured form. This form allows, in my opinion, to more easily navigate the project, and to more easily find places which require changing.
In addition to the change in file structure, many new tools have been introduced, which should be the standard in every project. Taking into account how rapidly things change in the world of front-end, the solutions used here may no longer be considered state-of-the-art. However, it is important to note that a lot of time passes from the start of work on the new version of the shop before it is released, which forces the developers to choose technologies which, while not exactly state-of-the-art, are well-established and will not disappear overnight.
Magento 2 – CSS
The developers of Magento 2 decided to utilise the LESS dynamic stylesheets. You could of course argue that SASS is superior to LESS, but the functionalities which are most frequently used by programmers are available in both of these preprocessors. Even though Magento 2 forces the use LESS, it does not prohibit the use of SASS – using it should not pose any problems. However, as all default modules (it is worth noting that in Magento 2, everything is a module) utilise LESS, using SASS for the existing files will be difficult. When creating a new module, however, you can do it using SASS, and it should not pose any problems.
Seeing as Magento 2 uses a preprocessor, CSS files must be a result of source file processing. There are 3 options available when it comes to LESS/SASS file compilation:
1. Compiling using one of the available automation tools
Default Grunt's configuration can simply be copied to the appropriate catalogue, then you need to instal grunt-cli, and voila, you can now compile files to CSS. This method is especially useful for efficient development. More information on the subject is available in the official documentation.
2. Server-side compilation
This option can be toggled in the administrator's panel in the Stores/Configuration/ADVANCED/Developer/Frontend Development Workflow section. In this case, the compilation is PHP-side and is very efficient, so it can be used during development.
3. Client-side compilation
Magento 2 also made sure it has a default tool for combining and minifying all CSS files. These setting are available in Stores/Configuration/ADVANCED/Developer/CSS Settings. In order for file minification to work, you cannot be in developer mode – which is understandable.
Magento 2 – JavaScript
Even though Magento 2 forces the use of a number of solutions, this does not really limit expanding and creating new functionalities. By default, you receive a set of ready-made, configured tools which enable you to start working effectively relatively quickly. Thanks to the modular approach, the sheer size of the system is no longer a problem. I can recommend Magento 2 to everyone who is thinking about giving this solution a spin – while it may take you a few weeks to get going, you will eventually realise that everything is well thought-out and that nothing is without a purpose.


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