text:
In a top-secret lab in Santa Clarita, California, a team of skilled engineers from the aerospace industry has spent the last two years developing an underwater robot.
Dark Matter was originally contracted by a film production company to create a remote-controlled platform that could travel inside the Titanic, 12,600 feet below the surface of the ocean, and maneuver from room to room while it shot high-quality video and illuminated the interior of the ship with powerful light.
What the engineers didn't know because of the project's tight security, was that the technology they were developing was years beyond anything previously imagined for undersea exploration. Much more advanced than simply building a better platform from which to film a movie. In fact, their technology is so advanced that it may be used for exploring the moons of Jupiter.
If you've seen the movie Titanic, you may think that this has already been done. But the underwater scenes for that motion picture were all shot from outside the ship's hull by cameras mounted on twin, manned submersibles.
While these scenes were nice, the executives for this new, 3-D film felt that the real drama and the real stories were still hidden away deep inside the historic tomb.
To accomplish the desired goal, Dark Matter had to resolve a number of technical problems that had never been solved before.
First, the robot had to fit through windows roughly 1.5 feet wide by 2 feet high. Existing remote ocean vehicles (ROVs) capable of operating at depths of 12,000-plus feet are four to six times that size.
Second, the platform had to take professional quality video or the project would be a failure. So in order to prevent the light from reflecting off particles suspended in the water, Dark Matter had to find a way to place the lights as far from the camera and as close to the subject as possible.
The third and most significant obstacle to overcome was the group of problems presented by the umbilical. ROVs normally get their power, control instructions and video information through a cable. But this means that the ROV has to drag the cable everywhere it goes. This cable is usually as big around as a man's thumb and can weigh several thousand pounds.
Even though the cable is usually buoyed so as to be weight-neutral, it easily fouls on objects within the wreck. It can also stir up so much bottom sediment that the dive is rendered useless for filming and makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the operator to find his way out of the shipwreck.
A lost ROV costs over a million dollars, and a lost shooting schedule (two manned submersibles, one support ship and 200 technicians for four weeks) can cost 10 times that much.
Engineers have tried to eliminate the umbilical from ROVs in the past, but the biggest problem has been getting video to and from the vehicle. In air, video signals can be transmitted to the controller with radio waves, but radio doesn't travel far underwater. Sound travels well underwater, but sound is slow and can't handle the data transfer rate required for video.
However, after two years, Dark Matter had created "Jake" and "Elwood," two tiny ROVs that successfully went through the Titanic and recorded wonderfully stirring video that captured the ship'+ s spooky presence. To accomplish this feat they literally rewrote the book on designing vehicles that could explore inside shipwrecks.
Dark Matter solved the prerequisite problems by reducing the umbilical to two fiber-optic cables (one is a back-up) that are smaller than a human hair.
These cables are contained within a sheath and stored in a spool carried by a robot. The bots each carry their own 12-hour power source so the only demands placed on the cable are the video and control information.
Next, instead of dragging the cable into the hull and returning on the exact same path (and perhaps catching the optical fiber on something), the bots continually feed out the cable they need and exit the wreck wherever it is convenient.
When the bots get back to their docks on the submersibles, the umbilical is simply jettisoned. Not having to go back or untangle the cable is a tremendous time-saver. Furthermore, the cable is designed to decompose quickly so it won't leave an unsightly web–like mess for future visitors to encounter.
The lighting dilemma was solved by having the bots travel in pairs.
The one shooting the video turns off its lights while the other bot gets very close to the object of interest and shines light on it. The results are spectacular and can be viewed in the film Ghosts of the Abyss, scheduled for release in August.
The other advantage of the twin bots is that should one lose its cable, the other bot can fly the disabled one out of the wreck.
Dark Matter owner and chief engineer, Mike Cameron, was responsible for resolving these and over 20 other technical obstacles.
His new technology now allows us to put cameras in places previously thought impossible. As much as images of exploring historic and treasure-laden ships come to mind, engineers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory have been collaborating with Dark Matter on an even bigger idea. They believe these technological advances can open up opportunities for exploring space, or more specifically, for exploring the oceans on Jupiter's moon Europa.
Europa has what appears to be an ice-covered, saline ocean that is 30 miles deep. There are holes in the ice created by undersea volcanic activity. This combination of environmental circumstances -— sunlight, heat and saline water -— should be an ideal place to find the first extraterrestrial life forms.
In the late '90s, scientists discovered the Titanic was being consumed by a new life form, composed of 20 different species of bacteria, two species of fungus and two species of Archaea that, together, form a symbiotic rust coral or rusticle (they look like icicles) that thrive on iron.
These rusticles have formed a single biological mass that is believed to be the largest life form on earth. It seems like poetic justice that this death site of historic magnitude should make such large contributions to man's discovery of new life, not only on Earth, but perhaps on other planets as well.


text:
FEATURING: Express (similar items>) jacket, sweater and tee. Another winter day, another winter outfit. When I'm not traveling, I'm battling the frigid new york weather like an onion. Layers on layers of neutral colors, and most being black.
2013 CONSOLIDATED MINI CATALOGUE. BA= Color Box Art Available for an additional $3.00 FL= Film is in Foreign Language. Lbx= Letterboxed or Widescreen format
… Title Company Jacksonville Heights, Fl · Real Estate Closing Oakwood Villa, Fl … real estate Closing Dames Point Manor, Fl · Real Estate Attorney Biscayne …
Real Estate Attorney Fleming Island, Fl View 226 homes for sale in Fleming Island, FL at a median listing price of $304,462. See pricing and listing details of Fleming Island real estate for sale. The Law Office of Roger W. Cruce, P.A. is a Civil Law, Bankruptcy, Family Law, Real Estate, Probate,Trusts & Estates law firm in Orange Park, FL. Are
8230 DAMES POINT CROSSING BLVD N UNIT 1007, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32277-3823 is currently not … First Time Buyers, complete the HomePath Ready Buyer homeownership course on HomePath, attach certificate to offer, and request up to 3% closing cost assistance. …… 4836 Ashley Manor Way W, Jacksonville, FL.
Title Insurance Clarksville, Fl clarksville insurance agency covering all of your personal and business needs. Our convenient website allows you to request insurance quotes twenty-four hours a day. Our valued customers can also service their policies at anytime, day or night, at www.clarksvilleinsurance.net. A standard policy insures the home itself and the things you keep in it. Oceanside Title,
… Title Services Loretto, Fl · Title Services Greenfield, Fl · Real Estate Attorney Shady Rest, Fl · Real Estate Closing Dames Point Manor, Fl · Real Estate Attorney …
Elizabeth Hayes. November 28, 2018. Elizabeth Hayes, 94, a South Scranton resident, died Wednesday evening in Scranton Health Care Center. She was the widow of Raymond Hayes, Sr. who died in 1983.
Title Company Lake Geneva, Fl Use our search to find a Knight Barry Title office by zip code, city, or search for an employee by name. … lake geneva knight barry title, Inc. madison florida Title Insurance agency offering title, escrow, mortgage and closing services in all Florida, Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere. Choose A Reliable Title Company To Work On National
4 days ago … Real Estate Closing Highland, Fl Buyer/Seller Info | heartland real estate, … Real Estate Attorney Dames Point Manor, Fl Title Company …
Readbag users suggest that ganb_04-10990_77.pdf is worth reading. The file contains 335 page(s) and is free to view, download or print.
Assistant Chief of Police Kelly Harris joined the Boynton Beach Police Department in September 1997. Her initial assignment was to the Uniform Services Patrol Division, where she served as a road patrol officer, Field Training Officer and high liability department trainer.
Real Estate Closing Mandeville, Fl Find the best Mandeville, LA Real Estate lawyers and law firms near you. Browse top Mandeville, LA real estate attorneys with recommendations and detailed … Compare 37 real estate attorneys serving Covington, Louisiana on Justia. Comprehensive lawyer profiles … Title Stream provides real estate closing services and continuing education classes for realtors across the Greater

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Farm Finance
Skill Over Scale
Expansion won't help if you don't have a low cost structure.
Expansion won't help if you don't have a low cost structure.
By Lorne McClinton
Not all farmers' balance sheets are created equal. Even two located down the road from each other can have dramatically different levels of profitability. While luck plays a role sometimes, the relative size of the operations isn't as big of a factor as many would assume. In fact there's solid evidence that suggests that management skills might matter more.
"For example the average dairy farmer in the United Kingdom needs to milk 413 cows to earn the average national wage using a milk price of 28 pence (USD$.36) per liter," says John Roche, an international dairy consultant based in New Zealand. "The top 25% only need 53. Since only the top 25% are profitable when prices drop, what matters more, skill or scale?"
Roger Mills, a dairy business consultant from Steinbach, Manitoba says, that major differences in profitability are also highlighted in benchmark comparisons between participating producers in his management group. The most efficient farmers are between 10 to 15 times more profitable than the average ones are regardless of farm size. They can do this by keeping tight control of their total costs while still maintaining production levels.
Producers have long accepted that expanding their operations will make them more profitable as a matter of faith. While economies of scale do exist in farming they are greatly overrated at the levels of expansion most people are considering, says Brent Gloy, a farmer from Grant, Nebraska, a visiting professor at Perdue University in Lafayette, Indiana and a contributor at ageconomist.com. Adding ten percent more acreage to your farm isn't going to offer much improvement in your cost structure and if you don't already have a low cost structure for the size of your operation, expansion will probably make things worse.
"I can assure you that if you are losing a $1,000 on every cow you are milking then you would rather have 150 cows than 1,500," says Roche. "Expanding without first addressing the factors that are contributing to your losses is a recipe for disaster."
"It doesn't do you any good to try and get bigger just for the sake of getting bigger," Mills says. "If you aren't efficient at the size you are currently then it doesn't matter how much bigger you are going to get, you are not going to become anymore efficient."
Understand your costs. The first step to manage your cost of production is to develop a detailed understanding of what your true costs are, Gloy says. Know what it will cost you to grow every crop in every field.
"Most of us have a good understanding of variable input costs; how much we plan to spend on seed and fertilizer," Gloy says. "However it is more difficult to get a good understanding and control of fixed overhead costs, for things like land, equipment, and family living expenses. But they're a critical piece of the puzzle, they add up to about half of a farm's total expenses. I think many of us struggle with those."
Personal withdrawals can't be ignored either, Mills says. Taking out $40,000 might be a minimal expenditure on a large farm but it could be a major expense for a small one.
"One useful step can be to challenge yourself to put down real numbers and not just use ones you come to intuitively," Gloy says. "The next step is to think about what is driving them. Are you getting the most out of what you already have or could you make changes to become more efficient. For example looking into which of your parcels of land are more profitable can help you know how much to pay for rent. It can be a eye opening experience when you really dig into some of these different numbers."
"You have to focus on the details in your reports to spot trends and find ways to make your operation more efficient," says Ed Friesen, a dairy farmer from Kleefeld, Manitoba. This type of attention to details is challenging but it's really what separates the best farmers from the average ones."
Friesen tries not to worry about things like the weather that are beyond his control and focus his energy on things he can. He tasks himself to try to find and improve the weakest area of his operation each year. This pays dividends. It takes 100 cows for the average herd in Canada to fill 100 kilograms of quota but Friesen's breeding program and feeding regimen allows him to do it with just 65.
"My feed costs per cow will be higher than the average herd but my cost per liter of milk is considerably lower," Friesen says. "It doesn't matter whether a cow is producing 20 liters of milk a day or 40 there is still a base feed cost to sustain the animal. So at the end of the day my overall costs are lower because I need fewer cows to produce the same amount of milk."
Manage debt. Managing your debt level is a critical part of increasing your efficiency, Mills says. Devoting more than 30% of a farm's gross revenue to servicing debt can place a severe strain on your operation. So he recommends taking the time to analyze every part of the business to see if an investment in land, buildings, equipment or quota is justified.
"Properly sizing your equipment to fit your operation can have a big impact on your overall profitability too," Gloy says. "These aren't easy calculations to make because some of these costs, like economic depreciation on machinery, don't come out of most accounting programs. But if you take the time to have good estimates you'll get information that can help you make decisions about things like renting or buying new ground to become more profitable."
Ongoing process. Agriculture has become a data driven industry so it's critical to analyze what we're collecting to make good decisions, Friesen says. If you can't measure it you can't manage it. Ten years from now the average farmer in Canada will need to be as efficient as the top 15% to 20% are now. So farmers' management skills are going to need to continually improve to stay on top of their game.
Friesen joined a farm management group of his peers that is lead by Mills to help improve his operation. Comparing his farm's benchmarks to others in the group shows where he can find opportunities for improvement.
"If for example, they show that their feed costs are 10% to 20% higher than the top ones then we know to look dig deeper to find out why," Friesen says. "Being part of a management group gave us the tools we needed to dig deeper and really do an in-depth analysis of our farm. It showed us where we could improve the farm's profitability and helped us drastically increase our production in just the past few years."
This North Carolina crop produces valuable compounds for the fragrance industry.
A plant and animal enthusiast found the best of both worlds in gourmet mushroom production.


text:
How The Hell Do You Chart THIS?!?
I have quite the love/hate affair with mood charts. I'm addicted to them—I have a total of four that I use daily or almost daily—but I wish I could combine them all into one single comprehensive tool for monitoring my moods accurately. Of course, it would be even better if I didn't have to do that daily gut-check at all, but you can wish in one hand and crap in the other, and guess which gets filled first?
There is, however, no chart I've found yet which captures moods that are due to life events, rather than some chemical imbalance. Since my dearly beloved was diagnosed with inoperable cancer three days ago, my emotions have been all over the map, which according to the charts makes it look like I'm in another of my mixed-mood episodes. But I've talked with non-bipolar women who have been through what I'm going through, and there's not a single thing I'm feeling that they haven't experienced at some point during their ordeals.
In a sense, this is good news. I don't feel like I'm in any sort of psychiatric crisis, but you know how good my insight is when I am in one, which is to say I can't find my ass with both hands and a traffic cop directing signals. But as sad, revolted, shocked, astounded, and otherwise gobsmacked as I feel, it's as if my brain has kicked the BP into submission while I'm dealing with this seismic shift in my universe. Which is a blessing, because all these emotions are heavy enough without interference from my stupid mental illness.
But, it does make it much more difficult to fill out the little squares on a mood chart when your emotions change from sadness to hope to desperation to "it's all gonna be OK" in a day. Makes me feel sorry for those folks with the so-called 'ultradian' cycling who are up and down several times a day, every day of their lives……..that must be agony.
Then again, so is this business of knowing that the person you always believed would be there forever, is making an early exit from the life you've built together. Nothing I've ever been through—not even the loss of my baby—prepared me for this kind of pain, and I know I'm only just getting my feet wet here…….the worst is yet to come.
So, the mood chart is pretty much useless at this point, because I'm NOT manic, I'm NOT depressed, I'm NOT having a mixed mania and I'm NOT awash in panic (thank you PRN lorazepam!). What I am is a shocked, sad, and frightened woman facing the loss of the one great love of my life…..the only person who knows both the worst and the best about me, and still loves me without reservation……the man I thought would still be walking beside me well into our old age. And there's just no way to document that adequately with checkmarks and graphs.
Barbara Casali-Mingus permalinkJuly 28, 2013 6:07 am
emotions are like ocean tides. There is certainly no way to "chart" the feelings that will wash upon you during this very difficult time. Is it really wise to try to decipher those very human feelings? Sometimes you just have to ride the waves, don't fight the feelings, don't store the grief. There will be times when you cry in the shower because it's safe in there and no one can see you. And that's okay, in fact that's a good thing. Being BP is a bitch, but I hope that you will allow yourself the ups and downs, that are certainly going to happen, without assigning those feelings to your BP. You're a strong woman, Marla, but strength can only carry you so far. This is a horrible circumstance, and try as you might, you can't avoid the feelings or the pain, anxiety and panic. I'm so sorry, you're both in my prayers.


text:
Association work can be rewarding in a number of ways—professionally, socially, intellectually, and even monetarily. That last one is a bit rarer, especially if you're in a small to mid-sized association and if you're not in the latter stages of your career. But it can happen, and you can do something to speed it along.
It's important to remember that your boss most likely wants to pay you better, but they face constraints in doing so. Most import among them are two factors: merit and money. You either deserve a raise or you don't. If you do, there's either money for it or there isn't. But you're not entirely helpless in influencing your employer's compensation decisions. In fact, many of the variables that people think are beyond their control actually aren't. If you're trying to get a raise—or more accurately, you're not succeeding in getting one—then you have to change the way your employer views you through the lenses of merit and money.
First, let's look at merit. Our work revolves around our members, so it reasonably follows that most of us have a strong customer service ethos. With that comes the tendency to defer praise and share credit. These traits are great for team building, but you aren't paid as a team. Blending into the crowd just makes it more difficult for management to see how much great work you're doing.
In a very broad sense, you have to ask yourself if what you're doing is worth more money. Does it move the association forward in its mission? Is it distinguishable from your peers' work? If so, you have to own it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not telling you to brag—just be proud of your good work and remind management of it.
Let's say there's a subset of membership that your association has trouble retaining, but you figured out a way to reverse that trend. When it works, you need to resist the urge to say "it was a team effort." Your boss will be grateful that the retention numbers are up, but you'll get much farther if you solidify in their mind your contributions. Try something along the lines of "I saw this trend we've been struggling with and after giving it a lot of thought, I came up with this idea. Jane and I tested it and found positive results. If the whole team gives it a shot, I think overall retention will increase." When you put it this way, you include your team in your successes; but you leave no doubt that the idea originated with you and you're the one that implemented it.
Once you've established this, your next step is helping find the resources for your raise. Ideally, your work will directly increase revenues. If that's the case, it's easy to demonstrate that your total compensation should reflect a reasonable portion of the revenues you created. If that isn't clear though, you're not out of options. Many association staffers think that they don't have any influence on the budget. This is simply not true. You influence the budget every day. Your decisions increase or decrease the cost of doing business. They're not all substantial impacts, but they add up.
As association professionals, we find cheaper ways to do things, then we do them better than they were done before. The trick is tracking those little savings and then illustrating their connection to your work. Your boss notices when operating costs go down and they're especially interested when it happens over successive months. It's easy for them to chalk it up to collective improvements, but not if you're gently reminding them who's responsible. If you consistently find savings in your department, include that in your pitch at review time.
If you're the irreplaceable part of your association's increasingly cost-efficient machine, you can nickel and dime your way to a raise. You won't overshadow your team by doing so, but it will differentiate you as its most valuable component. You advocate for your members every day; but if you advocate for yourself too, tangible rewards will soon follow.


text:
Having had the privilege of studying in a developed country and now in a position to compare what I experienced with what is obtaining in my not so developed country, Kenya, some observations standout.
As journalism practise in the more modernised world races towards full multimedia platforms, Kenya's media landscape appears to be awakening to the possibilities inherent in opening up their services to audience interactivity.
The reasoning for lagging behind has been hinged on low Internet connectivity and limited technical know-how. But broadband has now arrived in the East African shores and the required knowledge can be as close as a Google away.
So now most broadcast stations in Kenya are spotting 'dazzling' sets complete with 3D simulation-filled virtual sets. Call me a naturalists, but it's had for my eyes to find favour in a studio background that looks so far removed from nature, the shine and glitter notwithstanding.
In any given day, it is almost predictable that the news content across the various channels will be largely similar. And as you switch from one station to the other, the visual assault from the cacophony of colours, awkward, exaggerated camera movements and flickering video-mixing techniques used to fade images in and out is not very pleasant.
The station that re-connects with the 'content is king' maxim will definitely be ahead, when it comes to enriching their news with a multimedia experience for its viewers.
And here, multimedia interactivity means much much more than inviting comments through SMSs or displaying a website link. It's enabling the viewer to choose what stories to watch and in which order, among other departures from traditional news media formats.


text:
In a bit of news that made lazy cheetahs and lions everywhere rejoice, Charles Foley of the Wildlife Conservation Society has confirmed reports of a white giraffe in Tanzania's Tarangire National Park.
"Despite intensive searching, I never saw the giraffe," recalls Foley. "And by 1994, the sightings stopped coming in, so I assumed it had died, either at the hand of man or beast. I never stopped looking though."
Twelve years later, Foley was rewarded for his search. While conducting an aerial survey of the park's sub-population of elephants, a distant white reflection caught his eye. "I looked…blinked…looked again… and it was still there," said Foley.
Found via Boing Boing.
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="yes" overflow="visible"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1″ background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3″ animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="no" center_content="no" min_height="none"][ad#shortpost][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]


text:
new shooter to nra
Page 1 of 1
new shooter to nra
hello all; i live in dixie county florida and the only range i know of is in jacksonville (gateway). is there another closer by where i can get my nra classification? was shooting florida peace officer association matches.
jim fales
jim fales
james fales
- Posts : 1
Join date : 2012-02-22
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum


text:
Our Mission
To tackle climate change, we need to move quickly toward renewable energy.
Today, solar is a reliable and cost-effective option for many organizations. Commercial solar costs have fallen by 66% since 2010 and continue to decline. Government incentives like the federal investment tax credit and various state programs make solar even more financially attractive. Progressive organizations are also leading the way with commitments to become carbon neutral.
The potential for solar is enormous. Over 1 million commercial buildings in the U.S. could switch to solar, save money, and generate renewable energy. In spite of this, only 3% have switched to solar because the process is too difficult and time-consuming.
AI-Powered Market Platform for Commercial Solar Energy Solutions
OnSwitch is a market platform designed to make it simpler for solar developers and building owners to buy and install commercial solar energy solutions at a guaranteed lowest price.
OnSwitch simplifies the purchase process by pre-qualifying solar installers, suppliers, and financing partners who we match with projects in their area. When a building owner or solar developer partner requests pricing, OnSwitch SkyQuoteTM technology automatically designs the highest-savings solution and finds the best price from a pre-qualified partner in the area.
OnSwitch then supports installer partners with value-added software and services. OnSwitch handles the overhead of design, engineering, and project preparation including site inspections, permitting, and contracts. OnSwitch also assigns experienced solar project teams who provide project oversight and support using a proven methodology and software tools.


text:
I guess for all who only have one brain cell working like me, when suddenly for no apparent reason, u remember all the ways to edit ur movie with FCPro and it all works and u spend all ur time editing rather than trying to figure out what went wrong ... well, then when that happens, that's a miracle day for this Director/Editor.
So today and the past few editing days have been like that. So to all u elders who are trying to learn something as complex as FCPro don't give up u'll have 'miracle days' that'll turn into miracle weeks.
Not sure how all other producer/director/cameramen edit but i usually remember every shot/scene that I took which is in the bin so when i bring it up in the viewer my memory is refreshed as i recall the entire shot and what was going on around and in my head when i took it. This speeds up my ability to edit a scene/sequence, I find it beneficial to bike or kayak or walk around and think about the movie then in my head make decisions what should go where and my head plays the shot into the scene and i know from my head's viewer how that will look - this facility helps me greatly
Today all that came together for a new addition to the opening and now she be smooth and very interesting to watch where time, place and intrigue are all satisfied in the viewers mind.
p.s. the motto is 'The Director that learns to edit their movie, saves a whack o dough!' I have a great fine cut editor who then goes over it and makes everything that needs to be smoother... smoother ... ahhh life is then very good to see one's hard work come alive and become finished.
PETER EVANCHUCK hiding behind his cp16mm lining up the shot of SCOTTY. Picture is from decades back, when i was still shooting with either my Arri BL or my CP16mm cameras - the old CP16 is from my days shooting for the Wild World of Sports - in those days the reliable, durable CP16 was the industry standard since it also allowed a sound stripe to be recorded directly on the 16mm film - using reversal film stock meant that u process/print and go directly to air - so fast and cheap.
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
ahhh finally a lotta smooth editing with FCPro - Peter Evanchuck
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device
Share the Light Candle company is a Canadian based candle and accessories company that was founded by Lorraine Mooney. In 2014, Lorraine's husband Bill , was working in a remote area of Uganda and asked the local Community Liaison Officer where he could help or what was needed in the area? With 15 schools in the district and over 600 children going to school, she responded – "the schools need books". Returning to Canada, the Mooney family gathered over 4000 books and delivered them to rural Ugandan schools. The response was overwhelming by the parents, teachers and students in the area.
Upon learning that the children love reading the books -but have trouble studying at night due to the lack of electricity, Lorraine decided to make and sell candles then use profits to subsidize solar lanterns for children in remote places around the world. Share the Light Candle Company is doing just that – "sharing the light", and thanks to all who buy our candles , they too are helping us "light up the world", one candle at a time.
Candles for Solar Lanterns
According to World Health Organization, over 1.6 billion people around the globe do not have access to electricity. Having solar lighting brings much joy into the homes in areas that electricity is not readily available, giving people the joy of reading, sharing, studying and just conversation without the use of charcoal or toxic fuels in their homes.
Pairing with our partners, Share the Light Candle Company provides solar lanterns for school aged children in remote areas around the globe. Presently, we have partnered with The Nancy Crooks Foundation in Kenya to distribute solar lanterns in areas that they working in.
Thank you for purchasing a Share the Light candle. Each purchase has helped a child receive a solar lantern, and you are helping us reach our goal of 'lighting up the world' one candle at a time.
"In this world of darkness, so we must shine, you in your corner and I in mine"
Shopping Cart
Your cart is currently empty.
Enable cookies to use the shopping cart
Taxes and shipping calculated at checkout


text:
Harendra Rawat is a travel enthusiast who loves to travel across the globe. He has a special love for his country of birth, India and has travelled it extensively. One consequence of such extensive travel is that, he has been privy to some of the most amazing experiences that one can experience only in India. Rawat, however, doesn't want to keep those amazing moments confined to himself, but through his well-articulated and creatively-crafted blogs wants the reader to experience the same high that he went through.
Subscribe for more updates, tips and insights for your holidays.


text:
Trend Micro has fired an employee who sold information on 68,000 customers to tech support scammers who in turn used it to for fraudulent calls in which they impersonated the security company's staffers.
The security company said it became aware in August this year that criminals impersonating Trend Micro support stuffers were calling customers running its home security solution.
At first, an external hack was suspected, as was the case in May when Russian hacking collective Fxmsp stole a claimed 30 terabytes of source code from Trend Micro, Symantec and McAfee and put it up for sale with an asking price of US$300,000.
While Trend Micro admitted it had been hacked, Symantec and McAfee denied the claims.
Despite launching an investigation into the matter immediately, it took Trend Micro until the end of last month to conclude that a rogue staffer had accessed a customer support database, and sold the information it contained to an unknown third-party.
Trend Micro said the database contained customer names, email addresses, and in some cases, phone numbers.
It also contained Trend Micro support ticket numbers, but the security vendor said there's no indication currently that financial or credit card payment data and believes the government and business customer information it holds weren't touched.
English-speaking customers and countries were targetted, and Trend Micro estimates that the number affected is 68,000.
Apart from firing the employee, Trend Micro has disabled unauthorised access to the customer database and is working with law enforcement in the continuing investigation.
It is not clear if any customers systems or data were damaged by the cold-calling criminals, but Trend Micro promised it would help anyone in that situation.
The security vendor warned that Trend Micro staffers will never call customers unexpectedly.
Instead, support calls are scheduled in advance.
Customers who receive unsolicited calls claiming to be from Trend Micro are advised to hang up immediately, and to report them to the security vendor.
Trend Micro claimed it has some 12 million customers currently.


text:
Santos Galbee Stainless Steel
Pre-owned Cartier Santos Galbee Stainless Steel W20098D6.
28.5mm stainless steel case, white dial featuring roman numeral hour markers, blue hands and a date wheel display located at 6 o'clock, automatic movement and blue Sapphire crown, on a stainless steel Cartier bracelet featuring a double-folding clasp.
Complete with original box and papers.
Call us for advice 0203 397 1596 or contact us to book an appointment.
Please use our calculator below to help you see what finance options are available. To apply for finance, please select this option at the checkout.
Step 1:Choose your finance option
Please specify the finance option that you wish to choose.
Step 2:Choose your deposit amount
Please specify the deposit amount that you wish to pay.
The accepted value is between £199.50 and £1,745.00
Please view the available finance details below.
|Installment Amount
|Repayment Term
|24 months
|Total Interest Charged
|Deposit Amount
Please specify the deposit amount that you wish to pay. The accepted value is between £199.50 and £1,745.00.
To make a part exchange enquiry for this watch, please fill in your details here
Our Customers love us! We have lots of great reviews. Don't take our word for it. click below
About this watch
Manufacturer Specifications
Need Advice?
Call 0203 397 1596
Santos Galbee Stainless Steel
- Back view
- Front view
- Side view


text:
Why complicate things? Quality fabric, clean looks and awesome performance by using a blend of synthetic and natural fibres, which helps to wick water away from the skin and air dry fast!
The all new DriRelease® tech tee's are designed to give you the ultimate Technical stealth in riding gear. A t-shirt cut, with a relaxed feel on or off the bike and all the performance that comes with it.
Made from DriRelease® fabric that wicks away sweat, has great stretch, is non-crease and will not lose its shape when you wash it, plus the Polyester- cotton (88/ 12%) is fast drying and odour-resistant. Tested with our athletes to ensure they are right for you. Available now in short and long sleeves, the new DriRelease® tee's from Nukeproof are perfect for laps of the park.
Subtle designs and quality finishing touches on the tee's help keep them long lasting no matter what you throw at them.
Available in sizes Small to XXL
Modelled by the radical Lil-Robbo @Lil_O_Robbo
Check out the rest of the Outland range including the new shorts
|Fabric- main body
|DriRelease® 88% Polyester / 12% Cotton
|Crew neck and casual cut, suitable for on and off the bike
|DriRelease® yarns wick moisture, dry quickly and neutralize odours
|Dropped hem at back for extra coverage
|Screen printed graphics
|Nukeproof branded trims
|Available colours: Grey, Green, Blue, Black
|Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL


text:
Nina Röhrbein discusses how the prudent person approach, coupled with global financial crisis, has affected asset allocation at Portuguese pension companies
When the financial authorities introduced the prudent person-plus approach in 2007, they removed most of the limits that previously applied to Portuguese pension fund investments.
Following this and in the wake of the financial crisis - has anything changed in the asset allocation of Portuguese funds?
The average asset allocation of Portuguese pension funds at the end of June 2009 was 61% bonds, 22% equities, 15% real estate and 2% alternatives, according to Hugo Rocha, consultant at Watson Wyatt's Lisbon office.
The 22% equities allocation was split into 9% Portuguese, 5.5% other euro and 7.5% non-euro, international equities.
The typical bond exposure consists of around 18% euro government bonds, 15% fixed income (corporate bonds), 28% float rate (corporate bonds) and 1% international bonds, such as UK, Swiss, US, Asian and emerging market bonds.
Portuguese pension fund mandates tend to be balanced. "There is no sign of pension funds wanting to implement specific mandates within the balanced mandates," adds Joao Pedro Palmela, head of institutional client services at F&C Investments in Lisbon.
"The asset allocation very much depends on the individual pension plan," says José Luís Borges, head of pension investments at BPI Pensões, which is the pension fund manager responsible for the pension fund of Banco BPI, one of Portugal's largest financial institutions. In addition, it manages the pension funds of 100 other enterprises, including the local branches of multinational companies, foreign banks and large Portuguese companies, which involves more than 40 portfolios including four open-ended pension funds, equalling a total of more than €3bn in assets under management.
"But you could say our open-ended pension funds are typical representatives of the average Portuguese portfolio."
The largest one, the BPI Valorização Open-ended Pension Fund, has a central, strategic allocation of 25% in equities. Its equity allocation is split between more than 90% international equities and less than 10% domestic equities, while its 60% bond allocation is mainly made up of EU government bonds although the pension fund also has a significant allocation to both financial and non-financial investment grade corporate bonds.
Its alternatives exposure exclusively consists of hedge funds and hedge fund-like strategies in the UCITS-III format.
The central allocation for property in the Valorização Open-ended Pension Fund is 10% of the total portfolio - although this currently stands tactically underweight at 2.5% - split between around 40% domestic and 60% other European real estate.
Portuguese pension funds started investing in hedge funds in 2002 and their allocation to the asset class increased over the last three to four years to around 4% in 2008, before falling to around 2.5%, according to Rocha. But only two large pension funds are currently invested in private equity. "Private equity is still very small in Portugal," he says. "Alternative investments tend to be hedge funds only."
Typically, the investment policies of Portuguese pension funds are based on asset/liability management (ALM) studies, with the goal of minimising risk.
The benchmarks are usually a weighted composite, based on the central allocations to each asset class in the investment policy. In equities the most common benchmark is the MSCI Europe Total Return Local Currency index and in bonds it is the Effas All Maturities >1Yr (EUR) index, according to Borges.
But with regard to asset allocation, not much has changed with the financial crisis, says Rocha. "Pension funds reduced their equities and hedge funds exposure and invested more in government bonds and cash," he says. "But again this was mainly because they follow the market, it was nothing unusual."
"During the crisis our pension fund clients tended to avoid major moves in their asset allocation because everything changed so rapidly," adds Palmela. "Instead they stuck to what they knew in terms of their long-term asset allocation and waited for things to settle down before reassessing their liabilities and portfolio."
The asset allocation of BPI's pension funds also remained more or less the same.
"Because of the large allocations to mostly government bonds, pension fund losses in 2008 mainly remained in single digit figures and so were better than in many other countries," says Borges. "Therefore, the financial crisis did not have a large impact on strategic asset allocations. Most of our pension fund clients kept their allocations and did not venture into any new classes recently."
Nevertheless, the average equity allocation fell from 33% at the end of 2007 to 19% at the end of 2008. It further dropped to 17% in March before increasing again to 22% at the end of June, as equity markets improved, according to Rocha.
"Exposure to hedge funds declined slightly during 2009 but we expect it to pick up again in the future," adds Palmela.
One of the trends in the Portuguese pension market has been a bold move from defined benefit (DB) to defined contribution (DC), as some companies wanted to avoid the risks associated with DB.
"DC plans typically have a larger allocation to floating rate securities compared to DB plans," says Borges. "This implies lower interest rate duration, therefore lower sensitivity to changes in long term interest rates."
"DB plans tend to have more fixed income, while DC plans allow members the choice to allocate according to different individual risk profiles although they too are essentially conservative," says Palmela. "And I do not see any drivers for that to change.
"Apart from some of the bigger schemes that still run DB plans, the DB market has become very small. That also means the number of pension funds that might implement liability driven investment (LDI) is very small."
And LDI could become one of the emerging trends in the Portuguese pension fund market.
"We have started to have meetings with clients about LDI over the last few months," says Rocha. "But it is early days and so we do not know whether they will adopt this or whether it will change their investment strategy."
"In terms of future asset allocation plans, we have seen some interest in LDI strategies and inflation links as a separate asset class," agrees Borges.
F&C has also had conversations about LDI with its clients - but no one has implemented the strategy yet. "It is a decision process that is taking too long, particularly as it really is an opportunity market," says Palmela.
This could be because attention is focused elsewhere and funds currently remain focused on recovering last year's losses.
"After the credit crisis of 2008, investors started to look at credit at the beginning of 2009," says Palmela. "And as much of the new trend of 2009 has been credit-related we have moved a small part of our portfolio to convertibles."
The change from DB to DC has allowed pension funds to offer different risk profiles, among which participants can choose.
But this has had no immediate effect on their risk management. "Portuguese funds tend to run low risk, fixed income-heavy portfolios, even when they allow participants to choose their allocations in their defined contribution plans," adds Palmela.
As the asset allocation of Portuguese pension funds is typically matched according to their liabilities, risk is seen in its whole content, not only within the portfolio but in consideration of the impact it has on the sponsor's financial position.
New normative no 8/2009-R - which was introduced in June 2009 - aims to guide pension fund managers on how to deal with the different underlying types of risk they face, reinforcing the pension fund management's transparency and accountability requirements.
All fund managers were required to submit a proposal to the pension authorities by the end of September, detailing an action plan on how they will deal with risks, which then has to be implemented by 31 December 2010 to come into effect in January 2011.
While Rocha believes the normative will eventually lead to differences in asset allocation, so far it has had little impact.
"What it specifies in terms of risk management and internal controls, we have already been incorporating to a large extent in our operations," says Borges.


text:
Now Playing
Now Playing
EMA '19 James Hely Hutchinson - Conference (III) - Psalm 22
Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his reverence. James Hely Hutchinson explores both the loud cries and tears and the deliverance of Jesus through Psalm 22.
Length: 47mins
The Evangelical Ministry Assembly (EMA) is the Proclamation Trust's (PT) flagship gathering of over 1000 Bible preachers and teachers. It is for all those with responsibility for teaching and preaching the word of God in the local church. The PT recognises that such ministry is sometimes counter-cultural, can often be lonely and is always hard work. The EMA therefore is planned to both challenge and encourage preachers in the task to which Christ has called them and provide a place to meet others involved in the same ministry so that they can spur one another on.
The main aim of the Proclamation Trust is to teach the Bible to preachers in order that they can in turn teach it to others, as well as to provide a fellowship of like-minded evangelicals across the denominations for encouragement in this work. For more information see: www.proctrust.org.uk.
Please subscribe to the Clayton TV weekly emailout for what's new on the channel.
Keywords:EMA19, PT, Proc Trust, EMA, PTEMA,


text:
Navigation and Shiphandling
Training on the use and maintenance of radar and navigation systems including K-Bridge and ECDIS.
Aimed at users of KONGSBERG's radar and navigation systems, these courses teach participants how to operate and maintain our K-Bridge and ECDIS systems.
Our shiphandling courses are designed to enable all watch keeping officers to develop and increase their knowledge and understanding of ship behavior, and skills in ship handling – during both normal and challenging conditions.
If you are unable to find a course or date that meets your needs, try a different location or contact us so that we can find an alternative solution.


text:
Vortex Viper HD 10x42 Hunting Binocular
Customer ReviewsWrite a review
At first I really couldn't tell much difference between these and my old Vortex Diamondbacks. But, when I tested them side by side at dusk, the difference was night and day, literally. Looking through the Vipers felt like someone turned the lights on! They have far superior light gathering ability. Also, edge to edge clarity is much better than the Diamondbacks. The build quality is better as well. Smoother, more positive eyecups are the obvious upgrade over the Diamondbacks. A locking diopter is nice since you only need to mess with that once. Overall, I'm very pleased with the Vortex Viper 10x42.


text:
The latest OECD report on inequality and poverty in the world states that whilst the rate of inequality has slowed down in the UK, Britain is still a very divided country in terms of wealth. Further,
"The number of people living alone or in single-parent households increased in the UK more rapidly than in all other countries - average household size in the UK declined from 2.4 to 2.1 between 1985 and 2005 (OECD average decline of 2.7 to 2.6)
Income poverty - that is, a household with less than half the country's median income - fell from 10% to 8% in the UK between the mid-90s and 2005
For the first time since the 1980s, the UK poverty level is well below the OECD average
The number of children living in poverty fell from 14% to 10% between the mid-90s and 2005 - the second largest fall, behind Italy, during this period. But child poverty rates are still above levels recorded in the mid-70s and 80s
There is less social mobility in the UK, US and Italy than in Australia, Canada and Denmark, with parents' earnings being a more reliable guide to a child's future earnings"
The media is putting the best spin it can on these already suspect figures. The OECD is far from a neutral organisation. Its remit is determined by the needs of the free market and hence anything it concludes has to be seen in the light of its imperative to show that the markets work. It remarks that the culmulative rise in inequality over the past twenty years has been seven percent, which is, it holds, less than most people thought it was going to be. (But " "This may not sound like much of an increase," it explained, "but it is equivalent on average to taking $880 away from the poorest 50 percent and giving $880 to the richest 50 percent, although incomes at every level grew over the two decades.") It means that the highest paid receive nine times as much as the lowest paid but in Mexico and the US it is far higher. Britain's rate of inequality has slowed down according to the report and it is this that the lberal papers have seized upon. Desperate to protect the left flank of the Labour Party in the run up to the election, they will use any scrap of succour. And it is a scrap.
Firstly, the incomes of the exceedingly rich are excluded from the study. This severly reduces the meaning of the report. Secondly, the data only covers from two thousand to two thousand and five. In the British context, this is fortuitios because it includes various marginal trax reforms that benefited lower income people in the UK and excludes the return to neoliberal form from the end of the report up to now. Further, the report and its reporting play down the fact that inequality is still increasing. One must not forget that the creation of inequality is part of the purpose of neo-liberal economics. Hence the report's condescending attitude to those who argue, only with the naive evidence of their own experience of course, that inequality is deepening everywhere. The report claims, ridiculously, that there is a 'Hello' effect. People see the lives of the rich and famous in this type of magazine and subsequently, feel poorer than they actually are. I mean really. Do we need to go any further with that idea?
The report shows inequality is rising and excludes inconvenient data. It is just a propaganda piece - a sop to the liberal left in their desperate attempts to show that the free market not only works but is fair as well. In the current cimate, neither proposition is viable anymore.
mercredi 22 octobre 2008
Quick point 1
Publié par steve à 05:35
Inscription à : Comment Feed (RSS)


text:
I've spent a lot of the weekend bumming around Bandcamp, looking for unnoticed gems and generally losing myself. I've not really bothered before, thought it might be a bit of a waste of time, but I've been genuinely surprised how much good music there is available there.
Bandcamp is a bit like Myspace used to be like when I first started the Blog (before it went over all Facebook) – lots of interesting music, (some of it free) all linkable, and even a chance to buy direct from artist. (Take that, HMV!)
Here's some lovely stuff from Philadelphia in the shape of ethereal, experimental duo, Eskimeaux who do a really nice line in measured, drawn out and thoughtful songs, decorated elaborately with … noises. Their current record, Eskimeaux, is available for $5, half of which goes to Philadelphia food banks, but a previous record, I am a Spiral, is free to download. It features dreamy, slightly off-kilter, Cocorosie-ish folk songs punctuated by combinations of feedback effects, banjo riffs, harmonium and even some ukulele. Class!
Have a listen to this from Eskimeaux – "Unititled":


text:
There are a series of rumors such as glass-breaking cops, and now this; BRICK GATE. There are a handful of witnesses who record piles of bricks conveniently ...
Views: 59
Protests sponsored by Soros, the Usury Cabal thanks the demonstrators.
"WASHINGTON, DC: President Trump has designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. William Barr has announced that the organized rioting and looting nationwide is "domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly". The connection between Antifa and George Soros and the Open Society Foundations is being made."
Google is frantically trying to hide this and promotes leftist propaganda instead.
Great video link Mr Siz. It's really good to see amazing people like him speak out. He's got awesome comments from his video. You find some good ones that's for sure. He sums it all up very well.
If this is true then we need to gather as much evidence via video and photo to present to media and the authorities. Whole pallets of bricks being placed at various locations would require moving equipment to accomplish. There must be video evidence of who is doing this.
but but ....
One intelligent black man wakes up to the hypocrisy of the Communist left and explains what the agenda is:
Who plants bricks in a major metropolitan city? The Soros backed Antifa. They have the motivation, means, and opportunity since they live in their mom's basement while cashing Soros checks to further the cause of Bolshevik Marxist Communism within the US.
Everything they do is planned and time management is crucial with these PsyOps.


text:
St. Johnsbury, Vermont
At least not everything in The People's Republic of Vermont is totally politically correct.
I like it! What's on the other side? ;-)
What a great and funny sign. Good find.
Stupid me, I just looked for the best angle and didn't think to shoot the other side, "just because."
;) - Certainly not from the bible belt, I assume.
St. Johnsbury is in the Northeast Kingdom of VT, a place unrelated to the upscale slightly hippie NW corner of VT, around Burlington and Waterbury. NE VT probably reached its greatest population around 1840. It's where you might expect to go into a diner and spend time reading signs spelling out all the reasons the curmudgeonly owner might choose not to serve you. Not politically correct up there at all.


text:
1MDB trial: Sultan Mizan described Jho Low as an "unsavoury character"
KUALA LUMPUR: Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin had his reservations about fugitive financier Low Taek Jho and once described him as an unsavoury character.
This was at a time when 1MDB was still known as the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) and Sultan Mizan was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Datuk Seri Najib Razak's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah made this revelation on the 10th day of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial.
He questioned Najib's former special officer Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin whether he knew that Low's ultimate ambition was going after oil and gas in Terengganu.
Shafee: Wasn't this one of the reasons that the state of Terengganu, particularly the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, was unhappy with Jho Low? They discovered later that he was manipulating TIA for that.
Amhari: I don't know.
Shafee: You knew, almost for certain. I will put it clearly so members of the press don't report it wrongly. You knew the Sultan described Jho Low as an unsavoury character.
Amhari: From the minutes, there were questions raised about his role.
Shafee: It was widely known in Terengganu that the Sultan of Terengganu regarded Jho Low as such and said he is an unsavoury charater.
Amhari: I don't know it that way.
Shafee: I put it to you that you knew the Sultan disliked him but you failed to communicate this to any of your boss in Kuala Lumpur and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) which includes Najib.
Amhari: I disagree.
Shafee had earlier produced the 2008 annual report of UBG Bhd, where the chairman's statement mentioned about the group's strategic shift in business direction into infrastructure concession and oil and gas upstream and downstream, including exploration in Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak.
UBG is majority-owned by Low.
Amhari also said he did not know that TIA and UBG once shared the same office, to which Shafee said he would question former 1MDB CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi later, as it was mentioned in Shahrol's witness statement.


text:
The usually reliable (but hardly infallible) Windows leaker Faikee reports that a Chinese tech site called IThome has details about Windows 10 Fall Update. According to IThome, Microsoft signed off Windows 10 Fall Update (better known by its code name Threshold 2) yesterday. Here's the Google translation of the Chinese-language announcement:
IT House exclusive blockbuster: Win10 TH2 version sign is completed 2015-11-3 8:43:40. ...According to exclusive news IT House obtained, Win10 TH2 official version has been launched today (Beijing time on November 3) to complete the signing.
@FaiKeeF's Twitter account goes on to say:
Actually I saw different rumors in QQ chat, some said it's build 10576, some said 10586 ...... who knows?
As I explained yesterday, it's unlikely that build 10576 -- the current Insider Fast Ring build -- will be the final Windows 10 Fall Update; it has too many known problems with seemingly simple fixes.
What to expect next? Hard to say. I'd be willing to bet that Microsoft will release the final build first to the Fast (and possibly Slow) Insider test circles, as a cumulative update for all Windows Insider beta builds. If it passes muster, expect to see Windows 10 FU roll out as a forced update, via Windows Update, for all Windows 10 users.
Windows 10 Pro users who are attached to an update server (such as WSUS) will have to get the new version from their update server, and admins will have control over when it'll be pushed. Presumably Win10 Enterprise admins will get the update at around the same time.
After the launch, customers who upgrade from Windows 7 or 8.1 will presumably get upgraded directly to Windows 10 FU. The timing for that change isn't clear, nor is the timing of the ISO clean-install version.
I still find it hard to believe that Microsoft would roll out Win10 FU to 120 million PCs simultaneously on Nov. 10, Patch Tuesday. But I may be wrong.
I also have to wonder if Microsoft is going to start staging the upgrade bits on Windows 10 PCs, to lessen Microsoft's server meltdown when the green light goes on.


text:
Recently I went to a going away party for a good friend. After the requisite food, drinking, and laughter, it was time to say goodbye.
I'm not afraid to admit that the room got really dusty (eyes red and watery) at that point. It wasn't hard to come to the conclusion then, that I hate goodbyes. They leave me with feelings of guilt, loneliness and a sense of nostalgia. I feel guilty of not being a better friend when I had the chance. Loneliness arises when I know I won't see them again. In quiet moments, I look back at the time we spent together. This also happens to me every time I close a video game case for the last time.
When I play a game that I really enjoy, I often find myself quitting before beating it. Thus, leaving the game open for an eventual return. More often than not, I never go back to the game. That's where the guilt comes in. I'm sure we have all had buyer's remorse at one time or another in our lives. Usually it happens mere seconds after purchasing something you don't really need. Especially when that money could be used for that overdue electric bill posted on the refrigerator. When I buy a video game, the remorse digs its way in long after the purchase was made. It usually manifests itself as something like "Why did I buy this game? It has just been sitting here since the week after I bought it." What is remorse other than another word for guilt? I feel like I haven't given the game a fair shake and yet it sits there and stares at me, wanting me to enjoy it. It definitely gives me more than I give back to it.
On the rare occasions I do actually finish a game these days, I feel alone. The time you spend with the characters from each game can rival that of your actual friends, bringing guilt into the equation as well. They become part of your life and you want to share their stories with your loved ones. That's usually when your significant other feigns interest, and asks about your sanity. But it's true. Through that sharing you feel a part of something larger, less alone. When you don't have anyone to share the experiences with and the game is over, loneliness creeps its way back in. That is where the connection built between the player and the game comes into play. I think that is what every developer wants to see happen, at least. During our test podcast here at Horrible Night, we talked about playing a game after beating it. This especially comes into play in the games that have moral choices. You play it one way the whole first play through and then you tell yourself you'll go back and play the opposite way the second time around. I have told myself this many times, but have never gone back to replay a game. For me, it doesn't matter if the game has moral choice or not. Even in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, one of the best games ever created and a personal favorite, couldn't get me to play through the story again. It's something that is hard for me to do when I have other games I want to play and connect with.
Those feelings only come about with newer games because I have long since passed the period where I feel that way about the older, classic games. It's hard to look at the classic games without feeling nostalgia. Just like when you eat a certain item, it can bring back memories associated with that food. Video games do the same for me. Whenever I play Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, I'm taken back to when my roommate played it in my first apartment. When I play Super Mario Bros., I remember being at a friend's house and learning all the secrets before I actually owned my own NES. When I think of playing Super Mario Kart, I remember getting into heated battles with my sister. All those memories are tied with a video game. Many different feelings arise when I look back at the times throughout my life where video games have played a major part. I hope the same happens in 15 years with the current generation of games.
Whether or not I feel nostalgic, guilty or alone, saying goodbye to video games will always be hard for me to do. Not only are they an investment of money, but an investment in time as well. I'm not sure how much time has to pass until I can go back and play through some of the newer games but I'm glad I can go back and play the old without being bored. Maybe it has to do with the length of newer games compared to the old. I'm not sure. However, if I'm able to play Uncharted 2 in the future like I play Contra now, I think everything will be okay.


text:
LAMA 1.34 Build 1122
Some more information about this release is available in our blog
Requirements and Compatibility
This release requires Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. LAMA is fully functional with OS X 10.7 Lion.
Users with Lion 10.7.4 may have experienced problems with the code-signing certificate for LAMA Build 1021.
This is an unsigned release of LAMA to provide a solution for that.


text:
The official trailer has been released for Lucky McKee's "All Cheerleaders Die". The film hits VOD May 8th with a theatrical run on June 13th. "All Cheerleaders Die" stars Caitlin Stasey, Sianoa Smit-McPhee, Brooke Butler, Amanda Grace Cooper, Chris Petrovski, Nicholas S. Morrison and Reanin Johannink.
When tragedy rocks Blackfoot High, rebellious outsider Mäddy Killian shocks the student body by joining the cheerleading squad. This decision drives a rift between Mäddy and her ex-girlfriend, Leena Miller – a loner who claims to practice the dark arts. After a confrontation with the football team, Mäddy and her new cheerleader friends are sent on a supernatural roller coaster ride which leaves a path of destruction none of them may be able to escape.


text:
Backhoe Services
Infinite Property Care offers exceptional Backhoe Services, we own and meticulously maintain all of our own equipment. Each of our operators are highly skilled and experienced fully licensed to operate the equipment and well insured. This we are confident will put you at ease knowing that true professionals are working on the completion of your projects.
Samples of why you should consider hiring Infinite Property Care for our Bobcat Services:
- Trenching
- Drainage Systems
- Retaining walls
- Brick and Stone Driveways, walkways, and Patios
- Demolition
- Deconstruction


text:
Strengthening the LAFF Network and Accelerating Impact
El Mangle Community Campus
La Paz, Mexico
In mid December 2015, the Latin American Fisheries Fellowship hosted its third annual workshop, held at the El Mangle Campus (elmangle.org) in La Paz, Mexico. The workshop was focused on building and strengthening a network of fellows and alumni from the specialized program at Bren, and identifying ways to accelerate their collective impact. More tha twenty-five LAFF fellows participated in the 4-day workshop (including alumni and current masters or PhD students), as well as a handful of guest experts in Latin American fisheries management and network building. Guests included Nakul Saran (VP of Fish Forever, Rare), Laura Rodriguez (Director of Oceans, EDF Mexico), Hoyt Peckam (Founder, Smartfish), James Honey (Executive Director, El Mangle), and Madeliene Taylor (Principal, Impact Network). Keynote speakers presented on capacity and leadership needs in Latin American fisheries, the strategic value of the network approach to tackling complex problems, and on network design characteristics to enhance collective effectiveness. Together, through facilitate breakout sessions, the group discussed how to best position the LAFF network for greater impact, and envision how they will both contribute to and benefit from network. Fellows and alumni, along with expert insight from leaders in the field, identified a shared belief that the network will have the most impact through prioritizing activities around the following pillars within the Latin American countries represented: fostering cross sector collaboration, aligning economic incentives, forging cooperation amongst countries, increasing equity in fisheries management decision-making processes, and elevating the value of fisheries to policy makers.


text:
We provide you with three easy ways to place an order:
We accept all major credit cards - Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and PayPal.
We also accept debit cards with the Visa or Mastercard Logo on them.
On PayPal, you can use your PayPal account, or you can pay with Visa, Mastercard or Discover Card.
All personal information you submit is encrypted and 100% secure.
Our prices are in US dollars.
For international orders, the monetary conversion will take place through your credit card company.
Sales tax will be charged on all Texas orders (8.25%)


text:
Contact Info
Rocky Mountain Bank & Trust
Scott Turner
755 Cheyenne Meadows Road
Colorado Springs, Co 80906
Phone: 719-579-7628
Fax: 719-579-0780
Contact Form
Website: www.rmbt.com/
Fundraisers We Support
- Salvation Army Fountain Corps
Hours of OperationLobby Hours
Mon. – Fri. 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sat. – Sun. Closed
Drive Thru Hours
Mon. – Fri. 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sat. Closed
Sun. Closed
About Us
Investing in Our Community for over 125 Years
Rocky Mountain Bank and Trust: A True Customer Service-Centered Community Bank, Helping Small Businesses Thrive in Colorado since 1891.
We are advocates of the small business. If you can dream it, we'll be there to help set your plans in motion. For over 125 years, we've been investing in our community, just as you've been investing in us, and we plan on continuing to help with your prosperity for years to come. We know that engagement and support of our community helps to make it thrive, and a thriving economy can only bolster the success of its people.
Scott M. Turner


text:
Is getting more clients on your To Do List? If it is, let's face it – finding new clients and selling more to existing clients is hard. That's why I created READY-STEADY-GROW.
If you're serious about success, READY-STEADY-GROW is for you. A clever blend of traditional sales and marketing techniques and modern-day methods, READY-STEADY-GROW gets your business out there, saying the right things to the right people at the right time. That way you get noticed. Which means you get more chances to get more clients. Simple.
"I want to grow my business but I keep getting distracted."
You're good at what you do. Great in fact. Your business is doing nicely. But you know it can do better. People are buying what you sell. You just need to cast your net wider so more of them buy from you.
You (probably) already have a website and a social media account or two. But you're disappointed with what they've done for you so far. You know you need to look good online. You're busy, and tempted to throw a few grand at a new website and get 'serious' about social media. Maybe you'll do some blogging, SEO, paid ads, or tell your "story".
The problem is, pretty websites don't grow businesses. Yes you need a pretty website. Sure, blogging and/or SEO and paid ads could bring your clients closer. So will a great story. And social media will almost certainly play a part. But there's more to it than that. Growth calls for online savvy and strategy. If that's not your bag, let READY-STEADY-GROW help. Then you can grow.
"I've got a new idea and need to get to market."
You've spotted a gap in a market you know. You're going to plug it with your skills or develop a product to do the job. Maybe you're planning on giving up a good job. But the risk is calculated. You've done your research and invested a lot in your idea.
You're know you're going to need to do marketing. But that's all new to you. You'll definitely need a website and social media. You've probably got an idea how they'll look. But have you thought about what they're going to say? To who? How you'll get to them? Or how you're going to get your online voice heard over the noise? Your solution's great but do you really know how you'll get to market so you can be the success you want to be?
READY-STEADY-GROW gets deep inside your client's head. It shows you where they hang out and how to speak to them in a way that makes them listen and want to be in your gang. It means people 'get' your solution. And when people 'get it', you've got a much better chance of being the success you deserve to be.
"I want my French business to be a real success."
You're loving life in France. But you want more from your business. Maybe more income or just more excitement.
Running a business in your home country is tough. Running a business as an expat in France is even tougher. Dealing with unfamiliar legislation as well as tax and accounting regulation in a foreign language is incredibly challenging. So is getting enough clients.
If you've got a vision for how your business could be, but are struggling to make it happen, READY-STEADY-GROW can help. And the great news is, as a French-registered business owner, you can more than likely get that help for FREE.
In France there's a pot of cash to help businesses like yours succeed. Many expats don't know this. If you haven't claimed the support you're entitled to, now's the time to take action. Don't miss out.
"Je veux réussir à l'international"
Prêts à entreprendre le marché international par le bon bout?
Le marché international en France ainsi qu'à l'étranger peut être extrêmement lucratif pour de nombreuses entreprises françaises. C'est pourquoi tant de chefs d'entreprise dépensent des fortunes pour traduire une par une les pages de leur site Web.
Malheureusement ils sont en général déçus par le resultat. Pourquoi? Parce que les messages de leurs sites sont initialement conçus pour le marché français et sont rarement adaptés au marché international. De ce fait ils manquent leur cible et ont généralement peu ou pas de retour sur les investissements réalisés.
READY-STEADY-GROW, avec en plus la possibilité de prise en charge par les OPCA, peut vous aider à vous affirmer sur le marché international et en même temps contribuer à réduire vos coûts de traduction et de développement Web.
Découvrir 8 Questions Primordials pour Réussir à L'international
During the READY stage of READY-STEADY-GROW, we drill down on WHO your best clients are; WHERE they hang out; HOW you can get to them; HOW you can delight them and WHAT you need to have/do/say to get them to notice you.
Most business owners jump from getting ready to launch or deciding to grow their business to hiring a web designer. When they miss out the deep WHO, WHERE, HOW and WHAT part, their expectations of what a website can do for them are usually unrealistic.
Prices to get down and dirty with your WHO, WHERE, HOW and WHAT start at £500. NOTE: Most people recover this investment at the STEADY stage 😉
The STEADY stage of READY-STEADY-GROW is about setting out your stall for your best clients. Potential clients do their due diligence. Fact. You know because you do it yourself 😉. When people check you out, they need to pick up what you're putting down – fast.
You need a good looking, fast-loading website that directly addresses your best client's problem, as well as at least one fresh and active social media profile. Your best client needs to recognise their problem in seconds and be left in no doubt that you're a great solution.
Prices for the design and development of a WordPress website that says all the right things to the right people and a cool social media profile start at £1250.
The GROW part of of READY-STEADY-GROW involves reaching out to your best clients in the right places and saying the right things at the right points in your sales process.
You might need the likes of Google, social media, blogging, landing pages, presentations, events, print or other stuff, but you need a plan that's realistic for the time/skills and cash you've got. Without a workable plan, growing your business will get forgotten about when you're busy and under pressure.
Get help to plan your growth only; to plan and execute the whole thing OR get it All Done For You (ADFY). Planning prices start at £500 and ADFY at £250 a month.
After working with Suzie on my strategy, my client numbers doubled and the number of sales I make per client increased significantly. This has substantially boosted my turnover.
Nathalie Manas, Nathalie Manas Assurances
Suzie helped us create our brand and get our business growing. Our work together started by identifying our best buyers, what is important to them and how we can best reach out and engage with them. We've been building the Aiver Sport brand ever since and it's going from strength to strength.
Lesley and Outi Koekenbier, Founders, Aiver Sport
I've known and worked with Suzie for over 10 years and she brings a deep understanding to every project she works on. She's one of the rare people I know with proven expertise in both the French and the English Speaking markets. Her innovative approach delivers real value to her clients.
Ian Jefferies, Business Owner
I run my business from the Gers in South West France, where I'm living my dream. My clients are mainly in the UK and France.
I speak good French and have qualifications in Communication and Marketing. I'm one of very few Hubspot Certified Growth Driven Design Agencies in the world. I'm also Social Media and Inbound Marketing Certified.
I'm an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (ACIM) and a member of the Public Relations and Communications Agency (PRCA).
I've always worked in sales and marketing and am the Communication Expert on the SMART Accelerator Programme.
If you fancy some help, let's chat. Reach out by hitting any of the buttons on this page. It'll cost you nothing and I guarantee you'll find it useful. If not, I'll pick up the tab for the virtual coffees 🤣
Your content goes here.
Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Block 47, AKA BUILDING,


text:
When Manmohan Singh presented Yashwant Sinha's budget dictated by Fund-Bank
Yashwant Sinha's autobiography, Relentless, has some interesting nuggets. Among those there are a couple which lay bare the mealy-mouthed character of Manmohan Singh. The former prime minister is widely credited for being the father of economic reforms. Of course, that is wrong. Take note, the budget Singh presented in July 1991 was actually to be presented by Yashwant Sinha when Rajiv Gandhi for some inexplicable reason withdrew support to Chandra Shekhar Government citing the presence of two Haryana Police constables outside 10 Janpath. Sinha's eternal regret is that he was denied the opportunity to present the epochal budget.
At the recent release function of Sinha's book, former President Pranab Mukherjee who was earlier Finance Minister in several Congress-led governments, virtually gave credit to Sinha for opening up the economy and setting it on the path of liberalization. " Actually, the budget that Manmohan Singh presented in July 1991 was to be presented by Yashwant Sinha."
However, to tell the truth the budget that Sinha prepared but Singh actually presented was dictated by the IMF-World Bank. Remember the foreign exchange crisis had forced Sinha to pledge the country's gold reserves with the Bank of England and Bank of Japan and to approach the Fund-Bank for a longer bailout who insisted on unshackling the economy and opening it to domestic competition and foreign investment.
Meanwhile, Sinha virtually establishes with evidence how the former prime minister skirts around the truth, ever so softly uttering falsehoods. He cites a specific example. Following the Harshad Mehta scam --- recall how a gung-ho Singh had dismissed fears of an overheated market, telling the Rajya Sabha he did not lose sleep if it went up ---- the Parliamentary Committee investigating it questioned the appointment of M J Pherwani to examine the setting up of a new exchange.
Asked if he had appointed Pherwani to head the study group, Singh blandly said no. " It was appointed by my predecessor." Later, on checking the file, it emerged that indeed it was Singh who had appointed Pherwani. It was the same Pherwani who as chairman of the National Housing Bank had collaborated with Harshad Mehta in perpetrating the securities scam.
And here we are not even referring to the time when Singh pleaded with Chandra Shekhar the same evening Rajiv Gandhi had withdrawn support to his government to back-date the letter appointing him the chairman of the UGC . So much, then, for the decency of Dr Manmohan Singh.
**** **** **** ****
The growing irrelevance of the Gandhis
Mamata Banerjee on her own can hardly win a single vote in all of Tamil Nadu. But, instead of inviting Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi, the DMK Chief, M K Stalin, has invited the Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister to unveil the statute of his late father, M K Karunanidhi, next month. Invitations to other leading lights of the Opposition have been extended some of whom are most likely to attend. But what is notable is that no member of the Gandhi family is invited.
What does it signify? Clearly, if the Congress cannot put its own house in order, if the Gandhis cannot settle the sibling rivalry, and the two cannot mutually resolve the leadership tangle, if they let the Congress drift and dither into increasing irrelevance, it is on the cards that other parties arrayed against the NDA at the Centre and in the States too would look for leadership elsewhere. Even though the Trinamool Congress is not even a member of the UPA, the invitation to Mamata to be the chief guest at a DMK event in Chennai next month is a clear signal that her anti-Modi credentials make her the foremost leader of the Opposition.
Granted, DMK's current opposition to Modi is not ideological; it has partnered the BJP in the past. Its current stance is dictated by the cosy relationship the AIADMK Government has with the Centre, but this can change overnight should the DMK regain power in Tamil Nadu. Till then it feels obliged to stay in the UPA. But inviting Mamata and not Sonia Gandhi to unveil the Karunanidhi statue indicates how far the Congress stock has slipped after the Lok Sabha poll. Admittedly, the Congress still has small pockets of influence in Tamil Nadu, but the Trinamool Congress has none.
Meanwhile, the drift in the Congress can end, it now seems, only one way. Which is with Rahul Gandhi again becoming de jure party chief. Make no mistake. Since he resigned, he is still playing the boss, but informally. Because the party finds it hard to find a replacement, and Rahul doesn't want Priyanka to head the Family Firm, the only way the present crisis of leadership is likely to end is for him to get back. Enough of this pretence of owning moral responsibility for the Lok Sabha disaster. Moral responsibility is for lesser beings, heaven-born legatees have life-time lien on the top post in the Congress. Besides, as far as cringing, crawling Congressmen are concerned, he is irreplaceable.
**** **** **** ****
Yediyurappa is friendless in BJP
Not everyone in the central BJP was on board when Yediyurappa launched Operation Topple in Karnataka. But the 76-year-old was desperate to become chief minister one last time. After the Lok Sabha poll, when the BJP swept the State, winning all but one of the 28 seats, loyalties of jobless MLAs in the JD(S)-Congress coalition became further suspect. Besides, the Congress leader Siddaramaiah, who several months earlier had said that keeping the coalition intact till the parliamentary poll was a necessity, instigated loyalists to desert his old bête noire, HD Kumaraswamy. Though the former Chief Minister denies it, some of his loyalists-turned-rebels have publicly claimed the same.
After the battle of nerves and legal tangles finally ended in the inevitable fall of the JD(S)-Congress coalition, senior BJP leaders were not convinced that installing Yeddyurappa as chief minister was the best option. Most preferred a brief spell of Presidential rule before a fresh Assembly poll. But what seemed to have clinched the issue in Yediyurappa's favour was the commitments he had made to the rebels and his own veiled threat to retire in a sulk if not allowed to fulfill his ambition.
The BJP has always been wary of Yediyurappa's antics, given his influence over the numerically significant Lingayats, and the lack of a tall leader to replace him as the new face of the party in Karnataka. Ironically, the only senior leader present at the swearing-in on Friday was the new Organizing Secretary B L Santosh who, of course, is no friend of Yediyurappa, er… sorry, Yediyurappa.
**** **** **** ****
One from the Net
It seems that Donald Trump has claimed that Bollywood actors Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut have separately asked him to mediate in their dispute.


text:
We've seen it in movies, in TV shows and even in books and literature – Robots and artificial intelligence are some of the most interesting, but widely feared realities we're going to face in the near future. Whether this fear began with the likes of literature such as 1984 by George Orwell with its chill-inducing description of a totalitarian reality that utilized technology to control its citizens, or with the initial prediction in 2013 that over 47% of US jobs could be at risk of automation within just two decades, it has been enough to set people on edge.
However, the reality is very different. Nowadays, automation and artificial intelligence shape the way we utilize the internet, from the way we work online, even down to the accuracy of our search results. Technology has completely changed how we operate in our day to day lives and whether you believe this will be for the better or for, the worse, we're taking a more in-depth look into how automation and artificial intelligence could change in the future.
What Are Automation And Artificial Intelligence?
While automation and artificial intelligence often work hand-in-hand, they are, at their core, two different concepts:
- Automation: Automation refers to the use or introduction of equipment within a certain process that makes said process automatically. No, or minimal human intervention should be needed once the equipment is set up.
- Artificial Intelligence: Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that can perform tasks that would otherwise require human interaction or intelligence. This can be through speech recognition, visual perceptions, decision-making, translation, and machine learning.
In most cases, both automation and artificial intelligence will need some form of algorithm to work, but once this algorithm has been put into place, it can essentially run on its own. In AI applications, these algorithms tend to adapt through machine learning, maturing, and enhancing with the more data that is collected over time. These incredible technologies are already a core part of our everyday internet and technology use, from a quick Google search to the social media platforms we browse daily.
Automation Is Already Around Us Today
Whether in work or daily lives, automation and AI are already around us. Google, for example, utilizes an artificially intelligent algorithm to better determine what a searcher is looking for, even when it isn't immediately clear from the search query. This algorithm is known as RankBrain and ultimately ensures that both searchers and businesses looking to be found can be matched up more effectively in the SERPs (search engine results pages) to enhance relevancy and quality of results.
In a business sense, automation and artificial intelligence can change the way companies interact with their clients. Take online support, for example – live chats are becoming increasingly common, but did you know that most of these are bots? With a template in place and a touch of artificial intelligence, businesses can operate an in-depth chatbot that offers the right help to customers, or the right action if it can't help directly.
In the financial industries, automation and artificial intelligence are helping to bring the monetary world into a digital age. Take Forex, for example – Forex Robots offer a streamlined method for new and experienced traders to get involved in the markets throughout the day, often without having to pay attention at every moment. Automated trading via a robot, or algorithm in these cases, allows traders to reap the benefits of an intelligent trade, without having to dedicate their entire day to keep on top of how each market is performing. While this does come with risks, the use of technical indicators and lack of emotional input allow for smart trading decisions in most cases.
While automation is clearly already a part of our world, this hasn't prevented the worry about jobs – could AI and automation have as much of an effect as we think?
Which Industries Could Be Affected The Most?
When it comes to automation, the introduction of these technologies tends to be in cases where a process can be streamlined, or where resources and workforce can be freed up to complete other, more complicated tasks. For this reason, there are some industries more likely to see higher levels of automation in the future, including:
- Retail And Trade: Cashier-less stores, automated delivery systems, stock management, and more could all turn automated in the near future and some cases, are already being utilized and tested across the globe. In China, for example, they opened up an unmanned store, and several more have popped up around the world, including an Amazon-run automated convenience store in the U.S.
- Transportation: Autonomous vehicles are nothing new in the world of innovative technology, but how far are we from seeing this tech utilized in public transport? It's predicted that around 57% of all transportation jobs could be automated in the coming years, with the technology offering increased speed, efficiency, and reduced costs for both companies and their passengers.
- Agriculture: As higher volumes of food are being demanded due to a growing population, the agriculture industry is under increasing pressure to cater to this. For this reason, we could see more and more of our agricultural workforce turn automated – 6 in 10 jobs. Studies have also suggested that the entire agriculture process could be automated, from planting to harvesting.
- Manufacturing: One of the most likely jobs to face automation in the future is manufacturing – machines have already been utilized to streamline a number of different points in the manufacturing process. While certain stages, such as design and initial algorithm implementation, would still need a human touch, for now, artificial intelligence could see even this become automated in the future.
While automation and artificial intelligence have indeed led the world's workforce to worry and fear, these technologies could work to improve and streamline the way we work. Whether this will affect employment levels has yet to be seen, but it's an area we'll be watching closely. What do you think?
Disclosure: This article includes sponsored link