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February 08, 2018: Industrial Trades Warrior for Life Luncheon
Military Veterans – are you interested in a career in Oil & Gas, Construction, or Manufacturing? Join us for a networking luncheon where you will connect with employers that are passionate about hiring military veterans to accelerate their companies.
This is a FREE event for veterans. You will be matched with employers that are currently hiring for high-demand trades jobs and are seeking out motivated military veterans for priority hiring. Experience in these industries is not required- you just need to have an interest in breaking into one of them.
Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity – multiple on-the-spot job offers were made at the last event!
Seating is limited, so register today before it's too late!
If you are a Company that would like to sponsor and/or attend this event, please register here!
NextOp recruits, trains, and places high-performing middle-enlisted military leaders into Industry careers.
NextOp provides companies with world-class, skilled candidates and coaches them on how to be effective employees. Our mentors work with each transitioning veteran to adjust to their new roles and cultivate the necessary skills to excel in field work, increasing satisfaction and reducing turnover for these positions. We serve those who have served so many—our hardworking veterans.
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
ABC is a national construction industry trade association representing more than 21,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 70 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. ABC's membership represents all specialties within the U.S. construction industry and is comprised primarily of firms that perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors.
Lone Star Veterans Assocation (LSVA)
LSVA is the largest post-9/11 veteran membership group in the state of Texas. While they focus on programming and marketing towards the post-9/11 community, they are also an inclusive organization with supporters that include veterans from every era of military service, military spouses, and civilians. LSVA became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 2010.
East Harris County Manufacturers Association
The East Harris County Manufacturers Association (EHCMA) is a professional organization that includes more than 130 manufacturing companies. They are dedicated to providing jobs, upholding environmental standards and providing a better quality of life for their neighbors in and around the Greater Houston area.


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A Global World
Today, we live in globalised world which is more connected than ever before, and movement of people and goods has never been easier. It is driven by economics and money, and it is possible to sit in your couch and order what you want from the opposite corner of the world, and have it delivered to you in a few days.
Open markets, lower trade tariffs and an ever increasing movement of people, goods and information to any part of the world has resulted in great prosperity for everyone involved. Major world problems like poverty, hunger and disease have decreased considerably over the last 50 years. The health and well-being of people all over the world has never been better.
However, living in a consumerist society driven by economics has also resulted in greed, corruption and a pursuit of economic success at any cost. It is no surprise then that we saw scandals like Enron in 2001, the financial crisis in 2008, and the Volkswagen emissions scandal in 2015-16. These scandals resulted from cutting corners in the pursuit of success by leaders in these companies.
The Leadership Lighthouse
Just like ships need a compass and a lighthouse to navigate in the vast oceans, our companies and their leaders too need a leadership lighthouse to find direction in the vast ocean of global competition. The speed (of a ship or a business) is not the only thing matters. Our leaders need to realise that the direction they choose to go and take their companies along is more important than the speed.
The Leadership Lighthouse is a set of values (to guide us), standards (to measure us), and boundaries (to keep us in check); which will act as a moral compass as leaders take decisions and navigate their companies in the race for success in the global economy. These standards and values guide us in finding the right direction in challenging and exciting times.
Find Your Own Way
The whole essence of leadership is to bring our own unique values, talents and skills into the world, and to express ourselves in alignment with those. When we accept the standards and values others' have set for us, we surrender our own will and judgement. By figuring out our own leadership lighthouse, we allow our unique light to shine upon the world.
If we only follow what everyone else is doing and not take the time and effort required to find our own leadership lighthouse, which is unique for everyone, we will soon find ourselves lost and confused. But once you have put in the effort and identified your unique set of values, motivations, desires and talents; you can nurture them and let them guide you.
If we stop and look back at the history of the world, be it in the business world or outside of it, you will find that every human achievement is an achievement of the individual who went against the norm and followed their own leadership lighthouse.
How Can You Find Your Leadership Lighthouse
As mentioned above, our leadership lighthouse is the set of standards and values that define and inspires you. It will guide you during challenging moments by serving as a moral compass, and give you a solid ground to stand upon when you face turbulent times.
To find leadership lighthouse, try answering the below questions :-
- What do you want to achieve in the long term?
- What really matters (is important) to you?
- What makes you happy, angry or sad?
- What are your duties and obligations with regard to different aspects of your life?
- What have you learned from the biggest failures of your life?
Answering these questions will require some sincere and dedicated effort on your side, but once you do that, you will have more clarity on how you define your own leadership lighthouse. I would also like to add that it is a continuous rather than a one-time process. You should revisit the above questions every now and then as a "health-check".
Knowing your leadership lighthouse will give you the confidence and assurance to follow your own path instead of the path others have decided for you. Once you nurture and develop your strengths and act consistent with your standards and values, you will allow your own unique light to shine upon the people and the world around you.

subset: commoncrawl


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Deberah Simon (Whitman College, USA)
Extending the idea of interdepartmental collaborations within an institution, we have extended our collaborations to include connections with the surrounding town. We are situated in a small town in Washington's wine country that also has a thriving artist's community, and we have begun several collaborations through the "Chemistry in Art" class with these artists. In addition, we are part of a collaboration with the city and county governments and several artists to develop a glass recycling program that incorporates producing art with the glass, especially with discarded wine bottles. This presentation will focus on how this outside connection has presented a unique opportunity to enrich the class and engage the students in authentic learning.


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09 Dec ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION AYURVEDIC TREATMENT-NATURAL CURE
Nature provides a wealth of beneficial herbs to the mankind. Every herb has a something to give. We shall take the nature gift and use it for maintaining health and life. As we cannot mop our inner body, we have to get knowledge about ways through which we can clear and clean our inner body organs, tissues and mind. This art of clearing and cleaning our inner body is mentioned in Ayurveda.
AYURVEDA is known as science and art of living life, disease prevention and longevity. It is the oldest and ancient health medicinal system. The texts and basics can be identify in the scriptures of Vedas. Vedas are the books of wisdom which are 5000 years ago. Ayurveda not only cure the diseases but also nourishes soul and mind.
Ayurveda works by balancing the three doshas. Every human being is made up of a unique combination of five elements. These elements are air, water, space, earth and fire. These elements form three doshas – vata, kapha, and pitta. The vata comprises space and air, kapha comprises water and earth and pitta comprises fire and water. These three doshas combine to give ayurvedic treatment.


text: Cape Town - AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn head the list of nominees for the 2013 Cricket South Africa (CSA) professional awards to be announced at a banquet in Johannesburg on Wednesday, June 4 2014.The Proteas ODI captain and the world's leading Test match bowler are two of the five nominees for the main award - the South African Cricketer of the Year. The other nominees are Test and ODI batsmen, Hashim Amla and JP Duminy, and ODI wicketkeeper/batsman, Quinton de Kock.De Villiers has also been nominated for the Test Cricketer of the Year award and the One-Day International Cricketer of the Year. Steyn has also been nominated for Test Cricketer of the Year, the T20 International Cricketer of the Year and the KFC So Good Award and remarkably has all three nominations for the Delivery of the Year. None of De Villiers, Duminy and De Kock had previously being named South African Cricketer of the Year so there could well be a first-time winner of CSA's most prestigious award.De Kock and Duminy also have two nominations each as the former has been nominated for the One-Day International Cricketer of the Year and the latter for the T20 International Cricketer of the Year.The awards cover the period from May 1, 2013 to April 30, 2014. This period covers two ICC events - the Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20 - as well as the Proteas tours to Sri Lanka where they won the T20 series and to the UAE against Pakistan where they won both limited overs series, as well as the home series against Pakistan, India and Australia."The individual performances have once again been riveting and are too many to mention," commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat. "This naturally puts extra demands on our eminent panel of judges who have the tough job of deciding the final winner in each of the various international categories. I am tempted, though, to mention the century scored by Jacques Kallis in his final Test match and the double century scored by Graeme Smith against Pakistan. And then, of course, Dale Steyn's bowling contributions in just about every Test match and also the three successive ODI centuries by the young Quinton de Kock are also worthy of being mentioned."Colin Bryden, convener of the judging panel, commented: "Although it was not as outstanding a year for South African cricket as the period covered for the 2013 awards, South Africa remained high among the leading nations in international cricket. There were numerous individual performances, both at international level and in domestic cricket. While the main focus has traditionally been on men's cricket, the panel was impressed by the improvement shown by the South African women's team." The other members of the judging panel were former Proteas and current television analysts, HD Ackerman and Victor Mpitsang, internationally renowned statistician, Andrew Samson, and senior cricket journalist, Stuart Hess.All five nominees will be strong contenders for the Cricketer of the Year award. Even by his own high standards, it was an exceptional year for De Villiers, who at one stage was ranked the world's best batsman in both Test matches and one-day internationals. He was South Africa's leading run-scorer in both forms of the game and although he did not achieve the same consistency in Twenty20 internationals his dazzling innings of 69 not out off 28 balls against England was mainly responsible for earning South Africa a place in the World T20 semifinals. Steyn produced mesmerising spells for South Africa in all forms of international cricket. He was once again his country's leading bowler in Tests but, despite his limited overs workload being managed to enable him to remain fit and fresh, he was highly effective when he played. He took 23 wickets at an average of 8.82 despite playing in only seven one-day internationals and was the go-to man during the World T20 in Bangladesh. Not since De Villiers burst on to the scene has a young player made such a dramatic impact at international level as De Kock. Having made his debut for South Africa at the age of 19 during the 2012/13 season, he established himself in both the one-day and T20 international teams in the dual roles of opening batsman and wicketkeeper. He made his Test debut as a late replacement in the second Test against Australia and showed in his second innings of 34 that he was not out of his depth. Amla had another solid year. He was second behind De Villiers in the Test averages with 429 runs at an average of 42.90 and contributed 621 runs at 38.81 in one-day internationals. Despite concerns that he might not be best suited to the requirements of Twenty20 internationals, he scored 185 runs in the World T20 as an opening batsman, with an average of 37.00 and a strike rate of 131.20.Duminy was South Africa's leading T20 run-scorer and was third behind De Villiers and De Kock in ODIs. He made a century which contributed to South Africa's win in the second Test against Australia. His off-spin bowling was a valuable second string. Only Steyn and Vernon Philander took more than his 15 wickets in Tests.Cricket fans will also have voting powers for two of the awards on the evening - the Fans Cricketer of the Season and the Delivery of the Season. Both these awards require fans to vote for their favourite player as well as the best delivery of the season. Details of these awards can be found on www.cricket.co.za or on CSA's official Facebook, Twitter and MXIT pages. The awards will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre and will be televised live on SuperSport 2 from 20:00. As part of the annual CSA celebrations, there will also be an awards function on the morning of June 4 to honour the achievements made in amateur cricket during the 2013/2014 season.The full list of nominees (in alphabetical order) is:InternationalSouth African Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Dale Steyn.Test Cricketer of the Year: AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Dale Steyn.One-Day International Cricketer of the Year: Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, Ryan McLaren.T20 International Cricketer of the Year: JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Dale Steyn.KFC So Good Award: Jacques Kallis, David Miller, Dale Steyn.Women's Cricketer of the Year: Mignon du Preez, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne KappDomesticSunfoil Series Cricketer of the Season: Justin Ontong, Dane Piedt, Stiaan van Zyl (al Cape Cobras).One-Day Cup Cricketer of the Season: Craig Alexander (Dolphins), Justin Kemp (Cape Cobras), Heino Kuhn (Titans)RAM SLAMMER of the Season: Kyle Abbott (Dolphins), Beuran Hendricks (Cape Cobras), David Miller (Dolphins)CSA Coach of the Year: Paul Adams (Cape Cobras), Lance Klusener (Dolphins), Rob Walter (Titans)CSA Umpire of the Year: Johan Cloete, Shaun George, Adrian Holdstock.CSA Groundsman of the Year: Rupert Bailey (Boland Park), Wilson Ngobese (Kingsmead), Nico Pretorius (Chevrolet Park)


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There was a time when businesses deployed artificial intelligence (AI) to automate existing, rules-based processes.
That was then. Today, some leading companies are going steps further, using advanced AI to implement outcome-based approaches.
As companies make the transition, a critical consideration for business leaders: re-thinking how they structure their service-level agreements (SLAs).
Why? For one thing, when a client defines business outcomes, service providers should be empowered to determine how best to achieve those outcomes.
Help desks, for example. In the past, help desk SLAs were typically structured with the stipulation that a certain percentage of customer inquiries or complaints were to be resolved in a specific amount of time, and the process might be based on rigid rules, like first-in, first-out (FIFO), to help prioritize responses.
Nowadays, sophisticated natural-language processing algorithms can be used to help identify issues faster and enable better prioritization based on a variety of criteria, including the urgency of a customer's need. Moreover, such AI systems might be adept at handling perhaps 80 percent of emails with routine requests, leaving the remaining 20 percent to be handled by humans, who can then focus on the more complex cases, including those involving dissatisfied customers.
In essence, the use of advanced AI enables deeper human-machine partnerships that amplify each side specific strengths—the latter's in processing huge amounts of data and handling repetitive tedious tasks, and the former's in exercising judgement and interpersonal skills. Now, SLAs can be structured with a focus on a desired outcome, such as increased customer satisfaction.
Another example: the procurement process, which requires the analysis of data from multiple public and proprietary sources to help firms make better decisions regarding which suppliers to do business with.
This process was traditionally executed manually, and SLAs might have required the production of a certain number of intelligence reports in a specific time frame.
Now, AI systems can handle the initial processing and analyzing of all that data, which allows human procurement experts to cover three times the material than previously possible. This, in turn, enables those experts to better uncover the hidden risks of using certain suppliers, and the result is more optimal sourcing decisions.
Accordingly, SLAs can then be structured based on outcomes—for example, using incentives tied to the impact from enhanced insights obtained through the procurement market intelligence.
There's something else to consider: AI systems, like the procurement assistant described above, can lead to higher job satisfaction for employees – in other words, a more engaged workforce—because people are freed from the more mundane and repetitive aspects of their daily work.
As such, for SLAs that cover AI systems, a business might consider incorporating metrics to account for "softer" factors, like employee engagement.
In sum, as companies expand use of AI for more than just mechanistic automation, they must consider moving beyond standard SLAs that typically focused on improving the efficiency and lowering the costs of existing rules-based processes.
This new reality offers considerable upside. Sophisticated AI systems are now enabling firms to make the transition to outcome-based approaches, and SLAs need to evolve accordingly to reflect that fundamental change.


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MC3 Prize Fund - wordings
Find the actual prize fund here.
All five sections will have prizes down to 40 places. In addition, the Open section will have prizes for the top five places for those players rated 2400 – 2549 and for players rated under 2400. Those are not two separate sections — they are part of the Open Section and those prizes are in addition to the top 40 places. The top four places for all three divisions will be decided on Millionaire Monday.
The U2200, U2000, and U1800 are three separate sections. The top four places in these sections will be decided in the Semifinals and Finals on Millionaire Monday.
The U1600 is one big section for all players rated below 1600 (Unrated players and Provisionally rated players are only allowed in the Open). There are prizes for U1400 and U1200 as well, making it three different divisions within the same section (much like the Open section). The top four in all three divisions will play on Millionaire Monday to decide who takes home the the first four places. There will be no tie for first, second, third or fourth in any section of the Millionaire Chess Open.
Mixed Doubles
There will be a Mixed Doubles Prize at the Millionaire Chess Open. One team of two players – one male and one female – will take home a $600 prize for the top score at the tournament. The teams may include players from different sections, and the average team rating must be less than 2200. Teams must be submitted to the Registration desk by 11am on October 6, 2016. May the best team win!
Rules for the MC Mixed Doubles Prize
Teams must have an average rating under 2200.
Average ratings are not rounded (so a team with average 2199.5 is fine).
Players in "Under" sections must use their wall chart rating to calculate the average.
Players in Open section will use their FIDE rating to calculate the average. (If the player doesn't have a FIDE rating, the assigned rating will be used.)
Unrated players or Provisionally Rated players are calculated with 2200 rating for the purposes of this prize.
Once a player has started their first round, regardless of schedule, that player cannot switch teams.
Both players on the team must fill out and sign the registration form.
Standings through the previous round will be updated during the current round.
There are no "class" prizes – all teams play for the same pool of prizes.
The mixed doubles prizes are considered separate "special" prizes, so a player can win both a mixed doubles prize and a section prize.
The Chief Arbiter reserves the right to make on site decisions about any aspect of these rules that he deems necessary to maintain the integrity of the competition.
Millionaire Chess Open Tax Compliance Policy
Millionaire Chess must report any prize of $600 or more to the IRS. U.S. citizens and permanent residents must complete IRS Form W-9 to receive a prize of more than $600.
1. For prize reporting purposes, Millionaire Chess will calculate the NET prize earned (prize minus entry fee).
2. A non-resident alien CANNOT use an alternate payee. This person MUST have the 30% backup withholding done on site.
3. A non-resident alien MUST have 30% backup withholding done for ANY cash prize, regardless of amount.
4. A non-resident alien must give his current mailing address to the tournament when receiving his prize. Millionaire Chess will then send him IRS Form 1042, which he may then use to file a tax return with the IRS and try to get his withheld prize money back.
5. Even if a non-resident alien has a taxpayer ID number (TIN), Millionaire Chess MUST withhold 30% of any prize.
6. Certain non-resident aliens with a TIN who win prizes of less than $5,000 may be able to fill out IRS Form 8233 (this is done at the tournament). The IRS will review the form and advise Millionaire Chess within two weeks whether the player can receive the 30% withheld, or whether it has to be remitted to the IRS.
7. For more information about U.S. income taxes, please consult a tax professional.


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How many times have you seen a beautiful, lonesome teacup and saucer at a tag sale and thought "Oh, if there were only a few more of you!" and walk away… I have….but not anymore! I found, while surfing, LOL…. some wonderful and creative things to do with teacups! The next time I see a mismatched cup and saucer or just a lonesome pair I am going to scoop them up and get creative!
I'll be "flea marketing" this Friday…wish me luck!
I think this would be lovely on an Easter table….don't you?
Is this not adorable?
I LOVE this! I would think you will need a good drill made for glass and maybe an old tier server…..just replace with a cup and saucer and a salad plate or a dinner plate on the bottom and build several tiers…..what a great way to use odd pieces of china…
What a cute addition to a country kitchen…
A little girls room?
A more sleek look….I love this…you know me with my black / white & grey!
These are two of my favorites…
I saw a crystal chandy at a local consignment shop and wonder if its still there, this would be beautiful!
And this is so over the top!
This is where I found all these lovely idea's ….here…..
I love to go back to my old "Tried & True" sites like Countryliving.com, for idea's on new projects…….I am so making these!
In case you still can't think of anything to do with a teacup you could always try this!
So what do you think? please let me know what idea's for teacups you come up with and I'll post it…….
Have a wonderful day!
Some images used on Pineridgehills.com are taken from the web and believed to be in the public domain. I do my very best to track down the original owner of the photo and/or website and will always give them full credit. Which is the right thing to do.


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Atlanta, GA -- Everett's Music Barn in Suwanee, Georgia is proud to celebrate its 50 year tradition of providing the best in bluegrass and gospel music in the Southeast by announcing an upcoming two-day fundraiser event with live music, food and family fun. The 50th Anniversary Benefit Celebration will take place April 11-12, 2014 from 5pm–Midnight on Friday and 1pm-Midnight on Saturday. Everett's Music Barn is dedicated to continuing the tradition of great music in a family friendly environment for 50 more years and needs the help of sponsors along with donations for concessions, raffle and a silent auction.
Local Atlanta area bands and national touring acts will perform and donate their time for the Fundraiser. All proceeds will go towards needed repairs to Everett's Music Barn. For anyone wanting to donate items or perform at the event, please contact Tommy Everett by phone or email at 770-722-1276 or everetts3[at]hotmail.com.
Almost 50 year ago, on April 17th, 1964, one of the most heinous crimes in Georgia police force history took place. Three Gwinnett County police officers were ambushed and executed in Duluth, Ga. One of those officers was Jerry Everett.
Long before the tragedy of Jerry Everett's death, the Everett home was always a place that family and friends gathered to pick, sing and share their love of bluegrass and gospel music. However, during the 14 month murder investigation, the gatherings in the Everett home grew in number every weekend as friends gathered to support the Everetts in their grief. The little farmhouse could no longer accommodate the crowds that gathered, so in 1968 an addition with a stage was built onto the back of the house.
As word traveled, the crowds continued to increase until Pa Everett declared that a barn needed to be built. As they say, 'the rest is history'. With scavenged wood from an abandoned apartment building in Norcross, the barn was built in 1971.
Born of a tragedy, Everett's Music Barn has brought joy, friendship and outstanding music (every Saturday night except Christmas) to generations of music lovers... all the while honoring Ma Everett's decrees of "No Drinking" and "Act Responsibly"!
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The newly minted New Yorker staff writer's June 12 blog post 'Why Smart People Are Stupid' copied, at times word for word, three paragraphs from Lehrer's 2011 Wall Street Journal story 'The Science of Irrationality.' The New Yorker has now appended editors' notes to all five posts on Lehrer's new blog Frontal Cortex. Those notes acknowledge that 'paragraphs,' 'portions,' or 'details' originally appeared in writing that Lehrer had done elsewhere. – Josh Levin, Slate
Self-plagiarism is tricky because it's one of those things where people say it's a thing, but are they lying? Isn't so-called self-plagiarism basically just repeating yourself, and isn't repeating yourself the polite thing to do if someone missed what you said the first time?
Maybe you used a devastating analogy in an article, and for whatever reason no one seemed to notice it at all. Isn't the obvious next step to draw their attention to that analogy by including it in another article, and another and another and another, until they finally realize that oh, that is devastating.
What if the thing you're "self-plagiarizing" is simply the best way to express a particular thought that you just happened to have come up with already? Would we have called self-plagiarism on Patrick Henry the second time he shouted "Give me liberty, or give me death!" Should someone have asked him to rework it just a smidge, so that the next time he would shout, "Let me do what I want or shoot me in the face!" And then the next time "I want to die."
Why is it that literature is the only art form where images aren't allowed to be repeated verbatim? Did we ask Monet to put quotes around the second water lily? No we did not. We celebrated the man for painting those goddamn lilies over and over until he was BLIND and they looked like shit. Why should painters get a pass just because they can't write? Do we feel bad for them because they have a learning disability that forces them to try to write by muddling around with paints like a child?
Is it still self-plagiarism if the thing you're copying was written by someone else, but you've used it so many times that you don't remember who that person was? Like when you say a word over and over until it sounds like a word you made up. It's easy to make someone else's thing yours by saying "I'm going to take this over there," and walking away quickly. Archaeologists use this technique all the time, and aren't archaeologists pretty much alright?
They say that a monkey in a room with a typewriter will eventually write Hamlet, which shows there aren't enough word combinations in the English language to keep even an illiterate from plagiarizing. If it's perfectly acceptable, and even celebrated, for a monkey to sit around blatantly copying Shakespeare, should you, a human being, really live in fear of occasionally having the same thoughts as yourself?
English professors are always saying weirdly violent things like, "Kill your babies," but sometimes you don't want to kill your babies. Sometimes you want to be a mom to your babies and raise them up, and if they don't get picked the first time they try out for the soccer team because maybe there was someone tall standing in front of them, you want to give them another chance, and another and another and another, until someone finally notices that hey, that baby's pretty good at soccer.


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Edmonton Side & Back Window Repair
Providing Stress-Free & Simple Repairs
If one of the windows in your vehicle gets damaged, it can be difficult to drive. During cold weather conditions, dealing with bad weather can make it quite dangerous, even with one small crack. You can rest assured that our team at Auto Glass Solutions offers window and windshield repair in Edmonton. We will do whatever it takes to make the process easy for you.
Repairing Your Side and Back Windows Can Provide the Following Benefits:
- Increase your ability to view blind spots
- Prevent further damage in the event of an accident
- Improve the overall aesthetics of your vehicle
We understand that driving with a broken window can be difficult and even dangerous. Our auto glass services are efficient and intended to get you back on the road as quickly as possible.


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Энэ номонд УТБА-ийн туршлага гэж орсон байгаа.
Энэ номны нээлтийг онлайн харж болно
Democracies, new and mature alike, require active participation by the citizenry in order to thrive. This participation is only possible when citizens are educated about their rights and encouraged to exercise them by strong institutions.
The recently published Best Practices Manual on Democracy Education by the Council for a Community of Democracies provides a myriad of examples and case studies of democracy education programs for countries at all stages of development and transition.
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) invites you to an event featuring two of the manual's authors as well as other democracy-promotion experts for a conversation on how best to empower citizens to become informed and take part in their government.
Featured Speakers:
Lee Arbetman, Executive Director, Street Law, Inc.
Augusta Featherston, Youth Adviser and Regional Program Officer, Europe and Asia, IFES
Matthew Hiebert, Curriculum Specialist
Romina Kasman, Coordinator, Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices, Organization of American States
The event will be moderated by Robert LaGamma, President, Council for a Community of Democracies.
Copies of the manual will be distributed at the event. Lunch will be served.
To watch online, visit our webcast page at the time of the event.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Fostering Democracy Through Education
Нийтэлсэн : УТБАМТ огноо : 11:39


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Dewey Sadka, author of "The Dewey Color System," has studied the influence of colors for over 20 years, and he says the powerful link between your favorite hue and your personality traits is astounding.
Green — You're strong-willed and prefer to find solutions to problems on your own. This firm belief in self-reliance is something you pass on to your kids, along with an enduring faith in their own abilities. You're able to empathize with others, lending a nonjudgemental ear when needed.
Red — You're like the Energizer Bunny — a ball of fire who seldom slows down. Reds are leaders with a large circle of friends, and co-workers also look to you for guidance. You have high standards for your kids, but they appreciate your honest interest and sense of fun, too.
Blue — You're as cool and calm as your favorite color, and your laid-back sensibility works well in crisis situations. You surround yourself with beautiful objects, many of which you created yourself. Fearless when obstacles are in your path, you determinedly meet your highest goals.
Gray — You're gentle soft-spoken, self-possessed and extremely comfortable in your own skin. You're also bright as a penny, and people are drawn to your witty intellect. But you're no smart aleck, preferring to work as a long term player, rather than being the boss.
Purple — You're a unique individual with a strong creative bend a taste for bold fashions. Your pals love to join you on shopping sprees because you encourage them to break out of the mold. You're also quite intuitive, instinctively saying the right thing at the right time.
Yellow — You're a powerful thinker with a positive attitude that brings people together. You face any obstacle with a can-do attitude, searching for new ways to solve problems. Your kids love your imaginative, adventurous spirit, and your inventive vacations are always a blast.
Black — You're very focused and loyal. A nature lover who dislikes artificial substitutes, you wouldn't be caught dead with a plastic Christmas tree. You also love to be the center of attention, treating others with the same respect you demand.


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part 2 is coming then!
Adrenaline rush
I promised at least one shots. Well there is one. Almost.
Playing the God
I`m not sure what this is. Just wrote this yesterday.
Please read below
Hello guys, I am sorry, but I have to announce that I am postponing this story. I am not sure if I will ever finish it, but… Read more "Please read below"
A little update is posted on the blog.
Chapter 15.
Finally! I know! After a month! How bad! It shocked me when I found out that I let you wait for so long. I am sorry for… Read more "Chapter 15."
Chapter 14.
When Graven spotted two guards, standing on both sides of the ornamented door, he frowned. The King was still in his chambers despite the late hour. And… Read more "Chapter 14."


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Transrail Lighting wins substation orders
India, Mumbai: Transrail Lighting Limited, an Indian power transmission and distribution company, has won substation and railway electrification orders worth $62 million, which are now in the execution stage.
The substation contracts include orders from Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Co. Ltd (MPPTCL) for two 400 kV substations and from Chhattisgarh State Power Transmission Co. Ltd (CSPTCL) for three 220 kV substations, reports Business World.
"With Government's focus on bringing down the aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, T&D spending is expected to gravitate towards substations. An estimated 300,000 MVA of substation capacity addition over the 13th Five Year Plan (2017-2022) represents a huge opportunity for T&D players," commented Mr. D.C. Bagde, Managing Director, Transrail Lighting Limited.
Source: Business World


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Yesterday I read in the National Post that premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Danny Williams, is scheduled for heart surgery later this week, but his office would not confirm whether the surgery will take place in Canada or in the United States. This morning I read at CTV News that the premier will travel to the United States to have his heart operation.
As a Canadian citizen, Mr. Williams has every right to travel anywhere he wishes to have an operation. But isn't it a shame that the average Canadian isn't also given the choice between using our state-funded health care system and using a private hospital or clinic?
We poor schmucks have to wait in line—sometimes months—because our governments have decided we are better off being denied the benefit of private health care. Public health care, we are told by the likes of Danny Williams—is the only way to go. Even to suggest that perhaps private health care might have a roll to play in Canada will result in being shouted down and made to feel un-Canadian.
Deputy premier Kathy Dunderdale is quoted as saying:
"Based on all the medical advice that he's received, he is doing what's best for him, and [doing] everything he can to ensure that he can have the best outcome from the surgery and that he can be back on his feet, back here doing his job as quickly as possible."
Well, isn't that nice. He's doing what's best for himself, i.e., foregoing Canadian health care in favour of private medical care in the United States.
The CEO of Eastern Health, Vickie Kaminski is quoted on the CTV News Web site as saying that it's not uncommon for people to leave Newfoundland and Labrador to get cardiac surgery done.
I hope Danny Williams's surgery goes well and wish him a quick recovery and return to work.
Perhaps when the premier is fully recovered he'll consider tabling legislation which will allow private operators to offer a full range of heart treatment for profit in his province—perhaps then prominent citizens will not have to seek those services in a foreign country.
Return to Main page »
© 2009 Russell G. Campbell
All rights reserved.


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Tag Archives: fun
The State of Things
I'm not going to lie. My hopes for ESO are incredibly high. I love the MMO concept; the persistent, massive world; the social environment inside a game, but I'm running out of something to play. I'm a long time World of … Continue reading
Daily Thoughts: Alts
I love alts. My characters other than my main have for a long time been a driving force in keeping my interest in WoW. I keep a stable of max level alts to gear up or for crafting. I often won't feel … Continue reading
Daily Thoughts : The Importance of the Right Guild
My guild is a very friendly, casual guild with a longer history and has had great success in previous tiers of raiding. We got hit hard by the end of expansion blues. Several of our more active players and officers … Continue reading


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Alderney Landing Visual Arts Gallery
Alderney Landing, 2 Ochterloney St., Dartmouth
Hosts numerous local and international shows throughout the year. Open daily, call for hours.
Anna Leonowens Gallery
Nova Scotia College of Art & Design
1891 Granville St., Halifax
The gallery is named for the Victorian woman who served the King of Siam as governess and whose memoirs served as inspiration for Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I. Founding the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design was just another feather in her cap. Three exhibition spaces serve as a showcase for the college faculty and students. The displays focus on contemporary studio and media art.Weekly exhibitions include contemporary art by faculty, students and visiting artists of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Open Mon. 5:30 to 7:30pm, Tues. to Fri. 11am to 5pm, Sat. noon to 4pm.
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
1723 Hollis St. (across from Province House), Halifax
This renovated heritage building houses Nova Scotia's major arts institution with 6,000 works in a permanent collection of contemporary art has major works by Christopher Pratt, Alex Colville, John Nesbitt, and Dawn McNutt. Includes Maritime and folk art by artists such as wood-carver Sydney Howard and painter Joe Norris, and the actual home of the late folk painter Maude Lewis, whose bright, cheery paintings cover the tiny structure inside and out. Open year-round Tues. to Fri. 10am to 6pm, Sat. and Sun. noon to 5pm. Admission $5, seniors $3, students $2.
Dalhousie Art Gallery
Dalhousie Arts Centre, 6101 University Ave.
Changing exhibitions of historic and contemporary art. Film series every Wednesday from Sept.-May. Reading room full of art periodicals and catalogues. Open Tues. to Sun. 11am to 4pm. Admission is free.
Eye Level Gallery
1672 Barrington St., 3rd Floor, Halifax
Currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, this non-profit artist-run centre focuses on the work of emerging and established contemporary Canadian artists. Open Tues. to Sat. noon to 5pm. Admission is free.
Khyber Centre for the Arts
1588 Barrington St., Halifax
A non-profit artist-rungallery for young and emerging artists, the Khyber hosts works in numerous genres, including performance art. Its various galleries are located in a historic, turreted building. Sharing the building is the Khyber Club bar, where young artists spend time discussing their work and drinking Khybeer. Open Wed.-Sat. noon-5. Admission: By donation.
Mary E. Black Gallery
Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design
1683 Barrington St., Halifax
Ongoing exhibitions by Nova Scotia craftspeople and designers. Production craft display features Nova Scotia craft businesses. Classes and workshops are offered in several working studios for weaving, wood, metal, pottery and multi-purpose. Find out where to buy Nova Scotia arts and crafts. Open Mon. to Fri. 9am to 4pm, Sat. 10am to 4pm. Admission free.


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Walter has been using Rosacea-Ltd since 2000.
In the past, Walter had used Metrogel but states 'I was never very happy with the dry skin and burning I had.'
Additional comments and original email:
Name: Walter Gibbs
Email: Not Available
Date Submitted: 2/16/2002
I have been using your product for about 2 years now and I am very happy with it. Previously I had been using Metrogel for 5 years or more and I was never very happy with the dry skin and burning I had. I wish I had of found out about your product sooner.
Thank you again.
—Walt G.
People who read this page also read:
Rosacea-Ltd Lifestyle Recommendations Sometimes it's the habits we get into that affect and even cause our rosacea to worsen, identifying and changing these habits can have a big positive impact on your skin.
The Rosacea Diet – When it comes to our skin and our immune system we truly are what we eat and our skin is proof of this.
Rosacea Flushing and Redness – In identifying the triggers that initiate flushing, we can learn to control them.


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You can now get a great coupon for $1 off two Campbell's cooking soups. This will make for some cheap soup! Click here for Internet Explorer and click here for Firefox. You can print this coupon twice. Thanks, It's Hip to Save!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Campbell's Soup Coupon
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Docker is a large project that touches many different layers of the system. Everything from a REST api to low level filesystem and execution calls. Docker is also open source so where are all the awesome packages that make docker dock? Why do the docker developers not contribute back reusable ...read more
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1: Don't boot init
Containers model processes not machines. Even if you think that you need ...read more
Go Dynamic Plugins
For me, my favorite feature of Go is the static binary. I love compiling once and just dropping the binary into a container running the 2mb busybox image and having my app up and running. No pip, no dlls, no problem. However, this does come with a small price. If ...read more
Advanced Docker Volumes
I have noticed that many people have a hard time understanding what volumes are and how to use them effectively.
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The proper way to do port allocation in docker is toread more
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Here are a few go commands that I find helpful that are hidden in documentation.
List all installed packages
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Build entire pkg directory
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Install entire pkg directory
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Test entire pkg
go test . ./...
Format and simplify code
go fmt -s -w <file>
Detect races ...read more
Go toolbox
Dockerfile Best Practices
Dockerfiles provide a simple syntax for building images. The following are a few tips and tricks to help you get the most out of Dockerfiles.
1: Use the cache
Each instruction in a Dockerfile commits the change into a new image which will then be used as the base of ...read more
Docker Wallpapers
Dockerfile deep dive
Remote Development
In the past I have not been a huge fan of "the cloud" for all of the work that I need to do. I still prefer native over web apps but I also like the convenience of having my data accessible everywhere. However, over the past few months I have ...read more
Golang JSON RPC
Go's rpc package has an example for the default rpc implementation but nothing for the jsonrpc package. Here is how to get it work. The rpc example uses some helpers built into the rpc package, I just looked at that code in Go's stdlib to figure out the ...read more
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SecureString How To
Working with the SecureString class in .NET is fairly easy. This class allows you to keep string data encrypted in memory. Maybe you load connection strings, passwords, or financial data into memory when your application starts or loads an object so the least you can do is use the SecureString ...read more
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So this year I wanted to learn something very different from ...read more
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Running your own infrastructure is awesome, if your a hacker like me. If your a square and you don't want to mess with your own hardware you have two choices if you are going to host your website or services online. If you don't feel like spending ...read more
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Update: I will have updated graphs in a day or two. My time tracking app was only exporting the top 10 applications and I just found the setting to export the top 25.
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After attending the launch of the Isuzu M-UX earlier this year, I had the opportunity to drive it on a 7-day test. It is a large SUV, and as such is not that nimble in the traffic around town. Where it does come into its own however, is on the open road, and forging off-road on weekends. Being a 7-seater, you either have room for lots of passengers, or you can use that space for luggage. It has a cavernous boot when the seats are folded down.
Obvious comparisons were going to be made with the SUV from GM in the past namely the Trailblazer. Whilst it certainly bears a resemblance to the latter at the rear, the MU-X is a much more stylish and handsome looking SUV indeed. It is less square and box-like, has less plastics, and also less rattles, which the Trailblazer, unfortunately had. Its more apparent competitors will be the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest and Pajero Sport, and it should acquit itself well against them, judging by what we experienced.
Exterior styling.
The MU-X is a robust and tough looking SUV, and where it is distinctive, is in the front , where it looks very Isuzu, framing the bold chromed Isuzu front grille are striking headlight clusters that incorporate LED daytime running lights, along with Bi-LED projector headlamps with auto-levelling functionality as standard on both models. This is complemented by low-mounted fog lights that provide additional visibility in difficult weather conditions.
Also from the side where the Katana sword is shown in the curve profile.
The SUV is good looking and will be at home in the city streets as well as in off the beaten track. The integrated aluminium side-steps enhance the tough exterior look of the mu-X, while facilitating easy ingress and egress for front and rear occupants. Smart double-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels further enhance the dynamic design, as does the sharp styling of the LED rear combination lamps, once-piece tailgate with integrated rear spoiler, and lower rear valance in contrasting grey.
Darkened glass is used for the rear side, quarter and tailgate windows, adding comfort, privacy and security for passengers and items located at the rear.
In the Cabin.
The interior is more refined, with some soft plastics, which help make it less cheap. The seats are comfy, but a complaint from my co-driver was that the passenger seat was not mechanised, and with a nearly six hundred K price tag, he had a point. It has a very cohesive infotainment system set in the middle of the dash, which was very easy to navigate and had the Apple Carplay and Andriod Auto functionality, expected these days. It has Bluetooth connectivity, and two USB ports in the front, which came in handy for two journalists needing constant comms. There seemed to be a problem with the Bluetooth, as it continually dropped the connection to the phone, but this does not seem to be a general problem, probably just with the test unit.
As part of the "Sky Sound" system, a total of eight speakers are mounted in the dashboard, front and rear doors and the roof, thus providing an engaging sound experience for all occupants.
An electronic climate control system is standard, accessed via the circular cluster of controls in the centre drop-down centre of the dashboard. Rear seat occupants are catered for with their own cooling vents, ensuring high levels of comfort on short or long-distance trips.
The central locking system boasts passive keyless entry and start, along with touch sensor opening and push-button locking functions built into the chrome door handles, contributing to day-to-day convenience, as does the multitude of storage compartments located strategically around the cabin, including dual glove boxes, an upper dash storage binnacle and cup holders for all three rows of seats.
Isuzu Motors have long been reknowned for making reliable & quality diesel engines, and have made approx. 25-million engines to date. And under the bonnet of the mu-X is the legendary 3.0L four-cylider turbo-diesel engine. It is not particularly fast, and in the Highveld air, sometimes seemed to lack over-taking acceleration, but it has low down grunt, and comes into its own off-road. It also is quite fuel efficient, delivering 130 kW of power matched to a peak torque output of 380 Nm at 2 000 r/min, this power unit is suited to a wide variety of roles, from relaxed cruising with the family to towing a trailer or caravan, and conquering challenging off-road terrain.
The MU-X is exclusively available with a six-speed automatic transmission that gives good power, and it has a manual mode which I preferred, to make the most of the generous torque available. The Isuzu MU-X is available in a choice of rear-wheel drive or part-time four-wheel drive models – the latter featuring Isuzu's easy to use Terrain Command 4×4 system with electronically selected 2-High, 4-High and 4-Low modes, the latter designed for off-road adventure.
Off-road capability is enhanced with a ground clearance of 230 mm, a 24-degree approach angle and departure angle of 25.1-degrees. The extensive underbody protection includes a sturdy steel guard for the sump and transfer case for added peace of mind. We drove the mu-X through a fairly challenging 4×4 trail in the hills above Clarens, and it handled with aplomb, no getting stuck in mud, or in tricky shale laden acents.
Safety and security.
The Isuzu MU-X is packed with an extensive range of active and passive safety features. To assist the driver in avoiding a collision, it is equipped with an all-disc ABS braking system with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA).
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) helps the driver maintain control of the vehicle, while the Traction Control System (TCS) prevents wheel spin and slippage. Hill Start Assist (HSA) provides an electronic brake control that automatically engages to prevent vehicle roll-back when pulling off on steep gradients of more than 5.7 degrees.
Designed specifically as an enhancement for off-road driving, Hill Descent Control (HDC) can be engaged in low-range 4×4 mode, applying the brakes independently to ensure a smooth, controlled descent – thus giving the driver added confidence and safety when negotiating difficult downhill terrain.
Six airbags are included in the list of standard passive safety features for impact protection in the event of a collision, comprising dual front, side and full-length curtain airbags, linked to front seat pre-tensioner seatbelts.
The Isuzu MU-X comes standard with Isuzu Complete Care, comprising a five-year/120 000km bumper-to-bumper warranty and Isuzu Roadside Assistance, a five-year/unlimited km anti-corrosion warranty and a five-year/90 000km Service Plan. Service intervals are every 15 000km/12 months.
Extended cover can also be purchased for Roadside Assistance, Service Plans and Maintenance Plans.
Model range and Pricing.
Model Price
Isuzu MU-X 3.0 4X2 AT6 R 568 000,00
Isuzu MU-X 3.0 4×4 AT6 R 629 100,00
Summing up, the MU-X should find a steady customer base, as it is a good proposition and is very well priced. It comes with the already enhanced Isuzu build quality, and reliable & powerful diesel engines. It has been updated with media and tech, and it is a nice looking SUV as well. The positives were the reliable Isuzu build, the engine is good, but does not seem to suit town driving, and the drive height always give a sense of looking over the traffic. We are taking the Isuzu M-UX on an extended road test down to the Western Cape soon, and will be writing on that experience in Jan 2019.


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Endless Robotics Pvt Ltd, a Hyderabad-based startup working on interior painting automation solutions for real estate projects, has secured $100,000 (around Rs 67 lakh) in a seed funding round.
The round was led by New York-based angel investors Devidas Desai and Vipul Gautam, the startup said in a statement. The Singapore Angel Network also participated in the round facilitated through the investment platform Termsheet.io.
The startup will use the funds for product development, hiring and training personnel, and launch a pilot service, co-founder Srikar Reddy said.
Endless Robotics was founded in October 2015. Its founding team comprises BITS Pilani graduates Reddy, Puneeth Bandikatla, Nitesh Boyina and Akhil Varma as well as Ravi Teja Yaramaneni, an alumnus of the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad.
"Robots can soon be a very real part of our everyday future by focusing on solving problems related to something as fundamental as building and maintaining modern-day homes and offices," said Reddy.
Endless Robotics estimates the size of the total addressable market for painting jobs in India at $3.6 billion, of which a third is in the major cities.
"The problem of availability as well as rapidly rising wages of skilled labour in India is becoming an impediment to growth in the sector. Such technology will play a pivotal role in catapulting some of the government's flagship initiatives," said Satveer Thakral of the Singapore Angel Network.
The startup is aiming at a commercial rollout of its robot in a couple of weeks. It is also working on a prototype version of a robot that can do exterior painting in buildings and intends to bring out this robot within four months.
"We are hiring more engineers to work on the exterior painting robot and that is our next endeavour," said Reddy.
Termsheet.io was founded in 2013 by Sonia Pradhan and National Law School alumnus Vivek Durai. It is an early-stage fundraising platform that connects angel investors and startups. It claims to have a network of about 450 investors.


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KIEV, May 31 (Reuters) - An arbitration court in Stockholm has ruled in favour of Ukrainian state gas firm Naftogaz in its long-running dispute with Russia's Gazprom over a take-or-pay gas contract, Naftogaz spokeswoman Olena Osmolovska said on Wednesday.
"The tribunal rules Naftogaz Ukraine is entitled to a market-reflective adjustment of the price formula," she said.
Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; editing by Matthias Williams


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The Bishop's Spring Conference for Clergy, Lay Professionals and Spouses is excited to welcome keynote speaker Michael Harvey to Shrine Mont May 6-8. We'll explore the concept of "Unlocking the Growth" in your congregation through Harvey's program grounded in hospitality and invitation.
This conference is a time for clergy, lay leaders and their spouses to come together for fellowship, worship and continuing education. Participants will also spend time in conversation with Bishop Johnston, Bishop Goff and
So, are you looking for more resources about how to grow, evangelize and master the art of the invitation? Check out the links below.
- Online News as Evangelism, by Daniel Webster on Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Practices
- Extending the Invitation, by Miguel Angel Escobar on Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Practices
- Welcoming Newcomers, Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers
- Facebook Evangelist, by Brenton Balvin on on Church Marketing Sucks
What do you think of the links above? Any additional resources to share?


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The word globule isn't the most appealing term. Maybe this is why globular clusters don't get as much press as they deserve.
These dense collections of ancient stars numbering in the tens of thousands are home to some of the oldest stars in the universe. If nebulae are the stellar nurseries of the cosmos, then globular clusters are the stellar nursing homes. But just as nebulae can teach us about how young stars form, globular clusters can teach us about how old stars evolve and age – which occasionally ends with an older, massive star collapsing into a black hole.
In a study published Wednesday in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, astronomers announced the discovery of one such black hole in the globular cluster NGC 3201. By noticing the exceptionally bizarre orbital behavior of a specific star in the cluster, the researchers were able to conclude that a black hole is lurking in the core of NGC 3201, located some 16,000 light-years away. The discovery of the black hole – which is not feeding on nearby material, and therefore invisible to direct observations – is the first detection of a stellar-mass black hole made purely by measuring its gravitational influence on other stars.
"(The star) was orbiting something that was completely invisible, which had a mass more than four times the Sun," said Benjamin Giesers, an astrophysicist at the University of Göttingen and lead author of the study, in a press release. "This could only be a black hole! The first one found in a globular cluster by directly observing its gravitational pull."
As part of a large survey of globular clusters orbiting the Milky Way, an international team of astronomers used the ESO's Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explore (MUSE) instrument on the Very Large Telescope in Chile to search for stellar binaries – pairs of stars that orbit each other. In addition to analyzing the light of individual stars, MUSE measures their radial velocities, or relative back-and-forth motions. Among the plethora of radial velocity measurements taken for the globular cluster survey, the researchers found one oddball star.
They noticed that this particular star was being flung back and forth so quickly (over 200,000 miles per hour) that it must be orbiting an invisible black hole at least four times as massive as the Sun. Though the researchers acknowledge the possibility that the fast-moving star is being rag-dolled around within a triple star system containing two exceptionally large and tightly bound neutron stars, "since such a system was not observed to date and the actual mass of the discovered object is probably higher, a black hole scenario is more likely."
One of the things that sets NGC 3201 apart from other globular clusters is that its core is relatively large. According to the study, "as the presence of black holes can lead to an expansion of the core radius through interactions between black holes and stars, the discovery of the presented black hole could be an indication that NGC 3201 possesses an extensive black hole system in its core."
Because globular clusters contain the largest and oldest stars in the universe, they should be prime hangouts for stellar-mass black holes, which are formed when massive stars die and collapse under their own gravity. However, recent theories suggest that, while black holes likely form in globular clusters, they should quickly get ejected through interactions within the nucleus of the cluster.
"Until recently, it was assumed that almost all black holes would disappear from globular clusters after a short time and that systems like this should not even exist! But clearly this is not the case," said Giesers. "Our discovery is the first direct detection of the gravitational effects of a stellar-mass black hole in a globular cluster. This finding helps in understanding the formation of globular clusters and the evolution of black holes and binary systems – vital in the context of understanding gravitational wave sources."


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Tracing the History of Horse Evolution and Domestication
New clues to the origins of the horse and the spread of its domestication were presented in 2012 by a multinational team of scientists led by Vera Warmuth of the University of Cambridge. In their bid to piece together the genetic structure of the wild horse (Equus ferus) and to determine the location of the first domesticated horse populations, the researchers sampled the DNA of more than 300 animals across Europe and Asia, from Vilnius, Lith., to Övörkhangai, Mong. The data collected by the study allowed scientists to estimate the timing of the evolution of E. ferus and confirm the location of its first domestication.
Evolution of the Horse.
The evolutionary lineage of the horse, from its origins during the Eocene Epoch (55.8 million to 33.9 million years ago) through the present, is among the best documented in all paleontology. During the early Eocene there appeared the first ancestral horse, a hoofed browsing mammal designated correctly as Hyracotherium but more commonly called Eohippus, the dawn horse. Fossils of Eohippus, which have been found in both North America and Europe, show an animal that stood 4.2 to 5 hands (42.7 to 50.8 cm [1.4 to 1.7 ft]) high, diminutive by comparison with the modern horse, and had an arched back and raised hindquarters. The legs ended in padded feet with four functional hooves on each of the forefeet and three on each of the hind feet—quite unlike the unpadded single-hoofed foot of modern equines. The skull lacked the large flexible muzzle of the modern horse, and the size and shape of the cranium indicated that the brain was far smaller and less complex than that of today's horse. The teeth too differed significantly from those of modern equines, being adapted to a fairly general browser's diet—a diet made up of leaves, shoots, and twigs. Eohippus was, in fact, so unhorselike that its evolutionary relationship to modern equines was at first unsuspected. It was not until paleontologists had unearthed fossils of later extinct horses that the link to Eohippus became clear.
Although Eohippus fossils occurred in both the Old and the New World, the subsequent evolution of the horse took place chiefly in North America. During the remainder of the Eocene, the prime evolutionary changes were in dentition. Orohippus, a genus from the middle Eocene, and Epihippus, a genus from the late Eocene, resembled Eohippus in size and in the structure of the limbs. But the form of the cheek teeth—the four premolars and the three molars found in each half of both jaws—had changed somewhat in Orohippus and Epihippus to facilitate the grinding activity associated with a more-specialized browsing diet. A system of continuous crests or ridges running the length of the molars and molariform premolars occurred in Epihippus that were retained by all subsequent ancestors of the modern horse.
Fossils of Mesohippus were found in North America and dated to the early and middle parts of the Oligocene Epoch (33.9 million to 23 million years ago). Mesohippus was far more horselike than its Eocene ancestors: it was larger (averaging about 6 hands [61 cm, or 2 ft] high); the snout was more muzzlelike; and the legs were longer and more slender. Mesohippus also had a larger brain. The fourth toe on the forefoot had been reduced to a vestige, so both the forefeet and the hind feet carried three functional toes and a footpad. The teeth remained adapted to browsing.
By the late Oligocene Mesohippus had evolved into a somewhat larger form known as Miohippus. The descendants of Miohippus split into various evolutionary branches during the early Miocene (23 million to 5.3 million years ago). One of these branches led from Miohippus to the modern horse. The first representative of this line, Parahippus, appeared in the early Miocene. Parahippus and its descendants marked a radical departure in that they had teeth adapted to eating grass. Grasses were at that time becoming widespread across the North American plains, providing Parahippus with a vast food supply. Grass is a much coarser food than succulent leaves and requires a different kind of tooth structure. The cheek teeth developed larger, stronger crests and became adapted to the side-to-side motion of the lower jaw necessary for grinding grass blades.
The change from browsing to grazing dentition was essentially completed in Merychippus, which evolved from Parahippus during the middle and late Miocene. Merychippus must have looked much like a modern pony. It was fairly large, standing about 10 hands (1 m [3.3 ft]) high, and its skull was similar to that of the modern horse. The long bones of the lower leg had become fused; this structure, which has been preserved in all modern equines, is an adaptation for swift running. The feet remained three-toed, but in many species the footpad was lost, and the two side toes became rather small. It gave rise to numerous evolutionary lines during the late Miocene. One line, however, led to the one-toed Pliohippus, the direct predecessor of Equus. Pliohippus fossils were found in North America and dated to the early to middle Pliocene (5.3 million to 2.6 million years ago).
Equus—the genus to which all modern equines, including horses, asses, and zebras, belong—evolved from Pliohippus toward the end of the Pliocene. Equus showed even greater development of the spring mechanism in the foot and exhibited straighter and longer cheek teeth. This new form was roughly 13 hands (1.2 m [4 ft]) tall; it was extremely successful and had spread from the plains of North America to South America and to all parts of the Old World by the early Pleistocene (about 2,600,000 million to 11,700 years ago). Equus flourished in its North American homeland throughout the Pleistocene but then disappeared from the fossil record there sometime around 10,000 to 8,000 years ago. It was reintroduced to its native continent in the early 16th century, with the arrival of Spanish explorers.
During the Pleistocene the evolution of Equus in the Old World gave rise to all the modern members of the genus. The taxonomy of the modern horse, however, remains unsettled. Most biologists classify tamed horse populations of the species E. ferus as part of the species E. caballus by virtue of their domestication. (Some biologists prefer the name E. ferus for domesticated as well as wild horses, whereas others have suggested a taxonomy that combines both names.) The modern horse became widespread from central Asia to most of Europe.


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We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Imagine that, five years from now, the Canadian government launches a successful initiative to change our national flag from its current maple leaf banner to something else. Further imagine that you, or someone near to you, served in the Canadian Forces and died under the old maple leaf flag in a place like Cyprus, Lebanon, Bosnia-Herzegovina or Afghanistan. The government erects a monument to those who served and died in these places, and on the anniversary of their death, declines to fly the maple leaf flag they fought under. The flag that was sewn onto the shoulders of their uniforms, flew from their ships, and was painted on the tails of their aircraft. Instead, it decides that only the new flag must be flown from the memorial — a flag that those who died had never even seen or imagined.
Sound farfetched? Unfortunately, it is exactly what the Government of Canada would like to do to our Vimy Ridge casualties and veterans of the Great War.
OTTAWA — It's the flag the Canadians carried into battle when they captured Vimy Ridge in 1917. And it's the flag that should be flying next month when thousands assemble at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial on April 9 for the unveiling of the restored monument while marking the 90th anniversary of the battle, say members of a campaign to get the Red Ensign to Vimy Ridge for the ceremony.
The Red Ensign was also there in 1936 when the monument was unveiled for the first time, said Ottawa resident John Heyes, a retired civil servant who has been lobbying to have a version of the historic flag taken to France in April. Photos from the unveiling show the front of the monument draped in a large Red Ensign.
Heyes and Bill Bishop, a maintenance worker in Maple Ridge, B.C., who has written hundreds of letters advocating for a stronger presence for the old flag, don't expect the Maple Leaf, which Canada adopted as its flag 42 years ago, to take a back seat to the Red Ensign – they think both should be flown.
…In fact, Veterans Affairs has told Bishop and Heyes, who both had grandfathers who fought in the First World War, there is no plan to fly the Red Ensign flag at Vimy.
The ceremony is a Canadian government event and will therefore feature only the Maple Leaf, they were told. Robert Mercer, the assistant deputy minister who is co-ordinating the event, did promise, however, to have a Red Ensign at the visitor's centre so people can see the flag under which the Canadians fought and, in 3,598 cases at Vimy, died.
— Jennifer Campbell, "Vets call for Red Ensign to fly at Vimy Ridge". CanWest News Service / Ottawa Citizen, 19 March 2007. [Emphasis mine]
The federal bureaucracy, not surprisingly, sees nothing wrong with this decision. More insultingly, a University of Calgary professor of history blames our poor deluded servicemen (and women) for not knowing that the Canadian Red Ensign was a temporary symbol and not, presumably, worth fighting for or remembering at this late date.
But Veterans Affairs cited a governmental protocol that allows no other flag than the Maple Leaf to fly on federal property. The land on which the Vimy Memorial was build was donated to Canada by France.
"We know where the veterans are coming from . . . but we have to follow protocol," said Janice Summerby, a spokeswoman for Veterans Affairs.
Many Canadian soldiers who went into battles in the two world wars under the Red Ensign are not willing to give up their standard, veterans' advocates said.
And the latest debate has laid bare an old wound with veterans, while dividing historians, experts on both sides said.
"A lot of veterans are actually saying, 'when I am buried I want the Red Ensign [draped] over my coffin,' " said Dianne Crompton, president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 486.
But at least one historian would like to see that debate buried in the annals of history. David Bercuson, of the University of Calgary, said the Red Ensign was only adopted with the understanding that it was to be replaced by a permanent standard.
"The ensign was never an official flag," Prof. Bercuson said. "We left that behind 42 years ago and I don't see why anybody would want to revisit that."
— Alex Dobrota, "With what flag should we honour Vimy Ridge?". Globe & Mail, 20 March 2007. [Emphasis mine]
Because a professor of history is qualified to determine how veterans should be honoured and their last wishes carried out, much more so than the veterans themselves. Friend and fellow Anglophile The Flea strikes exactly the right tone in response:
Jean-François Lyotard has described the phenomenon as "memorial-forgetful history". The monuments reminding us never to forget are often put to the purpose of a grand selective remembrance more effective than trying to cram the whole lot down the Memory Hole. A case in point is a response to veterans' pleas to fly the Canadian Red Ensign at the National Vimy Memorial next month (hat tip to Babbling Brooks). The answer? Couldn't possibly, says some mouth-piece of the Canadian government. This is a "Canadian government event" and so the Liberal goatse banner must take pride of place. Let us be clear: We are meant to believe the forthcoming ceremony at Vimy is a government event, not a veterans event. It would not do to memorialize the ideals men fought for under the Red Ensign. These are to be erased and replaced by whatever passes for meaning amongst the mandarins of Canada's eurocracy.
— Ghost of a Flea, "Sweepers, man your brooms", 21 March 2007. [Emphasis mine, links preserved from original]
Exactly right. The memorial was erected in memory of those who served and those who died. It is their memorial, and services on the battle's anniversary honour the living and dead Canadian veterans of that battle (and the Great War). This event is in honour of them, not the government. Honouring the men and women who moved to the sound of the guns and put it all on the line.
Fortunately, Canada has remembered herself.
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper has requested the Red Ensign flag fly at Vimy Ridge ceremonies next month, The Globe and Mail has learned.
Mr. Harper told his cabinet ministers yesterday that he wanted both the Red Ensign and the Maple Leaf hoisted in Vimy, France, at the 90th anniversary of the First World War battle, sources close to the Prime
Minister said.
"He said, 'The Red Ensign of 1917 will fly over Vimy,' " one source told The Globe.
The decision was hailed as a victory by veterans' groups and advocates, who have been lobbying Ottawa to have the historical ensign displayed over the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.
— Alex Dobrota, "Harper wants Red Ensign to fly at Vimy, sources say". Globe & Mail, 21 March 2007.
Thank you, Prime Minister Stephen Harper. On behalf of those who have, and will, give their lives for this country — under all of her flags.
(Big hat tip to Babbling Brooks, Quotulatiousness, and Ghost of a Flea for keeping the spotlight on this.)
UPDATE 212023Z MAR 2007: This reminds me of why I like the City of Toronto's civic war veterans' colour guard at City Hall's Remembrance Day ceremonies. Not only do they carry the national flag, provincial flag, and city flag — but they also carry the Royal Union flag, the Canadian Red Ensign, and the pre-amalgamation service ensigns of the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force.


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Battle over Circle K owner's death
Insurance companies say Jose Lantigua is alive in South America
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A court hearing was held Tuesday involving the disputed death of a successful Jacksonville businessman.
Jose Lantigua turned Circle K Furniture into a booming business in 2008, but then his company mysteriously went under around the same time that he was reported dead in South America.
Lantigua's family confirms he died, but the company that holds his life insurance policy, Hartford Life and Annuity, says he's alive in Venezuela and it's not paying.
Lantigua leaves behind a wife and two children in their 20s, according to Josh Woolsey, the Lantigua family's attorney. He said Lantigua's wife even has his death certificate and ashes.
But according to Hartford and Life Annuity, as well as several other insurance companies, Lantigua is alive and well, living somewhere in South America.
"All the sudden we learn they refuse to pay the death benefit, and it appears several of the insurance companies have collaborated together and are using the same source of information, which they're basing their refusal to pay their proceeds from," Woolsey said.
He said if Lantigua's family ever thought he had faked his death, he wouldn't be representing the family because they would never participate in fraud. He also said they have asked the insurance companies several times for evidence that Lantigua is still alive but nothing has been provided.
In November, Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company claimed the Venezuelan government revoked the insured death certificate of Lantigua, but attorneys for the family said they never received notice of that.
Family attorneys then got a lawyer in Venezuela and found out the insurance companies' claim that the death certificate was nullified had itself been falsified.
Woolsey said two words were deleted from the court order confirming Lantigua's death, which completely changed the meaning of the document.
Claiming the documents had been falsified, family attorneys then asked the judge to dismiss the company's filing as a sham.
"At this point, if they're capable of falsifying court orders and committing fraud, then nothing they have to say and nothing they have to produce in our opinion is liable and shouldn't be considered," Woolsey said.
At Tuesday's hearing, a trial date was set for July 2015.
Copyright 2014 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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A pyxel file extension is related to the Pyxel Edit drawing application. A pyxel file contains picture image.
Software that open pyxel file
PYXEL file extension - Pyxel Edit picture image
What is pyxel file? How to open pyxel files?
File type specification:
The pyxel file extension is associated with the Pyxel Edit, a drawing software for Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS X, designed for working with titles.
The pyxel file stores picture image from Pyxel Edit program.
Updated: October 11, 2019
The default software associated to open pyxel file:
Company or developer:
Daniel Kvarfordt
Pyxel Edit is a pixel art drawing application especially designed for working with tiles. Place tiles to form a level, edit them directly to see how they all work together, then export your tileset and the level data, and load it into your game.
Company or developer:
Daniel Kvarfordt
Pyxel Edit for Mac is art drawing tool especially designed for working with tiles. It also supports making animations, and exporting them as sprite sheets or animated GIFs.
List of software applications associated to the .pyxel file extension
Recommended software programs are sorted by OS platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android etc.)
and possible program actions that can be done with the file: like open pyxel file, edit pyxel file, convert pyxel file, view pyxel file, play pyxel file etc. (if exist software for corresponding action in File-Extensions.org's database).
Click on the tab below to simply browse between the application actions, to quickly get a list of recommended software, which is able to perform the specified software action, such as opening, editing or converting pyxel files.
Software that open pyxel file - Pyxel Edit picture image
Programs supporting the exension pyxel on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Click on the link to get more information about listed programs for open pyxel file action.


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States make a lot of money on the taxes you pay each time you fill up your tank. But as more and more people buy cars that use less gas–whether that means EVs, hybrids, or just more fuel-efficient cars–gas tax revenue is declining. This is a problem because those cars use the roads as much as gas guzzlers, and most gas tax revenue is pumped back into things like road maintenance.
Gas 2.0 reports that Oregon's proposed solution is to switch to a tax on the miles that a car drives, regardless of how much gas they use. The argument being that a per-mile tax means that people who use the roads and other infrastructure more will pay more. Questions abound, however: How do you measure the tax in a non-Big Brother way? Does this affect just hybrids and EVs, or do you switch the entire system?


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Guidance to help you make your money go further so you can focus on studying and making the most of your time at UCL.
YouTube Widget Placeholderhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrLQxJRRJbA
Financial tools
It's worth putting some thought into which bank account is best for you. Most come with a free overdraft facility but be careful that you don't go over your limit as the charges can be expensive.
Find out more about student bank accounts
Checking your statements regularly will help make sure that you are on top of things and aren't overspending.
There are a lot of budgeting apps available and some of them have been specifically designed for students. The Money Advice Service have a handy budget calculator which will help you work out how much you have to spend.
Increase your income
Funding your studies
Make sure that you are receiving all the financial support that is available to you. There are various sources of funding for undergraduates, and students on postgraduate taught and postgraduate research courses. If you are not sure you have everything you are entitled to email the Student Funding team.
Part-time work
The University recommends that full-time undergraduate students do not work for more than 15 to 20 hours a week during term time.
International students who wish to know if they can work in the UK under their student visa can get advice and guidance from UKCISA.
The UCLU job shop offers an easy-to-use online jobs list for current students interested in one-off, part-time or vacation work.
The UCL Careers Service have several jobs boards that you can search to find the opportunity you're looking for. They can also provide student support with job applications, interviews and writing a professional CV.
Another way to earn money whilst at UCL is by helping out the Widening Participation team as a Summer School Student Leader, Taster Presenter or Language Ambassador.
Find out more about opportunities with Widening Participation
Remember that most students will have to pay Income Tax and National Insurance on money earned.
Use a tool like the salary calculator to work out your take home pay after tax and national insurance.
Student Funding Welfare have written a blogpost on how to reduce your rent by looking at ways to pay less for where you live, including homesharing, property guardianship and becoming a residence adviser (postgraduate students only).
Most landlords and agents ask for a UK-based guarantor. If you don't have a UK-based guarantor, it is standard practice for landlords to ask for 6 month's rent in advance. However, if you are a UCL student and have no debts to the university, UCL Residences may be able to act as your guarantor.
Use the resources like the University of London Housing Service contract checking service and UCLU's key points for renters to make sure you don't get ripped off with contracts or bills.
If you are a full-time student you could be exempt from paying council tax
If you are living in halls of residence provided by UCL you automatically have a basic level of insurance with Cover4Insurance. This provides cover for a range of possessions within your accommodation such as laptop, electrical goods, clothes and sports equipment. If you find that you need more cover than is already arranged by UCL you can arrange top up cover.
Things are often nearer than you think. For example, it's quicker to walk from Covent Garden tube station to Leicester Square than it is to take the tube. Once you get to know London you'll learn the shortcuts, until then TfL have walking maps outside many tube stations.
If you need to go further afield you could invest in a bike. There's lots of bike parking around UCL.
You could also check out the Santander Cycles hire scheme from TfL, there are docking stations near UCL.
An 18+ Student Oyster Photocard will give you a 30% discount on Travelcard and Bus Pass season tickets, covering periods of a week to one year. It doesn't offer a discount on pay as you go fares, although this is possible by linking your 16-25 railcard to your Oyster.
A 16-25 railcard will get you a third off rail travel in the UK as well as some other discounts. It's also available to full time students over the age of 26. The Young Persons Coach Card offers the same benefits but on the coach network. You can also link this railcard to your Oyster card and save a third on all individual tube and bus journeys.
Food and Drink
The cost of eating out and getting take-aways can really stack up. Cooking for yourself or with your housemates is cheaper and healthier, with the added benefit of bringing everyone together. There are lots of free recipes online and if you cook with your housemates it will lower the cost even more.
Plan a menu for the week and make a shopping list before heading to the shops. This will make sure you only buy what you need and less food will go to waste.
Take a packed lunch and bring coffee, tea or water in a flask - it will be cheaper than buying everything on campus.
Shop around for your food. Mysupermarket helps find the best deals from across major supermarket chains.
Don't be afraid to try the value brands. They are much more economical and studies have shown that consumers can prefer the cheaper brand. Swap one item a week for the value version and if you like it, stick with it. If not, just swap back.
Some supermarkets do Meal Ticket Cards for students where a parent or guardian can put money on the card and the student can spend the money on their food shop. Currently Asda and Sainsbury's have schemes, ask at your local branch.
Many supermarkets reduce items in the hour before they close. Visit at this time to get vastly reduced prices on food.
Use an app like Olio to pick up food that shops in your area are giving away.
When on campus don't waste money on buying water - fill up at one of UCL's water fountains.
Course costs
Take advantage of the UCL libraries – they are free and there are comprehensive short term loan sections.
Some of UCL's libraries also loan laptops on a short term basis to students who may not have access to their own.
Discuss your reading list with your tutor to find out which textbooks are essential and would be good to own, and which ones you'll only use a few times and so can borrow from the library or share.
Research before you buy. Sites like Amazon or eBay may have the books you need at a lower price. Abebooks sells second hand books.
It's worth checking in local second hand shops around UCL to see if a student in a year above you, or who has graduated, has donate books they don't need anymore.
Take advantage of loyalty card schemes at bookshops, like the one at Waterstones.
The NHS Low Income Scheme helps people from low-income backgrounds cover health related costs on the NHS such as travel, prescriptions, dental and optician's bills. The certificate lasts for a year. To apply, download the HC1 form, complete it and return to the NHS address stated on page 2.
Don't pay a premium for branded medication. The basic range of any medicine can be up to 8 times cheaper than branded alternatives even though the active ingredients are identical and the effects have no measurable difference.
Lifestyle and Shopping
Student discount sites like Student Beans, My Uni Days, Save the Student and Student Money Saver also all contain deals and discounts.
The NUS Extra card gets you discounts at many restaurants, shops and other venues.
Students can also get discounts to many cultural sites and activities in London. Check out the UCLU website for deals on the theatre, ballet and opera.
Sign up to a site like Freecycle where local people list items they are giving away, or things they want. All you have to do is go and collect it. Freecycle has everything from desks to books.
Shop around for the best deals. There are a lot of comparison websites providing information on the best value deals for mobile phones or laptops.


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Students eligible for the Opportunity Grant may receive funds to cover tuition/mandatory fees and up to $1,000 for books and supplies for 45 college credits. Support services such as tutoring, career advising, college success classes, emergency childcare, and emergency transportation are also part of the Opportunity Grant program.
Opportunity Grant Application
Who Qualifies?
Services Available
Qualifying fields of study
Funding may be given to eligible students enrolled in one of the following programs:
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They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.
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A monumental effort took place to rescue a hedgehog which was trapped two feet below ground in a pipe. Fire crews, animal rescuers and a team from Severn Trent Water responded to Severn Road, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, on Thursday evening and took an incredible four hours to bring him back into the open again. Five Valleys Hedgehog and Bird Rescue, based in Thrupp, posted on their Facebook page about how the night unfolded.
They said: "We had to deal with one of the most challenging rescues ever last night. This poor hedgehog became trapped down a pipe.
It took us four hours to get him out!
"Luckily for the hedgehog a young lad discovered him after randomly looking down the drain and made his mum call a rescue.
We would like to give huge thanks to Stroud Fire Service for coming out and helping us and to the lovely man from Severn Trent Water who drove all the way from Birmingham to cut the pipe so we could get the hedgehog out.
"Also thank you to the residents of Severn Road in Stonehouse and the young lad who found him, the hedgehog would have most certainly died if he had not been discovered! Keep checking those drains!"
A Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman added: "One appliance from Stroud attended after a call from the hedgehog rescue group.
"The hedgehog was trapped 2ft below a Severn Trent Water pipe.
The crew tried to dig around the pipe and rescue, but the animal wrapped itself around the stopcock underneath so we couldn't get to it. We were on scene until 9.23pm."
It took the Severn Trent team to cut out the pipe before the animal was freed.
Kate Goacher, who runs the hedgehog rescue operation, said it was thanks to the curiosity of eight-year-old Joshua Driver-Dickenson that the creature, nicknamed Drainhog, was found at all.
"The kids play on the green nearby and there's one boy who apparently quite likes lifting up drains," she said.
"His mum called me and went out there about 6.30pm - I didn't get back until gone 11pm."
It's feared the hedgehog was down the drain for two days and he's now being nursed back to health and treated for any parasites at Kate's Thrupp animal hospital before eventually being released back into the wild.