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It's no secret that owning a pet can help you de-stress after a long day at work or class, but finding the right pet for your apartment can be a bit more challenging. Certain animals require more attention and commitment than others, while some can more or less take care of themselves. So long as your apartment is pet friendly, there is an animal friend right for your situation.
Fish– Aquatic pets require very little attention so far as feeding and exercise are concerned. However, your fishy friends will require a tank equivalent to their size and feeding every other day. And don't forget cleaning the tank! Some fish prefer to be alone, but others love to school in a group.
Insects– Much like fish, insects are low maintenance. But also like fish, they are not a pet you can really get close to and their lifespan is short. If this kind of pet is right for you, there are plenty of varieties to own such as ants, millipedes or even spiders.
Reptiles or Amphibians- Generally speaking, reptiles and amphibians can have a significantly long lives compared to the aforementioned critters. But they can also provide the entertainment and personality needed to spruce up an apartment. Think about whether you want an aquarium for frogs or turtles, or a terrarium for snakes, lizards or tortoises.
Birds– Flying friends like these can be a very chatty and fun addition to your life. They require a lot of exercise activities within their cage and regular feeding and cleaning. The bigger the cage the better and you might even think about letting them out in your space so they can stretch their wings.
Cats– This self sufficient creature is a staple for most apartment dwellers. Cats require regular feeding and playtime, but are able to manage and entertain themselves if need be. They are the first pet on this list that you can really cuddle up to and have several breeds to choose from.
Dogs– Another furry friend on the list is the canine. Since they have a plethora of breeds, choose a smaller, less active kind for apartment living. You can go big if you have the time and space nearby to exercise them. More importantly, since dogs are high maintenance and need regular food and exercise, be sure you are truly committed to this pet before adopting.
No matter what pet you are thinking of adopting, ensure that you have the time, patience and intentions to see the animal comfortably through their entire life.


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Parliament has become a national disgrace when after meeting for two weeks, it is not prepared to do anything to purge and cleanse the national infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy
The Malaysian Parliament has become a national disgrace when after meeting for two weeks, it is not prepared to do anything to purge and cleanse the national infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy.
Parliament experimented with parliamentary reforms like the Ministerial Question Time (MQT) intended to make Parliament more relevant by dealing with urgent topical issues, but my question to the Prime Minister asking what the government was doing to cleanse and purge the country of the infamy and ignominy of being regarded world-wide as a "global kleptocracy" could not see the light of day, although it was submitted three times at each of the first three MQTs in the past fortnight.
This raises the question whether MQT is capable of making Parliament more relevant by dealing with pertinent national issues like the question of the national infamy and ignominy for being regarded world-wide as a global kleptocracy.
Is there a light at the end of the tunnel to cleanse and purge Malaysia's infamy and ignominy as a global kleptocracy as a result of the 1MDB global mega-financial scandal, the US Department of Justice (DOJ)'s largest single action against US$1 billion 1MDB-linked assets under the US Kleptocracy Assets Recovery Initiative and the investigations by regulatory authorities in Switzerland, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Australia, Luxembourg, Hong Kong and United Kingdom?
Or is there no way the issues of integrity, accountability and transparency in the 1MDB global mega- financial scandal could be pinned down and dissected in the Malaysian Parliament for answers and full accountability to be provided by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Ministers and that such answers and reforms are only possible if there is a change of Federal Government in the next 14th General Election?
The official reactions to the speech by the MP for Tambun and former Second Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah in Parliament on Monday asking some questions about the 1MDB global mega-financial scandal is no cause for anyone to believe that the UMNO/BN Government is prepared to "bite the bullet" to allow the full glare of parliamentary scrutiny and accountability over the 1MDB scandal.
UMNO Information chief, Tan Sri Annuar Musa summarily dismissed Husni's speech and said the former second finance minister had said nothing new in his torrent of questions regarding the 1MDB scandal.
I am very surprised by Annuar's comments as I have been following very closely the sad and sorry saga of the 1MDB scandal in the past seven years, and as far as I know, this is the first time that Husni has aired his reservations and concerns about the 1MDB global mega-financial scandal in a public arena.
Husni's warning that Malaysia might continue to be haunted by the 1MDB scandal and his incisive questions about 1MDB problems arising from the missing US$4 billion in Aabar (BVI), the US$6.5 billion arbitration suit with Abu Dhabi-based International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) and the RM4 billion loan from Kumpulan Wang Amanah Pencen (KWAP) to SRC were raised by Husni for the first time in a public forum.
Is Annuar suggesting that Husni had made such a warning and asked these grave questions about the 1MDB scandal within the four walls of the government or UMNO before he resigned as Second Finance Minister?
What is even more shocking was Husni's revelation in his speech in Parliament that although he had been a loyal and professional Minister, with a KPI "among the best among Ministers", he had been defamed and demonized by UMNO cybertroopers in the social media after he had left the Cabinet.
As Husni said in his speech in Parliament, "…the social media, dua hari selepas saya berhenti, dia punya attacking kepada saya for no reason and I know who the "A", "B", "C" yang attack saya. Why play this game? Let us love the rakyat. Kita bekerjalah untuk rakyat."
Annuar's attack on Husni undoubtedly belongs to this genre of very unkind cuts against someone who is still in the same party.
There is a grand charade going on in Parliament and the nation pretending that the grave problem of Malaysia's infamy and ignominy being regarded worldwide as a global kleptocracy does not exist – which is the greatest disservice for an MP to Malaysia as it should be the responsibility for all Ministers and MPs regardless of race, religion, region or political party to unite to cleanse and purge Malaysia's infamy from being regarded as a global kleptocracy.
Unless the UMNO/BN government has come to the conclusion that it is not possible to cleanse and purge Malaysia of such infamy, and the only option left is to pretend that such infamy and ignominy do not exist. Has Malaysia reached such a sorry pass?

subset: commoncrawl


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Tuesday, 15 September 2015
TGS2015: Dragon Quest Builders Release Date
Dragon Quest Builders is looking like it is going to be a huge hit in Japan when it releases on January 28th 2016. It blends the game play mechanics of Minecraft with a structured world of an RPG. This could be the element that makes the game appealing to those that could not get hooked on the Minecraft phenomenon.
Builders is releasing on the PS4, PS3 and Vita. No Western release date as of yet but I think they would be foolish not to release it worldwide.
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07.08.2015 | Almere, the Netherlands – On each day, an average of 2.5 billion lovers enjoy a thrilling climax; that's roughly 1.5 million orgasms per second. To celebrate the magic of our orgasms, World Orgasm Day was announced. Celebrate it on the 8th of August together with Scala Playhouse and stock-up on some guaranteed orgasm providers.
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With its variety of work and school options, Massachusetts can be an excellent state for social work students. Massachusetts has a variety of urban, suburban, and rural areas that need the services of educated social workers. In total, there are almost 6.7 million people living in Massachusetts. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that there are 839.4 people per square mile in Massachusetts, compared to the national average of 87.4 people per square mile.
The cost of living in Massachusetts is approximately 38% higher than the national average, according to Sperling's Best Places. However, as a result, the median household income in Massachusetts is more than $13,000 higher than the national average.
As you explore your educational options in the small state of Massachusetts, you may be surprised to find that it is home to 20 MSW programs. The overall average cost of tuition is $27,326, which is similar to average tuition costs in other New England states. However, one unique facet of Massachusetts is its financial aid. The average scholarship award in Massachusetts is $15,444, which would pay for almost 2/3 of your education.
While all schools in Massachusetts prepare you for work as a generalist practitioner, there are some schools that give you the opportunity to specialize in a certain field. For example, Boston University offers a wide array of social work specialties. While earning your MSW, you can choose to specialize in family therapy, group work, human services management, aging, or trauma.
The first half of each MSW program is where you learn the core of social work. In addition to learning about social policies and analysis, both of which will drive your practice, you learn the hands on techniques you need to work with and counselor variety of people. During these classes, you will be expected to contribute individually as well as working well with groups of students.
The lecture courses you take every semester are taken in conjunction with practicum hours. At each practicum site, you will have to demonstrate how you are successfully able to use your academic knowledge to work with clients of differing needs and backgrounds. In general, most Massachusetts schools require about 900 hours of field work.
As you go through your MSW program, you may wonder what employment options are available to you after graduation. If you wish to work in a clinical setting, you may look for an employment site that can provide you with the supervised work hours that you need to meet this goal. However, you may also work for government organizations and healthcare agencies, both of which are large employers of social workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
There are many different fields that hire social workers, so there may be many different careers to consider after graduation. Some of the largest social work employers in Massachusetts include South Bay Mental Health, Fresenius Medical Care, and Cape Regency Rehabilitation & Health Care Center.
In order to legally work as a social worker in Massachusetts, you must get your license from the Board of Registration of Social Workers. With an MSW, you can apply for Licensed Clinical Social Worker status. You will need to pay a $173 licensing fee and submit transcripts, references from fieldwork supervisors, and an application. Once you sit for the exam, you receive your license.
To reach the highest level of licensure in Massachusetts, you have to complete 3500 hours of supervised work experience. Once you submit proof of these hours, you can apply for Licensed Independent Social Worker status.
Social worker salaries in Massachusetts depend on a variety of factors, including your licensure level, your area of concentration, and what type of employment you seek. In general, LISWs are the highest-paid social workers in Massachusetts.
O*Net reports that healthcare social workers earn the highest average salary in Massachusetts, with an average salary of $55,100 per year. They are followed by family social workers, who earn an average of $45,500 per year (O*Net, 2012). Mental health social workers, who may work in mental health clinics, earn an average salary of $38,800 per year (O*Net, 2012).
Overall, Massachusetts social workers can look forward to a strong job outlook between 2010 and 2020. In highest demand are mental health social workers, who can look forward to job growth of 25% through 2020 (O*Net, 2012). Child and family social workers can expected job openings to increase by 20% in the same time frame (O*Net, 2012).


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PowerForms enables users to identify the preferred Locale and Calendar Type for each form. (v.2.4)
PowerForms automatically recognizes the server locale and default calendar type and uses these settings to display data and perform data conversions (in formulas and script).
Two new properties have been added in the Form Options editor that allow users to alter that behaviour :
By default, these properties are empty which forces PowerForms to use the server settings retrieved.
Users can enter the required locale (a complete list can be found here) and then select one of the available calendars for that specific locale.
Available calendars Types :


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I believe that the luncheon is a bit earlier than usual, so don't get caught off guard. Not a whole lot of time left. The event is:
Tuesday October 13th at 12 noon at the Cozy Inn Restaurant in Thurmont, MD. The price is only $13 per person.
Make your check out and send it to:
Doris Fausey
13109 Beaver Terrace
Rockville, MD 20853
Mr.&Mrs. Gene Beall
William Calder
Mr.&Mrs. Jim Conner
Doris & Bob Fausey
Stanley Guttenberg
Mr.&Mrs.Norm Hannen
Jim & Peg Hargreaves
Chuck Langdon
Frank Mc Dermott
Don Richards
Lee Shephard and Guests; Richard Webb and James O'Neal
Dave Zarin and son


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Highlights for Tuesday, 11 December 2001
International Year of Mountains Briefing Note
Editor's Note: This Briefing Note was prepared by Alison Ormsby, [email protected], for the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). Funding for the preparation of this Note has been provided by The Mountain Institute. Digital photos and streaming audio from the event were prepared by Franz Dejon, [email protected], and are available at http://enb.iisd.org/crs/mountains/
version of International Year of Mountains is available at: http://enb.iisd.org/crs/mountains/mountainnote.html
11 December 2001, nearly 100 people gathered at the UN Headquarters in
New York to launch the International Year of Mountains. The UN General
Assembly Resolution 53/24 of November 1998 declared 2002 as the
International Year of Mountains (IYM), with the goal of raising
international awareness about mountains, their global importance, the
fragility of their resources, and the necessity of sustainable
approaches to mountain development. The IYM builds on the process
initiated by the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED),
or the Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Chapter 13 of UNCED's
major outcome, Agenda 21, highlights the urgency for action to achieve
sustainable mountain development. The IYM is intended to reinforce the
implementation of Chapter 13 and initiate new, practical,
grassroots-level action in mountain development and conservation.
Above photo (L-R): Jane Pratt with Kurmanbek Bakiev, Prime Minister, Kyrgyz Republic
Chair Adolf Ogi, former
President of the Swiss Confederation, officially opened the event,
proclaiming, "May the sound of the alpenhorn be heard far beyond the
confines of this room and help to create understanding across long
distances." Ogi noted that mountains are home to one tenth of the
world's population yet provide water for more than half of the world.
He called for careful management of mountain areas to avoid long-term
impacts of increasing tourism. Thanking Kyrgyzstan for raising, during
the Earth Summit, the initial proposal to have IYM, Ogi urged the
consideration of mountains not as barriers, but as unifying features.
to Adolf Ogi's Opening statement.
Raj Sharma, Acting president,
56th session of United Nations General Assembly and permanent
representative from Nepal to the NY UN Mission, on behalf of Han
Seung-soo, Republic of Korea, president of the General Assembly,
expressed hope that the IYM will lead to concrete actions and that the
international community will benefit from the momentum created by the
IYM to ensure true sustainable development of mountains and take
advantage of the 10-year anniversary of the Earth Summit in the same
year. In personal comments, Sharma noted that Nepal is home to eight of
the ten highest mountains in the world and hopes they will provide
inspiration to think big and create the beautiful. He described the many
stresses facing mountains and the urgent need to address these problems
and enhance awareness of the role of mountains in daily life.
Listen to Murari Raj Sharma's opening remarks on behalf of the President of 56th UN General Assembly.
|Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, on behalf of Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General, noted that mountains provide vital natural resources and are under increasing risks, including loss of indigenous knowledge and traditions, and noted the need for effective cross-sectoral cooperation to achieve a balance between development and preservation. Listen to Nitin Desai's opening remarks on behalf of the UN Secretary General.
|Jacques Diouf, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), commented that, just as a mountain is made of innumerable particles, so too the IYM has come about from the painstaking efforts of many women and men. Observing the diversity present, he expressed belief that it reflects an increasing awareness that we all depend on mountains for life. He described mountains as both "fragile and fierce, beautiful and brutal." Noting accomplishments made since UNCED, he emphasized the goal of IYM, "to ensure the well-being of mountain peoples by promoting sustainable development of mountain ecosystems" and stated that the IYM provides an extraordinary opportunity to increase awareness of mountain ecosystems and cultures. Observing that mountains are the sites of most of the armed conflicts in the world and some of the most impoverished people, Diouf said peace and food security are prerequisite conditions for achieving IYM's goal.
Bakiev, Prime Minister, Kyrgyz
Republic, expressed hope that the IYM will foster the elaboration of
strategies on all levels and foster social and economic development and
sustainable use of natural resources. He detailed national programs
adopted by the Kyrgyz Republic for 2002, highlighting the summit that
will be held in Bishkek in the autumn of 2002.
|Alan Wagner, Ambassador of Peru to the United States and former Minister for Foreign Relations, on behalf of Diego Garcia-Sayan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, observed that mountain populations and ecosystems around the world share similar conditions, including poverty and isolation, and are sources of water, energy, biodiversity and traditional knowledge.
|Alberto Gagliardi, Under-Secretary of State for Regional Affairs, Prime Minister's Office, Italy, noted that mountains occupy one fifth of the world's land area, and Italy's mountain chains represent 54% of its territory and an important part of Italian identity.
Pfanzelter, Ambassador of
Austria to the UN, on behalf of the Minister for Environment, Austria,
reported that nearly 70% of Austria's landscape is dominated by
mountains, which influence many aspects of culture and daily lives,
including the national anthem that starts with "land of the
mountains." He stated that Austria is eager to share their efforts and
successes, including the development of the Alpine Convention, with
developing countries.
|Louis Besson, Member of Parliament and Mayor of Chambery, and Member, IYM National Committee, France, called for the creation of self-development tools and adoption of legislative and regulatory approaches for mountains.
|Jack Ives, Carleton University, Ottawa, representing the Rector, United Nations University (UNU), highlighted research on interactions between highland and lowland systems.
|Adnan Amin, Director, UNEP Liaison Office, New York, representing the Executive-Director, explained that the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi has observed the effects of melting of the Kilimanjaro icecap. He said that as a result of changes to mountain ecosystems, vital sources of freshwater are disappearing, and most mountain areas suffer from the 'commons' syndrome.
Nitin Desai chaired presentations on the conditions for sustainability in mountain development.
Uma Lele, (far left) Senior Adviser, World Bank, posed the challenge, what can be accomplished within the IYM one-year time period in the face of long-term problems?
|Jim Enote, tribal member representing the Zuni Nation, Native American Nation, detailed his activities on a typical morning that he stated is probably echoed in many parts of the world, and proposed that his interpretation of reality and beliefs are also duplicated around the world, where there are many ways of knowing mountains. His people believe that mountains are where cloud beings live and if people are deserving, water will come.
|Yolanda Kakabadse, President, World Conservation Union (IUCN), noted that she is from the mountains of Ecuador where people think of lakes and mountains as gods and goddesses.
|Bruno Messerli, University of Berne, Switzerland, praised the progress made in the mountain agenda in the 10 years since Rio. He challenged the statistic claiming that ten percent of the world's population lives in mountain areas, saying that new research models have found that 26 percent of the world's population lives on or within 50 kilometers of mountains.
|Lhakpa Sherpa, Manager, Qomolangma Conservation Programme, The Mountain Institute, on behalf of the communities he works with, urged active involvement of mountain people in implementing mountain activities in 2002, because in the past the concerns of mountain people were largely ignored.
|Monica Opole, Centre for Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Products (CIKSAP), Kenya, explaining her work with native plants, urged people-centered solutions to forest degradation, stating that gene banks, frozen libraries, and museums are not effective strategies.
Li Pun, Deputy
Director-General, International Potato Center (CIP), Peru, identified
agriculture as a key income generation activity in mountain areas. He
outlined efforts to improve water conservation and harvests, and called
for strengthening of efforts to preserve genetic diversity of main food
crops and achieve food security.
McDonald, Vice President, Banff
Centre, Canada, touched upon the variety of reasons people value
mountain areas and called for the sharing of information and
experiences. She announced that her centre will host a symposium on
earth sciences in mountain regions in October 2002 focusing on the
challenges and influences of extreme landscapes.
|Gabriel Campbell, Director-General, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal, observed that we all rely on mountains and are affected by them, we all live downstream and upstream, yet there is a disproportionate level of poverty and conflict in mountain areas.
Rose, President, Explorers
Club, explained that the club is a multi-discipline organization,
including a focus on mountains and conservation. She expressed that it
is critical that local people are involved in initiatives to achieve
poverty eradication, noting that we have to apply the human touch to
conservation or there will be nothing left to explore.
Secretary, Mountain Forum, invited participation in the Mountain Forum,
an international organization with 3000 members from over 100 countries
and 150 institutions, a network of networks that is open and free and
conducts activities around the world representing all sectors.
Cooke, President and
CEO, The Mountain Institute (TMI), saluted immediate past TMI president
Jane Pratt for her work in coordinating the IYM.
|Larry Hamilton, Commission for Mountains, IUCN, urged participation to carry the mountain agenda forward in upcoming events, including: the international year of ecotourism (also 2002); the international year of freshwater and IUCN�s World Parks Congress in 2003; and the Convention on Biological Diversity�s 7th Conference of Parties in 2004 that will consider mountains.
|Erhard Loretan, climber of the world�s highest mountain peaks without oxygen support, called for the need to define poverty vis a vis happiness, and expressed his opinion that the small number of mountain residents is not afraid to come to grips with big problems
closing, Chair Adolf Ogi thanked everyone involved, particularly the
Kyrgyz Republic for starting the IYM initiative, and expressed his
conviction that this launching is the first in a long series of events
to be held around the world in 2002.
Listen to ENB Writer, Alison Ormsby interviewing Jane Pratt and Lhakpa Sherpa about the IYM Launch.
Official Website of the International Year of Mountains
FAO and the International Year of Mountains
Mountain Institute
More mountain links
To view PDF files, you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader:
To listen to Real Audio files, you will need the free Real Audio player
|| Linkages home | E-Mail |


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EPA- Estimated MPG
Cargo Space
2323 W. Bell Rd.
Directions Phoenix, AZ 85023
Whether you need a dependable hauler for work or to transport the family around town, the 2017 Chevy Express in Phoenix is an ideal choice. It comes in a variety of body styles, including cargo, passenger and cutaway configurations. Plus, the van gives buyers the choice between two powerful engines that make hauling easy. Continue reading our review to learn why this might be the perfect vehicle for you!
If it is seating that you need, 2017 Chevy Express reviews recommend choosing the passenger van version. With 8-, 12- or 15-seat configurations available, this spacious vehicle will tow all your family members around town in style and comfort. Available in 2500 and 3500 wheelbase designs, the van also offers plenty of room to store your things. Each one comes in two wheelbases: an extended 155-inch wheelbase and a standard 135-inch wheelbase.
Standard features on the Express Cargo includes 16-inch steel wheels, 60/40-split swing-out right side doors, and power windows and locks. A six-way power driver seat, keyless entry, remote start and a six-speaker sound system can all be had as standard on the passenger van.
Over and over again, 2017 Chevrolet Express reviews note the van's outstanding engine options, which include gas powered and turbo-diesel V8s. First in line is the 4.8-liter that generates 285 horses and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. There's also a 6.0-liter V8 that increases power to 329 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. The diesel turbocharger is good for 282 horsepower and 320 lb.-ft. of torque. All engines are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. When properly equipped, the 2017 Chevy Express in Phoenix is capable of pulling up to 10,000 pounds.
Every new Chevy Express model comes standard with antilock brakes, head-curtain airbags, and stability and traction control for improved handling. Rear parking sensors and a rearview camera are offered, as is OnStar, which comes with roadside assistance and automatic crash notification.
Visit us at Midway Chevy today to test drive this popular van in Phoenix!
Considering a new car purchase in the Phoenix area? If so, don't just check out the 2017 Ford Transit Connect, GMC Savana, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Nissan NV and the Ford E-Series; be sure to think about the radiant 2017 Chevrolet Express along with these options. You may realize that its finely crafted looks and incar technologies are just what you need in a daily driver. Use the facts and figures listed in our review to see if the 2017 Chevrolet Express fits your driving needs, then check out Chevrolet lease offers online!
When you visit our Chevrolet dealership, you'll find offers on a truly expansive range of new and gently used cars, including offers for the hot-ticket Chevrolet Express. We hope the details and specs in our 2017 Chevrolet Express review will be usable when you make your eventual purchase decision. Check out new Chevrolet Express models at Midway Chevrolet - sending a request for a test drive in advance is a smooth process using our online form. For those anxious to see it right away, we've embedded a video that highlights its features.
Purchase prices do not include tax, title, license and $395.00 doc fee. Prices include the listed rebates and incentives. Please verify all information. We are not responsible for typographical, technical, or misprint errors. Inventory is subject to prior sale. Contact us via phone or email for more details. *MPG Based on 2017 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, battery-pack age/condition, and other factors.


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This article is in three parts. First, the main article on decade-wise performances by batsmen. Then a brief review of the 2019 Ashes series. And finally, some information on my work on the redesign of my Test performance ratings (an area in which I need readers' inputs).
To start with, an update on the article on best bowlers of each decade. Nick Fisher pointed out that Alan Davidson missed out during the two decades in which he played. Yes, Davidson took 92 wickets at 20.50 in the 1950s and 94 at 20.56 in the 1960s, missing out narrowly on my list. What consistency! That was indeed an astute observation by Nick and my special thanks to him for not saying that I missed this. He trusted my workings and made his derivations based on this belief.
The top batsmen - by decade
For the purposes of this exercise, I will avoid the obviously flawed batting-average metric and instead use my own creation - the Weighted Batting Average (WBA). The WBA, which negates the huge disadvantage faced by top-order batsmen, is calculated as explained below:
All dismissals, irrespective of the score, count as one innings
All not-out innings above the average Runs per Innings (RpI) count as one innings
All not-out innings below the average RpI are assigned proportionate innings values between 0.0 and 1.0 (as a fraction of their average runs per innings)
The WBA is then calculated using the derived Weighted Innings count
Let me illustrate this using Don Bradman's career. He had ten not-outs, and his scores in those innings were 30, 37, 56, 57, 102, 103, 127, 144, 173 and 299. The last six are above the RpI (87.45) and are considered completed innings. Only the first four are to be prorated. The Weighted Batting Average is 89.61 (6996/78.07).
Now, let me move on to the batsmen who performed well in each decade. The selection criteria are simple. I work with a suitable cut-off (1500 runs for the period between 1877 and 1914, 2000 for the period between 1920 and 1989, and 3000 since 1990). I sequence the selections by WBA. Then, I select the top ten batsmen by WBA and add up to a maximum of ten players by runs scored, taking care to avoid overlaps. In order to increase clarity in crowded areas on the graph, the circle and name are linked by a small dot.
Let us start with the current decade, which is almost over. Steven Smith is the leading batsman, having scored nearly 7000 runs at a WBA of just over 57. Normally many of my batting narratives start with the rhetorical question: "Who is second?" Soon, I think I may have to ask, "Who is third?", implying that only the third and further positions are up for grabs. Look at Smith's numbers:
An average of 64.5, ahead of the next best, Herbert Sutcliffe, by four runs, and a top batsman, Virat Kohli, by over 12. Because of his 16 not-outs (8% of his total innings), Smith's WBA is down to 57.25, around the levels of the other great batsmen. But he is still in second place to Bradman's 89.61.
An aggregate of over 100 runs per Test; one of only two batsmen to reach this amazing mark.
Average rating points per weighted innings of 209, the only batsman other than Bradman to cross 200 points. (Bradman's score was 264.)
Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Hashim Amla and David Warner have all scored over 6000 runs and at WBA values between around 45 and 50. The other outliers are Alastair Cook, with nearly 9000 runs, and Kumar Sangakkara, with the best decade WBA value of 58.5.
In the first decade of the millennium, Ricky Ponting was the standout batsman, scoring over 9000 runs at a WBA of just over 53. Mohammad Yousuf had the best WBA value, though with fewer runs. The two Sri Lankan batting greats are clustered in the 7000-8000 runs range, with WBA values above 52. Jacques Kallis and Matthew Hayden scored around 8500 runs at an almost identical WBA of around 50.5. Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar scored over 7000 runs at WBA values below 50.
Sachin Tendulkar was the batsman of the 1990s: over 5000 runs at a WBA of 53. Brian Lara and Graham Gooch are close behind, with WBAs greater than 50. Steve Waugh scored over 6000 runs but his WBA dropped steeply because of 46 not-outs (17.7%). A few other batsmen have reasonable WBA values but with fewer runs. The cluster at the top is dominated by Ashes batsmen.
Javed Miandad was the best batsman of the 1980s. He scored over 5500 runs at a very good WBA. Greg Chappell, with fewer runs, matched Miandad in WBA. Allan Border had over 7000 runs at a very good WBA of just over 46. Viv Richards had similar WBA figures but with fewer runs. It is nice to see that Kapil Dev qualified.
The 1970s was the decade of Sunil Gavaskar, who stood head and shoulders above the others. He scored nearly 6000 runs at a 53-plus WBA value. Miandad had a WBA value of more than 50 in this decade but scored only around 2000 runs, as did Viv Richards, whose WBA of 56 was among the best by any batsman ever. Greg Chappell and Geoff Boycott performed well.
The 1960s was the decade of two chalk-and-cheese players - Ken Barrington, who scored well over 6000 runs at a WBA of close to 55, and Garry Sobers, who made nearly 5000 runs at a similar WBA. Look at the group of batsmen clustered in the middle. All of them have WBA values around 45 and run totals close to 4000 on either side. A number of batsmen scored above 2000 runs, the qualifying mark.
The next segment is a little over a dozen years. In the 1946-59 period the three great West Indies batsmen, Everton Weekes, Clyde Walcott and Sobers all had WBA values exceeding 50. Len Hutton and Neil Harvey had WBA values nearing 50 and scored many runs. Bradman played for only two years in this period and scored too few runs. It's nice to see Vijay Hazare in this group.
Bradman dominates the 1920-39 period by a mile. Just over 5000 runs at a WBA value just above 90. The daylight between him and the others on the graph is a clear visual indication of where the master stood. Wally Hammond made almost all his aggregate of close to 7000 runs in this double-decade period at an excellent 55-plus WBA value. Sutcliffe had a similar average with fewer runs. George Headley had a WBA value of 60-plus (the only batsman other than Bradman to do this in a decade) but scored only just above 2000 runs.
Jack Hobbs was the leading batsman by a wide margin in the first period of 37 years. He scored well over 2000 runs at a very high WBA of nearly 53. Clem Hill and Victor Trumper scored over 3000 runs in that time but at a sub-40 WBA. But these averages need to be regarded in light of the fact that the pitches were uncovered back then. Most of the other batsmen are nicely clustered around the 2000 runs and sub-30 WBA mark.
A brief review of the Ashes series
S Rajesh analysed the 2019 Ashes series in depth from various points of view and concluded that Australia had the edge in many measures. I have done a comprehensive team-contribution analysis in which I determine the team performance points, incorporating various aspects of the match. My summation of the team performance points for the two sides confirms Rajesh's conclusions: Australia secured 254.7 team performance points to England's 238.9. There were 100 points each on offer for the four result games, and the drawn Test got 93.6. Australia had two comprehensive wins and one close loss. England had one comprehensive win, one very narrow win, and the better of the one draw.
While Australia might have been marginally ahead on the field, they were tactically way behind the English team.
Judgement errors: Australia had a DRS success rate of 7.7%, against England's 33.3%
Selection errors: Mitchell Starc played in one Test and James Pattinson in two, as against Peter Siddle's three Tests
Tactical errors: Sending England in to bat almost certainly led to the loss of the Oval Test, and the near-loss of the Lord's Test. Also, the last two hours at Headingley were handled poorly in tactical terms. This was partly made up during the last hour at Old Trafford.
The on-field performances made up for these lapses and Australia were able to share the series.
Let me summarise the player performances using the rating points as the yardstick. Smith was the leading batsman, with 3656 points. For England, it was Ben Stokes, with 2149 points. The best bowler on show was Pat Cummins, with 2807 points. Stuart Broad leads the table for England, with 2307 points.
Let us compare these ratings to those from some other Ashes series. Bradman secured 2733 points (810 runs) for his best Ashes series in 1936-37. (Bradman scored 974 runs in 1930 and that was his most prolific series, but that was not his best performance because of a combination of very benign pitches - did Bradman make them appear so? - and some average bowling, Maurice Tate excepted.)
Wally Hammond 's magnificent Ashes outing in 1928-29, when he scored 905 runs, fetched him 2711 points. Jim Laker got 3990 points for his 46 wickets in 1956. Finally, Terry Alderman scored 3979 points with his lbw-dominated haul of 41 wickets in 1989.
Test Ratings: redesign-related points
One formula for all innings is not working, whether it is batting or bowling. The four innings have totally different dynamics. The targets are different (explained below). The pressures are different. The other discipline can be counted on for as long as the third innings is not completed. When Ian Botham batted at Headingley in 1981, he had the small comfort that he and Bob Willis could still turn the tables with the ball in the fourth innings - which Willis indeed went on to do single-handedly. Stokes, 38 years later, did not have that luxury. The partnerships for the ninth and tenth wickets take on different hues in different innings. The Pitch Quality Index (PQI) might vary drastically: 400 and 450 in the first innings does not mean that a chase of 250 in the fourth will be a cakewalk.
First-innings target: Totally notional. The match is a clean slate. The team batting first has to aim for a reasonable target, ranging between 300 and 400, depending on the era the game was played in.
Second innings target: Predominantly notional. At least for this innings, there is a first-innings score in play. In general, against low totals, a substantial lead should be aimed for; against middling totals, aim for parity, and against big totals, to minimise the deficit. Still, quite a lot is up for grabs.
Third innings target: Part notional, part actual. We now have a much clearer picture. There is a deficit or lead on the table. Depending on what has happened in the two innings so far, the objective is to set the team batting fourth a reasonable target - say from 200 to 400-plus.
Fourth innings target: This is set in stone. Fortunately there is no DLS to contend with. A secondary target might be time-related. However, the run target is very clear - it ranges from 1 to 835.
The first two innings are difficult to evaluate. How does one value two great innings, such as Virender Sehwag's 201 not out and Steven Smith's 144 relative to each other? Both were once-in-a-lifetime gems, invaluable, and set up wins in difficult away conditions. It is unfair to say that Kusal Perera (in Durban earlier this year), and Stokes and Botham at Headingley, had all the pressure in the world and Sehwag and Smith did not. I consider Sehwag's and Smith's innings as no less than those of Perera and Stokes, but lingering doubts remain. While I think I have managed to have a single set of parameters, valuations and calculations across all innings, I realise that there are many questions that are difficult to answer. My overriding need to be fair across innings has resulted in some shortcomings in evaluation, especially of innings in the latter half of matches.
Match status has a different connotation when the target is a firm one (as in the fourth innings) or a totally notional one (as in the first innings). As the match moves towards its close, the stark facts behind the resources remaining comes into play. The winning percentage values, which I develop for the third and fourth innings, do not exist in the first- and second-innings computations.
The inescapable conclusion is that there is a clear need to have separate ratings for first and second innings and third and fourth innings, with their own independent parameters. It is also certain that the weight allocation will vary considerably. The contrast between setting up the match and concluding the match has to be incorporated. And of course, three-innings matches, such as innings wins, have to be properly taken care of.
Presentation: I have had major problems in the presentation of data in both Golden Willow 25 and Red Cherry 25 tables. When the tenth-placed performance secures 788 points and the 20th gets 759 points, they are only 29 points (3.7%) apart, but readers make a fuss about the difference in rank and talk as if the 20th-placed innings is very poorly placed. They fail to understand that these are tenth and 20th places among 80,000-plus innings. The other problem is that readers often compare two closely placed innings, say, which received 764 and 763 points respectively, asking how I can rate one higher than the other, little realising that the one-point difference could be caused by a fourth-decimal-place difference in any one parameter.
Readers should understand and accept the beautiful maxim "first among equals". They should understand that the innings of Perera, Graham Gooch, Sanath Jayasuriya, Bradman and Azhar Mahmood are the current top five innings ever played and Perera's is first among equals. Since it is unlikely that most readers will accept and understand this concept voluntarily, I may have to only present groups of innings in future. Maybe by giving each innings a finite ratings value, I might have implied that Perera's was a better innings than Gooch's and so on. Let me put paid to that. I could instead potentially have, say, four groups of five innings each for the top 25, instead of a serially ranked list. Within each group of five, I might present the innings in chronological or alphabetical order only, so that no inferences are drawn about where each ranks alongside its peers.
I would really like readers to comment on these far-reaching suggestions, and the specific points mentioned below:
1. Use PQI for first and second innings and third and fourth separately, as against the current method of using the PQI-Match.
2. Split CTD_Away (Career-to-date away) into CTD_Asia and CTD_Others in all away workings. The following statements are self-explanatory.
Murali: 307 @ 27.8 Away, but 119 @ 30.5 in Asia and 188 @ 26.1 in other countries
Walsh: 290 @ 25.0 Away, but 77 @ 20.5 in Asia and 213 @ 26.7 in other countries
Lara: 5736 @ 47.8 Away, but 1530 @ 58.9 in Asia and 4206 @ 44.7 in other countries
Saleem Malik: 2860 @ 39.2 Away, but 752 @ 31.3 in Asia and 2108 @ 43.0 in other countries
3. Introduce Recent Form (last ten innings or spells) while determining player quality. The RF will carry 33.33% weight as against the 66.67% for career-to-date values. The RF will be based on runs scored and wickets taken (and not the averages). Sufficient care will be taken to ensure that the RF values do reflect "recent" periods. This is a tough algorithm, since Tests were played at different frequencies during different eras.
There was a suggestion that the Recent Form should look forward and include Tests until the end of the series. This is a brilliant suggestion. Cummins' Recent Form in Ashes series, if tweaked to include his 29 wickets at 19.6, would go a long way in establishing how he bowled during the early Tests. Similarly for Broad. And in the case of Jofra Archer, this will be very meaningful since he does not have any Recent Form because he made his debut in the series, at Lord's. The forward look will anoint his status as a leading bowler for England through the entire series.
However, there is a minor problem to contend with. When the ratings work is done at the end of the Test, an innings/spell might get a ratings value that might change as we progress towards the end of the series. But this is only a minor point, since the values will get set at the end of the series. This suggestion deserves serious consideration.
4. Strengthen Bowling Quality faced parameter. Take in a combination of "four best bowlers who took the field" and "the bowlers who bowled in the innings". Decide on the proportion by doing a bit of AI work. (If James Anderson bowls only four overs, lean more on the latter value; if there is no discernible shortfall, lean on the former value.) If Broad and Chris Woakes run through Ireland in 16 overs, the bowling-quality parameter should reflect primarily these two bowlers. Of course, each of these options will have a minimum weight of 25%.
5. Rationalise Innings size points, taking into account redundancy and slack.
We have to recognise that in Faisalabad, Sanath Jayasuriya might well have scored 100 runs fewer and Sri Lanka could still have won. But in Sydney in 1993-94, Jonty Rhodes needed to score every single one of those 76 runs. This should have some impact but not necessarily very high.
6. Factor in the margin of result, especially in losses. Reward performances in close losses, both bowling and batting, in third and fourth innings. For example:
Reward Labuschagne (80), Hazlewood (4 for 85) at Headingley, 2019
Reward Langer (54), Tim May (5 for 9) in Adelaide, 1992-93
Reward Azhar Ali (65), Yasir Shah (5 for 110) in Abu Dhabi, 2018-19
Reward Ryder (87), Oxenham (4 for 67) in Adelaide, 1928-29
7. Analyse partnerships more in depth and more effectively.
Top-order partnerships. Let us consider two partnerships. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant came together at 121 for 5 at The Oval last year and added 204 runs. Despite India's ultimate loss, this has to be given a very high degree of recognition. A few months later, in Rajkot, Kohli and Pant came in at 337 for 4 and added 133. There was no pressure and this partnership does not require any special recognition.
Incorporate Win% values while determining the match status at the beginning and end of the partnership. This will be applicable for the third and fourth innings. For the first and second innings, a comparison to the target (primarily notional) should suffice.
For points 7 and 8, work out a complete snapshot of the innings, incorporating whatever data is available.
8. Completely rework the processing of the late order of the innings. This is the most important change. There is a need for a clear treatment of each of the late-order partnerships, starting from the sixth wicket onwards. We have to strongly reward ninth- and tenth-wicket partnerships, especially in the third and fourth innings. Botham, Perera and Stokes should get a lot of credit, but also their partners. Today, Graham Dilley, Vishwa Fernando and Jack Leach are not rewarded properly. Smith (and Siddle) should also get a lot of credit, but probably less than the third- and fourth-innings heroes.
9. X-Factor to be introduced. I have given below a non-exhaustive list of factors that could be considered.
Winning after follow-on. Recognise the only three instances in the history of Test cricket
Recognise tied matches - only two occurrences in the history of Test cricket
Recognise great defensive innings - Dennis Amiss' 262 not out, Mike Atherton's 185 not out, etc
Responding after scoring a very low total (67) or facing a huge total (595/586)
Special situations such as Ashes/winning streaks at stake (but not necessarily the series), mass exodus of players, etc
Important World Test Championship match - especially in the later stages and the final
Take series situation into account
Possibly recognise a hat-trick - it has occurred only 44 times in 142 years
An epochal win by a new team very early in their existence - Pakistan v England in 1954, Afghanistan v Bangladesh in 2019, etc
Allow for manual input since some of the above cannot be gleaned from the scorecard
Email me with your comments and I will respond. This email id is to be used only for posting comments.
A simple request to readers. The invitation to comment is made in good faith. If you do not respect me or my work, or you want to rant against specific players, or show off, or you have chips on your shoulders, please do not send vitriolic emails wasting your time and mine. Your mail will go where it belongs - to the trash or spam folder.


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How strong is your inner force?
14 July, 2011, by Seema Bhatnagar
Many a times we feel like doing something but somehow we are not able to get ahead. Even on knowing the importance of that task/activity we somehow feel compelled for not doing it. This goes true in almost every area of our life be it a health, relationships, jobs or personal growth. We start some work with full enthusiasm initially but somehow leave it in the midst and later on start cursing ourselves for not completing it on time. Let's say, you know that being a diabetic patient it is very important for you to have a daily walk or some physical activities, even on knowing this you keep on procrastinate and never go for any physical activity which eventually leads to a deteriorated health.
In office, you know that completing a particular task in time may fetch you a promotion or may be a handsome annual raise, but somehow, you do not do that and later on regret of not doing it on time and may be rushing to complete it at the eleventh hour.
In another example, you want to get up early in the morning for a morning walk or may be for a meditation and you promised to yourself a night before. You are all set to get up in the morning with the alarm set in your clock, but when it is a morning time to get up and alarm is ringing, you keep pressing the snooze button and beg yourself to sleep for another 5 minutes and this goes on and on until you press the stop button and somehow you convince yourself to get up at the same regular time.
Similarly you can count hundreds of such instances in your life when you wanted to do something but could not do it. Have you ever pondered why we behave in this manner and what is that inner force which drag us from doing the things which we want to do.
Motivation: A great inner force
My experience tells me that majority of the tasks/activities we do in our lifetime are due to burning compulsions created
by society or some out of our insecurity and for our survival. There are very few tasks/activities which we do consciously by
making choices. Behind all the conscious choices we make, there is a common factor of motivation. Motivation is that zest, inner
force or energy which drives us in all endeavors of our life.
Our personal or professional success entirely depends on the motivation factor. Our success in relationships, job, and career is completely driven by the amount of motivation we have.
The root of English word motivation is "motive" which is originated from the Latin word "mōtīvus" which means "serving to move". This word has a deep meaning and essentially it tells that anything which makes us to move from one state to another, which is actually very close to real meaning of the action attached to this word. Basically, we need motivation to keep us moving from one emotional state to another.
Reasons for demotivation
If motivation is such an important aspect for us then why do we experience its deficit? Following are some of the reasons which I personally feel are responsible for our lack of motivation towards anything which we want to pursue but could not progress or may be partially progress.
- Lack of purpose
We human beings are so wired that we seek purpose, logic and result for everything we undertake and when our mind does not see any end or any logic of doing a particular task it stops providing the required level of motivation or attention to that particular task and as a result we end up feeling demotivated.
- Lack of appreciation
Some people have a constant need of appreciation for whatever task or any achievement (how little it may be) from others. If they fail to see any appreciation coming to them, they start feeling demotivated. You would find such scenarios when you work in a team. Some team members have this need of constant appreciation and if a leader is unable to satisfy this need the members feel demotivated and the project timelines starts falling behind the schedule.
Similarly for children, if they are well appreciated for each and every achievement or any job well done they feel more motivated about doing more and more.
- Lack of direction
Walking in a direction without knowing the destination is another factor which demotivates many. Some people want clear cut direction for each and every task/activity they are performing without investing their own time and they expect others to provide the direction to proceed in. If the clear directions are missing such people feel demotivated or completely out of gear.
- Personal pride or Ego
There are times, when you feel that doing such activity is not matching your skills and undertaking this task is not a challenge at all and if you undertake that task people will make fun of you that you are doing such an activity which is below your level of expertise.
- Lack of recognition
Whether you admit it or not, we all have an inner urge for recognition. Recognition plays an important role in keeping us motivated towards our commitments. May be, some people need much more dose of it and lack of it results in a demotivation.
This is true in all areas of life be it relationships, studies or job etc. At home, we want to be recognized by our spouses, family members for our commitments towards each other, at work we want to be recognized by our bosses and teams for the good work done and in studies we want to be recognized for our results in exams. So recognition has an important part to play in keeping us motivated in all areas of life.
- Lack of control
There are certain situations when you feel yourself completely out of control, in all such situations you feel like getting yourself detached and want to feel more at peace with yourself. Many people are control freak and want to have everything under control and if they lose a grip over situations they feel irritated and out of control.
I admit, personally I am also a control freak and when things are out control I feel very irritated and find myself completely demotivated about doing that particular task and find myself more in a fire fighting mode.
- Reluctance to deal with complexity
There are times when things go ugly and complex. Some people have a proclivity to deal with complexity with immense ease while many feel distracted by it and prefer to work on a well defined work. So, sometimes complexity injects demotivation in us and we simply feel out of mood or disinterested in doing that particular task.
This is a single most reason due to which many important projects fail since very few people enjoy working in a complexity. In simple words it can be explained when complexity of tasks is not matching the skills of people involved results in low degree of motivation.
- Lack of liveliness
When the task or activity fails to induce the newness or any challenge,monotony sets in and it triggers demotivation buttons. You pick up any task which you do regularly and see how motivated you are to do it every day. Sometimes, we do it because we do not have any choice and we are supposed to do it.
- Lack of trust
Trust plays a significant role in keeping us motivated. Whenever we are working in a group or interacting with others we want to feel trusted and when you feel that others are suspecting your intentions and questioning your skills than it can completely demotivates you and you would feel like detaching yourself from the group or from that situation.
A trusted environment is a backbone of any group of motivated people.
- Fear of criticism and failure
There are instances when you feel that doing a particular task may invite criticism or as a worst case you may fail in that situation then it may put you off and as a result you would feel completely demotivated.
- Impatience
Patience is a virtue, well, we all know that but we seldom practice that in our daily life. You must have experienced that when a particular task/activity gets prolonged you feel impatient and want to complete that as early as possible. If not done in time, you feel impatience and lose your motivation to complete it.
- Lack of respect
When you are not respected for your opinions and differences in your environment you feel demotivated towards undertaking more challenging tasks and feel like detaching yourself from the situation or group.
Human behavior is extremely complex and it is difficult to predict what could be the right reason for demotivation, sometimes we ourselves fail to know the right reason of our demotivation and continue to live in that state forever.
State of being motivated vs. demotivated
When you are demotivated you do not feel good about yourself and it is accompanied with the feeling of guilty and
lack of commitment towards self and others, which also means that you stop trusting yourself for taking up new tasks and
challenges. This ultimately results in a dent to your confidence and also, other people will find you less trusting for
giving you more responsibilities.
For motivated people, you would find them brimming with confidence and positive energy. You would feel like getting associated with such people and would also feel energized in their presence. Most importantly, people have more trust in them
Why do we need it?
Imagine yourself as a person who is controlling things in life and making choices and executing plans to achieve the personal goals. How would you feel about yourself? Don't you think, it triggers a high level of confidence in you and you feel more energized and confident to handle more complex tasks than merely becoming a puppet in the hands of your bosses and other circumstances.
"People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents." ~ Andrew CarnegieWithout motivation we feel as if we are being dragged by a force and starts having poor relationships with others and live with mediocrity. If you look in the life of great personalities you would realize how self motivated they were. They did not need any external force to drive them to get results; it was their own commitment towards themselves which kept them motivated throughout the life.
Look at Thomas Edison, it took him approximately 10000 experiments to have a perfect set up for an electric light bulb. Well, he had all the reasons to feel demotivated after facing so many failures but his inner motivation kept him going to become successful in his experiment.
Dig in deep and find out what is that which keeps you motivated. As we mature and experience life our inner drive for motivation also changes and it becomes harder and harder to keep ourselves motivated. There would be a stage when even money, power and recognition will not motivate you even a budge. So it becomes very important that you keep a pulse of your emotions and understand what are emotional changes you are experiencing inside. It might be that certain things/activities which you used to like 10 years before are no longer appearing in the list of your favourite activities and you do not feel yourself motivated enough to do those.
How to enhance your motivation?
As stated earlier, we humans are complex entities and sometimes we fail to know the reasons for not feeling motivated or good enough about ourselves. The very important thing to remember about getting motivated is to understand your emotions whenever you are feeling demotivated. Try to see what is that which you are missing from the current situation, maybe it is your ego which is playing or may be the task is not matching your skill level or simply you do not see the purpose of doing it. Keep in mind the reasons of demotivation, discussed before.
Goal setting and purpose
The first and foremost about motivation is to have a goal or a purpose. If there is no goal or purpose behind your efforts,
it is most likely that you will feel demotivated very soon. Goal setting is an important skill to learn. While
setting goals,
learn to set SMART (Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely) goals. If you set some unrealistic goals for yourself,
again, it will drive you in a demotivated state very soon.
You must understand what is that interest, desire or dream which can engage you in a current activity or task. If you fail to
get an idea about it, then you will not be able to channelize your energy in one direction and will soon lose your motivation.
I would suggest to do this exercise for every little task you are doing, it is very simple, before you start any task ask
yourself, why am I doing this and what are the results I am looking for once I complete this activity.
So motivation is more about getting into action and making yourself more confident each day by deciding the goals and associated plan to achieve those. You would feel more in control and while doing so you will also get the details of the tasks and your opinions and interests about the task. Overall, it is a win-win situation for you as you get motivated and would also understand your own emotions and interests.
Remember, your motivation can determine your professional and personal success. Rather than getting externally motivated try to get inner motivation as it is this force which always remains with you. It is important to sharpen this force so that it works for you and make you successful. Be committed toward the goals you have set up for yourself. Even a small commitment will make a big difference to your motivation level. When you would start seeing the results of our commitments your motivation level will start touching the peaks and only then you would feel and appreciate the inner force of motivation.
Wishing you a motivated and happy life.


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Comcast olympics deal
Comcast closed a deal Friday with NBC to carry supplemental cable coverage of the next five Olympic games.
Comcast had been the last major holdout, rejecting the annual $1 per-subscriber surcharge NBC wanted for the extra coverage-279 hours on CNBC and MSNBC-plus rate hikes for the two cable channels and carriage for its home-shopping network, ValueVision.
Comcast's agreement covers all games through 2008 for all 5.7 million Comcast subscribers.
Broadcasting & Cable Newsletter
The television industry's top news stories, analysis and blogs of the day.


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Ira Shah, Nikita Madgum
Introduction and aim. Neonatal cholestasis constitutes for 19 to 33% of all chronic liver disease in India. Cholestasis leads to fibrosis of liver and ultimately cirrhosis. There are various methods of diagnosis of fibrosis of liver like fibroscan, APRI index, FIB-4, fibro index, forns index, heap score, magnetic elastography. Here we are comparing APRI index with METAVIR index in patients with neonatal cholestasis without biliary atresia and determining whether APRI index can be used as a tool to determine fibrosis in these patients. Material and methods. Patients with neonatal cholestasis without biliary atresia were included in the study. This retrospective analysis was done between 2009 and 2015. All patients underwent a liver biopsy and METAVIR index was calculated. APRI at the time of liver biopsy was determined. Results. Forty-eight patients were included in this study with mean age of 3.5 ± 2.8 months with a male: female ratio of 35:13. Metavir Index F0 was seen in was 32 (66.67%) patients, F1 in 6(12.5%), F2 in 4(8.33%), F3 in 0 and F4 in 6(12.5%) patients respectively. Mean APRI for F0-F3 was 1.38 and for F4 was 3.74 respectively. With an APRI of 1.38, the sensitivity and specificity to detect fibrosis/cirrhosis was 100% and 21.43% respectively. Conclusion. APRI is not an effective tool to measure fibrosis or cirrhosis in patients with non-BA neonatal cholestasis in Indian children.
Key words. Aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, Biliary atresia, Cirrhosis, Liver fibrosis, Metavir classification
The Official Journal of the Mexican Association of Hepatology, the Latin-American Association for the Study of the Liver and the Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver
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Welcome Back,
Whether you�re playing a round on our 18-hole Championship Course, enjoying a game at our Tennis Center, or working out in our 24/7 Fitness Center, you�ll find that Hunting Creek offers many opportunities to play, refresh and rejuvenate. Perhaps you just want to gather with friends in front of the fire in our cozy Prospect Lounge, or relax with a great summer read at the Pool. Or perhaps, you want to host the perfect party for that someone special. Whatever you choose�to recreate, celebrate, or simply unwind--Hunting Creek is waiting just for you.


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UTBDR: Aug 13th Fire UPDATE
Aug 13th, 2018
Aug 13th, 2018
The Dollar Ridge Fire remained active throughout the night Friday into Saturday morning, continuing to spread west of Timber Canyon toward Willow Creek Ridge Road. A small spot fire, about 5 acres in size, was located Saturday morning west of Willow Creek Ridge Road. This slop over was contained by firefighters by Saturday afternoon.
Crews were able to conduct planned firing operations on the west side of the fire, working south toward Timber Canyon Road and Jackson Hollow. Additional firing operations are planned for Sunday, which will produce additional smoke above the fire.
Thunderstorms forecast for Saturday afternoon did not produce any rain over the fire. More unstable weather is forecast for the coming days, which could affect firefighting operations.
The potential for rain means flash flooding and debris flows in the Strawberry River drainage within the Dollar Ridge Fire burn scar are possible. Please avoid this area for your safety.
Reservation Ridge Road is closed from White River Road to the junction with Timber Canyon Road. Willow Creek Road is also closed to any type of motorized vehicles as well as all pedestrians, equestrians, bicyclists from the intersection with Forest Service Road 680 north and east to Reservation Ridge Road (Forest Service Road 147). These closures are in place for public and firefighter safety.
This fire has impacted the route just north of Wellington to Current Creek Rd. You may follow track UT4 Wellington to Currant Creek Hwy 40 to Argyle Rd where it crosses Hwy 191. Turn right or north Hwy 191 and travel to Duchesne and then go west on Hwy 40 to Currant Creek to pick up the route again. These instructions are for travelers going South to North.


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When We Are Born With Everlasting Consciousness (A Hidden Name Remix)
When we are born the mystery of who we are is in our hidden name….
The Feeling of I-ness….
"In the absence of intellect, only the feeling of I-ness is lost. "I" am always present."
"Just as the sun is reflected by water poured into a jar, Consciousness is reflected by the intellect housed in a body. And just as the sun is not affected by movements of the water, Consciousness remains unaffected by movements of the intellect." – Swami Parmanandji Maharaj
11 responses
Very Unique in style my friend
February 15, 2012 at 1:33 pm


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Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit in streaming. A new version of the saga of CIA analyst, Jack Ryan. It begins when Ryan was attending the London School of Economics; and 9/11 happened. He would then enlist in the Marines and would go to Afghanistan. The chopper he was on would get shot down and he would suffer severe injuries that would require intense rehab. While there, he grabs the attention of a man named Harper, who works for the CIA and would like him to finish his studies and get a job on Wall Street so he can find out of any terrorist plot through their finances. A few years later, Ryan finds anomalies in the accounts of a Russian named Cherevin. Jack thinks he should go to Russia to find out what's going on. Jack was told not to tell anyone who he is and that includes his girl friend Cathy. But she catches Jack in some lies which makes her doubt him. Jack goes to Russia and Cherevin assigns him someone to take care of him. But when they're alone the man tries to kill Jack. So Jack kills him. Obvious Cherevin is hiding ...
Andrew Byron, Seth Ayott, Elena Velikanova, Peter Andersson, Alec Utgoff, Lenn Kudrjawizki, Kenneth Branagh, Aleksandar Aleksiev, Gemma Chan, Kevin Costner, Nonso Anozie, Keira Knightley, Chris Pine, Colm Feore, Derek Lea
Directors: Kenneth Branagh
Duration: 105 min
Year of release: 2014
Click the links below to watch Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit in streaming:
- Alternate links
- 01


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Data centers are responsible for 1.5% of all power use in the United States, and they're not going anywhere–the electronics-filled buildings make cloud computing possible. It comes as no surprise, then, that GE sees room for opportunity. The company announced this week that it is offering $520 million to buy Lineage Power Holdings, a company that sells data center and telecom power conversion gear.
Lineage Power sells AC-DC converters, DC-DC converters, DC data center equipment, and other products that grab AC power from the grid and turn it into power for data centers. The company touts the energy efficiency of its products, which can purportedly cut energy loss and lower cooling costs in data centers by 50 to 70 percent.
According to Lineage Power's website, "The deal will open the door for GE Energy to participate in the $20 billion power conversion space, where the demand for reliable, high quality power is driven by the growth in cloud computing and mobile internet voice, video and data applications…It is right within GE's core expertise –managing electricity." GE will also scoop up Lineage's customers, including Cisco, HP, and Verizon.
The massive purchase is even larger than the $200 million that GE recently invested in its Ecomagination Challenge. That's a pretty solid indicator that one of the biggest moneymakers in the green sector may be ultra-efficient data center technology.


text: Sunrooms DurhamDave is a perfectionist who isn't happy until he is sure that his customer is 100% happy. I wouldn't hesitate to have any further work carried out by CJK or to recommend them to anyone else who is looking for a first class job carried out by a great team of people. Julia & Jeff, ... Read More


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Throughout gradeschool, college, and the various jobs I've held, people who don't know me have always addressed me by my legal name initially, until I clarify my preferred nickname. They deferred to formality as a gesture of politeness. So, why on online dating sites does this deference to formality no longer apply?
In my experience with online dating, men have routinely, casually, and (seemingly) carelessly tossed around pet names with the finesse of a young child learning to splatter paint.
My inbox is cluttered with vanilla men addressing me as babe, baby, baby girl, cutie, darling, girl, honey, love, sexy, sugar, sweetie, etc., and kinky men addressing me as Goddess, Miss, Mistress, etc., right off the bat in their initial or near-initial messages. And no, gentlemen, throwing in a few winky/kissyface/hearts-for-eyes emojis does not help.
The problem is that pet names and kink titles are to be negotiated, not gratuitously spewed upon strangers. These men have no way of knowing what I would enjoy being called, nor do they care that I haven't given them permission to address me as anything other than my username. It's romanticized name-calling.
For example, take this man on Twitter, who wrote to me out of the blue:
He's forcing me to accept his title for me "as a term of respect," then immediately sends me an unsolicited photograph of his bare crotch and continues to address me as "goddess".
That's not respect. How could it ever be considered respectful to assume that I would want to be called whatever he wanted to call me? Respect would have been asking permission to address me with a title, in the first place, the same way it's basic human decency to ask for consent for any other sexual interaction.
And yet he wants me to own him? What does he think ownership would mean if he can't even present his request respectfully?
Newsflash: If you're doing anything against someone's will, it's — at a minimum — harassment, and it's unacceptable.
Worse yet, here's a man on OkCupid who doesn't even pretend to have respect in mind. He's proud of blatantly ignoring his partners' consent:
I agree; I'm not the type for him. My deepest sympathies to whomever he decides is the type for him. The only credit I give him is for leaving the conversation when it was clear that I wasn't enjoying his sexual advances.
One of the most offensive aspects of this communication tactic is the creepiness of it all, like when you get a skeevy sense that someone's trying to sell you something you don't need, for an inflated price you don't want to pay.
When men do use unsolicited pet names and kink titles with me, I feel as though they are attempting to trick me into playing along with the conversation under the guise of an implied promise of a future relationship — a sexual relationship, a dating relationship, a Dominant/submissive relationship, or some combination of the three. It's subtle but manipulative. After all, addressing a person with a desired title or pet name is usually something people do in the context of relationships, not something one stranger sloppily tosses at another.
To me, this behavior is also uncomfortably reminiscent of men at college parties who, while dancing with me, would nuzzle their chins against my neck and shoulder, or would grab my hands and weave their fingers through mine. These actions struck me as oddly possessive and relationshipy at the time, like they were trying to trick me into letting my guard down by offering the same comfort that a committed partner might, with the goal of enticing me to feel more inclined to accept their sexual advances.
In either circumstance, their behavior instantly makes our interaction feel exploitative, like they are just looking for cheap sexual titillation at my expense in that moment but aren't actually interested in investing any real time or effort for a relationship with me.
These men assume that their behavior is an acceptable way to address others, but it isn't. I find it demeaning and objectifying, and I'm not into that.
That's not to say that I have a problem with negotiated pet names and titles; I enjoy them, when they are used appropriately. For example, I loved how one of my high school boyfriends used to call me "sweetie", and how a college boyfriend used to call me "darling", and how a post-college boyfriend used to call me "sweets". Those all felt good at the times they were used because they were relevant to our relationships and strengthened our intimacy, much like how my current submissive and I both enjoy when he addresses me as, "Madame". However, to hear anyone else address me with a non-negotiated title feels insincere, superficial, and just plain gross.
Gentlemen, please nix the pet names and titles unless, or until, you're given explicit permission to use one. You have no way of knowing if the recipients of your attention will want to be called whatever you've decided to call them (many won't), and that's what makes doing so offensive. There must be negotiation, not just you imposing your will in an I-know-best-and-this-is-for-their-own-good way.
I cannot emphasize this enough: consent is vital for any interaction, even when that interaction is strictly verbal.


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A long (LONG) time ago, I was in a Computer City around Kirkland, Washington. It was around the corner from the famous Zazzo Productions empire. Anyway, so here I am wandering the aisles looking to replace my Epson MX-80 printer and picking up a box of 3.5 diskettes when I come across an elderly women with, I believe, her grandson.
This is the conversation which I'll remember forever. It's not verbatim, but you'll get the point.
Kid: "This is a cool Microsoft mouse!"
Grandma: "We're not buying that, they are a bad company."
This was right around the time of all the DOJ, Monopoly, Janet Reno and the Ham Sandwich nonsense. I went back to the office and said to my best friend, "Our underdog status: buh bye."
Grandma (literally) was pissed. The mainstream was not happy with Microsoft and this was a company low point, at least from my perspective.
I was reminded of this while reading all the Apple yanks Google's Voice app stuff. One particular blog post you should read is this one, giving you a blow by blow conversation with the Apple Borg. It pretty much says it all.
Today, most non-echo chamber people "love" Apple. Really. Even my Ex-BlackBerry using daughter (who should know better) loves her iPhone. She puts up with lots, doesn't care about Google's app (sorry Vic) and so it goes.
So far.
Like Jeff Jarvis and the Dell adventure years back, we know how this movie will end: with Grandma. Someday (which is coming) Grandma will sneer at an AT&T (or Rogers) sales guy when he offers up an iPhone for sale. Then you've got trouble.
Put another way: Om Malik and Michael Arrington bailing on their iPhones could arguably be classified as a mediocre emergency. It's a little erosion that doesn't get enough attention until becomes a serious problem.
There's a good reason why airplanes get x-rays on a scheduled basis. Finding mediocre emergencies like microscopic airframe cracks beats a wing falling off in flight any day.
Note: I was just kidding about the Epson MX-80 printer. I'm sure I was replacing a LaserJet.
Bonus Fun Facts: For those of you keeping score at home, a Google search of "Borg" preceded by our favorite three tech companies reveals the following:
"Microsoft Borg" – 22,800 hits (Bing says 5,890,00)
"Google Borg" – 7,680 hits (Bing says 5,910,00)
"Apple Borg" – 1,940 hits (Bing says 195!)


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"What does a successful digital campaign look like?"
This is one of those questions you get asked on a daily basis and my usual answer is: a successful digital campaign should challenge and favourably evolve people's perceptions of a brand and strengthen their relationship with it. Sometimes this means drip-feeding bespoke and appropriate, ownable content and functionality in small and frequent evolutions rather than doing everything at once. The consumer benefit and takeout might be to help and enhance experience through rewards and utility, or the campaign could aim to affect the culture we operate in but either way it should aspire to be a longer term, longer lasting impact endeavour rather than a short term initiative or awareness spike.
It is about then that the practical cynic in me kicks the evangelist in the arse and says "how do you measure that, what's the ROI?"
Whether a campaign is brand or direct response led it is important to establish and agree KPIs use these to measure success. Digital campaigns are uniquely measurable but not all measures are equal and indicate true effectiveness.
Traditional digital measures of effectiveness such as Click Through Rates (CTR), Open Rates, Page Views and Dwell Time are an important base for measuring ROI but they are a starting point. The whole consumer journey should be considered and tracked. Search, SEO and video search optimisation performance measurement and tagging should underpin all digital activity: especially as digital marketing evolves beyond "marketing web", linear campaigns built around self-contained websites, and becomes more about distributed digital conversations.
Getting a deeper and more insightful picture is vital – especially in the more established (or par for the course) areas such as online advertising.
In terms of online advertising two traditional metrics that are often used as KPIs are CTR and Sale, however, these metrics should not be the start and the finish of defining campaign success. Prior to CTR it is important to measure or research Audience Mindset, Exposures, Relevancy Of Message and Interaction rates; equally between CTR and Sale it is important to consider and measure Landing Page visits, Clarity Of Offer and Ease Of Datacapture. Understanding these aspects of a campaign will define effectiveness and allow for optimisation of the entire consumer journey. Indeed through the use of Spotlight tags and other tools we can define the wider ROI of a digital campaign more accurately in terms of Cost Per Sale (i.e. including sales that are not attributed to straight clicks), Persuasion Rate (Increases in other channels' sales off the back of campaign activity e.g. interactions with rich media driving search volume) and Cost per Acquisition.
This shows that the success of a direct digital campaign is perhaps more accurately measured through analysing Conversion Rate rather than Click Through Rate. As Eyeblaster put it: a low or high CTR often does not necessarily correlate with a campaign's overall objectives. Conversion rate provides a more accurate measurement of success and by focusing on CTR alone, we are sometimes missing 2.5x the actual data we need to analyze the overall consumer journey".
While these measurements provide greater insight into the ROI of more direct or acquisition led campaigns it is important to consider the wider brand and advocacy success of a digital campaign, especially as campaigns evolve to become distributed conversations in the social arena. ROI and success can be measured in these areas as well via metrics like Net Promoter Score and Sentiment Tracking.
In short, how do we measure fans – the people who will decide whether our campaigns and brands become part of culture?
And this is what I plan to explore in the next post… Social Media ROI and the spectrum of online relationships


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Balloon Sleeves Drafting, Cutting And Stitching | Step to step Procedure With Images
Balloon sleeves are always trendy and fashionable. In making of balloon sleeves we need more fabric as compared to when making a normal sleeve. As in balloon sleeves we insert pleats on both ends i.e at shoulder joint region and also at wrist region.
Balloon Sleeves Drafting :
1. First measure the length and half arm round of your arm. After that keep the fabric in 4 layers.
2. On fabric, take length + 1 inch (sewing seam) and cut the extra. And in width take as much as fabric you need for pleats (range : 3 to 8 inches).
3. Also at bottom we don't cut in slant manner as we do in simple sleeves drafting, because here we insert pleats. Only mark 0.5 inch for joining the sleeves.
4. From top open side mark 3 inch (range : 2.5 to 4 inch) and do curving of arm round till shoulder length + 1 inch mark. Leave the further fabric in a straight manner (as pleats will be inserted here).
5. In balloon sleeves, front sleeve deep drafting and cutting is not needed.
Balloon Sleeves Cutting :
1. Cut the armhole curve and slant line. After that, mark its center so that insertion of pleats can be done equally on both sides.
2. Now cut 2 inch wide stripes for arm round also.
Sewing/Stitching Of Balloon Sleeves :
1. Now, in sewing separate both sleeves and do temporary stitching on the top and bottom of both the sleeves width wise. (Temporary sewing must be in continuous manner)
2. After that stretch thread and insert pleats/bulges from both side equal to arm round + 1 inch.
3. Also at top, insert pleats by stretching thread from both side equal to shoulder length + 1 inch.
4. Match right of the strip and wrong of the sleeve and do permanent sewing at arm round. And after that flip it to the right side and double fold it and sew it on recent sewing line in straight manner.
5. Now match sleeves and top's OR kurti's arm-round right to right and also center to center for sewing alongside the armhole.
6. After that do fitting stitching and your balloon sleeves top OR kurti is ready to wear.


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The event coincided with a talk by cartoonist Marion Nestle about her new book, "Eat, Drink, Vote", and a talk with Jeff Danziger and Signe Wilkinson. A few members got to see her talk downstairs before heading up to the third floor for the food and drinks. There's never a dull moment at these Happy Hours!
Ed reads Al Jaffee's Tall Tales book.
Joyce Jaffee and Caroline Roth console each other.
Maria Scrivan and the lovely Al Jaffee.
What Al does when he's supposed to be paying attention.
Bob 'Red & Stimpy' Camp amuses himself while C-3PO looks on in dismay.
Caroline introduces Signe Wilkinson, who's wondering how she wound up with this group.
The result of Al Jaffee defacing the Society's halloween decorations.
The next happy hour is Wednesday, November 20th! Hope to see you there!


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Say thankyou with a grunge splatter!
Christine from Crafti Potential creates a trio of identical splatter style cards in three different colours. The splashes and distressed backgrounds make an ideal male or female style card. Check out our range of Lisa Horton stamp sets to get that gorgeous textured look on your cards!


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The private lives of French politicians are deemed to be sacrosanct. Public interest stops at the bedroom door and no-one in France ever argues that a leader's political judgment is called into question by the breaking of his marriage vows. Having mistresses seems to be expected in the French political classes. President François Mitterrand, President between 1981 and 1995, was very active in this respect, indeed there are some who believe that it was the President's complicated love life which resulted in the French Grand Prix moving to Magny-Cours in 1991. It was a scandal at the time, because the race was established at Paul Ricard and moving it to a circuit in the middle of nowhere, with no autoroute access, no infrastructure to support a race and insufficient hotels and restaurants.
Why this happened is a story which goes back to 1946 when the 30-year-old Mitterand, from a village near Cognac, in the west of France, was soundly beaten in an election in the suburbs of Paris. He was desperate to become a deputé (similar to an Member of Parliament). Mitterand and so asked Henri Queuille the leader of the Radical party, what he could do. He was told to go to Nevers, in the Nièvre department, 150 miles south of Paris on the River Loire, on the basis that there would be no real opposition. Mitterand arrived two weeks before the election and toured the region building support. At the time local alliances decided many elections and Mitterand quickly convinced the right wing voters and the clergy to support him.
His big breakthrough came when he landed the support of the local farming community. It was enough to get him elected and into the government of Paul Ramadier as Minister for War Veterans. Jean Bernigaud, a 26-year-old cattle farmer, played a key role in getting the local farmers so support Mitterand and the two men would remain friends thereafter. In the late 1950s, Mitterand became the godfather of Bernigaud's sixth child. His political power in the region grew after he became the mayor of Chateau-Chinon in 1959 and President du Conseil Général of the Nièvre in 1964. Bernigaud, for his part, became the mayor of Magny-Cours in 1957 and 10 years later joined the Conseil Général. Later, when he had become President of France, Mitterand encouraged Pierre Beregovoy to become the mayor of Nevers in 1983, and deputé for the department in 1986.
Bernigaud was a man who was keen to promote the region. As early as 1954, he went to Reims and saw the French Grand Prix and noted that this was held on public roads. He went home with the idea of having a racing circuit in the roads around his village. He was working on the idea when in 1955 the Le Mans disaster occurred and as a result safety rules were changed and a road circuit became impossible. Bernigaud decided to use a piece of his own land, known as the Domaine de Bardonnay, which was located close to the Route Nationale 7, next to the hamlet of Les Gaillères. The first circuit was for karts only and was 510 metres in length. It opened in May 1961 and was christened the Circuit Jean Behra, after the French racing star who had been killed at Avus in 1959. The circuit was extended in 1969 and then again in 1971, at which point it reached 2.4 miles in the length. Sadly, Bernigaud died that year, at the age of only 50, leaving his 48-year-old widow Jacqueline to run the farm. The management of the circuit was handed over to the ASA Nivernais.
Jacqueline was, so they say, very close to Mitterand in this era and when he became President of France in 1981 he organized for her to became a consultant to the national oil company Elf, with a generous monthly fee. The problem was that the circuit was a huge drain on resources, but was very difficult to sell because of its remote location. It was the home of the celebrated École Winfield racing school and it hosted national events and an annual European Formula 3 event, but it was also getting older and requiring new investment. In 1986 Mitterand provided a solution to the problem. He convinced the Conseil Général, under Noël Berrier, who had been his vice-president on the Conseil since 1973, to buy the track for £1.5 million and then used public money to transform it into an international-level facility, capable of hosting F1 races. The project was supported by Mitterand's finance minister Pierre Beregovoy, who had become the mayor of Nevers in 1983, and was elected deputé for the Nièvre that year. The goal, in theory, was to create a motorsport industry cluster which would generate revenue for the region. Guy Ligier, another of Mitterand's buddies, moved his racing team from Vichy to the circuit new circuit in 1989. The Fédération Française du Sport Automobile, under President Jean Marie Balestre, did not put up a fight and so F1 arrived at the track in the summer of 1991.


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One last piece on Duck Typing then I think I am about all quacked out (when will these silly puns end???).... This is in response to Dave's comments over here, as well as some clarification to the general atmosphere in regards to duck typing. First I want to make a correction, something I failed to mention in my initial post. My comment in the Duck Typing session is that I had been tinkering around with using ANT to remove type for production. Sean, I believe, misunderstood and conveyed that I was using this in production. This couldn't be further from the truth, the bulk of our applications are legacy CF5 applications. I neglected to correct that in my original post but I wanted to make sure that is clear.
Something else I want to make perfectly clear, I 100% agree with the sentiments of Sean, Dave, and a large majority of others out there. Duck Typing is a really cool technique but it is not something to be used everywhere (read: abused), especially for performance. I'll leave it to the other 50 blog posts I've read to explain when or where it should be used. The ANT script is forcing people to put duckType="true" into their function and argument declarations for a reason; to clearly state where duck typing is being used for performance. This designation servers as documentation, for debugging. A additional intention was to force a developer to THINK before they [duck] type. What I realize is that regardless of what I have to say about not using duck typing for performance it will happen. My hope is that people are at least checking code into a source control that is not duck typed in hopes that QA, unit testing, and documentation are more accurate to the intent of the application/objects.
In direct response to Dave's comments I would like to think that unit testing would reveal something like a string passed instead of an object and that the application would be constructed to handle this appropriately. Though that was just an example and Dave's underlying point was Duck Typing for performance, no mater how you slice it, can be problematic. Dave has a perfectly valid point and I want to restate that if you insist on using duck typing for performance please please please use type restriction and return types in your development, and testing. I also want to go one record as agreeing with Dave's other point which is database tuning can yield the highest returns in regards to performance. If you do us duck typing for performance it should be one of your last stops, not first,along the performance tuning path.
Friday, July 07, 2006
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You see a lot of cops on TV arguing about jurisdiction. Generally speaking, the set-up is that whatever group of cops the show is following is being squeezed out by someone else, claiming jurisdiction. The whole thing comes across as petty and political, and while's probably some truth to that, there are a few things I've learned about jurisdiction over the years, from my worth in the lab, in the field, and on the ambulance. ...Read the whole thing. Crime writing is one of the genres I've dabbled in the least, mostly because of all the real-world knowledge needed to suspend readers' disbelief. Few will find themselves thrown by descriptions of purely imaginary monsters or far-future cybernetic modifications, but there are millions of tiny details relating to law enforcement that can trip them up. That's why Nevet's article is so useful: It provides necessary technical knowledge from someone who works in the field and understands the writing craft.
When our pagers go off, we have four minutes to make it to the station and be rolling. Most of all calls are 911 responses and that means as soon as we're going, it's lights and sirens and high speeds. This is very dangerous, particularly when it's 3am and we were just woken out of our sleep.
So then, as we get close to the town, pretty often, all of a sudden, that town's local ambulance comes on the radio, says they're going in-service and are arriving on-scene. Our presence is no longer required or desired.
This is jurisdictional dispute. They were there first. It's their territory. But they were out of service, so we were dispatched and then took the risks involved in responding.
Postscript: Nevets has also written a primer on EMS protocols and jargon. Check it out.
(Picture: CC 2010 by Alex Holzknecht)


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|September 29, 2015
|When It Comes To Presenting, Understanding Doesn't Equal Remembering
|By: Maurice De Castro
Maurice De Castro is a former corporate executive of some of the UK's best loved brands. Maurice believes that the route to success in any organisation lies squarely in its ability to really connect with people. That's why he left the boardroom to create a business helping leaders to do exactly that. Learn more at www.mindfulpresenter.com
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