text:
A member posted before 1 July 2017 to a posting location overseas may be reimbursed the amount of a loss incurred on the sale of a private vehicle. All these conditions must be met.
The vehicle must be owned by the member.
The member bought the vehicle before the official written notice of the posting was issued.
The member must sell the vehicle in Australia because of the long-term posting.
The price the member obtained the vehicle for is less than the market price for a vehicle of the same model, age and similar condition.
The CDF is satisfied that the member made reasonable efforts to dispose of the vehicle without incurring a loss. The CDF must consider all these criteria.
How the member sought to dispose of the vehicle.
When and how widely the member advertised the vehicle for sale.
The nature and extent of offers made for the vehicle.
Particulars of the sale made by the member.
Any other relevant aspect of the sale.
The maximum reimbursement under this section is AUD 1,400.
Exception: If a member buys a vehicle after date of issue of the posting order, the maximum reimbursement is AUD 700.
The member must apply in writing to the Overseas Administration Team for reimbursement.
This benefit applies to one private vehicle for each posting.
A member may choose to transfer their loss on sale benefit from a private vehicle to a towable item. This includes a caravan or trailer.
Persons who can make the decision under paragraph 126.96.36.199.e on behalf of the Secretary/CDF:
Senior ADF Representative at the overseas post
A person working in the Pay and Administration Centre – Victoria who is authorised to manage Defence pay and administration at overseas posts and is not below WO2(E)/APS 5.
A member posted overseas may choose to store a vehicle. All these conditions must be met.
The vehicle is owned by the member, on the date the official written notice of the posting was issued.
The vehicle is stored in a commercial storage area.
See: Chapter 15
Part 2, Overseas living allowances – member posted before 1 July 2017
Part 2A, Overseas living allowances – member posted on or after 1 July 2017
The member may be reimbursed for storage costs up to AUD 1,400. This amount includes maintenance costs included in the storage costs.
The member must meet these costs.
Transporting the vehicle from the posting location in Australia to or from the commercial storage facility.
Preparing the vehicle for storage.
Insurance for the vehicle, if it becomes unregistered.
Any damage caused by or to the vehicle, if it becomes unregistered and is unsafe to drive.
To be reimbursed under subsection 2, the member must apply in writing to the Overseas Administration Team, attaching receipts.
A member may choose to transfer their storage benefit from a private vehicle to a towable item. This includes a caravan or trailer.
If a member retains ownership of a vehicle in Australia during the period of posting overseas, they are eligible for a removal of the vehicle on return to Australia.
The maximum amount that may be reimbursed is the cost of removal from the member's last posting in Australia, to the new posting location in Australia.
The member must meet any costs in excess of subsection 2. This includes any of these amounts.
Travel costs from any other storage location.
Insurance for the vehicle if it becomes unregistered.
Any damage caused by or to the vehicle while it is being removed, if it becomes unregistered and is unsafe to drive.
Any damage the vehicle causes while it is being removed if it becomes unregistered and is unsafe to drive.
A member is eligible for a removal of up to two vehicles on return to Australia. The removal is to be carried out under the normal within-Australia provisions.
See: Chapter 6 Part 5, Removals and storage
Exception: Chapter 6 Part 5 Division 5 section 6.5.40, provides that vehicles to be removed must be registered and roadworthy. That section does not apply for removal on return to Australia if the member makes a written statement that the vehicle is safe to drive.
Application to Reservists: Yes, on continuous full-time service.
Further info
Overseas Administration
Defence Service Centre
Defence Pay and Conditions is a Defence People Group website.
Please email your website feedback to the DPG Communication Team.


text:
George Boole's 200th Birthday
George Boole was born in Lincoln (Lincolshire) on November 2, 1815. Thus, today is a great day in history of Mathematics and Google has dedicated this interesting doodle to him.
This is the information about this special doodle:
Here's an easy, yes-or-no question:
Is the universe complex?
YES, of course, you could say; it would be crazy to think otherwise! But on the other hand, British mathematician George Boole taught us that NO, things can be seen as relatively simple; any values can be pared down to yes or no, true or false, or 0 or 1 (which, here at Google, is our personal favorite).
In 1849, Boole was appointed as the first Professor of Mathematics at University College Cork, where he pioneered developments in logic and mathematics. His beautiful binary "Boolean" system was detailed in An Investigation of the Laws of Thought in 1854, which inevitably enabled revolutionary thinking in not just logic and math, but also engineering and computer science.
As one of the most important scientists to have ever worked in Ireland, Boole effectively laid the foundations of the entire Information Age while working from UCC. So it's fair to say that without George Boole, there'd be no Google! So, as a tribute to Boole's contributions, artist Leon Hong created today's doodle, which cycles through all the ANDs, ORs, NOTs, and even XORs of the Boolean states for two discrete variables.
A very happy 11001000th birthday to genius George Boole!
Abû al-Wafâ' al-Buzjanî's doodle
This beautiful doodle was published by google in the Persian and Arabic countries last 10th June because in 10th June 940 the great Abû al-Wafâ' al-Buzjanî was born in Persia. Since 959, he worked in the Caliph's court in Baghdad among other distinguished mathematicians and scientists who remained in the city after Sharâf al-Dawlâh became the new caliph in 983. He continued to support mathematics and astronomy and built a new observatory in the gardens of his palace in Baghdad (June 988) which included a quadrant over 6 metres long and a sextant of 18 metres.
Abû al-Wafâ' wrote commentaries on works of Euclid, Ptolemy, Diophantus and al-Khwârizmî, and his works were very important in the developement of Trigonometry and Astronomy.
Today: Emmy Noether's doodle!
Emmy Noether (23 March 1882 – 14 April 1935) was born in the Bavarian town of Erlangen. Her father was the mathematician Max Noether and she studied Mathematics in the University of Erlangen where Max were teacher. She lectured her dissertation in 1907 under the supervision of Paul Gordan and after that she worked at the Mathematical Institute of Erlangen for seven years without any economical retribution! In 1915, David Hilbert invited her yo join him the Mathematics Department at the University of Gottingen. In that tiem, women were excluded from academic positions and she had to lecture her works under Hilbert's name. Her habilitation was approved in 1919 and she became a leading member of the Department until 1933 when Germany's Nazi government dismissed Jews from the university positions (she was Jewish!). She moved to USA where she lived until her death in 1935.
Her contributions in abstract algebra were exposed by B. L. Van der Waerden in his influential 1931 textbook Moderne Algebra and her contributions were recognized around the world in the 1932 International Congress of Mathematicians in Zürich.
Mercator's doodle
Gerardus Mercator was born in Rupelmonde (Belgium) exactly 503 years ago (and died in Duisburg on 2 December 1594). He was mathematician and cartographer and he is known for his word map of 1569 based on the projections which represented sailing courses of constant bearing as straight lines:
Grace Hopper's 108th Birthday
This doodle was published last year to commemorate Grace Hopper's 107th Birthday. Hopper (December 9, 1906 – January 1, 1992) was an American computer scientist who first developed the first compiler for a computer programming language. Her ideas led to development of COBOL programming language.
She was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Mikhail Lomonosov's doodle
Today is Lomonosov's birthday.
This doodle was published by Google in Russia in the same date of 2011 celebrating his 300th birthday.
Hua Luogeng's 101st Birthday
This doodle was published in November 12, 2011 to celebrate Hua Luogeng's 101st birthday.
Hua Luogeng (12 November 2011 – 12 June 1985) was a Chinese mathematician who became famous for his contributions to the Number Theory.
You can read some information about him in the Doodle's page:
Hua Luogeng was well known for two important contributions. One was his work on one of the greatest unsolved mathematical problems, known as Goldbach's Conjecture…. and yes, it is a little trickier than 1+1, though it involves prime numbers! (We celebrated one of his students, Chen Jungrun, in a previous doodle, who made significant progress on this problem).Luogeng was also known for his methodology on achieving efficiency, known as "Overall Coordination." His analogy, taught to most schoolchildren, lays out the premise of wanting to drink tea when you don't yet have boiled water. The most optimized approach is that you first rinse and fill the kettle and place it on the burner. Meanwhile, you should wash the serving teapot, the tea cups, and prepare the tea leaves. When the water has boiled, you can immediately brew your tea. That's multi-tasking boiled down for you!
You can always learn something new!
Counting with Count Von Count
I know that this is not the correct place for a doodle dedicated to Count Von Count but five years ago this doodle was published to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street. I watched it when I was a child I and I loved Count Von Count who taught children to count. Do you remembere it? There were thunders and lightnings after each number!
Edmond Halley's doodle
Today is Edmond Halley's birthday and this doodle was published in yhe United Kingdom in 2011 to celebrate his 355th birthday.
Shakuntala Devi's doodle
Shakuntala Devi (November 4, 1929 – April 21, 2013) was a mental calculator who travel around the World showing her arithmetic talent.
According to Wikipedia:
Examples of the problems presented to Devi included calculating the cube root of 61,629,875, and the seventh root of 170,859,375. […] Devi provided the solution to the aforementioned problems (395 and 15, respectively) before [prof. Arthur] Jensen could copy them down in his notebook.
In the 1982 Guinness Book of Records is mentioned that on June 18, 1980, she demonstrated the multiplication of two 13-digit numbers—7,686,369,774,870 × 2,465,099,745,779—picked at random by the Computer Department of Imperial College, London. She correctly answered 18,947,668,177,995,426,462,773,730 in 28 seconds.
This doddle was published last year to commemorate Devi's 84th birthday in a lot of countries of the World.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What is the bands name?Welcome. My band are coming to Canada on Wednesday
Playing in two bands whilst we are there. Main band is "The Varukers" other band are "The Backstreet Abortions" We are playing the "Have a Good Laugh" Festival in Vancouver on Thursday 20th (BSA) & Headline the 21st (Varukers) We are also playing Toronto & MontrealWhat is the bands name?
Where ya playing?
Is the party still going on over there? (Video of the celebrations looked amazing)Allo from Canada....home of the NBA Championship 2019!!!!
Recently signed up after lurking for a bit.
Fairly new drummer who started late in life but loving every minute.


text:
There are many circles, semi or part circles used in the quilting process. The decision to find ways to trace out encompassing circles has been deliberate. The circle encloses a safe, non-hierarchical place, a sacred space in which all have equal rights to be heard, as well as a responsibility to listen to others. It can be formed to reminds us of its qualities by people or by stones arranged in a circle that hold the people in its scared space, who are bound together by the principle of equality and equity. It is also represented by the orobouros, the serpent of renewal holding its own tail in its mouth, and is seen in many natural phenomena, such as the full moon and the curve of the horizon. In its broadest, the symbolism of the circle encompasses the Cosmos, with an unbroken circumference that is nowhere and everywhere… the "big bang" of Creation that is happening here and now, as the lovely astronomer Brian Cox reminds us so eloquently.
In the quilting of the moon phases, the circles overlap, eventually to form another vesica piscis at the heart of the rose moon. The dove Goddess has Her halo of aura, and the heart-dove is encircled by a crescent circle that opens out into a full circle. There is no "power-over", no hierarchy to be seen here. Only power with.
Coming up with the title
This is usually the last stage in the process of creating, though more often than not ideas for the naming of a personal story quilt pop up during the construction. But that didn't happen this time, probably because I was constantly struggling with the structure and the placing of images, and also my own ongoing health issues. We get our original names from our parents, but naming is an ongoing process, and sometimes people diminutize or actually change their names as they get to know themselves better or and their friends adjust their names – hopefully with fun and affectuib as the intention.
Then, just in recent weeks, as the quilt seemed to be edging towards a satisfactory conclusion, a meme posted on a Facebook page resonated with me: "hardcore soulful living"…seemed appropriate for Rob's life. Though I was not sure about the qualifier 'hardcore', I thought "soulful living" seemed to fully express Rob's 'life-style' – to use that word out of the usual context of glossy magazines. Nevertheless, all the descriptors of hardcore seem to apply by virtue of their both positive and negative strengths, and I included them on the dedication label on the back of Rob's quilt. Here are a few, with the final fanfare: "You got it!"
You soared, you crawled, you laughed, you cried,
You stuttered, you roared, you stumbled, you ran,
You danced, you overcame. You softened, you powered up.
You braved it. You kept on.
You felt. You felt it all.
The true definition of hardcore, soulful living.
You got it!
Some references (others are in footnotes):
Thomas Cahill, 1995, How the Irish saved civilization: the untold story of Ireland's heroic role from the fall of the Rome to the rise of medieval Europe, Hodder and Stoughton: London
Claire French, 2001, The Celtic Goddess: Great queen of demon witch? Bell & Bain: Glasgow
Jean Markale, 1993ed, The Celts: Uncovering the mythic and historic origins of Western culture, Inner Traditions: Vermont
Iona Miller, 2016, Ancestors and archetypes, http://ancestorsandarchetypes.weebly.com/dove-goddess.html
Candace Pert, 1999ed., Molecules of emotion: why you feel the way you do, Simon & Schuster: UK
Barbara Walker, 1988, The woman's dictionary of symbols and sacred objects, Harper & Row: San Francisco
Barbara Walker, 1983, The woman's Encyclopedia of myths and secrets, HarperSanFrancisco


text:
It has been awhile since my last post! Anyway, here I am!
With the deadline for my thesis quickly approaching, I have not had the energy or time for culinary experimentation. In an attempt to break the monotony of my diet and to find a quick energy fix (not an easy task when living with a myriad of food allergies!), I picked up some Enjoy Life Snack Bars.
Enjoy Life Foods is a company dedicated to making products free of the most common U.S. food allergens (gluten, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish and shellfish). As a result, their products are also vegan-friendly. (Looking for allergy-safe and vegan friendly chocolate chips? Look no further! Available in Ottawa at Market Organics.) Unfortunately Enjoy Life products do tend to be a bit pricey – I was partially motivated to give the snack bars a chance because they were on sale.
Back to the snack bars! I tried out the "cocoa loco" and "sunbutter crunch" flavours.
The sunbutter crunch bars are as "buttery" and rich as the name suggests. I would no't call them crunchy though, especially in comparison to the granola bars I used to eat as a child. The texture was very chewy and quite enjoyable. The bars are more sweet than salty, which is alright with me! They have about 4 g's of sugar per bar and more importantly, 3 g's of protein. They also have some B-vitamins, which may be lacking in a vegan diet without adequate supplementation. I found these bars more satisfying to eat after a workout than the chocolate ones.
The cocoa loco bars had a slightly grainier feel to them and were not as rich or "buttery" as the sunbutter crunch bars. I was slightly disappointed with them as they were not as chocolatey or sweet as I had expected based on the name and quantity of sugar (9 g's per bar!). They also have less protein than the sunbutter flavour with only 2 g's per bar. (The vitamin and mineral content are comparable.) I did not find them as satisfying or filling as the sunbutter crunch bars – this could be a result of the slightly lower caloric and fat content, but I imagine it had more to do with the insufficient amount of chocolate.
The lack of pre-made snack bars out there for vegan food-allergy sufferers makes these bars seem absolutely fantastic! They are an extremely convenient and portable addition to any allergy-sufferer's lunch bag (the bars are individually wrapped). I am not sure if they would satisfy someone with a larger appetite than mine though, as they are quite small (28 g per bar at 7 cm x 2.5 cm x 1.5 cm). Although I would recommend these to anyone with severe food allergies, I am not sure that these would be a valuable investment for everyone else due to their high cost and small size.
– Aly
Update: A vegetarian restaurant called "The Green Earth" opened in mid-February. The menu is supposedly 98% vegan.


text:
Lacquerous.com Is Like Netflix for Nail Polish
You can try more colors and save some money. But would you share a bottle of Conga Line Coral with a stranger?
You can rent a Herve Leger dress, an Alexander McQueen box clutch, or swag for your ever-growing children. All of that makes perfect sense—especially to Parks and Recreation fans—but can the rental business cross into beauty?
It's happening, my friends: Lacquerous.com, a website that allows you to rent three bottles of designer polish for $18 per month.
That may sound steep, but a bottle of luxury lacquer by brands like Tom Ford, Butter London and Chanel can run $15-$30. If you're a little skeeved by the idea of communal polish, Laquerous would like to point out that your local nail salon has been sharing their goods for years.
I'm not yet sold, but I am intrigued. Would you try it?
Submit your comment
Comments are moderated. We review them in an effort to remove foul language, commercial messages, abuse, and irrelevancies.


text:
We are pleased to announce that Email Plus+ 12.1 is now available for download. Changes include: * Added search to suppression logs. * Removed false MySQL errors from activity logs. * Improved Diagnostics. * PHPMailer self install. No need to upload/over-write separately with the Email Plus+ version. * Improved inbound email -> ticket ... Read More »
We are pleased to announce that Email Plus+ 12.0 is now available for download. Changes include: Update to S3 storage support (this version now requires WHMCS 7.7 or higher). Fix bug with mass emails failing when an address is suppressed. Improved diagnostics page. Added button to clear all suppression logs. Added additional settings for ... Read More »
We are pleased to announce that Email Plus+ 11.6 is now available for download from our website. This version fixed compatibility issues with the recently released WHMCS 7.8 update. Please update at your convenience. If you are upgrading WHMCS to version 7.8, We recommend downloading the FULL package from WHMCS, and uploading manually. The ... Read More »
- Changed layout of inbound log page.
- Updated Mailgun email validation to V4.
- Added Suppression Logs to addon module page. (blocked or bounced emails now shown in separate history)
- Improved Amazon SES Character set detection.
- Minor bug fixes.
Version 11.0 - Added new feature : Unique support ticket email templates for each department. Better detection of Administrative email tracking. Version 11.1 - Fixed error with missing unixtojd function. Fixed bug with postmark inbound ticket processing. Version 11.2 - Added support for Mailgun Regions. Added support for ... Read More »
* Added support for Amazon SES email service.
* Squashed some bugs in displaying validation logs.
* Updated Postmark API calls to include Metadata.
* This version no longer requires any 3rd party software located in modules/addons/email_plus/vendor. (You can safely remove the vendor folder and all files in it).* Sendinblue has been updated to use the version 3.0 api. You will need to request a new v3 API Key after upgrading Email Plus+, and reconfigure the addon settings.* Templates now ... Read More »
Email Plus+ 8.0 for WHMCS 7.5 is now available. Changes include support for PHP 5.6 - 7.2 (requires Ioncube 10.1 or higher).
Version 5.5 New Features – Minor bug and performance fixes and improvements. Now integrates with Fraudrecord (See https://www.fraudrecord.com/ for full feature list) Automated fraudrecord checks on every order. Runs in parallel to built-in Fraud checks provided by WHMCS (Maxmind, VariLogix, etc..) which allows you to do fraud checks ... Read More »
.space domain names are on sale today for $1.99. Get it now while this price lasts!


text:
This is the southern terminus of the Kansas Turnpike as it existed in 1956, ending abruptly at the Oklahoma state line. There is an extremely dangerous at-grade intersection with E0010 Rd.
The Kansas Turnpike was the last of the great American superhighways to be built prior to the passage of the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, which created the Interstate Highway System. These state toll roads greatly influenced the design of the system, but were not quite built to interstate standards. They were grandfathered into the system with some modifications. Notably, a median barrier had to be built over the entire length of the turnpike due to the median's insufficient width.
The entire 236 mile stretch was built from scratch in 22 months, a feat that seems impossible by modern construction standards. Even more improbably, the highway was privately funded and all the right of way was acquired (via harshly applied eminent domain) in a matter of weeks.
The portion of the turnpike shown above was eventually closed, with all traffic forced to leave the highway at the South Haven interchange a few miles north. Crashes into Amos Switzer's property immediately south of the state line had left his oat field covered with debris and tire treads. The Kansas Turnpike had no speed limit (other than "reasonable and prudent") at the time.
After this stretch of road became part of I-35, Oklahoma was persuaded to continue the freeway on its side of the border, allowing the end of the turnpike to reopen. Today, I-35 passes under E0010 Rd., with no evidence remaining of the dramatic intersection that used to exist at this spot.


text:
At the beginning of 2017, Chinese tech company Baidu, the largest provider of Chinese language internet search as well as other digital products and services, committed to emerging business sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Since China has 731 million internet users, almost twice the U.S. Population, Baidu's data set is capable of fueling AI algorithms to make them even better. With this focus on artificial intelligence, Baidu is exploring some very intriguing applications for artificial intelligence and machine learning including in their offices where facial recognition technology makes standard ID cards unnecessary and allows you to order tea from a vending machine.
They have also recruited top AI talent including one of the world's most notable AI pioneers Lu Qi, who was previously a Microsoft executive before he became Baidu's COO in January 2017. Qi will step down in July 2018 for personal reasons. Although he was only at Baidu for a short time, he helped chart a clear strategy for the company's AI operations that will continue. Here are a few ways Baidu uses artificial intelligence and machine learning.
DuerOS is Baidu's voice assistant
Since Baidu can leverage its expansive data set, its voice assistant called DuerOS has accumulated more conversation-based skill sets than Alexa, Siri or Cortana. Partnering with other tech companies is one way Baidu hopes to accelerate innovation. They have teamed up with more than 130 DuerOS partners, and the voice assistant is in more than 100 brands of appliances such as refrigerators, TVs, and speakers. Since homes in India, Japan, Europe, and Brazil are more like homes in China, there may be better opportunities for DuerOS to globalize since Alexa, Cortana and Echo are optimized for American households. At CES 2018, Baidu debuted its DuerOS-powered smart screen called Little Fish VS1. This technology can recognize and respond to individual faces.
Mobile partners to accelerate AI-powered devices
Unlike its competitors, Baidu was steadfast in its commitment to desktops and missed the shift to mobile. To survive, Baidu needed a new strategy and artificial intelligence technology provided just the platform to turn the business around. That's one of the reasons Baidu has committed so aggressively to AI investment. Today, AI products and services are priorities to make them the core of the company's future. Now, they are partnering with Huawei to develop an open mobile AI platform to support the development of AI-powered smartphones and Qualcomm to optimize its DuerOS for IoT devices and smartphones using Qualcomm's Snapdragon Mobile Platform.
Self-driving cars
Even though automated driving is currently against the law in China, Baidu is working on autonomous-driving technology. Through the program called Apollo, Baidu's artificial intelligence technologies are made available to car makers for free as a brain for their cars. In exchange, Baidu gets access to the data to make their algorithms smarter. It is hoped that Apollo will give any car manufacturer a fair shot at creating a viable product, just like Android did for smartphone makers. Even with this accelerated approach, it is expected that fully autonomous cars won't be in production until 2020-2021.
Deep learning in the medical field
To find tumors and early warning signs for cancer, pathologists look at biopsied tissues magnified to 40X, but they are searching for micrometastases that can be as small as 1000 pixels in diameter. Deep learning-based algorithms can now be used to process the images and locate possible micrometastases. Baidu has developed a deep learning solution to predict if the cells are normal or cancerous. The results of using the algorithms in this way are promising—a lower number of false positives, better tumor localization scores, and improved efficiency. Computer vision that results in better detection of disease (or at least equal to human medical professionals) is a very compelling form of artificial intelligence, and one Baidu is actively working on.
Baidu recently spun-off its financial services arm on the heels of selling off other business units such as its food-delivery service Waimai and IQiyi Inc, a streaming video service comparable to Netflix. These moves are intended to streamline operations so Baidu can invest aggressively in artificial intelligence initiatives such as autonomous vehicles and voice assistants. By leveraging partnerships, its unique space in Chinese culture that is less averse to AI, the Chinese government's support as well as an enormous population that creates the data that allows AI insights, Baidu's bet on AI might just be the ticket to its long-term success.
Written by
Bernard Marr is an internationally bestselling author, futurist, keynote speaker, and strategic advisor to companies and governments. He advises and coaches many of the world�s best-known organisations on strategy, digital transformation and business performance. LinkedIn has recently ranked Bernard as one of the top 5 business influencers in the world and the No 1 influencer in the UK. He has authored 16 best-selling books, is a frequent contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day Bernard actively engages his almost 2 million social media followers and shares content that reaches millions of readers.


text:
You want to fly high in the sky, want to experience the joy, pleasure and happiness taking it to the skies like a real time pilot, then virtual pilot 3D 2016 products are the right thing you deserve. You can now sit back comfortably within the prospects of your house and experience realistic flight model system and control the cockpit of an airplane with this new Flight Simulator 2016.
Do you know?
Virtual Pilot 3D 2016 games are FAA certified and are used as a live training platform to train real pilots. It has been used as an alternative to the large flight simulators used to train professional pilots. It successfully provided hardware and frame rate checks required for FAA certification.
Attractive Features
- You get to choose from 200+ planes and helicopters, select rare planes like 1903 wright flyer or airbus 380.
- Virtual Pilot 3D 2016 products come to you with attractive features to enhance your flying experience. Some of the breath taking features are
- Interactive and video tutorials: This provides you complete guide on the flight control panels of any flight you are unfamiliar with. Beginners will have no worries handling the game.
- Experience real life helicopter handling, runway change elevation, realistic controls and instrument behaviour.
- Supports all hardware, hence enabling you to use foot pedals, yoke to make the flight more realistic.
- Supports all version of Windows
- Free lifetime upload
- Experience flying like a real airline with intelligent air traffic control facility, auto pilot flying and navigation features
- You get to design your own scenery, land marks and buildings with the opportunity the game provides you
Flight simulator 2016 realism comes to you in a very affordable price. The price is just nominal will compared to the high standards of enriched flying experience you are exposed to. The payment is one time, there are no hidden or extra charges with free lifetime updates.
You get to trial for a period of 60 days risk free. The complete suite can be downloaded along with 4 DVDs.
3 simple, easy steps you need to follow and you are right there on top of the world.
- Install the game (it takes about 8 minutes)
- Run "Flight Launcher" or customise the option
- You are now ready to travel the world with the aircraft and airport of your choice.
The manufacturers or makers of the game guarantee you the best microsoft flight simulator 2016 experience like the way you are flying from a real aircraft cockpit, besides the realistic images of airport. If you are not satisfied in any case with the gaming experience, every penny of yours will be happily refunded.


text:
A DROID-3 patch editor for Windows and Mac OS9 using MIDI to transmit the patch and editing data. The first version of DROID-3 can not save patches internally but DroidEdit (at least the Windows version) can save them and even export them individually in the Standard MIDI File format. This allows for importing a into your sequencer where it will work like a regular Program Change.
by Michael Olsen, Erik S. Andersen and Robert L. Nielsen
If your MIDI interface or drivers do not allow for internal MIDI merging, using the editor will prevent your sequencer and mother keyboard from communicating with DROID-3. To play MIDI notes and use the editor you need virtual MIDI routing like MIDI Yoke Junction. One virtual MIDI connection is enough.
Logic 8 environment v1.3
Thanks to CS-Jay, Jorgen Traun and Henrik Jensen for their help.
for Ableton Live by Hjalte Bested Moller - you can e-mail him for support: hjalte dot moller at gmail (com)
by Daevlmakr
You shouldn't be needing OMS or FreeMIDI to both use your sequencer/mother keyboard with DROID-3 and change its parameters in the editor at the same time in OS X thanks to its MIDI setup.
DroidEdit and MIDI file format
by Sune M. Pedersen and David Filskov
Routing viewer for Windows
You can use this program to understand exactly how the Typ parameter changes the internal routing.


text:
It's difficult to imagine those cool, crisp days of fall when temperatures are rising over 70° in October! At least with this kind of weather we can get those last...Read More
I am a firm believer in using what you have when baking, so I tried to find a few recipes that would utilize stuff I had on hand in my...Read More
Carving pumpkins can be a lot of fun, but that also means a slimy mess afterwards. And it makes your pumpkins rot so much sooner. So this year, I thought...Read More
It's that time of year - When you wish calories didn't exist. But unfortunately, we haven't made that scientific breakthrough quite yet. So, the question remains - what on earth...Read More
Read More
"Give thanks." Right now, I can trace God's hand through the steps of…
Read More
The holidays give us a great chance to connect with our families. Along with some…
Read More
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I can already smell all of the delicious…


text:
Hong Kong Exchanges makes ?29.6bn bid for LSE
(Sharecast News) - London Stock Exchange said on Wednesday that it will consider an "unsolicited, preliminary and highly conditional" £29.6bn takeover offer from Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, as analysts expressed doubts that a deal would occur.
"The board of LSEG will consider this proposal and will make a further announcement in due course," it said.
The group, which agreed last month to buy financial data and trading platform provider Refinitiv in a $27bn deal, said it "remains committed to and continues to make good progress" on the proposed acquisition.
Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing said earlier that it has offered 2,045p per share in cash and 2.495 newly-issued HKEX shares for the LSE. This is a premium of approximately 23% to the closing price on Tuesday.
HKEX chairman Laura Cha said: "We believe a combination of HKEX and LSEG represents a highly compelling strategic opportunity to create a global market infrastructure group, bringing together the largest and most significant financial centres in Asia and Europe.
"Following early engagement with LSEG, we look forward to working in detail with the LSEG board to demonstrate that this transaction is in the best interests of all stakeholders, investors and both businesses."
At 1205 BST, LSE shares had come off their highs, up 3.9% at 7,068p, having surged to as much as 7,922p when the news first came out, as analysts questioned the likelihood of a deal being done.
Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at Markets.com, said the bid was a "non-starter".
"It's a bold move and one that appears to have a low chance of success. Given the long and ignoble history of bids for LSE we think there is a very high bar to clear in order for this to succeed. Whilst HKEX already has a foothold in the UK via its ownership of the LME, the LSE is a different ball game entirely."
He added that political considerations will be front and centre, with the UK government unlikely to want to see such a vital symbol of UK financial services strength owned by foreigners.
Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said: "The proposed offer would be totemic in terms of East-West relations and the complementary strengths of the two exchanges would make strategic sense.
"This is an initial shot, however. As such, and not surprisingly, it will throw out a number of questions rather than answers at this stage.
"The scale of the deal is one which approximately results in the two exchanges being a merger of equals. The London Stock Exchange has historically fought off approaches from overseas, preferring instead to be the acquirer. It may also be that the likes of the New York Stock Exchange will be looking on with interest.
"In addition, the very nature of the Hong Kong approach will be subject to any number of considerations, such as competitive and regulatory issues. This is quite apart from the political questions it raises, both in terms of the history between the two 'countries', as well as how an East-West tie-up might be seen in the eyes of the United States, given the current economic situation."
Hunter noted the fact that part of the proposal requires the LSE to back away from its recent deal to acquire Refinitiv, saying this appears to be an early stumbling block.
"The proposal is a fascinating prospect, but far from a done deal. The fact that the LSE share price has already retreated from the initial 10% spike on release of the news may reflect some initial scepticism around the likelihood of the deal going through."
Olivetree Financial pointed out that investors like LSE's Refinitiv transaction, which means that any acquirer would need to pay a material premium over and above the benefits of this deal that were already being priced in. "This adds up to high single digit billions of dollars in reality," it said.
"Given the market cap of HKEX is only just bigger than that of LSE, it is tough for HKEX to start to leak goodwill like this - they are simply buying a different asset to that which LSE and its shareholders are selling. It would therefore seem reasonably easy for LSE's board to maintain a stance of rejection and persuade target shareholders that Refinitiv is a better deal to both shareholders and politicians, unless HKEX or any other group can pay a truly knockout price."


text:
SPOHP Undergraduate Research Coordinator Oliver Tesluma and undergraduate Political Science major, as well as SPOHP alums Assistant Professor Jessica Taylor of Virginia Tech and George Washington University doctoral student Candice Ellis, presented papers at the 8th National Civil Rights Conference, which took place on June 17-20, 2018 in Meridian and Philadelphia, Mississippi. This year's conference theme was "Lets Rise, Advocate, Educate and Cooperate." Their papers were presented during a panel presentation entitled, Recording Civil Rights History: the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program (SPOHP) and the Mississippi Freedom Project.
Telsuma's paper, "Evaluating the Effects of Oral History and Civil Rights Activism in the Mississippi Delta Since the 1950s," incorporated research methods he learned while working with the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, which, he notes, "emphasizes community collaboration and decolonized leadership structures to conduct effective and sustainable research." Telsuma's scholarship contextualizes information collected from the Mississippi Delta region, while evaluating elements of these research methods as organizing tools for better understanding the ways in which power structures can work alongside marginalized communities to empower them, from the Freedom Summer to the Black Lives Matter Movement.


text:
Kelly Bowring and Vincent Murray have done a great service for the followers of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is taking place in the little village of Medjugorje in Bosnia-Hercegovina. By organizing Our Lady's messages by subject in their book "Dear Children," they have provided a clear order of teaching by the Madonna. There is a planned consistency in these messages from Heaven – meant to teach, to guide, and to prepare those who have responded to her call.
Medjugorje is the most important event of our time. The Madonna has proclaimed to the world that we should strive to live her messages. "Dear Children" makes it easier for everyone to focus on the content of the messages, so as to live them. This book is an excellent source for all to start to live Our Lady's messages and to share them with their families, friends, and with the whole world.
– Wayne Weible
Renowned author on the subject of Medjugorje


text:
A Kiwi businessman with strong environmental credentials who's landed a senior job in the White House could influence US President-elect Donald Trump's views on climate change, a close associate says.
Christopher Liddell, 58, has been picked by Mr Trump as his assistant and director of strategic initiatives at a new think tank called the White House Strategic Development Group.
The group is responsible for the soon-to-be President's "priority projects". Mr Liddell will also work with private sector forums.
Matamata-born Mr Liddell has had senior roles in some of the world's biggest companies such as Microsoft and General Motors.
In New Zealand he has shown a strong green streak, with involvement in a number of environmental groups.
That includes being a trustee of Pure Advantage, a collection of successful Kiwis pushing for green business practices.
Pure Advantage founder Phillip Mills, of the Les Mills gym empire, believes Mr Liddell has a great opportunity to change Mr Trump's scepticism of climate change.
He was thankful for the news of Mr Liddell's appointment, which would counter the views of other Trump picks such as ExxonMobil chairman Rex Tillerson.
"[Trump's] got some other guys in there...who are going to be pushing for fossil fuels, who are really trying to burn the planet, and it's great to have someone in there like Chris who is going to be fighting against that."
On multiple occasions, Mr Trump has called climate change a "hoax" and a way for the Chinese to "make US manufacturing non-competitive".
In 2014, he tweeted that snow in Texas and Louisiana was a sign "global warming is an expensive hoax!".
"When you're a sole entrepreneur you can have strange points of view like that, but when you're sitting in a position he's in, you're going to have a lot of smart people around him telling him the facts and one of those people is Chris Liddell," Mr Mill says.
Who is Chris Liddell?
- Born in Matamata, but now lives in New York;
- Awarded a CNZM in the 2015 New Year's Honours for services to business and philanthropy;
- Strong ties to the New Zealand business community, including current chairman of accounting software firm Xero;
- Previous chief executive of Carter Holt Harvey and former director of the New Zealand Rugby Union and New Zealand Sports Foundation;
- Co-founder of the New Zealand Institute and founding trustee of Knowledge Wave Conferences;
- Held high-ranking positions including Chief Financial Officer at Microsoft and General Motors where he was also Vice-Chairman;
- Involved in the then-largest sharemarket listing in history in 2010 - US$23b float of GM;
- CFO at International Paper and entertainment and media company WME/IMG;
- Named Businessman of the Year in 2011;
- Graduate of Auckland and Oxford Universities;
- Currently chair of New Zealand environment and education organisation, Next Foundation and has history with a number of conservation projects;
This is by no means Mr Liddell's first foray into American politics.
He was the executive director of 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney's transition planning team.
He's also currently part of Mr Trump's transition team as Special Advisor on Presidential Appointments.
He was named along with real estate mogul Reed Cordish who will become Assistant to the President for Intragovernmental and Technology Initiatives.
"Chris Liddell and Reed Cordish have led large, complex companies in the private sector and have played instrumental roles throughout the transition," Mr Trump says.
"Their skillsets are exactly what is needed to effect substantial change, including system wide improvement to the performance of government.
"I'm delighted they'll be part of my executive team."
Mr Liddell says it is an "honour" to take on the role.
Xero chief executive Rod Drury says it would have been Mr Liddell's close ties to the Republican party which meant he was shoulder-tapped by Mr Trump.
"He could have been Mitt Romney's chief of staff had he become president - so he's very close to that world.
"To be that close to power, to have a Kiwi right in the West Wing, we should all be pretty proud of," he told Newshub.
Mr Drury said Mr Liddell's conservation and environmental credentials could have some sway with Mr Trump who in the past has said he's sceptical about man-made climate change.
It could also be good news for New Zealand businesses and even Prime Minister Bill English.
"Chris is well-known to connect people in the US to all sorts of other companies and people down here; he's a great connector so having someone like that probably gives us better access in some countries so that's exciting," Mr Drury says.
Mr Liddell spent "a lot of time" with former prime minister John Key and likely Mr English as well.
"I'm sure those kinds of relationships can only help."
Mr Drury says he'd known the news for some weeks now and while Mr Liddell is still the company's chairman, it will become clearer whether he can stay on over the coming days.
The Next Foundation has congratulated Mr Liddell on his appointment, calling it an "outstanding achievement for a New Zealander - and a great opportunity to have a significant impact on the world stage".
"As Chairman of Next, he has already made an enormous contribution to the support we have provided to eight environmental and educational initiatives - all of which benefit our land and our people," chief executive Bill Kermode says.


text: If you are creating an internet Startup and require investment capital, it is likely that you will need a business plan. The experts at Pro Business Plans have worked with hundreds of Internet Startups to prepare plans for investment and strategy. This article provides information for what is included in the plan and how it is typically structured.


text:
From 23rd May to 9th June 2014, BridgeClimb is inviting Vivid Sydney fans to climb above the crowds and experience the first ever interactive light installation at the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge during Vivid Sydney, the Southern Hemisphere's largest festival of light, music and ideas.
Climbers on The Vivid Climb will become the 'heartbeat' of the Bridge, where the rhythm of each climber's heart illuminates the top of the Bridge in a pulsing vibrant light show that is as unique as the individual.
BridgeClimb CEO, Todd Coates, said, "The Vivid Climb offers a first ever experience for climbers – a chance to be a truly interactive part Vivid Sydney. Our Vivid climbers will also enjoy uninterrupted views of the stunning sights of the Vivid Sydney festival below.
"Vivid Sydney has become a hallmark tourism event, attracting over 800,000 eager visitors last year. BridgeClimb is excited to offer this unique experience for climbers who can now immerse themselves in Vivid Sydney from the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge".
Climbers will also become a part of the attractions themselves, wearing special Vivid Climb vests fitted with flashing lights. Climb groups will be seen scaling the iconic steel arches by Vivid Sydney visitors from below in Circular Quay and Darling Harbour.
It takes place during Vivid Sydney 2014 (23 May – 9 June), on all climbs departing at night, with a climb in Mandarin departing at 5pm each night.
To book, please visit http://www.bridgeclimb.com/The-Climbs/vivid/
BridgeClimb offers a truly memorable experience, perfect for special occasions, family adventures, team building and corporate events. For more information, please visit www.bridgeclimb.com or call +61 (0) 2 8274 7777.
For images and to inquire about a limited number of media preview climbs from 19th to 22nd May, please contact Charli Beale: firstname.lastname@example.com or call +61 (0) 2 9240 1141.


text:
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.
Through her guidelines, your post does not actually have to be named the same and thus my post shall be..."In My Shopping Bag". (just fits with the "foodie" theme a bit better in my humble opinion)
Let's take a peek inside my shopping bag from this past week....
For Review
Arbor Day Square by Kathryn O. Galbraith
(courtesy of Erin at Peachtree Publishers)
Featured title in the special Arbor Day celebration post this week!
Possessions: The Evil Within by Nancy Holder (ARC)
Look for special post coming in June!
The Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas
(via contest from Steph at Steph Su Reads)
Every Day In Tuscany by Frances Mayes (signed copy)
(via contest at author's site)
Until next time....happy reading!


text:
Evaporative Emission Regulations and EVAP Systems
While much of the focus in the automotive industry is on reducing exhaust emissions in order to meet carbon reduction targets, there is another cause of emissions which must not be overlooked. The fuel in a vehicle's tank and fuel lines is subject to evaporation over time, releasing volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere. These emissions are now regulated in the majority of automotive markets around the world, and evaporative emission control (EVAP) systems have become commonplace in all new vehicles.
Although this is not a new situation – evaporative emission control systems have been used since the early 1970's - the targets set out by regulations now require manufacturers to develop new, innovative ways to reduce these emissions. The regulations are intended to control running losses and permeation losses from fuel systems, and have an impact on the entire fuel system; from fuel hoses and fuel caps to the materials used to manufacture the fuel tank itself.
Approximately 20% of all hydrocarbon emissions from vehicles originate from evaporative sources, so it is clear to see why effective evaporative emission control systems are essential in today's modern vehicles, and why innovative new systems must be developed as we move towards a carbon zero society.
Evaporative emission control systems
Before we look at worldwide regulations governing evaporative emissions, it is worth a brief look at how current EVAP systems work to put into context some the challenges that the automotive industry is faced with.
A typical EVAP system is a fully closed system designed to maintain stable fuel tank pressures without allowing fuel vapours to escape into the atmosphere. A system would usually consist of the fuel tank, the fuel tank cap with a vacuum check valve, a charcoal canister with vacuum and pressure check valves, a thermo vacuum valve, and a ported vacuum purge port. Fuel vapours are naturally created in the fuel tank as a result of evaporation, and when tank pressure becomes excessive, are then transferred to the charcoal canister. The vapours are stored in this canister until operating conditions can tolerate additional enrichment, when they are purged into the intake manifold and added to the incoming air/fuel mixture. This typically happens when the vehicle is in motion rather than at idle.
There are several ways in which evaporative emissions can escape a vehicle, including permeation through the walls of a fuel tank and fuel hoses, losses through valves and fuel caps, as well as diurnal losses when the vehicle is at standstill caused by temperature changes.
Worldwide regulations
All global regulations for evaporative emissions follow the same basic certification test flow:
• The carbon vapour canister is prepared and loaded
• Fresh fuel is added to the fuel system
• The vehicle is preconditioned through a driving cycle
• Soak
• Running loss test
• Hot soak test
• Diurnal test
Testing procedures and protocols vary significantly however, and limits on emissions vary throughout the world, as the map below shows. Euro 5/6 regulations continue the Euro 4 limits of 2 grams of evaporative emissions per day, but require a more demanding test fuel with 5% ethanol and imposing durability requirements.
Japanese emission standards for vehicles are jointly developed by two government ministries, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT). Evaporative emission limits in Japan are roughly in line with Euro 4 standards of 2 grams of emissions per day.
U.S. regulations (EPA stage II enhanced/CARB LEVII) limit evaporative emissions to 0.5 grams per day over a three day diurnal temperature profile. Although state regulations cannot normally exceed federal regulations, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has an exception allowing more stringent emission standards. Additional legislation includes PZEV regulations, which were introduced to encourage the development of zero emission vehicles in California. Evaporative emissions for these types of vehicle are limited to 0.35 grams per day.
Source: Inergy Automotive
European testing and regulations
The evaporative emission test is designed to determine hydrocarbon evaporative emissions as a consequence of diurnal temperature fluctuations and hot soaks during parking after urban driving. Hot soak emissions are usually attributed to the evaporation of the petrol in the fuel system immediately after the vehicle is shut off, while diurnal emissions are the evaporative emissions occurring from a vehicle while it is not being operated. Evaporative emissions are measured using a gas tight chamber (VT SHED) able to contain the vehicle under test, and the VOC concentration inside the chamber is monitored via a FID analyser. The mass emissions of hydrocarbons from the hot soak and the diurnal loss phases are added up to provide an overall result for the test.
Before starting the measurement of the evaporative emissions, both the vehicle and the carbon canister must be properly prepared according to a specific conditioning procedure prescribed by the legislative procedure. As far as the vehicle is concerned, the following conditioning steps must also be carried out:
• Fuel drain and refill - The fuel tank of the vehicle must be emptied taking care not to abnormally purge or abnormally load the evaporative control canister fitted to the tank.
• Preconditioning drive – Within one hour of completing the canister loading, the vehicle must be placed on the chassis dynamometer and driven through one Part 1 and two Part 2 driving cycles of Type 1 test (NEDC cycle).
• Soaking (before hot soak test) – Within five minutes of completing the preconditioning drive the vehicle must be driven off the dynamometer and parked in the soak area. The vehicle has to be left in the soak area at a temperature of 20-30°C for a minimum of 12 hours and a maximum of 36 hours.
• Conditioning drive – After completion of the soak period the vehicle should be driven through a complete Type 1 test drive (cold start urban and extra urban test). Within two minutes of completing the Type 1 test, the vehicle must undergo a further conditioning drive consisting of one urban test cycle (hot start) of a Type 1 test. The engine is shut off at the end of this conditioning drive.
The hot soak test simulates the condition of a vehicle parked after having been driven for a certain distance. Within seven minutes of the end of the conditioning drive the vehicle is pushed into the measuring chamber. The engine must be turned off before any part of the vehicle enters the chamber, and the test lasts 60 minutes at temperatures not less than 23°C and not more than 31°C.
The diurnal test lasts 24 hours and simulates the situation of a vehicle parked for one full day in the summer period. The temperature in the VT SHED is varied according to a profile defined by the directive to reflect temperature fluctuations during day and night time. The starting temperature is 20°C which rises to 35°C after 12 hours before gradually reducing back to 20°C.
The final result of the test is given by the sum of the emissions measured during the hot soak and the diurnal tests, with the current limit set at 2 grams per test.
Comparison with U.S. regulations
Although similar, it is fair to say that U.S. legislative requirements on evaporative emissions are more stringent than European regulations, and generally more complete – covering all the critical factors affecting evaporative emissions. One of the main differences is the duration of the diurnal test. In Europe the test lasts 24 hours, but in the U.S. there are two different diurnal tests lasting 48 and 72 hours. The two-day test is designed to cover driving conditions corresponding to short distance driving and two-day parking, while the three-day test is designed to cover the worst parking conditions of a saturated canister and three days parking.
U.S. regulations also have additional stipulations for the durability of EVAP systems, and an in-use verification programme which requires manufacturers to provide in-use exhaust and evaporative data for 1 year in service in low and high mileage vehicles, and 4 years in service in low and high mileage vehicles.
Evaporative emissions are becoming subject to more stringent regulations worldwide, with the U.S. and California in particular, leading the way in terms of legislation. With up to 20% of hydrocarbon emissions from vehicles caused by evaporative emissions, there is a clear challenge for manufacturers to develop more efficient EVAP systems, and develop new materials and manufacturing processes for fuel tanks and fuel lines to prevent permeation.
It is likely that the U.S. will continue to tighten regulations with a view to encouraging the development of zero emission vehicles, while we can also expect European legislation to catch up in the coming decades as we continue on the path to a carbon zero society by 2050. Of course, at some point in the future the electrification of vehicles may be the preferred route to zero emissions; but while there is still a demand for traditional combustion engines, the onus is on the automotive industry as a whole to develop systems to mitigate emissions more and more effectively.
- http://www.inergyautomotive.com/Expertise/Research/Regulations/Pages/regulations.aspx#
- http://www.plasfuelsys.org/
- http://www.tiautomotive.com/global-product-divisions/tank-systems
- http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20131028/NEWS/131029918/ti-automotive-plastic-fuel-tanks-promise-to-take-the-hybrid-heat
- http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/111111111/27033/1/final_evap_report_online_version.pdf
- http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/h62.pdf


text:
Multi-parameter water treatment controller
The advanced Kontrol 800 allows operators of complex water-treatment applications such as cooling tower control systems to manage multiple parameters including pH, ORP, conductivity and flow rate simultaneously and with the greatest precision.
Via an intuitive seven-key control pad and 20-character alphanumeric display, users can check the statistics on the life of the probes and the operating life of the controller while a data logger function provides information that helps monetarize results from the measurements.
Users also benefit from analogue and digital outputs that can be set via software plus an "electrode quality" function that gives the operator the power to optimize performance, making this the water treatment controller of choice for industry professionals.
- Independent and proportional control outputs
- Two programmable frequency and two 4 - 20 mA current outputs
- RS485 serial port with Modbus protocol
- Six relay outputs
- Ingress protection: IP65
- Power supply: 100 – 240V 50/60 Hz


text:
March 2018
There's so much to discuss.
Shadowhunters returned on Tuesday, and we can't get over how good the season 3 premiere "On Infernal Ground" was. We've been looking forward to it for so long, and it totally lived up to our expectations. Check out the best moments below, and don't forget to rewatch the full episode here.
1. We got to see Alicante in detail for the first time.
2. Malec is back!
Dreams come true.
3. Jonathan's return shocked us all.
4. Jace and Clary showed off some crazy new moves.
5. Simon tried to sing his way out of the Seelie court.
He performed 'Nightshade,' an original song by Alberto Rosende himself.
6. And the Queen finally released him from her realm.
But not before branding him with a strange, invisible mark.
7. Clary and Luke's relationship is stronger than ever.
They shared a really poignant father-daughter moment.
8. There were some seriously scary moments.
9. Jace and Alec were arguing again, just like old times.
Parabatai problems.
10. Izzy met someone.
Charlie was smooth as can be, but Izzy was cautious -- mundanes and the Shadow World do not mix well.
11. Lilith was even more creepy than we'd imagined.
We're desperate to find out who her Owl servant is.
12. Alec decided to stay in New York with Magnus.
He had been offered a position in Alicante ... where Magnus would not have been allowed. Instead, he stayed exactly where he belongs!
13. Clary took out Lilith's flying demon like a total badass.
14. And Luke came clean to Ollie about the secrets of the Shadow World.
She deserved to know the truth.
Share your favorite moment from the premiere in the comments below.
Leave a Reply.


text:
'An 'OOPS' is the acronym for 'Out Of Place' objects found, not belonging to the period, place, or culture where they are discovered – hence posing a problem and embarassment to Museums and archeologists who cannot explain their exisitence.' (Sitchen book) My only comment to that is, should I have chosen to be an archeologist, rather than feel embarassed about such discoveries, I would have made a point of collecting as many OOPs's as I could possibly lay my hands on ! what a 'cache of rarity' that would have been………
Funnily enough, in my mid thirties, I in fact acquired ONE such 'semi-rarity'. I suppose one would call it a 'ceramic' vase (possibly a jug – the neck had broken away) dark charcoal grey in colour, (unpainted) and covered with a pattern of flowers and vines in relief – about 12 cm high. There was simply "something" about the vase that appealed to me at the time…………
Never being one to ignore non-descript little 'Junk Shops' – I had popped in for a quick browse in Orange Grove, (Johannesburg) and quizzed the padrone, a young Italian lad with the most enviable eye-lashes I'd ever seen ! what the origens of this particular junk piece might be ? he replied he had visited friends in Italy, whose passion was snorkling in the Mediterranean and who had spotted the object, three-quarters buried in sand – (I forgot to ask the area) – and he'd brought it back for the shop he intended opening. He was about nineteen and did'nt know much more about the artefact than that. I bought it because I fancied having something "antigue' on my shelves at home.
During the course of the following forty years, the vase generated much interest among friends and visitors, subsequently taking my imagination on 'flights of fancy.' " Perhaps it would prove to be like finding a Frans Oerder painting, or Moorcroft pottery, a Minoan piece ? – maybe Hadrian tossed it overboard in a fit of pique" !! certain forages among local bric-a-brac shops ensued; even a visit to Sotheby's, hoping my prized possesion would somehow alter the status of my chronic impecunious life-style ! Everyone I saw, showed interest and curiosity, along with individual speculation…… "perhaps it's from……."
But it remained enigmatic – it's secret confined within it's charcoal mud. Sotheby's JHB did'nt know – but commented it was 'an interesting piece' and that I should take it with me on my next trip to London and have their expert appraise it. (yeah right ! I must pay for the trip and schlepp this thing halfway across the world, because THEIR JHB offices were too doos useless – and in the end risk being told it was typical of housewives' pottery during 'World-War II' and often made such pieces at their kitchen table in Perugia……..) In the end it remained packed away and was always part of my almost annual moves incidently.
My most recent move, which has lasted three years so far, finds me in the Swartberg mountains minding my own business – (and very tired of moving I might add.) Residing in a converted stable, surrounded by soul-nurturing mountains and vistas, fresh air – and chilling baboon calls and fights ! I venture to say, I have been undergoing a gradual metamorphosis . The need to 'Be-Do-Have' is simply evaporating.
Perhaps this narration in the end is going to prove a bit of an anti-climax to you as a reader – or more so if you're a Collector !! it's going to be like telling one of those "shaggy-dog" stories……..
But it was NOT an anti-climax to the recipient of 'The Vase' last weekend – when I gave it as a birthday-present to a neighbour, who himself is a Ceramic Artist and an inveterate Collector of "things particular"
I simply felt HE was the right person to receive 'the mysterious Vase'…………
I figured, that added to the pleasure of receiving something unusual and interesting and up his boulevarde, he would have to boot, the added excitement and pleasure of trying to unveil it's 'mystery' for himself !
In a sense, this 'little slice of life' could still end up having a 'Grande` Finale` one day …… depending…………….. so for his sake, keep your fingers crossed and we might have a sequel.


text:
Founded in 2004 Torrrents.to combines all torrent meta search engines into a single search bar. It does not have any index or data about torrents. It relies on other torrent meta search engines. It allows you to search 500 torrent sites in a single click, which is amazing. It is more of any frame wrapper over these search sites. In the preferences users can sort or add search engines to search. By defaults, kickass, torlock, torrentz, bitsnoop, torrentbutler are added, so whenever a new user searches the results from these 10 sites are displayed. It has browser search plugin and utorrent search plugin. Till now it has served around 2.5 billion searches. All the torrent sites are categorized into different categories based on their purpose, like general, movies, music, applications etc.. This site has been block in UK. The ui is pretty simple and easy on the eyes. Overall this site a worth a visit for all those users who want to find those rare torrents.
Torrents.to proxy, unblock
Proxy 1 Proxy 2 Proxy 3 Proxy 4 Proxy 5 Proxy 6 Proxy 7 Proxy 8 Proxy 9


text:
P-plate driver recorded speeding at 40kmh above speed limit
A TEENAGE provisional driver has been clocked speeding more than 40kmh above the speed limit.
The 17-year-old man from Booie was intercepted by police about 3.45pm on Sunday along Branyan Rd after allegedly travelling at 101kmh in a 60kmh.
The teenagers faces the lost of eight demerit points and six months drivers licence suspension if convicted.


text:
Upper Body Supports
The traditional oval transforms coffee tables into generous entertaining pieces that will suit any decor, from contemporary to tropical to upscale and traditional. Here you can find choices that include dramatic glass with linear wood bases, all-weather wicker, and a wonderfully braided rattan for living spaces or sunrooms. Each is quality constructed with strong supports for wobble-free and long-lasting enjoyment.


text:
Yearning for a Default1
July 25, 2011 by Daniel Stack
In this debt-ceiling debate it seems proper to assign blame to "both sides". My views are certainly partisan but I really can't fathom how one could say it is not the Republican Party – specifically the Tea Party wing of the party that is pushing the United States closer and closer to a debt default.
The newest plan from Senator Reid cuts 2.7 trillion dollars from the debt. It does so largely from troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, something Cantor's plan did as well. It does not cut entitlements, something shared with Boehner's plan. The talking points released by Boehner's staff specifically advertised his plan does not cut entitlements. This led to ThinkProgress' headline After Boehner Releases Plan That Doesn't Cut Entitlements, He Rejects Reid Plan For Not Cutting Entitlements.
It's rather horrifying to watch this. The Tea Party wants a balanced budget amendment – one that beyond requiring a balanced budget specifically caps spending and makes it difficult to raise taxes. They lack the votes to come even close to accomplishing this. So the strategy seems to be threaten to destroy the country unless they get their way. I truly believe if the United States defaults on its debt obligations twenty years later we'll look at this as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, self-inflicted wound on our nation. A week ago I didn't think default was likely. Even now I have a hard time believing that Congress would allow this to happen. But the evidence keeps piling on that there is no deal which will satisfy the Tea Party wing in the House. So is default the goal?
One thought on "Yearning for a Default"
Yes, to achieve the Tea Party's goals, the economy must collapse, resulting in a global depression. They believe that this will lead to plagues, wars leading to nuclear conflict, the return of Jesus, and a new Heaven and a new, tea-party compatible Earth.
Talk about rational actors.


text:
More on:
The difference between Greek and German government bond yields can be used to estimate the market's view of the likelihood of a Greek default. The chart above shows these probabilities over different time frames on three different dates. On April 30th, no European plan was yet in place to address the ballooning Greek debt, and default was considered a real possibility in the short term. On May 11th, just after the European Stabilization Mechanism (ESM) was announced, markets sharply cut their view on the odds of default across all time horizons. However, the market's analysis of the ESM has become much more nuanced since then. On September 1st, the market's view of the probability of default within two years was lower than before the ESM was announced, but higher over longer time frames.
Greece will happily borrow from the ESM to avoid having to close its primary deficit (that is, excluding interest payments) too rapidly. Yet if Greece is successful in eliminating its primary deficit, its temptation to default will actually grow, as it can wipe out huge amounts of accumulated debt without any longer needing the financial markets to fund current expenditures. If faced with the choice between paying Greek debts and letting Greece default, its northern neighbors may, once their banks are on more solid footing, find it more attractive simply to let Greece default. This is the story line that the markets are now pricing into government bond spreads.
Davis: IMF Warns Countries of Debt Risks, Dismisses Idea of Greek Default
Harding: Greece Debt Default Seen as 'Unlikely'
More on:


text: There are a number of parking options available for shopping, dining and playing in downtown Dahlonega. In addition to the convenient 275 parking spaces on and surrounding the Public Square, downtown Dahlonega maintains three free parking lots with 140 spaces just a short walk to our most popular destinations. The two free parking lots at the intersection of Meaders Street and Choice Street are conveniently located near the Dahlonega Visitor Center. The third free parking lot is located on Warwick Street between North Chestatee and North Park Streets (perfect for Hancock Park events!). Another great option is the parking deck located at North Georgia College & State University available from 5:30pm to 7:30am Monday- Thursday and weekends starting Friday at 5:30pm to Monday at 7:30am. For a $5 per day fee, patrons can enjoy this shady parking deck option year round.


text:
Facebook rants aren't my style. I mean, after all, Facebook didn't set out to hurt anyone, so why go off in such a public -- Facebookie -- way? I can understand clearing out the cobwebs, getting whatever it is off your chest, out of your head or away from your person in general, but what makes someone type out all that vitriol and then, rather than be all "Ahhh..now it's out of/off of/away from" and move on from there, rather than pressing the "Post" button once it's out of/off of/away from?
I think I know now.
Perhaps it comes from procrastinating the inevitable until the last minute and you find yourself completing yet, another form for an extra-curricular that you know your fourth-grade daughter is excited about. You realize the only thing standing between her and it is...you completing that form.
And so you pull up the PDF form over your lunch hour, dig out your health insurance card because you know this form is going to ask for the Group Number and Policy Number even though your card only has a series of numbers, none of which are labeled Group or Policy. But you figure you'll just type in all those numbers and let them figure it out, and so you begin typing. Only the computer won't allow you to type in those numbers or anything else. You decide that technology is overrated and print out the form. And that's when the computer shuts down completely.
Suddenly your mind's eye is flooded with your child's big doe-eyes and her excited chatter about this extracurricular, so you try again. Finally, the computer allows you to print the darned thing.
You begin to hand print in teeny, tiny letters and numbers in spaces meant for 9.5 Arial font. And that's when you see them. The boxes. The dreaded demographic boxes who ask "So, exactly what is your daughter anyway? Check one, please." It makes you flashback to your bartending days when an enamored patron asked "What are you?" before even asking your name.
You stuff the flashback down and decide to play along. You glance over your selection: Caucasian, Asian, Black, Native American, Hispanic/Latino...OTHER. That's when you realize your lunch hour's nearly half over and before you know it, you've checked "Other."
And you get mad.
At yourself.
At the form.
At a stupid system that doesn't know the difference between race and ethnicity, and despite all the statistics that point to the "browning" - the mixing - of America, insists on tracking this information anyway.
And then your hands shake at the thought of someone wanting to know the what - and not the who - about your beautiful, talented, loving, sensitive, intelligent child. Your baby.
And with shaking hands, you login to Facebook, type your frustration...and press "Post."
Then, like a three-year-old, you scribble through the Other Box and through the check you just made in it. And you check both boxes.
Over the weekend, you cool off about the whole thing. You blog about it and take your daughter to that extracurricular activity.
And you resolve to stop procrastinating...someday.


text:
Looking for amazing meals without putting a strain on your savings? Look no further than these new deals heading your way in May, with everything from 1-for-1 comfort food and Mother's Day specials.
Daily Archives
May 2, 2018
Spice up your month with these brand new restaurants! You won't run out of foods to try with this selection of everything from Chinese Tapas to fancy French groceries.


text: Mitchell76 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2019 Got a question I have been pouring my own baits for years. It just so happens I am about a 10 min drive from Calhoun plastics is there an interest in people wanting to buy plastisol or is the market flooded? Not here to step on people toes by no means just curious. I have 25 years in the Thermoplastic and Thermoset business (My Real Job). Would have to option to degas it also. Just wondering if it is waste of my time. I just want to say from a guy that has stood in the shadows all these years and just read the forums but never posted. I sure do value the peoples knowledge here and has helped me many times! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
Lance Armstrong Is A Gentleman And A Wonderful Boyfriend
Just in time for Valentine's Day, here's a tale of love and compassion….
Professional cheater Lance Armstrong took his lying act from his bike to his SUV last December when he hit a bunch of parked cars and let his girlfriend Anna Hansen take the fall. The Aspen Daily News (via ESPN) says that after partying in Aspen, CO on December 28th, Lance got behind the wheel of his GMC Yukon and during the drive home, he hit two parked cars. Poor Lance is so sick of the media throwing shit at him for the stuff he brought on himself, so Anna agreed to say she was driving to avoid national attention. I know, doesn't that just bring your cold, dead heart to life and make you believe in true love?
After Anna agreed to be Lance's Cookie Lyon, they parked the SUV around the corner and she knocked on the door of the house the cars were parked in front of. Anna told the guy that she was Lance Armstrong's wife and she accidentally hit his two parked cars after losing control of her SUV. Anna blamed it on icy roads and said that she had to drive home because Lance had a little too much to drink at the party they were at. Anna said they'd pay for the damages. The guy called the police to report that mess, but Anna and Lance were gone by the time they arrived.
The cops later interviewed Anna who told them that she didn't know busting out of the scene of an accident was a crime and she admitted to lying about driving because she's sick of her family's good name getting shat on by the media:
"I asked Hansen if Armstrong asked her to take the blame for the accident once they got home," Magnuson wrote. "She replied, 'No, that was a joint decision, and, um, you know we've had our family name smeared over every paper in the world in the last couple of years and honestly, I've got teenagers, I just wanted to protect my family because I thought, 'Gosh, Anna Hansen hit some cars, it's not going to show up in the papers, but Lance Armstrong hit some cars, it's going to be a national story.'"
Lance got a citation and has to show his face in court next month. He could get up to 90 days in jail and a $300 fine for failing to report an accident. Anna wasn't charged with anything.
Ride or Die Bitch: You're doing it wrong, Anna. For Anna's sake, I hope she was smart enough to agree to take the fall if Lance agrees to marry her immediately without a prenup (so she can divorce his ass next month).
Lance is a noted liar and that's what he does, he lies, so it's not surprising that he lied, but getting his girlfriend to lie for him? That takes ball. (I hid the gong so you can't GONG me this time.) Lance and Anna are funny, though. They actually think that this incident will ruin his reputation? You can't smear something that has already dragged itself through a puddle of shit (that it made) over and over again. If on December 29th, TMZ posted a story about how Lance got a DUI after hitting two parked cars, we'd read it as "shitty person did something shitty," shrug and keep it moving.
I did learn something new while reading this story, though. I learned that in Aspen, the cops actually show up when you report a fender bender. If I called the cops in L.A. to report a fender bender, they'd probably laugh at me before asking for my address so they can arrest me for wasting their time.


text:
Also defined by a now-obsolete blog called Wanderings and Wonderings, a definition I really like as well:
"Natsukashii is one of those Japanese words that is quite difficult to render into English; poignant might be a close approximation. It signifies the tinge of sadness that comes with the reminder of/remembering familiar things. Maybe a place that was once significant and not longer is, but nevertheless, still holds emotional appeal."
For me, "natsukashii" is that feeling of achy joy at anything I treasure that is fleeting, or anything dear to me that has already passed into the past. I believe I am an avid memory-keeper, via journaling, taking photos, blogging, etc., so I can attempt to hang onto these treasured moments and feelings, even just a little... though these photographs and words I create are often the source of all natsukashii for me. And that's okay. It's a beautiful feeling, even when it aches.


text:
Vivek Kundra takes leave of absence after the arrest of a former employee by the FBI.
Vivek Kundra has taken a leave of absence from his newly appointed position as federal chief information officer, following the arrests of a former employee and a contractor as part of a federal investigation.
Kundra created a buzzFederal CIO Kundra takes leaveTranscript: Kundra's FOSE addressIT official from Kundra's D.C. office arrested Kundra to government: Lead tech revolutionKundra to launch federal data feedsCan government keep pace with Kundra?Kundra up to be OMB IT administratorHigher level communicationsCity in the cloudThe power of the cloudKundra thinks globally, acts locally
Kundra, former chief technology officer for Washington, D.C.'s city government, agreed to take the leave last night, according to a Washington Post report.
The FBI arrested Yusuf Acar, an information security specialist who worked for Kundra, and charged him with bribery, conspiracy, money laundering and conflict of interest. The FBI also arrested Sushil Bansal, president and chief executive officer of Advanced Integrated Technologies Corp., on charges of bribery and money laundering. The two allegedly collaborated in a kickback scheme involving city contracts.
Kundra is not suspected of any wrongdoing.
E-Mail this page
Printable Format
Advanced Search
Sign up for our newsletter.
I agree to this site's Privacy Policy.


text:
For information about the Lowery Freshman Center dance program, please click here
Name: Mrs. Sarah Pilukaitis
Subject: Dance
Phone: 469-319-6198
Email: email@example.com
The Allen dance department is open to all students, regardless of previous training. Novice dancers and skilled dancers alike will find a place in the dance department. Please read below for a detailed description of the fabulous dance classes we offer at Allen!
We offer four years of dance training: Level I - IV during the school day. Students can earn P.E. OR fine arts credit for successful completion of the first two levels of dance. Classes will cover jazz, ballet, tap, modern, and hip hop styles along with a variety of general health, fitness and wellness concepts. All students perform in our Winter Dance Concert, go on a dance field trip, and much more! NO AUDITION REQUIRED FOR LEVEL I-IV.
This course is held at Allen High School during the school day only. It is open to students 9-12 that audition for the course. This class focuses on advanced and rigorous dance training. All students perform in our Winter Dance Concert & the annual Tallenette Showcase.
There will be auditions for our advanced dance class for 2020-2021 in the spring of 2020.
Our exciting Silver Stars program is the next step for dancers seeking a more intense focus on dance performance and dance technique. This class is designed to prep each student for Tallenette auditions. Silver Stars is open to incoming 9th-12th graders and is the highly recommended course for students planning to try out for the Tallenettes Dance Team. Tryout candidates and one parent/guardian must be present at the tryout meeting on October 29th at 7:00pm in the Allen HS Library. Tryouts will be in the Allen HS dance studio on Monday, December 2nd & Tuesday, December 3rd from 4:30-6:30pm. The Silver Stars rehearse before school two-three times a week in the fall only, perform at 2-4 freshman/JV football games & 2 varsity games with the Tallenettes, freshman pep rallie(s), and the dance department annual Holiday Show & Tallenette Showcase.
Click here for more information about Silver Stars - www.allendrillteam.com
The Tallenettes Dance Team is comprised of approximately 50-60 advanced dancers. Tryout candidates and one parent/guardian must be present at the tryout meeting on October 29th at 6:00pm in the Allen HS Library. Tryouts will be the week of November 18th-November 21st from 7:00-8:20am in the Allen HS dance stduio . Mock tryouts will be November 20th at 7am in the Allen HS dance studio and formal tryouts will be on Thursday, November 21st at 5pm. The Tallenettes rehearse year-round before school and perform at all varsity football games, pep rallies, and the dance department annual Holiday Show & Tallenette Showcase. Each February they compete at dance competitions across the state.
Click here for more information about the Tallenettes - www.allendrillteam.com


text:
Segments Covered in this Minimally Invasive Spinal Implants Procedure Volume Research
This market study focuses specifically on the volume of procedures in the minimally invasive spinal implants market. It includes analysis of procedures in the following segments:
MIS Interbody Fusion Procedures
MIS Thoracolumbar Fixation Procedures
MIS Spinous Process Fixation Procedures
MIS Facet Fixation Procedures
MIS Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Procedures
This data is then displayed over the forecast period, 2013-2023, outlining the exact growth rates for procedures in these segments. If you're interested in seeing the trends in procedures to formulate your market sizing and forecasts this is the most accurate and most affordable way to do it.
About Procedure Volume Research (MedPro)
Our analysts meticulously research for 3 to 4 months to put together a suite of reports (MedSuite), which is a comprehensive analysis on a group of healthcare markets. A MedPro is one portion of that analysis that outlines only the procedure volumes and forecasts for each market in that suite of reports.
This procedural analysis is incorporated in our market size analysis and forecasting which are available when purchasing a MedSuite, MedView or MedCore. For a deeper description on these product types click here or contact us to have a product consultant help you find the data you need.
Where Do We Get Minimally Invasive Spinal Implants Procedure Data?
Our team of analysts has proprietary data that we've been collecting for over a decade as well as government and private databases like that from CMS and hospital records. By looking at multiple sources we are able to triangulate on minimally invasive spinal implants procedure volumes that influence and coincide with our overall market sizing.
Trends Affecting the Minimally Invasive Spinal Implants Market
The fastest growing segment in 2016 was the spine endoscopy segment. This was the result of both endoscope and endoscope instrumentation sales. In recent years, technological advancements in digital imaging have led to the use of high definition (HD) cameras in conjunction with spine endoscopes. However, this segment is also the smallest in terms of procedures and unit sales. The second-fastest growing segment in 2016 was the MIS interbody device market.
Questions This Report will Help You Answer
What is affecting the volume of procedures in Europe?
How many procedures were done in 2016?
How many procedures were done historically?
How many procedures can we expect in 2023 and what is the growth trend?
The full report suite on the European market for minimally invasive spinal implants includes segments for MIS interbody devices, MIS pedicle screws, spinous process fixation, facet fixation, MIS sacroiliac joint fusion, spine endoscope and MIS spine instrumentation. Despite multiple challenges, growth is expected in many market segments, as patient demographics in Europe maintain a steady demand for such procedures. Growth has increased across all segments as regulations become better adapted to MIS procedures.


text:
Happy Thursday Sweet Bees!
I am SO excited… tomorrow is release day! Did you know that we are having a Stamp Release Party over on Facebook? It's taking place right now and runs through Friday when we will release all 7 of our new stamp sets! All of us "Honey Bees" in the hive are so excited… we've been buzzing around all week creating sneak peeks and doing giveaways on our facebook event! If you haven't joined, please head on over to the event at: www.facebook.com/events/535154619972344/
We are SO close to having 500 in attendance on the release party event…. as soon as we hit 500, I will be choosing another lucky random winner to win a FREE Stamp set of their choice… PLUS the matching Digital Print and Cut files…. PLUS (yes it gets better) a Goodie Bag with some awesome little paper crafting goodies!! You won't want to miss it! Just joining the event automatically gives you an entry into the drawing!!
Oh… and I didn't even mention the DAILY Free downloadable Print and Cut files we have been offering! Head on over and join to gain access to today's freebie (shown here, at left). This "Cherish" downloadable is also a sneak peek at an upcoming stamp set (to be released tomorrow!!) Isn't it lovely! (The file contains both printable PNGs and PDFs, as well as cuttable SVG and DXF files!) There will also be another Freebie posted tomorrow…. the fun is far from over at our Release Party!
Please join the event and help us spread the word about Honey Bee Stamps. There are some amazingly exciting things happening behind the scenes right now and I cannot wait to tell you guys all about it!! <3
Until tomorrow….
<3 Melissa
Another Sneak Peek of the Cherish Stamp Set!!


text:
Feature pic by Broly1337
For anyone who's dreamt of going to Disney World and never leaving, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom (2003) is the book for you. Cory Doctorow's increasingly relevant novel is a precious literary artifact, functioning as a potent science fiction missive, a satirical challenge to copyright laws, and as a prophecy of the coming age of transhumanism and reputation currency. Such an amalgam of speculation and social activism is unusual–we wish to hell there were more subversive scifi novels like this. After he finishes part 3 of the Little Brother series (surely he's working on this), Doctorow should take on the Star Wars empire.
Key concepts in the novel:
Bitchun Society
A 22nd century technologically advanced America in which we basically live forever by enhancing our bodies and uploading our minds into "force-grown" clones; we live for centuries. Scarcity of resources is no longer a problem, due likely to nanotechnological advancement. Corporations and bureaucracies have been replaced by loose confederations called adhocracies. The Bitchun society "[doesn't] need to convert its detractors, just outlive them."
In this post-scarcity society, wealth is relative to Whuffie, a reputation-based currency that is gained and lost upon favorable or unfavorable actions. Whuffie "recapture(s) the true essence of money….by measuring the thing that money really represent(s) –your personal capital with your friends and neighbors—you more accurately gauge your success." Without Whuffie, it's hard to catch even an elevator, much less a smile from a stranger. Since everybody has a HUD, a brain-implant giving them an interface with the Web, one's Whuffie is immediately accessible.
A form of suspended animation hyper-freeze where people can check out for a while, thousands of years if they want. Alternative to suicide in the age of immortality.
An exciting new synthetic memory-and-experience imprinting technology espoused by a rival adhoc group. In the Hall of Presidents, for example, 'flashbaking' allows one to actually experience being Lincoln. As the story progresses 'flashbaking' is said to be getting big at clubs, allowing dancers to really become the music. Imagine that rave.
Designer faces
Popular among teenage girls (a concept made all the more nauseating by its likelihood).
Image by FireEquinox
The story itself is about Jules, a young man barely a century old who has lived long enough to learn ten languages and compose three symphonies. He lives and works at Disney World (literally) with his girlfriend Lily, doing crowd control simulations for an adhocracy devoted to keeping the Magic Kingdom preserved from the kinetic enhancements of the outside world. They live their days among AI driven sims "spinning age-appropriate tales of piracy on the high seas."
Meanwhile Jules has been murdered and the novel picks up with him investigating the circumstances of his own demise, which he believes is tied to an attempt by a new adhoc to take control of the Park and install the new 'flashbaking' technology into the Hall of Presidents and the Haunted Mansion.
Jules argues: "You don't want to be a post-person. You want to stay human. The rides are human."
His best friend Dan, a burnt out missionary for the ubiquitous Bitchun society–which has spent his days and centuries converting villages to technologically enlightened colonies–decides he's sick of the whole thing and wants to commit suicide.
"You can't be a revolutionary after the revolution," Jules argues. But he's too late. Dan will hang around at Disney World just long enough to accrue an amount of Whuffie decent enough to make his suicide mean something—then it's the big sleep.
Meanwhile, the rival adhoc run by the sinister Debra, presses further into the Disney brand-land, attempting to turn it into a virtualized caricature of its 20th century conception. A coup by Jules, wherein he attempts first to revamp the Park organically by stressing the human element, turns to drunken violence—Jules is caught smashing attractions, which pretty much drops his Whuffie off a cliff. After his implants become corrupted and he finds out that his best friend Dan and his lover Lily are having an affair, Jules hits rock bottom and descends into trans-human madness.
Disney: where nightmares come true. Usually LSD inspired ones.
Ultimately, we find out it was Dan who had Jules killed, at the behest of Debra. This creates a wellspring of sympathy and Jules gets his Whuffie back in spades. Even though his interface is a malfunctioning train wreck, he refuses to restore himself, because doing so would erase his memories of that entire year, his last with Dan. The book is his attempt to manually document the happenings of the previous year so that when his present self finally perishes, his restored backup will have a record of what's happened. Dan decides not to take the lethal injection, but to deadhead until the heat death of the universe.
In this age of YouTube and rampant blogging, it is humorous to note that Doctorow calls his book a "parable about the inevitability of crappy-but-more-democratic media." Down and Out is a lucid evocation of the future but it's also a hard-hitting critique of Disney, the eternal guardian of the copyright, as an impenetrable brand. Doctorow, a technophile with Luddite goosebumps (when it comes to some of the newer Disney simulator rides), reminds us that "Walt (Disney) himself was full of grandiose, hubristic, science-fictional notions. The original plan for Walt Disney World called for a domed city (based loosely on the Progressland Walt built for General Electric at the 1964 World's Fair) — the original EPCOT (Experiment Prototype City of Tomorrow), in which tens of thousands of employees would live under corporate law whose premises would follow Walt's nutty and sometimes saccharine ideals for social Utopia" (CreativeCommons.org).
The book, published under a Creative Commons noncommercial license, serves to remind us that copyrighted brands, these indelible monuments to capitalism, are not immune to inclusion in the imagination's wackiest conversations.
Maybe we can't have their toys, but we can damn well play with them.


text:
Please wait…
Advanced Search Page >>
We are currently searching to find the best
Flights and Hotels
for your
If you would like us to tailor-make your dream holiday, please call our travel experts on 020 8290 9751.
Was £775pp
Now £550pp / Save £225pp
Was £920pp
Now £695pp / Save £225pp
Was £1,045pp
Now £845pp / Save £200pp
Getting to Manchester airport is easy whether you're travelling by road or rail. Located south of the city off the M56 motorway, the postcode is M90 1QX. Most international flights depart from Terminal 2 including Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines (Virgin is Terminal 3 if flying via Heathrow) see full Manchester Airport Terminal details here.
There are lots of parking options both on or off airport see full details of car parking at Manchester Airport here or leave the car at home and take a train! Manchester Airport is well connected to National Rail and tram with plenty of direct services see a map of rail services available here. Why not book a lounge pass to ensure your holiday starts in style?
Now with hotel reviews by
100% financial protection
©1999 - 2020 My America Holiday 08/08/2020 07:19:36 CST. CST 2009218-20
Many of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificateWe will provide you with financial protection for any package holidays you buy from us that do not include travel by air by way of a bond held by ABTA. For further information visit the ABTA website www.abta.com. Our ATOL licence number is 2853 and our ABTA Membership number is V000X
The combination of travel services offered to you is a package within the meaning of the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations. Therefore, you will benefit from all EU rights applying to packages. My Tailor-Made Holiday will be fully responsible for the proper performance of the package as a whole. Additionally as required by law, My Tailor-Made Holiday has protection in place to refund your payments, and where transport is included in the package, to ensure your repatriation in the event that it becomes insolvent. More information on key rights under Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 can be found here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/contents/madeView Terms & Conditions.


text:
Chubby cuff rings with an ending reminiscent of a spring worn on all the fingers of your hand. Spotted on Balenciaga.
Sure they cost a lot and certainly have entered the must have list of many fashionistas but we have only to keep that many rings in this style is trend regardless of their cost and the label!
Impress for Less
Find them here: