text:
Thank you for visiting Gospel Soundcheck page. This blog is no longer being updated. Please enjoy the archives. Here is another blog you may also enjoy: Idol Chatter Happy Reading!
In this post, I shared the videos of "The X Factor" group auditions from boot camp. After the group performances, the judges whittled the contenders down even farther to 64, which by the end of tonight's show was cut even further to 32. The contestants were given a list of 35 songs and told to choose the song that best represented them as an artist.
Rachel Crow went first; she's so darned cute, and so talented. Tiger Budbill, Audrey Turner (who was married to Ike Turner, we learned) and Josh Krajcik all were great; the judges like Paige Ogle, although I thought she sounded off key to me.
Then things got weird as the contestants started doing complicated and strange versions of the songs they chose. 4Shore, Little Ladiez (who I'd never heard of before), Siameze (who I've thought was weird from day one) all were … blech. I like Nick Dean (go Rochester, NY!) and he did much better this time around.
Simone Battle's audition deserves a mention, if for no other reason than her arrogant attitude. She went on and on in her interview before about how she was confident and prepared and fierce. Then she went on stage to perform, as Simon called it, a "weirdo version" of Elton John's "Your Song." She remembered none of the words. It was embarrassing.
Makenna and Brock performed"Billie Jean", although I think Brock forgot the words. Nicole said she loved their version, LA said he liked the idea of their version, and Simon said he never wanted to hear it again.
Then Brennin Hunt came out to sing his version of "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys, warning, "I guarantee yo've never heard it like this." It sent Simon over the deep end; he cut Brennin short, and made the producers take a break as he complained about all of the "weirdo versions".
My thought is that they were supposed to pick a song that represented themselves, not pick a song and mangle it to fit their egos. One thing I love so far about this show is the lack of ego. The contestants are generally super sincere, genuinely surprised that someone recognizes their talent, and really people you want to root for. But I guess there's always an ego or two in the crowd.
When the show resumed, the contestants seemed a bit more on the ball. I thought The Stereo Hogzz were a bit "Broadway" and I only heard the lead guy sing. But the judges love them.
Standouts included Phillip Lomax (he sings so well; we'll see how far he can take this Frank Sinatra act), Chris Rene, Tiah Tolliver, Drew Rynewicz, Caitlyn Koch, Stacy Francis and Leroy Bell.
And now we come to the big reveal: which of the 64 made it through to the next round? Only 32 contestants go through; they'll be broken down into four groups: girls, boys, over 30, and groups. Each group will be mentored by one judge. And here they are:
GUYS – mentored by L.A. Reid
- Brennin Hunt
- Brian Bradley
- Skyelor Anderson
- Nick Voss
- Tim Cifers
- Phillip Lomax
- Marcus Canty
- Chris Rene
GIRLS – mentored by Simon Cowell
- Caitlyn Koch
- Tora Woloshin
- Simone Battle
- Drew Rynewiecz
- Rachel Crow
- Jazzlyn Little
- Melanie Amaro
- Tiah Tolliver
GROUPS – mentored by Paula Abdul
- The Stereo Hogzz
- 2Squared
- 4Shore
- The Brewer Boys
- Illusion Confusion
- The Anser
- ? (read through to the end to see who goes in the 7 and 8 places)
OVER 30 – mentored by Nicole Scherzinger
- Elaine Gibbs
- Tiger Budbill
- Leroy Bell
- James Kenney
- Josh Krajcik
- Crista Collins
- Dexter Haywood
- Stacy Francis
So the judges make their decisions and there are tears of joy and sorrow, and as those who aren't chosen are leaving the producers call 14 of them back to the stage. They split them into two groups, and as they stand there Simon says that had they come into the competition in groups rather than soloists, they would probably have made it through to the next round. So as of that moment … they're in groups. One included Nick Dean (go Rochester, NY!), and I think the kids in Ausem.
That was a great move – some of the most popular groups have been "manufactured". And under the tutlege of Paula Abdul, they'll learn a lot and have some fun. (Simon said that Paula is the best judge for the groups, since a group has multiple personalities and so does she. So glad Simon and Paula are back together.)
Anyway, next week we see the contestants as they visit the judge's homes for some intense mentoring, and the judges each whittle their groups down to four contestants each. That's going to be a very, very difficult task.
But it's going to be fun! There really isn't anyone who made it through that I don't like, although I do have some favorites. And I like the format of the show – having the judges take responsibility for mentoring their groups. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out as the show progresses.


text:
As session beers are all the rage these days—who would ever have imagined we'd live in a world where "session IPA" is a thing—it seems only logical that the same concept could be applied to other alcohol categories. That's why, if there were any justice in the world, Japanese shochu would be having its stateside moment right now as a session spirit.
The spirit usually falls in the modest (relative to distilled beverages) 20-25% ABV range (there are higher-strength exceptions), which means you can sip a few of these over the course of the evening and not totally regret it the morning after. It also means you can treat yourself to a flight reflecting the range of styles—and there are many—and get a pretty good shochu education in a single sitting. Even then, you'd still only be scratching the surface because there are more than 50 bases from which the spirit may be distilled, including such curiosities as tomatoes and milk. Those are in the minority; the likelihood you'll encounter them is slim. There are, however, five core bases that are most commonly consumed—some more than others—and those are enough to give the drinker a sense of the flavor spectrum: mugi (barley), imo (sweet potatoes) kome (rice) soba (buckwheat) and kokuto (black—really dark brown—sugar). T
he vast majority of shochu production is concentrated on the southern main island of Kyushu, and certain areas within Kyushu specialize in a particular style (for instance, Kagoshima Prefecture is known for imo; Kumamoto Prefecture for kome). One ingredient that's common among all shochu styles (and to sake, as well) is koji, a rice mold that converts the fermentable bases into the sugars that the yeast will turn into alcohol. There are three basic types of koji: black, white and yellow. Black is the least refined and imparts much more robust earthiness. White is used for mellower, more delicate offerings and yellow is noted for its floral, aromatic influences.
The method of consumption can enhance shochu's session-worthiness. I tend to gravitate toward "on the rocks," but many also consume it mizuwari (with water) or oyuwari (with hot water). It's usually a 50-50 water-to-shochu ratio, which dilutes it to the point where you're essentially drinking a beverage that's around 12% ABV, about the equivalent of a glass of wine. Though I highly recommend a trip through Kyushu to sample shochu at the source, there are far less bank-breaking ways to do it close to home. Brands representing the big five styles are available in the U.S., so just find an izakaya or head to a well-stocked liquor store.
Satsuma Shiranami and Kuro Shiranami (imo)
Sweet potato shochu is the runaway favorite style in Japan and the distillery Satsuma Shuzo produces what many would consider the quintessential imo shochu. A good exercise to get a sense of the role koji plays would be to taste Satsuma Shiranami, which uses white koji, alongside Kuro Shiranami, which uses black koji. Satsuma Shiranami's subtly sweet and toasty elements come to thefore. With Kuro Shiranami there are earthier, more rough-around-the-edges elements that faintly recall the sensation of biting into a just-harvested potato.
Towari (soba)
Many soba shochus blend buckwheat with other grains like rice and/or barley. Not Towari. This is 100 percent soba. Every time I drink it, it evokes a bowl of pan-fried noodles topped with fire-roasted peanuts and a side of Japanese pickles.
Tenpai (mugi)
Given their barley base, mugi shochus tend to be an easier sell for whiskey fans looking for something a bit more sessionable. It's aged for a year in ceramic pots, so there's no woody, barrel influence characteristic of whiskey. Flavor-wise, think of it as a good friend: a little bit sweet and a little bit nutty.
Kawabe (kome)
I like to think of the unfiltered Kawabe, from Kumamoto Prefecture's Sengetsu Shuzo, as a good bridge from sake. Aside from being made from rice, the two share common fruity elements—most notably bananalike notes, not unlike the ones you'd get out of a good hefeweizen.
Amami (kokuto)
Given their common sugarcane lineage, kokuto shochus might appeal to rum drinkers. Amami presents a considerably more assertive molasses flavor (flavor intensity sets black sugar apart from what we know as brown sugar), with a moderately sweet finish.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The path to increased financial yield
日本三级电影P 3.0 Concept
The prices of feed raw materials and of farmed species fluctuate for many reasons. When both costs and income fluctuate, it is crucial that the farmer can choose products that provide the best financial end result – tailored to meet the circumstances.
By means of adapted feed composition, feed choice and feeding regime, we can offer a unique support system based on documentation beyond comparison: the Best Economic Performance model. The customer defines the performance goals and BioMar adapts the product strategy to fit these demands
日本三级电影BioMar's feed ranges cover the special needs in the full life cycle from egg to harvest of both fresh water and marine fish species, and of shrimp.
日本三级电影Starting with the LARVIVA diets for hatcheries and a number of specific types of fry feeds we offer a large variety of transfer feeds and grower feeds developed to match the nutritional needs of specific species in various farming conditions.
日本三级电影On top, we offer specially enriched broodstock feeds, conditioning the brood stock to deliver highest quality eggs and by this securing the best possible start for a new cycle.
Our BioRhythmic feeding concept helps to achieve the best possible production results when growth rate, feed conversion rate and survival are very important parts of the picture.
For optimised performance, the daily energy intake must be maximised throughout the production cycle. It matters to choose a feed that maintains the appetite at a high level, irrespective of environmental changes like temperature and light conditions.
日本三级电影Furthermore, it is essential to choose a diet with an energy level that is closely adapted to the growth potential in the various stages of production. It is equally important to apply an optimal feeding regime ensuring the amount of feed needed from day to day to reach production targets is available.
We care about the health of fish, fish farmer's finances and the healthy reputation that farmed fish deserve and on which the industry relies.
BioMar aims to offer a range of functional diets effective against the most serious production disorders, and covering the entire production cycle for a large number of farmed species.
日本三级电影Our research on one species is very often relevant for another. This is especially applicable in terms of fish health, where functional diets tend to have a broader spectrum of use with respect to species than grower feeds do.
Farming in recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS) gives an opportunity for maximising farming conditions, reducing emissions of nutrients to the aquatic environment, reducing water consumption and for farming with a high level of bio-security.
BioMar was the first to develop a specialised feed for RAS farms: ORBIT.
ORBIT delivers maximum feed performance, maximises the return on invested capital for the farmer, and it improves the environmental balance by reducing emissions to the aquatic environment and by focusing on a sustainable use of raw materials.
日本三级电影ORBIT feeds are available for farming of trout and salmon. We continue developing this feed concept to cover more species.
日本三级电影Exploiting the growth potential of the farmed species used to be a bottleneck for profitable aquaculture activity. Today, our feeds are optimised to potentially deliver a feed performance that fully can exploit this potential.
日本三级电影BioMar's technical support systems and our BioFarm team provide guidance for appropriate nutrition and feeding strategies. BioFarm assists in regard to general health issues, disease prevention and recovery strategies and pays special attention to the challenges in production of larvae, fry, fingerlings, and smolt. BioFarm team members are specialised in farming technology, recirculation systems, water quality, and energy efficiency as well as sustainability, eco-efficiency analysis, life cycle analysis, and environmental impact assessment.
We always strive to live up to our reputation for delivering efficient logistics services and to deliver the right feed to the right place on time.
While doing so, we focus on minimising our environmental footprint. The world's first cargo ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been operated by BioMar since 2012 is only one example showing our ambition on reducing our environmental impact.
日本三级电影 BioMar Hellenic has updated their grower feed portfolio for rainbow trout with the newest available R&D knowledge. The refreshed range of BioMar feeds designed for achieving the best economic performance in all farming conditions and for reaching the desired production aims of each individual farm.Read more
日本三级电影 INICIO Plus, the favourite starter feed of fish farmers, has been updated in accordance with the most recent research findings. This makes BioMar's INICIO Plus even better for covering all nutritional needs of freshwater fry and for providing the best health condition to farmed fish during their early life stages.Read more
Meagre (Argyrosomus regius), the rising star of the Mediterranean waters, has now a diet specially designed for its nutritional requirements. Based on extensive research results and years of experience in the field, BioMar has developed MAXIO 2162 for cage farming of meagre.Read more
BioMar EMEA launches the P 3.0 Concept, moving feed formulation one step further by providing fish farmers with feeds adapted to varying market situations and final fish products to maximise their farm economy.Read more
In winter, Mediterranean waters can take a heavy toll on sea bream growing in sea cages. BioMar has developed our feed types INTRO Qardio M and EFICO Qardio M, targeting to help fish maintaining growth and good condition during the winter period by strengthening them from the very core.Read more
Following new research results, BioMar has updated its well-known product range for stressful conditions EFICO Plus 405 that mainly target sea bream and sea bass.Read more
BioMar's recent research confirms and expands the knowledge about the effects of temperature on sea bream performance. The findings will soon be applied in our feeding recommendations for sea bream, in the BioMar Feeding Tool and in a complete seasonal feed program for sea bream.Read more
BioMar has increased its research capabilities in hatchery with an expansion of its Aquaculture Technology Centre, ATC Hirtshals facility in Denmark. BioMar has now opened a state-of-the-art marine fish larval trial unit that not only allows for larval rearing but also the production of live feed.Read more
日本三级电影 BioMar expands its range of Forte functional feeds for stressful periods in sea bream farming with the inclusion of INICIO Forte in 1.5 mm.Read more
日本三级电影 Reflecting customers' demands, BioMar's high quality LARVIVA and INICIO Plus M products for feeding of the highly demanding fish larvae and fry now come in two recommended lines to fit the different hatcheries' goals and strategies and in new packaging. Furthermore, BioMar's broodstock feeds for marine fish species farmed in the Mediterranean area have been added to the LARVIVA product range.Read more
日本三级电影 BioMar Group decides to invest in additional capacity for the factory in Denmark. The new line will be highly specialized and dedicated to fry and RAS feed production enabling the factory to increase flexibility, quality and production performance.Read more
Shortly after the approval of the acquisition by the authorities, BioMar and Alimentsa presented to the public as one company for the first time at the largest shrimp event in Latin America. BioMar is expected to contribute to the development of an already strong product portfolio in Alimentsa by providing access to large-scale global R&D resources as well as proven product solutions already performing within related markets.Read more
BioMar A/S in Denmark has developed a new temporary design for 20 and 25 kg bags used for starter feeds produced at the Danish BioMar factory to symbolise BioMar's recent efforts on defining the company purpose.Read more
BioMar Group has an increasing presence in Africa and is now launching a complete high performing range for tilapia and African catfish for African markets.Read more
日本三级电影 BioMar Hellenic expands its sea bream feed range with EFICO Kappa, an effective tool to restore the growth potential and protect against a vast number of pathological challenges in farming of sea bream.Read more
Cooperation between Lerøy and BioMar ensures farmed salmed with a high level of Omega 3-DHA partly deriving from the microalgae ingredient, AlgaPrime DHA.Read more
日本三级电影 Specialist feed designed to promote survival ratesRead more
The BioMar Group is launching a fish feed containing marine fatty acids from microalgae, which offers the industry new opportunities for sustainable development.Read more


text:
Taxation of Class-Action Settlement Proceeds
Class-action suits allow relatively small groups of plaintiffs to represent thousands or even millions of other people who have suffered similar losses because of the actions of another, generally a large business. Small businesses can pursue class-action suits as plaintiffs, but they can also find themselves as the targets of such lawsuits. Generally when the parties to a class action reach settlement, individual payments are made to the class members. Depending on the nature of the claims involved, these settlements may be treated taxable income.
Class-Action Settlements
Many class actions are settled through negotiations between the parties. Class actions involve high stakes and proposed settlements can be examined and criticized by the court, class members and others involved in the litigation. All parties will consider the tax ramifications of a proposed settlement. If payments will not be taxable, the parties may arrive at a settlement number lower than what the defendant might have sought, but it may acceptable to plaintiffs because the class members will not have to report the payments as income.
Small Businesses
Because small businesses generally have fewer assets and lower insurance limits than larger companies, any negotiating advantage for a small business can have even greater economic impact on the business. A small business defending a class action should understand that plaintiffs will generally demand a higher settlement if payments will be taxed. If a small business participates in a class action as a plaintiff, it will generally have little say in how the settlement is worded.
Non-Taxable Settlements
Class-action settlement proceeds are treated like proceeds from any other lawsuit. The IRS treats settlements for physical injury or sickness as non-taxable as long as the claimant did not receive a tax benefit by deducting the related medical expenses on previous years' tax returns. Physical conditions like insomnia or stomachaches may not be serious enough to qualify as "physical injury." Settlements for emotional distress arising from physical injury are also non-taxable. Settlements for emotional distress not caused by a physical injury are taxable, but the amount reported could be reduced by medical bills that were not deducted on previous tax returns.
Taxable Settlements
Claims asserted by a small business in a class action will generally be economic in nature, and may be taxable. Claims for lost profits are treated as taxable income because the profits would have been subject to tax had they been originally earned. However, claims for loss of value in property will generally not be taxable if they are less than the property's adjusted basis. Small-business owners receiving such settlement checks should consult with their attorneys or tax advisers to determine whether the settlement should ultimately be reported as income.
Photo Credits
- BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images


text:
Call us or fill out the form below to get started.
(800) 711-6244
or Learn more >
We've been trusted by thousands of small businesses to handle their payroll since 1977. As payroll veterans, we handle the details of payroll preparation and tax filing expertly and efficiently.
Clients have been with us for over 10 years, some as many as 30 years!
In 2018 we processed $472 million in gross wages for their 25,000 employees.
AICPA-SOC Audit approved all procedures and policies.
Frustrated with your payroll provider? Having trouble accruing vacation and processing sick pay? We can help.
Your payroll data is accessible from our secure servers when you need it. This data includes reporting, payroll input and manual check calculations.
We interface with many leading time and attendance systems to make your life easier.
After 42 years we have learned the value of good communication with our customers.
In the past 20 years, we've processed more than $1.6 billion in employee direct deposit payments.
We create a Payroll Summary report with each payroll processed.
We calculate and withhold the garnishments at no extra charge
We notify you the instant your payroll has been processed, providing you with a copy of the Payroll Summary report and summary totals of the payroll.
You will have a dedicated account specialist who understands your unique business needs. This person is always available to discuss any questions you may have about tax laws, compliance, filings, etc.
We asked a restaurant owner to make a comment about our service for over 30 years.
We can easily ask 1000's of customers the same question.
I wanted to drop a note to thank you and your staff for the years of wonderful service you have provided us. We have been with your company for more than 20 years now, and I feel very strongly about our relationship. As the years go by, your service has grown with us, meeting every need that goes with that growth. Your staff has continued to provide excellent and prompt service, ensuring that our employees are paid on time and all their questions are answered and needs are met.
We have been a client of TJH Payroll for more than 20 years. We appreciate the fact that they are a family-owned-and-operated business. TJH Payroll offers excellent customer service. Our representative has always been able to quickly answer any questions that we have. We appreciate their hard work.
I was referred to Tom Hull Payroll from a long-standing client of yours. I needed a service that was reasonably priced and able to accommodate my clients' changing needs on the fly and in an ongoing fashion. My clients are elated with my ability to respond to their payroll needs in a timely fashion, and I am excited about the easy-to-understand reports you provide, your knowledgeable and friendly staff, and the quick turnaround payroll runs.
Tom J. Hull is one of the very few payroll companies that customize and personalize clients' services to perfection. With the knowledge that this company has about their clients, they are able to give their clients precisely what they want and need. I had my own personal representative for the past 7 years, and that is the primary reason I've stayed with Tom J. Hull. Her name is Alice R. Minniefield, and she goes beyond her scope of duties and responsibilities.


text:
Cockle Shell Earrings - CESH6
All of our beach shell earrings are unique and are not mass produced. If these exact earrings sell, we will send you a pair that are very similar.
Our beach shells are hand collected and hand drilled.
Materials: Cockle shells, gray freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystals and sterling silver ear wires
Beach: Beach shells hand collected from the Gulf coast of Florida
Earring designs are all different and we try not to have duplicates, but we will make something similar for you when you order.


text:
Brooke Bennett
Tools That Keep my VA Biz Running Super-Smoothly
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube Brooke Bennett CREATIVE SOLUTIONS Vestibulum ac diam sit amet quam vehicula elementum sed sit amet, sed porttitor lectus nibh. Brooke Bennett CREATIVE SOLUTIONS Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Youtube © 2017 Brooke...read more
Why You Need an Infusionsoft Assistant. Yes, You Really Do.
Private: Just a few minutes…for Facebook In this second post of my series, Just a few minutes…, we are going to explore managing Facebook in 30 minutes per day. 30 minutes is a bit longer than we've spent on other social media platforms, but it's definitely worth...read more
© 2017 Brooke Bennett :: Creative Solutions | Design by Brooke Bennett


text:
PROS is an award-winning Magento eCommerce development, design, marketing, and Magento SEO company. Our expertise includes Magento ecommerce marketing, application hosting, development, support, design, SEO, extension installation, modules, shipping, marketplaces (integration with shopping feeds), Product Listing Ads (Google PLA) and payment systems (Authorize.net, PayPal). We can help ecommerce businesses on all Magento products like Commerce Cloud, Magento Commerce, Order Management, Business Intelligence Pro and Extensions Marketplace. We will manage your SEO, Google AdWords, Google Shopping, Amazon & eBay marketplaces for your ecommerce project.
Why Use Magento eCommerce Solutions?
- 100% open source
- Catalog & product management
- Flexible, robust & scalable
- All types of products – simple, configurable, virtual
- Advanced shipping, checkout, and payment configurations
- Customizable design & themes
- Supports multi-site/multi-stores/marketplaces
- SEO & Google product friendly architecture, sales, upsells, cross-sells
- Cutting edge features including product tagging, and multi-address shipping
Magento Salient Features
Custom Magento Programming
Our team of Magento programmers has custom development experience ranging from shipping modules for UPS/USPS/Fedex/DHL to third-party shipping modules and extensions. OME can help you customize your online store to suit your business needs using the powerful Magento Commerce framework.
If you have an existing Miva, Websphere, Netsuite, .NET ASP, osCommerce store and are looking to migrate to Magento, we can help you. We have expert Magento Commerce developers and programmers who can work with you to export your data and import it into Magento. We also provide Magento consulting services to eCommerce retailers and companies who currently have a Magento installation. Our Magento developers can troubleshoot any Magento Commerce problems your existing Magento cart may be experiencing.


text:
Maui Coast Hotel
Mandatory 14-day quarantine for all trans-Pacific travelers to continue through August. Click HERE to learn more.
- Vacations
- Hotels
- Rental Cars
- Flights
- Cruises
A confirmation email has been sent to you with a link to activate the account. Please click on the link inside the email to log in to your account for the first time.
An email regarding your password change has been sent to your email address. Follow the instructions to reset your password.
To login with a different account, click here


text:
Dear God,
Open the gate to our healing.
Guide us through what lies ahead.
Give us peace in our souls.
A peace You alone can supply.
In Christ's Name.
Today's Photo by Glenn Sackett
Today's Prayer by Sam Miller
WordsWorthRemembering is a project of the Spiritual Care office at Porter Adventist Hospital, in collaboration with Porter's Spiritual Ambassadors. WordsWorthRemembering combines inspirational, thought-provoking quotations, prayers and photos. All content is copyrighted.


text:
More on:
Terrorism and Counterterrorism
The following text is the entirety of John Campbell's speech delivered at Winning the Peace in Northeast Nigeria, hosted by the Congressional Nigerian Caucus and the American University of Nigeria, Yola, in Washington, D.C., September 12, 2016.
We are talking about two, distinct issues, though they are directly related: First, strategies for peace building in northern Nigeria, and, second, the delivery of humanitarian relief to respond to a famine, which may be the largest we have ever seen.
The first—peace building—must be long term in development and implementation, but if successful, the consequences can be profound. By reducing the appeal of violent extremism, peace building strategies can help inoculate a society at the grass roots against movements like Boko Haram. And, Boko Haram is, among other things, a grass-roots movement.
And it is Boko Haram's wanton destructiveness, and the response to it by the security services, that has led to the current famine in northern Nigeria. We cannot measure with accuracy the number of victims involved. In August, UN Assistant Secretary-General Toby Lanzer warned that the UN has yet to have any meaningful contact with some two million people in the region, "and we can't assess their situation. We can only estimate that it's awful." With Nigeria in a recession and without speedy outside help, "we will see, I think, a famine unlike any we have ever seen anywhere." And those two million not yet observed are in addition to the estimated 2,150,000 internally displaced person's (IDP) that have received some official notice.
An estimated one million refugees from Boko Haram are crowded into Maiduguri. As elsewhere, only a small percentage are living in camps; most have been taken in by kith and kin or are on the street. In the much smaller town of Bama, there are twenty-four thousand. According to Doctors Without Borders, fifteen thousand are children. About thirty per day are dying mostly from diarrhea and malnutrition. In the section of the camp called "Camp Nursing," of the children screened, two-thirds were emaciated while 39 percent had a severe form of malnutrition.
Altogether, we really don't know how many IDP's or potential famine victims we are talking about. A conservative Chatham House estimate is that fifteen thousand have died as a result of fighting between Boko Haram and the security services, and the World Food Programme estimates that there are 2,400,000 internally displaced, and 4,500,000 face food insecurity. Other observers argue that these figures are much too low. Nevertheless, Chatham House is a useful benchmark.
With respect to strategies for peace-building, has the American University of Nigeria Adamawa Peace Initiative (API) worked? It might be argued that it is too soon to claim success, but I find it compelling that no participant in the initiative has left to join a violent extremist movement. And there is plenty of anecdotal evidence the initiative has significantly lowered the temperature in Yola.
Why has it enjoyed apparent success, at least up to now? Let's start with the framework. The API is built on close ties with community leaders. They play a crucial role in identifying the youth most at risk. Crucial is its interfaith approach. Many of us here may not understand how rare it has been in Nigeria's northeast to have a bishop and an imam on the same panel as we do tonight. With respect to API, Muslim and Christian clergy and community leaders have been involved since the beginning. And every activity includes women.
Of great importance, and reflecting its local focus, the initiative provides what its recipients want—not necessarily what the outside experts think would be good for them.
Hence, young males want sports. So there is peace through sports. Teams made up of Christians and Muslims play other teams made up of Christians and Muslims—not Christians vs. Muslims.
Women want to be able to earn a living. So there is 'Waste to Wealth' and 'Creating with Threads,' turning plastic bags into products that can be sold, using left-over scraps of cloth to make items such as place mats that can also be sold.
There is a thirst for literacy, so there are reading programs, targeted at young women and males enrolled in Islamic schools, among other vulnerable groups.
There is a thirst for IT training. So, it is provided, as circumstances permit. And so forth.
The API has a number of stakeholders. But, I submit the American University of Nigeria has played a crucial role. The vision of its founder, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, was that of an American University with a focus on science and technical skills. He recalled the benefit he himself had received from such teaching by Peace Corps volunteers in the early years of Nigeria's independence. Indeed, when you go through the gates, you are in an American institution. There are books on the shelves, IT is everywhere, and dorms are not over-crowded.
AUN's vocation is to be a development university–to take the knowledge, skills, and solutions from the university to the larger community. So, the university, American in standards and curriculum notwithstanding, never has been an ivory tower, cut off from its environment.
As part of this vocation, all students must work in a community development project. Initially there was some student and faculty resistance—Adamawa and Yola are desperately poor, and there is that old adage about bailing out the ocean. But, apparently between 2011 and 2013, student opinion turned strongly in favor. Thanks, at least in part, to strong university leadership.
So, the university was well placed to coordinate and lead the establishment of the API in conjunction with local leaders. The university assumed a similar role with respect to food distribution to the wave after wave of internally displaced who descended on Yola and Adamawa—eventually, more than 300,000. As elsewhere, only a small percentage went into camps. By 2014, the population of Yola, normally 400,000, had doubled. Even though many IDP's have tried to return home, there remain at least 150,000 in Yola, still being fed.
As with strategies to counter violent extremism, humanitarian relief was an interfaith effort, and it was dependent on close ties with local leadership. The funding was raised locally – in a very poor part of Nigeria that has, in effect, been part of a war zone. There were also a few, small contributions from aid agencies. And the American University of Nigeria played a crucial coordinating role. Some 300,000 were fed, mostly vulnerable women and children. But the funding, has now run out, and it is hard to see where more can come from locally. Without outside assistance, it is hard for me to see how the feeding can continue. But without it, more children will starve. The famine in northeast Nigeria is more than any country can face on its own. To me, the inescapable conclusion is that the international community needs to become much more involved.
Thank you.
More on:
Terrorism and Counterterrorism


text:
According to a new study published in the appropriately titled Journal of Pain, women, on average, experience higher levels of pain than their male counterparts — and by a large margin. What's the evidence? Here, a guide:
How was this study conducted?
Researchers analyzed the electronic medical records of 11,000 men and women who were patients at the Stanford Hospital and Clinics. They specifically looked at how each person rated their pain on a 0 ("no pain") to 11 ("worst pain imaginable") scale — sifting through a total of more than 161,000 pain scores. The study included patients suffering from 47 different disorders and 250 different diagnoses, ranging from cancer to back conditions to infectious diseases.
And women felt more pain?
Yes. Women's pain scores in nearly each one of the diseases were, on average, 20 percent higher than men's scores, says Rachael Rettner at Mother Nature Network. The most surprising finding, says Dr. Atul Butte, the study's lead author, is that this was the case across nearly every disorder. Pain was particularly more potent for women in the lower back, knee, neck muscles, and sinuses.
Hormones may account for the gender gap, says Alice Park at TIME. Estrogen in women can dampen the activity of pain receptors, which, on its face, would allow women to actually tolerate higher levels of pain. However, that also means "they may become more sensitive to pain during low-estrogen parts of the menstrual cycle."
Any other explanations?
The observed difference might not be biological at all. Men may be compelled by cultural stereotypes to appear tough about pain, and therefore report feeling less of it than they actually do — "especially when asked by the mostly female nursing staff," Park says. In the end, says University of Florida pain researcher Roger B. Fillingim, more research is needed to pinpoint the exact reason for these differences in pain perception.
Sources: ABC News, Journal of Pain, Mother Nature Network, San Jose Mercury News, TIME


text:
The Score Fighting Series is back!!!
Ontario MMA fans and fighters got some great news today! The Score Fighting Series is back at the Hamilton Place Theatre on Saturday, August 25th for its fifth event since the province legalized the sport. Action has been lacking on the local MMA scene in 2012, but every show the Score Fighting Series puts on just keeps getting better. They are doing an excellent job giving fans of the sport an opportunity to be able to watch great up and coming fighters in an intimate environment.
I have had the chance to speak with many fighters over the past few months and these guys are hungry, eager and ready to get into the cage. With such a long wait between fights for some of these guys, I am certain it's going to make for an extra burst of highly intensified action. These men are ready for battle!!
The main event on the card will be a bantamweight showdown between John "Haggis Basher" Fraser and Josh "Gentlemen" Hill. This bout has been highly anticipated for some time now. Fraser, 34, is a Sarnia, Ontario native with a record of 10-3 and is riding a seven fight win streak. The 25-year-old Hill resides in Binbrook, Ontario and is currently 8-0. Both of these skilled athletes have a lot on the line in this one, with a win likely propelling either of these men to the next level in their professional MMA careers. With that being said it is a great opportunity to be able to see them live in action before they make it to the UFC.
Other amazing Canadian talent on the card includes: Tristan Johnson (7-2), Will Romero (9-3), Lyndon Whitlock (7-2), Alex Ricci (5-0), Ryan Dickson (2-0), Jason Meisel (3-0), Jason Saggo (6-1), Elias Theodorou (4-0), Adam Assenza (1-1), Rory Mcdonell (5-6) and Robert Thomas (0-0). Their opponents are still to be decided.
Tickets start at $30 and go on sale on Monday, July 23 at ticketmaster.ca, Copps Coliseum box office and from local fighters on the card. The entire show will be streamed live on thescore.com and for the first time ever, the main card fights will be carried live on The Score television network starting at 9 p.m. EST.


text:
Press Room
Hillsborough, N.C. – Ten years and many accolades later, what was Dirty Dancers the series has become, appropriately enough, Dirty Dancers – The Movie. Nominated by AVN for "Best Gonzo Series" five years in a row, the series featured the hottest strippers from around the country – all eager to show a little beaver for the camera in order to launch their careers into the adult industry. The series was branded the first reality-based strip series in the world of adult entertainment by Adam Film World. Now, Dirty Dancers – The Movie promises to pickup where the series left off! A movie within a movie, it's the story of real dirty dancers in a parody of the adult industry. "The idea for the series came to me while traveling to gentlemen's clubs with feature dancer Ariana," says Director Luc Wylder. "Her style of dancing was very erotic; she'd always end-up having sex with one of the house dancers after her set. So, the entrepreneur in me thought to buy a Hi-8 camera – the rest is history!" Newcomer Ariana starred in the first 12 volumes of the series. When she retired from the industry, Alexandra Silk replaced her. Silk's soft demeanor and natural lust for sex proved to be a winning combination – propelling her into the adult industry's limelight, where she remains today. Watch Evan Stone as he dives deep into the adorable Katie Morgan! Ava Vincent heats up for the cameras when Kurt Lockwood has at her hot box! Chris Cannon performs his magic on Ruby after a spellbinding on-stage striptease. And, the alluring Alexandra Silk shares her sinfully sweet puss with Steve Holmes. Experience the every-ready talents of today's hottest stars with digital clarity! For more information, contact: • Craig Ledford, 919-644-8100 X 3262, email@example.com


text:
Physical Therapy has evolved throughout history to provide quality care options for people with a variety of issues. TheraWest Physical Therapy is leading the way by offering diverse and unique services designed to help you. You'll learn healing techniques that are replicable outside the clinic and also have access to the most state-of-the-art equipment such as the ML830 cold laser, a revolutionary device that accelerates your own body's healing process. You won't be disappointed.
Our Specialized Programs Include
Our Specialized Services Treat
- Arthritis Pain
- Back and Muscle Pain
- Carpal Tunnel
- Fibromyalgia
- Fractures
- Heel and Foot Pain
- Shoulders
- Migraines
- Tendonitis
- Total Joint Replacement
- Balance Issues
- Pre and Post Operation
Don't put it off any longer. The longer you wait the more serious your problem may become. Don't let your problem get to the point of no return. Schedule an appointment today!


text:
A Whitepaper
Sunil Razdan
What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing in its simplest form can be defined as an ability that allows users to access computing resources (think storage , servers ) and/or applications – anything ranging from ERP applications, email, accounting software (Tax preparation) - from anywhere on the internet.
Key characteristics of cloud computing architecture are
-Virtualization of infrastructure and services
-Elasticity (increase or decrease of computing resources on demand)
-Availability and reliability.
-Flexibility and Agility
-Rapid deployment.
-Pay as you grow (aka pay for what you use)
What are various Cloud Service Models?
Cloud Service providers offer services from complete infrastructures services to specialized business processes.
Across all cloud service models the key common characteristic is that users of the cloud service will only be aware of the service and its use. They have no need to understand details or manage the underlying infrastructure, technology, software or implementation of that service.
The Cloud computing abstracts complexity and virtualizes all components involved in the service from the end user/organization.
Business Process as a Service - Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) is when an external party is assigned the responsibility of managing a business process, for instance letting a third party (ex:
Equifax) take care of credit check on customers for you. All we have to do is call the web service using API's and gets the response back as "good or bad" .The services are available over network and the organization only pays as it uses them and not having to build their own system or services for doing credit checks.
Software as a Service - Software as a Service (SaaS) is the entire application software (ex:
Salesforce.com CRM) hosted by a provider in remote datacenter and made accessible to end users over a WAN. The service can be deployed quickly and users only pay as they go model.
Upfront capital and development expenditure is not incurred and user organizations do not manage and maintain the host application.
Platform as a Service - Platform as a Service (PaaS), provides a development environment where users can deploy, build and test their applications. It includes both hardware and software components needed to create a platform for development. Organization consuming this service model can do so without having to worry about the cost, complexity and time constraints to create such a platform for development and testing.
Infrastructure as a Service - Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is the most basic service model that provides hardware such as servers, storage. With IaaS, a consuming organization can run all applications without having to set-up and manage their own in-house data centers. This service model is actually the most matured offering today and a common example will be
Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud,( EC2) an IaaS—where organizations can rent servers, storage and run their own applications.
What are various Cloud Computing Deployment Models?
Just as there are various Cloud service models, we can find different types of cloud deployment offerings by providers in the market – Public clouds,
Private clouds and Hybrid (this one is very interesting). Depending on multiple factors such as security requirements, Network access, Reliability, IT Staff
Skills, Cost organization can choose a specific deployment model to suit its requirements.
Private Cloud. – This is a deployment where cloud infrastructure is operated for a single organization. The organization can choose to host it in-house in their own datacenter or lease it at a third party remote location. The key here is it is not a multi-tenant environment and is more of a dedicated model. This model is best suited to allay concerns of security, ownership & control. Public cloud –This deployment model is kind of opposite of private, where all


text:
Liverpool Transfers: 5 Goalscoring Options Brendan Rodgers Must Consider
Clear Cut Chance conversion rate of 28.99 % - the third worst in the league. Shot accuracy of 39% - the sixth worst in the league. Completely dependent on one player with this player scoring a whopping 52% of their Premier League goals. Yes, I'm talking about Liverpool Football Club. It's one of the most documented stories of the 12/13 Premier League season that, for all their good build up play and chance creation stats, Liverpool simply do not score enough goals. This season they have been heavily dependent on the majestic performances of the jester Suarez to rescue them. Not even Kop Idol Steven Gerrard has hit his usual goalscoring heights. The decision to allow Andy Carroll to leave without a ready replacement is still confusing Kopites, pundits and fanzines around the world. Others are wondering if Fabio Borini will ever live up to the excitement that BR has for him (BR being Brendan Rodgers for the course of this article). To be honest the only reason Liverpool do not currently sit nearer to the foot of the Premier League table is thanks to the fact they create so much that eventually a shot flies in to the back of the net, usually to the relief of the Kop faithful rather than to their joy. In this article, I'll look at some of the options I believe BR could find accessible during the January transfer market that will ease the burden on lone marksman Luis Suarez and help fire Liverpool closer to those coveted Champions League places. Things to be considered are whether or not they carry a realistic price tag, whether of not they represent the ideal player with relation to FSG's set criteria and whether or not they would fit into BR's set philosophy.
Zak Forster
I'm Zak and I graduated from the University of Hull in 2014 - where I studied 20th Century History. I love anything about football, especially weird and wonderful stats. I'm in to trying just about any game and enjoy debating about films. My main passion for writing comes from the beautiful game! I encourage debate so please leave any comments you think of! I hope you enjoy the articles.See more from Zak


text:
What sabotage governing looks like
I was talking to a friend over the weekend about current events, and when the subject turned to health care, I mentioned Republican efforts to "sabotage" the Affordable Care Act. He asked a fair question: "In real-world terms, what does that mean, exactly?"
It occurred to me others might be wondering the same thing. While Greg Sargent and I talk about "sabotage governing" quite a bit, it's easy to lose sight sometimes of just how sweeping the GOP efforts to impair the federal health care law really are. We've never seen anything like this – it is literally without precedent – and for millions of Americans, very little matters more.
So let's get specific. When we talk about efforts to "sabotage" Obamacare, what are we referring to? Several – by my count, seven – specific efforts.
First, congressional Republicans are actively trying to undermine the federal health care system by refusing to help their own constituents navigate the system.
People regularly call their representatives for help with Medicare, Social Security and other government programs. Yet, Republicans believe healthcare reform spells doom for the federal budget, private businesses and the U.S. healthcare system. They're also enormously frustrated that the law has persevered through two elections and a Supreme Court challenge and believe a botched implementation could help build momentum for the repeal movement.
Some Republicans indicated to The Hill they will not assist constituents in navigating the law and obtaining benefits. Others said they would tell people to call the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
"We know how to forward a phone call," said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah). He added, "[A]ll we can do is pass them back to the Obama administration. The ball's in their court. They're responsible for it."
Constituent services are the most basic of tasks for congressional offices, but we now have some – not all, but some – congressional Republicans who simply don't want to help constituents who need a hand with information about federal health care benefits.
Second, there's systemic lying to the public.
In recent weeks, officials in states like New York and California have boasted about lower premiums for residents thanks to the Affordable Care Act. But on Friday, Indiana, where Republican officials dominate, announced the law would force a premium increase of 72%. How it that possible? As Sarah Kliff, Jonathan Cohn, and others explained over the weekend, GOP policymakers in the state arrived at the figure by cooking the books and jumping to conclusions based on incomplete information.
Indiana Republicans wanted to push a political narrative, and generate some headlines, but they had to play fast and loose with the facts, on purpose, in the hopes of fooling the public.
Third, there are the dozens upon dozens of repeal votes congressional Republicans keep holding. The latest was last week, and yesterday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) vowed to hold even more, saying he still hopes to "derail this thing," and adding, "We're going to do everything we can to make sure it never happens." (Boehner said the exact opposite last November.)
These repeal votes tell the public that the future of the law is still in doubt – a significant chunk of the country actually believes the Affordable Care Act has already been repealed – and discourages participation needed to make the law work.
Fourth, congressional Republicans have repeatedly denied the Obama administration funds needed for implementation. Fifth, GOP leaders have shamelessly discouraged private-sector partnerships with Washington on public-awareness campaigns, in the hopes that public ignorance might help undermine the efficacy of the system. Sixth, many Republicans at the state level are refusing to allow Medicaid expansion, no matter how much damage it does to their state. And seventh, these same GOP officials in the states are refusing to create exchanges, making it that much more difficult for federal officials to meet deadlines and fully implement the law on time.
When I talk about efforts to "sabotage" Obamacare, this is what I'm talking about.
Again, don't forget that this has simply never happened before. There is no precedent in American history for Congress approving a massive new public benefit, a president signing it into law, the Supreme Court endorsing the benefit's legality, and then having an entire political party actively and shamelessly working to sabotage the law.
We can talk about why Republicans are doing this – Paul Krugman has some compelling thoughts on the matter – but the fact that these sabotage efforts are underway is undeniable.
As Jonathan Bernstein recently explained, "It's possible that the ACA will collapse. But if it does, it's unlikely it will be the result of inherent problems with the legislation. If Obamacare fails, it's going to be because the Republican Party's all-out war on it – a war that doesn't seem to have any concern at all for health-care consumers or the economy – succeeds. Whether that's a good thing for health care? Well, that doesn't seem to be part of the equation."


text:
It could be a great scenario many years into the future, let's say in the summer of 2067.
A chance meeting between 60-somethings Sladen Johnson, Alex Fetterman, Jay Cornwall and Gareth Vos, and suddenly memories kick back to the days of yesteryear.
"Remember that season with the Cape Dairy Marlins? Undefeated Minor League champions? … man, those were the days!"
Any baseball player worth their Nellie Fox-model Louisville Slugger remembers his Little League days. The first hit, who played what position, the stud players from the opposing teams, the postgame trips to the local ice cream stand.
And if you were lucky enough to capture a championship, well, those memories last a lifetime.
The Marlins achieved that pint-sized thrill with a 9-8 win over the Joyce Landscaping Red Sox recently to capture the Barnstable Minor League (ages 9 to 12) championship.
"I knew we had a pretty good team, but there were four or five good teams in the league," explained Marlins head coach Steve Johnson. "The first game of the season ended in a 7-7 tie, but from there we never lost a game."
If a Minor League game is tied after six innings during the regular season, it ends in a tie. The Marlins had two regular season games end that way, finishing at 9-0-2 before sweeping all three games of the playoffs for a final 12-0-2 record.
Minor League or not, any time a team ends a full season as undefeated league champion, it's a cause for celebration.
Then again, let's give the players a chance to express their memories:
"It was really fun going undefeated. The players on the team worked well together and the pitchers did a good job," said outfielder Jacob Daley. "Winning the championship was a great thrill."
Third baseman Tyler Goode, who hit an inside-the-park homer in the championship game added, "I loved playing with my teammates, we just had an awesome season."
"It's been great working with some of our old teammates from last year," said second baseman Alex Fetterman, "like Jacob (Daley), Tyler (Goode), Johnny (Donnelly) and Gareth (Vos)."
Outfielders Chase Field and Callie Kennedy both had key defensive plays during the season that stood out in their memories – something as simple as catching a pop-up.
"A kid on the Red Sox hit a ball almost to the fence, and I caught it," Chase proudly announced. Callie added, "In one of the final games, I caught a pop fly and it was the final out," she recalled, "so everyone came out and tackled me; being undefeated was great."
Piper Hunt was the starting pitcher in the championship game, pitching four innings as the team bolted out to an 8-2 lead.
"I was a little nervous," she said, "but it was an exciting game and winning the championship was the best part."
Sladen Johnson came on to work the final two innings on the mound, and with the tying run on first base he induced a pop-up to catcher Gareth Vos for the 9-8 victory.
"We went wild," Sladen recalled after the final out was registered. "Then we went out to left field and one of the mothers brought some sparkling water so we shook it up and sprayed each other."
Catcher Vos, who had stolen home in the last inning to win the semifinal game, was all business on that final pop-up. "It was in front of the plate and I just thought I needed to catch it," he said. "Then we just jumped all over each other."
Right fielder Jay Cornwall joined in on the fun, "We just all came running in, pig-piling everyone," he said. The team's top hitter Johnny Donnelly and newcomer Wascar Jimimian also piled on.
Head coach Johnson and his coaching staff of Craig Cornwall, Steve Hoxie and David Fetterman, as well as manager-scorekeeper Shea Johnson, all looked on with pride at the postgame celebration.
"We couldn't have had a better group of kids and parents," said Steve Johnson. "Most of the coaches have sons on the team, and Steve (Hoxie) has been a buddy of mine since high school so I got him into this, too."
Craig Cornwall smiled at the memory of his own Little League past: "It's been about 40 years and I still remember vividly every pitch, every game."
So, too, will these Marlins, many, many years down the road from now.
"Remember how Piper Hunt would fire that ball? Remember Callie Kennedy's catch in the outfield? Or when Chase Field robbed that kid on the Red Sox? How about when Gareth Vos caught that final pop-up?"
"Yep… those were the good ol' days!"
Mike Richard can be contacted by email at email@example.com.


text:
We are home! And I thought to include my news in this post but it truly was the highlight of my holiday and I really felt it was worthy of and deserved to be in it's own post.
That is, on our glorious Koh Samui sojourn, The Designer proposed. And I said yes!
We had a wonderful day. We shared a room at the spa, and The Designer fell asleep during an apparently particularly relaxing body wrap. Laying by the pool, we sipped cocktails as we watched the sunset drop (seriously, have you seen how beautiful these sunsets are) and then we got washed and scrubbed for dinner. There was champagne and after dinner The Designer suggested that as it was such a nice night maybe we should go for a walk along the beach. Then, in a beautiful and secluded setting the man of my dreams drifted to one knee and popped the question. The details are too special to share but that moment will be ours for ever.
I am engaged to my lover and my best friend! Thank you, Designer, for your love, your support and for our future.


text:
This method of accessing facts is what we recommend for Puppet users, it's faster and deals better with some strange issues in Facter.
Essentially we use Puppet to dump the data it gathers during normal runs into a YAML file and just use the MCollective YAML fact source to read this data. This avoids an extreme slowdown from Facter running on every mcollective invocation, plus it lets you get any in-scope variables (for example, parameters from your external node classifier) available as mcollective filters for free.
In your Puppet manifests create a class similar to below: (Thanks to Dave Ta for this recipe, and to Jesse Throwe for the Ruby 1.9 fix)
class mcollective::facts () { #The facts.yaml file resource is generated in its own dedicated class #By doing this, the file produced isn't polluted with unwanted in scope class variables. ##Bring in as many variables as you want from other classes here. #This makes them available to mcollective for use in filters. #eg #$class_variable = $class::variable #mcollective doesn't work with arrays, so use the puppet-stdlib join function #eg #$ntp_servers = join($ntp::servers, ",") file{'/etc/mcollective/facts.yaml': owner => root, group => root, mode => 400, content => template('mcollective/facts.yaml.erb'), } }
<%= # remove dynamic facts obj = scope.to_hash.reject {|k,v| k.to_s =~ /^(uptime.*|rubysitedir|_timestamp|memoryfree.*|swapfree.*|title|name|caller_module_name|module_name)$/ } arr = obj.sort out = "---\n" arr.each do |element| entry = {element[0] => element[1]} out += entry.to_yaml.split(/\n/)[1..-1].join("\n") + "\n" end out %>
Apply this to all the nodes that run MCollective.
Add the following lines to server.cfg
factsource = yaml plugin.yaml = /etc/mcollective/facts.yaml
% mc-inventory some.node Inventory for some.node: Server Statistics: Version: 0.4.10 Start Time: Mon Nov 29 16:38:28 +0000 2010 Config File: /etc/mcollective/server.cfg Process ID: 5387 Total Messages: 9254 Messages Passed Filters: 6443 Messages Filtered: 2811 Replies Sent: 6442 Total Processor Time: 23.27 seconds System Time: 6.19 seconds
Facts: architecture => i386 clientcert => some.node clientversion => 2.6.3 country => de </pre>


text:
Scot Smith, P.E.
Zeeco, Inc.
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, USA
J. Matt Miskelly
English Download | 853 KB
Presented by Scot Smith, Director of Flare Products, Zeeco
Brian Duck, Global Business Manager of Flare Systems, Zeeco
Justin Roberts, Flare Applications Engineer, Zeeco
Spencer Randolph, Flare Research & Development Engineer, Zeeco
Reginald Keith, Consultant in Acoustics & Vibration, Hoover & Keith
Garrett Porter, Consultant in Acoustics & Vibration, Hoover & Keith
English Download | 1.2 MB
Trevor Leagas - Flare Gas Recovery Manager - Europe & Middle East, Zeeco, Inc
Greg Seefeldt - Manager, Vapor Control Products, Zeeco, Inc
David Hoon - Director, Transvac Systems Ltd.
Proceedings of the GPA-GCC 24th Annual Technical Conference, Kuwait City, Kuwait, May 10-11, 2016.
English Download | 546 KB
Presented by Scot Smith
2016 Gas Processors Association
New Orleans, LA
April 11-13, 2016
English Download | 842 KB
As Presented at AFPM Environmental Conference, 2014
Authors: Brian Blackwell, Zeeco, Inc.
Trevor Leagas, Zeeco, Inc.
Greg Seefeldt, PE, Manager, Vapor Control, Zeeco, Inc.
English Download | 1.1 MB
April 2-5, 2012
Flare System Inspections for Olefins Facilities
James Cleavinger, Fixed Equipment Technical Group Leader, Flint Hills Resources Keith Wade, North American Ethylene Market Manager, Zeeco
English Download | 31 KB
Presented at the American Flame Research Committee
2010 Pacific Rim Combustion Symposium
Maui, Hawaii – September 26-29, 2010
English Download | 1.2 MB
Presented at the American – Japanese Flame Research Committees International Symposium
Marriott Waikoloa, Hawaii - Oct. 22 –24, 2007
English Download | 1.2 MB
Presented by Blake C. Leary,
Regional Sales Manager, Zeeco and
Ron M. Clark,
International Business Development Manager,
Sage Environmental
GPA 2014 Annual Conference
April 13-16, 2014
Dallas, TX, USA
English Download | 2.5 MB
This paper will discuss several different methods for reducing and/or mitigating the impact of continuous flaring as part of a Flare Impact Mitigation Plan (FIMP).
Presented by Nigel Philpott,
Flare Manager, Zeeco Europe Ltd.
2012 Flare Management and Reduction Summit
English Download | 870 KB
Presented at the International Flame Research Foundation
June 8-10, 2009
English Download | 488 KB
American-Japanese Flame Research Committee
Joint International Symposium Advances in
CombustionTechnology: Improving the Environment and Energy Efficiency
Marriott Waikoloa, Hawaii October 22-24, 2007
English Download | 490 KB
February 19-20, 2013
Smokeless Air Assist and Flare Gas Recovery Technology for Continuous Flare Management
Scot Smith, Flare Division Director, Zeeco
Nigel Palfreeman, Managing Director, Zeeco Europe Ltd.
Mazen Mashour, Project Engineer PMT, Saudi Aramco
Greg Seefeldt, Senior Flare Applications Engineer, Zeeco
English Download | 2.4 MB
Flare vendors recommend that cooling steam should always be supplied to the steam injection equipment on steam assisted flare tips. However, the nomenclature of "cooling steam" properly describes only one aspect of this steam flow…
Tom Farmer, Flares Applications Engineer, Zeeco, Inc.
English Download | 1 MB
by Scot Smith
Zeeco Inc.
S. Raghunathan
January, 2008
English Download | 725 KB
American – Japanese Flame Research Committees International Symposium Advances in Combustion Technology: Improving the Environment and Energy Efficiency
Marriott Waikoloa, Hawaii, Oct. 22-24, 2007
English Download | 2.3 MB


text:
I've fallen down the dark path.. Yes, sigh.. I never thought it would happen but it has, and I blame it all on Sara!! Wink
She kept on and on and on about these books. Twilight (*gasp* I know right!?). So I finally gave in and read them. I couldn't put them down. It was one right after the other until I came to book three and she had loaned it out to someone else! I ended up making my husband go find a copy for me somewhere. (He went to multiple stores and they were all out! ...talk about suck!) But now, thanks to both Christmas and my birthday I am the proud owner of the entire set!
So, what does one do after the Edward and Bella saga is over? Cry, mourn?! NO!! You find the next series of undead books to suck you! Luckily I had fallen for True Blood. It was a series that premiered on HBO this past year and as quirky as it was, I loved it.
While on a quest to the Library to find something good, I happened to stumble across the Sookie Stackhouse series, which.. YAY ME.. was the books that True Blood was based on!
So, 7 books later and waiting on the 8th to come into the library (-its on hold and I never ever imagined myself being one of those people that put a book on hold so as soon as the person checked it back in I could go get it! ....desperate housewife? or maybe just book nut!? I dunno.. but I've become that lady!)
I've happened upon a couple of other books that might peak that crazy undead interest but any other recommendations would be great! After all I am in this new "spoiling me with reading" phase! Wink


text:
About a year ago, Stantec began testing the compatibility of virtual reality technology with its various design platforms. It tested the number of hours and costs to implement VR, and how this tool could be used to present projects to clients.
It appears that this initial research has convinced Stantec about the utility of VR in project design. This month, Stantec launched Phase 2 of its virtual reality research initiative, which will explore methods for integrating VR technology with building design modeling.
Among the primary objectives, the initiative will include extended development of VR design testing as well as the creation of demonstrative VR showrooms in the firm's San Francisco and Vancouver offices, alongside staff training modules. Stantec's R&D Fund Program is providing financing for this research, the second phase of which is expected to wrap up sometime next year.
The firm is currently piloting VR at the revitalization of Vancouver's Robson Square; at Ohio's Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center; and at healthcare projects in Northern California and the State of Qatar. It has also purchased the equipment for the first two showrooms, which should be up and running by the winter, says Brendan Mullins, an architectural associate who is Stantec's VR Research Lead.
This phase will include extensive software product testing to assess which evolving VR technologies best complement use in buildings design. And once the showrooms are tested, Stantec will produce a manual.
Conference rooms in the Vancouver and San Francisco offices will be fitted out with roll-away cabinets in which the equipment and wiring can be stored, so these spaces won't look like showrooms when they aren't being used as such.
Mullins tells BD+C that one of Stantec's goals is to make these showrooms "as turnkey as possible," so they can be installed in some of its other offices seamlessly. "We want to democratize VR, so that any architect can use it," he says.
Several of Stantec's offices are already using Oculus Rifts in their design presentations to clients. The firm recognizes that some clients are still uncomfortable with this technology. Image: Stantec
Several of Stantec's offices already use Oculus Rifts. But, Mullins notes, some clients are still reluctant or embarrassed about mounting the equipment on their heads. The showrooms, Stantec is hoping, would minimize client anxieties, especially if the equipment is as simple as a Google cardboard VR viewer, which Mullins says produces high levels of image fidelity.
Mullins says that Stantec doesn't see VR as a substitute for modeling, but as an enhancement toward real-time design. He points, by way of example, to a healthcare client in the Middle East, where, he says, privacy is a primary concern. VR "allowed the client and our designers to see sightlines that we would have missed otherwise."
Stantec is testing VR "to make all of the mistakes first, so our people don't have to." It also wants to provide its employees with best practices for software, marketing, and client presentation.


text:
ASX to open higher after positive global news16/10/2019|1min
The Australian share market is set to open higher on Wednesday as Wall Street rallied on hopes of fading trade tensions between the US and China. in Europe stocks soared to a three-month high as investors are becoming increasingly optimistic about a Brexit deal. CommSec's Tom Piotrowski told Sky News Australian futures are up 0.9 per cent on the back of this global good news. Image: Getty