text:
Current: The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 3 Review – PS4
PS4 Review Skybound Interactive The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 3
The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 3 Review – PS4
After the rapid-fire tragedy and frenetic pace witnessed in the previous episode, Suffer the Children, the middle act of the penultimate installment of The Walking Dead's final season slows things up considerably, and in doing so ends up sacrificing much of the momentum that had been previously established in the process.
WARNING SPOILERS FOLLOW FOR THE PREVIOUS EPISODES OF THE WALKING DEAD: THE FINAL SEASON
'Broken Toys' shambles its way to a devastating cliffhanger
Rather than having our intrepid gang setting off to rescue their wayward number in earnest as we saw at the end of the previous episode, Ruby, Tenn, Mitch, Violet and the rest of the young ones all decide to have one final party to celebrate their friendship before they all head off to attack the raiders and reclaim their friends – not that there is any sort of urgency or anything (well, there is – but y'know).
The upshot of this pre-rescue shindig is that it cruelly undercuts the brisk pacing that was established at the end of the previous episode, whilst also giving 'Broken Toys' an unneeded slump in the middle of its duration. The silver lining of course, is that it provides additional exposition on each of the kids, but ultimately, the hamstringing of the swift pace that was previously established arguably feels more significant.
Rosie is *definitely* the best girl.
Elsewhere, quietly spoken newcomer James gets more face-time and as a result we not only get a bit of well-written introspection on his origins, but also a revelation of his unique philosophy on the Walkers – a set of beliefs that in turn has the potential to dramatically alter AJ's outlook on the Walkers and what happens after the fact if he or Clem is bitten.
Ultimately, James makes an intriguing addition to the cast and his previous membership of a group that was so heavily featured in the comics, and now in the mainline AMC television show, means that he's always an interestingly mercurial presences whenever he appears on screen.
As was the case with 'Suffer the Children', this latest episode also rams home the effect that Clementine's actions will have on the psyche of the rapidly maturing AJ.
Speaking of AJ, 'Broken Toys' once more rams home the notion that Clementine's actions are intrinsically tied to the maturation and orientation of the young lad's moral compass – and the torture that Clementine follows through with (or not) on Abel at the beginning of the episode proves to be a key difference maker in this respect.
In fact, so too is the justification (again, or not) of AJ's killing in the first episode used to reinforce or rebuff his behavior, and the fact that it is time and again referred to here lends a sense of true weight to that decision.
Beyond his hurried growth, 'Broken Toys' also reflects its namesake through AJ and the other kids in other ways during this episode. Chiefly, AJs lack of experience of the world before manifests in a naively charming way early on, as he refers to a pier as a 'wood street in the water' – a statement that is as innocent as it is tragic since we all know it is highly unlikely he'll experience anything remotely resembling pre-apocalypse normalcy.
Though it takes too long to get there, the final act of 'Broken Toys' is rip-roaring indeed.
When 'Broken Toys' does kick things into gear in its final act however, it rediscovers that brisk, savage pacing which characterized the first two episodes in this final season so definitively and ends things on a high note – a thoroughly action-packed and brutal final hour or so that stands in stark contrast to the meandering story beats which preceded it.
Indeed, as the body count rises and Lily once takes center stage as one of the most deranged, morally vapid villains the series has ever seen, The Walking Dead: The Final Season once more would seem to be the sort of compelling stuff it resembled back in the day; it's just a shame that 'Broken Toys' takes so long to get there as we wind down to the final ever episode of Telltale's The Walking Dead.
Published and developed by Skybound Interactive, The Walking Dead: The Final Season is out now on PS4, PC and Xbox One.
Review code supplied by publisher.
Uneven pacing and a slumping middle act detract from a brutally action-packed cliffhanger that duly sets up the final ever episode of Telltale's The Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead The Final Season
Android / PC / PS4 / Xbox One
Action > Horror, Action Adventure
M [Mature]PEGI 18


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Q: PHPExcel moving from coordinated cell is there a way, how I can move from coordinated cell in excel to next, e.g. on the right side?
Example:
I have located value, that I'm looking for in excel with PHP , let's say it's has coordinates A3 (I have value, that contains it).
How can I move to next one? I need to show value, that is near my found cell, so it would be B3 value.
Thanks!

A: There isn't an kind of next/prev function in PHP.
You can use celliterators though, as shown in 28iterator.php in /Examples
Or you can reference cells by column number and row number, allowing you to simply increment/decrement a row or column number
If you're using an actual address such as A3, then you need to split the address into row/column, increment the column, then rejoin the values to get the next address, so:
$address = 'A3';
$split = PHPExcel_Cell::coordinateFromString($address);
++$split[0];
$address = implode($split);
echo $address;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Confession - I'm actually quite new to WordPress, coming from the more framework rather foundation world of PHP. (For what I mean by that, read Tom McFarlin's excellent post ) One danger we all face whenever we switch from one language or tool to another is trying to apply our old methods to the new environment. I've been making a point of trying to shed my earlier experiences and simply learn the WordPress way of doing things. However, I've noticed a few little quirks and inconveniences and started to think about how to apply my knowledge from other places to how I work with WP plugins.
Quite ugly and cumbersome, isn't it? What's worse, each of those functions is calling the database - so if you need ten bits of info about your user, you are making ten database hits. Not high performance, to say the least!
This still leaves us with two separate arrays ($user & $user_meta) and a lot of messy code whan all we want is: "Give me the darn user data, already! "
Let's look at this whole problem a little differently. Instead of working with arrays that are basically mapped directly to tables, let's create a User class and load up all the data for each object as we need it. In your wp-content directory (whatever you may have named it as), add a directory "mu-plugins" at the same level as "plugins" and "themes"
For those of you unfamiliar with it, "mu-plugins" is "Must Use Plugins" and allows us to load code very early. Any php file listed here will automatically be loaded BEFORE the plugins and themes directories, meaning we can add classes here and they will be accessible to the rest of the system.
2) __get() searches for our variable and handles cases where that field doesn't exist for a particular user (ex. $user->silly_var). We can set a default for these cases so that when we are working in our plugin we don't have to write that old "if (isset(...))" code everywhere.
So we could use __set() or another function to handle updating or other actions in a custom manner if we like.
The last thing to point out is - if you look closely, you'll realize that if you replace "user" with "post" in the above class, the entire thing would work as is for your posts, including all your custom post types (with one small change to the "get_user_by", which doesn't have a matching pair in posts). This gives you the opportunity to create an interface or apply other OOP patterns and practices.
I hope that turns out to be helpful to you, and perhaps introduces you to a new way of thinking about managing your WP data!


This was a couple Saturday nights ago when R had a long day at work and ended up falling asleep once he got home.
By the time he woke up, it was rather late and we didn't have many places to choose from. In the end we tried Elies Tent which is a lebanese restaurant in Victoria Park which we've passed by many times but never tried. It ended up being a good choice because the restaurant was quiet and we got this corner all to ourselves.
I spotted a belly dancer poster on their door and commented to R that we had probably missed the belly dancing since we were so late. But to our delight, at the start of our meal, the vivacious and friendly belly dancer appeared. She was a talented lady too and came by to chat with us later.
We ordered the Maza for Two banquet ($35 per person) and it was fun when all this spread turned up. Hummus(chickpea) and mutabbal(eggplant) dips and fetta cheese which we had with lebanese bread. I actually enjoyed the mutabbal a lot which had this strong roasted eggplant flavour. We also had falafel which came out piping hot and was very tasty.
Tabbouleh, which was a refreshing salad but I think they should have added more ingredients, this one perhaps had too much parsley and not much else.
Seasoned rice with shawarma lamb and chicken, the meat pieces were very tender and nicely spiced and lemony. R and I were getting very full by this time.
Would I return to Elies Tent? I'm not sure as I don't think R is a big fan of Lebanese cuisine, but it was definitely nice to have something out of the ordinary and at a nice, cosy family restaurant.
Breakfast at Venn's in the city. I love the high ceilings and secluded feel of this hidden breakfast spot.
Breakfast at Venn wasn't great, this mushrooms with poached egg and toast was too salty.
I probably should have stuck to good ol' jam and butter with toast.
We were really unlucky during our last Sunday brekkie hunt. All the places we went to were either closed or too full etc. So somehow we ended up at the popular Tuckshop which only required a 10 minute wait. This was my smoked cod gratin which came with a cheese toasty. The gratin was rich and packed with seafood flavour, rather like a seafood chowder, but a bit heavy for me especially paired with a cheese toasty.
Lots of fun things happening in the city! I liked their makeshift beach with giant tv screen of rolling waves in the middle of the city.
We discovered this 360 degrees poultry roaster gadget and couldn't resist buying it. You know how one side of your roast chickens sticks to the tray and you end up ripping the skin when you try to flip it over? This gadget solves all your non crispy skin problems because it roasts the bird standing up.
The result of our roast chicken, more crispy skin but the meat wasn't as tender as usual, maybe I left it too long in the oven to get the full golden brown effect.
Three kinds of roasted sweet potatoes, they included the normal golden sweet potatoes, my favourite purple skinned white fleshed variety and a new white skinned but purple flesh variety given to us by Gerry, very nice too.
Baking for our work morning tea, nectarine and almond cake. Tristan's first birthday party is coming up this weekend so lots of cooking will be involved this weekend. I'm hoping I get well from my bout of migraine and overall dizziness this week, wish me luck!


Clayton Nursing is currently recruiting for an experienced Night Nurse RGN to work in our clients beautiful Nursing Home based in Garstang. This medium sized home is situated in stunning grounds and caters for residents with General Nursing needs.
Upon successful application you will receive a generous salary and access to the company extensive benefits package including 5.6 weeks annual leave, the successful applicant can work either 33 or 44 hrs a week.
Kind and caring with an excellent understand of elderly care needs.


The Catholic University of Paris has signed agreements with over 135 universities in 35 countries.
The faculties, schools and institutes of the Catholic University of Paris welcome several hundred students within exchange programmes with partner universities around the globe.
The university does not have an on-campus residence but the Accommodation Office provides a wide range of off-campus accommodation solutions in Paris, such as student residencies, apartment rentals, rooms in family homes, etc. This office assists students in their search for appropriate long-term accommodation and is happy to answer any queries that students may have prior to their arrival.
We remind all partner universities that they are required to test their own students' level of spoken and written French prior to sending their applications, and to acknowledge that it is sufficient for them to study their discipline successfully during their stay at the Catholic University of Paris.
The university's French language school, the Institut de Langue et Culture Françaises, organises monthly intensive courses in May, June, July, August and January. These courses can lead to a number of 4 ECTS credits.
All courses offered and corresponding ECTS credits are presented by degree : 1st, 2nd, 3rd year of Licence (Undergraduate) and 1st, 2nd year of Master (Postgraduate).
Most of the courses are taught in French, but our Faculties also offer some courses in English, opened to Exchange Students.
A Welcome and Orientation Session is organised for international students by the IRO at the beginning of each semester. It generally takes place over three days and includes: a presentation of the university and student services; a step-by-step explanation of the enrolment procedure; practical information about life in Paris ; a Seine river cruise close the session. It is also, of course, the occasion to meet with many other international students.
A Residence Permit Office in direct contact with the French administration offices helps non-EU students with their immigration documents and visa renewal. The Office receives students four days a week throughout the year.
Five specialised libraries with online catalogues are open to all exchange students according to their discipline.
Students have access to the on-campus student cafeteria for a quick snack.


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Keyword: puppet government
Symposium recalls Spring 1968 Uprising in Can Tho
Cultural researchers and war veterans again assessed the significance of the Spring 1968 Uprising at a symposium held in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on December 20.
Bulletin on end of war touches millionsof hearts
On April 30th 1975, Artist Kim Cuc was among two broadcasters of Radio the Voice of Vietnam who read a special bulletin on the country's great triumph that ended the war in Vietnam.
King and Queen immortalised in wax
Thursday, June 09, 2016 10:57
The first ever procession of wax figures depicting King Bao Dai and Queen Nam Phuong, the last royal family of Vietnam, will be held on June 10 in Da Lat, a city in the Lam Dong province.
Vietnamese writer receives ASEAN literature award
Vietnamese writer Tran Mai Hanh was awarded the 2015 South East Asian Writers Awards (SEA Writer Awards) for his novel "Bien Ban Chien Tranh 1-2-3-4.75" (War Minutes January-April, 1975) .
The August Revolution in 1945
Valuable paintings and photos reflect the heated atmosphere in August 1945 when all Vietnamese rose to overthrow colonialism and feudalism.
"Bien Ban Chien Tranh 1-2-3-4.75" novel discussed
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 11:26
A seminar on the historical novel "Bien Ban Chien Tranh 1-2-3-4.75" (War Minutes January-April, 1975) by veteran journalist Tran Mai Hanh was held in Hanoi on April 16, providing in-depth analysis of the work.
Quang Nam marks patriot Nguyen Van Troi's death
Wednesday, October 15, 2014 16:58
A ceremony for the 50th anniversary of the death day of the young Vietnamese patriot, Nguyen Van Troi, was organised in Dien Ban district in the central province of Quang Nam on October 4, with the participation of representatives from the Venezuelan Embassy in Vietnam.
Can Tho's revolutionary base becomes national relic site
Sunday, April 28, 2013 14:09
The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho held a ceremony on April 24 to announce a decision to recognise a revolutionary base on Lo Vong Cung (Arc-shaped Road ) in My Khanh commune, Phong Dien district as a national historical relic site.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


At Schneider & Shulman Associates, we encourage anyone planning their retirement years to consider Long Term Care Insurance as an integral part of that plan. You've worked hard to build your retirement portfolio, you've researched the best way to invest it and you've dreamed of the most enjoyable ways to spend it. Take just a moment, then, to look at Long Term Care Insurance—the best way to protect your retirement income and quality of life.
Thanks to advances in modern medicine and lifestyle changes, people are just plain living longer. The elderly population continues to grow, and the number of people over the age of 65 is projected to double by the year 2050. If you hope to be in that category, Long Term Care Insurance is for you.
It's true that you may never need long term care. If you do, however, money will have to be allocated to pay for it. If you've worked hard to build up a retirement portfolio and you don't want to see it depleted by Long Term Care costs, Long Term Care Insurance is for you.
Of course, not all care is created equal. With more resources at your disposal, you will be able to choose quality care facilities and caretakers. If you respect yourself enough to provide for your own best care, Long Term Care Insurance is for you.
At Schneider & Shulman Associates, many of our clients are people who have witnessed the devastating effects of Long Term Care needs and want to prevent the same from happening in their own lives and families. Taking care of a loved one without the necessary financial resources can strain people and families to the breaking point. If you love your family and want them to maintain their lifestyle, Long Term Care Insurance is definitely for you.
Schneider & Shulman Associates can help you begin making your Long Term Care Plan today! Fill out our Free Quote form or call our toll-free number to speak with a qualified representative about Long Term Care Insurance.


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Радіобіоіндикатори () — організми (популяції, види), за якими визначають наявність концентрацій і розподіл радіоактивних речовин у довкіллі.

Радіобіоіндикація як метод дослідження радіоактивного забруднення
Одним із методів дослідження радіоактивного забруднення екосистем є метод біоіндикації, який полягає у тому, що за вмістом радіонуклідів в одній або кількох групах організмів (останнє набагато рідше) визначається рівень радіоактивного забруднення екосистеми в цілому.

Радіобіоіндикація наземно-повітряного середовища
Встановлено, що найпоширенішим радіонуклідом — забруднювачем лісових площ України є , який становив у зоні конденсаційних випадінь до 90% загальної активності радіонуклідів. Водночас, в Україні майже 70% території з рівнем забруднення  понад 185 кБк/м2 займають лісові масиви.

Нині найбільш популярним таксоном, який використовується для біоіндикації, є гриби, переважно —
макроміцети, багато з яких є накопичувачами певного радіонукліду. Варто зазначити, що, наприклад, для картування забруднення радіоцезієм () лісових екосистем всієї території Польщі як біоіндикатор було використано польський гриб (Boletus badius Elias Magnus Fries (1832)).

Ліхеноіндикація радіоактивного забруднення є також популярною, адже лишайники характеризуються значним поширенням, мають значну адсорбційну поверхню та тривалість життя, є (внаслідок біологічних особливостей симбіотичних компонентів) інтенсивними накопичувачами радіонуклідів, та, водночас, дуже стійкі до впливу іонізувального випромінювання.

В.М. Вірченко, В.А. Болюх (1993) вважають бріоіндикацію, тобто використання мохів, як біоіндикаторів, найбільш доцільною для дослідження радіоактивного забруднення лісів Українського Полісся, оскільки мохи є інтенсивними накопичувачами радіоцезію . Як біоіндикатори пропонуються  Pleurozium schreberi та  Dicranum polysetum, які є домінантними видами в  моховому ярусі цих екосистем.

Із судинних рослин як біоіндикатори радіоактивного забруднення використовуються Pinus sylvestris, представники родини Ericaceae, зокрема чорниця (Vaccinium myrtillus).

Радіобіоіндикація водного середовища
Радіоактивність водойм залежить від низки чинників: рельєфу та глибини річкового річища, швидкості течії, характеру донних відкладів, різноманіття рослинного і тваринного населення тощо. Здебільшого радіонукліди, які потрапляють у водойми, концентрується у донних осадах через їх високу сорбційну місткість, а тому важливу роль у процесах міграції радіонуклідів відіграють живі організми бентосу і, зокрема, водорості.

Нині здебільшого біоіндикаційний моніторинг радіаційного забруднення водойм проводиться, по-перше, за вмістом радіонуклідів у гідробіонтах (молюсках, рибах, вищих рослин, тощо), що дає змогу встановити характер поширення і концентрації радіонуклідів в організмі тварин, які є специфічними для різних ізотопів, зумовлене радіусом іонів і розчинністю їх сполук, а, по-друге, за чисельністю організмів в залежності від радіаційного забруднення водойм.

Посилання

Радіобіологія
Біоіндикація

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for your warm welcome.
I'm delighted to be here - my first visit in my capacity as Australia's new Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, and I think it's very fitting that I am in Singapore.
This isn't simply because Singapore is one of the world's most competitive and business-friendly economies in the world, or because the country is a leader in technology and innovation—this in itself is invaluable, and I know Australia can learn a great deal from Singapore's experience.
But more importantly, I'm honoured to be here because Singapore is a true friend of ours.
We have a longstanding relationship based on mutual trust, respect and common purpose.
We are natural partners in fields ranging from science and innovation to defence and trade.
And we share an enduring commitment to peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.
Australian Festival of Innovation in Singapore and ASEAN— Good Science = Great Business —and I thank the Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Bruce Gosper and partner organisations for putting together such a comprehensive program.
This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our science, innovation and business credentials, and features experts in fields ranging from aquaculture to nuclear science.
Some of our best universities have also taking part—from James Cook University in my home state of Queensland which launched a new Tropical Futures Research Institute this morning, to the Australian National University in Canberra, which launches a Southeast Asia Liaison Office today.
Yet international education is about so much more than just receiving a degree—ultimately, it's about building understanding of our region, and fostering relationships between our people.
So today, I'm deeply honoured to be here at the National University of Singapore—one of the world's top universities and an institution that has worked closely with Australia.
Having recently come into the role, I would like to take the opportunity to tell you a little bit about my own background.
As some of you may know, I studied mechanical engineering at the Queensland University of Technology and started my career working as a maintenance engineer in a power station in Queensland.
I worked in engineering for a number of years, both in power stations and more broadly in the petrochemical industry, before becoming a workplace consultant to small businesses.
This background has given me a strong understanding of the value of technology and innovation, the need to build a flexible and skilled workforce, and the importance of ensuring that what a government delivers represents value for money for taxpayers.
So I came into politics with real-world experience, and I come to my new role with a genuine appreciation of the importance of industry, science and technology to a nation's prosperity.
In Australia, more than one million jobs have been created since the Coalition Government took office in 2013.
We also continue to enjoy strong economic growth—with real GDP growing by 3.4 per cent in the year to June 2018—as well as a relatively low unemployment rate of 5.3 per cent.
But we cannot afford to be complacent, and I know my portfolio will continue to play a crucial role in the Australian Government's agenda of delivering jobs and prosperity for all Australians.
Innovation, science and technology are fundamental to this endeavour, and I'm pleased to have this opportunity to speak about Australia's commitment to engaging more with ASEAN countries in this area.
I'm sure you are all aware of the benefits to innovation at the firm level—innovative firms are more competitive, and more likely to employ more people and pay them higher wages.
Expanding this to a national level, we know that innovation is critical to economic growth, job creation, high living standards, health and wellbeing, and a sustainable environment.
In fact, the OECD has found that innovation accounts for up to half of long-term GDP growth.
Innovation is not just the domain of one portfolio or department or Minister.
It happens right across our economy, and all portfolios.
In Australia, we are driving innovation in health, defence, agriculture, social services, and education.
helping ALL of our people gain the skills they need to participate and benefit from an increasingly digital economy.
That's why, just as it is for Singapore and other ASEAN nations, innovation is a national priority for Australia, and the key to ensuring we remain a globally competitive economy.
The Australian Government is investing approximately $2.4 billion in growing Australia's research, science and technology capabilities, as announced in this year's Budget.
This includes investments in national research infrastructure and cutting-edge satellite and positioning technology, a new space agency which will kick-start the local space sector, and an early investment in our artificial intelligence capability to support business.
It also builds on our $1.1 billion National Innovation and Science Agenda, as well as other major investments, such as funding for Australia's national science agency, CSIRO.
Yet I know that no country can afford to be an island when it comes to innovation.
Innovation relies not only on the skills and expertise in any one nation's government or business and research sectors—it also depends on trusted partnerships with other nations.
This is why I'm committed to strengthening Australia's engagement with overseas partners - so we can build on our respective strengths and successfully innovate together.
Australia has a longstanding partnership with ASEAN going back almost half a century, and I'm pleased that Australia hosted a summit with ASEAN leaders for the first time in March.
This brought the leaders of ASEAN together in Sydney, highlighting Australia's commitment to ASEAN's mission of driving economic growth, and promoting regional peace and stability.
This was an historic moment and it is important that we now build on this momentum.
Australia has a reputation as a trusted partner, with an established record of working with ASEAN nations to promote regional cooperation, economic integration and inclusive growth.
I would emphasise that we can also learn much from the experience of ASEAN nations in growing their economies and capitalising on the technological progress of recent decades.
As a regional economic bloc, ASEAN's combined GDP of US$2.5 trillion already makes it the world's seventh-largest economy, and the region is set to become the world's fourth-largest economy by 2030, with economic growth rates that easily outpace the global average.
There are a number of factors contributing to this change including an increase in GDP per capita, a growing middle class, younger, better-educated populations, and new technologies.
This is creating tremendous opportunities for Australian researchers and businesses to work with their ASEAN counterparts, and I would like to elaborate on a few key areas where I believe we can forge even deeper partnerships.
I will start with science and research.
Australia already has strong scientific partnerships with all ASEAN members, including exceptional joint research output in fields such as health, medicine and earth sciences.
In particular, Australian and ASEAN researchers have joined forces to make a number of recent discoveries that will improve immeasurably the quality of life of all our citizens.
These include a promising new leukaemia treatment, a better way to manage chronic hepatitis B, a new understanding of quantum phenomena, and a better understanding of factors that contributed to previous Antarctic ice melting, just to name a few.
CSIRO's Data 61 to better coordinate disaster responses.
These projects are receiving a total of $1.4 million in joint funding from our governments.
More broadly, the work of Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, has enabled a number of our businesses to develop innovative products that are used across the ASEAN region.
For example, CSIRO researchers developed a prawn feed product called Novacq that enables prawn farmers to grow prawns in a faster, cheaper, healthier and more sustainable way.
A Melbourne-based company, Ridley, was subsequently granted a licence to commercialise the product, which it now sells in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as China and some smaller South Pacific markets.
This is not only boosting profits for prawn farmers across the region—it's also reducing reliance on wild fish to feed farmed prawns, thereby helping to preserve global fish stocks.
CSIRO will be even more involved in the region in coming years.
CSIRO's new ASEAN hub will be based here in Singapore and supported by staff in Vietnam and Indonesia.
CSIRO already has a large portfolio of projects in the region including research partnerships with Singapore in areas like precision health and high-performance computing, and a role in the DFAT-led Aus4Innovation initiative to strengthen Vietnam innovation system.
The agency's formal presence will now anchor Australia-Singapore science collaboration, as well as supporting our linkages with the innovation ecosystems of other ASEAN nations.
The Coalition Government is also helping our researchers and businesses to build strong links in the region through our $3.2 million Regional Collaborations Programme.
The program supports science, research and innovation collaboration that aims to solve regional challenges, and five projects were successful as part of the first round of funding.
These included a project between The University of Wollongong and partners in Indonesia and the United Kingdom to use remote sensing technology to monitor the impact of climate change, as well as a project between The University of Melbourne and partners in China, Singapore, the United States, Canada and France to try to discover a cure for hepatitis B.
Today, I am incredibly pleased to announce the opening of a second funding round for this program.
More than $1.5 million is available for Australian researchers and businesses to join with partners from at least two economies, including one in the Asia-Pacific region.
This will provide much-needed support to open up lucrative business opportunities, while also making an invaluable contribution to supporting science across the Asia-Pacific region.
Applications are open for the next two months and I encourage interested parties to apply.
I am also delighted to inform you of an Australian space company, one from my home town of the Gold Coast, securing a significant investment to develop low cost rockets.
Gilmour Space Technologies is developing low-cost launch vehicles to put small to medium sized satellites into low earth orbit and has attracted $19 million in funding from the CSIRO's Innovation Fund, Main Sequence Ventures, and Blackbird Ventures.
This investment is the 10th investment by CSIRO's Innovation Fund, part of Australia's National Innovation and Science Agenda, and is a great example of Australia supporting cutting-edge innovation in our space industry.
Through industry partnerships with investors like CSIRO and Main Sequence Ventures, and the establishment of the Australian Space Agency, the Australian Government is advancing Australia's innovation and space sectors, helping to drive economic growth and jobs for Australians into the future.
More broadly, I know there are thousands of Australian businesses looking to connect with Asian partners, invest in the region, and bring new products and services to market, and this brings me to the second area where I see potential for deeper cooperation with ASEAN—business partnerships aimed at capitalising on export opportunities and creating jobs.
This morning, I was pleased to attend a roundtable discussion about the experiences of the aspiring companies that are working out of the Australian Landing Pad in Singapore.
The Landing Pad is run by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission—or Austrade—and operates out of a Singapore workspace of the co-working company WeWork.
It provides Australian market-ready startups and scaleups with a short-term base where they can access business development, investment and mentorship opportunities, as well as a network of contacts in Singapore and ASEAN to help them expand into new markets.
One company that has benefited from the Landing Pad is Victorian-based Zed Technologies, which has set itself the goal of being a global leader in cloud delivery of medical imaging.
Zed Technologies has developed a cloud-based service that enables over 4 million X-rays and scans to be delivered to over 15,000 doctors and 2 million patients each year via an app.
The company arrived at the Landing Pad in February last year, won a major Singaporean client in its first week, and has since built a solid sales pipeline, forged valuable local connections, and hired a Singapore-based business development manager.
RadLink - and has visited other ASEAN nations including Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam to secure a promising pipeline for the future.
It is a great example of a small, enterprising company that is being rewarded for having a go.
Another company participating in the Landing Pad is Matchbox Exchange, an online platform working to eliminate the process of returning empty shipping containers by organising exchanges between wharf carriers.
As part of my visit to Singapore this week, I also have the privilege of leading the Australian Medtech Trade Mission alongside Ms Sue MacLeman, who is the Chair of MTPConnect—Australia's Medical Technology and Pharmaceutical Industry Growth Centre.
The mission is seeking to promote Australian capability in medtech and connect our best companies to Singapore with a view to capturing emerging opportunities in this region.
The global MTP sector is expected to be worth almost $3 trillion by 2025 and, even more important, new technologies offer huge potential to boost life expectancy.
This may benefit people in many ASEAN countries where life expectancy remains below 70.
Earlier today, I listened to a panel of regional medtech experts discuss the industry's growth.
One of the speakers was Mr Justin Leong, who is the President of the Asia Growth Markets section at global medical device company ResMed.
Since being founded in Sydney by Australian entrepreneur Dr Peter Farrell in 1989, ResMed has grown from humble beginnings in Sydney to become a world leader in treating breathing disorders.
Today, ResMed manufactures more than 50 per cent of its sleep and respiratory care products at a 95,000-square foot facility in Singapore, before distributing them worldwide.
Its story shows that a fledgling company can quickly transform itself into an established player and that Australian innovations can be harnessed to help people around the world.
The Australian Government has introduced a range of initiatives that are designed to create more success stories, not only in the field of health and medical technology but also more broadly in growth sectors such as advanced manufacturing, resources, and cyber security.
For example, last week I announced the opening of a second funding round for the Global Innovation Linkages program which provides Australian businesses and researchers with funding to work with global partners on science, research and development projects.
In the first round, nine Australian organisations shared in almost $8.7 million in funding, and a total of $8 million is on offer in this round, with individual grants of up to $1 million.
I encourage Australian research organisations and businesses to work together to apply, as well as international partners to pursue opportunities to work with Australia.
Last week, I was also pleased to launch a $20 million Small and Medium Enterprises Export Hubs Initiative to help SMEs grow, export and generate local and regional jobs.
The initiative will support the establishment and operation of hubs where businesses can work together to export through activities such as developing collective brands, taking advantage of local infrastructure, and connecting to global supply chains.
The initiative will provide matched funding of up to $1.5 million for up to four years, and will see great Australian companies team up with each other to open export opportunities.
The ASEAN community is already one of Australia's most significant trading partners.
Five of Australia's top 15 trading partners are ASEAN members , and the value of our total annual trade with 5 ASEAN stands at more than $100 billion.
Australia has also recently amended our free trade agreement with Singapore. The upgrade to the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement is a major outcome of the Singapore Australia Comprehensive Partnership, building on one of Australia's most successful free trade agreements.
It builds on the strong partnership that already exists between Singapore and Australia.
But what is most important is not the quantity or dollar value of our trade—it is that we share a vision of open markets and the free flow of goods, services, capital and ideas.
The ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement underpins our trade relationship, and is complemented by our bilateral FTAs with Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.
More recently, Prime Minister Morrison and President Widodo announced the conclusion of negotiations on the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
This will open up diverse opportunities for businesses from both countries—helping to drive two-way trade and investment and create jobs in Australia and Indonesia.
I am also encouraged by the negotiations between ASEAN, Australia and other countries in the region to deliver a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
This would be a landmark agreement that would account for almost half of the world's population, more than 30 per cent of global GDP, and more than a quarter of world exports.
Turning now to the third area where I see an opportunity for Australia to engage more closely with ASEAN nations—supporting girls and women to study and pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, collectively known as STEM.
I mentioned earlier that I studied mechanical engineering at university.
In fact, I was one of the first two female graduates from the Queensland University of Technology, and I then pursued a career in what was a very male-dominated profession.
Unfortunately, gender imbalance remains in place today right across the STEM fields.
As the new Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, one of my personal goals is to do what I can to change this and ultimately ensure women excel in STEM studies and careers.
A 2016 report from the Office of Australia's Chief Scientist found that women comprise only 16 per cent of the qualifies STEM population, and only 27 per cent of the STEM workforce.
2015 research by PricewaterhouseCoopers indicated that changing just 1 per cent of our workforce into STEM-related roles could as $57 billion to our GDP over 20 years.
Given STEM skills are vital to solving challenges in a range of areas—from health to space travel to poverty—we simply cannot afford to miss out on the talents of half the population.
So I'm pleased we're now adopting a range of initiatives to increase gender equity in STEM.
For example, we're developing a Women in STEM Strategy to help coordinate our efforts, as well as a 10-year roadmap to achieve sustained increases in women's STEM participation.
We're also appointing a Women in STEM Ambassador to advocate for gender equity, and we're developing a toolkit to help young girls understand what a STEM career can involve.
I believe there's also the potential to work more with regional partners to address this issue.
We've been approached by countries such as Japan, India and others looking to understand what we are doing and how they might learn from our experience.
I know that Singapore also faces similar challenges to Australia, and I'm pleased that we've recently started to work together on this issue.
For example, my predecessor, Michaelia Cash, joined Ms Ho Ching, the wife of Singapore's Prime Minister and CEO of wealth fund Temasek, at a Women in Business breakfast in Sydney in March, and also took part in a Women in STEM Roundtable in Singapore in June.
Our nations also contribute to the APEC Women in STEM initiative which includes an APEC-wide survey of initiatives to increase the number of women in STEM courses and careers.
As part of this, Australia will host a workshop in Brisbane next month on promoting women's economic progress through STEM, and I expect many ASEAN nations to attend.
Today, I would also like to propose a new international initiative directed at supporting women in STEM—the establishment of an ASEAN Women in Innovation Leaders Dialogue.
This will provide an opportunity to discuss shared challenges, learn about country-specific programs, and explore options for multilateral initiatives to promote women in STEM.
I plan to invite my ASEAN counterparts to attend an inaugural dialogue next year, and am confident we can work together to overcome barriers for women in STEM across our region.
I can tell you my own passion for STEM disciplines remains just as strong today as it was when I began my studies, and I am determined to see more women progress in these fields.
As I said at the outset, I feel it is timely to be visiting Singapore during the Australian Festival of Innovation.
Vice-Chancellor and a Nobel Laureate, is the keynote speaker, given his outstanding contribution to global scientific endeavour.
Working together is the lifeblood of innovation, and so I invite ASEAN countries to partner with Australia to seize the economic opportunities and contribute to a stable and secure region.
I trust we will work together and learn even more from each other in the years ahead.


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The problem with Universal Credit isn't the phone lines—it's the whole cruel system
Theresa May has u-turned on far smaller policy issues and after much less pressure. It's time to scrap this one, too—before even more people suffer
by Dawn Foster	/ October 18, 2017 / Leave a comment
Rent must be paid—so electricity, food and transport are often the first to go. Photo: PA
A few years ago, I learnt to visit nearby coffee shops before visiting interview subjects about benefits. After twice meeting people mortally embarrassed that they couldn't offer tea or coffee, because they were struggling to afford electricity, I started calling them to offer to collect a drink for them. Now, with Universal Credit delays, I've learnt to pick up sandwiches too.
The delays built into Universal Credit are extreme: no one I've spoken to has waited for less than six weeks; some have waited four months. Few people I know have enough money to support themselves entirely without earnings—those who do have savings could only make them last for a week or two with housing costs. Most people applying for Universal Credit don't have savings at all, having either lived on subsistence benefits or supplemented their income with benefits to make ends meet.
Nearly all of them have a difficult choice to make. If you don't pay your rent, you'll be evicted and made homeless—the Observer reports half of people receiving the housing element of Universal Credit are a month behind with their rent, and one in three are two months behind.
The only option for most people stuck waiting for payments is to cut their food bill, and cease using electricity and central heating. A veteran I spoke to this week hadn't eaten for four days and had been without electricity for that whole period. An employee of a large city council told me they'd spoken to a woman who was behind with her rent due to Universal Credit delays, and were shocked to hear she was eating twice a week while waiting for payments to come through.
The news from David Gauke, the work and pensions secretary, that the helpline for claimants will be free by Christmas will barely comfort those being shifted onto the system. The fact that calls to the line cost 55p per minute from mobiles was financially ruinous for many claimants, who were often on hold for 30 minutes at a time and reported being cut off and having to rejoin the queue, swiftly eating up their phone credit. The announcement represents a big political win for the Labour party, after a sustained, high pressure campaign against the helpline costs.
Yet the main…
20218387055d2d201ab7e829.24899027
Universal credit's online application could shut out those who need it most
Jason Murugesu / February 7, 2019
The DWP say that claimants can use libraries and job centre computers to apply to the...
Who will replace Theresa May as Prime Minister?
Asa Bennett / May 24, 2019
May has announced her resignation. But who will replace her?
PointNemo
It may be that the DWP have long standing evidence of historic overpayments of £hundreds of millions which claimants have not refunded - and that it is therefore important to be precise on all details before the first payment ios made? It may also be that as Labour scan every element of life on which to criticise the government, this is a subject which allows the public to express a simplistic opion of unfairness, such as typicall promoted promoted by Labour, in this case by MP Lisa Nandy on 19th October Question Time. And no mention in this article of acess to an immediate tiding-over loan. It's worth remembering that when the government acts with finacial prudence, it's our tax payers' money they are protecting - the 6 week delay is there for a reason.
Do late payment of Universal credit imply that backpayments will also be made?
Do late payment of Universal credit imply that back payments will also be made?
Dawn Foster is a writer with a focus on politics and social affairs. She is a contributing editor at Guardian Housing and the author of Lean Out (Repeater Books, 2016)
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Tom knew how to get to the hotel and told Kaylee not to follow the GPS.
"You have been there before?" She said, after slowing for a slightly wobbly street person who walked across the street in the middle of the block and waved thanks at her.
"Drumming up business, are you?" Kaylee laughed.
"I'd buy a bunch and give them away, try to drum up business for you." Kaylee winked as she merged on to the highway.
A small smile crossed his lips, then a far away look settled in his eyes and Tom looked out the window and remained quiet for a few minutes.
"Kidding, just poking at the pity-pot for a moment." Tom gave a crooked smile. But there was some truth that glinted in his eyes. A sadness that he didn't cover up quickly enough for Kaylee to miss.
It was a horrid sadness of soul, a soul that she cared for.
"On the subject of the hotel, have you been there before?" She changed the subject back.
"I bet." Tom laughed at his own joke.
Kaylee gave him a sideways look.
"That was terrible." She said with a crooked smile shaking her head.
Guiding the electric SUV to a parking slot, she overshot the painted line of the parking stall and began to struggle slightly getting it straight.
Outside, a woman got out of her small hybrid and started to berate them though the glass of the Tesla.
Kaylee got a look in her eye that Tom had seen once before.
He had seen the look when she stomped a man twice her size nearly to death, and this look was just the same, but this time, he saw it up close along with the white knuckles of the warrior woman.
"NO! No, Kay! No!" He grabbed at her hand.
"Lady, go into the casino where you belong. You no clue what you are talking about." Kaylee's temper was a nuclear furnace.
"It does not use any kind of oil. No diesel, no gas, no propane." Tom said.
"What?" The woman pronounced it "wut" and blinked in confusion.
Taken aback, the woman shook her head.
"You lie. There is no such thing." She looked at the back of the Model X.
"No tailpipe, witch." Kaylee called over her shoulder while they left her looking at the dark windowed car with the electric-car tag hanging on the mirror.
"Yeah, I know, she is still looking over the Tesla." Tom laughed as they walked across the parking lot.
They made their way into the casino and to the check-in desk.
The clerk did not bother to look up when Kaylee stepped up to the counter.
Another voice from around the corner.
"Steve, go over there, I have this." It was a dapper woman with a the air of Captain Watson, all professional.
"Very good. Do you need the rental returned for you and we will arrange a limo for your use later, on the house." Erika said.
"Black Tesla rental, in the electric only parking stall." Kaylee said.
"Very good," Erika nodded to a young man who was standing within earshot, who walked up and took the key from Kaylee and headed out to the car.
"Mister Harte? This way, please." It was an impeccably dressed man with a Mid-Atlantic accent wearing a name tag Gene Childs, Hotel Manager.
"Tom. Please, call me Tom." He smiled. "I ask you that every time I arrive.
Riding the elevator up, Kaylee looked over in front of Tom and tapped his hand.
"Tom's family…" She thought for a moment and looked down.
The doors opened, there was no hallway. They stepped out directly into a frosted glass foyer with a wooden door.
"Thank you, Gene." Tom said as the elevator chimed and the young man walked in with their bags.
"Thank you, again." Tom smiled.
Two hotel staff members stepped inside the elevator and the doors slid silently shut.
"Old, fat and ugly." He said as he walked to the door and pressed the button on the key and unlocked the door to the suite.
She kicked Tom in the backside.
The walls moved on command when Tom tapped the buttons on the remote control.
Three hundred-sixty degree views of Las Vegas and the surrounding mountains took her breath away.
"A few, I don't count. Usually, I stay on the Pacific Wizard." Tom said as he sat down in a sculpted leather chair that looked out over the landscape.
"They should have the full spectrum." Tom nodded, looking out the window.
"If you want. But if you open it, you better drink it. That is about three-hundred dollars you have in your hand." He said as he kicked his shoes off.
"What are you up to, hun?" She asked while he pulled off his shirt.
"Thinking about jumping into the pool." Tom said.
"There's a pool?" She turned around, nearly dropping a full bottle of Pyrate Rum, with "Cask Special" on the label.
Tom watched her jump in the penthouse pool, her skin shimmered in the ripples of the clear pool water. He didn't laugh, in fact, it saddened him on a deep level. Until a little while ago, she was his wife.
This troubled him on so many levels, he was not sure he could count them all.
But he was going to have one last night of love with a twenty-two-year-old art student and martial arts master with the moves of a gymnast.
"I'll give you a body shampoo, before we go to bed." She yelled from the far end of the pool while he sat in the shallow end, with his arm perched above the water.
Tom chuckled, that was a plus. He had spots he could not reach.
It was a lesson about how important each of his hands were.
*A serious lesson.* He pulled at his earlobe with his good hand while he watched the young woman swim in the private pool forty stories in the air.


text:
Twin blasts near Damascus military compound
Attempt to strike at Syria's military leadership comes six weeks after massive bomb killed four top security officials.
Syrian state television said six people were wounded in twin explosions in Damascus that appeared to target the country's military leadership.
Damascus residents said on Sunday that the explosions occurred at a security building in the Abu Rummana district, not far from the compound housing the army and air force headquarters near the central Umayyad Square.
All of those injured were male conscripts, Syrian television said. Two of them were reported to be in a critical condition.
The opposition Syrian Local Coordination Committee reported scores of deaths in fighting in Damascus, its subrubs, and Hama on Sunday.-
Video footage from activists showed plumes of white smoke rising from the district, an upscale neighbourhood in the heart of Damascus that is home to several embassies.
"A terrorist attack with two bombs occurred in Al-Mehdi Street in the Abu Rummana district," state television said.
The area contains several security service buildings, as well as the office of Vice-President Faruq al-Shara. The explosion occurred near a security services building which is tasked with protecting the army's general staff.
In July, a bombing killed four members of President Bashar al-Assad's top circle of security advisers, including his brother-in-law.
FSA responsible
The Ahfad al-Rasul [Grandchildren of the Prophet] brigade of the rebel Free Syrian Army claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on Facebook, in which it also threatened to attack Assad's palace.
"This operation was carried out in response to the massacres in Daraya," said the statement, referring to the killing last week of at least 330 people in a town near Damascus. Regime and rebel forces blamed each other for the massacre.
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton reported from Antakya, Turkey, that the attack on the heart of the military complex was a symbolically important one.
"If this has an impact on moral, a psychological impact on the Syrian forces, we may see a lot more people defecting," she said.
"This group [the Grandchildren of the Prophet Brigade] isn't that new, they are one of the many brigades trying to cause mayhem and havoc inside of Damascus," she said.
Also on Sunday, state media reported that a car bomb explosion near a mosque at Sbeneh in the southern outskirts of the capital on Saturday killed 15 people. Sbeneh is a poor neighbourhood where anti-government sentiment is strong.
The latest explosions come after a car blast in the southeastern suburb of Jaramana on August 28 which killed at least 27 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Britain-based activist group also said that more than 4,100 civilians were killed in the month of August alone. This brought the death toll up to an alarming amount of more than 26,000 people.
The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, says close to 1,600 people died last week. Activists blame the high number of civilian casualties on the Syrian military's shelling campaign.
Change 'unavoidable'
Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN-Arab League Special Representative for Syria, told Al Jazeera on Saturday that "change [in Syria] is necessary, indispensable, unavoidable".
He backed away from calling for President Bashar al-Assad to leave office, and indicated that he would seek a negotiated outcome.
Lakhdar Brahimi speaks with Al Jazeera
"It is too early to speak about who should go and who should stay. This is not a step backwards," he told Al Jazeera.
"Mr Assad is there and is the president of the present government. Kofi talked to him, and I will talk to him."
Brahimi had previously come out unequivocally against foreign intervention, arguing that this would escalate the conflict.
Meanwhile, Arab monarchies in the Gulf criticised the regime for deploying heavy weapons against civilians while ordering Iran not to interfere in their internal affairs.
The six members of the Gulf Co-operation Council at a meeting in Jeddah on Sunday also urged the international community to "assume their responsibilities and take measures to protect civilians" in Syria.
The GCC in a statement issued after the meeting in the Saudi western city condemned "the ongoing massacres which are due to the obstinacy of the regime in using heavy weapons, including planes and tanks" against civilians.
The monarchies ordered Iran to halt its "interference" in their internal affairs, citing an incident at the opening of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran when an official interpreter reportedly replaced the word "Syria" with "Bahrain" in a speech by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.
They asked their powerful neighbour to "cease these acts and not resort to or threaten to use force".
External LinkEXTERNAL LINK
Syria's War
Three years since the start of the uprising, nine million people have been displaced by fighting.
Brahimi says change 'unavoidable' in Syria
New UN Syria envoy says change is "necessary, indispensable, unavoidable" but hints he will not call for Assad to quit.
From: Inside Syria
Is Syria in a state of civil war?
As fighting escalates, we ask why the international community is reluctant to call the conflict a civil war.


Minstrel In The Gallery / Cross Eyed Mary. This Is Not Love. Rocks On The Road. Heavy Horses. Like A Tall Thin Girl. Still Loving You Tonight. Thick As A Brick. A New Day Yesterday. Blues Jam. Jump Start.
Ian Anderson - Flute, Mandolin, Harmonica, Acoustic Guitar & Vocals.
Great Recording - But yet another dismal failure at a 'LIVE' Tull show recording.


The Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst, New Brunswick is recruiting a full-time Pediatrician. The successful applicant will perform duties with considerable clinical independence in the diagnosis, care and treatment of medical disorder within the scope of his or her specialty. He or she will practice with independent judgment, deliver services to in and outpatients, and act as consultant to other physicians. He or she will be responsible for pediatric care to the population in Zone 6. The candidate is expected to participate in the teaching of students and residents in medicine.


The only way to finish a brilliantly curated collection of menswear is with an equally brilliant selection of high quality designer men's shoes. From luxurious Italian leather Oxfords to more casual styles, we offer shoes and boots constructed from the world's best materials and designed by the finest brands.
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However, a high-quality shoe helps to avert these alarming problems because they provide support for our body weight, protection from injuries and provision of comfort.
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What Counts As a Men's Dress Shoe?
To find an ideal and quality dress shoe, it's highly essential to know the meanings relating to their respective names, the reason and the best time to wear them, and ultimately how to style them. Men's dress shoes can be worn to both formal and semi-formal events, as well as special occasions including wedding ceremonies, dates or dinner, and business meetings, to mention a few.
All men's shoes are generally designed to have a few comparable parts. Dress shoes typically have the upper part- consisting of the toe and vamp for covering the forepart of the foot, and the back part which includes the quarters while bottom part is the sole and it consists of layers of either natural/artificial leather or rubber.
But the quality of a dress shoes is technically determined by the type of material used for the design, the details inscribed on them and the extent of the piece of exceptional craftsmanship. The most frequent and preferable material used is leather. In fact, most dress shoes are skillfully made with 100% genuine leather stitched together to create a stylish, comfortable, and durable shoe.
More importantly, as a gentleman or a casual man, possessing a pair of dress shoes is a basic necessity. Dress shoes give you a suitable combination to your outfit and make you look appropriate for every occasion. The shoes pull the entire outfit together making you look exceptional; they are the climax of your style and give you a great image.
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Most men's shoes can be worn formally and semi-formally but we suggest not wearing Oxfords with jeans or khakis, but instead saving them for your formal attire only.
Originally, the brown leather brogue is from the marshy bogs of Scotland and was designed with real holes to drain out water. It has a traditional perforation at the upper layer which gives it a distinct character which is absent in other shoes. Brogues are very versatile, but there are some limitations when a light brown shoe is paired with dark suits.
Nonetheless, the medium dark brown design looks great on all suit colors except black.
Leather Brogue boots are mutually compatible with both jeans and suits; however, they can also be used for rugged or field jobs. So for a cool casual and stylish pair of shoes, that refine your outfit, you need a brogue that pairs with a button-down shirt and a complementary denim jean.
The Slip-on loafer was initially made as house dress shoe for King George IV. They are practical shoes without lace but make you super comfortable. Loafers make your feet have a perfect shape even without wearing socks. They're perhaps the best footwear for the summer, and more suitable for everyday wear as opposed to more formal footwear.
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Are you interested in looking exceptional yet staying elegant and stylish in your fashion game? The Monk Strap dress shoe is the best match for you! Similar to an Oxford in pattern and silhouette but it's distinguished with the fastening system of either single or double-buckle closure. It has a full leather strap across the upper of the shoe which makes it unique in adding prestige to your whole look.
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From Mother India to Today's Moms, What Has Been The Journey Of Single Mothers In Hindi Films?
From being relegated to the background, to being the stars of their own stories, single mothers in Hindi films, (including unwed moms) have traversed a long journey.
Tags:mothers daytopical
Be it by choice or by circumstance, women often have to raise their children on their own. Being a single mother brings with it a host of unique challenges. We have seen single mothers in Hindi films in a variety of avatars – some stereotypical, and others full, rounded personalities.
The single mother as the 'ideal woman'
Perhaps the mother of all single mothers, is Mother India (1957), starring Nargis. Itself a remake of Mehboob Khan's 1940 film, Aurat, the movie's title was "chosen to counter American author Katherine Mayo's controversial 1927 book titled Mother India, which vilified Indian culture." Filled with allusions to Hindu mythology, it starred Nargis as Radha, who symbolized the 'ideal Indian woman', who goes so far as to sacrifice even her own son to protect another woman, and thereby becomes a maternal figure in her village. While the debates still rage about whether the portrayal was feminist or riddled with stereotypes, it undoubtedly placed the single mother front and center.
Coming as it did, just a decade after India gained its independence, the film is said to have a nationalist core.
The single mother as the 'fallen woman'
The single mother in Hindi films who was the 'fallen woman', was usually an unwed mother.
In Aradhana (1969), Sharmila Tagore plays an unwed mother who lets her son be raised by someone else, without revealing her relationship to him, to protect him from social stigma. A few years later, Julie (1975), not only dealt with the stigma around unwed mothers, but also the taboo against inter-religious relationships.
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In Kya Kehna (2000) Preity Zinta stars as a college student who is impregnated by a boyfriend who jilts her. Unlike earlier movies, where unwed mothers received no support from family and had to hide themselves away while pregnant, this movie showed Preity's character receiving support from family and friends and continuing her education. She even makes an impassioned public speech, asking for empathy towards mothers like her. However, the movie, while progressive on the surface, "reaffirms traditional stereotypes of women in which their behavior is carefully controlled within a patriarchal framework," as argued by Hope Marie Childers, in her thesis, "You Go Girl!" Nationalism and Women's Empowerment in the Bollywood film Kya Kehna, (2002).
In some cases, the 'fallen women' were those who were married, but who were forced by circumstance into a life that lacked conventional respectability.
Suchitra Sen starrer, Mamta (1966) told the story of a single mother who becomes a tawaif and who gives away her child, to ensure the child's well-being. It was a much praised portrayal that earned Suchitra Sen a Best Actress Filmfare nomination. It did however, lean heavily on the 'virtuous prostitute', stereotype.
Similarly, in Bhavna (1984), Shabana Azmi gives a power packed performance as a woman who is forced to become an escort, to support her son, after being abandoned by her husband.
The single mother as the 'prop'
Sadly, in too many Bollywood movies, the single mothers are treated as props, either relegated to the background or used to further the hero's story. Usually presented as overly suffering, self-effacing and oppressed, they existed, simply as the "motivation" for their macho son/s.
Think Nirupa Roy in Deewar (1975), Waheeda Rehman in Trishul (1978), Nutan in Meri Jung (1985), and Rakhee in Ram Lakhan (1989) or Karan Arjun (1995).
The single mother as the 'unlikeable woman'
As the 'unlikeable woman' in Bollywood has evolved, so has her portrayal as a single mother. While earlier movies vilified them, later movies have shown a bit more understanding.
In Kaagaz Ki Nao (1975), Helen played a single mother who is portrayed as a "lustful" woman. Her daughter's suicide is shown to be a reaction to her "loose morals."
While Aruna Irani in Beta (1992), is technically not a single mother, she effectively is the only parent that Anil Kapoor's character has. She is portrayed as the quintessential "evil step-mother," who learns her lesson in the end.
Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995) is one of those rare movies in which the single mother is not widowed or unwed, but separated from her spouse. In a performance that earned her a Best Actress nomination, Manisha Koirala plays a woman who chooses to leave behind her husband and child to pursue a career. Her character is not shown as purely "bad" but is shown to have shades of grey. While the film even shows an ugly custody battle, it has a clichéd ending in which the couple reconciles.
Dimple Kapadia in Dil Chahta Hai (2001), plays Tara, a divorcee with an alcohol problem, whose ex-husband is keeping her daughter from her. Her angst at not being able to be with her daughter is explored with great sensitivity.
Divya Seth in Jab We Met (2007), and Neetu Singh, in Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012), both have limited, but important and unconventional roles as mothers who leave their husbands and children to be with their lovers. While they are initially misunderstood by their estranged children, they do eventually reconcile.
The independent, supportive single mother with the backstory of her own
Unlike some older movies, where the single mother who is not the central character is relegated to being a "prop" for the lead actors, recent movies have taken the effort to flesh out the single mother character. They are not the main protagonists, but they are also not weepy and dependent women. They have identities and backstories of their own.
Rekha in Dil Hai Tumhaara (2002), for instance is an efficient and popular town mayor who has single handedly raised not only her own daughter (Mahima Chaudhary) but also the character played by Preity Zinta, who is the daughter of the woman her late husband was having an affair with. Her complicated feelings towards this latter child, are an important plot point.
Kirron Kher, in Om Shanti Om (2007), actually parodied the typical "mom as prop" depictions of single moms, via her character, Bela. Unlike the moms she parodied, her role in the film was quite meaty, and she received appreciation for what she brought to the role.
An all-time fan favourite mom, is Ratna Pathak Shah as Savitri in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008). She is a fierce feminist and activist, and her camaraderie with her son, was a delight to audiences.
Other on-screen single moms, like Suhasini Mulay in Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Jaya Bachchan in Kal Ho Na Ho (2003),Waheeda Rehman and Kirron Kher in Rang De Basanti (2006), Arundhati Nag in Paa (2009), Dolly Ahluwalia in Vicky Donor (2012), Swarup Sampat in Ki and Ka (2016), Sheeba Chaddha in Badhaai Ho (2018), and Dia Mirza in Thappad(2020) also won hearts with their performances.
The single mother as the 'star of her own story'
Even better than the portrayals of single mothers as the supportive 'side' characters, are the films where they are the main protagonist. While their relationship with their children is important to them, and often a big part of the movie, the movies also look beyond their identity as 'mother', and explore their ambitions, desires and motivations.
Khoon Bhari Maang (1988) stars Rekha as a wronged woman, who avenges herself and fights to rescue her children from her second husband. In Samay (2003), Sushmita Sen plays a cop trying to solve a series of murders, whose relationship with her daughter becomes a crucial plot point.
In Aaja Nachle (2007), Madhuri Dixit plays a divorced single mother, who returns to her hometown to save a dying theatre from being turned into a mall. Fanaa (2006), had Kajol playing a disabled single mother –her character Zooni, is blind. While the movie itself didn't do too well at the box office, Kajol's performance was praised.
Paa (2009), as the title suggests is ostensibly about a boy's relationship with his father. However, it is Vidya Balan who steals the show in her performance as an unwed single mother.
Deepti Naval's performance in Listen… Amaya (2013), as Leela, an older single mother, whose grown-up daughter doesn't approve of her falling in love at her age, is greatly acclaimed.
In Haider (2014), an adaptation of Hamlet, Tabu played Ghazala, the counterpart of Gertrude. While she isn't the lead character, her role is crucial, and the movie just would not be the same without her. In fact, as one reviewer wrote, "the meat of Haider goes to Tabu, overpowering as gorgeous Ghazala, desirous of desire, blown away by guilt."
Jazbaa (2015), is a crime thriller that stars Aishwarya Rai as a single mother, who is forced to defend a rapist in court when her daughter is kidnapped.
A classic and much loved performance, is that of Swara Bhasker in Nil Battey Sannata (2015), a housemaid who joins her teen daughter's school as a classmate to motivate her to study. With great sensitivity and grace, Swara brings to life a mother who wants better things for her daughter.
Kajol, in Helicopter Eela (2018), plays a single mother who smothers her son with her constant "hovering." While the movie didn't do spectacularly well, and was criticized for a surface level exploration of a single mother's life, Kajol's performance and the message that there is more to a woman's life than "mothering" did garner some praise.
While the way single mothers are portrayed on screen is certainly improving, there is still a long way to go. Few films are accurately able to capture the realities of bringing up a child with minimal support, while battling social stigma against being unwed/widowed/divorced.
No film, to my knowledge, has explored the lives of single women who adopt children. Nor have films sufficiently explored the struggles of single mothers who are disabled, who suffer from mental health challenges, who belong to the LGBTQIA community etc.
Single mothers are not a monolith. The danger of a single story is always prevalent. Which is why we need more films that explore their diverse and rich lives, by making them the protagonists. We hope that as more such characters come to screen, we see and hear more diverse stories.
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Kajol's New Movie, Helicopter Eela Is Bollywood's Take On Single Mothers In India
The trailer of Kajol's new film 'Helicopter Eela' was released recently. Its an emotional journey of a single mother and her son.
Madhura Chandana
The trailer of Kajol's new film Helicopter Eela was released recently. It seems to be an emotional journey of a single mother and her son.
India is a country where marital status defines the worthiness of a woman. She will be called 'too ambitious', if she prioritises her career over marriage and family. If in case a woman chooses to be a single mother, then the challenges she would face are innumerable.
With the recently released movie trailer of Helicopter Eela, starring Kajol and National Award Winning Actor Riddhi Sen as her son, Bollywood is all set to throw some light on the issues of single parenting in India.
Kudos To The Single Mom Who Raised Miss India 2018 Anukeerthy Vas!
Miss India 2018 Anukeerthy Vas, raised by a single mother, yet again bears testimony to the fact that single mothers are raising strong, independent children despite adversities.
Jennifer Hanna Charles
One of things that drove and inspired Anukeerthy Vas in her journey that lead to her successfully becoming the 55th Femina Miss India ,was her mother.
Single mothers raising strong daughters!
Raising a child is no cakewalk, especially for a single parent. It's comparatively more harder for a women living in a patriarchal society like India. Then, there's the case of single mothers, many a times abandoned because of giving birth to daughters. But stop! Don't pity them; they are excellent parents who've nurtured and shaped successful children.


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Q: Saving Data from a gridview into a local database in asp.net I am currently writing a piece of code where the user is supposed to insert a few information about an employee and press one button populate for populating a gridview and another one to save the information in gridview into a local database. While running the what I wrote so far there is a consistent error saying "SqlExeption was unhandled by the user code. I have been trying to fix it but without success. It complains on conn.Open();
This is that specific piece of code:
protected void SaveButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    string StrQuery;

    try
    {
        using (SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(@"Data Source = C:\EmployeeWebProject\EmployeeWebProject\App_Data\EmployeeDatabase.sdf"))
        {
            using (SqlCommand comm = new SqlCommand("SELECT * FROM Employee"))
            {
                comm.Connection = conn;

                conn.Open();

                for (int i = 0; i < GridView1.Rows.Count; i++)
                {
                    StrQuery = @"INSERT INTO Employee VALUES ("
                                + GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[0].ToString() + ", "
                                + GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[1].ToString() + ", "
                                + GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[2].ToString() + ", "
                                + GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[3].ToString() + ", "
                                + GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[4].ToString() + ");";
                    comm.CommandText = StrQuery;
                    comm.ExecuteNonQuery();
                }
            }
        }
    }
    finally
    {
    }
}

A: To avoid SQL injection and use properly parametrized queries, and also use the SQL Server CE connection and command objects, try this code:
protected void SaveButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    string StrQuery;

    try
    {
        // define connection string and INSERT query WITH PARAMETERS
        string connectionString = @"Data Source = C:\EmployeeWebProject\EmployeeWebProject\App_Data\EmployeeDatabase.sdf";
        string insertQry = "INSERT INTO Employees(Col1, Col2, Col3, Col4, Col5) " +
                           "VALUES(@Col1, @Col2, @Col3, @Col4, @Col5);";

        // define connection and command for SQL Server CE
        using (SqlCeConnection conn = new SqlCeConnection(connectionString))
        using (SqlCeCommand cmd = new SqlCeCommand(insertQry, conn))
        {
            // add parameters to your command - adapt those *as needed* - we don't know your table structure,
            // nor what datatype (and possibly length) those parameters are !
            cmd.Parameters.Add("@Col1", SqlDbType.Int);
            cmd.Parameters.Add("@Col2", SqlDbType.VarChar, 100);
            cmd.Parameters.Add("@Col3", SqlDbType.VarChar, 100);
            cmd.Parameters.Add("@Col4", SqlDbType.VarChar, 100);
            cmd.Parameters.Add("@Col5", SqlDbType.VarChar, 100);

            conn.Open();

            for (int i = 0; i < GridView1.Rows.Count; i++)
            {
                // set parameter values
                cmd.Parameters["@Col1"].Value = Convert.ToInt32(GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[0]);
                cmd.Parameters["@Col2"].Value = GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[1].ToString();
                cmd.Parameters["@Col3"].Value = GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[1].ToString();
                cmd.Parameters["@Col4"].Value = GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[1].ToString();
                cmd.Parameters["@Col5"].Value = GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[1].ToString();

                cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
            }
        }
    }
    finally
    {
    }
}


text:
Live Nation Enhances Flexibility With Credit Agreement Amendment
LOS ANGELES, July 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: LYV) (the "company"), today announced an amendment to its existing credit agreement, which gives the company increased flexibility in its debt covenants.
"This amendment provides us additional financial flexibility so that Live Nation is ready to unite fans and artists quickly when the time is right," said Michael Rapino, President and Chief Executive Officer of Live Nation Entertainment. "Given our strong liquidity position, we believe the change to a liquidity test allows the seamless operation of our business over the next year, by which time we expect concerts to be returning to scale."
The amendment extends the time period during which Live Nation's maintenance covenant will focus on liquidity metrics, continuing the substitution of the net leverage covenant with the liquidity covenant under its existing senior secured credit agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, the lenders have agreed to further suspend Live Nation's net leverage covenant until December 31, 2021, unless the company elects to resume the net leverage covenant testing earlier. Previously, this suspension was due to last through September 30, 2020. In addition, the net leverage covenant test has been amended and increased on favorable terms.
Additional details on the terms of the amendment can be found on the company's Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the impact of the amendments to the company's credit agreement on the operation of its business in the next year, and the company's current expectations for when concerts will return to scale. Live Nation wishes to caution you that there are some known and unknown factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to uncertainty regarding the duration and magnitude of the global COVID-19 pandemic and its ancillary effects, operational challenges in achieving strategic objectives and executing on the company's plans, the risk that the company's markets do not evolve as anticipated, the potential impact of any economic slowdown and operational challenges associated with selling tickets and staging events.
Live Nation refers you to the documents it files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, specifically the section titled "Item 1A. Risk Factors" of the company's most recent Annual Report filed on Form 10-K, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K, which contain and identify other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the company's projections or forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date on which they are made. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements by or concerning Live Nation are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Live Nation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or otherwise.
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world's leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.
Live Nation Media Contact: Media@livenation.com; Live Nation Investor Contact: IR@livenation.com
CorporateLive Nation Entertainment


text:
Wildlife Photography - Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright
The Tiger is an iconic symbol of conservation. It is a heavily muscled, powerful predator that stalks and ambushes large prey, camouflaged by its stripy coat. Unlike other cats, Tigers are good swimmers and often cool off in lakes and streams during the heat of the day. Nine different subspecies of this carnivore are recognized, three of which became extinct in the latter part of the 20th century : the Bali , Javan and Caspian Tigers. The remaining subspecies are the Siberian, South China, Sumatran, Indochinese, Malayan and Bengal Tigers. Their characteristic dark, vertical stripes patterning the body vary in their width, spacing, and length, and whether they are single or double stripes. The pattern and distribution of the stripes is unique to each Tiger. Poaching and habitat loss have occurred throughout much of the Tiger's range and is now severely threatening its survival; as land becomes rapidly developed to meet the increasing demands of the Asian population, Tiger populations become isolated in remaining fragments of wilderness and will ultimately die out.
India is one of the most interesting and last remaining countries to view and photograph Tigers. It is a land of controlled chaos, teaming with sights and sounds, plus a profusion of cultures and races. The country is also rich in other wildlife, with hundreds of species of birds, plus Leopards, Asiatic Lions, Rhinos, Elephants, Bears, Gaurs and Wild Dogs, just to name a few. Visiting India is quite an exhausting flight for those who live in North America. It takes about 2 days, including layover to get there by plane. From Western Europe, it is about an 8 hour flight. Careful planning is required in order to get the most out of this long journey.
The two central Indian National Parks of Bandhavgarh and Kanha offer the best opportunity to view and photograph Tigers in their natural habitat. The duration of time spent in each park should be at least two to three full days to maximize one's chances of seeing Tigers and other wildlife. Safaris in open top Jeeps, along with elephant-back rides, help track Tigers and other animals. The parks' regulations require a guide to accompany any vehicle entering. The guides are generally very helpful and is a resource in tracking and finding wildlife although it is recommended to bring your own expert guide, if possible.
Bandhavgarh National Park, famous for its 'high'density of Tigers, contains 22 species of mammals and 250 species of birds, including Leopards, Jungle Cat, Muntjac and the only four-horned Antelope in the world, the Chausingha. Hemmed in by the Vindhyan mountain ranges, the Park is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Covering an area of 437 sq km, the Park encompasses dense forest, open meadows, wetlands and steep ridges. The Park is named after an ancient fort located in the area. It was once the hunting reserve of the kings of Rewa.
Kanha National Park, with its lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines, provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous novel, "The Jungle Book". The Park is located in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, came into being in 1955 and forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve, created in 1974 under Project Tiger. The Park's landmark achievement is the preservation of the rare hardground Swamp Deer (Barasingha), saving it from near extinction. Stringent conservation programs for the overall protection of the Park's fauna and flora, makes Kanha one of the most well maintained National Parks in Asia.
The parks are opened from November to June, although the best months to visit are between November to April. The temperatures in the earlier months are a bit more comfortable but to maximize sightings, March and April are the best, due to the warmer weather but May and June may be too hot for most visitors. Deer and other prey animals are forced to visit waterholes more often during the hotter months and this offers plenty of ambush opportunities for Tigers. Safaris start early with the Jeeps queuing up at the park entrance starting around 6 AM. Each trip usually lasts about 3 hours and the mid afternoon is a good time for the second safari. The temperature in the Parks can be very cold in the early mornings and gets warmer and hotter as the day progresses. The roads are unpaved, rough and dusty. Bumpy rides in the Jeep are guaranteed and part of the fun, with no extra charge.
No one is permitted to wander off on foot inside the parks and the Jeeps are small so a tripod or monopod is of little use. The vegetation is thick and the Tigers are experts in concealment. They can be almost 'invisible' in the thick jungle, just a few feet from you. I generally prefer to use a zoom lens since there is no telling where they may pop up but the best combo is to have two cameras ready. I use the Canon EOS-1D X, EOS-1D Mk IV and the EOS-7D cameras with the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x, EF 400mm f/4 DO IS, EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS or the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS lens. Visit my Equipment Bag on my website to see these gear. Since the lighting is usually fair to poor, I set the apertures of the lenses wide open with ISO setting of 800 and going all the way to 3200 if required.
It is truly a rare privilege for any photographer to come face to face with a Bengal Tiger in the wild. I came across this one year old cub and we exchanged eye contact for a little while before he disappeared into the bush. It was a very memorable moment for me and I will cherish it for a very long time. Visit my Wild Tigers page to see more exciting photos from India and visit my website MichaelDanielHo.com to see many more wildlife photos from around the world.
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