text:
Tracy Evans Smith (born March 15, 1945, in Altadena, California) is a former American distance runner. He was a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team, competing in the 10,000 meters. He was ranked multiple times by Track & Field News as the No. 1 U.S. 5,000- and 10,000-meter runner in the mid- to late '60s, and was a six-time AAU National Champion from 1966 to 1973, winning outdoors in the 3-mile, 6-mile and 10,000 meters, and three times in the indoor 3-mile. He was a three-time world record holder in the indoor 3-mile.

High School and College
Smith was a champion miler in high school, winning the California State Meet at Edwards Stadium, Berkeley, June 1, 1963, in 4:14.4  for Arcadia High. He was also the nation's fastest prep two-miler that year, ahead of Jim Ryun, with a national-prep-record time of 9:11.6, and was the fourth-fastest miler, nationally, in 1963, with a time of 4:12.6.

On July 4, 1963, University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman hosted an all-star high school mile race at Hayward Field, Eugene, OR, that was intended to pit Tracy Smith, the California state champion miler, against Dave Wilborn, Oregon's state champion miler. But the race evolved into a wild duel between Smith and a then relatively unknown 17-year-old miler from Spokane, WA, Gerry Lindgren. Over the final half mile, Smith would repeatedly surge into the lead only to be countered by Lindgren each time. In a sprint to the finish, Smith made a desperate dive, while Lindgren leaned at the tape for a narrow win in 4:12.9. That race marked the beginning of a decade-long duel between two men who would become the best distance runners of their era.

Smith graduated from Arcadia High in 1963 and attended Oregon State University, finishing sixth in the 3-mile at the 1965 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The following season, he finished second to rival Lindgren, now of Washington State University, over a six-mile course in 29:11, at the 1966 NCAA Cross Country Championships, at Lawrence, KS, Nov. 21, 1966. He would withdraw from Oregon St. after the fall cross-country season because he found the coaches' training regimen stifling. He would later earn his degree in 1973 from Long Beach State University, where he briefly coached the men's cross-country team.

Smith burst onto the international running scene March 20, 1966, becoming the first American to ever medal in the International Cross Country Championships, finishing third that year on the 7.5-mile course at Rabat, Morocco, with a time of 36:32.2, behind gold medalist Ben Assou El Ghazi of Morocco and silver medalist Derek Graham of Ireland.

World Records and AAU Championships
Smith was a three-time world record holder in the indoor 3-mile, first breaking the mark at the AAU Indoor Championships March 4, 1967, Oakland, CA, with a time of 13:16.2. He bettered his own indoor 3-mile world record, turning in a time of 13:15, March 1, 1968, at the Maple Leaf Games, Toronto. On Feb. 24, 1973, Smith, having come back from what many thought was a career-ending Achilles injury, and what he has often described as the highlight of his running career, thrilled a crowd of over 15,000 to once again break the world indoor 3-mile record at the AAU Indoor Championships at New York's Madison Square Garden in a time of 13:07.2.

Smith was the AAU Indoor Track and Field Champion in the 3-mile in 1966, 1967 and 1973. He was the AAU Outdoor Track and Field Champion in the 6-mile in 1966, the 10,000-meters in 1968, and the 3-mile in 1969. He was the Track & Field News No. 1-ranked U.S. 5,000-meter runner in 1969, and its No.1-ranked U.S. 10,000-meter runner in 1966 and 1968.

Olympics
On June 30, 1968, Smith ran the 10,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials prior to the Mexico City Games. In order to simulate the altitude of Mexico City, the 1968 Trials were held on a temporary, synthetic Tartan track, one of the first ever installed, amid granite boulders and 100-foot-high ponderosa pines (even in the track's infield) at Echo Summit, CA, in the Sierra Nevada, south of Lake Tahoe. At an altitude of 7,377 feet—nearly a mile-and-a-half high and 28-feet higher than the upcoming Mexico City Olympic venue—the 1968 Trials were the highest-altitude, world-class track meet ever staged in the U.S. The thin oxygen at such an altitude presented significant problems for the Olympic hopefuls, especially distance runners in the 10,000-meter race. Smith ran most of the race in the lead, trying to press the pace. He faded badly, however, with just over a lap remaining before gathering himself for a sprint over the final 200 meters to win, notably, over 1964 Tokyo Olympics 10,000-meter gold medalist Billy Mills in a time of 30:00.4. Smith would go on to finish 11th in the 1968 Olympics with a time of 30:14.6.

Smith, in a bid to make his second U.S. Olympic team, competed in the 5,000 meters on July 9, 1972, at the U.S. Olympic Trials, at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field in Eugene. Smith challenged hometown favorite Steve Prefontaine for most of the race until Prefontaine pulled away in dramatic fashion, setting an American record that would stand for 40 years with a time of 13:22.8. Smith finished fifth with a time of 13:44.8, failing by four seconds to qualify for his second Olympics.

International Track Association
From 1974 until its demise in 1976, Smith was a founding member of the upstart International Track Association, an organization that attempted to introduce professionalism to the sport by paying its athletes to compete in a series of track and field meets in a format similar to professional golf and tennis. This flew in the face of the AAU and the International Olympic Committee, which greeted the ITA with outright hostility, clinging to the timeworn Olympic credo that track and field athletes should be unpaid amateurs. The AAU immediately banned all ITA athletes and officials from participating in AAU-sanctioned meets. Likewise, ITA athletes received lifetime bans from Olympic participation. The AAU also pressured television networks from broadcasting ITA events. In addition to Smith, a number of world-class track and field stars had joined the ITA, including Bob Seagren, Lee Evans, Jim Ryun, Brian Oldfield, Kip Keino, Ben Jipcho and Marty Liquori. The ITA managed to stage over 51 meets during its existence, but its demise came shortly after the 1976 Montreal Olympics when most track and field athletes, intimidated by the AAU and the IOC, shied away from the ITA for fear of hurting their amateur status.

High School Coaching
Smith retired from international racing in the mid-'70s and settled in Bishop, CA, where he taught school and was an assistant track coach in charge of the boys and girls distance runners at Bishop Union High School. He helped mold the Bishop track teams into a regional powerhouse that won several team and individual Desert-Inyo League and CIF Southern Section Championships. Smith, a disciple of his 1968 Olympic coach Mihály Iglói, was an advocate of the intense interval-style training method that Iglói had introduced to the track world in the '60s, and deployed these methods with great success to train his high school runners.

In 1994, he moved his family to Bend, OR, where he served as head coach of the Crook County High School (Prineville, OR) cross country and track teams, as well as a special education teacher. In 2017, he coached the Crook County High School boys cross-country team to the 4A state championship, the school's first such title in 41 years. Smith was ecstatic for his runners after the team's win, telling The Bulletin (Bend, OR), "Oh, my gosh. What a great feeling. I haven't had a feeling like this since running in my younger days. I had a pretty good feeling with individual titles every now and then, but whoa. This is amazing."

Smith has since retired, but has continued his lifelong love of running.

References

Living people
1945 births
Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics
American male long-distance runners
Olympic track and field athletes of the United States
Oregon State Beavers men's track and field athletes


We hope you can make use of this real estate appraisal information. It is the easiest spot in Wrentham to find real estate statistics which aid significantly in real estate investment and real estate appraisal.
We're working to keep the real estate data better and more relevant to real estate investors. Our site is the easiest spot for investors to get historical home price records for the Wrentham area.
We've seen this place getting very popular amongst real estate brokers and investors. HomePriceRecords.com Wrentham is the easiest spot to find investing and appraisal information for the entire Wrentham area.


Want to connect more with your target audience?
Wondering how to deliver relevant social media content consistently?
Planning your social media content delivery keeps your marketing on-message, making it more likely that you'll reach your business goals.
In this article, you'll discover how to create a social media marketing content plan for your business.
How to Create a Social Media Marketing Content Plan in 7 Steps by Warren Knight on Social Media Examiner.
Whether you've been in business for 24 hours or 10 years, defining your target customer is a crucial part of your journey. You may be thinking it's easy to define your target customer based on the usual demographics, age, gender, etc.
However, you need to go beyond simply identifying your target customer's marital status, where they live, or what their hobbies are. In the era of the "experience," you have to give your customers an experience they'll fall in love with. For example, Uber and Airbnb have grown to be successful companies because they provide a great customer experience while fulfilling a need.
Put yourself in your target customers' shoes. What is their first thought when researching a product? How do they progress from there? Most importantly, what's the final question they ask before making a purchase? To better understand this exercise, let's analyze two hypothetical target customers: Rita and John.
Rita is a creative entrepreneur and visual in her approach to business and lifestyle. She's passionate and inquisitive, always asking questions before making a decision to buy a product or service. She calls her friends on the phone, and searches with Google and through social media. Rita's way of finding answers is through a Pinterest infographic or an Instagram post.
Here's how you might identify Rita's thought process when purchasing a product or service.
Outline the purchase process for your first target customer.
John is more analytical and methodical when it comes to a home and work/life balance. He's more interested in facts and figures than Rita, but like Rita, he talks to his friends and uses Google to gather information. He prefers LinkedIn's more B2B approach to getting answers to his questions.
Here's how you might identify John's approach to purchasing a product or service.
Outline the purchase process for your second target customer.
The three stages in the customer acquisition journey are always the same but with a different human approach. Your ideal customers are asking different questions, and your business can build trust by answering their questions and providing valuable content in the form of blog posts, images, infographics, and webinars.
By taking the time to understand how your target customer thinks, you'll better understand what content will resonate with them and how you can earn their trust.
Defining a goal for your social media efforts is crucial. Without a goal, you can't assess the success or failure of your plan. Let's look at three potential goals you may have and how to measure them.
Suppose you've spent 12 months building a closed community of people who have engaged with you and bought your product or service. You've grown a private Facebook group to 350 members, and while this may not seem like a lot (considering you have a database of 17,000+ email addresses), the group is by invitation only and full of nurtured customers.
Members in your Facebook group are more important than the fans on your Facebook page because they're engaging with you every day.
Unfortunately, Facebook's analytics don't offer much in the way of solid statistics for private Facebook groups, so consider using a third-party tool like Grytics.
Grytics provides a variety of stats for Facebook groups.
The biggest reason marketers use social media is to build brand awareness. The average person will spend close to two hours a day on social media, which is why brand awareness is a key goal for businesses.
You can find this data in Twitter Analytics.
You can find relevant Twitter stats in Twitter Analytics.
Engagement is the second most important metric businesses use to measure social media success. Boosting engagement helps you build brand trust, recommendations, and perception online. Engagement is particularly important on Facebook and Instagram because they prioritize posts with higher engagement, showing them in the feed before posts with less engagement.
Analyze engagement measures similar to those discussed above. In addition, take a closer look at the number of community members who reach out to you on a daily basis through retweets, likes, questions, and any other communication.
Targeting every social network without looking at each platform's demographics won't provide the results you're looking for. Before deciding which platforms to invest your time in, you need to do some research to find out which social networks attract your target customer. Focus on two key areas: network demographics and reciprocity across platforms.
Facebook has over 1.86 billion monthly active users. According to a Pew Research study from November 2016, 79% of online adults use Facebook. The breakdown by age is 18-29 (88%), 30-49 (84%), 50-64 (72%), and 65+ (62%). From a gender standpoint, a higher percentage of online women use Facebook (83%) than online men (75%).
Facebook users watch more than 100 million hours of video content on the platform daily. Since the launch of Facebook Live, there has been a 700% growth in video views, with people spending 3x longer watching live video than they do recorded video.
The Facebook Live map makes it easy for users to find live video broadcasts across the globe.
Twitter has 319 million monthly active users. According to the Pew study, 24% of online adult men and 25% of online adult women use Twitter. Eighty percent of Twitter's usage is through mobile.
Per Statista, 22.5% of Twitter users are between the ages of 25 and 34. The next largest age groups are 35-44 at 19.5% and 45-54 at 17.9%.
Instagram has 600 million monthly active users. By 2018, the network is projected to have 106+ million users in the U.S. alone. Instagram's worldwide mobile advertising revenue is expected to reach $2.81 billion in 2017.
Instagram skews female according to the Pew study, with 38% of online adult women using the platform compared to 26% of online adult men. Fifty-one percent of Instagram users access the platform daily, and 35% check the platform several times per day.
In 2016, Instagram released a new feature called Instagram Stories, which now has 200 million daily active users.
Instagram stories appear at the top of the news feed and Search & Explore page.
Per the Pew study, nearly one-third of adult Internet users are on Pinterest. Pinterest's demographics are less balanced than Twitter or Facebook, with 45% of online women using the network versus 17% of online men.
Still the B2B social network leader, LinkedIn has 106 million monthly unique visitors. The network has members in 200 countries and is available in 24 languages. According to the Pew study, 31% of online adult men use the network versus 27% of online adult women.
Forty percent of users check their account daily, and two new members join the network every second. More than 1 million LinkedIn users have published long-form content on the platform, and 160,000 long-form posts are published each week.
YouTube is the world's second-largest search engine and boasts 167.4 million unique YouTube users per month. Four hundred hours of YouTube video is uploaded every 60 seconds, and 58.2% of U.S. Internet users have a YouTube account.
In an average month, 80% of 18- to 49-year-olds watch YouTube. YouTube is a male-dominated network at 62%, with females at 38%. The user breakdown by age is 18-24 (11%), 25-34 (23%), 35-44 (26%), 45-54 (16%), 55-64 (8%), 65+ (3%), and unknown age (14%).
Users watch hundreds of millions of hours of YouTube videos every day.
Snapchat has 301 million monthly active users. The audience is predominantly young, with the company reporting the majority of users are younger than 24 years old and a sizeable portion are between the ages of 13 and 17. A quarter of Snapchat users access the service more than once per day, and the app ranks ahead of Tumblr and Twitter with U.S. Millennials for user engagement.
After looking at the demographics for each social network, consider the reciprocity across the main social media platforms. For example, if your target customers' chosen network is Facebook, how likely are they to use Twitter as well? Pew Research has a good breakdown of the percentage of users of each social media platform who use another social media platform.
Once you've decided which social networks to focus on, it's time to plan your content. The content you create needs to be specific, relevant, and unique, and not all about "you" as a business.
If your goal is to create content that's either the next big thing or a viral sensation, that's not realistic and the wrong approach to content creation. Instead, focus your efforts on creating content that will engage your target audience.
Now that you know who your audience is and where they hang out, get engaged in a two-way conversation and find out what kind of content your audience wants to consume. Run a Twitter poll or create an audience questionnaire to gather feedback.
Gather feedback from your audience with a Twitter poll.
When creating a questionnaire, decide what you want to achieve and choose your questions accordingly. To encourage more responses, consider offering a reward for completing the questionnaire.
Tip: Google Forms is an excellent free tool for creating professional-looking questionnaires and tracking results.
Another way to get the creative juices flowing is to talk to friends, colleagues, and family. Even if they aren't invested in your business, a conversation may spark content ideas you haven't already thought of. If your friends or family happen to be your typical target customer, that's even better. Don't be afraid to ask for their input.
Also look at your competitors. Follow your competitors online and see what works for them, and maybe it will work for you too. Don't copy their ideas or content, but do find inspiration for your own content. Create a Twitter list to segment the content they're sharing so you can easily find it.
Create a Twitter list to segment a group of accounts to follow for content inspiration.
Tip: Feedly is an excellent tool for researching your industry online. It can bring together hundreds of great pieces of content that can spark ideas for your own.
Next, choose a blog article title. Look at three types of keywords: transactional, informational, and navigational. A transactional keyword attracts people who are looking for the best or cheapest. An informational keyword touches on the "what" and "how," while establishing you as an expert. A navigational keyword helps people find what they're looking for and usually includes a brand name.
Incorporate transactional, informational, and navigational keywords in your blog post titles.
Introduction: pose an interesting fact/statistic.
Body: divide the information into bite-sized chunks.
Call to action: download a free guide or join a webinar, for example.
Once you know what content you want to create, you need to create a content plan similar to the one pictured below. Columns might include Month, Publish Date, Title/Description, Due Date, Type of Content (blog post, video, infographic, etc.), Target Audience, Distribution Channels (Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, company blog, etc.), and Keywords.
Create a content plan for your business.
Once you know what you'll be blogging about and when, as well as where you'll share it, start developing the supporting content you'll publish on social media.
When people hear information, they're likely to remember only around 10% of it 72 hours later. If you pair an image with this information though, people retain 65% more in the same amount of time.
Using video on social media can increase your click-through rates and including a video on a landing page helps boost conversion rates. Here are some types of video to incorporate into your social media marketing.
Since the introduction of Facebook Live, many businesses are turning to real-time live video marketing to connect with their customers. Instagram also released its own live video feature, Instagram Stories, and Snapchat's popularity has increased dramatically in the last 12 months.
Use live video on your social media channels to connect with your target audience.
The traditional way to market with video is to simply get in front of a camera and start recording. Use on-camera marketing to give your target audience an insight into your world.
YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, so use this to your advantage and create a YouTube channel. Think about starting small with a welcome video or a short introduction to a blog.
Tip: With YouTube cards, you can add a link to a lead generation product, while also encouraging your audience to watch another one of your videos or subscribe to your channel.
A screencast is a video recording of your computer screen, so it's a great way to run online training or record PowerPoint presentations. GoToWebinar is an effective tool for creating screencasts because it allows you to manage signups, presenters, and recordings.
If you're new to video marketing and prefer to stay off-camera, consider creating photo montages like the one below. Use a tool like Animoto to tell a story through a collection of images, with an overlay of text and music to give it a professional feel.
Think about using animation for explainer videos or even sketch-type videos. Animated video is slightly more complex than some of the other video options, but if you're feeling adventurous, take a look at tools like PowToon or VideoMakerFX.
A hybrid video is a combination of on-screen video and screen sharing. Talk directly to the camera to engage with your audience and then share your screen to show important information in a presentation. Try tools like Zoom, Skype, and YouTube Live.
Social media is about more than just publishing content. To establish yourself as a thought leader and trusted resource in your industry, you need to engage in two-way conversations. The more open you are and the more you use social media for customer service, the more likely your audience will feel safe. This puts them one step closer to purchasing from your business.
On average, it takes eight "touches" before a potential customer will buy from your business. With this in mind, think about ways you can use social media to shorten the process and turn a potential customer into a paying customer that much quicker.
Think of ways to use social media to reduce the number of touches it takes for prospects to make a purchase.
For example, suppose you meet a potential prospect at a tradeshow. You then follow him on both LinkedIn and Twitter. To engage with your prospect, you comment on one of his LinkedIn posts or retweet one of his posts on Twitter.
The prospect then sends you a direct message through LinkedIn. You ask for his email address and arrange for a 30-minute discovery call. The call goes well, so you set up an in-person meeting. After your meeting, you send a follow-up email and agree to start working with the prospect.
Measuring your success is the final step in your social media plan. You need to know if your efforts are delivering results for your business. Let's break this down into three areas: conversion, reach, and engagement.
Conversions help you determine whether you're driving sales from social media. If you're not, you'll need to change things up.
To help you analyze conversions easily and efficiently, you can download a social media dashboard that integrates with your Google Analytics. This will then give you all of the social data you need to measure conversions.
This social media dashboard integrates with Google Analytics and makes it easy to track conversions.
According to Statista, the number of worldwide social media users has reached 1.96 billion and is expected to grow to 2.5 billion in 2018. The question is, what are you doing to stand out from the crowd?
Putting together a social media plan can help you increase engagement and trust with your target audience, and help your business thrive.
What do you think? Do you have a social media content plan for your business? What tips can you offer for creating a successful plan? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.


Now available a Beautiful 3/2.5 Single Family House in a Beautiful and Calm Community, this is Windermere Sound a community surrounded of Beautiful Sights and Great Schools. This one offers Granite Countertops in The Kitchen as well as the Bathrooms, Stainless Steel Appliances, Carpet and ceramic tile first floor and carpet upstairs. Call Now to schedule a view.
Directions:From 429 South make a left to CR-535 then make a right at Overstreet rd, House will be on your Left.


text:
Jack Maggs by Peter Carey
Reviewed by Nicholas Jose •
August 1997, no. 193
decrease font size Text increase font size
Jack Maggs
by Peter Carey
University of Queensland Press, $35 hb, 392 pp, 0 7022 2952 X
Peter Carey has constructed a labyrinth. Let me gropingly try to lead you through it. The year is 1837. A convict, transported to New South Wales for the term of his natural life, returns to London intent on finding the boy who years before did him a kindness. The boy, Henry Phipps, has grown up a gentleman, thanks to the money the convict, Jack Maggs, has regularly remitted from the colony. Now Maggs comes back in person, unlawfully, wanting recognition from Phipps, whom he regards as a son. He is determined to deliver his history, his own sorry apologia, written in mirror-writing and invisible ink, at the heart of which is the secret memory of an innocent girl hung by the law.
The novel's story begins with Maggs's disguising himself as a footman in the eccentric establishment of Percy Buckle, bookloving fishmonger turned sham gent by another unlikely windfall. Here are more stories – of the maid, Mercy, Buckle's young mistress, who falls for Maggs; and Constable, the other footman, rogered by the dashing Phipps, who lives across the street but is hiding out in his club; and the novelist, Tobias Oates, who comes to dinner and applies his skill with mesmerism to hypnotise the phoney footman, Maggs. It's explained as a kind of psychotherapy in which the demons of the mind will be released. Mesmerised, Maggs takes off his shirt to reveal the scars of the lash across his back. To the terrified onlookers, he becomes a monster in their midst. For the writer, Tobias Oates, he is a case study of the criminal mind and extraordinary raw material for a novel. Thus Maggs' inner and outer stories entwine with the novelist's own.
When he entered the soul of Jack Maggs, it was as if he had entered the guts of a huge and haunted engine. He might not yet know where he was, or what he knew, but he felt the power of that troubled mind like a great wind rushing through a broken window pane.
Subscribe to ABR for as little as $10 a month to read the rest of this article.
If you are already a subscriber, click 'Sign In' in the top left-hand corner of the screen.
If you require assistance, contact us or consult the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Nicolas Jose
Miles Franklin Literary Award
Nicholas Jose
His seven novels and two collections of short stories include Paper Nautilus, The Red Thread and Original Face. His acclaimed memoir Black Sheep: Journey to Borroloola appeared in 2002. He was general editor of the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature (2009) and has written widely on contemporary Australian and Asian art and literature. In 2002-05 he was President of Sydney PEN. He was Visiting Chair of Australian Studies at Harvard University, 2009-10, and is an adjunct professor with the Writing and Society Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney. He was Chair of Creative Writing at The University of Adelaide 2005-08, where he is now Professor of English and Creative Writing
From the New Issue
Open Page with Ceridwen Dovey
Finding the Heart of the Nation: The journey of the Uluru Statement towards voice, treaty and truth by Thomas Mayor
Reviewed by David Trigger
Gulpilil by Derek Rielly
Reviewed by Stephen Bennetts
Publisher Picks
Publisher Picks of 2019
by Robert Watkins et al.
If you are an ABR subscriber, you will need to sign in to post a comment.
If you have forgotten your sign in details, or if you receive an error message when trying to submit your comment, please email your comment (and the name of the article to which it relates) to ABR Comments. We will review your comment and, subject to approval, we will post it under your name.
Please note that all comments must be approved by ABR and comply with our Terms & Conditions.
*Name *Email Enter the words you see below

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Do snap/early elections usually benefit those triggering them?
I'm looking for an empirical survey (that hopefully covers more than one country) addressing the issue whether snap/early elections typically benefit those calling them, either the sole party in power or a defecting coalition member.
This shouldn't be too hard to study, but I can't seem to find any empirical papers on this topic, although I may be searching for the wrong terms. There are quite a few theoretical papers on the optimal timing of elections though... e.g. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2082980 or https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00204945 but I want an empirical survey on whether those triggering early election more often benefit from them than not.
I know Wikipedia has a page on the topic broken down by country, but it's not as systematic as one could hope. In particular countries that had many snap elections (e.g. Italy) get only a vague shrift there.
There is one 2004 book (Smith, Alastair. 2004. Election Timing. New York: Cambridge University Press.) that has studied this only in the UK an concludes that
Using data on British parliaments since 1945, the author tests hypotheses related to timing of elections, electoral support and subsequent economic performance. Leaders who call elections early (relative to expectations) experience a decline in their popular support relative to pre-announcement levels, experience worse post-electoral performance, and have shorter campaigns.
This seems to run counter to the results of the few German examples of early election, for instance. (A bit more searching found 2003 paper by the same author which seems to contain the essence of his empirical analysis.)
election political-theory reference-request comparative-politics
"experience a decline in their popular support relative to pre-announcement levels, experience worse post-electoral performance" Neither of those things necessarily indicate that the snap election did not benefit the caller. It's quite possible that they called the election because they expected an event that would cause worse performance in the future. Perhaps they benefited from moving that from the run up to the election to post-election. And of course the voters know that possibility, so it is natural for them to look less well on a politician/party calling an election. – Brythan Apr 21 '19 at 0:22
@Brythan: that's more or less Smith's theory, "The timing of elections influences electoral outcomes because the decision of a leader to call an election reveals information concerning her expectations about future performance." – Fizz Apr 21 '19 at 0:36
I finally found something reasonably broad in Schleiter and Tavits, "The Electoral Benefits of Opportunistic Election Timing," 2016
In this paper, we present a comparative analysis of the effect of opportunistic elections on the incumbent's electoral performance. The existing literature on parliamentary dissolution and election timing generates contradictory expectations about the ability of incumbent governments to benefit from strategically timed elections. We evaluate these competing hypotheses, drawing on an original dataset of 321 parliamentary elections in 27 East and West European countries, observed from 1945 or democratization to the present. In order to causally identify the effect of opportunistic election calling on incumbent's electoral performance, we rely on instrumental variable regression. Our results reveal that opportunistic election calling generates a significant vote share bonus for the incumbent of as much as 5.5 percentage points. This finding suggests that by timing elections strategically, governments can significantly affect how voters vote. It therefore has powerful implications for our understanding the effectiveness of elections as instruments of democracy and accountability.
Somewhat oddly they don't cite any previous systematic work
Given the number of studies on parliamentary dissolution, election timing, and political business cycles, it is surprising that there is no systematic empirical study exploring this question.
But they do cite various papers on specific events in different countries. They actually do cite the 2004 book of Smith (and his 2003 paper) but only to say that
For example, Smith (2004) points out an intriguing puzzle: if governments can control the timing of elections, why are early elections not more frequent with more incumbents taking advantage of their popularity? He then goes on to provide a thorough theoretical account of why we should not necessarily expect opportunistic elections to pay off for the incumbent. [...]
In fact, according to one of Smith's central hypotheses, incumbents may even systematically lose as a result of opportunistic elections. Smith (2003, 399) cites examples from the UK and France of opportunistically called elections, which resulted in significant downturns for the incumbent at the polls.
Schleiter and Tavits also cite
Grofman and Roozendaal (1994) show with data from the Netherlands that parties which precipitate government termination and new elections may not yield any electoral benefit.
which does survey all the post-war Dutch snap elections till then.
I think Schleiter and Tavits consider this country-level data be rather anecdotal because of the small sample (of elections) involved in each, in contrast to their own work.
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged election political-theory reference-request comparative-politics .
By what mechanism was the 2017 UK General Election called?
How does the possibility of snap elections provide an electoral benefit to voters?
How does Russia's fake news benefit them?


Resilient South Councils have worked together running climate change themed community workshops and events in the region since 2016.
Topics include Planting to Cool Your Home, Bushfire preparedness, Water Sensitive Urban design, Renewable Energy and more.
Sign up to our newsletter to be notified of upcoming events.
Do you have a coastal property with a garden that is not standing up to harsh coastal environments? Would you like to transform your existing garden into a showcase garden or design a new garden from scratch?
Join us at one of three, hands-on, interactive coastal garden design workshops, in Seacliff, Two Wells or Middleton. They're completely free!
Learn about the effects of a changing climate on the garden and how to cope with these challenging conditions.
How can we be better prepared for our changing climate?
Adelaide's Climate Ready Forum brings together speakers, displays and inspiration to help people prepare for climate change impacts, and build networks of resilience.
Adelaide is getting hotter and drier. Knowing how to adapt can be hard, but the good news is that a cooler, greener Adelaide starts at home and in our suburban streets.
Join well known media identity, Amanda Blair, as she guides a panel of experts through a hypothetical extended heatwave.
Join respected solar expert and ex CSIRO engineer, Finn Peacock from SolarQuotes as he guides you through his 7-step process to getting tiny bills with solar.
The Climate Ready Champions training will help you understand how the things we love may be affected by our changing climate, and explore what we can do to take action.
Join respected solar expert and ex CSIRO engineer, Finn Peacock from Solar Quotes as he guides you through his 7-step process to getting tiny bills by using high quality solar. Discover how many panels you need, which panel brands to buy, which to avoid, and how to find a great installer. Finn's new book The Good Solar Guide will be available for purchase on the day.
This workshop brought together participants interested in learning about using stormwater at home. Water Sensitive SA and the City of Holdfast Bay Arborist gave presentations and shared useful information on water tanks, rain gardens, permeable paving, housing design and more!
Trees and plants are nature's air conditioners. They're an essential component of our backyards and landscapes, providing shade and reducing heat in summer. In this session participants received practical information about plant type, position, layering and other smart ways to lower temperatures in back and front yards, helping to reduce those pesky energy bills.
As our climate warms, heatwaves are getting hotter, longer and more frequent.
Heatwaves kill more people than any other natural disaster including floods, cyclones or bushfires. They also cause serious damage to our health, ecosystems, agriculture, businesses, infrastructure and communities.
Fortunately there are things we can do to prepare and respond.
At Feeling Hot Hot Hot! Dealing with Heatwaves in Southern Adelaide the Cities of Mitcham, Onkaparinga, Marion and Holdfast Bay and the Government of South Australia signed a new Resilient South Sector Agreement for Climate Change Adaptation for the Southern Adelaide Region (2018-2020).
Community members came to Cove Civic Centre to learn how to reduce their business and home energy bills, negotiate a better deal with energy retailers, reduce lighting, heating, cooling and hot water and make homes and businesses more energy efficient. Attendees received a free copy of Jon's new energy efficiency guide. To download your own copy, or for more information, visit EnergySmart South Australia.
In this session community members learnt from two local experts Dan French (French Enviro) and Melissa Bradley (Water Sensitive SA) about how to apply WSUD in and around the home to help reduce offsite stormwater impacts, provide cooling, improve the health of gardens, minimise environmental degradation, improve aesthetic and recreational appeal and reduce potable water consumption (therefore saving money).
Community members came to Brighton Civic Centre to learn how to save money on electricity bills by reducing household energy usage. Discounted Adelaide Metro travel cards were available to participants on the night.
Resilient South Showcase - Whats Hot or Not?
The Hon. Ian Hunter Minister for Climate Change (pictured), local Mayors, Elected Members and Program Champions joined community members to see the latest maps that show the effect of heat on our Southern Adelaide suburbs, and listened to how we can adapt to hotter temperatures.


iTunes U is part of the iTunes Store from Apple, that features lectures, language lessons, audiobooks, and more.
In iTunes U, there's over 350,000 educational audio and video files from top universities, museums and public media organisations from around the world. Instead of costly tuition fees, content from Oxford, Harvard and Stanford, are all accessible on your iPad, for free.
So what can you do with iTunes U? Well, teachers can check in with the latest episode of Harvard EdCast where they discuss the topic of education twice a month. Or there's seminars from Yale University, that discuss the diagnosis and assessment of autism.
In addition to learning, iTunes U can also be used to create your own courses. You can then invite students to enrol in your course and they'll receive push notifications whenever you add a new assignment. No matter what subject you teach, or where you teach it, you can privately distribute your course to all your students, for free. To learn more about it and sign up, head over to the official iTunes U page.
Paperzip is the work of a primary school teacher, Jessica, and a graphic designer, Andrew. We specialise in creating educational resources that are colourful, interesting, fun and unique.
downloads from over 200 countries.
A quarterly email featuring our most popular new resources, delivered straight to your inbox!
Copyright © 2011 – 2019 PAPERZIP| Made with ❤in Scotland.


Smart home brand Hive has premiered its new brand identity, along with announcing its presence in North America with its first campaign to run in the US, UK and Canada.
The campaign, which launches tomorrow, follows the launch of Hive Welcome Home, a subscription-based smart home service package launched in both the UK and North America in May.
"Hive Welcome Home is a change from one-off devices. It's the result of understanding that what consumers really want are affordable and easy self-install products," Nina Bhatia, managing director of Centrica Connected Home, said.
To better communicate this approach, Hive's parent company Centrica Connected Home worked with branding agencies Wolff Olins and Added Value to build a new brand visual identity, character, positioning and tone of voice.
"Until now, Hive's positioning has been focused largely on function – emphasising the ability for the user to control their home," Nicky Mackrell, global brand and marketing director, Centrica Connected Home, explained. "We wanted to reposition the brand as one that helps people live brilliantly. That the home is a place of enjoyment and Hive is about bringing together products and services to make everyday life effortless and enjoyable."
This new positioning is communicated by a campaign created by CHI & Partners under the line "Let's get living". In the UK, media is handled by MediaCom while Ogilvy is providing media distribution support in the US.
The spot (US version shown above) titled "Perspectives on Life" makes use of vibrant colours and dynamic stories of people in real use-case scenarios to "shake up what's traditionally been seen as a device-led category," Mackrell added.
"We want consumers to see themselves in that moment, warm to the bright happiness shown, and have an ah-ha moment. They may not say, oh I need to invest in that right now, but they will think about it," she continued.
In the US and Canada, the spot will run on local broadcast and cable channels including Prime, Sports, Morning News, Prime Access and Late Fringe.
In the UK, it will run (with an English-accented voice-over) on selected major stations including ITV, Channel 4 and Sky1.
The campaign is further supported with digital out-of-home executions, experiential and digital.
The new campaign also reflects Hive's multi-market strategy, Bhatia observed. "So far our campaigns have been UK-focused and centred around heating. This campaign's rallying cry has to work across markets and communicate our new positioning and voice."


If you are looking for a speaker for an event, thank you for considering me!
You can click here to watch a full length video or watch a video with a few quick clips of me speaking at other events. You can also watch the videos below.
I would love to partner with you and share Christ to all generations!


Velocomp Powerpod Power Meter::Finally, a power meter that doesn't mess up your bike and empty out your wallet.
PowerPod is the only power meter that attaches to your handlebars--no need to change or modify your crank, wheel, pedals, or bottom bracket. No glue, no water bags.
If you have any questions about this product by Velocomp, contact us by completing and submitting the form below. If you are looking for a specif part number, please include it with your message.


text:
Q: Floating Action Button Здравствуйте, вот код активности:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:weightSum="1"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:background="#e0e6e8">

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="e-mail*"
        android:textSize="20dp"
        android:gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:layout_margin="8dp" />

    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="50dp"
        android:id="@+id/editText1"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:layout_margin="8dp"
        android:background="#ffffff"
        android:padding="6dp"
        android:text="Введите ваш E-mail"
        android:textColor="#c5c0c0" />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Адрес"
        android:textSize="20dp"
        android:gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:layout_margin="8dp" />

    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="50dp"
        android:id="@+id/editText2"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:layout_margin="8dp"
        android:background="#ffffff"
        android:padding="6dp"
        android:text="Адрес"
        android:textColor="#c5c0c0"
        />
    <TextView
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Коммент"
        android:textSize="20dp"
        android:gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:layout_margin="8dp" />

    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="50dp"
        android:id="@+id/editText3"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:layout_margin="8dp"
        android:background="#ffffff"
        android:padding="6dp"
        android:text="Коммент"
        android:textColor="#c5c0c0"
        />
    <TextView
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Категория"
        android:textSize="20dp"
        android:gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:layout_margin="8dp" />

    <Spinner
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:id="@+id/spinner"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:layout_margin="8dp" />

    <LinearLayout
        android:orientation="horizontal"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent">

        <ImageButton
            android:layout_width="80dp"
            android:layout_height="80dp"
            android:id="@+id/btn_send"
            android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:src="@mipmap/ic_camera_enhance_black_48dp"
            android:background="#e0e6e8"
            android:layout_margin="8dp"
            android:onClick="onClick"/>

        <ImageView
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:id="@+id/imgPreview" />

    </LinearLayout>

</LinearLayout>

Как мне добавить FAB так, что бы он был всегда в правом нижнем углу(при скроллинге)??????

A: *

*У вас здесь нет скроллинга

*Использовать RelativeLayout

A: Уточню ответ выше, видимо вы помещаете FAB внутрь ScrollView. Вынесите его "наружу" тогда при скроллинге она не будет скролиться :)
Схематично разметка будет выглядеть как то так:
<RelativeLayout>
    <ScrollView>
         ...
    </ScrollView>
    <FloatingActionButton>
         ...
    </FloatingActionButton>
</RelativeLayout>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home/Anime News/NieR: Automata Anime Reveals Its Theme Songs in Trailer
NieR: Automata Anime Reveals Its Theme Songs in Trailer
On the official site for the anime adaptation of the video game of Square Enix, NieR: Automatawhich will be titled NieR: Automata Ver 1.1a, a new main promotional video for the project was revealed. The video confirms that the premiere has been scheduled for January 7, 2023 in Japanwhile the platform crunchyroll will take care of its distribution in the West. In addition, it also shows a snippet of the musical themes, which include:
aimer will perform the opening theme titled "escalatewhile the rock band amazarashi will perform the closing theme titled "Antinomy".
It should be noted that in an interview between the animation director of the series Ryoji Matsuyama and the creator of the video game Yoko Taro, it was explained that this project will not be a faithful adaptation of the game, but will be a completely original story, starring the iconic characters of this franchise. In its time, the game was praised for its story and themes, its gameplay, and its music. Some visual and technical problems were criticized, but sales exceeded expectations; as of July 2021, the game had sold over 6 million copies worldwide.
Yui Ishikawa like 2B.
Natsuki Hanae like 9S.
hiroki yasumoto as Pod 042.
Kaoru Akiyama as Pod 153.
Ryouji Masuyama (Blend S, Darling in the FranXX, Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de) is in charge of directing the anime at the studios A-1 Pictures.
Yoko Taro (Yoshinoya Kyoudai, SINoALICE, Kimi Shi ni Tamou Koto Nakare) is in charge of writing and supervising the scripts, along with Ryouji Masuyama.
Jun Nakai (Re:CREATORS, Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri, Gin no Saji) is in charge of character design and animation direction.
Monach (Shangri-La Frontier, Summer Time Render, Aharen-san wa Hakarenai) is in charge of composing the soundtrack.
Synopsis for Nier: Automata
NieR: Automata tells the story of androids 2B, 9S and A2 and their battle to take back the machine dystopia, invaded by powerful machines. Mankind has been driven off Earth by mechanical beings from another world. In a last-ditch effort to reclaim the planet, the human resistance sends a force of android soldiers to destroy the invaders. Now, the war between the machines and the androids continues… a war that could soon reveal a long-forgotten truth of the world.
©SQUARE ENIX/人類会議
The Yuru Camp movie could leak very soon
Made in Abyss will end its second season with a one-hour episode
Kaijuu 8-gou Manga Gets Anime Adaptation
Fumetsu no Anata e reveals a new preview for its second season


text:
Issue: Volume 4 Issue 14 > What's new
Changes to Abstudy for Indigenous students
From 1 July 2007, the Australian Government will limit to four years the amount of time a student is eligible to receive the Abstudy Living Allowance or Pensioner Education Supplement while undertaking AQF Certificate I and II courses. Also, from 1 January 2007 there will be strengthened arrangements for the payment of the Abstudy School Term Allowance for Indigenous junior secondary school students, by linking payment to school attendance of at least 85%. See Ministerial media release 9 May 2006.
Funding announced for latest round of school partnership projects
New South Wales Education Minister, Carmel Tebbutt, has announced that more than 100 schools across the State will receive $2.9 million in funding to match fundraising by local Parents and Citizen Associations. The money is the latest instalment in the State Government's Joint Funding Program which provides funds for projects such as covered outdoor learning areas, air-cooling and canteen upgrades. The funding will be distributed to 129 projects in 114 schools. See news item from the Department of Education and Training 9 May 2006.
Australian Government Reading program 'missing targets'
Fewer than one in three children eligible for reading assistance under the Australian Government's Reading Assistance Voucher Program have received any tuition more than two years later, according to a report in The Australian, 10 May 2006. An independent evaluation of the scheme found that its success was tied to the cooperation of the States, with the highest take-up in States where schools identified and contacted students. To combat this problem, the extended scheme will appoint a national program coordinator to work with the States and parents to devise the best way of delivering the scheme.
New anti-bullying policy in Victoria
Victorian Minister for Education Services, Jacinta Allan has launched the State Government's new Safe Schools are Effective Schools policy at Gilmore College for Girls in Footscray. The strategy includes new anti-bullying guidelines and resources for Victoria's 1,600 government schools, including posters, an updated website and booklets offering clear and practical information and tips on prevention, intervention and management of bullying. See Ministerial media release 10 May 2006.
Use of calculators in VCE examinations
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority has announced changes in policy governing the use of calculators approved for certain VCE examinations. See Memorandum to Schools 37/2006, 2 May 2006.
The new computer pen
The new FLY computer pen can 'read' what students write. For example, the FLY can 'read' digits written on special imprinted paper to calculate a maths problem. It can also correct students when they make errors such as misplacing a decimal point. The battery operated FLY contains a computer chip, speaker, tiny camera and separate cartridges to run applications. See The Australian Educational Leader, Vol 1 2006, p 8.
Taskforce to identify strategies to improve parent and community involvement in Tasmania
A new taskforce to identify strategies to improve parent and community involvement in school life has been announced by Tasmanian Education Minister, David Bartlett. The taskforce will look at how schools can better link with the community. The President of the Tasmanian State School Parents and Friends, Jenny Branch, will chair the group, which will also involve the Tasmanian Principal's Association and community organisations such as Rotary and Volunteering Tasmania. The taskforce will report back to the Minister by 31 October 2006 with recommendations. See Ministerial media release 9 May 2006.
Information security campaign in Queensland
Education Queensland is raising awareness of information security issues in the workplace. All school staff across the State will receive a booklet outlining roles and responsibilities. Each school and education office will also receive a DVD outlining everyday habits that can compromise information security. See further details on Education Queensland's Communication and Information Technology policy.
Parenting Imperatives II: 2nd National Parenting Conference
Hosted by South Australia's Centre for Parenting, Child and Youth Health, the Parenting Imperatives II Conference targets professionals who work with parents. International and Australian keynote speakers will cover various aspects of parenting, such as how trauma affects character, new perspectives on aggression, the role of fathers, what children worry about, and research and practice in parenting programs.
Report card 'chaos'
Mid-year reports could be delayed at some government schools amid concern by principals and teachers about the 'chaotic' roll-out of the new Victorian report cards. Almost half the State's 1,600 public schools have opted to introduce the report cards this year, but teachers say many schools will not be ready to use them by the mid-year reporting round. See article in The Age, 8 May 2006.


text:
About 500 Books
Rating Guide and Index
Book 262: The Luminaries
"But there is no truth except truth in relation, and heavenly relation is composed of wheels in motion, tilting axes, turning dials; it is a clockwork orchestration that alters every minute, never repeating, never still."
Dates read: September 13-22, 2018
Lists/awards: Booker Prize
I am usually a fairly smart, rational human, but ever since I was a kid I've been super into astrology. I know, I know, the idea that where the stars are in the sky has literally anything to do with what kind of person I am is silly. But we all have our weird, kind-of woo-woo things, right? Some people believe in ghosts, some people believe in the power of positive energy, and I not-entirely-but-more-than-I-should believe in astrology.
Eleanor Catton's Booker Prize-winning novel The Luminaries, is many things. It's a depiction of life in a gold-rush-era town in New Zealand. It's a story about families. It's a mystery. It's several mysteries, each unspooling at its own pace. And true to its title, it takes inspiration from the moon (each chapter is shorter than the one proceeding it, meant as a reference to the waning of the moon) and the planets/stars (some characters are based on astrological signs, others to the typical traits associated with the planets). It begins when a Scottish lawyer named Walter Moody arrives in the small town of Hokitika to make his fortune as a prospector. The ship on which he arrived, the Godspeed, was wrecked and he has to make his way ashore without his trunk. He decides to spend his time in the Crown Hotel while he waits for the wreck to be plunged and his belongings to be recovered, and shortly after he arrives, he manages to find himself in the bar of the hotel with twelve men who are clearly all gathered for a purpose. He manages to draw out from them a strange tale of several tragedies and mysteries that all seem to have happened at about the same time.
Shortly before Moody's arrival, a local politician, Alistair Lauderback, arrives in town to stump for votes. On the outskirts of town, he arrives at the cabin of a recluse, Crosbie Wells, and finds the man very recently deceased. And then, on the same night, a lucky young prospector, Emery Staines, goes missing, and a prostitute, Anna Wetherell, publicly overdoses on the opium to which she is addicted and is imprisoned. Each of the men in the bar of the Crown Hotel has a little piece of the story, and even more develops as time goes on. Bit by bit, the full story in all its beauty and tragedy is revealed, connecting the threads of each seemingly-separate piece together.
This is a big, ambitious novel that requires a lot of attention to keep the characters and their relationships with each other in mental order. In lesser hands, it would be confusing, but Catton keeps it engaging, requiring enough consideration to feel compelled to really focus on the book without making it feel like studying. The characters are complex and interesting, and the tangled web of their interactions with each other keep the tension from slacking. Indeed, for such a long book, it keeps itself going remarkably well, a testament to Catton's skill with prose and plotting. The way the layers of the mysteries the book presents are gradually peeled back and revealed is gratifying, feeling like tiny rewards doled out along the way until the end. The themes of loneliness, the role of chance, truth and lies, and revenge all come in and out of focus throughout, each feeling like it's given time and space to develop without being unduly flogged. For me, it was a wonderful book. It's hard to strike the balance between "passively entertaining" and "too much information management required to properly enjoy", but The Luminaries was right in the sweet spot. I got lost in it.
Now that I've just gushed about it, it does have some issues. It's a slow starter, taking advantage of its prodigious length to stretch the story out perhaps more than really necessary. Some characters feel like they get the short shrift and if Catton was less wedded to her astrology conceit, should have been cut. The way Catton reveals a bunch of pertinent information right at the end of the book in flashback, almost like a coda after the "real" ending of the story, does feel a little too cute by half. But honestly, those are mostly nitpicks. I'm not the sort to wish that a book would never end (I'm always excited about something on the horizon), but I did close it with a satisfied sigh and think "what a great book". It's not something to read when you're looking for something breezy and light, but otherwise, I highly highly recommend it.
One year ago, I was reading: The Sisters of Henry VIII
Two years ago, I was reading: Once Upon a River
Three years ago, I was reading: The Lady Elizabeth
Four years ago, I was reading: Seating Arrangements
Five years ago, I was reading: All The King's Men
Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest
Posted by Gabby at 9:00 AM
Labels: eleanor catton, historical fiction, man booker prize, mining, mystery, new zealand, nine stars, the luminaries
Hi! I'm Gabby: wife, sister, daughter, lobbyist, avid reader, lover of movies, vegetarian, Nevadan, and Jeopardy silver medalist
Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite 2020 Releases
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly linkup of book bloggers hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl ! This week, we're talking about our top 2020 rele...
Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Winter 2020-2021 TBR
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly linkup of book bloggers hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl ! Yesterday was the first day of winter, so let's ...
A Month In The Life: December 2020
It's the last day of 2020, and good riddance I say. That isn't to say that nothing good happened in 2020, there were definitely go...
Book 264: The Things They Carried
"I remember Norman Bowker and Henry Dobbins playing checkers every evening before dark. It was a ritual for them. They would dig a fo...
Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases for the First Half of 2021
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly linkup of book bloggers hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl ! This week, it's my biannual least-favorite topic...
Book 265: Flip
Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Hope Santa Brings
Book 263: Ready Player One
Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My TBR With Winter Vibes
Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want to Read Again
six stars
eight stars
ten stars
a month in the life
dreamcasting
my reading life
yearly update
Awards/Lists
1001 books you must read before you die (2012)
american book award
newsweek top 100 books
ny times bestseller
time all-time 100 novels


text:
The Future of QTPyLib
16 May 2019 Ran Aroussi
qtpylib
I released the first version of QTPyLib, my Python library for algo traders, in 2016. If you had told me then that I would still be working on it three years later, I probably wouldn't have believed you. But guess what? That's precisely where I'm doing :)
The first release of QTPyLib was a basic engine for live trading using Interactive Brokers. That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less. I have developed it for my own personal use and decided to release the code on Github for whoever finds it useful.
Over time the library had more features added and it even gained a decent amount of users, but, through it all, the development lifecycle remained pretty much the same: I was adding features that were specific to my own needs and releasing them to the public.
Using this approach, I've also released several other libraries, including fix-yahoo-finance, ezIBpy, PyStore, QuantStats, and a few others, which became the building blocks in my algo research & trading ecosystem.
My vision for QTPyLib moving forward is to have it combine all of these tools, among others, into a single, cohesive tool that lets you backtest, analyze, and trade anything. This is no small task, and it will going to take some time to complete.
So... here's what's in store for the next major release of QTPyLib:
1. Brokers & Data Vendors
The most significant change in the next major version of QTPyLib is the ability to work with any broker and any market data source. This is going to be achieved by converting both the blotter and the broker submodules to using a standardized extension/plug-in model.
While I initially only plan to release QTPyLib with support for Interactive Brokers as a broker, I will be providing a template for anyone who wants to add support for any broker or market data source.
For those without a real-time market data subscription, I will be adding the option to use EOD data from Yahoo! finance or EOD/intraday data from AlphaVantage out of the box.
This feature alone will allow QTPyLib users to trade Stocks, ETFs, Futures, Forex and Crypto on any broker they choose (as long as they have an API).
2. Backtester
Given the fact that QTPyLib was originally developed as a tool for live trading, I've never given the "backtesting-mode" the full attention it deserved. That's about to change.
The new QTPyLib's backtester will have a web-based progress visualizer, that, upon completion, will generate a detailed tearsheet and trade analysis - thanks to deep integration with QuantStats.
Lastly, I plan on introducing slippage and commission models to produce more realistic results.
QTPyLib will switch to use PyStore as the default storage engine. This will allow for enhanced portability and performance - especially on a single machine setup - by leveraging the power Dask and the Parquet file format.
Those wishing to use SQL databases will be able to use either MySQL or PostgreSQL, as the database access will be abstracted by using SQLAlchemy as the driver.
4. Other Changes
New dashboard UI
Scheduler module (inspired by Quantopian's)
Rebalance module for easy portfolio rebalancing
Option to submit orders as a faction of account value instead of quantity
Support for IB sub-accounts (useful for Financial Advisors)
Single on_bar() event when using multi-instrument algos
Code speedup by converting core modules to Cython
Various other minor code improvements
Release of video guides and tutorials
That it for now :)
If you think of anything else that might benefit others, please submit a feature request on Github, and I try to include it.
Release Schedule:
Adding this many new features will take time. My goal is to release the next version by the end of the year. This means that the beta version will probably be released around October-November, and will be released on Github.
More than anything I need help writing unit tests and converting code to Cython, but I would appreciate any help. If you're a Python developer who also trades and want to help, I would be more than happy to get you on board.
Wish me luck! :)
Updated on 16 May 2019. For the latest version and comments, please see:
https://aroussi.com/post/the-future-of-qtpylib
Downloading option chain and fundamental from Yahoo! Finance…
The recently updated yfinance added a lot more capabilities to this already popular library. You can now download fundamental data…
Volatility Index for Crypto Currency
The CBOE Volatility Index (Ticker: VIX) is a well known measure of the stock market's expectation of volatility implied by S&P 500…
Backtesting Trading Strategies with (pure) Python: Webinar…
On wednsday, I gave the second out of a four-part webinar series on Treading With Python for futures.io's members. Here's the webinar's…


text:
Q: React developer tools not showing in non create react app projects I am working in a react project which is not created by npx create-react-app. It was built by jhipster react app. I have installed react-devtools in my chrome, but devtools tab is not showing when other react websites showing

A: this may help, its a common error with the new update...
Create a new profile in Google Chrome
Install the React Developer Tools
Go to https://reactjs.org
Open the browser Dev Tools
or
sometimes when you cant see the tabs
close DevTools
Then switch to the other "page" of SPA (let it be P2)
Open DevTools while on P2
Now you see "Components" and "Profiler" tabs
Without closing DevTools, switch back to P1, the two tabs of RDT-extension should still be there


Assisted living facilities (ALFs) may be going the way of cable TV. Still around, but with a limited future.
Their residents are changing. Even as their needs become more complicated, they are demanding less institutional-like care. At the same time, assisted living will have to find its place in a world where medical and social care are becoming better coordinated and providers will be expected to organize themselves in very different ways than today.
Assisted living was once a creative alternative to nursing homes. Soon, something new will replace ALFs. The details remain uncertain, but we can begin to see what this new model of residential care will look like.
Today, assisted living is a hybrid. It provides more care than independent living but less than a nursing home. Yet, residents often think of ALFs as institutions rather than homes. Assisted living is not a Medicare benefit and facilities are paid by Medicaid in only very limited circumstances. They are not regulated by the federal government, but are subject to state rules, which vary widely.
At their best, they are less costly and more homelike than nursing facilities, and a way for seniors (and some younger people with disabilities) to live in a cost-effective and safe environment. At their worst, they fail to provide needed services to residents who require much more than a room, meals, and Bingo.
ALF residents are quite sick, often with multiple chronic illnesses. Four in ten have dementia (a higher percentage than nursing home residents), one quarter suffer from depression, one-third have diabetes, and more than half have high blood pressure.
And they have significant care needs. Sixty percent need help bathing, more than half need assistance walking. More than one in three can't get to the bathroom on their own, and one in five needs help eating, according to the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP). ALFs are, in many ways, the new nursing homes.
How do they meet the needs of their residents? By some measures, not very well. One in five residents will visit an emergency department in a 12 month period and nearly 24 percent will be hospitalized, the NSLCP reports. Vicki Freedman of the University of Michigan and my Urban Institute colleague Brenda Spillman find (firewall) that 42 percent of ALF residents will experience an negative event as a result of having care needs unmet. For instance, they commonly wet their clothes because they can't get to the bathroom without help.
As nursing homes abandon the long-stay business for more lucrative post-acute and rehabilitation patients, Baby Boomers will need an alternative. But not today's ALFs. What will assisted living look like in 2020?
Fewer operators: As payments are squeezed, small and medium-sized providers will close or be acquired by larger operators. Many small not-for-profits will disappear.
Better integration with medical providers. The business model of ALFs has been based on social supports rather than health care. But health systems are looking for partners who can provide social and quasi-medical services (such as medication management) and even rehab in lower cost settings. In that environment, ALFs might participate in Accountable Care Organizations or bundled payment arrangements where they share revenue—and risk—with traditional health systems, insurance companies, or large physician practices.
The idea of such integrated medical care is not new—the Erickson continuing care communities have had their own Medicare Advantage plan for years—but it has generated limited interest—so far.
Person-centered care: No, that doesn't mean Wi-fi or updating the elevator music from Glenn Miller to the Beatles. It does mean customizing care for residents.
Fewer heads in beds: The old business model was based on filling rooms. The new one may focus on virtual assisted living that delivers services to people living in the community rather than in its buildings. For instance, it could mean contracting with apartment complexes to provide services such as medication and case management, as well as home health. Or building relationships with local faith-based organizations or senior villages to provide community-based care. Call it home care-plus.
Harvard Medical School professor David Grabowksi and colleagues have interviewed industry executives to learn their view of the future. The results of their study are preliminary, but they've found the business may split into two models: One focused on housing and hospitality; the other on integrated delivery of medical and social care.
Industry leaders told David and his colleagues that risk-sharing with health systems is "inevitable" though there have been no deals with medical providers yet. While firms are exploring health information systems, none had yet acquired the IT necessary to share data with health systems or even track utilization in their communities.
For these changes to take hold, states will have to rethink their regulatory structures. Assisted living operators are unlikely to better integrate with health systems if it requires a skilled nursing license. Balancing consumer protection and innovation will be a big challenge.
As with health care, senior services face an environment of enormous disruption. Some providers will embrace it. Others will be destroyed. For consumers, it might mean more choices and a better quality of life.


The Wharfedale Vista 150 Soundbar is the latest addition to the Vista soundbar series, revolutionising sound for flat screen TVs too thin to produce high-quality audio, with all the convenience of bluetooth technology.
The Wharfedale Vista 150 Soundbar incorporates a 6.5" ferrite subwoofer, with extra depth for an authentic cinematic experience, similarly to conventional amp and speaker configurations, while keeping clutter to the minimum. The soundbar utilises four 2.75" drivers with two 0.75" neodynium tweeters for a true stereo sound, projected from one slimline source.
Bluetooth not only enables a wireless connection for smart phones and tablets, but links the soundbar and subwoofer together, for a hassle free setup. 3.5mm jack, RCA and optical inputs make a versatile system equally capable as a conventional hi-fi setup too.
For added convenience, a remote is included to access different EQ modes and to pinpoint the balance between the subwoofer and soundbar.
The Wharfedale Vista 150 Soundbar is an efficient and yet affordable route to home entertainment, engineered with a passion for sound.


Hard Rock Sofa has been making some serious waves worldwide. Coming off their monster release Kaleidoscope last August off of Wall Recordings, the Russian group has been hard at work on their next hit. Hard Rock Sofa has teamed up with old friend DJ Squire and vocalist Max'C for their newest release. The track is actually an update of Hard Rock Sofa and DJ Squire's previous collaboration: the instrumental version of Just Can't Stay Away was released last June off of Spinnin' Records. For this upcoming release, they have added the vocal talents of Max'C into the mix to give the track added weight and floor friendliness. An official music video for the forthcoming track has been released on Spinnin' Records' YouTube page to add to the buzz. Look for the vocal version of Just Can't Stay Away to drop on October 8th off of Spinnin' Records.


text:
Michelle Branch On 'Passing The Torch' To A Young Taylor Swift
'Everywhere' inspired a generation of singer-songwriters
Michelle Branch Finally Realizes She Was A 'Stalker' In The 'Everywhere' Music Video
The singer-songwriter gets real about her breakout single
Michelle Branch's Dreamy New Song Is A Breakup Waiting To Happen
A 'Fault Line' is a dangerous place
Michelle Branch Breaks Free
The singer-songwriter talks about 'Hopeless Romantic,' her first solo album in 14 years
Hazel Cills 03/29/2017
Michelle Branch's New 'Breakup Anthem' Gets A Behind-The-Scenes Video
Add this to your heartbreak playlist
Michelle Branch Gets Stuck In The Rain For Her First Music Video In 13 Years
Someone please give her an umbrella
Michelle Branch's Comeback Single Is Anything But 'Hopeless'
Michelle Branch released 'Hopeless Romantic,' the title track off her forthcoming full-length album, which drops on April 7.
15 Years Later, Michelle Branch Is Still Taking You 'Everywhere'
Michelle Branch is taking fans "Everywhere" on her Instagram.
'Idol,' Angels & Airwaves Can't Touch Dixie Chicks On Chart
Band follows 2003 backlash with big sales of Taking the Long Way.
archive-Chris-Harris 05/31/2006
For The Record: Quick News On Mary J. Blige, Snoop, Pharrell, Michelle Branch, My Chemical Romance & More
Blige to headline Essence fest; R. Kelly remixes national anthem; Branch gets testy.
MTV News Staff mtvnews 12/19/2005
Blink-182's Hits, Santana's All Are No Match For Now 20
Chart-topping compilation features Missy Elliott, Fall Out Boy, Kelly Clarkson and more.
For The Record: Quick News On John Mayer, Franz Ferdinand, Ciara, Michelle Branch, Sean Paul & More
Mayer needs a collaborator; Franz release final track list; Branch has a baby.
For The Record: Quick News On Jennifer Lopez, Mandy Moore, Irv Gotti, Audioslave, Dido, Michelle Branch & More
J. Lo-produced show picked up; 'Saved!' actress on 'Entourage'; Murder Inc. mogul separated from kingpin.
Michelle Branch No Longer Wrecking Homes
Singer on tour with her side project, the Wreckers.
archive-Brandee-J-Tecson 03/14/2005
Gavin DeGraw, Michelle Branch Play For 'Hill' Fans In L.A.
Packed crowd phones 'One Tree Hill' actor Chad Michael Murray.
For The Record: Quick News On Game, 50 Cent, Michelle Branch, Jennifer Lopez, Whitney Houston, Modest Mouse & More
The Game designs a cap, Michelle Branch is pregnant, J. Lo admits she's married.
Music World Unites For Tsunami Relief
Benefit concerts, donations and telethon are planned.
For The Record: Quick News On Lloyd Banks, Michelle Branch, Hoobastank, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Usher & More
Michelle Branch, Rooney Head To College For Spring Tour
Virgin-sponsored trek also features Gavin DeGraw, Joe Firstman.
archive-Joe-DAngelo 02/23/2004
For The Record: Quick News On Beenie Man, 'Superfly' Ron O'Neal, Aaron Carter, Michelle Branch, Toby Keith & More
Michelle Branch's Throat Troubles Lead To Show Cancellations
Nine of 19 shows Branch has scheduled from November 17 to December 16 have been scrapped.
For The Record: Quick News On Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Michelle Branch, The Darkness, Ozzy & More
Nelly, Michelle Branch's Hotel Rooms Burglarized During Awards Show
Approximately $1 million worth of jewelry lifted from Nelly's room; Branch's personal computer, related equipment also stolen.
archive-Joseph-Patel 10/28/2003
For The Record: Quick News Ja Rule, Michelle Branch, J. Lo, Radiohead, Godsmack, Metallica & More


text:
Der Bettelknabe (The Beggar Boy)
A Vienna Boys' Choir Children's Opera / in German language
Music theatre / Musical for kids/youth
Vienna Boys' Choir
Music: Gerald Wirth Text: Tina Breckwoldt Director: Maria Happel Der Bettelknabe (the Begging Boy) tells the story – or stories – of the boy Joel from Palestine and of Archduke Albrecht of Austria. Both have to survive hair-raising adventures before they find their place in life. The opera is set in the Middle Ages, but the subject matter affects us today. "Der Bettelknabe" is a story about tolerance and understanding between religions.
The historical Archduke Albrecht, known to his contemporaries as "Wonder of the World", ruled in Vienna in the late 14th century. Because of problems at home, he undertakes a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. No mean feat: Albrecht has to cross the Alps and the Mediterranean. Traveling with him are a handful of his best men, as well as his priest and his court jester – the two never agree. Faced with the dangers of the Palestinian desert, Albrecht's entourage soon loses heart; they really want to turn back. At the same time, Joel and his grandfather Manasse, a merchant, are crossing the desert as part of a caravan headed for Baghdad. One night, the caravan is savagely attacked by robbers, who reduce the camp to ashes. What happens next to Joel and Albrecht is told by the Vienna Boys' Choir in this colourful, dramatic production.
Suffice it to say, the end has everyone celebrating. Including, of course, the audience.
in German language
Tickets: Band A: € 29 / B €26 / C € 23. Box seats: € 39 Children and young people: A € 20 / B € 15 / C € 9
Wolfgang Gratschmaier
Dirk Nocker
Paul Sturminger
Composition: Gerald Wirth
Sebastian Eckl
Marie Sturminger
Conductor: Bomi Kim
Director: Maria Happel
Book: Tina Breckwoldt


text:
Governors abandon pact to reduce transportation pollution
Gov. Charlie Baker is abandoning his administration's ambitious plan to create a multi-state compact aimed at dramatically reducing transportation pollution after the deal failed to gain traction
Via AP news wire
(Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Gov. Charlie Baker is abandoning his administration's ambitious plan to create a multi-state compact aimed at dramatically reducing transportation pollution after the deal failed to gain traction in other states.
The announcement comes after Democratic Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont who supported the initiative, indicated this week he was backing away from the Transportation and Climate Initiative. Rhode Island was the only other state to have expressed interest in the compact.
Baker quickly followed suit on Thursday. The Republican had initially hoped more than a dozen states would sign on.
"The Baker-Polito Administration always maintained the Commonwealth would only move forward with TCI if multiple states committed, and, as that does not exist, the transportation climate initiative is no longer the best solution for the Commonwealth's transportation and environmental needs," Baker press secretary Terry MacCormack said in a written statement Thursday.
The governors of other New England states — New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont — had expressed skepticism about the program, in part over fears that it amounts to a gas tax or a tax on carbon.
Warning over fall in vaccine demand - follow live
UN: More than 50 million people affected by urban conflicts
The proposal was a long-term effort to curb greenhouse gas pollution caused by transportation.
It would have required large gasoline and diesel fuel suppliers to purchase "allowances" for the pollution caused by the use of the fuels they sell in the region.
The number of emission allowances would have declined each year, according to the plan, generating billions for states to invest in carbon-reducing transportation options — like public transportation; zero-emission buses, cars, and trucks; electric vehicle charging stations; high speed wireless internet in rural and low-income areas to allow for teleworking; road and bridge repairs; and safer bike lanes and sidewalks.
The initiative could have generated more than $1.8 billion in Massachusetts by 2032, according to Baker. States participating in the initiative had agreed to invest 35% of annual revenues from the program in communities underserved by current transportation options and with disproportionately high levels of pollution.
From the start, however, critics — including business and conservative groups — pointed to potential gas price hikes. If fuel companies passed the cost of the allowances onto consumers, the price of gas in the region could have climbed by 5 to 17 cents per gallon.
Paul Diego Craney, spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, welcomed the collapse of the compact.
"TCI is a regressive gas tax scheme that would have hurt middle class and the working poor the most. It's such wonderful news to see that Massachusetts families will not be forced to endure the economic hardship TCI would have imposed upon them," said Craney.
Environmental and transportation groups said the goals of TCI remain important.
"For the sake of the entire Commonwealth — but particularly our environmental justice populations that have been most adversely impacted by transportation pollution and by the COVID-19 pandemic — reducing carbon emissions and tailpipe pollution must remain a high priority," Josh Ostroff of Transportation for Massachusetts, said in a press release.
MacCormack said the administration is focused on the $10 billion or so the state is set to receive for transportation under the infrastructure legislation signed into law this week by President Joe Biden.
"The new federal infrastructure funding package, American Rescue Plan investments, as well as tax revenue surpluses generated by Massachusetts' strong economic recovery make the Commonwealth better positioned to upgrade its roads, bridges and public transportation systems, while also making investments to reduce transportation emissions, deliver equitable transportation solutions and benefits and meet the state's ambitious climate goals," he said in a press release.
Massachusetts has taken other steps to reduce tailpipe pollution including setting a goal of 100% zero-emission passenger vehicle sales by 2035, joining 14 other states pushing for 30% electric vehicle sales for commercial trucks and buses by 2030 and 100% by 2050, and spending $65 million on electric vehicle charging stations.
Baker also signed an executive order setting a target of 100% zero emission vehicles in state fleets by 2040.
In New England, transportation is responsible for over 40% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Ned LamontCharlie BakerCommonwealthRhode IslandMassachusettsBostonConnecticutDemocraticRepublicanNew EnglandJoe BidenNew HampshireVermontMaineCovid
1/1Governors abandon pact to reduce transportation pollution


text:
Q: Most efficient way to display current post subcategories? My Wordpress site uses categories to group product information into subcategories. As an example, for an automobile the parent category is Brand and the subcategories include Honda, Toyota, Ford, etc. Sometimes more than one subcategory can be assigned to a post. Also, sometimes a parent+child category is never assigned to a post. I'm using a custom page template.
My code works but I'm concerned it is inefficient and slowing down my site.
Here are the basics:
functions.php
global $reviews_cat_id_brand;
$reviews_cat_id_brand = 158; // using # in case string changes

if( !function_exists('reviews_has_subcat_link') ){
  function reviews_has_subcat_link($cat_id){
    $taxonomy_name = 'review-category';
    // store category data in array
    $cat_array = get_term_by('id', $cat_id, $taxonomy_name);
    $terms = get_the_terms(get_the_ID(), $taxonomy_name);

    foreach ($terms as $term) {
      if($term->parent === $cat_array->term_id) {
        return true;
      }
    }
  }
}

if( !function_exists('reviews_print_subcat_link') ){
  function reviews_print_subcat_link($cat_id){
    $taxonomy_name = 'review-category';
    // store category data in array
    $cat_array = get_term_by('id', $cat_id, $taxonomy_name);
    $terms = get_the_terms(get_the_ID(), $taxonomy_name);
    $subcat_array = [];

    foreach ($terms as $term) {
      if($term->parent === $cat_array->term_id) {
        $subcat_array[] = ''.$term->name.'';
      }
    }
    echo implode(', ', $subcat_array);
  }
}

review-page.php
<?php if( reviews_has_subcat_link($reviews_cat_id_brand) ): ?>

Brand:
  <?php reviews_print_subcat_link($reviews_cat_id_brand); ?>

<?php endif; ?>

That's about it. Each review page has about 6 of these subcategory checks and the site has a few hundred pages. Is there a better way to do this?
In the Wordpress editor I have the parent category checked when a subcategory is present. Ideally I'd like to detect if a parent is checked and then display the selected children without looping through everything every single time.
Thanks in advance for any guidance.

A: After looking at get_the_terms() again I think I found a better solution:
functions.php
global $reviews_cat_id_brand;
$reviews_cat_id_brand = 158; // using # in case string changes

if( !function_exists('reviews_print_subcat_link') ){
      function reviews_print_subcat_link($cat_id){
        $items = get_the_terms(get_the_ID(), 'review-category');
        $subcat_array = [];

        foreach ($items as $item) {
            if($item->parent === $cat_id) {
                $subcat_array[] = ''.$item->name.'';
            }
        }
        return $subcat_array;
      }
    }

review-page.php
$reviews_subcat_links_brand = reviews_print_subcat_link($reviews_cat_id_brand);

if ($reviews_subcat_links_brand) {
  echo '
Brand:	';
  echo ''.implode(', ', $reviews_subcat_links_brand).'
';
}

There still might be a better solution but this cuts down the looping quite a bit.


text:
Hand-Crafting Fine Guitars & Ukuleles Since 1958
Showroom open by appointment only
We can be reached by phone, text or email.
Phone/text 727-692-8746 Email loprinzi@gate.net
Be sure to check out the newly listed available stock.
What makes an instrument offer up something that is more than simply a sound?
Those who are lucky enough to own a LoPrinzi know--it's that almost indescribable element found in only the finest instruments. Perhaps it's the luthier's skill in releasing the heart-sound of the tonewood. It may be the result of decades of old-world skills, honed to the highest level of craftsmanship combined with art. It could be the care and full attention given to each instrument being created, no matter if it's a fine guitar or ukulele. Come discover the LoPrinzi difference by visiting with us on this site. You'll find that we approach
instrument building as a blending of luthier skills, knowledge and art. That's when you'll realize that a LoPrinzi is not only among the finest in handmade instruments, but a modern instrument with a legacy as rich as its sound.
Then, when you're ready to try the finest, stop by or contact one of our distinguished dealers, or make an appointment to visit our showroom. Tell your LoPrinzi dealer what you're looking for in your next instrument and let them guide you to one of our designs or create an instrument custom made for your playing style and sound. We're proud to
partner with some of the finest guitarists and ukulele players in the world--as well as those who simply appreciate the best.
What we do and what we offer
We handcraft three different styles of instruments: Classical Guitars, Steel String Guitars and Ukuleles. While each of these types of fretted instruments differ in construction and playing requirements, the common features of LoPrinzi instruments are their eminent playability, rich sound, exquisite finish and attention to detail.
Every LoPrinzi instrument:
♪ Represents a tremendous value.
♪ Is made entirely in the United States by Augustino and Donna
♪ Embodies the culmination of more than 50 years of instrument design & crafting.
♪ Is responsive, attractive, durable--and guaranteed.


I had no idea what lay ahead when I published THE TEN MINUTE COGNITIVE WORKOUT. I didn't know that the craft of writing was only one tool in the writer's toolkit. An important tool, but only one of many.
Even worse than that, I didn't know that using all these tools consistently takes a Lot of Time. When does the author find time to write her next book?
When does the writer find time to do what she loves most?


Cyclesnack: What trails was this guy riding on?
While hanging out at the Jump Hill parking lot at Troutbrook Valley on Saturday for a joint Aspetuck Land Trust/CT NEMBA trails advocacy day I didn't encounter any mountain bikers wanting to use Troutbrook but I did see this one riding down the road.
I was truly amazed to see a guy riding 29er on the road. When I ride at Upper Paugussett State Forest, I live close enough that I can ride to one of the trail heads from my house. This guy riding on a major road like this was truly bewildering though. There must have been at least 100 roadies passing through here in the span of 2 hours and this guy zooms through.
There are no biking trails between Jump Hill and Huntington State Park (10 miles up the road) so I wonder where he was riding. I doubt he was doing a road workout.
Even more surprising was the fact that it appears this guy was actually riding off road by the evidence of the dirt and blood on his left leg. But where? I found out later that this guy rode Huntington State Park, then road down to the Bradley Road Lot and then did a loop at Trout Brook and then rode back to Huntington for another ride there. He must be training for the VT 50.


text:
McDermott Wraps Bayu Undan Field Infill Work
Offshore services firm McDermott International said Thursday it had recently completed work under its first subsea, engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract with Australia's oil and gas firm Santos for the Bayu-Undan Infill Well Phase 3C Project in the Timor Sea.
The field is located around 310 miles (500 kilometers) off the northwest coast of Darwin, Australia, and 124 miles (200 kilometers) off the southeast coast of Timor-Leste.
The Bayu-Undan field is one of Timor-Leste's largest gas fields. Work on the Phase 3C Project started in May and concluded in December 2021. McDermott's scope involved the tieback of a single in-field well to existing facilities, re-using the existing flexible flowline, with a new umbilical and certain infrastructure.
McDermott said that a key to the execution had been the recovery of existing flexible flowlines, flushing to clear hydrocarbons, re-laying and a tieback from a new in-field well to the existing Bayu-Undan facility.
"Recovery and reusing existing flexible flowlines was a significant factor in enabling the work to be completed nine months from award and within the project schedule," the company said.
The company also said that local Timor-Leste businesses had been engaged to execute components of the project, including concrete mattress manufacture, marine training, and experience onboard the primary installation vessel—the Lay Vessel 108.
Credit:husni/MarineTraffic.com
Categories: Energy Subsea Industry News Activity Production Well Operations Australia/NZ
Neptune Energy Brings Online 10th Well at Cygnus Offshore Field
Libya to Sign Offshore Gas Deals with Italy's Eni, NOC's Bengdara Says
Hess Expects Higher 2023 Spending with Focus on Guyana, Bakken


text:
@echo off

echo Uninstalling the Weblab WindowsVM service.
echo ---------------------------------------------------
sc delete WeblabVMService
echo ---------------------------------------------------
echo Done.
pause

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Block striped trousers in organic cotton with a drawstring waist and knee patches in contrasting color. Extra soft seams that do not chafe. The knee patches protects against wear and tear, and a comfortable wide waistband and foldable cuffs allows the garment to grow with the child. Matches jacket in same material.


A wonderful journey to London and Switzerland in November 2005 gave me an opportunity to visit students and friends in London, Basel, Bern, Maur, Ebmatingen, Zurich, Lugano and Locarno.
Rev Christy Ugwuegbu hosted a series of seminars in London England from November 4 through November 7. An all-day program was held at the Newham University Hospital with discussions one-on-one for three hours followed by an intensive seminar with the theme: The Role of the Hospital in Spiritual Healing.
A meeting was held with hospital personnel and officials including: Dr Kula Ranjan, Orthopedic Surgeon Dr Borhra, General Manager Lorrian Foster and Director Penelopy Haile.
Two days of Living in the Now seminars and discussions were held in London's Grays and Forest Gate hosted by Rev Christy and UNI student Rev Chioma Agogbua and her son Ebube. Supportive help was given by Ngozi, sister of Christy and Dr Sybil Agogbua of Nigeria.
To enthusiastic Swiss audiences I gave some fabulous seminars all translated by Dr Stefan Strässle in his magical manner.
An evening seminar at the home of Rev Rösli In-Albon in Bern with the theme: I Am Always In Charge Of My Thought.
November 8 in the Bern Vetter Penthouse nine one-hour topics were wrapped up in these themes: Reveal Your Inner, Unlimited Self Through Onepointed Thin-king, Enjoy An Exciting Inner Journey, My Real Adventure, The Revelation Of My True Spiritual Potential, Experience A Life Full Of Self Respect, Love, Inner Peace, Creative Power Of Imagination, Abundance And Spiri-tual And Physical Health. This event was sponsored by UNI student Edith Strebel.
Rev Dr Monica Egli of Basel hosted an Intensive Spiritual Illumination seminar highlighted by a visit to frequent seminar participant for many years, 97-year-old Eleanor Meyer-Bessant who was enchanted by the healing presence of Dr Egli. Dr Egli taught Eleanor how to laugh until she felt her stomach which she had not known for months. Eleanor is the mother of UNI student Rev. Adrian Meyer-Bessant.
In Maur-Zurich Restaurant Schifflände on the lake Greifensee was held a two-day seminar November 12-13. Saturday heard the six-hour theme Children and Parents. The events were sponsored by Rev Dr Strässle. Sunday featured a six-hour lecture series on Healing. Dr Strässle taught the group all about the healing balm of laughter. Rev Dr Irene Merkle backed up Dr Strässle as translator. Rev Herbert Marty was a super supportive example for the seminar topics.
Ideas were shared on a Child Is Born, Where Does A Child Come From And Why To Our Family. What A Parent Brings To A Child, A Parent Can Make A New Direction Anytime And A Parent Is A Child.
Healing Sunday was redefined by 13-year-old Jerôme Suter in how he does whatever the moment calls for as a happy expression - living wholeness every moment.
Mini seminars were held in Ticino with UNI student Rev Daniela Ferrari; in Lugano with Mariella Arnoldi, Diego Jermini; and in Jona with Rev Dr Christina Nussbaum.
Several evening meetings were held at the home of our Swiss European Bureau Director Rev Gertrud Suter, my home in Switzerland.
Dean Dr Herbert L Beierle presents Lydia Hunziker and Rev Gertrud Suter, both from Switzerland with their Certificate of Participation in the 2005 School of the Master training program.