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Presentation / CV Spent 2001-2005 promoting manpasand shadi karne ke upaye. Spent high school summers testing the market for toy trucks with no outside help. Set new standards for writing about carnival rides in Ohio. Spent college summers promoting accordions for fun and profit. Spent several months working with wooden tops worldwide. Spent 2001-2006 developing UFOs in Hanford, CA.


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The 2018 legislative session began yesterday. I requested a hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee on the derailment of Amtrak train 501 on Dec. 18, 2017. I owe it to my constituents to make sure that the appropriate personnel and agencies are held accountable.
"7 seconds" for REAL car tab tax relief
REAL car tab tax relief passed the Senate.
Senator Steve O'Ban describes how his bill, SB 5893, would actually cut car tab taxes. He breaks it down in a "Sound Transit Seven"–in other words, it's over time. It's a 13 second wrap but we call it 7 just like Sound Transit claims projects are "on time" when they are actually years late.
Watch out for false car tab tax relief! The Sound Transit Shell Game in 7 seconds!
Senator O'Ban's bill to reduce car tab taxes (SB 5893) passed the Senate, but has not had a vote in the House. In his latest video, Senator O'Ban explains why the House "alternative" to his bill is really an elaborate shell game. Senator O'Ban breaks down the Sound Transit Shell Game in 7 seconds…
On Friday, Senator Steve O'Ban, R-University Place, and Senator Dino Rossi, R-Sammamish, asked Sound Transit for documentation to back up the transit authority's claims of how much revenue they'd lose if they were forced to calculate car tab fees based on the actual value of the vehicles they were taxing. The request stems from numerous challenges made by Senators O'Ban and Rossi in how Sound Transit calculates its car tab fees.
You can watch the report here.
http://www.king5.com/news/local/st3-backlash-lawmakers-demand-sound-transit-emails-and-records/427445996
Would you like to let the Legislature know how you feel about paying Sound Transit's car tab taxes?
Come to Olympia, Monday, March 27th at 3:30pm in the John A Cherberg Building for your chance to tell the State Senate what you think about new car tab prices. There will be a public hearing on Senate Bill 5893 which would not allow the state to collect car tab taxes unless the car is honestly valued using the Kelley Blue Book or National Automobile Dealers Association method–whichever is lower! Monday, March 27 at 3:30pm is your chance to make yourself heard and let legislators know what you think!
"Slam-dunk" for Pierce County schools
Funding increases for 28th Dist. schools in Senate budget
The Republican-led MCC Senate budget proposal establishes a minimum funding level of $12,500 a year for every student, with additional funding for homeless, low-income, bilingual or special needs students. For our local schools, this would mean a significant increase in funding from what we have now. Compared to current funding, the state per pupil increases for 28th Legislative District schools would be:
Bethel School District — increase of $1,120 per pupil
Clover Park School District — increase of $1,440 per pupil
Steilacoom Historical School District – increase of $1,690 per pupil
Tacoma School District— increase of $850 per pupil
University Place School District — increase of $1,510 per pupil
Yelm School District— increase of $1,930 per pupil
This is a slam-dunk for Pierce County schools. The total net increase in school district funding from School Year 2016-17 to SY 2018-19 under the MCC budget plan would be:
$25,274,000 for Bethel School District
$20,585,000 for Clover Park School District
$5,757,000 Steilacoom Historical School District
$32,049,000 for Tacoma School District
$8,967,000 for University Place School District
Property tax cuts for Pierce County
The Republican-led Senate Majority Coalition Caucus (MCC) released a $43 billion budget proposal that fully funds basic education and reforms the school levy system. The changes would mean big savings for 28th Leg. District taxpayers, and unlike the other party's budget, would not create billions in new taxes.
The levy reform amounts to a big property tax cut for the vast majority of Washington homeowners, including those in Pierce County. It replaces the hodgepodge of local levy rates that have grown to pay for basic education over the last few decades with a statewide flat property tax rate of $1.55 per $1000 of assessed value. For the first time, everybody would pay the same rate to support basic education. The savings for the 28th district show you just how out-of-whack and unfair the system has been.
The levy rate reductions and impacts on average homeowners in the 28th Leg. District would be:
Bethel School District (Graham and Spanaway) levy rate reduction of $3.02/$1000 – $535 tax cut
Clover Park School District (Lakewood) levy rate reduction of $2.76/$1000 — $555 tax cut
Steilacoom Historical School District levy rate reduction of $1.11/$1000 – $279 tax cut
Tacoma School District levy rate reduction of $2.74/$1000 – $551 tax cut
University Place School District levy rate reduction of $3.21/$1000 – $887 tax cut
Property tax cuts and more student funding for the 28th District under "One Washington Education Equality Act"
If the One Washington Education Equality Act becomes law, the overwhelming majority of school districts would see an increase in funding per student compared to the current system, and the 28th Legislative District is no exception. For example, Clover Park schools would see an increase of almost $1,200 per student. University Place School District would see an increase of $910 per student.
Levy reform and property taxes
One of the challenges identified by the McCleary decision was the need to create an equitable funding system. Currently, funding levels for students vary enormously by district—and so do tax rates. In some districts, because of high property values, large amounts of revenue can be generated with a relatively low increase in levy rates. In other districts with low property values, comparative levy rates can be extremely high, yet raise much more modest amounts.
Under the One Washington plan, a "local effort levy" of $1.80 per $1,000 of assessed value replaces the existing maintenance and operations levy. The current statewide average M&O levy is $2.54 per $1,000. In the majority of districts, property owners will see a property tax cut. For some others, there is a mechanism within the plan to use future revenue growth to help pay down the rate.
As you can see in the chart, the plan benefits the 28th District, both in terms of per-pupil funding and property tax relief for the average homeowner.
My column on why the death penalty is still just was published in the Seattle Times on Tuesday. You can check it out here.
Steve.OBan@leg.wa.gov

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


So Monday has become a crazy confluence of work, home and family predicaments. Many of which are anxiety-inducing, so much so that I'm contemplating calling my doctor for Xanax. My prescription ran out years ago, and I cannot even find an expired little orange something around here. I've already looked.
My "cup runnething over" in real life today looks more like "my toilet running over" in the literal and metaphorical sense. A business colleague is reneging on a deal in a calculated, venemous and hostile way; a certain special someone has been particularly unpleasant in relation to his own relocation; I am up to my elbows in a project that I really like, but I feel as though I'm juggling about 17 flaming torches and I'm anxious not to burn any structures down in the process. My dammit doll is getting a serious workout; unfortunately, I am not. Meanwhile, I'm carrying all the standard-issue maternal anxiety related to children in various stages of dependence and independence. All those things happening separately might even be tolerable, it's just that all of everything is happening at the same time, and it's making me crazy. My head is spinning with details and my chair is swirling with activity.
In that moment all the noise fades to the background, because I love my son and he loves me, and we have a relationship, flawed and beautiful and real. And it's just wow.
The other stuff will work its way through, and some of it may well be toxic and disagreeable, but I will hold to this one little light to carry me through today.
And Oh! I remember something else. On the top of my list of tasks for today is to mail graduation announcements for another of my sons. Two lights.
And just like that, with one little interruption and a burst of gratitude, one light has become two, and the day is looking better. Just bright enough to make it through until Tuesday.
Wishing you light and strength on your healing path. And one little interruption.
Charlotte, May God bless you as you continue to see the light……and share it with us.


kavita chandak is proprietor and Founder, psychology Hub. Psychologist, career guide & adolescent health counsellor, life coach, family counsellor. Ask kavita chandak to get Expert Career Advice.
Namita is an Internationally Certified Success Coach with ICF credentials (International Coach Federation, USA). She is also a Writer and Speaker on a mission to help everyone unlock their infinite potential and build an extraordinary purposeful life. A Certified Career Counselor, Member CCPAI (Career Counseling Psychology Association of India) and an expert in DMIT (Multiple Intelligence Analysis), she is passionately involved in helping individuals discover their talents and strengths towards pursuing the right education and right career. Having done her M.B.A in Marketing, she has had a prior corporate stint of more than 12 years chiefly in Banking and Financial services, successfully leading sales and customer service teams. Her rich experience and understanding in areas of employee engagement and customer experience makes her an ardent Trainer and Executive Coach enabling teams reach high levels of performance. She happens to be an avid blogger and writer across diverse topics. As a columnist for International Coaching News, world's leading publication in the field of Coaching, she regularly shares her unique insights in the domains of executive and life coaching. She is also a guest blogger for online magazines, Mycity4kids and Women's Web. Her poems have featured in a recently published anthology – The Pink Throne.
Mr. Rohan is an accomplished Innovator, Expert Counselor, Public Speaker and Independent Consultant. As far as counseling is concerned, Mr. Rohan has successfully counseled to thousands of people from various age groups from various states of India. In addition to this, Mr. Rohan has counseled to people from various cities of Middle East, UK and Germany. His clientele has been ever increasing at a very rapid pace. Mr. Rohan is committed towards bringing smile of satisfaction on the face of his clients. A few topics of expertise for counseling includes counseling related to:1. Education and Career,2. Job and Business,3. Relationship and Break Up,4. Pre Marriage and Post Marriage related Issues,5. Stress Management and Depression related issues,6.Workplace harassment,7.Start up venture related issues,8.How to start new business without taking 1 paisa from home,9. Cheating in relationships and many more.
Mr Meghashyam had been in to Education Management at various levels like Career Counseling, Software and Management Consultant. Currently he is associated with Success Career Academy, he is also associated with Accenture Management Consulting Careers. Career Counseling based on different queries is his expertise.


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"Just Weng Shun Kuen"
by Rien Bul
Weng Shun Kuen most likely descends from early Wudang Kuen. According to the legend, a Taoist monk founded the Wudang style after watching a fight between a snake and a crane. Does sound familiar, doesn't it? It was the forefather of the so-called "internal" or "soft" styles like Ba Gua Kuen, Hsing I and Tai Gik Kuen (Tai Chi Chuan). It was probably brought aboard the red junks (Hung Suen) by a man called Cheung Ng, who was also known by the nickname Tan Sao Ng. The style blended with styles that were already present.
When asked which style of Weng Shun Kuen we were practicing, my sifu would just answer: "Just Weng Shun Kuen." In more talkative moods he'd explain: "Everybody has named his Weng Shun Kuen after himself nowadays, because they all possess no more then a part of the puzzle. No one of them has the whole picture. Weng Shun Kuen is a conceptual style. You've got to have the whole system." Sifu believed Weng Shun Kuen is a complete system that teaches the student the safest and most practical possible way to fight if one has complete knowledge of the system, no gaps! All the answers, I was told, are to be found in the forms. The three empty-handed forms together are the encyclopedia of the style. Your Weng Shun Kuen won't get better by practicing the forms, but once you learned them, you can always look things up in them. Most sifu have just a part of this knowledge and if you study at their schools in "so and so Weng Shun Kuen", you'll only get the part "so and so" knows.
So that is why sifu didn't name his style after himself or even his sifu. If you want to do Weng Shun Kuen as close as possible to what the founders intended, check and re-check the principles. Do not invent your own solutions to problems. The Weng Shun Kuen System already has solutions to every one of them. By "cleverly" finding your own solutions you will just stray from the system.
But then, why the name "Wudang Weng Shun Kuen"? Well, according to sifu, who was from mainland China, "WEng SHun Kuen" is the original name of the system, and was probably the name that was used by the red junk opera people. He was also very adamant about the style sprouting from Wudang Kuen. As a fact, people who are already familiar with the way other Sifu teach Weng Shun Kuen, are often amazed by the way we practice the style. They often comment that it looks a lot like Tai Chi Chuan (or sometimes even Aikido!)
Sifu would say: "Just Weng Shun Kuen."
But people just don't accept "Just Weng Shun Kuen". They want to know your lineage, "which system of Weng Shun Kuen" you're teaching. So when I started teaching the complete system as taught by Sifu, I attached the word "Wudang" to our name to distinguish ourselves from what already has been taught.
But remember: it's "Just Weng Shun Kuen".


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Q: how to debug an increase in context switches I am profiling two versions of a large application using Linux perf. There is a reproducible degradation of performance in one of the versions. The problem is affecting a run which takes about 10 minutes to complete, and running
perf stat

one can see that there's a large difference in the number of context switches:
    2759681,344820      task-clock (msec)         #    4,089 CPUs utilized
         1.976.068      context-switches          #    0,716 K/sec
           288.370      cpu-migrations            #    0,104 K/sec
         1.065.076      page-faults               #    0,386 K/sec
 9.600.316.147.196      cycles                    #    3,479 GHz
 9.608.308.311.681      instructions              #    1,00  insn per cycle
 1.847.613.212.847      branches                  #  669,502 M/sec
    29.342.163.081      branch-misses             #    1,59% of all branches

     674,891697479 seconds time elapsed

versus
    3045676,296012      task-clock (msec)         #    4,093 CPUs utilized
        22.156.426      context-switches          #    0,007 M/sec
           385.364      cpu-migrations            #    0,127 K/sec
         1.066.383      page-faults               #    0,350 K/sec
10.505.321.454.387      cycles                    #    3,449 GHz
 9.723.994.869.100      instructions              #    0,93  insn per cycle
 1.869.145.049.594      branches                  #  613,704 M/sec
    30.241.815.060      branch-misses             #    1,62% of all branches

     744,170941002 seconds time elapsed

Running
perf record -e context-switches -ag -T

gives the following system calls
  Children      Self       Samples  Command          Shared Object                   Symbol
+   44,06%    44,06%        170846  swapper          [kernel.kallsyms]               [k] schedule_idle
+   33,07%    33,07%        127004  Thread (pooled)  [kernel.kallsyms]               [k] schedule

versus
  Children      Self       Samples  Command          Shared Object                 Symbol
+   49,02%    49,02%        958827  swapper          [kernel.kallsyms]             [k] schedule_idle
+   43,96%    43,96%        855603  Thread (pooled)  [kernel.kallsyms]             [k] schedule

So the difference in the number of samples is almost one order of magnitude. My question is how can I investigate this further, given that I can access the source code of both versions, but it's large and I don't know much about it?
Update:
The problem was a lock, I can spot it by running gdb, breaking in the middle of the execution, catching the system calls and printing the backtrace
(gdb) catch syscall
(gdb) bt

The information reported by perf was this
  Children      Self  Command          Shared Object                 Symbol                                                                                ◆
-   49,02%    49,02%  swapper          [kernel.kallsyms]             [k] schedule_idle                                                                                ▒
   - secondary_startup_64                                                                                ▒
      - 42,82% start_secondary                                                                                ▒
           cpu_startup_entry                                                                                ▒
           do_idle                                                                                ▒
           schedule_idle                                                                                ▒
      + 6,20% x86_64_start_kernel

-   43,96%    43,96%  Thread (pooled)  [kernel.kallsyms]             [k] schedule                                                                                ▒
   - 43,32% syscall                                                                                ▒
      - 43,32% entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe                                                                                ▒
           do_syscall_64                                                                                ▒
           sys_futex                                                                                ▒
           do_futex                                                                                ▒
           futex_wait                                                                                ▒
           futex_wait_queue_me                                                                                ▒
           schedule

which is not very informative since it does not print who made the system call. Stepping with GDB worked in my case but can be tedious. Do you know any tracing toool, or options to perf which would help in such cases? There's a list of tools on Brendan Gregg's blog http://www.brendangregg.com/blog/2015-07-08/choosing-a-linux-tracer.html , but I haven't much experience with them.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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May 16, 2019 May 30, 2020 John Ault International Observations, Netherlands Provincial Elections, Netherlands Water Board Elections
FINAL REPORT – Netherlands Provincial and water board elections 20/03/19
The mission deployed 6 observers in three teams of two. These were registered with The Netherlands's Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. These six observers were accredited to observe across The Netherlands. They made 62 separate observations across eight municipalities. This allowed the observer team to also assess four separate Provinces; North Holland, South Holland, Utrecht and Gelderland. The municipalities and the number of observations were:
Amsterdam: 14
Arnhem: 6
Delft: 2
Leiden: 8
Nijmegen: 6
Rotterdam: 10
The Hague: 5
Utrecht: 11
All observers received a written and verbal briefing in advance of the deployment. Each observation was conducted in pairs to allow for objective observation and the observers then agreed their opinions of the electoral process before submitting data. The observations generally took between thirty and forty-five minutes per polling station, with the observers asked to ensure that they saw the entire process, which included staff greeting electors on arrival at the polling station. This happened on every occasion.
The organisation of polling stations was extremely well run across the area of observation. Voters could clearly see how to access voting and staff were trained to manage the process. Polls were generally open from 8am to 9pm, though some at train stations opened at 7.30am. The teams were asked to observe an opening as well as a closing of a polling station and tour polling stations throughout the day.
Counting began almost immediately, based in the polling stations, before results were transmitted to the central count for checking. The team also attended three of the central counting pilots on the Thursday morning, in The Hague, Rotterdam and Zoetermeer.
Our observer team and electoral experts met with a number of professional and political interlocutors whilst in The Netherlands and we have also included some of the feedback on these meetings in our conclusions.
There are six areas that the observer team felt that the Dutch authorities should consider further action following the observation on 20th March. They were:
Accessibility to Polling in the Netherlands
The Ballot Paper
Central Counting
Dual Elections
Queuing
In total the team of six observers have made twenty recommendations on possible ways to improve the electoral process in The Netherlands. These can be found in detail in the attached report.
Commenting on the observation, Director of Democracy Volunteers, Dr John Ault said,
'We would like to thank the Dutch authorities for their welcome to observe the election and the manner in which we were greeted across The Netherlands on polling day.
'The election was extremely well run but some challenges are still evident in the electoral process. We always assess accessibility issues and this has become even more important in the Netherlands as 100% of polling stations are now expected to be accessible.
'We also raise concerns over the extent of proxy voting, as previously reported by the OSCE/ODIHR as well as two elections, with different electoral boundaries, being conducted on the same day.
'However, once again, our main concern is the ongoing issue concerning the ballot paper and all the impacts it has on the electoral process. We have made a recommendation for further pilots, along the lines of the Finnish model, to see if that can alleviate some of the stresses in the Dutch electoral system.'
Netherlands Provincial and Water Board Elections FINAL Report
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FINAL REPORT – Newport West Parliamentary By-election 04/04/19
FINAL REPORT – English Local Elections (including Voter ID Trials) 02/05/19


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← Willow (1988) rewatch – Part 5
Willow (1988) rewatch – Part 6 →
Fantastic Friday: All symbiotes all the time
Posted on February 9, 2018	by Mac McEntire
Reading the Fantastic Four comics from the start. If we're talking about Marvel in the '90s, then we're talking about symbiotes. They're everywhere, and they're in issue #360.
Recap: After rescuing Alicia from Skrulls and being stranded in space, the FF battled an alien named Devos, and took over his ship, allowing them to plot a course back home. Unbeknownst to them, a mysterious lifeform in the shape a small black cube is also on board. The issue begins as the ship has already crashed on a deserted South Seas island. The others give Ben, their pilot, some grief for crashing the ship, but he says the ship wasn't designed for planetary landings, and he chose the island to prevent casualties and property damage.
Johnny flies ahead to scout out the island. He finds a circus airplane (!) that has also crashed. The pilot is dead, and the cargo of exotic animals has escaped and run loose on the island. This is reinforced when the FF encounters a cheetah, but one that hisses like a snake instead of growling or roaring like big cats are supposed to.
Reed finds a shuttlecraft aboard Devos' ship that can take them back to New York, but it has a weight limit, which means Ben has to stay behind, and the others will come back for him. Alicia wants to stay with Ben, but the rest of the team vetoes that idea, with everyone still uncomfortable about how the last few years, when Lyja the Skrull was impersonating her. Johnny agrees to stay behind on the island with Ben.
Out in the jungle, we see that black cube has expanded into an ink-like or oil slick-like lifeform, where it sneaks up on a gorilla. Spider-Man fans will immediately recognize the alien as a symbiote, even though it isn't identified as such in this issue. The symbiote aliens are the black goopy stuff that gave us popular villains such as Venom and Carnage. Also, the cover calls this symbiote Dreadface, but it's never called that in the actual comic. Anyway, Dreadface does the Venom thing with the gorilla, turning it into a symbiote gorilla.
Back in New York, Alicia learns she no longer has an apartment to go home to, since Lyja and Johnny lived at FF headquarters. On the island, Ben and Johnny have a heart-to-heart talk about Alicia, and their confusion over what's happened. Dreadface attacks, with strength nearly as equal as Ben's. When Ben punches the gorilla, the symbiote transfers from the gorilla onto Ben, starting to take over his mind.
Johnny and Ben/Dreadface fight for a while. Johnny uses a concentrated burst of his super-hot nova flame to separate the symbiote from Ben. As seen in Spider-Man comics, symbiotes do not like fire. When Johnny flames off, however, Dreadface makes its move and possesses Johnny, now controlling the fire instead of running from it.
Dreadface speaks, saying that his mission is to possess the greatest warriors on each planet, forcing them to fight and destroy one another. (This also nicely explains why Dreadface was on Devos' ship, since Devos had a similar motivation.) Ben can't punch Dreadface with injuring Johnny, so Ben is on the run as Dreadface chases him. (Ben has no qualms about punching the gorilla, though.)
Dreadface chases Ben back to Devos' crashed ship. Ben punches a hole in the ship, exposing the fuel. When Dreadface attacks with Johnny's fire power, the whole island goes up in a huge explosion. Johnny emerges from the fire, back to normal. He says the alien was incinerated in the blast. Reed arrives in the FF's pogo plane to pick to the two and sees the island in flames (are all the circus animals also dead?) and asks what happened. Ben and Johnny joke that it was "just a little male bonding."
Unstable molecule: Reed's science genius also extends to exotic wildlife, as he's able to determine on site that the cheetah is a rare breed.
Fade out: Sue mentions wanting to take a bubble bath as soon as she gets home. (She doesn't do much in this issue.)
Clobberin' time: This issue not only remembers that Ben is a skilled pilot, but it also references his experience as a wrestler — both before he became the Thing, and also his time spent with the goofy Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation.
Flame on: Johnny's heart-to-heart with Ben isn't anything that hasn't already been said. Neither of them can look at Alicia without thinking of her as Johnny's dead wife.
Four and a half: There's another line of dialogue about Franklin saying at Avengers Mansion while the team is away from home.
Commercial break: Bartmania!
Trivia time: While this issue does not call Dreadface a symbiote, the Marvel Wiki identifies it as one. Marvel went symbiote-happy for a while there, constantly introducing new ones. In addition to Venom and Carnage, other symbiotes include Toxin, Hybrid, Scorn, Malus, Mania, Scream, Lasher, Phage, Agony, Riot, Payback, Scorn, Marcus, Zzzxx (not to be confused with the energy being Zzzax), and Anti-Venom. The symbiotes originated from the planet Klyntar, where they were originally created for altruistic purposes, in the hopes they could cure any illness.
Fantastic or frightful? The Ben vs. Johnny fight a lot of fun, with Ben having to think his way out of it instead of using his strength. Other than that, though, very little of consequence happens.
Next: Yancy boys.


Feb 9, 2013: Ed Hardy the classic American brand which is into apparels and accessories and is known for celebrating the American tattoo as an art form is all set to enter into India. The brand is brought into India by Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd. A long term exclusive licensing agreement to manufacture and distribute Ed Hardy brand in India was signed by Arvind Lifestyle Brands and Iconix Lifestyle India Pvt. Ltd. Earlier Iconic Lifestyle India Pvt. Ltd. was formed after a joint venture between Reliance Brands Ltd. and Iconix Brand Group.
Arvind Lifestyle is planning to bring this brand into India during Autumn or Winter in 2013 and the company would be focusing on a new global product and pricing strategy. Arvind Lifestyle Brands which is one of the largest apparel brands in India with a host of brands under its umbrella is trying to target the youth segment with Ed Hardy which is known as a 'cult classic' and internationally recognised brand.


text:
Home - Maine - Fort Knox
Though not a fort full of gold, Maine's Fort Knox might just be full of ghosts
740 Fort Knox Road
Prospect, Maine
Fort Knox's Paranormal Claims
The spirit of a former fort keeper supposedly still makes his rounds, closing and locking open doors
The spirit of a workman who died during the fort's construction is also reportedly encountered
The fort keeper's spirit can also be heard walking around, and his pipe tobacco can be smelled
Visitors frequently report taps on the shoulder and tugs at hair without explanation
The spirit of a little girl is known to walk the fort in search of her mother, though the source of this spirit remains unknown
Fort Knox's Revolutionary History
Though we at Haunted US understand the excitement of searching for ghosts within the gold-lined vaults of the US's bullion depository, that's a different Fort Knox. But don't be dispirited! Maine's Fort Knox, now known as the Fort Knox State Historic Site, has a fortune of history and education to share with anyone who passes through its old granite walls.
From preserved cannons and casemates to original shot furnaces, Fort Knox's past remains as frozen as the Penobscot River in winter. And, alongside that well-preserved history, stories suggest the Fort Knox State Historic Site is home to a treasure trove of paranormal activity.
Timeline of Fort Knox's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Fort Knox through the years
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Maine was a hotbed for anti-British sentiment. In 1779, facing the loss of the American colonies, the British claimed modern day Maine, calling it New Ireland. Massachusetts, understanding the dangers of a nearby British base, sent a naval force to remove them in the Penobscot Expedition. This expedition proved the worst US naval disaster until Pearl Harbor, costing the new nation 43 warships. But, with the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the New Ireland colony was ceded to the US regardless.
When the War of 1812 came to pass a few decades later, Maine was again captured by British forces and not relinquished until the Treaty of Ghent sent their forces into modern Canada. With the humiliations faced during British occupancy still stinging in the minds of many Mainers, regional leaders spent the following years eager to establish an unstoppable fortress on the shores of Maine.
Those leaders got their wish in 1844, when construction on Fort Knox began. The first fort in Maine to be built entirely of granite stone, Fort Knox promised to be miles ahead of the competition when it was finished. Unfortunately, the project's funding proved slow-moving, and by 1869, funding for stone forts had been stopped. Regardless, Fort Knox in 1869 was a force to be reckoned with. Including 64 guns and two open water batteries, the fortress was a serious threat to any naval force hoping to take Maine.
In the early 1860s, the still incomplete Fort Knox was pressed into Union Army service, though it never saw battle in the Civil War. The fort was utilized as a training ground and updated to include more advanced firepower. The Confederate Army never made it as far north as Maine, but it would've been difficult for them to take Fort Knox. Once funding for construction ceased, activity at the fort quieted down for several decades, with few troops being regularly stationed at the outpost.
War came to the US once more in 1898, when the Spanish-American War broke out. A Connecticut infantry regiment was stationed at Fort Knox at this time, tasked with laying an underwater minefield in the nearby river. However, the minefield never saw use. After the war ended, staffing at Fort Knox was reduced to just a single ordnance sergeant, referred to as the 'Keeper of the Fort.' The keeper kept up with maintenance of the fortress over the following years, and later organized the fort's use as a warehouse for naval mines.
In 1923, the US declared Fort Knox to be military surplus and put the property up for sale, selling it to the state of Maine for $2,100. Though future use for the space was uncertain, the trials of the Great Depression breathed new life into Fort Knox, and the New Deal's Civilian Conservation Corps sought to convert the fort to a tourist destination. Between the 1930s and 1943, the CCC workers added picnic spaces, roads, and fireplaces, as well as refurbished retaining walls and the fort's interior.
The renovated property began operating as a state historic site in 1943, and has greeted countless tourists in the years since then. But, after nearly 80 years as a tourist destination, Fort Knox has built up numerous ghost stories and haunted legends. And though the old fort never saw battle, many visitors and volunteers say the ghost stories at Fort Knox might just have something to them.
Fort Knox's Paranormal Keeper
Just because Fort Knox never saw battle doesn't mean no one died there, and at least one soldier is confirmed to have died on duty at the fort. Leopold Hegyi served as one of the first "Keepers of the Fort" in the late 19th century, and, as the sole inhabitant of the fort, he was tasked with keeping everything secure and maintained.
In July of 1900, a passing ship noticed the fort's flag not flying, and sent for a wellness check on the keeper. Hegyi was found deathly ill in his quarters. He died at Fort Knox on July 17, 1900.
Leopold Hegyi has since become a mainstay spirit around Fort Knox, often being spotted by visitors. Many people who have reportedly encountered his spirit say that he is still making his rounds, closing and locking doors as he goes. His footsteps are often heard pounding through the open corridors, and others have reported the smell of his tobacco following the footsteps around. And, legend has it Hegyi is not the only soldier to have died at the fort.
Exploding Ghosts at Fort Knox
A much older legend, dated October, 1844, tells the story of a fort builder who let his confidence get the best of him. Part way through a hard day of labor, one of the construction workers took a cigar break while sitting on a barrel.
Little did he know, the barrel was full of gunpowder. When the workman went to stifle his cigar on the barrel, the contents ignited, killing him instantly. Ever since, workers and visitors have reported the ghost of this worker still lingering around Fort Knox.
Fort Knox's Fickle Phantoms
Though the ghost of this unfortunate laborer is harder to pinpoint than Hegyi's, many people report encountering him through the unique smell of his cigar, which is said to be noticeably different from Hegyi's pipe tobacco smell.
The laborer's phantom has also been identified by the sound of footsteps following Hegyi's around the complex, or through the sound of mysterious, low booms. Perhaps the residual sound of the poor workman's demise?
The Little Girl Ghost of Fort Knox
Beyond what spirits can be traced, other strange activity is known to occur at Fort Knox that remains wholly unexplained. One common report is that of a little girl's voice, often calling for her mother. Many have tried to locate the voice and help the girl find her mother, but all that has been heard is her continuing to call out for her mom, never to any avail.
Tourists also frequently describe sensations of being touched or their hair being pulled when no one else is around them to do it. No spirit has yet taken the blame for these phantom touches and tugs.
A Treasure of Haunts at Fort Knox
The hauntings of Fort Knox have grown to take on a life of their own over the years. Ghost tours and public investigations are common events hosted by the Friends of Fort Knox organization, and they offer numerous members of the public their own opportunity to experience the fort's ghosts for themselves.
In recent years, the spirits of Fort Knox have gained considerable press, being featured on the Travel Channel shows Most Terrifying Places in America and Destination Fear. So, while you're not likely to uncover a fortune in gold bars during your time at this Fort Knox, you might just find the ghosts within the fort are worth their weight in gold bullion.


EDITOR'S NOTE: Concordia takes no position on the 2015 Canadian federal election. This article expresses the opinions of Peter Stoett, an expert on global environmental politics and international relations, who works at the university.
This Monday, September 28, Canadians will get an opportunity to see Stephen Harper, Justin Trudeau and Thomas Mulcair square off on Canada's role in international affairs.
The Munk Debate, Canada's first-ever federal election debate devoted to foreign policy, broadcasts live at 7 p.m. from Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall.
Here are the topics Peter Stoett, director of Concordia's Loyola Sustainability Research Centre, wants to see addressed by the candidates.
PETER STOETT: Humanitarian crises (note the plural) will obviously be a key topic, and the current Syrian/Iraqi refugee crisis will dominate.
I would hope to see a firm commitment from everyone that we will leave our doors open to refugee settlement within reasonable parameters (45,000 by 2019 seems quite reasonable to me), along with a concrete plan to pay for the processing and resettlement this entails; and that we will strongly support the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other agencies in their efforts on the ground.
I will be watching to see if the leaders adopt the phraseology slowly gaining favour in Europe to refer to the refugees as "migrants," even though it is very difficult to see how they would not qualify as refugees under international law.
I would especially hope for a constructive, even collaborative, discussion on this, and not simply finger pointing. Whoever takes the higher prime ministerial air on this will hopefully benefit. Framing this purely as a national security issue for Canada is short-sighted and strikes me as un-Canadian, given our own history.
It's important to note, however, that humanitarian crises are boiling in other parts of the world as well; and that long-term thinking about Canada's responses is necessary, not just reactions to the current media focus. The sad likelihood is that there are many more crises to come.
PETER STOETT: What type of contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) does each candidate favour? Can we renew Canada's historical engagement with peacekeeping operations (somewhat exaggerated as it tends to be)? What will be the priorities in military spending decisions? What would each candidate do to improve the lives of veterans with disabilities and their families?
PETER STOETT: Climate change should be foremost in any discussion of foreign policy. Canada has not only flouted the global trend toward serious action on climate change, but has also pulled out of an inexpensive convention on desertification and has not been the leader it could be in promoting sustainable development with alternative energy technology.
Our approach to climate change will also affect our relationship with the United States, not only in terms of policy coordination but strains on trans-border resources.
If Canada is going to contribute substantively to climate change adaptation, it should not come at the expense of existing or even potential programs to enhance human health and save species; these things are certainly related, however.
I hope the leaders will make bold commitments to reduce greenhouse emissions and move away from the energy superpower rhetoric that contributes to the diminishment of Canada's reputation among those who will be most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and reduces our buoyant, multi-dimensional economy to a resource-based dependency.
I would also like to see discussion of other issues related to the environment: the United Nations' sustainable development goals, the oceans, responsible Canadian investments abroad and conserving biodiversity worldwide. But I doubt we will get there.
PETER STOETT: Canada has displayed a fairly consistent disdain for multilateral approaches to collective action problems in the past decade, beyond military commitments. We can regain respect in the UN and elsewhere while retaining a uniquely Canadian position, but must be willing to commit — diplomatically and financially. We need to regain diplomatic clout so we can play a more constructive role in global affairs.
The Munk Debate on Canada's Foreign Policy will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 28, in French and English via CPAC and through an online distribution and broadcast partnership with Facebook Canada. Viewers can also watch the debate live via www.munkdebates.com.
Learn about the exciting work taking place at Concordia's Loyola Sustainability Research Centre.
Should countries honour their climate debts?
What will sustainability look like tomorrow?


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Caitlyn Jenner's co-writer talks memoir plans
Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images; Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair
Marc Snetiker•@MarcSnetiker
Posted on January 20, 2016 12:00PM
Caitlyn Jenner's memoir was never an "if" but a "when," and now that "when" is official: the world's most famous transgender woman will pen a memoir slated for the spring of 2017.
She'll tell her story once more with the help of Buzz Bissinger, who detailed Jenner's transition from Olympic athlete-cum-reality star to transgender icon in that now-historic Vanity Fair cover story just 18 months ago.
Jenner first sought the involvement of the Friday Night Lights author in early fall, several months after the Vanity Fair piece. Grand Central Publishing landed the book for an undisclosed sum that some publishing insiders are estimating between the high seven figures and low eights.
Bissinger spoke to EW the afternoon of the publication announcement about his very busy year ahead.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: A memoir seemed like the inevitable next step for Caitlyn. When did you get involved?
BUZZ BISSINGER: I would say sometime in the early fall. It was several months after the Vanity Fair piece. Caitlyn had expressed an interest in doing a memoir and wanted to talk to me specifically about it because of the Vanity Fair piece, really because of the bond that we had developed doing the piece. We just got along really well with one another and she felt comfortable with me.
Did you expect the call? Or hope for it?
No. I mean, look, it would not be unusual for the next step for Caitlyn to be a memoir. Was I hoping for the call? No. When I got the call, it was a big deliberation on my part. It's her book. It's in her voice, as it should be. And basically the reason I did it was, I met with her the week before we were meeting with publishers and I said, "Look, Caitlyn, if you're going to do this, in for a dime, in for a dollar. Everything has to be on the table. That doesn't mean it's going to be gossipy or salacious, but you cannot leave anything out because otherwise, I don't want to do it." And she got that and she agreed and… because I felt this really is a wonderful story to be told, [I said] I'm not just going to talk to you, I'm going to talk to other people and when other people say things, it's a way of holding you accountable.
Do you anticipate this being strictly first-person?
Yes, it's going to be first person.
Where do you begin for secondaries?
I can't really outline it until I've finished the reporting, and I don't know when that'll be. It's slated for spring of 2017. If it takes longer, it's going to take longer. I'm deep in the process of interviewing Caitlyn and will spend hundreds and hundreds of hours with her and then the other people I need to talk to who I think are essential.
What's the most daunting part ahead?
It's like any book, to create a compelling narrative that people will find worthy of reading. And I guess the biggest fear is, there's been a lot written about Caitlyn. I frankly have written most of it. And is there much more to be written about? And I can definitely tell you on the basis of starting to interview her, there's much, much more to be told: about her life, thinking about making this transition, about the pain you go through, the confusion you go through, and lacing it with anecdotes and trying to make it as specific as possible.
How have you been surprised by the bond you've developed with Caitlyn?
I can honestly say that Caitlyn is one of the most honest people that I've ever worked with. She was very, very open, but that doesn't mean that there weren't some things [in the Vanity Fair piece] she wanted off the record. That was obviously honored. But she's open about her life, open about this great relationship that she had with the four Jenner kids, and I found that very, very appealing. And she's also fun to be with. If you're going to do something like that, the person has to be fun. She's open, has has a good sense of humor, we laugh a lot, we have a good time, and then we know when to be serious, and I can tell you that she's extremely focused on this book, and that's the other thing you look for. One of the big problems with books like this is the subject really is the focus. Caitlyn is a very, very focused human being and we have to remember, she did train every day for eight years to win the decathlon. She's a very, very focused person, and she's into this.
We're doing it in an orderly fashion, because it is about her life, so it starts at the beginning then it goes obviously through her transition. It's a portrait about difference. That's what I think makes it universal. People are different. I'm different. I have certain gender issues that I deal with, I have leather fetish issues that I deal with and obviously Caitlyn's issues are gender dysphoria. But we all have secrets, we all have differences, and my hope is people will read this and understand how difficult they can be and how liberating they can be.
What do you make of the importance of this as a moment in time?
It is a moment in history, and look, I'm proud of the Vanity Fair piece but it's only 10,000 words. You leave a lot on the table, even when you use anecdotes and specifics—you leave a lot out. This is a great moment in time and it's not specifically our societal acceptance of trans women and trans men, but our societal acceptance of difference. This should be a celebration but there's this tendency that everyone has to conform. What does it mean to be a man? What does it mean to be a woman? I don't really know, and I don't really know what the differentiation should be. To me, Caitlyn is a very inspirational figure. She's the first to say she's not a spokesman for the trans community. She knows that's not her place. But I can also tell you that she's been very, very committed to really learning the problems that are in the trans community. I know she gets a rap for caring about the way she looks, but you know what, most people care about the way they look.
Have you been watching I Am Cait, or, because of this, purposely avoiding it?
I have watched it. You make a good point. I tend to avoid it now. What I have seen, and I saw most of the first season, I found really admirable. The sense was, oh this is going to be a Kardashian spinoff and it's going to be really silly and really foolish, and that's absolutely not true. Anyone who watches that show, there's a lot of stuff in it about the issues that are faced by trans women and trans men, and I give her a lot of credit for that.
Are you inspired by any memoirs?
I've read memoirs… I'm approaching this as a book. It has to be reported out. And if Caitlyn sort of glosses over something or doesn't want to talk about something, that's why you talk to other people, and you also talk to other people because that's how you flesh it out and that's how you make it real. But honestly, when you do a book like this, you have to avoid reading other memoirs because it becomes really, really intimidating.
What about the price tag?
It means that it's a big book, and when it's a big book, it has to be a great book and you think about it for a minute or two and you feel intimidated and then you have to put it out of your mind and make the best book that you can possibly do. But pressure is a good thing. When I feel nervous, I'm going to give good work. I care a lot. I think there's a lot on the line, not just because of the price tag but to do something that's really, really memorable because of what she went through. To me, the common denominator is difference. We all grapple with things. And it may not be sexual things. It may not be gender. But we all grapple.
Portions of this interview have been edited and condensed.
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Force tensiometry is a powerful and accurate technique to measure surface tension, interfacial tension, critical micelle concentration, dynamic contact angle, surface free energy, powder wettability, sedimentation and density.
These measurements allow the determination of a number of material and surface properties, such as, wettability, adhesion, absorption, adsorption, cleanliness, spreading, porosity, material solubility, biocompatibility and lubricity, to name but a few.
Force tensiometry has become the method of choice for many industrial standards related to characterization of liquids.
It is also the most widely used technique for measuring critical micelle concentration of surfactants. In addition, it is the only method to determine the absorption and contact angle of a packed powder or of fiber beds using the Washburn method. The wetting of textiles and individual fibers can also be studied with Sigma force tensiometers.
When a solid touches the surface of a liquid, the liquid tends to be drawn up in a meniscus.
The force exerted by the meniscus is measured and analyzed to determine surface tension.
Using high surface free energy probes such as a platinum Du Noüy ring or Wilhelmy plate allow precise measurement of these forces.
All Sigma force tensiometers measure surface and interfacial tension using plates or push and pull modes by ring.
Correction calculations for rings are made using models from Huh and Mason (Harkins and Jordan, Zuidema & Waters and others also available).
Sigma 700 and 701 are state-of-the-art force tensiometers, providing highly accurate measurements of surface and interfacial tension, dynamic contact angles and fully automatic cmc determination.
Full computer control and a high level of automation make it possible to carry out long measurements without operator intervention during the test, saving time and freeing the user to concentrate on other tasks.
Special attention has been paid to the ergonomic and user-friendly design.
Sigma 700 and 701 are outstandingly versatile, making them suitable for research and development, industrial quality control, routine measurements and even educational use.
These software controlled force tensiometers come with the OneAttension software for unparalleled performance and usability.
OneAttension provides all the following measurement capabilities in one package: surface and interfacial tension, dynamic contact angle, cmc, density, powder wettability and sedimentation.
OneAttension enables Sigma 700/701 to perform fully automatic measurements.
Select readymade experiment recipes or create custom programs for quick and repeatable operations.
Probe and sample immersion and withdrawal cycle(s) can be easily programmed.
Experimental parameters such as liquid and solid used, temperature or sample concentration (during cmc measurement) can also be controlled.
It is possible to carry out long measurements without operator intervention, saving time and freeing the user to concentrate on other tasks.
The complete automation also avoids user dependant variation when conducting routine measurements and quality controls.
A simple step by step powder protocol allows simple powder wettability measurement.
Two liquid dispensers can be used simultaneously for cmc measurements, enabling fully automatic CMC measurement.
Accessory modules for dispensers, temperature or pH control can be easily mounted into the measuring unit.
In addition, special probes are available for density, sedimentation and tensiometry measurements as well as holders for powder, fiber and plate studies.
Because of its wide weight range and autocalibrating microbalance, the Sigma 700 is well suited for dynamic contact angle measurements of large and heavy solid and powder samples.
Very similar to Sigma 700, Sigma 701 is also a multipurpose force tensiometer.
Sigma 701 can measure in a narrower weight range but with improved sensitivity, optimized for fiber measurements.
Sigma 702 and Sigma 702et are standalone force tensiometers offering high resolution and precision for surface and interfacial tension measurements, as well as manual cmc determination.
Results are displayed on a large integrated digital screen.
Precise temperature control can be ensured by the integrated water-jacketed vessel holder which is directly mounted on the motorized sample stage.
The open design and convenient control keyboard operations make Sigma 702 and 702et extremely easy to use instruments.
Sigma 702et is specifically designed for oil-water interfacial tension measurements in line with ASTM and IEC standards.
An embedded software specifically designed for oil-water measurements is provided with the Sigma 702et.
Both can be connected to an external pc for additional data storage and simple reporting.
Data receiver software is provided with the instrument.
Sigma 703D is a simple standalone and robust digital force tensiometer for accurate measurement of surface and interfacial tension of liquids by DuNouy ring or Wilhelmy plate method.
Non-automatic cmc measurements can also be conducted.
Measurements are displayed in realtime on the large digital screen integrated into the instrument and can be transferred to a computer using the data receiver software.
When quick and reliable stand-alone operation and manual control are valued, Sigma 703D is the best solution.
The major difference between the Sigma 703D and Sigma 702 models is the manual sample stage of Sigma 703D.


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Achieve calm, manageable locks with the Bamboo Style Anti-Static Translucent Dry Conditioning Finishing Spray from Alterna. Instantly absorbing into hair, the non-greasy spray tames unwanted frizz and flyaways, whilst strengthening and conditioning for luscious, healthy-looking locks. Delivers intense moisture to parched, dull and brittle hair, whilst imparting luminous shine to leave you with sleek, smooth and super soft strands from root to tip. E.N.
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30 minutes is all it took me to scale to 3,103 m above sea level in Switzerland last summer. Well I am no super hiker or wonder woman, all ascent was done on a cable car !
That's the beauty of hiking when in Switzerland. You can dictate how "tough" you like your hike to be. It can be an easy hike (like mine) or an intermediate hike (starts from lower altitude or from the village). Many of the mountains in Switzerland allows different access and ways for you to experience it.
Last summer, I am fortunate to visit Zermatt, the famous car free alpine village in Switzerland. It was a very short visit and I only managed to squeeze in a half day hike. It is one of my best hikes I had to date. Read on and you will know why.
Zermatt, home to the iconic Matterhorn with it classic Toblerone (chocolate) peak towering visibly from the village. With 30 peaks of 4,000 m in the area and spanning 400 km of hiking trails, Zermatt is the most famous mountain climbing village in the region.
Our guide insisted we must make our ascent to Rothorn (where the hike will start) to see the (I stressed) spectacular "burning sky" as the sun rises. We don't really have much clue what he meant but obediently assembled at 6 am that morning. Dawn was breaking and the temperature was freezing. Yup, it was summer and the temperature was 0 degree Celsius that morning.
We took a funicular and changed to cable car mid way. When the door of the cable car opened up, we could see light beaming through the clouds in the sky. Within minutes, the sky in front of us turned fiery red and orange. It seems like someone had just set the sky blazed ! The panoramic sight in front of us was so magnificent that we had all forgotten about the cold.
A light breakfast was served in the only restaurant at the top of Rothorn before we hit the hiking trail. Our guide will be bringing us on a circuit hike around a few lakes. The 5-Seenweg (Five Lakes Walk) is in a class of its own and considered one of the most popular among hikes in the Zermatt mountains. The views of the mountain lakes are superb (with the Matterhorn reflected in three of them) and it is suitable for beginner hikers too. We didn't get the reflection of Matterhorn on the lake as the wind is too strong and created ripples in the water.
The trail will bring us to 5 lakes, the Stellisee, Grindjisee, Grünsee, Moosjisee and Leisee. Each of these mountain lakes is very different in terms of shape, colour, character and size, and has its own special attraction. Along the way, our guide will share stories of the surrounding, pointing out the wild flowers and we often seen animals roaming around. At one point, our guide was upset when he saw left behind rubbish by other hikers. Although he was unhappy, he picked up the rubbish put them into his bag to dispose them later. I was very humbled by his action and touched by his passion and love the Swiss has for their mountains.
I was mesmerised by the mountains as we walked along the paths (that looks dangerous at some point but I swear they are not). I totally enjoyed the towering views and the tranquility surrounding it. We are simply so tiny in the face of nature and I can't help but felt a sense of calmness. All my troubles and worries seem to be sorted out at that moment.
The hike ended as we reached Sunnegga where lake Leisee is located. It was almost lunch by the time we reached the village. We parted ways with our guide and I knew I will be back again to explore more.
Hiking in Switzerland need not have a guide with you. The Swiss trails are clearly and well marked with distances on the sign posts. So you can just hike at your own pace without having to worry you will slow someone down or hiking too fast. For more inspirations on hiking in Swizerland, check it out here.


Since turbocharged sports cars were becoming the fashion, Lotus launched its Esprit Turbo sports car in London's Royal Albert Hall, and hosted by its Formula 1 sponsor, Essex Petroleum.
It was designated the Essex Commemorative Lotus Esprit Turbo, also known as the Type 82, and was only available in its sponsor's livery of blue, red, and silver.
It was the introduction of this model that elevated the Esprit into the supercar league.
Production began in February 1980, at an initial rate of ten units a week.
It was powered by the 2174 cc, 16 valve, double overhead cam, Type 910 engine, similar to that used in the Sunbeam Lotus "hot hatch".
With a compression ratio of 7.5:1, it was fitted with an AiResearch Garrett T3 turbocharger, providing a boost of up to 8psi, and two twin choke Dell'Orto DHLA4OH carburettors.
With this arrangement, the 4-cylinder, aluminium engine developed 210 bhp at 6250 rpm, and 200 ft/lbs of torque at 4500 rpm, and produced a top speed of 152 mph, and a 0-60 mph time of 5.5 secs.
It used the same five speed gearbox as the then current Esprit, and was fitted to the engine block using a new alloy bell housing.
The backbone steel chassis had been redesigned, and was now zinc galvanized with, interestingly, a five year guarantee, based on normal use.
The front suspension, based on that used in the Lotus Elite Mark 2, incorporated a widening of the track by one inch. The rear suspension was also revised.
It used 10.5 inch front disc brakes, and 9.7 inch discs at the rear, together with a larger servo unit.
The basic cockpit design by Guigiaro was unchanged from the Series 2 Esprit, although there were a number of minor alterations to the instrument panel.
A stereo cassette unit was added, the seats were revised, and three piece 15 inch alloy wheels were fitted.
The fact that the Esprit Turbo included a dry sump engine caused a number of adverse comments from the press.
According to Lotus, the oil level needed to be checked no more than two minutes after switching off the engine.
However, some press commentators found, after two minutes, huge variations in the oil level reading, and sometimes the very short dipstick showed no reading at all.
The implication, therefore, was to play safe, and ensure that the tank was slightly overfull, which was contrary to what Lotus advised.
Following such confusion, Lotus subsequently no longer incorporated the dry sump system.
In total, 45 Essex Turbo Esprits were built, together with 59 dry sump Turbo cars, using the same specifications, but without the Essex livery.
This model displayed a marked improvement in reliability compared with some previous Esprit variants.
Production of the Essex Turbo sports car ended in April 1981.
Finally, in April 1981, the name Essex Turbo Esprit Type 82 was changed to Turbo Esprit Type 82, and this model offered a more traditional range of colours, whilst air conditioning and leather seats became optional extras.
As a result, the selling price could be reduced, with a corresponding increase in sales.
A total of 2,274 units of this latter model were built.
A 1980-81 Lotus Essex Turbo Esprit in good condition would fetch in the region of £14,000/$22,000.


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Angela Merkel rules out lifting EU Russia sanctions
The German chancellor has said lifting EU sanctions on Russia is off the table until a "real ceasefire" is achieved in Ukraine. The bloc introduced the measures after the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that the European Union would maintain sanctions against Russia. Speaking during her tour of the Baltics, Merkel said that Moscow must progress toward fulfilling its commitment under a peace deal for east Ukraine before the EU would consider lifting the measures.
The sanctions — which were introduced in 2014 after Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula — target Russia's state finances, energy and arms sectors.
What did Merkel say?
Following talks with leaders from Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, Merkel said:
"Before the Minsk agreement has been implemented or progress has been made in that regard, we will not consider lifting sanctions on Russia."
"Peace and reinstating the territorial integrity of Ukraine continue to be important topics for all of us here."
"Almost all the former Soviet republics that do not belong to the EU or NATO bear internal conflicts provoked by Russia."
Read more: Germany's Merkel to press Ukraine peace talks after Russian election
What is the Minsk peace deal? German, French, Russian and Ukrainian leaders signed peace agreements in 2015. The Minsk peace accords envisage a ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the front line and free elections. It has not yet been implemented.
Ongoing conflict: Fighting in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014. The conflict has killed 10,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more.
Can UN bring peace in eastern Ukraine?
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2tBu2
Can UN mission bring peace in eastern Ukraine?
Anti-Russian sanctions: The EU on Thursday extended the measures — which impose asset freezes and travel restrictions on 155 people and 44 entities — for a further six months. They had been due to expire on Saturday. There are separate EU sanctions in place targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy, as well as restrictive measures preventing EU citizens and companies from investing in Crimea and Sevastopol.
Why was Merkel in Vilnius? Merkel was meeting with leaders from the Baltic states in the Lithuanian capital. Merkel said there had been consensus on a range of issues — including boosting an EU border force and dealing with migration to the bloc. The chancellor's comments about the sanctions on Russia come a day after an EU court rejected a request by eight Russian companies to cancel the measures, ruling they were reasonable and proportionate.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses German troops of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence battle group with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite in Rukla military base, Lithuania
Merkel thanks NATO soldiers: The chancellor also visited German troops at their barracks in the Lithuanian town of Rukla on Friday. "We are proud that you are here," Merkel told the Bundeswehr soldiers for their role in strengthening the North Atlantic Alliance's (NATO) eastern flank. Some 450 German soldiers lead a multinational task force in the Baltics.
Solving the EU's migration crisis: Merkel will meet with other EU leaders in Salzburg next week to further discuss Brexit and the migration crisis. Merkel has called migration a "significantly larger challenge to the future cohesion of the European Union than what we witnessed during the eurozone crisis."
Germany's NATO missions
Germany's role in NATO
West Germany officially joined the trans-Atlantic alliance in 1955. However, it wasn't until after reunification in 1990 that the German government considered "out of area" missions led by NATO. From peacekeeping to deterrence, Germany's Bundeswehr has since been deployed in several countries across the globe in defense of its allies.
Bosnia: Germany's first NATO mission
In 1995, Germany participated in its first "out of area" NATO mission as part of a UN-mandated peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the deployment, German soldiers joined other NATO member forces to provide security in the wake of the Bosnian War. The peacekeeping mission included more than 60,000 troops from NATO's member states and partners.
Keeping the peace in Kosovo
Since the beginning of the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, some 8,500 German soldiers have been deployed in the young country. In 1999, NATO launched an air assault against Serbian forces accused of carrying out a brutal crackdown against ethnic Albanian separatists and their civilian supporters. Approximately 550 Bundeswehr troops are still stationed in Kosovo.
Patrolling the Aegean Sea
In 2016, Germany deployed its combat support ship "Bonn" to lead a NATO mission backed by the EU in the Aegean Sea. The mission included conducting "reconnaissance, monitoring and surveillance of illegal crossings" in Greek and Turkish territorial waters at the height of the migration crisis. Germany, Greece and Turkey had requested assistance from the trans-Atlantic alliance.
More than a decade in Afghanistan
In 2003, Germany's parliament voted to send Bundeswehr troops to Afghanistan in support of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Germany became the third-largest contributor of troops and led the Regional Command North. More than 50 German troops were killed during the mission. Nearly a thousand soldiers are still deployed in Afghanistan as part of Resolute Support.
German tanks in Lithuania
Forming part of NATO's "enhanced forward presence" in the Baltic states, 450 Bundeswehr soldiers have been deployed to Lithuania so far in 2017. The battalion-size battlegroups there are led by Germany, Canada, the UK and US to reinforce collective defense on the alliance's eastern flank. It forms the "biggest reinforcement of Alliance collective defence in a generation," according to NATO.
Taking over the leadership
The Bundeswehr is due to take over leadership of NATO's multinational Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) at the start of 2019. The rapid reaction force has been set up to counter potential Russian aggression on the alliance's eastern flank.
Author: Lewis Sanders IV
kw/rt (AP, AFP)
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Angela Merkel faces suspicion in Baltics
Will the Bundeswehr defend the Baltics? Will Berlin let Nord Stream 2 proceed? Merkel will encounter a political class and public opinion leery of Germany's Russia policy during her visit to Lithuania on Friday. (13.09.2018)
Hundreds of German soldiers prepare to deploy to Baltics for NATO
Panzergrenadier soldiers lined up in the cold to farewell Germany ahead of their deployment to Lithuania. They will form part of a massive NATO force in the Baltic states. (19.01.2017)
Germany's Merkel to press Ukraine peace talks after Russian election
Chancellor Angela Merkel wants a renewed push for peace in Ukraine as conflicting sides fail to live up to the Minsk agreements. The optimistic tone comes as the EU renewed sanctions on Russia over Ukraine. (12.03.2018)
European Union extends Crimea sanctions for a year
The economic measures prevent EU citizens and companies from investing in Crimea and Sevastopol. Russia's annexation of the peninsula in 2014 prompted the sanctions. (18.06.2018)
EU leaders extend Russian sanctions over Ukraine for six more months
EU leaders agreed to extend sanctions against Russia for six months over the Ukraine conflict. But there are concerns that the Trump-Putin summit in July may disrupt a common stance. (29.06.2018)
Since West Germany's accession to NATO, Berlin has supported numerous operations involving the trans-Atlantic alliance. Since 1990, Germany's Bundeswehr has been deployed on "out of area" missions as well. (19.02.2018)
EU restrictive measures in response to the crisis in Ukraine
Related Subjects Angela Merkel, CDU, Christian Democratic Union, European Union (EU), Vladimir Putin, Crimea, Russia, Dmitry Medvedev
Keywords European Union, Russia, Crimea, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, sanctions, Vilnius
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Ukraine's Zelenskiy proposes peace talks with Putin 08.07.2019
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has said resolving ongoing disputes with Russia would be his top priority, has called for internationally mediated talks. Moscow says it will consider the request.
Vladimir Putin interview: Liberal idea has 'outlived its purpose' 27.06.2019
The Russian president said that Western societies are rejecting liberal values, as multiculturalism has alienated the "core population." Putin has been accused of promoting populist uprisings in the West.
Russia backs fresh talks on eastern Ukraine conflict 11.07.2019
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has talked about the prospect of peace in eastern Ukraine with Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader said he was open to restarting negotiations under an international framework.
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I've flirted off and on over the past weeks, ever since the commercial opportunism of Father's Day begun being promoted, with expressing my innately male sentiments about such things. Damon Young – whomever he may be – has clearly beaten me not only to the punch, but also the punchline. Have a read of his piece in today's SMH and tell me he hasn't nailed the topic.


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Laura is a research economist at the IFS and a PhD student at University College London. Her research focuses on education and intergenerational mobility. Current projects look at geographical variation in, and causal determinants of, intergenerational mobility, the labour market impact of undergraduate and postgraduate field of study, and the estimation of school quality. She joined the IFS in 2016.
This presentation was given by Laura van der Erve at the Public Economics Lecture Day on 5 January 2018.


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Home >> Speakers >> Stuart Sumida
Stuart Sumida
Stuart is a Professor of Biology at California State University San Bernardino. He received his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1987, having previously taught in the Department of Anatomy and the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago. He is a comparative anatomist and paleontologist who specialises in the biomechanics and evolution of locomotion. He is the author of three books and numerous scientific papers and his palaeontological research has taken him throughout North America and Europe with the support of many museums, the National Geographic Society and NATO.
Stuart's teaching focus is primarily on comparative vertebrate anatomy and human anatomy. He has been an anatomical consultant to special effect artists and animators on more than 30 feature-length films for such groups as Walt Disney Feature Animation, DreamWorks and Pacific Data Images, Warner Brothers, Rhythm and Hues, SONY Pictures ImageWorks, Pixar, Walt Disney Imagineering, and others.
Stuart's work in the animation and special effects industries began with Beauty and the Beast and Lion King, and has included Mulan, George of the Jungle, the live action versions of 101 and 102 Dalmatians, Tarzan, Dinosaur, Cats and Dogs, Harry Potter, Lilo and Stitch, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Scooby Doo I and II, Stuart Little I and II, Reign of Fire, Brother Bear, Shrek II. .Chronicles of Riddick, Madagasca. Chronicles of Narnia, Surf's Up, and Ratatouille. He is currently acting as anatomical consultant on Kung Fu Panda (DreamWorks), and Bolt (Walt Disney Feature Animation).
At Animex 08 Stuart will join Mark Walsh to speak about the development of the rats and their locomotion/movement in Ratatouille.


This Magic Johnson nine-plex inside the Harlem USA shopping complex was a ray of hope for this neglected but improving low income neighborhood when it opened on June 30, 2000 without the expected presence of Mayor Gulliani, who snubbed the project.
Featuring all-stadium seating, all digital sound, and ticket prices to match any other Manhattan multiplex, it has had a rough going with non-genre films even though it is the only theatre in the area.
In the summer of 2008 the entrance area glass looked like it had never been cleaned and half a block away, in front of the Apollo Theatre, you could buy pirated DVDs of the films current playing from two different vendors. Although such vendors have been actively eliminated from most other Manhattan streets, Harlem is apparently still being neglected.
Exterior photos from AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9 February 2012.
One thing to note, unlike almost every other multiplex there is hardly any variation in the capacity amd screen size of the auditoriums. If you want to see a movie late in the run, this unheralded uptown theare may well provide the biggest screen on which to see it. Around 260 seats, I believe, in every one of the 12 auditoriums.
Does anyone have any idea about what the relationship is like now between AMC and Magic Johnson, if any? With AMC dropping LOEWS and other names leftover from other chains, I wonder if Magic Johnson will be dropped too, assuming they are are allowed to do so.
The partnership was dissolved some time ago, with AMC solely in charge of any remaining Magic Theatre locations. Magic Johnson has nothing to do with the running of any locations that remain, so one can assume they will be re-branded to AMC. Another sub brand that Loews Cineplex used was Star Theatres in the Michigan market, those are all goners too with the re-branding.
Dolby cinema was installed at this theater a few weeks ago with the release of Skyscraper.


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T-Ball America
The Best T-Ball resource for parents, coaches & leagues. We are devoted to making T-Ball enjoyable for kids while learning the necessary basics of the game.
VIST OUR BLOG
ONLINE COURSE: T-Ball Coaching - Successful techniques for fundamental skills
Marty Schupak shares his 30+ years coaching youth sports! Over 150 t-ball drills you never knew existed are included!
Baseball Switch Hitting Is Disappearing
By Marty Schupak | October 7, 2021
Growing up in New York I began a love affair with baseball that has not stopped. There were a combination of influences. My grandfather was a huge baseball fan. He lived and died first with the Brooklyn Dodgers and then the New York Mets. I was at his apartment in Brooklyn every Sunday either…
Branch Rickey, Breaking The Color Barrier And Baseball Innovator
Branch Rickey was a baseball player and executive who is probably best remembered for breaking the color barrier signing Jackie Robinson. This was his greatest feat but if you look closely at the man himself, it is incredible what an innovator he was. Rickey was born in Portsmouth Ohio. After high school he went…
Baseball Coaches' To Do List!
By Marty Schupak | September 30, 2021
When legendary football coach Bill Parcells was once asked if he was ready when he was appointed head coach of the New York Giants, he responded, "No one is ever really ready for the task of coaching an NFL franchise." This is a professional league that has only 32 jobs. I would never compare becoming…
Baseball Drills And Games You Never Saw Before!
By Marty Schupak | September 9, 2021
Lacrosse coaches love both you and I! They love us because they know that our best players are one boring practice, one boring week or one boring season away from tossing their gloves for lacrosse sticks. Baseball has been at a crossroads for a few years now. In the past, a lot of talented…
Burnout In Youth Sports
By Marty Schupak | August 27, 2021
Burnout in youth sports is a threat to the physical and mental stamina of young athletes.As competitive youth athletics engages younger participants each year, the threat of, both, physical and mental burnout in young players grows more imminent. Over involvement in competitive leagues has long-term consequences for kids, if after the first 12 years…
To Throw A Curve Or Not To Throw A Curve
I plead guilty, but guilty with an explanation. I told my star pitcher before the game, who is also on a travel team, not to throw more than 6 curve balls in the game. My decision was based on the fact that the team we were playing had two really powerful hitters, two of the…
On May 6, 2001, the Capitol City League Rockies and the Satchel Paige League Memphis Red Sox from the Washington, D.C. area took the field to play each other in a tee ball game. What made this tee ball game different from any other game was the fact that it took place on the…
When I sat down to write this article I couldn't help but remember a movie I saw a few years back called Flash Of Genius. It is a story of a man who had invented a form of the Intermittent Windshield Wiper that is used today. The short of it is that he spent his entire…
Multiple League Pitching Issues
By Marty Schupak | August 8, 2021
I've coached Little League for 25 years and do clinics all over the Northeast every year. During the question-and-answer sessions I always get asked what I see as the biggest difference coaching now versus when I first began twenty-five tears ago. I see a lot of differences, but two really stick out to me. The…
Five More Things Coaches Should Practice But Don't
In my first Baseball Chronicles book, one of my most popular articles in terms of feedback was "FourThings Coaches Should Practice But Don't." The four things I mentioned were: Pitchers not practicing fielding from the mound, catching a foul ball near a fence, players not sliding, and practicing fielding wild pitches or passed…
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Greg Rusedski getting custom insoles fitted at Profeet."


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Onufry Argitis lub Onufry z Neokastry (gr. Ονούφριος Αργήτης) – albański ikonograf i malarz pejzaży oraz portretów, duchowny prawosławny. Jest uważany za jednego z największych albańskich XVI-wiecznych malarzy.

Życiorys
Uważa się, że Onufry urodził się na początku XVI wieku w albańskiej rodzinie zamieszkującej okolice Beratu lub Kosturu. Jako prawosławny duchowny, był arcybiskupem Elbasanu.

Upamiętnienia
27 lutego 1986 roku założono w Beracie muzeum poświęcone Onufremu; jego kolekcja składa się z ponad 100 ikon.

Przypisy

Bibliografia

 H. T. Norris, Islam in the Balkans, 1993,
 Gillian Gloyer, Albania: The Bradt Travel Guide, 2004,
 Robert Elsie, Historical Dictionary of Albania, 2010,

Linki zewnętrzne

 Część kolekcji ikon Onufrego

Urodzeni w XVI wieku
Zmarli w XVI wieku
Albańscy duchowni prawosławni
Albańscy ikonografowie
Ludzie związani z Beratem
Ludzie związani z Elbasanem

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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This Video Shows What Happens When You Try To Celebrate Christmas In A Religious Way In China
Andrew Shen
Dec. 16, 2011, 9:28 AM
Christmas in China has grown immensely popular over the past decade.
90 percent of people in Beijing have plans over Christmas according to CNC World. Hopefully they don't involve celebrating in a religious way out in public.
AP reports that the small Xintan Village Church tried to host an outdoor Christmas party on Tuesday until officials came and destroyed their equipment and harassed the people celebrating.
The deputy director of religious affairs, Zeng Jianhua, told AP, "We told them that any outdoors event of a religious nature is strictly banned from being organized, and that's what it states in the government rule on religion."
The village of Ruian in Zhejian Province is often called "Christmas Village" because it makes Christmas products. It produced over $78 million worth of Christmas ornaments this year.
The video of the village celebration begins at 1:24. It shows police first cutting off the electricity to the stage, and then entering and arresting a man trying to take pictures. Police proceed onto the stage where two small fights are quickly broken up.
More: China Christmas Police


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PRC Tuguegarao Awarded the "Most Client-Friendly Agency"
The Professional Regulation Commission Regional Office II was awarded as the "Most Client Friendly Agency" by the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
With the intent to assess the quality of Frontline Services of government agencies in different regions, the CSC Commissioner, Atty. Aileen Lizada and her team conducted an unannounced visit to PRC Tuguegarao, which appeared to be the number one from among the three best agencies that has proven its excellence in the delivery of Frontline Services in Region II. Contributing to the such feat were the courteous disposition of the guard on duty, the well-knowledgeable frontline service providers, including the equipped On-the-Job Trainees and the 100% compliance to the wearing of IDs.
The CSC Region II hosted the Recognition Rites which was held on 15 June 2019 at the Cagayan State University, Andrews Campus.
(L-R: Ms. Rowena T. Anzia, Ms. Katlyn C. Mangupag, Atty. Girlie Mei D. Cuntapay, Atty. Jose Bernabe T. Pauig, Dir. Nerissa B. Canguilan, Dr. Arnel M. Melad, Ms. Alice L. Baclig, Dir. Rodrigo F. Balaqui Jr., Dir. Marites P. Lappay, Dir. Ma. Noemi S. Bustamante, Dir. Rewina D. Arugay)
(L-R: The Officials and Employees of PRC Regional Office II and CSC Regional Office II)


Tony's Talking Pictures Blog: New in Theaters for July 7th, 2017 "Spider-Man: Homecoming"
New in Theaters for July 7th, 2017 "Spider-Man: Homecoming"
Starring: Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr.
"Spider-Man: Homecoming" is not just another 'origin' story rehashing how the web-slinger began his career as your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
This a more of a coming of age story about a young man moving from his awkward teenage years into adulthood and taking responsibility for himself and the things most important to him.
Tom Holland is well cast as the boy on the brink of manhood who is coming to terms with his powers. Holland's Peter Parker is a wide-eyed innocent trying to help and stumbling over his own feet all the while longing for the day he will become something greater than the some his parts.
"Spider-Man: Homecoming" is an engaging and action-packed summer blockbuster, but offers more than explosions and special effects. There's a deep insight into the inner workings of a superhero.


Primordial is an Irish band founded in the late 1980's. They play a unique style of metal, which can best be described as a blend of black and folk metal with strong influences from their Irish roots. Their music and lyrics deal with cultural heritage, struggle, melancholy and anger.
Primordial started out as a black metal band with some folk influences with their 1993 demo Dark Romanticism and 1995 debut album Imrama. With the 1998 album A Journey's End, Primordial underwent a strong stylistic change and delivered an album that was more original, personal and darker than anything they had done before. The different musical influences become more intertwined than ever before.
The trademark Primordial style become most apparent on The Burning Season (1999 10") and Spirit the Earth Aflame, their third full length album. This line was continued in the somewhat harsher album Storm Before Calm from 2002.
The fifth album, The Gathering Wilderness was released in January 2005 and was highly regarded by critics around the globe. This album shows further musical progression and a return in pessimistic feeling to A Journey's End.
The band's latest, and to date most popular album, To the Nameless Dead, was released in November 2007.
On 04/14/2010, Primordial released a live DVD/CD combo set entitled All Empires Fall. It showcases songs from several live concerts.