IPX INTERNATIONAL EQUATORIAL GUINEA, S.A., Defendant.
This matter came before the court on defendant IPX EG's November 15, 2017 motion to dismiss. Plaintiff Paul Jones filed a response December 13, 2017; and Defendant filed a reply January 3, 2018. Pursuant to Local Rule 7.1(f)(2), no oral argument was heard.
Defendant IPX International Equatorial Guinea ("IPX EG") is a company that provides telecommunications services to companies in Equatorial Guinea and elsewhere in Africa. At the time it was formed, IPX EG hired plaintiff Paul Jones as its general director, who was responsible for the operations of the company and for the development and maintenance of client and vendor relationships.
From 2011 until 2017 the parties entered into new, written employment agreements. Negotiations regarding the terms of the agreements occurred in Equatorial Guinea, where Plaintiff had been living for several years. In 2015 IPX EG, which had serviced companies only doing business in Equatorial Guinea, determined that it could benefit from a related entity in the United States. The American company would conduct research and develop potential telecommunications solutions which would then be sold at a mark-up to IPX EG for implementation in Equatorial Guinea.
Since Plaintiff had connections with Michigan, he urged IPX EG to open the subsidiary there. In October 2015 IPX USA, L.L.C., was formed in Michigan, with IPX EG as its sole member. Plaintiff then spent approximately six months in Michigan procuring office space and hiring a manager and employees for IPX USA. After that, Plaintiff was to return to Equatorial Guinea to again focus on the operations of IPX EG. Defendant contends that shortly after Plaintiff arrived in Michigan, it learned that Plaintiff was failing to properly manage key vendor and client relationships. Defendant argues that vendors began to complain that Plaintiff failed to ensure timely payment for goods and services. Defendant also contends that in October 2016 it learned that Plaintiff had begun to improperly pay himself amounts above the contractually agreed monthly amounts since February 2013 and that in April 2017 Plaintiff improperly terminated certain vendor contracts. Because of these concerns, Defendant suspended plaintiff Jones in April 2017 in order to conduct an investigation to determine whether to continue Plaintiff's employment. Defendant alleges that Jones has been uncooperative in the investigation and that it ultimately intends to pursue legal claims against him in Equatorial Guinea. Plaintiff Jones filed suit in this court alleging that the suspension, along with Defendant's failure to pay him, constitutes breach of the employment contract between the parties. Defendant IPX EG filed this motion to dismiss, asserting that the court lacks personal jurisdiction over it. In addition, it contends that even if the court finds it can exercise personal jurisdiction over IPX EG, the court should dismiss the matter on the basis of forum non conveniens.
A court need not analyze its own jurisdiction, as it may "dispose of an action by forum non conveniens dismissal, bypassing questions of subject-matter and personal jurisdiction, when considerations of convenience, fairness and judicial economy so warrant." Sinochem Intern. Co. Ltd. v. Malaysia Intern. Shipping Corp., 549 U.S. 422, 432 (2007). Pursuant to the doctrine of forum non conveniens, a court may "decline to exercise its jurisdiction" because the interests of "the convenience of the parties and the court, " as well as "the interest of justice, " counsel that the action should be tried elsewhere. Piper Aircraft Co. v. Reyno, 454 U.S. 235, 250 (1981). The United States Supreme Court has made it clear that "the central focus of the forum non conveniens inquiry is convenience." Id. at 249. The analysis consists of the following three steps: 1) whether an adequate, alternative forum exists; 2) whether the private interest factors weigh in favor of dismissal; and 3) whether public interest factors also weigh in favor of dismissal. Barak v. Zeff, 289 Fed.Appx. 907, 910 (6thCir. 2008).
First, the requirement of whether an adequate, alternative forum exists is generally met if the defendant is "amenable to process" in the alternative forum. Piper, supra, at 255, n.2. In this case defendant IPX EG is a corporation organized under the laws of Equatorial Guinea and is subject to the courts there and is, thus, amenable to suit there. The courts of Equatorial Guinea recognize a cause of action for breach of contract, and plaintiff Jones may pursue his claims there.
Second, the court must review the private interest factors, including "relative ease of access to sources of proof; availability of compulsory process for attendance of the unwilling and the cost of obtaining attendance of willing witnesses; possibility of view of premises, if view would be appropriate to the action; and all other practical problems that make trial of a case easy, expeditious and inexpensive." Barak, supra, at 910 (quoting Gulf Oil Corp. v. Gilbert, 330 U.S. 501, 508 (1947)). These factors favor the matter being adjudicated in Equatorial Guinea. With the exception of plaintiff Jones, most of the witnesses are located there. Because they are foreign witnesses who reside in Equatorial Guinea, this court lacks authority to compel their attendance and testimony in the Eastern District of Michigan. However, these witnesses are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of Equatorial Guinea and can be compelled to testify there. In addition, many of the key documents regarding the parties' dispute are located in Equatorial Guinea, including various emails, correspondence, payroll records, bank statements, and records of wire transfers in the possession of three banks located there. Production of these documents would need to be compelled via the procedures dictated by the laws of Equatorial Guinea.
Finally, public interest factors the court is to consider include "court congestion; the 'local interest in having localized controversies decided at home'; the interest in having the trial of a diversity case in a forum that is at home with the law that must govern the action; the avoidance of unnecessary problems in conflicts of laws, or in the application of foreign law; and the unfairness of burdening citizens in an unrelated forum with jury duty." Piper, supra, at 241 n.6. In this case Plaintiff initiated involvement with defendant IPX EG when it was formed. His hiring, as well as the negotiation and execution of all of his annual employment contracts, occurred in Equatorial Guinea. The evaluation of his job performance, the alleged breach of contract for failure to pay his salary, and the decision to suspend him were all made there as well. Furthermore, according to the employment contracts signed by plaintiff Jones, the laws of Equatorial Guinea will govern this litigation; and this court would be required to interpret and apply foreign law to this dispute. Courts routinely have dismissed actions on the basis of forum non conveniens when they were required to apply foreign law. Dowling v. Richardson-Merrell, Inc., 727 F.2d 608, 612 (6th Cir. 1984); Faber-Plast GmbH v. Kleinert, 997 F.Supp. 846 (E.D. Mich. 1998); and Gering v. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft E.V., 2009 WL 2922847 (E.D. Mich. Sept. 9, 2009).
The court finds the factors to be considered in applying the doctrine of forum non conveniens strongly weigh in favor of dismissal. Plaintiff Jones protests that Equatorial Guinea is not an adequate alternative forum because of its corruption. Plaintiff states that his brother-in-law, who was hired as Defendant's general manager in 2016, was relieved of his passport by Defendant's corporate attorney. However, courts have rejected arguments that an alternative forum is too corrupt to be adequate. See Gonzales v. P.T. Pelangi Niagra Mitra Int'l, 196 F.Supp.2d 482 (S.D. Texas 2002); Stalinski v. Bakoczy, 41 F.Supp.2d 755 (S.D. Ohio 1998); and El-Fadl v. Central Bank of Jordan, 75 F.3d 688 (D.C. Cir. 1996).


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Home / Security / Zone Watch Program
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Manatee County Port Authority have entered into a cooperative agreement to establish a community based watch program to assist in the enforcement and implementation of a security zone on and around a dredge material island near Port Manatee known as Manbirtee Key.
The Manbirtee Key Security Zone became effective Jan. 1, 2008. Under federal regulations, commercial and recreational boaters desiring to enter the zone must first gain permission from the Coast Guard Captain of the Port.
This community watch program was designed to provide a mechanism for boaters to be granted access while maintaining the desired level of security in the area concerned.
PROGRAM APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO:
Complete the required Zone Watch application. (A government issued photo identification card will be required to establish identity.)
Submit to background screening. Possession of the following credentials is accepted as proof of meeting the background screening requirements:
Certified Law Enforcement Credentials
Certified Fire Fighter Credentials
Transportation Workers Identification Credentials (TWIC)
TSA Known Traveler Number – Number must be provided for authentication using the TSA Website.
Florida Concealed Carry Permit.
Individuals not meeting any of the above criteria, must obtain a background screening at their own expense. This can be accomplished by:
Applying for a Known Traveler Number (KTN), using the TSA Pre Check Program. To find enrollment locations and to make an appointment visit https://universalenroll.dhs.gov/
Request a certified copy (not Instant Search) of applicant's criminal history from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) website: http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Criminal-History-Records/Record-Check using the certified search tab. The applicant must provide the notarized copy provided by the FDLE.
Applicants must bring their application and any of the above listed accepted proof of background screening to the Port Manatee Access Control Center at 1705 Piney Point Road, Palmetto, FL 34221, weekdays from 8 am thru 4 pm. Applicants will be charged a $50.00 fee to register in the required training. Applicants will be provided the training date at the time of registration.
Applicants become active Zone Watch Participants and issued program credentials upon completion of the required training.
If you have any questions, please contact Port Manatee Security at 941-722-6621
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Established in 1979 as St Joseph's Unit of Continuing Care, Mercy Hospice Auckland is one of New Zealand's first and foremost hospices.
It provides a multidisciplinary care for people facing life-threatening illnesses, in the community and its 15-bed inpatient unit.
The services of Mercy Hospice are given at no charge to patients or families. Donations and bequests contribute significantly to hospice funding. A team of more than 500 volunteers are involved in supporting its services.
The death of a much loved husband after just seven months of marriage left Lexie Candy wishing she had known more about the story of his life.
A friend who worked at Mercy Hospice Auckland shared the story with volunteer coordinator Julie Reid; it was the beginning of a new venture for the hospice and a new career for Lexie. More than 12 years on, she is now one of 15 trained facilitators helping patients to write their life stories.
As well as their initial volunteer training, Life Story facilitators share a seven-hour workshop led by consultant biographer and university lecturer Dr Deborah Shepard. "Her experience and expertise give professionalism to our work," says Lexie.
Patients decide on the shape and length of their stories, which can vary from a card or a letter to a full-sized book. There is no charge for the facilitator's service, but patients may contribute to production costs. Between them, Lexie and Julie work to ensure that patients and writers are well matched.
The work brings its share of surprises. "My first patient was a grumpy old man who thought he had led a very boring life, but we discovered that he had some great contributions to make," Lexie recalls.
Over time, Lexie has come to see that the process of writing their story can be just as important to patients as leaving their memoirs. "The more I facilitate, the more I realise the therapeutic value to patients in telling their life story.
"As I sit beside them, I am reminded that every life is a precious, priceless gift. I am constantly inspired by people who maintain magnificent emotional strength and integrity, in very difficult circumstances. The dying can teach us how to live.


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Nokia tried on Android for size before the Microso...
Nokia tried on Android for size before the Microsoft buyout
The harrowing tale of how Nokia once considered ditching Microsoft for Google.
Florence Ion (TechHive (US)) on 13 September, 2013 23:53
It's perhaps unfathomable for diehard Windows Phone users, but Nokia had once considered going the way of Android before Microsoft bought it out.
The New York Times reports that Nokia had the blueprints all drawn up for an Android version of the Lumia phone before this month's $7.2 billion buyout by Microsoft. The "Android Lumia" was apparently a fallback for Nokia in case it decided to rescind its deal with Microsoft. And it wouldn't have been too hard to make the switch, at least hardware wise.
Simply porting over Android probably wouldn't have fixed Nokia's problems. The company would have faced extreme competition against Samsung--which currently holds the top spot for global phone sales--not to mention that there are also plenty of other Android phone manufacturers struggling to make any money, despite their solid hardware.
But Nokia is, as we wrote a while back, hemorrhaging money. It posted a $196 million loss in the first quarter of 2013, and its shareholders were begging CEO Stephen Elop to take a different approach with its business. Despite Elop's protests to "give in" to the operating system, it comes as no surprise that this was considered as the last resort.
Analyst Patrick Moorhead, of Moor Insights and Strategy, had told us that "Nokia would be incredibly competitive if [it] moved to Android. With that great camera software, [it] could definitely give Samsung a run for its money." Now we'll never know if this would have come true.
It would have been a great risk to come out with a new operating system after having been identified as the Windows Phone for some time now. Entering an already saturated market with a new identity would have proved too risky for company--and too confusing for consumers.
Tags MicrosoftsmartphonesNokiaGoogleAndroidPhonesconsumer electronicsThe New York Times
Florence Ion
TechHive (US)


Better late than never when dealing with hungry crocodiles, right? This episode is about the Taito arcade game turned into an Atari 2600 cartridge, Jungle Hunt. Are you game for wild adventure? ARE YOU?? If you are, then I will need you to sign a few release forms. You know, in case of crocodiles.
Next up is Solar Storm by Imagic. Do you have some thoughts on this game? Would you like to send them to me? You can, just drop a line to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com by the end of the day on Monday April 30. I will play or read it on the show, and then you will be slightly internet famous. Probably very slightly.
This week we're going deeper and deeper underground with scary alien monsters on our tail in Mines of Minos by Commavid! Can YOU make it to the alien command center and triumph? I can't.
Congratulations to Richard, he won the Strudders Score contest and will be receiving his copy of Mines of Minos just in time for Halloween, which is definitely scary. Thanks to all of you who entered the contest, and special thanks to Strudders for donating the prize.
Next up is the Atari arcade port of Jungle Hunt! Did you play this as a kid? Do you have a great Tarzan impression that you don't get to bust out often? Why not tell everyone by sending your thoughts and yells to 2600gamebygame@gmail.com. If you're sending an audio clip, PUT YOUR DAMN NAME IN THE SOUND FILE ALREADY. Or not, 6 files named junglehunt.mp3 is fine. NO REALLY, IT'S FINE.


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Case: In re: CSO Hedge Fund Litigation, No. 12-cv-7717 (GHW) (S.D.N.Y.)
Court: Southern District of New York
Class: persons who purchased, held or otherwise acquired any class of shares in CSO Ltd. or CSO US Ltd. (two feeder funds in Citigroup's Corporate Special Opportunities hedge fund)
Attorneys: Frederic S. Fox, David A. Straite, Jason A. Uris
Kaplan Fox is court-appointed co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the class action against Citigroup, Inc. ("Citigroup") and its wholly-owned subsidiary Citigroup Alternative Investments, LLC (collectively, "Defendants") arising out of the collapse of Citigroup's "Corporate Special Opportunities" or "CSO" hedge fund. The complaint alleges that Citigroup and CAI falsely represented their risk controls in the fund's PPMs, and in 2007 fraudulently induced investors to refrain from redeeming with a series of false statements and omissions concerning the fund following an offer to purchase debt securities that exceeded the NAV of the fund. Citigroup booked a $62 million loss reserve with respect to the securities. On March 7, 2014, Judge Castel denied portions of Defendants' motion to dismiss, finding that the facts led to a "strong inference" of fraud.
On August 10, 2015, the parties reached an agreement to settle all claims for $13.5 million, and moved for an order preliminarily approving the settlement. The Court approved the settlement on August 19, 2015. If you purchased, held or otherwise acquired any class of shares in CSO Ltd. or CSO US Ltd., you might be a member of the Settlement Class and your rights might be affected by the Settlement. Please review the documents below for more information.
Order dated March 7, 2014 Denying Defendants' Motion to Dismiss in Part
Settlement Agreement
Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion for Preliminary Approval of Settlement
Order Granting Preliminary Approval of Settlement
Final Order and Judgment
Order Approving Plan of Allocation
Order Approving Attorneys' Fees and Expenses
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GameThug's Bookshelf - Update 2
Something in the air.
17 June 2010 - 72 hours with psychopaths
Basal - Map
Okavango - Map (non-game version)
And we think of these things as well…
Meanwhile, in the commander's office...
I do think of these things, you know...
Today we fought swamp monsters, faked our own abduction by terrorists, and plotted to assassinate highly-placed political figures. It must be another episode of Wordslingin'!
[The party is in the middle of a live-ammo demonstration of some of Paxton's guns when suddenly a half-dozen vicious swamp sharks jump out of the water. One swallows half a guy's torso in one bite.]
Georges/Doc: "This concludes our presentation! Be sure to pick up your party pack on the way out!"
[It's all about interpreting the situation in the most favourable light possible.]
Josh the GM: "You're on your ass."
Brock: "That's okay. It's a more stable firing position."
[We're fighting some particularly vicious swamp sharks.]
Sam: "How do we fight these things?!?"
Doc: "They're susceptible to bullets. I advise not trying to talk them down."
[Sadly, Brock was perfectly correct in this reasoning.]
Brock: "In Maia's case, surprise is better than no surprise. Trust me, your soul is safer this way."
Georges: "Unless things go horribly wrong."
[This is one of those moments when you realize that the people you're gaming with have a completely different mentality from yours...]
Brock: "Here's the plan: we're going to fake our abduction by terrorists."
[I'm reminded of a line from the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Five hundred bonus points to people who figure out which one.]
Georges: "I rearrange things so it looks like it wasn't rearranged."
[How to know where you stand with the rest of the party, part 1.]
Doc: "You want to take Sam or Maia?"
Kain: "Sam."
Doc: "Fuck you."
[This can only end badly.]
Ariel: "I wonder if I have enough slight of hand to juggle chainsaws."
Josh the GM: "Don't fumble."
[Remember, we've staged a terrorist attack. No actual terrorists are involved.]
Sam: "I think I was shot by an invisible bullet."
Doc: "It'll take two invisible weeks to heal."
[Sometimes it takes someone else to point out that you are, in fact, lying to yourself.]
Maia: "If we see any of those shark things again, you're on your own."
Doc: "Can you swim?"
Maia: "No."
Doc: "Then you're on your own."
[Way to get yourself in trouble with the authorities, Kain.]
Emirate guard: "What are you looking at?"
Kain: (Staring directly at him) "Nothing much."
[The most concise and yet informative description of the night.]
Josh the GM: "It's like Venice without any of the good parts."
[Ever get the sense that you're just setting yourself up sometimes?]
Kain: "Who's the least identifiable among us?"
Josh the GM: "That'd be you, Kain."
[Yet another succinct but apt description from our GM.]
Josh the GM: "It's standard Eastern Sun Emirate... what's the word?... jumbled cacophony of insanity!"
[We're meeting with a group of a half-dozen underground resistance members. They don't entirely trust us.]
Kain: "So... you are the raw materials from which we are going to forge a revolutionary army."
[Lying? Omitting the truth? Or are we just reading too much into things?]
Kain: "Do you have access to Gears?"
Prangap, our informant: "Um..."
Kain: "I'll take that as a maybe. Probably yes."
["Consensus" is such a strong word.]
Doc: "I'm glad we're all in agreement... I say for the four of us."
[It's good to know where your strengths are.]
Brock: "We specialize in the ridiculous."
[Sometimes you've just got to ignore your conscience. Or at least that's Kain's philosophy, I'm guessing.]
Josh the GM: "You can only imagine what's happening to your friends in the prison."
Brock: "I choose not to imagine it, so I'm fine."
[Prangap, our informant, has just told us about supposedly-secret tunnels below the Emir's palace. Apparently the party's friends tried to use the same entrance half a year ago and haven't been heard from since.]
Kain: "I don't like your plan. Especially since 100% of previous attempts to use this plan have failed."
[Kain's lessons in negotiations, part 1.]
Kain: "If you can't convince us your sources are reliable, you'll have to come with us."
[The only problem with the plan for Maia to pilot the getaway vehicle is that Maia does not actually have any points in piloting.]
Brock: "Fatal crashes won't be tolerated."
Josh the GM: "For long."
Brock: "I want a shield. A human shield."
Georges: "Then bring Maia along."
[Ariel's plan to leave poisoned cake for the guards to eat is meeting with mixed results.]
Ariel: "The psychology is sound: no one turns down free cake."
Georges: "This is valid, but of limited tactical value."
[It's all about the ability to concentr... squirrel!]
Ariel: "There's also the alternate plan of... Wait, I forgot it."
[How to screw over your allies, part 1.]
Georges: "These guys get what they want, too. They just may die. But if they're true revolutionaries..."
And that's it for this week. Next time, get ready for some infiltration, excitement, and gun slinging action!


14 Feb is also Valerie's birthday.
It was her very first fan meet featuring her Single Origami. Fans with a copy of the single got thier Album autographed,took photos and celebrated her 23rd birthday as well Valentine's Day with Valerie.
Valerie recieved many gifts from her fans but the biggest winner should be this guy with a entire bouquet of roses!
What A nice Bouquet of Roses! Not to mentioned is Valentine's Day... he must have spend alot in terms of effort in geeting them.


President Trump on Friday threatened to close the Mexican border or parts of it next week, writing in a series of tweets that unless Mexico's government immediately stopped illegal crossings he would take the action.
The president's threat sets up his first confrontation with Mexico's new president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and comes as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reported that it has reached capacity for housing migrants at facilities in both Texas and Arizona.
The overflow has resulted in Border Patrol agents releasing migrant families in groups of hundreds at a time in Yuma, Arizona, as well as El Paso, Texas, according to the agency.
"This would be so easy for Mexico to do, but they just take our money and 'talk,'" the president charged. "Besides, we lose so much money with them, especially when you add in drug trafficking etc.), [sic] that the Border closing would be a good thing!"


Visit Spaces Corners in booth 821 at The Armory Show - the leading international contemporary art fair and one of the largest annual art events in New York. Spaces Corners will present photographic work by Andrea Galvani, Tim Hyde and Ed Panar alongside a carefully curated installation of photo books from our shop. We will also officially debut our very first publication, Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes by Ed Panar.


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CBS Reporter Files Puff Piece on Obama Using Letters that 'Construct His Political Narrative'
Published: 6/26/2014 1:05 PM ET
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By Curtis Houck
News Analyst
Thursday's edition of CBS This Morning featured the latest installment in the media's love affair with President Barack Obama. CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante switched course from a constructive work of journalism he did Tuesday to a fluff piece on how Obama uses letters Americans send to the White House "to construct his political agenda."
The story comes as Obama headed to Minnesota on Thursday to have lunch with a woman who wrote to him about how sending her two children to daycare costs more than her family's mortgage payment. Plante marveled about how the woman's letter "fit perfectly into the President's agenda to emphasize the difficulties facing working families." [MP3 audio here]
It was two days earlier that Plante took two other well-known Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, to task for their attempts to relate to middle class voters. Here, however, Plante reversed course and reported on how the office of the president "is often characterized as being aloof" and out of touch with Americans. To change that, Plante said "he often pulls a letter out of his mailbox" so he can "rally support for his agenda."
Plante noted that Obama has done this on numerous occasions by playing three separate clips of him naming individuals who he received letters from. Further, Plante detailed how one letter from a cancer survivor that Obama referenced during the push to enact Obamacare in 2010 led her to be "the centerpiece of a health care event in Ohio" that year.
At the end of the story, Plante reported that after having lunch with the woman and having her attend a town hall event that he is holding in the Minneapolis area, he will be attending a fund-raiser tonight for Democrats.
The complete transcript is transcribed below.
8:06 a.m. Eastern
NORAH O'DONNELL: Well, President Obama switches gears this morning when he leaves for Minnesota and that's where he'll come face to face with Rebekah Erler. She's a mother of two who wrote a letter that got his attention. Bill Plante is at the White House with more on this special trip. Bill, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: "Dear Mr. President: Obama Meeting With MN Woman Who Wrote Him"]
BILL PLANTE: Good morning. Well, you know, the president is often characterized as being aloof. But, when he wants to show that he's in touch with the concerns of average Americans, and to rally support for his agenda at the same time, he often pulls a letter out of his mailbox.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Look, I definitely feel folks' pain.
PLANTE: Every night, the White House staff culls ten letters from the thousands received for the president to read.
OBAMA: A few months ago I got a letter from a woman named Sheila Artice.
Couple weeks ago I got a letter from Julia Walsh in California.
Couple weeks ago I got a letter from Jeffrey Huff.
PLANTE: The president uses the writers of those letters to construct his political narrative and to show that he can relate to folks on an emotional level. Meet Rebekah Erler of St. Anthony Park, Minnesota, with whom the president will have lunch today.
REBEKAH ERLER: I was frustrated. I paid for my – our family's mortgage payment and our child care payment all on the same day and I was really frustrated at how much it all cost.
PLANTE: The Erlers both work and have two children in preschool which, said Rebekah, costs more than their mortgage.
ERLER: Somebody has to say something about this. This is nuts. It costs more in Minnesota to send kids to daycare than it does to send them to in-state college.
PLANTE: Erler's letter fit perfectly into the president's agenda to emphasize the difficulties facing working families and he used her letter at this week's White House summit.
OBAMA: I recently got a letter from a woman in Minnesota whose kid's preschool is so expensive, it costs more than her monthly mortgage payment.
PLANTE: In 2010, as he tried to pass health care, President Obama read a group of insurance executives a letter from cancer survivor Natoma Canfield that later made her the centerpiece of a health care event in Ohio.
OBAMA: I'm here because of Natoma.
PLANTE: And again last year at the white house.
OBAMA: I kept Natola's story with me as we fought to pass this law and I hung her letter on one of my walls in the Oval Office.
PLANTE: Now, today's presidential trip is just the first in a series of person-to-person meetings across the country designed to position the administration and the Democrats as more concerned about the economic problems of every day Americans than the Republicans. After lunch today, Rebekah Erler will join the president at a town hall event before he heads off to a fund-raiser in support of Democrats. Gayle?
GAYLE KING: Alright, Bill Plante, thank you.
— Curtis Houck is News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Curtis Houck on Twitter.
Tags: Summit on Working Families, Norah O'Donnell, CBS This Morning, cbs, Bill Plante, Barack Obama


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Homecar tech2021 Skoda Kodiaq vs Toyota Fortuner: Price Comparison
2021 Skoda Kodiaq vs Toyota Fortuner: Price Comparison
carandbike 1 week ago no commentcar
While traditionally, the Kodiaq would have competed with the likes of a wide range of models in India including the MG Gloster, Isuzu MU-X, and the Mahindra Alturas G4, being a petrol only model the Skoda Kodiaq now goes up only against the Toyota Fortuner.
The 2022 Skoda Kodiaq facelift is being offered in India in three variants.
The 2022 Skoda Kodiaq facelift has been finally launched in India and it's now on sale in three variants – Style, Sportline and the range-topping Laurin & Klement. Following the Volkswagen Group's new brand direction, even the Skoda Kodiaq has transitioned to a petrol only model will be sold in India only with the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder TSI petrol engine. The seven-seater SUV is being offered in India as a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) unit and is locally assembled at the Skoda Auto Volkswagen India's manufacturing facility in Aurangabad.
Also Read: 2022 Skoda Kodiaq Facelift Launched In India
While traditionally, the Kodiaq would have competed with the likes of a wide range of models in India including the MG Gloster, Isuzu MU-X, and the Mahindra Alturas G4, being a petrol only model the Skoda Kodiaq now goes up only against the Toyota Fortuner which is offered in India with both diesel and petrol powertrains. Even the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace which would have been the true rival to the Skoda Kodiaq has been discontinued in India for the time being.
Skoda Kodiaq vs Toyota Fortuner
₹ 34.99 lakh – ₹ 37.49 lakh
As already said, the Skoda Kodiaq is being offered in India in three variants and only with automatic drivetrain options. The base Style trim is priced at ₹ 34.99 lakh and is ₹ 3.6 lakh more expensive than the base MT trim of the Toyota Fortuner petrol. The range-topping L&K AWD variant of the Kodiaq is ₹ 4.51 lakh more expensive than the top-of-the-line Toyota Fortuner petrol AT. The mid-spec Sportline variant of the Kodiaq is priced at ₹ 35.99 lakh and is ₹ 1.5 lakh more expensive than the top-end Toyota Fortuner petrol AT.
Skoda Kodiaq vs MG Gloster vs Mahindra Alturas vs Isuzu MU-X
The Skoda Kodiaq is more expensive than its diesel rivals as well.
Mahindra Alturas G4
₹ 30.99 lakh – 38.99 lakh
The MG Gloster, Mahindra Alturas and Isuzu MU-X are offered in India as diesel-only models and still are more affordable than the Skoda Kodiaq. The base variant of the Skoda Kodiaq is ₹ 4 lakh more expensive than the base MG Gloster, ₹ 6.22 lakh more expensive than the base Mahindra Alturas G4 and ₹ 1.76 lakh more expensive than the base Isuzu MU-X.
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The Pandora Papers
US: Consulate Official Admits to Accepting $3 Million in Bribes
Foreign service official Michael Sestak pleaded guilty to conspiracy, bribery, and money laundering in a US District Court in Washington DC, according to a release from the US Justice Department. Sestak, 42, admitted accepting more than US$3 million in bribes in exchange for approving visas.
The Fort Worth, Texas Star-Telegram reports that Sestak was accused of processing visas for nearly 500 foreign nationals as the non-immigrant visa chief in Vietnam.
In front of a federal judge, Sestak pled guilty to "one count each of conspiracy to commit bribery and visa fraud and to defraud the United States, bribery of a public official, and conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in property derived from illegal activity."
A State Department official said that American authorities noticed "potential visa improprieties in Vietnam," which, when investigated, led to Sestak. He was arrested on May 13, 2013.
Two Americans living in Vietnam, Binh Vo, 39, and his sister, Hong Vo, 27, and two Vietnamese citizens, Binh Vo's wife Anhdao Nguyen, 30, and Truc Tranh Huynh, 29, have also been charged. Huynh pled guilty in October, while Binh Vo and Hong Vo pled not guilty and are awaiting trials. A warrant has been issued for Nguyen's arrest.
According to the Justice Department, Sestak met Bonh Vo while working at the US consulate in Ho Chi Minh City in 2010. They became friends and allegedly planned to defraud the US visa system together.
The Star-Telegram said the investigation uncovered at least 500 fraudulent visa applications. From May 1 to Sept. 6 of 2012, the consulate received 31,386 applications and rejected 35.1 percent of them, investigators say. Sestak , however, rejected only 8.2 percent of the 5,489 visa applications he handled during that time, they said.
Sestak claimed to have been actively participating in the visa-for-money scheme from February 2012 to September 2012. The conspirators took in nearly US$10 million, of which Sestak admitted to receiving US$3 million. He allegedly attempted to launder the money through China into Thailand by purchasing properties in Bangkok and Phuket, which he has agreed to forfeit as a part of the plea deal.
No sentencing date has been set, although the Justice Department press release states that "Under federal sentencing guidelines, the applicable range for the offenses" is 19 to 24 years.
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Die Macroglossinae sind eine Unterfamilie der Schwärmer (Sphingidae). Sie kommen weltweit mit etwa 600 Arten vor, 25 sind aus Europa bekannt, in Mitteleuropa kommen davon 13 Arten vor.

Merkmale
Die Labialpalpen der Falter besitzen auf der Innenseite des ersten Segmentes feine Sinneshärchen. Die Männchen mancher Arten haben asymmetrisch geformte Genitalien. Deren Valven besitzen häufig eine oder mehrere Reihen von länglichen Schuppen. Die Tiere besitzen alle gut ausgebildete Saugrüssel. Bei einigen Gattungen der Choerocampini ist der Pilifer, eine Struktur die sich aus dem Labrum ableitet, zu einem Ultraschallrezeptor weiterentwickelt.

Die Raupen haben eine kugelige Kopfkapsel. Viele Arten tragen auffällige Augenflecken am Thorax oder insbesondere am Hinterleib. Das Analhorn ist bei vielen Arten zu einem unauffälligen, flachen Fortsatz reduziert.

Lebensweise
Innerhalb der Unterfamilie gibt es eine Reihe von Arten, die unüblich für Schwärmer tagaktiv sind. Dazu gehören alle Hemaris-, die meisten Cephonodes- und viele Macroglossum-Arten. Zu den Nahrungspflanzen gehört eine große Bandbreite an Pflanzen, die unter anderem zu den Hundsgiftgewächsen (Apocynaceae), Aronstabgewächsen (Araceae), Rosenapfelgewächsen (Dilleniaceae), Nachtkerzengewächsen (Onagraceae), Rötegewächsen (Rubiaceae) und Weinrebengewächsen (Vitaceae) gehören.

In Ruhestellung sind große Teile oder der gesamte Hinterleib unverdeckt und der Innenrand der Vorderflügel liegt entweder knapp am Hinterleib an, oder lässt nur eine kleine Lücke frei.

Systematik
Im Folgenden werden die 86 derzeit der Unterfamilie zugeordneten Gattungen nach Kitching/Cadiou (2000) und sämtliche in Europa auftretenden, sowie ausgewählte weitere Arten gelistet. Die in Europa auftretenden Arten sind mit "E" gekennzeichnet, die, die auch in Mitteleuropa vorkommen sind jeweils mit dem Länderkürzel (A, CH, D) versehen.

Tribus Dilophonotini Burmeister, 1878

Subtribus Dilophonotina Burmeister, 1878
 Cautethia Grote, 1865
 Himantoides Butler, 1876
 Pachygonidia Fletcher, 1982
 Enyo Hübner, [1819]
 Aleuron Boisduval, 1870
 Unzela Walker, 1856
 Callionima Lucas, 1857
 Madoryx Boisduval, [1875]
 Stolidoptera Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Protaleuron Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Pachylia Walker, 1856
 Kloneus Skinner, 1923
 Pachylioides Hodges, 1971
 Oryba Walker, 1856
 Hemeroplanes Hübner, [1819]
 Nyceryx Boisduval, [1875]
 Baniwa Lichy, 1981
 Perigonia Herrich-Schäffer, [1854]
 Eupyrrhoglossum Grote, 1865
 Aellopos Hübner, [1819]
 Pseudosphinx Burmeister, 1856
 Isognathus C. & R. Felder, 1862
 Erinnyis Hübner, [1819]
 Phryxus Hübner, [1819]

Subtribus Hemarina Tutt, 1902
 Hemaris Dalman, 1816
 Olivgrüner Hummelschwärmer (Hemaris croatica) (Esper, 1800) E
 Hummelschwärmer (Hemaris fuciformis) (Linnaeus, 1758) A, CH, D
 Skabiosenschwärmer (Hemaris tityus) (Linnaeus, 1758) A, CH, D
 Cephonodes Hübner, [1819]
 Cephonodes hylas (Linnaeus, 1771)

Tribus Philampelini Burmeister, 1878
 Eumorpha Hübner, [1807]
 Tinostoma Rothschild & Jordan, 1903

Tribus Macroglossini Harris, 1839

Subtribus Macroglossina Harris, 1839
 Sphecodina Blanchard, 1840
 Proserpinus Hübner, [1819]
 Nachtkerzenschwärmer (Proserpinus proserpina) (Pallas, 1772) A, CH, D
 Amphion Hübner, [1819]
 Arctonotus Boisduval, 1852
 Euproserpinus Grote & Robinson, 1865
 Neogurelca Hogenes & Treadaway, 1993
 Sphingonaepiopsis Wallengren, 1858
 Sphingonaepiopsis gorgoniades (Hübner, 1819) E
 Microsphinx Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Odontosida Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Odontosida magnificum (Rothschild, 1894)
 Odontosida pusillus (R. Felder, [1874])
 Antinephele Holland, 1889
 Hypaedalea Butler, 1877
 Pseudenyo Holland, 1889
 Temnora Walker, 1856
 Temnoripais Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Nephele Hübner, [1819]
 Nephele comma Hopffer, 1857
 Maassenia Saalmüller, 1884
 Angonyx Boisduval, 1874
 Rethera Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Rethera komarovi (Christoph, 1885) E
 Cizara Walker, 1856
 Hayesiana Fletcher, 1982
 Eurypteryx Felder
 Giganteopalpus Huwe, 1895
 Altijuba Lachlan, 1999
 Gnathothlibus Wallengren, 1858
 Philodila Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Daphnis Hübner, [1819]
 Daphnis hypothous (Cramer, 1780)
 Oleanderschwärmer (Daphnis nerii) (Linnaeus, 1758) A, CH, D
 Ampelophaga Bremer & Grey, 1853
 Clarina Tutt, 1903
 Darapsa Walker, 1856
 Eupanacra Cadiou & Holloway, 1989
 Enpinanga Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Elibia Walker, 1856
 Acosmerycoides Mell, 1922
 Deidamia Clemens, 1859
 Acosmeryx Boisduval, [1875]
 Micracosmeryx Mell, 1922
 Lepchina Oberthür, 1904
 Thibetia Joicey & Kaye, 1917
 Gehlenia Bryk, 1944
 Dahira Moore, 1888
 Atemnora Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Macroglossum Scopoli, 1777
 Taubenschwänzchen (Macroglossum stellatarum) (Linnaeus, 1758) A, CH, D
 Leucostrophus Rothschild & Jordan, 1903

Subtribus Choerocampina Grote & Robinson, 1865
 Xylophanes Hübner, [1819]
Xylophanes chiron
 Phanoxyla Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Hyles Hübner, [1819]
 Hyles cretica Eitschberger, Danner & Surholt, 1998 E
 Hyles dahlii (Geyer, 1828)
 Wolfsmilchschwärmer (Hyles euphorbiae) (Linnaeus, 1758) A, CH, D
 Labkrautschwärmer (Hyles gallii) (Rottemburg, 1775) A, CH, D
 Sanddornschwärmer (Hyles hippophaes) (Linnaeus, 1758) A, CH, D
 Hyles lineata (Fabricius, 1775)
 Linienschwärmer (Hyles livornica) (Esper, 1793) A, CH, D
 Hyles nicaea (de Prunner, 1798) E
 Hyles sammuti Eitschberger, Danner & Surholt, 1998 E
 Hyles tithymali (Boisduval, 1834) E
 Fledermausschwärmer (Hyles vespertilio) (Esper, 1793) A, CH, D
 Hyles zygophylli (Ochsenheimer, 1808) E
 Rhodafra Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Deilephila Laspeyres, 1809
 Mittlerer Weinschwärmer (Deilephila elpenor) (Linnaeus, 1758) A, CH, D
 Kleiner Weinschwärmer (Deilephila porcellus) (Linnaeus, 1758) A, CH, D
 Basiothia Walker, 1856
 Chaerocina Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Euchloron Boisduval, [1875]
 Hippotion Hübner, [1819]
 Großer Weinschwärmer (Hippotion celerio) (Linnaeus, 1758) A, CH, D
Hippotion osiris (Dalman, 1823) E
 Centroctena Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Pergesa Walker, 1856
 Theretra Hübner, [1819]
 Theretra alecto (Linnaeus, 1758) E
 Theretra boisduvalii (Bugnion, 1839)
 Griseosphinx Cadiou & Kitching, 1990
 Rhagastis Rothschild & Jordan, 1903
 Cechenena Rothschild & Jordan, 1903

Belege

Einzelnachweise

Literatur
 N. P. Kristensen: Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies, 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbuch der Zoologie 4 (35) S. 345f, Walter de Gruyter. Berlin, New York 2003, ISBN 3-11-015704-7
 Malcolm J. Scoble: The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and Diversity. S. 327 Oxford University Press 1995, ISBN 978-0-19-854952-9

Weblinks

Schwärmer
Sphingidae

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Got this Target box last week for only $7! Came with a body wash from @methodhome. A small cute deodorant from @native. @pixibeauty Rose tonic. I can't wait to try it, I've heard so many good things about it. @garnierusa rose mist spray and rose water moisturizer.
Danish pixie as advent calendar. Made off a vastly enlarged Tulsa pattern. He's about fifty inches tall!
Who said boys can't play with dolls?! Especially when they can customize exactly what kind of doll they want! Swipe to see my son trying to "borrow" a doll to use in his Batman Bat Cave , lol!


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text:
Q: Converting dates with times like "midnight" I have the following string which I am trying to convert to a datetime in python
From django template I am getting the following date format:
July 1, 2013, midnight
I am trying to convert the string above into a date time format
date_object = datetime.strptime(x, '%B %d, %Y, %I:%M %p')

It throws a format error
time data 'July 1, 2013, midnight' does not match format '%B %d, %Y, %I:%M %p'

A: Your best shot is probably the parsedatetime module.
Here's your example:
>>> import parsedatetime
>>> cal = parsedatetime.Calendar()
>>> cal.parse('July 1, 2013, midnight')
((2013, 7, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 245, 0), 3)

cal.parse() returns a tuple of two items. The first is the modified parsedatetime.Calendar object, the second is an integer, as explained in the docstring of the parse method:

*

*0 = not parsed at all

*1 = parsed as a C{date}

*2 = parsed as a C{time}

*3 = parsed as a C{datetime}

A few words on strptime:
strptime won't be able to understand "midnight", but you can replace it with an actual hour, using something like this:
def fix_dt(raw_date):
    """Replace 'midnight', 'noon', etc."""
    return raw_date.replace('midnight', '0').replace('noon', '12')

def parse_dt(raw_date):
    """Parse the fuzzy timestamps."""
    return datetime.datetime.strptime(fix_dt(raw_date), '%B %d, %Y, %H')

Then:
>>> parse_dt('July 1, 2013, midnight')
datetime.datetime(2013, 7, 1, 0, 0)

You can play on strfti.me to see which one will match your format.
You should check out this other question. The answers suggest using parsedatetime and pyparsing to parse fuzzy timestamps like the one in your example. Also check this pyparsing wiki page.

A: You could also just combine the date withe datetime's start time:
from datetime import datetime, date
dt = date.today()
print(datetime.combine(dt, datetime.min.time()))

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Bicentenary Celebration of Parisian Lawyers' Association.
To mark the bicentenary of the Paris Bar, Les Petits Français were entrusted with the artistic direction of three choreographed scenes to be performed in the nave of Paris' Grand Palais. The highly esthetic and symbolic performances, with Man as the central theme, were held in the daytime and at night.


text:
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/RedDwarfSeasonIVJustice
Recap / Red Dwarf Season IV Justice
Create New - Create New - Analysis Characters FanficRecs FanWorks Fridge Haiku Headscratchers ImageLinks Laconic PlayingWith Quotes ReferencedBy Synopsis Timeline WMG
A man of such awesome stupidity, he even objects to his own defence counsel.
Kryten enters the medical deck, bringing attention and breakfast to Lister, who is laid up with yet another bizarre future-illness. In this case, Space Mumps, a disease that causes his head to swell up with grotesque pustulent blisters and growths. Lister thanks Kryten for his care, lamenting at the absence of Rimmer and Cat. Kryten explains that both of them have had other things on their mind; Rimmer has just returned from a ten-day hike through the engine deck with some of the skutters and is even now loading up the slide projector with pictures from his trip (something that Lister reacts to with horror), while Cat has been distracted by the escape pod containing what evidence suggests is a woman that they just picked up.
Naturally, Lister immediately goes to investigate the pod, where he shares some banter with Cat before they realise the pod's stasis release process hasn't been activated and switch it on. Rimmer and Kryten arrive too late to stop them, with Rimmer explaining that the release was left off on purpose because, according to the black box, the pod came from a prison ship that was the scene of a riot that left only two survivors; a guard and a prisoner. Thus, there's a 50% chance the person inside the pod is not the female guard Barbara Bellini, but instead the surviving prisoner. Once they learn that the prison ship was carrying a cargo of 40 Simulants — psychotic, kill-crazed combat droids — Lister and Cat are forced to agree that finding some way to identify who was in there first would have been better.
With no way to stop the release, or to identify who's inside, as well as being unwilling to risk murdering an innocent woman should it be Barbara inside, they hit upon the plan of going to the penal colony station where the original prison ship was heading; that way, if it is a simulant in the pod, they can trap him there and leave.
The penal colony, Justice World, is still functioning, despite its age, and the group board with no problems. While the initial mind probe to detect crimes scares Lister, he gets through without a problem. Unfortunately for Rimmer, the Justice World computer declares he is guilty of 1167 counts of 2nd-degree murder, courtesy of causing the radiation leak that wiped out the crew of Red Dwarf. And in the light of him being a hologram, each murder piles up with a minimum of eight years each, to be served consecutively, making a total sentence of 9328 years incarceration.
Kryten, however, manages to convince the Justice Computer to give Rimmer a retrial. There, he presents an eloquent defense for Rimmer that ultimately convinces the computer that Rimmer is not guilty of the crime by virtue of being A: so egotistical that he would blame himself for the accident despite the fact he was nowhere near important enough to be held guilty, and/or B: so incompetent that the real blame lies with whoever was stupid enough to appoint him to such a vital task in the first place.
Unfortunately, the trial took so long that the pod has opened by the time the crew get back to it — and the contents are one angry simulant. The Dwarfers flee into the Justice Zone section of the colony, the simulant close on their heels. While Lister manages to sneak up on the simulant, the droid's pleas that he is willing to talk (and Lister's own disgust at both the idea of shooting him in the back and Rimmer's eagerness to do so) persuade him to go and talk to the cybernetic killer.
Unfortunately, the droid was lying and attacks Lister with a concealed pistol and knife. Unfortunately for the simulant, the Justice Zone's effects mean that it is he who takes the damage; realizing this, Lister gets the simulant to smash himself repeatedly in the head and then strangle himself into submission.
Once the simulant is dealt with, the Dwarfers fly away while Lister starts passionately ranting about the nature of justice and free will to his fellows. Who promptly watch in dispassion as he falls down an open hatch before sealing it up and leaving him.
Tropes Included:
Achievements in Ignorance: A weird example, where Kryten proves that Rimmer is such a neurotic incompetent that, really, the blame for his causing the radiation leak that wiped out the crew of Red Dwarf should be laid upon whatever dumbass actually thought to put such an ignorant screwup in charge of such a vital piece of maintenance.
Blatant Lies: Both the Simulant and Lister lie about being armed. Actually, the Simulant lied twice.
The Bore: Rimmer's slide-show about ship engines threatens to melt Kryton's intelligence circuits.
Brass Balls: Lister is perfectly willing to go toe to toe with a Simulant, armed with nothing more than a lead pipe, as opposed to shooting him in the back. Bear in mind that earlier in the episode, Kryten informs the crew that the Simulant is perfectly capable of surviving bazookoid fire for long enough to make balloon animals out of someone's lower intestines. The Simulant is carrying both a knife and a gun, but fortunately, the Justice Field turns his own attacks against him.
Covered in Gunge: One symptom for "Space Mumps" is a build up of pus underneath Lister's scalp. Lister's mumps pop like a zit covering Lister and the cat in slimy pus.
Halfway Plot Switch: The initial plot about the escape pod is seemingly forgotten in favour of Rimmer's trial. Then it comes back around...
Honor Before Reason: Lister can't bring himself to shoot the simulant in the back, despite the threat he poses, instead agreeing to the simulant's request to "talk" (though he did bring along a lead pipe, just in case). Although as soon as the attacks start flying, it turns out not taking the shot actually saved Lister's life.
Insistent Terminology: They're not androids, they're Simulants. The key difference being an android "would never rip off a human's head and then spit down his neck".
In the Back: Rimmer urges Lister to shoot the Simulant in this fashion. Lister refuses to do so and confronts the guy face to face. It turns out that thanks to the Justice Field, this was a very good decision.
It's All My Fault: In contrast to his usual attitude, it's revealed that Rimmer blamed himself for the death of the entire Red Dwarf crew and gets charged for 1167 counts of manslaughter. He is acquitted as Kryten points out that Rimmer was clearly unqualified to repair the drive plate, being so incompetent he should have never been put in that position in the first place.
Killer Robot: The Simulant qualifies, for all practical purposes.
Laser-Guided Karma: Weaponized (?) in the Justice Field, which basically instantly applies the effects of any wrongdoings you commit to you yourself (steal something, something of yours goes missing; attack someone, the blow lands on you). The intent is for this to hammer through to the inmates that they must obey the law (or else) until doing so becomes second nature for them.
Longer-Than-Life Sentence: Played with. Given that Rimmer is a hologram, and thus, unable to technically die, his sentence for each count of second-degree murder is to run consecutively. Each count carries a minimum eight-year sentence - thus, for 1,167 deaths aboard the Red Dwarf, Rimmer is given a 9,328-year term.note Technically, this only results in Rimmer getting sentenced for 1,166 counts - a proper count would have had him jailed for 9,336 years. Presumably, this is because one of those deaths was his own, and the Justice Computer doesn't count suicide as a crime. Rimmer even lampshades this when Lister gives him a book while visiting.
"Oh, thanks! That'll really help the centuries fly past."
"I'll be up for parole in another couple of ice ages."
Now You Tell Me: Lister didn't learn about what the Justice Field does until he started setting fire to the bedsheets. And he is not happy about it.
Lister: Nice example, Rimmer. Nice example! You could just have explained that to me verbally!
And he only really gets it after he hits the Simulant over the head with a pipe, and he's the one who goes down from it.
Reasonable Authority Figure: The Justice Computer. It judges the crew quite fairly since it doesn't find many crimes on them. For Kryten, a mechanoid who is incapable of committing a crime, he gets through. Cat, who doesn't seem to have committed any crimes despite his attitude, gets through. Lister, who actually had committed crimes, gets through because he was mainly a small-timer who didn't do anything completely outrageous.(Plus he was routinely caught and thus already punished.) Of course, when it comes to Rimmer, who believed that he was guilty of the deaths aboard the Red Dwarf, he gets sentenced effective immediately. The computer does sanction a re-trial to properly examine if it was a crime or not.
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: Rimmer's trial is one big, long such speech, for the explicit purpose of convincing the Justice Computer that he sucks so badly there's no way he can be held guilty of this particular crime.
Shovel Strike: The Cat whacks the already-incapacitated Simulant in this way. Or rather, thanks to the Justice Field, he whacks himself.
Tempting Fate: Lister with his final speech about there being no justice in the universe.
That Was Objectionable: Rimmer repeatedly objects to his own defense counsel — and is overruled by the judge AI of the prison space station every time — because Kryten's defense strategy hinged on proving that Rimmer was too all-around incompetent to have been liable for the disaster aboard Red Dwarf that he felt guilty for.
"A man of such awesome stupidity, he even objects to his own defense counsel!"
One feels he was taking advantage of the (golden) opportunity to insult Rimmer as well: Kryten can so rarely do so without violating his programming.
There was a limit to be reached, of course. On the third consecutive objection:
Kryten: An incompetent vending-machine repairman with a Napoleon complex, who commanded as much respect and affection from his fellow crew members as Long John Silver's parrot.
Rimmer: OBJECTION!
Justice Computer: If you object to your own counsel once more, Mr Rimmer, you'll be in contempt.
Red Dwarf Season IVDNA
Recap/Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf Season IV White Hole


NEXT WEEK I AM SHOWING AT BORN DESIGNERS Event in Courchevel WE ARE TAKING THE ARTIKCAR FOR A BIT OF FUN ON THE SLOPES!!!! CHECK OUT A LITTLE VIDEO THAT WAS MADE OF ME WHEN WE BUILD THE CAR BY THE MAN DAN CANYON A FEW YEARS AGO ENJOY! http://www.spinetv.net/stolenmoments/2009/12/2 Posted by Ben.
Pocketrocket its ongoing research into smaller wheels this little number has been built for the joyride exhibition i will also be showing artikcar please do come and join me for a beer hope to see you all benx Posted by Ben.


A smooth transition from academia into the world of the professional composer is a dream for many musicians. Colin O'Malley is among the few who have actually achieved this impressive feat. The Albuquerque, N.M., native studied music at the University of New Mexico and parlayed this experience into an internship at Disney World. The arrangements he wrote impressed, and upon graduation O'Malley segued to Florida to dive into full-time composition work. During the past decade, O'Malley has managed to garner a substantial list of credits in varying fields, including indie films, advertising, theme parks (music for The Mummy's Revenge rollercoaster at Universal Studios) and videogames.
Tomb Raider: Underworld, an Eidos release due in November and pictured at right, is O'Malley's latest videogame project. "I got a break several years ago when a friend hired me to create the track for Superman Returns, an Electronic Arts game," he says. "I met a lot of people during the process, and that track opened some doors for me." The Superman score required a 74-piece orchestra, which was recorded in Bratislava, Slovakia.
"This game [TRU] required two hours of music and the process was very intense," he continues. "Toby Guard, the writer who created the Laura Croft character, was involved and his vision for the music was specific and dead-on.
"I get no visuals, just detailed descriptions of the game's levels. You learn how to handle the technical demands as you go along. There are places where you have to create music with multiple layers. If the bad guy enters, for example, you need to amp up the score with additional layers." Although O'Malley doesn't consider himself a game composer per se, he says, "It's something I'm glad to be involved with," and successes in that still growing field tend to lead to other opportunities.
He uses plug-in processors exclusively, and is picky about which ones he relies on. "I stay away from Logic's EQ. Sonalkis, for my money, makes the best compressor [SK-315 Mk2] and EQ [SV-517 Mk2] — I use them on everything. Altiverb 6 is a huge part of every orchestration I build. Using different spaces to create multiple early reflections is vital. I also love WizooVerb; I haven't heard a better algorithmic reverb plug-in.
O'Malley has dozens of commercially released sample libraries, but the custom samples he recorded across two large sessions form the spine of his orchestral sound. "In particular, I was dissatisfied with the sterile and perfect nature of commercial string libraries. Sustains, for example, are entered into with perfect intonation — but that's not the way music is made in the real world. Along with several other composers, I recorded string ensembles in Utah, and later on I went to Slovakia to record additional musicians.


Can we get an update on this outage please.
Please refer the URL viewtopic.php?f=296&t=44332 for this outage updates from now on.
Currently the network issue Still being investigated. No Estimated Time of Resolution at this stage, and Exetel apologizes for any inconvenience this may have caused.


Fujitsu has announced the results of a field trial conducted with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) which employed Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyse marine traffic risks in the Singapore Strait, to predict potential collisions before they happen and increase the lead time in advising vessels on avoidance measures.
The 'Fujitsu Human Centric AI Zinrai' system detects ship collision risks based on data collected from the port waterways and predicts areas where those risks are concentrated as 'dynamic risk hotspots', the company says.
Fujitsu aims to market the system for use within a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) infrastructure, to assist maritime traffic controllers to proactively manage the movement of vessels near shore. Commercial services are expected to commence from 2020.
The Japanese company says it will present the outcomes of its research and testing in Singapore at the IALA e-Navigation Information Services and Communications (ENAV) 23rd Committee Meeting in Singapore this week, to introduce the concept to a wider audience.
VTS centres that manage marine traffic commonly rely on anti-collision warnings using closest point of approach techniques, detecting potential problems and notifying ships when they get unusually close to one another.
Fujitsu says that the addition of AI analytics will help to improve management of these collision risks even further, particularly as vessel operations and interactions become more complex in high-density vessel traffic areas.


text:
Coulee Courier
Houston County News
Westby Times
Tomah Journal
Our 7 Rivers
Spartans 4, Badgers 0: Quick wrapup and three stars from the Wisconsin men's hockey loss to No. 20 Michigan State
Badgers coach Paul Chryst given $300,000 raise, increased bonus opportunities
JASON GALLOWAY
Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst on the sideline in the second quarter of the Badgers' loss to BYU at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday Sept. 15, 2018. STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL
STEVE APPS STATE JOURNAL
Changes to Paul Chryst's contract include a $300,000 annual salary increase and added bonus opportunities if his program wins a Big Ten Championship or earns a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The University of Wisconsin football coach enters his fifth season as the Badgers' head man after compiling a 42-12 record over the first four years.
That includes 24 combined wins in 2016 and 2017, both seasons that ended in New Year's Six Bowl victories. UW vastly underachieved last year by garnering a No. 4 national ranking in the preseason before finishing 8-5.
Under the terms of an updated compensation agreement released to the State Journal, Chryst is now making $4.15 million annually, up from the $3.85 he was scheduled to bring in over the next year.
Chryst will maintain a $400,000 base salary, with the UW Foundation now paying him $3.75 million annually rather than $3.45. That number will increase by $100,000 beginning Feb. 1 of each year for the remainder of the five-year deal.
If UW wins the Big Ten title or qualifies for the College Football Playoff, Chryst will receive an additional $350,000. A CFP semifinal victory results in $400,000 more in bonus money, while a national championship earns Chryst an additional $500,000.
The bonuses are cumulative, meaning a national championship would increase Chryst's earnings by $1.25 million for that season. UW's postseason bonus policy would not apply for Chryst if the Badgers reach one of these milestones, with his share being divided among assistants instead.
Chryst's new agreement also presents new buyout parameters if the contact is terminated by either Chryst or the university.
Under the previous agreement, UW would owe Chryst $5 million if it fired the coach before Feb. 1, 2020, with that compensation decreasing by $1 million each of the following two years.
Chryst is now in line to make 85 percent of the remaining salary on his contract - referred to as liquidated damages compensation - if he's let go, which currently equates to $17.915 million but would decrease to $14.96 million by December and $11.35 million following the 2020 season.
However, for any season where the Badgers win less than seven regular-season games, a year's worth of compensation would be subtracted from the equation. That year's liquidated damages compensation would be restored if UW went on to win nine or more games in a regular season thereafter.
UW would now receive $8 million if Chryst terminates the contract early. Previously, that number was $5 million this year and set to decrease by $1 million each of the next two years.
Jason Galloway bio
Jason Galloway covers the Badgers football program for the Wisconsin State Journal. Galloway moved to Madison in 2013 after graduating from the University of Alabama and spending two years as the high school sports reporter for the Opelika-Auburn News in Alabama.
Paul Chryst
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text:
(function () {
	'use strict';

	/**
	 * @name application
	 * @description
	 *
	 * Root Application Controller
	 */
	angular
		.module('application')
		.controller('Application', Application);

	/* @ngInject */
	function Application() {
		/*jshint validthis: true */
		var vm = this;

		activate();

		function activate() {

		}
	}

})();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
class Profile;

namespace message_center {
class Notification;
}  // namespace message_center

// Stub implementation of the NotificationPlatformBridge interface that just
// implements the interface, and doesn't exercise behaviour of its own.
class StubNotificationPlatformBridge : public NotificationPlatformBridge {
 public:
  StubNotificationPlatformBridge();
  StubNotificationPlatformBridge(const StubNotificationPlatformBridge&) =
      delete;
  StubNotificationPlatformBridge& operator=(
      const StubNotificationPlatformBridge&) = delete;
  ~StubNotificationPlatformBridge() override;

  // NotificationPlatformBridge:
  void Display(NotificationHandler::Type notification_type,
               Profile* profile,
               const message_center::Notification& notification,
               std::unique_ptr<NotificationCommon::Metadata> metadata) override;
  void Close(Profile* profile, const std::string& notification_id) override;
  void GetDisplayed(Profile* profile,
                    GetDisplayedNotificationsCallback callback) const override;
  void SetReadyCallback(NotificationBridgeReadyCallback callback) override;
  void DisplayServiceShutDown(Profile* profile) override;
};

#endif  // CHROME_BROWSER_NOTIFICATIONS_STUB_NOTIFICATION_PLATFORM_BRIDGE_H_


The Experimental Photography Workbook, 6th edition, is a completely revised and updated version with the latest research and added full-color images throughout the text. It is the perfect short and sweet workbook to put play back into the analog black & white darkroom.
Inside you will find succinct how-to's on photograms, cliches verses, lumenprints, chemigrams, collage, photomontage, photo transfers, pinhole, zoneplate, holga, paper negatives, sabattier, chromoskedasic printing, painting with light, lith printing, liquid emulsion, modern tintype, mordancage, dye mordanting, bleach out, toning, applied color, abrasion tone, bromoil, encaustic, distressing film and other experimental processes.
Over one hundred photographers' works are peppered throughout the pages to illustrate all processes. The Workbook should be the perfect impetus to increased creativity for students and professionals alike.


BEIJING Assailants attacked police and other people with knives and set fire to police cars in China's restive far-western Xinjiang region on Wednesday in violence that killed 27 people, one of the bloodiest incidents since unrest in the regional capital killed nearly 200 in 2009.
Xinjiang is home to a large population of minority Muslim Uighurs but is ruled by China's Han ethnic majority. It borders Central Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan and has been the scene of numerous violent incidents in recent years.
The early-morning attacks; described by state media as riots; also left at least three people injured in remote Lukqun township in the Turkic-speaking region, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Police stations, a government building and a construction site were targeted in the violence, it said.
Xinhua said the attackers stabbed victims and set fires, killing 17 people including nine police or security officials, before officers shot and killed 10 of the assailants in Lukqun in Turpan prefecture. The agency cited officials with the region's Communist Party committee.
Xinhua did not provide details about the cause of the unrest and it was impossible to independently confirm the report. Information is tightly controlled in the region, which the Chinese government regards as highly sensitive and where it has imposed a heavy security presence to quell unrest. However, forces are spread thin across the vast territory and the response from authorities is often slow.
An official reached by phone at the press office of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, the region's police, said she had only seen news of the violence on the Internet and had no information. Other officials at the county's propaganda department and police said they also had no details. Calls to the region's government spokeswoman, Hou Hanmin, rang unanswered.
Though it remained unclear what caused Wednesday's violence, police stations, government offices and other symbols of Han Chinese authority have been targets of attacks in the past. The attack occurred at 6 a.m., when most residents would still be asleep.
The report said three assailants were seized, and that police pursued fleeing suspects, though it did not say how many. It said three people were injured by the unrest and were being treated.
A man in Lukqun contacted by phone said the area has been cordoned off and armed police officers were posted at road intersections. Police, anti-riot forces and paramilitary police were patrolling the town armed with pistols and machine guns, said the man, who refused to give his name out of fear of government reprisals.
"People are not being allowed to walk around on the streets," he said before disconnecting the call.
The violence came two months after a deadly clash in a town near Kashgar, elsewhere in Xinjiang killed 21 people, including 15 police officers and community workers. Ethnic riots occurred four years ago in Urumqi, the regional capital.
Uighur activist Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the Germany-based World Uyghur Congress, said Wednesday's violence was triggered by Chinese government policies of "sustained repression and provocation" of the Uighur community.
Many Uighurs say they suffer discrimination in jobs and in obtaining loans and passports, and that Beijing imposes tight restrictions on their religious and cultural life. Children and women are barred from attending mosques, and fasting is discouraged during the Muslim month of Ramadan, which starts this year in early July.
The Chinese government says all ethnic groups are treated equally and points to billions of dollars in investment that has modernized Xinjiang, a strategically vital region with significant oil and gas deposits.
Duncan Innes-Ker, an analyst at Economist Intelligence Unit, said the latest unrest shows that the government needs a new strategy to resolve ethnic and religious tensions in Xinjiang.
"Its past efforts to address them with tight security and economic development have been a manifest failure," Innes-Ker said.
The township of Lukqun is about 150 miles southeast of Urumqi along the ancient Silk Road connecting China to Europe. It is part of an area that includes Turpan, a tourist destination with distinctive Central Asian architecture.


text:
Q: How can I unite 1D arrays in numpy in 2D one? I have 3 arrays
a = np.array([1,2,3,4,5])
b = np.array([6,7,8,9,10])
c = np.array([11,12,13,14,15])

How can I unite it to get
abc = [[1,6,11]
       [2,7,12]
       [3,8,13]
       [4,9,14]
       [5,10,15]]

?

A: You could do the following:
abc = np.array([a, b, c]).transpose()

How does this work?
np.array([a, b, c]) creates a new numpy array with the rows equal to a, b and c:
array([[1, 2, 3],
       [4, 5, 6],
       [7, 8, 9]])

However, since you want the columns to be equal to a, b and c, we need to "flip" the matrix along the diagonal, which is achieved by calling transpose(). This produces the desired result:
array([[1, 4, 7],
       [2, 5, 8],
       [3, 6, 9]])


text:
Whoia dumbshafensis är en kräftdjursart som beskrevs av Jörundur Svavarsson 1988. Whoia dumbshafensis ingår i släktet Whoia och familjen Desmosomatidae. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Externa länkar

Gråsuggor och tånglöss
dumbshafensis


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text:
KSSPL
H C Gupta
coal scam
Bharat Parashar
Former Coal Secretary H C Gupta was aware that Coal Minister would go by recommendations: Court
Former Coal Secretary H C Gupta was "well aware" that the Coal Minister would go by the recommendations of the screening panel, a Delhi court said.PTI | October 03, 2015, 01:19 IST
NEW DELHI: Former Coal Secretary H C Gupta, who also headed the screening committee on allocation of coal blocks to various firms, was "well aware" that the Coal Minister would go by the recommendations of the screening panel in the matter, a Delhi court has observed.
The court's observations came as it ordered framing of charges against Gupta and five others, including two senior public servants, in a case pertaining to alleged irregularities in allocation of Thesgora-B Rudrapuri coal block to Kamal Sponge Steel and Power Ltd (KSSPL).
In 2007, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also holding the Coal Ministry portfolio when the company had applied for the block.
The court noted in its order that being the Coal Secretary and also chairman of screening committee, Gupta was "well aware that the Minister of Coal will proceed to accord approval primarily on the basis of recommendation made by the screening committee or the comments, if any, made by the Ministry of Coal (MoC)."
Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar said the MoC officials were duty-bound to scrutinise applications seeking allocation of coal blocks so that they could make a reasonable classification amongst the applicant firms.
He observed that MoC officials, through a simple scrutiny of documents filed by the firms, could have shown that these were incomplete and could not have been considered by the screening committee to recommend allotment of coal blocks.
"It was rather the duty of the MOC officers to consider the applications of different applicant companies in an objective manner and to make a reasonable and discernible classification amongst them after ascertaining their eligibility and completeness in accordance with the guidelines promulgated by the MOC," the court said in the order.
The issue of non-scrutiny of applications had cropped up during arguments on framing of charges in the case, with the accused saying there were hardly 4-5 officers in the concerned section of the Ministry to deal with about 1,400 applications and it was "humanly impossible" to scrutinise them.
Besides Gupta, the court has ordered framing of charges against two senior public servants, K S Kropha and K C Samria, firm KSSPL, its Managing director Pawan Kumar Ahluwalia and chartered accountant Amit Goyal.
The court ordered to put these six accused on trial for the alleged offences under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) of the IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act observing that prima facie charges were made out against them.
Tags : Coal, Manmohan Singh, KSSPL, H C Gupta, coal scam, Bharat Parashar


Facebook Shares Business Model Success Story: Sheops From Pakistan!
How often do you hear of a global business community using an example from Pakistan as the perfect success story? Seems like a novel concept, right? Well, yesterday could have been just another ordinary October day with only highlight being the arrest warrant of an ex PM in Pakistan, but, luckily things got interesting!
According to statista, Facebook has over two billion strong monthly active users (MAU) community. Facebook Business – the platform documenting, monitoring and assisting millions of businesses operating through the social medium, released a new episode of Success Stories. And this time it is no other than our very own Sheops from Pakistan.
Entrepreneurship has mainly been a male dominated sphere in Pakistan. With the advent of Sheops, however, the dynamics began to witness a change. Starting off as a group of five women, and today with a community of 94.5 thousand supporters, Sheops has emerged, and more importantly, established itself as the ultimate market place for women!
Filed under the successful startups from Pakistan in 2016, Sheops has been making waves from the start. Founded by Nadia Patel Gangjee and incubated at The Nest i/o, Sheops (a portmanteau word that stands for she shops, she operates and she opts) has been the first online marketplace for women in the world. The value-adding platform showcases products by women entrepreneurs, women-owned businesses and women-oriented brands.
The recipient of the Best ICT Startup Award – P@SHA ICT Awards '16, Pakistan, as well as that of the Silver Award, Inclusion and Community – APICTA '16, Taipei, Taiwan within the first year of its operations, Sheops journey has been a documentation of brilliance.
Gangjee, a therapeutic tutor and marketing professional, has developed Sheops as a community based response to the need of female inclusion in the business sector. This has enabled women to build entrepreneurial enterprises without being harassed , and to purchase without the fear of being conned. Safety for the seller as well as for the customer, has peaked as the USP for the 48.7% strong, YET marginalized, female segment of the society.
What's magical about this whole journey is how the resolve of one woman to build a safe place for women to carry out business has now transformed itself into a women empowerment movement, strengthening the whole entrepreneurial ecosystem, and building the the society!


I have used Runner's Relief on several horses on several different occasions and I refer it to be used to a lot of my friends who have suspensory issues.
One of my geldings tore the front and rear suspensory at the same time and I used my fair share of Runner's Relief. I feel as though it helps speed up the recovery time and heal them completely.
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Sometimes when I'm hauling long distances I use Runner's Relief also.
This is one of my horses that had an inflamed interossous ligament. Runners relief and he was fine in 2 days.
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Now I'm using to help relieve Baci's arthritis pain. I apply the poultice to his leg 6days a week for 12hrs at a time (usually in the late afternoon then wash it off in the morning). You can apply plastic wrap around it and then a standing bandage or just use a poultice boot (I use back on track boots). I also was this product for maintenance during heavy work load periods to help support the tendons/ligaments after exercise.
Runner's Relief is a natural botanical formulation derived from organic extracts. It has a 100% satisfaction guarantee for the treatment of bowed tendons, suspensory/check ligament injuries and hairline fractures! Runner's Relief will also promote pain relief, improve circulation, increase range of motion, reduce inflammation and enhance overall total muscle relaxation.
If you want to find out more information on how it works check out @runnersrelief You definitely won't regret it always consult your veterinarian to ensure this product is right for you.


Home/Uncategorized/Intuz Featured as a Top Development Company in India on Clutch!
Clutch recently highlighted us a strong performing leader in India in their annual research, based on an in-depth evaluation of work portfolios and client feedback.
Last week, Clutch published the results of their annual research on the top agencies and developers in India, and we were featured as a leader in four of their research segments. At Intuz, we are committed to providing our clients with effective and functional custom mobile solutions that are usable, innovative, sophisticated, and productive. Our hard work and impressive solutions have been recognized by Clutch, as they have included us as a Top App Development Company in India, a Top Android App Development Company in India, a Top App Development Company in Ahmedabad, and a Top Custom Software Development Company in India in their annual research.
Clutch is a ratings and review firm based out of Washington, D.C. Their research assesses thousands of companies based on various qualitative and quantitative factors, including market presence, previous clients, past work, and client feedback. Clutch analysts speak directly with current and past clients to conduct thorough phone interviews to produce comprehensive client reviews for each company's profile. These verified reviews allow prospective buyers to fully evaluate and identify potential service providers for their next big project.
Our Clutch profile continues to grow, and we look forward to improving our presence and being included in Clutch's research again next year.


Established in 2003 Clearbase has been delivering a wide range of IT services across Yorkshire, Humberside and the Midlands, achieving a reputation for providing technological innovation, excellence, reliability and outstanding customer service for SME's and not-for-profit- organisations, at an affordable cost.
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We're in business to make sure you get the best possible support from IT when delivering products and services to your clients. We install, develop and maintain all aspects of IT making sure they are appropriate to your needs, giving you a solid platform to develop your business and consistently delivering the service you require.
We are committed to giving you straight forward honest technical services that are value for money and contribute to your business. Our commitment to customer services means we promise to respond to any issue promptly, to give knowledgeable feedback and to manage the issue to the best of our ability on your behalf.