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Norwegian Sun returns to Port Canaveral for second year of Cuba cruises
April 13, 2019 by Forimmediaterelease
Norwegian Cruise Line's Sun returns to Port Canaveral today for a second season of popular cruises from the Port to Cuba, as well as excursions to the Bahamas.
Starting Monday, April 15, the Norwegian Sun, which in 2018 became the first homeported cruise ship to sail from Port Canaveral to Cuba, will offer four-, five- and seven-day cruises to Havana, Cuba, with select sailings also calling to Key West during its four-day cruises. Ports of call during the Sun's five- and seven-day voyages include Key West, Nassau, Bahamas, or Norwegian's private island beach at Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.
"We are excited that the Norwegian Sun is returning for another season of cruises to Cuba," Port CEO Capt. John Murray stated. "More than 30,000 guests sailed on cruises from the Port to Havana last year, and we're pleased to be hosting more sailing opportunities this summer season."
The 1,936-guest vessel will kick off its summer sailing season this afternoon with a three-night voyage to Key West and Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas.
For its four-night Cuba cruises, the Sun will depart the Port each Monday during the summer sailing season and return each Friday. Three-night cruises to the Bahamas sail on Fridays and return on Mondays.
In Cuba, the Sun will berth in Havana Harbor in the heart of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Guests can experience the culture and history of Cuba with OFAC (U.S.Treasury Office of Foreign Assets)-compliant shore excursions.
Built in 2001, the 78,309 gross-ton Sun underwent an extensive three-week dry-dock refurbishment in May 2018, emerging with updated staterooms, restaurants and public spaces, as well as three new venues – Los Lobos Cantina, Bliss Ultra Lounge and Spinnaker Lounge. The cruise ship offers 14 dining options, bars and lounges, onboard shopping, the Mandara Spa, the Sun Club Casino and entertainment. All guests sailing aboard the Norwegian Sun's Cuba or Bahamas cruises from Port Canaveral can enjoy unlimited complimentary beverages included in their cruise fare as a part of the ship's all-inclusive program.
The Sun, which was homeported at Port from 2010 to 2012, will be berthed at Cruise Terminal 10 as it was in 2018. CT-10 recently received more than $35 million in renovations.
Travel News | eTurboNews
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Centara launches Grand Beach sale at luxurious resorts in Thailand and Maldives
April 8, 2019 by Forimmediaterelease
Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand's leading hotel operator, has launched the Grand Beach Sale – an enticing new promotion that offers generous discounts at its stunning collection of Centara Grand beach resorts.
Valid for bookings made between April 8-21, 2019, this limited-time promotion promises an amazing 25 percent discount on every room type at five luxurious resorts in Thailand and the Maldives.
This additional discount is ON TOP of whatever rate, promotion or package the guest books – with no hidden catches, blackout dates or restrictions! So with the Grand Beach Sale, guests are guaranteed an awesome deal.
Guests can choose to take a blissful beachfront break at Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, which is nestled directly on the soft sands of Karon Beach, overlooking the Andaman Sea; Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui, the idyllic island retreat on Chaweng Beach; or Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi, the secluded seafront resort which is accessible only by boat.
Alternatively, magical Maldivian vacations are available at a choice of two private island resorts: the family-friendly Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives or the adults-only Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives, both of which feature a choice of spectacular beachfront and overwater villas.
Whichever Centara Grand beach resort they choose, all guests will enjoy accommodation in a spacious room, family-friendly suite or villa, plus complimentary Wi-Fi and fitness centre use throughout their stay. Up to two children can stay free-of-charge with their parents.
To take advantage of this attractive promotion, guests must be a member of CentaraThe1, the group's highly rewarding, free-to-join loyalty program. Not a member yet? CLICK HERE to sign up instantly.
The Grand Beach Sale ends on April 21, 2019, so book your next beachfront vacation today! For more information and reservations, please CLICK HERE.
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Centara Privilege Club: Centara launches all-new exclusive lifestyle benefits program
Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand's leading hotel operator and one of the region's most innovative hospitality brands, is launching "Centara Privilege Club", a brand new benefits program that offers exclusive privileges, discounts and experiences to Centara customers.
Members joining Centara Privilege Club receive exciting lifestyle benefits focused on food and drink, accommodation, spa and more, including attractive guaranteed savings, an available complimentary night's stay, cash certificates and many other member-only advantages.
"Centara Privilege Club was created to strengthen the loyalty of Centara's biggest fans and frequent visitors," said Tom Thrussell, Centara Vice President – Brand, Marketing & Digital. "The program features an array of privileges well suited to our guests' lifestyles and provides unbeatable dining, drinking, hotel room, spa and other benefits that keep our guests returning again and again".
Centara Privilege Club is a paid membership program with privileges available at all Centara Hotels and Resorts properties throughout Thailand. Members are guaranteed experiences, savings and recognition, and can use their benefits to host parties of family, friends and colleagues at great value.
Centara launches Centara Privilege Club via a collaboration with Hospitality Marketing Concepts (HMC), the world's leading provider of paid membership loyalty programs, to create an engaging loyalty program to meet the needs of its operating 33 hotels in Thailand and exceed the expectations of Centara's prestigious clients.
"Hospitality Marketing Concepts (HMC) is committed to ensuring the new programs' success while creating an innovative program which complements the ever-growing digital mobile world," said Mokhtar Ramadan, CEO, Hospitality Marketing Concepts. "Together with Centara Hotels and Resorts, HMC will deliver on our mission to provide world-class loyalty programs to luxury hotel brands around the world. Together with HMC's new mobile app, members can enjoy the benefits of membership at their fingertips."
The Centara Privilege Club is technology-driven and features an industry-leading mobile app that lets members redeem digital e-certificates and eliminate outdated paper-based voucher booklets and plastic membership cards. The app also delivers targeted mobile push notifications about hotel promotions based on geo-location, preferences and purchasing behavior. This technology focus is in keeping with both Centara's focus to meeting the needs of today's smartphone generation, and its commitment to sustainability and the reduction of paper and plastic usage.
The program is distinct from and complementary to Centara's CentaraThe1 loyalty program which is free to join and sees members earning points for stays and on-property spend, which can then be redeemed for future stays and a variety of other benefits. The CentaraThe1 program currently has over 3 million members and members can actually use their earned points to purchase a Centara Privilege Club membership.
Learn more about Centara Privilege Club membership benefits and become a member only by visiting https://centaraprivilege.com.
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Nonstop between Washington Dulles and Acrra, Ghana grows on SAA
Starting today, South African Airways (SAA) has increased its frequency on nonstop flights between Washington, D.C.-Dulles International Airport and Accra's Kotoka International Airport to 5 days weekly.
SAA offers the only nonstop flight between Washington D.C. and Ghana and offers travelers convenient connections to and from over 100 cities across the U.S. and Canada through its Star Alliance partner, United Airlines via Washington, D.C.- Dulles.
South African Airways' flights to Accra now operate 5 days a week with continuing service to Johannesburg, South Africa, operating on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. SAA's increase of flights on the route will also serve to support the partnership with Africa World Airlines by offering seamless connections between Accra and additional destinations in West Africa including; Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria; Monrovia, Liberia and Freetown, Sierra Leone. In addition, SAA will continue to operate flights between Washington D.C.-Dulles and Dakar, Senegal and onwards to Johannesburg, two days per week.
SAA's flights between Washington-Dulles and Accra will be operated with both the Airbus A330-300 and the Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The A330-300 features 46 full-flat 180° beds with direct aisle access at every seat in Premium Business Class and 203 seats in Economy Class. The A330- 200 offers 36 full-flat beds in Premium Business Class and 186 seats in Economy Class. Customers traveling in both Premium Business Class and Economy Class will have on-demand audio and visual entertainment options, in-seat power ports, freshly-prepared meals, and complimentary bar service featuring South African wines.
For information, visit flysaa.com.
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Thank you for flying TAP Air Portugal: Welcome to Tel Aviv
Israel has about 9 million inhabitants and annually receives more than 4 million visitors. TAP Air Portugal landed its inaugural flight between Lisbon and Israel on time on Sunday night at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.
With this new route, TAP will offer connecting service from the United States via its Lisbon hub. Like all TAP's "beyond Portugal" destinations, Tel Aviv qualifies for the airline's stopover program en route.
TAP's daily flight leaves Lisbon at 2:20 pm and arrives in Tel Aviv at 9:30 pm. From Tel Aviv, flights depart at 5:05 am, arriving in Lisbon at 9:00 am.
One of Israel's main tourist attractions is the city of Jerusalem, where one can visit holy sites of various religions. Within walking distance are the Holy Sepulcher (Christian), the Wailing Wall (Jewish) and the Mosque of Al-Aqsa (Muslim).
But Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Nazareth, Tiberias, Caesarea, Haifa, the Dead Sea region, and in the Palestinian part, Bethlehem and Jericho, among other points, also have many attractions.
The Portugal Stopover comprises a network of more than 150 partners who provide exclusive offers for Stopover customers for hotels discounts and complimentary experiences such as tuk-tuk tours, visits to museums, dolphin watching in the River Sado and food tastings – even a free bottle of Portuguese wine in participating restaurants.
Travelers can also enjoy a stopover in Lisbon or Porto even if their final destination is in Portugal, such as: Faro (Algarve); Ponta Delgada or Terceira (the Azores); and, Funchal or Porto Santo (Madeira).
Furthermore, Stopover passengers can also create a multi-destination journey, making it will be possible to travel to one destination and return from another. For example, people may choose to fly to Barcelona then return from Seville, but they will still qualify for a stopover in Lisbon or Porto on either their outbound or return travel. Stopover visits are now also available on just one-way travel to Europe or Africa.
TAP will receive 37 new aircraft by the end of this year — and 71 by 2025 — thus becoming the operator of one of the most modern fleets in the world. This renewal and growth of the fleet has allowed TAP to announce new routes and more frequencies. From the United States, new service from San Francisco, Washington DC, and Chicago start in June. TAP has also announced new routes including Naples, Tenerife, Dublin, Basel and Conakry for 2019.
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Antigua and Barbuda launch new global summer campaign: #WhatCoolLooksLike
March 25, 2019 by Forimmediaterelease
The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority has unveiled its new global summer campaign, #WhatCoolLooksLike, which is expected to convey the trendiness of the destination and its appeal as the ideal summer vacation spot for visitors looking for enjoyable experiences. The campaign draws on what makes the country special and seeks to depict in a creative and engaging way the "coolness" of the destination.
Antigua and Barbuda's Minister of Tourism & Investment, The Honorable Charles 'Max' Fernandez has high praises for the creative team, adding that the new campaign is timely and reinforces the messages the islands have been promoting in recent years. "Antigua and Barbuda's weather during the summer is so much cooler than in other regions, our beaches are serene, and while there are numerous events to enjoy, the pace remains unrushed. The #WhatCoolLooksLike summer campaign brings to life what we have been saying for years, and we thank the team for helping us convey this message in a vivid and imaginative way to potential visitors across the globe. The campaign is being executed in all our major source markets with consumers being enticed to visit Antigua and Barbuda to take advantage of the cool summer savings on offer, as well as the destination's cool climate," notes Fernandez.
The multi-faceted summer campaign includes a combination of traditional and digital media and will utilize a variety of tactical trade and consumer activations to ensure the success of the initiative.
The #WhatCoolLooksLike Summer Campaign offers consumers major savings on their vacation to Antigua and Barbuda for travel during the periods April-October 2019. The savings will be available at participating tour operators, airlines and hotels.
A key element of the campaign is the #WhatCoolLooksLlike Ambassador Program, which comprises a carefully curated selection of local influencers who the Authority believes encompass what "cool" looks like. These Ambassadors have been commissioned to utilize their social media presence and their country, Antigua and Barbuda as their backdrop during the six-month run of the campaign, to share the wealth of awe-inspiring experiences provided in the twin-island state.
Another initiative is the Global Sweepstakes launched today which runs through May 21. Entrants will be asked to opt-in by location in order to upload a video or photo that depicts what cool looks like. At the end of the two-month contest, two random winners will be chosen: One from our overseas source markets will win a complimentary 4-day/3-night stay at the Verandah Resort and Spa in Antigua; while one local will win a 2-night, 3-day stay at the Harbour Island Residences in Jolly Harbour. The local element of this campaign was so designed to allow for local participation and engagement, creating a platform where local Antiguans and Barbudans become advocates for the destination.
The Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority will host a variety of events, including The Antigua Sailing Week, The Optimist World Championships, The Antigua and Barbuda Sportfishing Tournament, Antigua and Barbuda Restaurant Week and Antigua's Carnival: The Caribbean's Greatest Summer Festival, providing additional enticements for visitors to travel this summer.
Antigua (pronounced An-tee'ga) and Barbuda (Bar-byew'da) is located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea. Voted the World Travel Awards Caribbean's Most Romantic Destination, the twin-island paradise offers visitors two uniquely distinct experiences, ideal temperatures year-round, a rich history, vibrant culture, exhilarating excursions, award-winning resorts, mouth-watering cuisine and 365 stunning pink and white-sand beaches – one for every day of the year. The largest of the Leeward Islands, Antigua comprises 108-square miles with rich history and spectacular topography that provides a variety of popular sightseeing opportunities. Nelson's Dockyard, the only remaining example of a Georgian fort a listed UNESCO World Heritage site, is perhaps the most renowned landmark. Antigua's tourism events calendar includes the prestigious Antigua Sailing Week, Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, and the annual Antigua Carnival; known as the Caribbean's Greatest Summer Festival. Barbuda, Antigua's smaller sister island, is the ultimate celebrity hideaway. The island lies 27 miles north-east of Antigua and is just a 15-minute plane ride away. Barbuda is known for its untouched 17 mile stretch of pink sand beach and as the home of the largest Frigate Bird Sanctuary in the Western Hemisphere. Find information on Antigua & Barbuda at visitantiguabarbuda.com and follow us on: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
For information on our #WhatCoolLooksLlike Ambassadors, go to visitantiguabarbuda.com.
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Hilton University of Florida Conference Center at Gainesville joins Benchmark Resorts & Hotels portfolio
Benchmark has added the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center at Gainesville to the company's Benchmark Resorts & Hotels brand portfolio. The recently renovated, 248-guest room property is located on the University of Florida campus, close to Gainesville's Central Business District. The property serves a growing market of visiting alumni, parents and students, academics, and guests affiliated with the university. Its IACC-approved conference center, with 25,000 square feet of meeting space, attracts a significant number of meetings and events. The Hilton University of Florida Conference Center at Gainesville is Benchmark's tenth property in Florida, and the third hotel located on a major college campus within the United States.
"We are honored to be chosen by Hilton Hotels & Resorts to manage this exceptional property," says Benchmark CEO Alex Cabañas. "We are also delighted to again expand our presence in Florida, where both our Gemstone Collection and Benchmark Resorts & Hotels brands are represented throughout the Sunshine State," he said. Benchmark recently added two hotels in St. Pete Beach to its portfolio, expanding its presence to Southwest Florida.
Mr. Cabañas also noted the growing importance of conference center hotels to a university. "These hotels serve as a campus 'guest house', providing an authentic, on-campus experience while sharing ideas and resources," he said.
The non-smoking, pet-friendly hotel includes 248 guest rooms and suites featuring HDTV, desks for work/study-related activities, and complimentary WiFi. Guests can enjoy the property's outdoor pool and whirlpool and a 24-hour fitness center.
The University of Florida is a prominent research university, set on 2,000 acres in Gainesville, in North Central Florida. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in law, medicine, business and engineering.
The University of Florida campus offers an array of services and attractions, including an art museum, concerts, lectures, theater, libraries and sports events. Guests can enjoy collegiate football at the nearby Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, home of the Florida Gators. Other local attractions include the Butterfly Rainforest, the Florida Museum of Natural History and the Gainesville Raceway. The surrounding region offers opportunities for biking, canoeing, paddle boarding, swimming and wildlife viewing at one of seven nearby Florida State parks.
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TAT launches "Thailand Traveller Voice" online survey platform
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation in Thailand as of 21 January 2021, 11.30 Hrs.
United Announces 2020 Financial Results: 2021 Will Focus On Transition To Recovery; Expects To Exceed 2019 Adjusted EBITDA Margin By 2023*
American Airlines Extends Travel Waiver Through March 31
TAT updates East Asian markets on Thailand's New Normal tourism
WHO promotes healthy food in public facilities during COVID-19
TAT keeps Thailand top-of-mind in long-haul markets
Adam Stewart named Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International


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SKorea's Moon Says EV Battery Regulation "Very Significant", Auto News, ET Auto
Rosemary S. Bishop
South Korean President Moon Jae-in
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday welcomed the decision of two South Korean electric vehicle battery makers to settle a long-standing intellectual property dispute that threatened thousands of American jobs and the environmental policies of President Joe Biden.
By agreeing to pay 2,000 billion won ($ 1.8 billion) to LG energy solution on stolen trade secrets, SK Innovation can now go ahead with manufacturing plans Battery in Georgia for electricity Ford vans and Volkswagen SUV.
In a series of tweets, Moon said the last-minute business settlement on Sunday was "happy" and "very meaningful" and would help stabilize global supply chains in a fast-paced, increasingly struggling industry.
The South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy called in a press release for "stronger cooperation and solidarity" between South Korean battery companies which are now expected to focus on "the preparing for the future in the face of intense global competition ".
The deal between the companies avoided intervention by Biden in a closely watched case for its implications for its clean energy program, which includes the drastic increase in the use of electric vehicles to combat climate change.
Biden had until Sunday night to decide whether to step in, following a February trade commission decision. He called the deal a "victory for American workers and the American auto industry."
In a regulatory filing with South Korean financial authorities, SK Innovation said it would provide LG Energy with a lump sum payment of 1,000 billion won ($ 888 million) and the same maximum amount of royalties. The companies also agreed to withdraw all ongoing trade disputes in the United States and South Korea and not to assert new claims for 10 years.
The US International Trade Commission ruled in February that SK had stolen 22 trade secrets from LG Energy and that SK Innovation was to be banned from importing, manufacturing or selling batteries in the United States for 10 years.
The move put at risk a $ 2.6 billion battery factory SK Innovation is building in Commerce, Georgia. The company has contracts to manufacture batteries for a Ford F-150 electric pickup truck and a Volkswagen electric SUV.
Despite the costly deal, SK Innovation's stock price rose nearly 12% on Monday to close at 266,500 won ($ 237) per share, reflecting a return in investor confidence as the company avoided a setback potentially more important in its business.
Lee Dong-wook, analyst at Kiwoom Securities in South Korea, said the deal eases supply uncertainties for SK Innovation customers, including Ford and Volkswagen, who have fought for batteries as they were deploying other models of electric vehicles.
It also frees SK Innovation from what would have been massive spending on legal fees and lobbying activities, which could potentially help the company get a profit from its battery business sooner than expected, Lee wrote in a report.
PG&E bonds leap on settlement talks
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Medical debt collector to pay $ 2.5 million settlement

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The Archdiocesan School System in New York
Print The Archdiocesan School System in New York
A group of preschoolers of The Cathedral School of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Manhattan chatting with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America during His visit to the School in September 2004.
There are 29 Greek Orthodox parochial day schools and more than 340 Greek afternoon and Saturday schools currently functioning in the United States with an enrollment of approximately 30,000 students. In addition, many parishes throughout the country offer evening Greek classes.
All Greek Orthodox parochial day schools adhere to local and state mandated curricula. They maintain nurseries, pre-school centers, kindergartens, and elementary and secondary grades.
Students of various Greek afternoon schools taking the Comprehensive Examination in Modern Greek at Herricks High School, Long Island, NY, on June 17, 2005.
Both the day and the afternoon Greek language schools offer a program of studies that includes the teaching of Modern Greek language, Greek history and culture as well as elements of Greek Orthodox faith and worship. The day and afternoon schools operate under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and comprise the Archdiocesan School System.
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America congratulates the students of the New York City parochial day schools who participated in the Spelling Bee Contest sponsored by the newspaper DAILY NEWS.
Greek Classes for Adults in New York
Greek Orthodox Parochial Day Schools Directory


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Iron & Wine: Beast Epic
Conner Reed
A sophisticated listen full of vivid imagery.
Iron & Wine: Beast Epic Conner Reed
If you were to construct a list of artists who could benefit from paring back their sound a bit, Iron & Wine would hardly crack the Top 200. Sam Beam's arty folk alter-ego has been gracing us with sublime, painterly little albums since his 2002 breakout The Creek Drank the Cradle. His hyper-literate songs have penetrated the popular consciousness now and then (most memorably when "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" turned up in Twilight), and he experimented with some poppier, bluesier stylings on 2011's Kiss Each Other Clean and 2013's Ghost on Ghost, but for most of his career, he's stayed within his well-established lane. An Iron & Wine song doesn't sound like it could come from anyone else; it's a graceful walk along the razor-thin line between consistency and complacency. The themes morph, the textures deepen, but at the end of the day, Beam writes bright, understated folk numbers about the state of the world.
It's a bit of a shock, then, when Beast Epic, his first solo album in four years, registers as a transformation. Only in the quietly forceful opening moments of "Claim Your Ghost" do we realize that we haven't heard anything quite this bare from Beam in a long time. After the relative bombastics of Ghost on Ghost, Beam put out a number of solid Iron & Wine collaboration records that came and went so quickly they hardly made a dent in his catalogue, which means we haven't heard a Classic Iron & Wine record in a decade.
He's learned a lot since then. Beast Epic pulls liberally from the plucks and stomps of The Shepherd's Dog, his arguable artistic peak, but it also carries the wisdom he gathered from his experiments in the interim. The songs sound lived-in and whole, sometimes opaque but never emotionally inaccessible. It's not shattering any boundaries but it's a sophisticated listen full of vivid imagery and some of the most affecting vocal turns of Beam's career.
There's something thrilling about Beast Epic's insistence on the value of classicism. No need to grandpa one's way into a "They don't make 'em like they used to!" moment here, but it's undeniably refreshing to consume new music that isn't coated in a thick layer of identity assertion or striving to feed some sort of cultural narrative. These are soul-massaging sounds produced by a man who knows what he's doing, imparting non-didactic wisdom and lifting spirits without veering into triteness. On "Call It Dreaming," the most immediate of the new songs, Beam proclaims "Every moon and our bodies make shining glass/ Where the time of our lives is all we have," and we can almost see his capable hands molding department store uplift into disarming poetry.
Beam's secret is that his music is bought and sold on its songcraft. On top of his music's frequently-surprising amount of rustic texture (which is particularly noticeable on the lacerating "About a Bruise"), he knows his way around a turn of phrase. On "The Truest Stars We Know," a typical relationship dispute becomes "Someone has to be the dove when someone is the hawk"; on "Thomas County Law" he laments "There's nowhere safe to bury all the time I've killed." He can make sadness sound sublime, love sound cold and alien, a simple realization sound borderline majestic. Like the best songwriters, Beam is a pro at mundane poetry, and there's something blissful about hearing him explore that in the hushed tones of his early output.
By the time Beast Epic strikes its final, melancholic note, where Beam observes "Our winter keeps running us down," we've been reminded how much we miss the quieter Iron & Wine. Kiss Each Other Clean's wispy dream-pop aside, Beast Epic proves that Beam's gifts are best saved for wine-soaked evenings by the fire.
Tagged: Iron & Wine
Conner's just a guy from the Pacific Northwest who thinks about movies a lot. He lives in Boston, studies journalism and spends most of his time trying to figure out how exactly he's supposed to feel about Josh Groban.
Concert Review: Calexico and Iron & Wine
While Iron & Wine and Calexico tour separately all the time, seeing both pl
Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop: Love Letter for Fire
Sam Beam joins Jesca Hoop for a collection of sublime works.
Iron & Wine/Ben Bridwell: Sing Into my Mouth
There's a magic that happens backstage. A group of performers could absol
Iron & Wine: Ghost on Ghost
Bob Dylan set a powerful precedent for independently-spirited folk artists
Iron & Wine: Kiss Each Other Clean
Iron & Wine Kiss Each Other Clean Rating: 3.3/5.0 Label: Warner Bros.


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Between 51 to 56 wolves lived in Norway in the winter of 2016/2017, with a similar number living on the border between Sweden and Norway, according to rovdata.no. (Photo: Kjetil Kolbjornsrud / Shutterstock/ NTB scanpix)
Inbreeding in Scandinavian wolves is worse than we thought
Everyone knew that the tiny population of wolves in Norway and Sweden was inbred. Using precise genetic techniques, researchers can now describe the severity of the problem.
Elise Kjørstad journalist
Nancy Bazilchuk english version
saturday 02. December 2017 - 06:20
Wolves in Norway are a hot-button issue, with the latest arguments related to whether or not the animals can be hunted or if they are protected by an international wildlife convention.
But virtually no one disputes that the isolated population of 430 wolves in Scandinavia is highly inbred, descended from a handful of animals that arrived in the region in the 1980s and 1990s.
Swedish, Norwegian and American researchers have now joined forces to conduct a detailed genetic study to see exactly how inbred the Scandinavian wolves are. The study, which relied on DNA from nearly 100 wolves, was recently published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.
"The most striking thing that emerges from the new survey is the extreme lack of genetic variation among some individuals," said Øystein Flagstad, one of study's co-authors. Flagstad is a geneticist with expertise in predators at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).
A bottleneck population is when a large percentage of a species dies out, after which any population growth is based on the few surviving individuals. (Photo: Warren Metcalf / Shutterstock / NTB scanpix)
The study was led by Marty Kardos, a researcher at the University of Montana. Kardos says that although researchers had an almost complete family tree for the Scandinavian wolves, it did not show the whole picture.
"We knew from the beginning, by looking at family trees, that there are many highly inbred wolves in Scandinavia. But when every animal has common male and female ancestors, it means that the actual inbreeding in the genetic material can be quite a bit greater than might be expected from the family tree itself," Kardos wrote in an email.
Common male and female ancestors
Some of the samples in the new study come from wolves that lived a few decades ago, while other samples are more recent. One of the most significant samples is the genetic material from the female wolf that is considered the ancestral mother for Norway and Sweden's entire wolf population.
The Scandinavian wolf population's "Adam and Eve" wandered into Sweden in the early 1980s, after the species had been extinct in both Norway and Sweden for roughly two decades.
The couple had several litters, but it was not until a Finnish-Russian immigrant arrived in 1991 that the population really started to grow.
By 2000 there were between 70 and 80 wolves in Norway and Sweden. But since 1991, only four to five immigrant wolves have come from outside of the population and successfully reproduced. The rest of the wolves in the population are related.
Fewer puppies and lower survival
Inbreeding does not seem to have hurt the Scandinavian population so far, but Flagstad says there have been some effects.
"We have seen some individual consequences of inbreeding, such as dental defects, skeletal defects and sterility in some males. But we see the consequence of inbreeding most clearly in the size of the family groups," Flagstad said.
The size of family groups is determined each winter by examining tracks and scat.
"What we see is that parents who are severely inbred have fewer offspring. A smaller proportion of their pups grow to adulthood. The close kinship seems to affect the survival of pups and reproduction in adult wolves," says Flagstad.
All offspring have two genes for the same characteristic — one from the mother and one from the father. But it is the dominant gene that is expressed. That means you can have genes for both blue and brown eyes, but you end up with brown eyes because the brown eye gene is dominant and the blue eye gene is recessive.
In many of the inbred wolves, researchers found many identical genes from both the parents. Over time, this strong genetic similarity may make the animals more susceptible to genetic diseases and the species less adaptable overall.
Immigrants are key
In 2008, two Finnish-Russian wolves came to Scandinavia and contributed new genes. Since then, just three other animals have managed to come from the Finnish-Russian population to Scandinavia.
Immigrant wolves from the east rarely survive their passage through reindeer husbandry areas in northern Norway and Sweden, where native Sami are allowed to shoot them. This means the Scandinavian wolf population is very isolated, from a genetic perspective.
For long-term survival, Flagstad believes that it is important that new wolves come in from the outside world.
"The population definitely needs some new Finno-Russian immigrants in the years to come," he said.
Scientific links
Marty Kardos et al. Genomic consequences of intensive inbreeding in an isolated wolf population. Nature Ecology & Evolution. 20 November 2017
Brown bears vie with wolves for food
When a brown bear crawls out of its den in March it has an intense need for meat. This makes it a direct competitor with wolves, find researchers in several countries.
Europe's bears and wolves are back
And they coexist alongside humans.
top predators natural sciences norway forskning.no


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Q: direct proof of combination Prove that $(^{n}_{2}) = 1+2+3+...+(n-1)=\sum^{n-1}_{k=1}k$ for $n \ge 2$
After some time flipping through notes I think I should use the sum of the 1st n natural is $\sum^{n}_{k=1}k=\frac{n(n+1)}{2}$
this looks like it relates right into this if I could figure out how to adapt it to the first n-1 naturals
I thought to simply plug in n-1 for n but I am not sure if that would work, it isn't seem to give me anything useful when I tried to use it.
$$\sum^{n-1}_{k=1}k=\frac{(n-1)(n)}{2}$$
Either I did it wrong, I'm not seeing the connection or I'm chasing a goose
since $(^n_2) = \frac{n(n-1)}{2}$ couldn't I simply state that and then say something like therefore it equals $\sum^{n-1}_{k=1}k$ since that also equals $\frac{n(n-1)}{2}$ ?
He said this one would be really easy when we found the trick and the sum of the 1st n naturals is something we did recently.

A: Proof 1 (Induction)
Base case: When $n=2$ $$\sum\limits_{k=1}^1 k = 1 = \frac{(2-1)\times2}{2}$$
Iterative case: Show $ \forall n : \displaystyle \sum\limits_{k=1}^{n-1} k = \frac{(n-1)n}2 \implies \sum\limits_{k=1}^{n} k = \frac{n(n+1)}{2}$.
$$\sum\limits_{k=1}^n k = n + \sum\limits_{k=1}^{n-1} k\\ \implies \sum\limits_{k=1}^{n} k = n + \frac{(n-1)n}{2} \\ \implies \sum\limits_{k=1}^{n} k = \frac{2n + n^2- n}{2} \\ \implies \sum\limits_{k=1}^{n} k = \frac{n(n+1)}{2}$$
The assumption holds for the base case and holds under iterative step for all $n$, thus by induction:$$\displaystyle \sum\limits_{k=1}^{n-1} k = \binom{n}{2} $$

Proof 2 (Direct)
Let $\displaystyle S_n = \sum_{k=1}^{n} k$
$\implies 2 S_n = 2 (1 + 2 + 3 + \ldots (n-1) + n)$
$\implies 2 S_n = (1 + 2 + 3 + \ldots (n-1) + n) + (n + (n-1) + \ldots + 3 + 2 + 1)$
$\implies 2 S_n = (1+n) + (2+(n-2)) + (3+(n-3)) + \ldots + (n-1 + 1) + (n+1)$
$\implies 2 S_n = n(n+1)$
$\displaystyle \implies \sum_{k=1}^n = \frac{n(n+1)}2$
$\displaystyle \therefore \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} = \frac{(n-1)n}{2} k$

Proof 3 Same but different
$\displaystyle 2 \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} k = \left(\sum_{k=1}^{n-1} k\right) + \left(\sum_{j=1}^{n-1} j\right)$
$\displaystyle 2 \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} k = \left(\sum_{k=1}^{n-1} k\right) + \left(\sum_{k=1}^{n-1} (n-k)\right)$
$\displaystyle 2 \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} k = \left(\sum_{k=1}^{n-1} (k+(n-k))\right)$
$\displaystyle 2 \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} k = \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} n$
$\displaystyle 2 \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} k = n(n-1)$
$\displaystyle \therefore \sum_{k=1}^{n-1} k = \frac{n(n-1)}2$

A: Using combinatorics, you could try to compute $(^{n}_{2})$ by logic. Assuming you know that $(^{n}_{2})$ means "how many different pairs can you get, when you have n persons?":

*

*The first person can be paired with the rest (n-1) persons.

*The first person can be paired with the rest (n-2) persons (everyone else except the first one, because this pair has already been computed)

*...

*The n-1 person can be paired with just the last person.

The sum of these is $\sum^{n-1}_{k=1}k$

A: Awesome Proof :
Clearly, $\binom{n}{2}$ represents number of way of choosing $2$ things out of $n$.
Let us compute the answer using another method. Make following cases :

*

*$1st$ item is included : Second item can be $2,3...n$. Hence, $n-1$ ways.

*$2nd$ item is included : As in choosing $(1,2)$ and $(2,1)$ are same, and $(1,2)$ is already included in case $1$ we can choose $3,4...n-1$ Hence, n-2 ways.

We will make such cases till $n-1th$ item is to be included which will have $1$ case. All cases for $nth$ item have already been covered.
Hence, number of cases = $(n-1)+(n-2)+...1$=$RHS$
Another way of proving to $n(n-1)/2$ :
We can see that we can choose first object in $n$ ways and second object in $n-1$ ways... By fundamental principle of counting, number of ways = $n(n-1)$. But, we are $choosing$ where order does not matter, hence we divide by $2!$. Answer : $n(n-1)/2$

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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package google.roundA;

import com.sun.deploy.util.StringUtils;
import com.sun.org.apache.xml.internal.utils.StringComparable;

import java.io.*;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.HashSet;
import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.TreeSet;

/**
 * Created by wangxiaoyi on 16/7/10.
 */
public class MainA {

    public static void main(String [] args) throws IOException{
        //Scanner in = new Scanner(new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in)));
        Scanner in = new Scanner(new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(new FileInputStream("/Users/wangxiaoyi/Desktop/A-large.in"))));
        System.setOut(new PrintStream(new FileOutputStream("/Users/wangxiaoyi/Desktop/result.out")));

        HashSet<Character> set = new HashSet<>();

        TreeSet<String> treeSet = new TreeSet<>();

        while (in.hasNext()){
            int caseNum = in.nextInt();
            for (int i = 1; i <= caseNum; ++ i){
                int sizeOfPeople = in.nextInt();
                Person maxP = null;
                for (int j = 0; j < sizeOfPeople; ++ j){
                    String name = in.nextLine();
                    if(name == null || name.equals("")) name = in.nextLine();
                    for (int k = 0; k < name.length(); ++ k){
                        char c = name.charAt(k);
                        if(c != ' ') set.add(c);
                    }
                    int anums = set.size();
                    set.clear();
                    if(maxP == null){
                        maxP = new Person(name, anums);
                    }else {
                        if(maxP.anums < anums){
                            maxP.anums = anums;
                            maxP.name = name;
                        }else if(maxP.anums == anums) {
                            treeSet.add(maxP.name);
                            treeSet.add(name);
                            maxP.name = treeSet.first();
                            treeSet.clear();
                        }
                    }
                }
                System.out.println("Case #" + i +  ": " + maxP.name);
            }
        }

    }

    static class Person{
        public String name;
        public int anums;

        public Person(String name, int anums){
            this.name = name;
            this.anums = anums;
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Question: Why did the Heavens open up at Jesus' Baptism?
If, then, our Lord was always perfect in grace and did not grow into closer union with God but was always in perfect union with the divinity, and if the heavens were always opened to our Savior; why, then, did the heavens open to him at his baptism?
If the heavens were already opened to him, how could they be opened to him anew? The heavens were opened as a sign for our benefit, for the baptism of Christ is a cause of grace in us.
1) To show that it is a heavenly power which sanctifies baptism and effects the grace of baptism in all those who are baptized.
2) Baptism is the "door of faith", by which faith we gaze upon the things of heaven.
3) Finally, heaven is closed to us before we are baptized. Thus, because baptism is the opening for us to the way to heaven, the heavens were opened as a sign for us at the baptism of our Savior.


I was blown up three times, sometimes being as close as 2ft to the bomb. I got thrown about 6ft replica bags from china clear of the blast, replica bags china but a lot of the people I worked with weren't so lucky. The training, mentally and physically, kicks in when these things happen, so you don't even think about it.But when you're back at the end of the day it does creep into your mind.
Fake Handbags If you like 80% of where you work, discuss any concerns/issues with mgmt beforehand. If you want more money, ask for it. Save everyone the time and hassle (and inevitable counter) of interviewing. They aren sucking KnockOff Handbags up to the saudis because of oilIf all these 4 points has suddenly vanished the US economy would take a big hit. The sheer amount of pipeline and railway infrastructure the Russians would have to roll out to sustain China oil needs would be incredible considering that Russian oil cheap designer bags replica production capacity and export infrastructure centers the EU and the Mediterranean. Rolling out thousand of miles of pipelines and new rail lines to supply the Chinese war machine while ensuring that these very same overarching and massive supply lines stay safe during war is a monumental buy replica bags task Fake Handbags.


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Go, Baby, Go
Patient Stories
Adaptive Cars Drive Independence
"It's a big world out there, and every child should be able to explore it," says Virginia Girten, PT, SL, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, part of Northwestern Medicine.
That's where GoBabyGo comes in.
GoBabyGo equips differently abled children with modified battery-powered toy cars so that they can increase independence and improve social development. It's a nationwide program that takes place annually at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. GoBabyGo was founded by a researcher at University of Delaware and is geared toward children ages five and younger who have physical disabilities. Marianjoy has been hosting GoBabyGo events since 2015, adapting vehicles for 82 children along the way.
The car will give my son the freedom to play and explore.
— Jessica Cartwright Tweet
This year, 3-year-old Daniel was one of them. Daniel was born with polymicrogyria, a rare genetic disease that causes abnormal development of the brain. He also suffers from joint contracture, which limits his mobility.
"The car will give my son the freedom to play and explore the world around him," says Daniel's mom, Jessica Cartwright. "Thanks to this car, he'll be able to play with his older siblings."
Beyond Play
"Early independent movement is vital for child development," says Girten. "One of our goals at Marianjoy is removing barriers so that children can explore on their own. GoBabyGo is a compelling example of what we want to accomplish for all children."
GoBabyGo also helps families prove to insurance companies that their child can operate an expensive powerchair. For children under the age of five, the adapted motorized car is a good stepping stone and helps them hone their ability to self-initiate movement.
Smiles for Miles
Alma Fernandez's 2-year-old son Mateo became paralyzed from the neck down as an infant. He receives therapy at Marianjoy several days a week; after a recent visit, he left with a smile ― and new wheels.
"Mateo is typically very scared and shy, so I wasn't sure how he'd react to his new car," says Fernandez. "He loves it. It's bringing him joy. He's such a happy baby right now."
Every Car Needs a Pit Crew
GoBabyGo relies on the time, skills and creativity of more than 80 community members, ranging from mechanical engineers to Eagle Scouts. These volunteers work in tandem with Marianjoy therapists to modify battery-powered toy cars to meet each child's needs, whether that be by adding a joystick or adjusting the seat to better fit a child.
In addition to new participants at this year's event, participants from previous years attended to bring their vehicles in for upgrades.
"Everyone should live their optimal lifestyle," says Girten. "Go out and live your life. We'll help you get there on two feet or four wheels."
Rehabilitative Care
Marianjoy Rehabilitation HospitalRehabilitation Services
read more about Miss Illinois USA 2018: Melanoma Survivor
Miss Illinois USA 2018: Melanoma Survivor
As a teenager, Karolina Jasko turned to Northwestern Medicine when she developed a deadly skin cancer in her nailbed.
read more about Sports Medicine Gets Marathoner Back on Course
Sports Medicine Gets Marathoner Back on Course
Mid-race, Laura's nagging injury became unbearable pain. She turned to Northwestern Medicine, and now her race calendar is full again.
read more about The Graduate
Kylie Schwartz is the 4,000th patient to complete treatment at Northwestern Medicine Chicago Proton Center.


You may have heard of this one before. It is generally an ice breaker type game for getting to know new people but I have tweaked it a little and made it into a confidence building and team bonding activity.
Each athlete gets a piece of paper big enough to write one sentence. He or she will write one positive thing about themselves and then fold it up.
The coach should have some type of bucket or bin to put the papers into when the athlete is finished.
The athletes should sit in a circle and pass the bucket to whoever is starting. He or she will dig in and take out one piece of paper. They will then read the positive sentence out loud and then try and guess who is belongs to. They get 2 guesses before they have to move on. If they get it right they can hand the paper back to the athlete who wrote it and pass the bucket to the next athlete in the circle.
If they are incorrect they can place the paper right back into the bucket and pass it on to the next person to try. Repeat this process until each athlete has tried at least once and continue until all the papers are given back. Feel free to change the number of guesses that they can have based on their level of familiarity with each other.
You can also make this exciting and do it with their "favourite skills" or "favourite colour". If you are working with younger kids I would use something like their favourite colour first so they get the hang of how the game works and then start using the positive sentences.
You will see many smiles in this game which is of course the most important part. The girls get to know each other a little better as well. It is a fun way to bond together.


text:
BridgeHead Software accepted on G-Cloud 8 framework
Framework aims to accelerate and simplify the process of cloud-based IT procurement, while making it easier for suppliers to sell their services to the public sector
Healthcare data management provider BridgeHead Software has been accepted as a supplier on the latest version of the UK government's public sector cloud procurement framework, G-Cloud 8. The company's HealthStore Independent Clinical Archive (ICA) is listed under the 'Software as a Service' lot, while its Professional Services for Healthcare Data Management is categorised as 'Specialist Cloud Services' on the 'Digital Marketplace'.
Operated by the Crown Commercial Service, G-Cloud 8 allows suppliers and contractors to bid for government contracts for cloud-based services, without needing to participate in a full tender or competition procurement process. The framework is part of the UK's drive to accelerate and simplify the process of cloud-based IT procurement, while making it easier for suppliers to sell their services to the public sector.
BridgeHead's HealthStore ICA, a third generation Vendor Neutral Archive (VNA), offers a single, easily accessible and standards-based repository for all clinical and non-clinical data. The software allows clinicians and other users to recall data from within the repository and present it at the point of care, whether through a viewer, portal, EPR system or other relevant application.
In addition, the company's robust and comprehensive disaster recovery platform, optimised for healthcare environments, allows organisations to safeguard their systems and data in the event of a corruption, loss, outage or more serious disaster.
'We already have a proven track record in the NHS but, by joining the latest framework, we are enabling health organisations to procure our solutions in a simpler and more cost effective way,' said Jim Beagle, President and Chief Executive Officer at BridgeHead Software. 'Our focus is to support both NHS Trusts and primary healthcare organisations as they confront the challenges of rising data levels, increased strain on finances and the drive towards paperless and integrated health and social care.
'By utilising BridgeHead's standards-based, cloud data management offering, specifically for the healthcare market, organisations such as hospitals, CCGs and GP surgeries can protect their critical systems while also being able to access and share data at the point of care. This provides an essential source of information that brings the nirvana of patient-centric, truly integrated care one step closer.'
BridgeHead Software
What's in a click? How to improve workflows for NHS staff
BridgeHead and Summit advance healthcare data archiving
BridgeHead Software appoints new senior director of sales EMEA
Comment: The rise of the connected patient
Why legacy applications are a healthcare cyber security nightmare
Leading the charge on digital at Homerton
Government launches new organisation to drive NHS digital, data and technology transformation
Gateshead Health extends use of independent clinical archive
PACS - Renew or rethink?
Bridgehead Software expands global product marketing team
Comment: Healthcare data - data silos in NHS a risk to patient care?
Patient data at risk as medics send scans via Snapchat
The prevalence of obsolete legacy applications in the NHS


text:
San Francisco Giants |
Giants mailbag: What's next for Giants in the…
With Williamson heating up and Pence headed to Sacramento, what's next in Giants outfield?
San Francisco Giants' Hunter Pence (8) gets high-fives by teammates after Brandon Belt (9) scored on Pence's sacrifice fly against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth inning of a MLB game at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 10, 2018. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
By Kerry Crowley | kcrowley@bayareanewsgroup.com |
PUBLISHED: April 26, 2018 at 3:27 p.m. | UPDATED: April 27, 2018 at 3:10 a.m.
SAN FRANCISCO–Outfielder Mac Williamson arrived in the visiting clubhouse in Anaheim last Friday and has taken just 19 at-bats since joining the Giants.
Though his time with the big league club is limited, his impact has been profound.
With three tape measure home runs including two that helped San Francisco secure a series victory over the Washington Nationals this week, Williamson has stated his case to start on a consistent basis, even when Hunter Pence returns from the disabled list.
Williamson's home runs are three of the five hardest hit balls by Giants' players this season, as all have registered an exit velocity of at least 109 miles per hour.
Get San Francisco Giants news in your inbox. Sign up now for the free Giants HQ newsletter.
With other Giants' outfielders struggling and a handful of prospects posting impressive numbers at Triple-A, will the franchise be inclined to make bold decisions in the immediate future and trust in unproven talent?
As you might have guessed, that's the focus of this week's Giants mailbag.
Before we start, there's news to address. General manager Bobby Evans confirmed that Pence will begin a rehab stint with Triple-A Sacramento on Friday as he works his way back from a sprained thumb.
Question from @KennyCupp: Does Duggar's performance in spring and Triple-A compared to Austin Jackson's pave the way for roster changes? Especially in light of how Mac has done since coming up?
As expected, we received plenty of Steven Duggar-related questions as the Giants' center field platoon featuring Austin Jackson and Gregor Blanco hasn't exactly worked as planned.
After the Giants signed Jackson to mash left-handed pitchers, the ninth-year veteran is hitting just .227 in 44 at-bats against southpaws and was even dropped down in the order the last time the Giants matched up with a lefty.
Jackson's sample size is still relatively small and Duggar hasn't forced his way into the Giants' immediate plans for the outfield, but if this trend continues, I would expect the front office to strongly consider promoting Duggar.
Duggar's Triple-A numbers are improving, as his batting average has climbed to .281 after a slow start, but it's his defense and range in center field that makes him a valuable asset for a Giants lineup that's shown more signs of life lately.
Are we looking at a mid-May promotion for Duggar? That's probably too soon, especially given the roster concerns the Giants must address when Pence returns from the disabled list.
However, Gregor Blanco and Gorkys Hernandez will have a difficult time holding their roster spots for the duration of the regular season, while Jackson could be relegated to more of a part-time role if Duggar does arrive before the All-Star break.
Question from @Jeff_Henig: Bochy has said Pence will play when he returns from DL. With what we've seen from Williamson, what happens? I want Mac getting consistent ABs. They aren't thinking of putting McCutchen in CF and Pence back in RF, are they? And when do you expect Duggar to be recalled?
Pence will play, that much is certain. But whether Pence returns to a regular role as a starter or rejoins the team as a fifth outfielder is still up in the air.
There's plenty of uncertainty regarding Pence's situation, and that's to be expected for a veteran player earning a massive salary with a no-trade clause whose history with the Giants is as rich as Pence's.
At this point, I think Bruce Bochy and the rest of the Giants' decision-makers understand that Williamson needs to start on a consistent basis. Williamson's bat lengthens the lineup, and his plate appearances thus far are the most compelling entertainment the Giants' offense has offered this season. He could be in the process of realizing his potential, and the Giants aren't going to sit him down so a veteran with an expiring contract can start regularly.
When Pence is eligible to return from the disabled list, I wouldn't be surprised to see Andrew McCutchen play a bit of center field. He's not a defensive downgrade from Jackson, and he still has the speed to patrol the position. But if McCutchen plays center, Williamson shifts to right and Pence plays left, the Giants would be taking big defensive risks and I'm not so sure they're willing to do that on a frequent basis.
I think Pence's performance during his rehab stint will help dictate his role once he returns. Is he capable of being more than a fifth outfielder? Was Pence's thumb holding back a player who still looked like he had some productivity left in his bat this spring? These are questions Pence can answer during his rehab games.
Question from @DukeDuRock: I keep hearing doom and gloom is coming after this year because we will be old(er), capped out and have a barren system. What is the Giants brass thought process on this popular fan/media take? Give me some hope, homeroom.
Believe it or not, the Giants actually have a chance to field a much younger outfield next season and they'll have plenty of money left to spend to upgrade positions of need.
Of course, a lot has to work in the franchise's favor, but the long-term doom and gloom narrative is one that should be pushed to the side unless the Giants commit to a serious rebuild.
The Giants' brass is more focused on evaluating the team on a day-by-day and week-by-week basis than it is focused on what the lineup will look like in 2022, and that's par for the course after a 98-loss season.
The only way the Giants are "capped out" of this year's free agent market is if the team is in contention this year and feels compelled to pull the trigger on deals that would add salaries and push the club past the luxury tax threshold. The Giants' front office has done everything it can to stay under the tax threshold this year, and if the Giants do decide to make a few deadline swaps, it could force them to reset their tax penalties next season.
As for the barren system, that should change in early June. The Giants own the second pick in this year's draft and the second selection in each round of the draft. There are also reports indicating one of the highest-rated international prospects, Marco Luciano, will sign with the Giants on July 2.
Sure, there are fans and media who prefer to look at recent failures and front office mistakes and believe the Giants are resigned to a gloomy future. But there's also a glass half full perspective, and I think you'd find the front office sees the current situation as manageable.
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Question from @VillefanJB: Does Crawford play every day if batting average continues to fall/hover below .200?
There's no doubt Brandon Crawford is struggling at the plate, and at times, it looks like he's not seeing the ball well out of a pitcher's hand.
But the Giants are deeply committed to Crawford and they'll continue to trot him out there against right-handed pitchers because his defense remains tremendous and because they're hopeful he's just in an extended slump.
The season is just a month old, and you'll find that most players have struggled through slumps like this before. There are scenarios where Kelby Tomlinson could play more against left-handed pitchers, but the Giants will probably give Crawford another few weeks to settle in before they harbor serious concerns about his decline at the plate.
Over the long haul, keep an eye on Double-A shortstop Ryan Howard, who impressed the coaching staff this spring and could have a Major League future at the position, even though his glove isn't nearly as advanced as Crawford's was when he was coming through the Minor Leagues.
Question from @11012010Finally: In all seriousness, why does Hunter Strickland's fastball have no movement?
Hunter Strickland throws a four-seam fastball and not a two-seamer, which means his fastball is bound to look straight out of the hand and in most cases, it should be easier for hitters to track.
You might notice that Reyes Moronta throws a similar fastball, although he can bump his four-seamer up to 98 miles per hour while Strickland's sits between 95 and 97 miles per hour.
Certain pitchers stick to four-seamers because they're easier to command, and Strickland's done a nice job of locating his fastball in his past few outings. If he misses out over the plate, there's always the chance it's going to be hit a mile, but the same is true for every pitcher who makes a mistake with that kind of velocity.
Austin Slater
Mac Williamson
Steven Duggar
Kerry Crowley | Night Editor
Kerry Crowley is a multimedia beat reporter who has covered the San Francisco Giants for the Bay Area News Group since 2018. He spent his early days throwing curveballs in San Francisco's youth leagues before studying journalism at Arizona State University. Kerry has covered every level of baseball, from local preps to the Cape Cod League, and is now on a quest to determine which Major League city serves the best breakfast burrito.
kcrowley@bayareanewsgroup.com
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In an age when social media and blogging have become an essential part of everyday life the people of the world are looking to the use of video to provide a glimpse into their lives. Jon Urbana has entered this area of life to show us the activities he loves, and his Facebook biography provides a glimpse into what makes up his personality. The humorous side of Jon Urbana's personality is given on Twitter, and in an outing in videos that include two giraffes butting heads.
Alongside the humor and excitement of the active lifestyle Urbana leads he has also looked to provide a glimpse into the community projects that push him to help others. One important video provides details of a fund raising effort Urbana has headed to provide funds for the Earth Force nonprofit group concerned with protecting the environment of the state of Colorado.
Jon Urbana has recently been playing an increasingly large role in the Villanova community, and the wider lacrosse community of the U.S. The former Villanova lacrosse star has been running his own Next Level Lacrosse Camps each summer to provide the best possible start in the sport for young people entering the college ranks of lacrosse.
The love of the natural environment is easy for all to see in the Vimeo work of Jon Urbana, which includes a number of stunning nature scenes captured during his trips to areas including Alaska. The chance to get up close with native animals, including the moose was taken by Urbana and video uploaded for his Medium followers to enjoy.
The world of nature obviously enthralls Jon Urbana (website), but his love of excitement is also shown by a video of the Las Vegas Strip shot from the Planet Hollywood attraction. These are just a few examples of the way Jon Urbana shows his hard work and activities to the public through his many entertaining videos.


Barclays Bank is one of the leading banks in the world with operations in 60 international countries. The current financial crisis has caused serious problems for financial institutions, and Barclays is no exception. The recent fiasco has thus strengthened the argument that there must be a more comprehensive corporate governance code for the financial institutions. (Kalbers, 2009). Barclays therefore has to prepare itself for the relatively new and more radical changes that may take place in future in terms of new corporate governance challenges.
Historically, it has been observed that the Britain's Corporate Governance movement has been hijacked by top accountancy firms in order to maximize value for shareholders; other stakeholders, such as employees, customers and the community, have been relatively neglected.(Cassidy, 2003). Today's environment is relatively more volatile than beforehand due to perceived threats to the global financial system specially in the aftermath of the current financial crisis. It is critical to note that in such an environment, the overall competitive pressures are mounting on many financial institutions including Barclays to maintain their positions within the market. Of great significance is that the current financial crisis has resulted in the decline of loanable funds to the consumers; this will likely result in a drastic decrease in revenue as well as profitability for Barclays Bank. The recent results however, indicate that the firm has been able to withstand pressures and the results of the first half of 2009 has shown considerable improvement by the bank.
One of the most important challenges faced by the Barclays Bank is to keep its dominance over its traditional markets. Though the bank has been able to meet the current global financial crises however, its ability to service the market has reduced due to overall external economic conditions. Firm therefore needs to revise its internal control mechanism in such a manner that it successful withstands external challenges. The new capital requirements under BASEL II are another significant challenge because it will require Barclays to manage and maintain a certain level of capital against its assets. Similarly, the collective malpractices in financial system as a whole is another significant challenge because banks have indulged themselves into activities which Customer services is another significant challenge in such scenario where profits are declining and expectations are rising for more efficient customer services. In order to cope with the increased pressures of the financial crises, Bank of England has significantly lowered the interest rates whereas the overall cost structure of the banks have remained the same which therefore resulted into lose profitability for the banks. This also indicates the UK's financial institutions are still finding it hard to achieve a balance between risk and reward and subsequent development of corporate governance mechanisms which can help achieve organizations this aim.(Gentle, 2009).
In order to overcome these strategic challenges, Barclays has to strengthen its internal controls and procedures. The non-existence of checks and balances on the activities of the managers provide incentives to the managers to engage into such activities which are potentially not in favor of all stakeholders. The overall focus shall therefore be on ensuring complete and more transparent reporting of the all issues of the bank while at the same time implementing an effective corporate governance code by strengthening the role of various other stakeholders.
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A pair of TPI 63.4 Hubcentric Wheel Spacers in 12mm width and 4-108 PCD/stud pattern - common to Ford models.
Use to correct the offset on your wheels, improve it's stance, and correct issues with wheels catching on the inside When using these Spacers, ensure you also extend the length of your studs by 12mm. You will need to source extended studs elsewhere.


The Portugal international penned terms until the end of the season on loan from Norwich City on Tuesday night, and goes straight into training with his new team-mates ahead of a vital match at Bolton Wanderers next Tuesday night.
Speaking for the first time after becoming a Royal, the 27-year-old said: "I'm happy to sign with Reading, I spoke with José and I feel a lot of love for me to come here - that's important for me at this stage of my career. I'm very pleased, very happy to join Reading.
"I think the football the manager plays is technical football, it suits my style perfectly. I'm very excited to start training with the boys, meeting all the players and getting ready.
"I don't know a lot of the players personally but I think I've played against almost all of them, played with a few of them as well.
"I know Mo Barrow, I played with him at Swansea and, of course, Tiago Ilori, he's a Portuguese player that I know very well.
"It's very exciting to meet them and to try to get ready to help the team."
Having had plenty of experience in the Premier League and Championship, Oliveira has been known to score several times against the Royals, and he now hopes to return the favour in the blue and white hoops!
"I know the league, I've played here for two-and-a-half years already, that can help me but I think the most important thing is for me to know the players, know my team-mates and get involved.
"Almost every time I played against Reading I scored - and I scored good goals! I'll try to do the same, this time scoring for Reading and I'm very excited to start doing that."
Nélson could be involved at the University of Bolton Stadium, but will also be hoping to make his first Royals home appearance for the visit of Aston Villa next weekend. Ticket details below.


text:
EMC Being Investigated by the Feds
by admin - March 13, 2009
The Federal government has just announced in a statement that Data Storage giant, EMC is being investigated over its pricing and improper contract practices.
EMC revealed in its annual report with the SEC several days ago that the US justice Department had filed a lawsuit against the company, writes Samantha Sai for storage-biz.news.
According to the Justice Department press release, the lawsuit accuses EMC of failing to disclose its commercial pricing practices during negotiation of its General Services Administration (GSA) contracts.
It also says EMC provided improper payments and other things of value to Systems Integrators and other Alliance Partners on contracts with government agencies.
The lawsuit alleges that EMC tendered false claims for hardware and services on "numerous government contracts from the late 90s to the present".
It is believed that the lawsuit is based on insider information as the suit was filed in US District Court in Little Rock, Ark under the Whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act.
Among other allegations in the lawsuit are that EMC, "made payments of money and other things of value (alliance benefits) to a number of systems integration consultants and other alliance partners with whom it had alliance relationships".
The Justice Department further states "that these alliance relationships and the resulting alliance benefits paid by EMC amount to kickbacks and undisclosed conflict of interest relationships".
The government press release also declares that EMC has been charged with making false statements to the General Accounting Service about its profit-making pricing customs to collect better proceeds on contracts, "thereby overcharging federal agencies purchasing EMC products and services".
The report filed by EMC to the SEC mentions that the Justice Department is scrutinizing the company's fee planning with systems integrators and other associates in federal government dealings.
It is also looking at the company's "compliance with the terms and conditions of certain agreements pursuant to which we sold products and services to the federal government, including potential violations of the False Claims Act".
The investigation partly covers a previous audit by the GSA "concerning our recordkeeping and pricing practices under a schedule agreement we entered into with GSA in November 1999, which, following several extensions, expired in June 2007".
To date, EMC says it has worked together with the inquiry and assessment and engaged in discussions aimed at resolving this matter without any admission or finding of liability on the part of EMC.
"We believe that we have meritorious factual and legal defenses to the allegations raised and, if the matter is not resolved and proceeds to litigation, we intend to defend vigorously," the company said.
"If the matter proceeds to litigation, possible sanctions include an award of damages, including treble damages, fines, penalties and other sanctions, including suspension or debarment from sales to the federal government."
To keep things in perspective, EMC is not the first IT Corporation to face such allegations. Just a year ago IBM did clear up similar charges with a $ 3 million fine. Other companies that have gone through the same process include Accenture, HP and Sun Microsystems.
StorageIO Group founder and senior analyst Greg Schulz speculates if the new Administration is just getting started.
"If that's the case, one has to wonder who's next, and how big the boiler will be when the government finally gets around to the really big fish," he said.
in storage acn, emc, fcc, hpq, ibm, investigation, java, market-data
Results Poor for Silicon...
Intel's X25-M SSD Judged...


While trying to upload videos, pictures using WordPress app on Android I was not able to connect feeding the URL with wp-login file. Google search showed xmlrpc.php file not being found as the probable reason.
And ssh to the remote server showed xmlrpc file present on the folder, and accessing through browser got a accept POST requests status.Adding http://site.com/folder/xmlrpc.php worked. Because my hosting currently has multiple sites, trying to access site2.com using the above option failed. When i tried accessing the xmlrpc through HTTP i got a 404 error.Adding a forward slash after (xmlrpc.php/) showed the accept post.
Probably my modded .htacess file could be the reason, but as long as this helps somebody.


The goal of water treatment, usually from surface sources such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, is to remove contaminants and organisms through a combination of biological, chemical, and physical processes to make it safe for drinking. Some of these occur in the natural environment, whereas others occur in engineered and constructed water treatment plants. The engineered processes usually mimic or build on natural processes.
Water-treatment concepts underlying those used today were developed in Europe during the 1700s. An outbreak of cholera in London was linked to a sewage-contaminated drinking water well in 1854. John Snow was credited with this finding. At the point in which the United States began using chlorine to disinfect drinking water (1908), Europe was also using chlorine but exploring the possibility of employing ozone to treat drinking water. The U.S. Public Health Service developed the first drinking-water regulations in the United States in 1914. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) later assumed responsibility for this task when it was established in 1970. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) became law in 1974, and was significantly revised in 1986 and 1996. The revisions reflected improvements in analytical methods to detect contaminants at lower levels and improvements in automated monitoring used to evaluate treatment plant performance. The revisions also started to address the need to balance immediate (acute) risks versus long-term (chronic) risks. The need to disinfect water to kill pathogens to protect against acute illnesses, versus the formation of disinfection by-products and their chronic health effects is an example of this risk balance.
The United States has continued to examine water treatment practices in Europe, particularly water-quality standards established by the World Health Organization (WHO). Although there are some philosophical differences between the United States and Europe relating to the treatment of the distribution system and its operations, the United States has benefited from the European experience. One such philosophical difference is that the European water treatment community does not see the maintenance of a disinfectant residual to the end of the distribution system as a necessary public health protection measure. The United States drinking water community sees this as an important step to protect customers and the water system from bacteriological regrowth or recontamination. As the United States entered the twenty-first century, researchers were collaborating with scientists around the world to continuously improve water quality and treatment, and openly share their research findings.
The EPA, under the requirements of the SDWA, regulates drinking water in the United States. The EPA additionally regulates wastewater, but under the requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Storm water and discharges into surface water are also regulated under the CWA.
consumption. The list includes microorganisms, disinfectants and disinfection by-products, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals, and radionuclides.
ultimately falling again as precipitation. See the illustration for a diagram of the water or hydrologic cycle.
Source water protection, often referred to as "watershed protection," is the reduction or prevention of water pollution at its source, represents a tradeoff between treatment plant construction and operation costs. This kind of protection is not always possible, but it has been very effectively implemented by several water systems. A water system that has access to a high-quality source may not need as extensive a treatment plant as a system with a poorer-quality source. This is especially true if a high-quality source, such as a reservoir in an isolated natural area, can be protected by limiting human activity close to that source. Water from such a source may not require the settling step, may involve fewer chemicals or smaller doses of them, or might be able to kill pathogens with strong disinfectants like ozone or ultraviolet light instead of providing filtration.
AWWA Drinking Water Week Blue Thumb Kit.
amount of concern about risks. A common saying in the past was "the solution to pollution is dilution." This is not the most efficient treatment method because even small amounts of pollutants, such as some pesticides, can build up, or bioaccumulate, in body fat over time. It is also not the preferred approach because it sends the message that polluting the environment is an acceptable course of action.
Settling. For facilities treating water that contains a lot of solids, settling or sedimentation is a common treatment step. The process slows the flow of the water in a pond or basin so heavier items can settle to the bottom. If the water is not sufficiently slowed down, these items are carried along to the next step in the process, which is not desirable. For plants treating very polluted raw water , settling may be used as the first step in the treatment plant (presedimentation) and again following the coagulation and flocculation steps.
Wellhead protection is critical to preventing the contamination of ground-water supplies. Groundwater is pumped out of an aquifer, which is like a small underground lake surrounded by layers of rock and soil. Water from the surface flows through the rock and soil to get to the aquifer. The earth naturally provides filtration of microscopic pathogens. It does not always provide adequate protection against viruses or chemicals that are dumped on the ground. Groundwater typically contains higher concentrations of metals like iron and manganese because these metals occur naturally in the earth. Groundwater may also be much harder than surface water. Processes similar to those outlined above are also used to treat groundwater, except that the filtration steps are often focused on removing chemicals or metals rather than pathogens. Some groundwater supplies are not treated at all, while others may be filtered and disinfected. As with surface waters, the quality of the source dictates what treatment steps are required.
Water systems in the United States submit reports each month to state or federal regulatory agencies, summarizing treatment-plant performance and sampling results. The majority of medium and large water systems in the United States have staff working twenty-four hours a day. If something were to go wrong at the plant, the plant operators have procedures that they would follow to shut down the plant, switch to alternate equipment, adjust chemical dosages, or collect additional samples. State and federal regulations specify when the water plant operator must notify the state or federal agency, and these requirements are built into the plant's procedures. The regulations also specify when the public must be notified. Orders to boil the water are usually jointly issued by the state health agency and the drinking-water system quickly after a problem has been discovered (most likely via telephone and radio). Public notices about problems with routine monitoring results or the failure to collect required samples would generally be distributed in the newspaper or via the water utility's annual water quality report (also called a consumer confidence report). The requirement that all water systems compile and distribute a user-friendly report began in 1998. This report provides an overview of the water-system activities and compliance with regulations for the year, as well as identifying ways that customers can get involved or acquire more information.
SEE ALSO A GRICULTURE ; C RYPTOSPORIDIOSIS ; G ROUNDWATER ; H EALTH, H UMAN ; N ONPOINT S OURCE P OLLUTION ; S NOW, J OHN ; W ASTEWATER T REATMENT ; W ATER P OLLUTION .
American Water Works Association. (1999). Water Quality and Treatment, A Handbook of Community Water Supplies, 5th edition. San Francisco: McGraw-Hill.
American Water Works Association and American Society of Civil Engineers. (1998). Water Treatment Plant Design, 3rd edition. San Francisco: McGraw-Hill.
Peavy, Howard S.; Rowe, Donald R.; and Tchobanoglous, George. (1985). Environmental Engineering. McGraw-Hill Series in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. San Francisco: McGraw-Hill.
Symons, James M. (1992). Plain Talk about Drinking Water: Answers to 101 Important Questions about the Water You Drink. Boulder, CO: American Water Works Association.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water Web site. Available from http://www.epa.gov/ow .
One of the problems in protecting drinking water is that by the time results of tests for E. coli or Cryptosporidium or even anthrax are known, an urban population can already be at risk. Inventors Gregory Quist and Hanno Ix are out to change that. They use laser beams to scan a flow of water; particles in the water scatter the light beam and each scatter pattern is different. A computer analyzes the pattern and provides continuous real-time identification of microorganisms. The system is being tested at a Los Angeles, California, water facility.
wow so good. I wish grade ten students would read this comment and waste their time to activate their untouched potential. you have a life ahead of you, don't be boggled down with life start a better experience with the power of water treatment and purification.


In celebration of National Fish and Chip Day (June 3), I'm sharing my take on one of Britain's favourite dishes; cod coated in panko breadcrumbs, served with sweet potato fries.
Panko breadcrumbs have a glorious crunch to them, unlike any other breadcrumbs I've used in cooking. This recipe also works well with fish goujons, served on some sourdough bread with a dollop of mayonnaise to make the ultimate fish finger sandwich.
While this recipe is a bit of a departure from the classic, it's something you can easily make at home in under an hour and tastes absolutely delicious!


some of these CDs might ignore the post with an H-Bomb subject.
batch of CDs that I judged for the NAIRD Indie Awards.
The following are for sale.  $8.50 per CD postage included in the US.
I'll let Carl have first dibs on the H-Bomb Ferguson.
The Paula releases are both still sealed.
you will not understand my words.


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