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GP Jef Scherens preview
Will it be another win for Baptiste Planckaert in the tough Belgian one-day race?
GP JEF SCHERENS
The months of August and September are loaded with typical Belgian one-day races that suit a mix of sprinters and classics riders and after Dwars door Het Hageland kicked the series off, things intensifies this week as there will be races on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday. First up is the hilly GP Jef Scherens – Rondom Leuven which is a typical Belgian semi-classic that has been won in both bunch sprints and by strong attackers.
While the spring offers a mix of stage and one-day races and the first part of the summer is all about stage racing, the second half of the year is for the one-day riders. After the Tour de France, the Vuelta a Espana is the only big race for the grand tour and stage race specialists while the late summer and the autumn are loaded with lots of one-day races throughout Europe. The highlight is Il Lombardia and Clasica San Sebastian, Vattenfall Cyclassics, GP Plouay and the Canadian races also offer important WorldTour points. The list also includes historic races like Paris-Tours, Giro dell'Emilia, Tre Valli Varesine and Milan-Turin and the calendar offers a wide variety of terrain for sprinters, classics specialists and even climbers.
In addition to the bigger races, there are a number of smaller races. Traditionally, the two key countries for one-day racing, Belgium and Italy, have both had a rich calendar of small semi-classics but nowadays most of the Italian events have disappeared. Things are different in Belgium where the economic crisis hasn't hit as hard and most of the fascinating list of typical Belgian races is intact.
The series of semi-classics started earlier than usual with the return of the Dwars door Het Hageland in the first week of August but now is the time when the hectic period really starts. During the next eight days, no less than four Belgian one-day races will be held and they are all pretty similar, suiting a mixing of sprinters and classics riders.
First up is the GP Jef Scheren – Rondom Leuven which has been moved from its usual spot in early September and like last year will be held already in the final week of August. First held in 1963, it is a relatively old race which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2016 and it's teastament to its importance that it has been won by big riders like Freddy Maertens, Walter Planckaert, Adrie van der Poel, Thor Hushovd, Lars Boom and André Greipel. Since the current system was introduced in 2005, it has been a 1.1 race on the UCI calendar and this year it has been included in the new Napoleon Games Cycling Cup which is a series of 10 of these typical 1.1 races. The first four events were held in March and June and Dwars door Het Hageland kicked off the second half of the season for the series which is set to reward the most consistent ride in these small Belgian semi-classics. Niki Terpstra is the current leader.
GP Jef Scherens is a typical Belgian semi-classic and attracts the same teams as these races usually do. The Belgian Etixx-QuickStep and Lott Soudal will be the only WorldTour teams in attendance and they will be joined by a mix of international pro continental teams and continental teams that mainly come from Belgium and the Netherlands. The terrain is also very typical for this kind of race as it is held on a lumpy circuit with typical Belgian hellingen and so it can both come down to a bunch sprint or be won by strong classics riders. Compared to many other similar races, the chances of a bunch sprint are usually a bit smaller and most of the recent editions have been won by attackers. Since 20104, only two editions have been decided in reduced bunch sprints. Most of the time, a small group has battled it out for the victory, arriving with an advantage of less a minute.
Last year a 6-rider group emerged and it was Bjorn Leukemans who made a late attack to claim a solo win. Dimitri Claeys and Mark McNally rounded out the podium 7 seconds later, with Wout van Aert, Marco Marcato and Gaetan Bille completing the top 6. The peloton lost 1.06.
The 50h edition of the race will be held on the well-known 12.9km circuit in Leuven which will be covered 13 times for an overall distance of 185.7. It includes four small climbs. The first one comes right from the start and averages 6.5% over 390m. After 5.1km of racing, the riders will hit a 1200m ascent of 3% and then there is a 350m climb at 9% which starts at the 6.8km mark. The final challenge is an easier climg of 415 at 3 which starts just 2.6km from the finish. Then a flat section leads to a descent which starts just after the flamme rouge. The final 600m are flat. There aren't any major technical challenges in the finale as the riders will follow a lightly bending road for several kilometres. However, there is a sharp turn less than 500m from the line.
History shows that the GP Jef Scherens is usually won by an attacker and it takes a very strong team to control the race. In recent years, only the 2014 edition ended in a bunch sprint and back then it was a strong Lotto Soudal team riding for André Greipel that controlled things. This year there aren't many teams that want a sprint finish so it should be another edition for the punchuers, strong sprinters and classics riders that can attack in the finale. Things will be made even harder by the fact that it will be rainy and very windy so the scene is set for a very hard race where only the strongest will shine.
One of them is Baptiste Planckaert. The Belgian has had a bit of a breakthrough season, winning numerous races throughout the year. Recently he won the hard final stage of the Czech Cycling Tour and the tough uphill sprint at La Polynormande. In races like Tro Bro Leon, the Belgium Tour and Omloop Het Hageland, he has shown that he is more than a sprinter and that he is one of the best in hard terrain.
Planckaert will be one of the two big favourites for a sprint alongside Timothy Dupont. However, his team is not strong enough to control the race so he will probably try to attack. He is strong enough to follow the best and he will be very hard to beat in a sprint from a breakaway. If he can have Olivier Pardini at his side in such a breakaway, he will have a strong rider to control things and so he is our favourite to win. Pardini is a solid back-up plan as he climbs well and is fast in a sprint.
Veranda's Willems are here with Timothy Dopint who won three stages at the recent Tour Alsace and the Antwerpse Havepijl. He is very similar to Planckaert. Those two riders are the fastest in a sprint after a hard race but they have also shown that they are good enough to follow the best on the climbs. Dupont may be a bit isolated if he joins the right group in the finale but if it comes down to a sprint from a breakaway, he is maybe even faster than Planckaert. Halle-Ingooigem winner Dries De Bondt is a back-up plan to follow the attacks and he has proved that he can be competitive in a sprint from a breakaway.
Wanty-Groupe Gobert have clearly the strongest teams as Marco Marcato, Dimitri Clayes, Jerome Baugnies, Xandro Meurisse and Frederik Backaert are all tailor-made for this kind of lumpy circuit. They are likely to try to blow the race to pieces and then they will have numbers in the finale. If they attack in turns, their five aces can all win. However, Marcato is probably the best card as he is the fastest and strongest on short climbs. He has shown food form in both Norway and Denmark. Claeys is also very fast and strong in this terrain and his stage win in Wallonia shows the form is great. Baugnies is not as strong but also has a fast sprint. Meurisse is the best climber but he doesn't have the same kick in a sprint. Backaert is the slowest in a sprint but he is strong enough to attack.
Wout van Aert has turned his attention to the cyclo-cross season but he is still doing some road races. He was one of the best in the Dwars door Het Hageland so he should be up there in this race too. He is one of the best on short, steep climbs and he has a fast sprint too.
Topsport Vlaanderen have Pieter Vanspeybrouck who has had a bit of a breakthrough season. He has been up there in all the hardest races throughout the year and is tailor-made for this kind of lumpy circuit as he is punchy and has a fast sprint. He showed good form in Limousin. Amury Capiot is a back-up plan if it comes down to a sprint and he was good in the Tour of Denmark.
Gazprom-Rusvelo go into the race with Roman Maikin as their leader. The Russian showed great form by winning a stage at the Tour du Limousin where he attacked with Giovanni Visconti in the finale. He may be known as a sprinter but this shows that he is climbing well enough to follow attacks in the finale.
Lotto Soudal have Kris Boeckmans for the sprint and he is constantly getting better and better. He will be one of the favourites if it comes down to a bunch kick. Pim Ligthart, Sean De Bie and Tim Wellens will be there to follow attacks. Wellens is the best climber in the race but it is probably not hard enough. Lighart and De Bie are better options, especially the former who is very fast in a sprint.
Wilier have Filippo Pozzato who recently did the Tour du Limousin in support of Manuel Belletti. He was very good at Nationals and has shown that he can still be competitive. The circuit suits him well but his form may not be at 100% yet.
Etixx-QuickStep have a small 5-rider team and don't have many chances here. Their best card is Lukasz Wisniowski as he is strong in this terrain and is the fastest in the team. He showed very good form in Hageland.
Finally, we will point to Dion Smith from ONE. The Kiwi had a tough start to the year but he is getting better and better as he gets more experience in Europe. He climbs well and is fast in a sprint from a small group so he will have options in this kind of race.
***** Baptiste Planckaert
**** Timothy Dupont, Marco Marcato
*** Wout Van Aert, Dimitri Claeys, Pieter Vanspeybrouck, Jerome Baugnies, Roman Maikin, Pim Ligthart
** Xandro Meurisse, Kris Boeckmans, Sean De Bie, Tim Wellens, Filippo Pozzato, Lukasz Wisniowski, Amaury Capiot, Dion Smith, Olivier Pardini, Dries De Bondt
* Frederik Backaert, Julien Vermote, Huub Duyn, Boris Vallee, Simone Ponzi, Jakub Mareczko, Haydon McCormick, Rob Ruijgh, Nicolas Veercken, Oscar Reiesebeek, Dylan Page, Alberto Cecchin
Kimberley WELLS
Thijs VAN AMERONGEN
Harm STEIJN
Sina FREI


Thursday, May 31, 2018: Sanya Onayoade's SMS at 09:39am struck me like a thunderbolt.
"Morning," it said. "Looks like Wale Aboderin is dead." Was this a joke? If it was a joke, then, it had to be a sick joke. Instantly, I called Sanya's line.
My former fellow line-editor at Sunday Punch told me in the most depressed and depressing of voices that a fellow journalist, Aliyu Mohammed, had that morning dropped this explosive, but nothing was confirmed. We promised to sniff around and cross notes later.
Life! Barely 24 hours earlier, Wale and his sisters had been the subject of our discussion as Sanya drove me in his car from the Federal High Court in Ikoyi area of Lagos Island to the Mainland. Sanya and I had sued Wale and his sisters for damages in a case of copyright infringement and breach of contract. As Plaintiffs, we were making demands in specific and general damages. It would be freaky to lose the man in such a context.
By midday, The Punch website extinguished all doubts. The man was truly dead; Punch lost its Chairman. That made him the third family member (after his father, James Olu Aboderin, 49, and his uncle, Moyo Aboderin, 70) to die in office.
Just the previous day, May 30, 2018, no comets were seen when the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, mentioned the case against the children and estate of the Late Mrs. Florence Jadesola Aboderin, who had been not only the widow of the founder of The Punchnewspaper chain, but Nigeria's first female mortgage banker as well as a leading light in the nation's financial sector until her death in March 1993. Basically quiet and under the radar, the case got its first hearing this day. The learned Justice, who on the same day sat over high-profile business and EFCC cases, merely adjourned the Aboderin suit to September 27.
But unknown to His Lordship and everyone in court that day, Jadesola's eldest son and lead Defendant in the case, Mr. Wale Aboderin, 60, had succumbed to death two hours earlier –victim of a heart surgery gone awry.
Plaintiffs had brought copyright and breach of contract charges against the children and estate of the Late Mrs. Jadesola Aboderin. In summary, the journalists had been contracted to write the Late Mrs. Jadesola Aboderin's biography, which they duly researched and wrote through a time-span of no less than 12 years. But without fulfilling financial obligations to the writers, the Jadesola children, with Wale apparently as arrowhead, had hijacked the manuscript, published the book and launched the biography. Assuring them that they would get full payment, Wale had requested the Biographers to email the softcopy of the manuscript to him for vetting. They quickly complied. That was around March 2015. Thenceforth, he became incommunicado. Neither would he pick calls nor respond to SMSs and emails from the Biographers. Suddenly, in September 2016, the family published and launched the biography. The Journalist-Biographers, uninvited and unacknowledged at the book's presentation, had been tucked away in small print as RESEARCHERS in the obscure copyright page. It was the ultimate insult to two weathered journalists who had other books to their names.
But as Shakespeare said in Macbeth: "There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust." Shakespeare's 16th Century crystal-ball precisely captured our disillusionment. It was simply impossible toextrapolate past camaraderie with the family to the present disappointment.
The interview sessions with all the children had gone convivially, as Wale and his sisters, Mrs. Angela Emuwa, Mrs. Shalewa Aderemi and Mrs. Wumi Obe, bared their hearts, recollecting intimate and graphic details about Mama's charmed life. They had drawn up a list of other acquaintances, eminent personalities like Alhaji Lateef Jakande and commoners like Madam's driver. All these got interviewed. Photographs were collated and selected. Everything went smoothly –until the devil reared his ugly head.
Intellectual property claims can be a double-edged sword; and many a creative mind, when wronged this way, simply succumbs to licking his wound in impotent rage. But deciding to take our chances, Onayoade and I approached this reputable law chambers headed by a Professor of Law, to file a suit against "the children and estate of Mrs. Florence Jadesola Aboderin" in January last year. But the wheel of justice grinds slowly. Inexplicable foot-dragging between the chambers and the courts made the processing stretch past 15 months into May 30, 2018 when the case first got mentioned in court finally.
For me, the irony was: Of all days to die, Mr. Gbadebowale Wayne Aboderin went on the exact day that the case involving him got first mention in court, May 30, 2018. His illness disenabled him from the summons of a high court here, but the creature must answer the unquestionable summons of his Creator.
We may have suffered the brunt of his business side, but the Wale we met in the course of the biography project came across as a warm gentleman. He had not come into the office of Punch Chairman then occupied by his uncle, Chief Ajibola Ogunshola, but Wale showed he was fully prepared to take charge, even as he waited on the wings. That Wale was amiable as he intimately reminisced on his pedigree, his upbringing, his rebelliousness, his passion for basketball, his training as a pilot, his fears, his and his mother's relating with M.K.O. Abiola, with Jakande and with Ogunshola. That Wale knew how to chuckle conspiringly and laugh heartily. That Wale was lively and compassionate. That is the Wale we prefer to remember.
Take your rest, brave warrior.


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Connecticut launches resource to help people return to work
Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday announced he is launching a new resource called the CT Back to Work Initiative to help people get training to find jobs, as sectors of the economy reopen following closures put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Garrett Moran, chairman of the Governor's Workforce Council, explained in Lamont's briefing Thursday that there are two programs that are free to people who have filed for unemployment: 180 Skills and Skillsoft.
With new guidance, local gyms and fitness centers prepare to reopen
Given the green light to open as early as June 17, gyms and athletic facilities in southeastern Connecticut are rearranging equipment, implementing new reservation systems, keeping some spaces closed and doing a lot of cleaning. As part of phase two of reopening from shutdowns put in place due to the coronaviru...Continue Reading
Lamont issues rules for Phase 2 reopening
Gov. Ned Lamont on Sunday released detailed instruction for businesses and organizations as part of the Phase 2 reopening on June 17. Phase 1 of the reopening due to the COVID-19 pandemic began May 20. Phase 2 includes amusement parks; hotels; indoor dining; indoor museums, zoos and aquariums; indoor recreation, such a...Continue Reading
Mystic Marriott laying off 162 employees
Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa has had to lay off 162 employees due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel's Philadelphia-based manager announced this week in a letter emailed to the state Department of Labor. Affected employees were to have been notified Tuesday. Click here for the full article Continue Reading

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) is Microsoft's new framework for building distributed systems. It unifies and builds on the diverse set of existing distribution mechanisms, which include ASP.NET Web services and .NET Remoting. WCF enables developers to produce highly configurable, secure, reliable and transactional services using a single simplified programming model. And since WCF supports the WS-* series of Web service standards, it enables simple interoperation with other platforms and technologies.
Students should have a good working knowledge of building .NET applications with C#. Knowledge of building distributed systems and Web services will also be an advantage.
Required software is Visual Studio 2015. The free Visual Studio Community 2015 may be used. The operating system should be Windows 7sp1 or more recent. See the appropriate course Setup Guide for details.


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Sir Winston Churchill's Final Painting
By Sotheby's
LONDON –The Goldfish Pool at Chartwell, the final work that Sir Winston Churchill painted, will feature in the Modern & Post-War British Art sale in London on 21 November.
The painting by Britain's greatest war-time leader is appearing on the market for the first time since it was gifted by Sir Winston Churchill to his bodyguard Sergeant Edmund Murray.
The work depicts the beloved goldfish pool in the garden of Churchill and his wife Clementine's home at Chartwell – the place most closely linked to his development as a painter.
SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL, THE GOLDFISH POOL AT CHARTWELL, 1962. ESTIMATE £50,000–80,000. FROM MODERN & POST-WAR BRITISH ART.
Winston Churchill discovered painting when he was 40, in the wake of the debacle of the 1915 Dardanelles campaign, which, as First Lord of the Admiralty, he had been responsible for instigating.
From this moment on, painting was to form an essential part of his life and he rarely travelled without his paint-box – a passion that would endure far into old age. On many occasions, he remarked that the "Muse of Painting came to his rescue".
The Goldfish Pool at Chartwell depicts one of the series of water gardens near the house at Chartwell, where he especially enjoyed feeding the golden orfe, whose descendants still swim in the pool at Chartwell. Churchill and Clementine had bought the house in 1922 – a purchase that was made possible by an unexpected inheritance from a distant cousin – and were to live there for 40 years. Chartwell not only became the family home and a beautiful venue for entertaining guests, but also Churchill's cherished country retreat and a constant source of inspiration until his death in 1965.
THE GOLDFISH POOL AT CHARTWELL, WITH CHURCHILL'S CHAIR BESIDE IT. PHOTOGRAPH BY CHARLOTTE WEYCHAN © CHARLOTTE WEYCHAN
Unlike many of his landscapes at Chartwell, this painting is unusual in zooming right into the water itself taking in the luscious foliage along the water side. It is an exemplary essay in tonality and near-abstraction, combining multiple hues of greens and browns to striking effect with the golden orfe brought to life through vivid flashes of orange impasto.
Having never sold a work during his lifetime, the vast majority were given by the artist to friends, colleagues, employees, foreign dignitaries or family members. This painting was gifted to his bodyguard Sergeant Edmund Murray, who served with him from 1950 to his death in 1965, and who provided much support and encouragement in setting up his easel and preparing his brushes. Murray remembered that the final occasion Sir Winston used brushes was at Chartwell around 1962 – he died three years later in 1965.
SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL, 1941. PHOTOGRAPH BY CECIL BEATON. © THE CECIL BEATON STUDIO ARCHIVE AT SOTHEBY'S.
Memorably, Churchill once remarked: "When I get to heaven I mean to spend a considerable portion of my first million years in painting, and so get to the bottom of the subject..."
The sale offers a further work by Churchill, an early landscape painting inspired by the South of France, to be offered with an estimate of £100,000–150,000. An accomplished work from 1922, much like The Goldfish Pool at Chartwell it carries a fascinating story of a very private connection with Churchill and his family. It was given to Miss Maud Elgie, who between 1919 and 1921 had charge over the household's nursery and Churchill and Clementine's two eldest children. The sheer enjoyment that Churchill took in the process of painting is apparent in the freely applied and richly textured paint of this warm and bright view.
SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL, LANDSCAPE WITH TWO TREES, 1922. ESTIMATE £100,000–150,000. FROM MODERN & POST-WAR BRITISH ART.
The Goldfish Pool at Chartwell (Estimate £50,000–80,000) and Landscape with Two Trees (Estimate £100,000–150,000) will be offered as part of the Modern & Post-War British Art Evening sale in London on 21 November.
Modern & Post-War British Art
21–22 November 2017 | 6:00 PM GMT | London
Category: Modern British & Irish Art
Masterworks by Joseph Crawhall from the Coats Collection
Type: featured
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Lynn Chadwick: Exploring the Abstract, 60 Years On
The Vibrant Vitality of British Art
Category: 20th Century Design
Rebecca Willer: A Life in Collecting
Category: Auction Results
Freud and Kandinsky Masterpieces Led London Summer Sales
The Piece that Started My Collection: Frank Cohen
The Brits are Coming: Matthew Collings on a Rich & Diverse Artistic History
Category: The Summer Season
Tim Marlow on The Summer Season at Sotheby's
All In The Eyes: Lucian Freud's David Hockney
Category: Contemporary Art
The Art of Carousing at the Colony Room


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OBLIGAT!
Wind, strings harp, harpsichord and piano – Ensemble Obligat presents the full range of chamber music. Founded by flautist Imme-Jeanne Klett in 1995, it brought together talented young musicians in Hamburg, and has established its own unique position in the international cultural scene. It features a comprehensive range of instrumental sound and colour, presenting chamber music of all stylistic periods, sometimes in unique instrumentation. Concerts by Ensemble Obligat are characterised by inspiring choice of programme, creative ideas, and great attention to detail. Audiences can be sure of an outstanding musical experience with the very highest level of performance and lively, sensitive interpretation.
The Ensemble presents a wide range from all periods of musical history, from baroque solo and trio sonatas with harpsichord to classic flute quartets and string trios (sometimes in augmented form as string sextets), to works of the French impressionists and contemporary compositions including harp, piano, and colourful wind formations.
To mark its 25th anniversary in 2020, Ensemble Obligat Hamburg expanded to its present format – a chamber orchestra of solo instrumentalists, bringing the largest of all chamber music formations to the concert hall with nonets from all periods.
Ensemble Obligat has always been dedicated to chamber music formations which stand out both in visual impact and in sound, such as flute, harp, violin, viola and cello; or flute, viola and harp.
The declared aim of these dedicated musicians is to perform chamber music from all periods in the widest possible range of sounds and timbres. Their repertoire is carefully chosen to include compositions of rich sound and colour, from baroque music in varying formations to classical, romantic and impressionist right up to contemporary works by composers such as Sofia Gubaidulina, Xiaoyong Chen, Moritz Eggert, Nicolas Bacri, Claus Bantzer, Wolfgang Andreas Schultz, Jan Müller-Wieland, Yijie Wang and many more.
… Noblesse oblige!
A fascinating evening...
Harz-Kurier
Ensemble Obligat is known for its carefully crafted and superbly executed concert programmes, including unique instrumental groupings, plus concepts such as combinations of music and the spoken word; thus Ensemble Obligat has put on celebrated concerts with well-known actors such as Christian Brückner, Maria Hartmann, Christiane Hörbiger, Christoph Bantzer and Clemens von Ramin.
Ensemble Obligat Hamburg has performed at many concerts in prestigious series both in Germany and abroad, and at numerous festivals such as the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (1999, 2001, 2012, 2018), the Mecklenburg-West Pomerania Music Festival, the Lower Saxony Music Festival, the Hohenlohe Cultural Summer, the EuroKlassik Festival, Festival Arabesques Hamburg, China-Time Hamburg and Berlin, Corveyer Musikwochen, and many more. It can regularly be heard on radio (NDR, Deutschland Radio Kultur, HR, BR, SWR, WDR, Radio Bremen, Radio France, Radio Finland, Radio New Zealand, etc.).
It is the ensemble in residence of the outstanding and long-running OBLIGAT! chamber music festival in Hamburg (previously entitled "Summer Serenade" in the White Room at Jenisch House in Hamburg).
In response to the Corona pandemic, this Festival widened its scope of venues to include further historic houses in Hamburg – adding the Altona Museum (Galionsfigurensaal) and the Museum of Hamburg History (Inner Courtyard), and taking on the new name OBLIGAT! - Festival of Chamber Music in Hamburg.
Ensemble Obligat has released CD recordings with labels such as Dabringhaus and Grimm Detmold, GENUIN Leipzig, and C2/ES-DUR Hamburg, and made a number of recordings for NDR and Deutschlandradio Kultur, Hessischer Rundfunk and Radio Bremen.
The Ensemble is made up of principals from well-known orchestras such as the symphony orchestra of WDR Cologne, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Hamburg Camerata, the Hamburg Philharmonic, the Bremen Philharmonic, and professors from the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg.
The concerts are presented by musicians from the ensemble, creating a special link between musicians and audience, and giving the listeners fascinating information about the life and work of the respective composer, so that they feel actively involved, joining the performers on a musical journey; the listeners are an essential element in the performance, "obbligato" as it were, like each of the musicians.
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Cannabis News What You Need to Know About CBD Oil for Anxiety
What You Need to Know About CBD Oil for Anxiety
CBD, known scientifically as cannabidiol, is an extract that is derived from the marijuana or industrial hemp plant. Unlike THC, CBD does not have any psychoactive effects, which is why it makes it such a great option for anyone looking to manage various medical conditions such as stress and anxiety without having to necessarily alter their mental state. CBD only contains trace amounts of THC- less than 0.3%. Therefore, CBD can be consumed and utilized by just about anyone for a wide array of conditions and issues, regardless of whether they are young or old.
How CBD helps the body- and in particular anxiety
CBD is referred to as a phytocannabinoid and is one of around 100 different cannabinoids that are usually found in the cannabis plant. The body naturally produces its own cannabinoids that are referred to as endocannabinoids, throughout the endocannabinoid system.
When endocannabinoids act as neurotransmitters that bind with cannabinoid receptors in various parts of the body such as the brain, a number of internal functions in the body such as mood, appetite, hormones, the immune system, and so on are regulated and improved. In other words, phytocannabinoids such as CBD are introduced to the body to improve its functioning.
For people suffering from anxiety, studies show that CBD represses autonomic arousal, which is the part of the nervous system that is linked with sudden increases in respiration and increased heart rate. As such, anyone that is looking for a general feeling of calmness can benefit from continuous CBD use.
Research also shows that CBD is useful in improving the body's serotonin levels, which is the hormone responsible for happiness and wellness. When people with anxiety use CBD on a regular basis, the cannabinoids become helpful for managing stress, anxiety, as well as improve moods.
How should CBD for anxiety be used?
If you want to enjoy all the benefits of CBD but do not want to smoke it in herb form, CBD oil is by far the best way to get the desired outcomes of CBD. Consuming CBD oil daily. Quality CBD products such as Sky CBD oil can be taken sublingually under the tongue for fast absorption.
CBD can also be incorporated into food and beverages. CBD oil can be added easily to coffee, baked goods, and even smoothies. However, unlike taking it sublingually, ingested CBD will take time to take effect as it must be digested before being absorbed into the bloodstream.
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Pardon Me Dear Turkey
Wednesday, November 24, 2010 - 11:59 AM
Many around the world are very busy getting their turkey primed and ready. The stuffing, the cranberry, who is hosting whom, who is preparing which dish, it is a very busy time in many households. Not to mention, the critical rush to be the first on line for Black Friday.
Giving thanks, has become an American tradition, perhaps the most widely observed of all our US holidays. And for good reason. We all have what to be thankful for, even during the toughest of times, if we haven't found something, we just haven't looked hard enough.
I recently heard that the roots of the "Presidential Pardon" of the Thanksgiving Turkey ceremony, dates back to Abe Lincoln's pardoning the royal turkey as his son Tad had grown fond of the turkey and now considered it like a family pet.
So who pardons and who is pardoned? Naturally, depending on your religion, faith and level of observance you will get different answers to this question. However, as we take stock for what we have good in our lives and what has not gone so well, as we munch on a turkey scorned, let us remember, that as Jews, we have a unique approach to these major life issues.
G-d in His infinite wisdom decides "who will live, who die, who will be rich and who will be poor," (High Holiday Prayers) and to some degree we play a role in His decisions, "repentance, prayer, good deeds avert the severity of the decree" (More High Holiday Prayers). And to some degree we are forced to submit and surrender to a higher power and accept His will and ways. Much of the good in our lives is unearned and seemingly undeserved as well as much of the challenges of life is seeming unearned and undeserved.
But unlike the "lucky" pardoned Turkey that just happened to be at the right place and at the right time, we believe in a higher power, that is monitoring and is on top of what is taking place in our life and nothing, nothing, both bad and good is random.
Its a tough pill to swallow at times, but it is comforting and soothing yet the same to know that their is a Divine parent monitoring things and it is not just random.
Something to think about as your are basting your turkey.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Rabbi Schusterman
A bean
Thursday, November 18, 2010 - 11:55 AM
"Once a bean traveled the world to find you here", a sign on the window of Starbucks.
The Baal Shem Tov taught that every occurrence in this world is orchestrated as part of a Divine Plan. Even every leaf that falls from a tree is part of that plan. Every bean that travels the world, travels as part of the Divine Plan, even so far as to find YOU here. Everything is orchestrated for a purpose even down to the details of every leaf or bean.
The choice is given to each of us whether to utilize the bean or the action to make it in such a way that makes it a holy act. We can elevate the moment or opportunity, or we can just keep it mundane.
My cousin, Rabbi Levi Deitsch from Chabad of Tysons Corner passed away this past Shabbos afternoon. What I find remarkable about Levi was that he was a regular guy, but chose to act in a holy way. He was a human who lived on a very high level. Recently when a top doctor came to suggest that it was time to consider his "legacy," Levi spoke to the doctor about faith. He shared with the doctor that there is the natural world as people see it from a scientific perspective but that in reality G-d is the Creator of the world and it is up to Him to do what He wants. He knew that G-d runs the world totally, leaving nothing to chance. He kept this perspective and lived with true faith in the One G-d.
Let us each choose to add one act which we will do in a more G-dly way. Let's utilize even that bean which traveled so far for YOU. Let us recognize that there is a Source to all of creation and do what we can to view the world from a more G-dly perspective. Living in this way changes the world.
Have a good Shabbos.
Rabbi Kushi Schusteman
10 Million Yes but 10K no
Mr. Gennady Bogolubov a Ukrainian Billionaire now in the process of building the largest Jewish center in the world in Dnierperpotrovsk, himself a Shomer Shabbos, Kosher, Tzitzis and Kipa wearing Jew was a guest speaker this Sunday evening at the banquet culminating the annual Conference of Chabad Emissaries. (Can you imagine feeding that many people? well the NY Times did... read their article on that CLICK HERE)
I was in attendance at this conference and at the banquet together with 4500 other Shluchim and Chabad supporters. It was an amazing event as you might imagine. Powerful talks and video presentations giving encouragement and kudos to the Shluchim were the genre of the night.
Mr. Bogolubov however spoke of how he came to become a supporter of Chabad and particularly his personal affection and support of Shluchim themselves. He discussed his own journey from growing up in a secular home to become a successful businessman and now his generous support.
His first gift was $10,000 to the Chabad Rabbi in Dnieperpetrovsk. Since then he has given many millions including a $10Million gift to establish a Simcha fund to give a gift to every Shliach - Chabad emissary who make a simcha like the birth of a child or a wedding.
In reflecting back he made a powerful point. All of the many millions of dollars he has given in contributions he understands and would give again. The only one he doesn't understand is that first time he went into his pocket and did the opposite of everything his life was about.
My life, he said was about business. Bringing money into my pocket, into my bank account. For the first time in my life I took money from my pocket and gave it away. It made no sense to me, it was backwards and opposite. I don't understand, I still don't understand.
But it has brought me so much joy and I am grateful for the joy it has brought!
Giving can bring so much getting.
What have you given today? There are so many ways to give (and I am not just talking about money)!.
See a clip of Mr. Bogolubav speaking here.
Have a productive week.
My Coffee
Thursday, November 4, 2010 - 11:55 AM
I'd like to share with you an experience I had this week. As I was sitting in a coffee shop preparing the weekly class, I noticed a strange phenomenon: a number of customers walked into the shop one at a time, chatted with the Barista and then all sat down at a table together without having placed an order. When a manager joined them, it was clear that they were trainees. The principal message imparted to the trainees was that customers coming in to get coffee, should get more then just receiving a drink. It should be, and I quote, 'The Experience'.
The Baal Shem Tov taught that from everything that one sees or hears, one should try to learn a lesson. What could I learn from seeing this? Why did Divine Providence arrange for this to be shown to me while I was preparing a class? I realized that as a new Chabad rabbi, I am like a barista. I, too, serve a product, namely, "Torah Classes", "Prayer Services," etc. This incident taught me that I need to provide "The Jewish Experience", not just to provide the product/service, but to offer each person the Jewish experience that warms the heart, makes the week go better, and gives inspiration.
Henry Ford once said "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses." They would have underestimated what was possible. I would like to ask you to think outside the box and share with me how Chabad can enhance your Jewish experience. Would you like more classes? What day and time works for you? Would you like a lunch and learn? More hands on activities? Do you want something totally different? What is it that you would like? Click here to send us your feedback, so we can give you a Jewish Experience.


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Owen Van Natta
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Em teoria da computabilidade, uma redução por tabela-verdade é uma redução de um conjunto de números naturais para outro. Como uma "ferramenta", é mais fraca do que a redução de Turing, uma vez que nem toda redução de Turing entre conjuntos pode ser realizada por uma redução por tabela-verdade, mas cada redução por tabela-verdade pode ser realizada por uma redução de Turing. Pela mesma razão, é dita ser uma redutibilidade mais forte do que a Turing-reductibilidade porque implica na Turing-redutibilidade. Uma redução por tabela-verdade fraca, é um tipo relacionado de redução que é assim chamado porque enfraquece as restrições postas sobre uma redução por tabela-verdade, e fornece uma classificação de equivalência mais fraca; como tal, uma "redução por tabela-verdade fraca" pode realmente ser mais poderosa do que uma redução por tabela-verdade como uma "ferramenta", e realizar uma redução que não é realizada pela tabela-verdade.

Uma redução de Turing de um conjunto B para um conjunto A calcula a pertinência de um único elemento em A, fazendo perguntas sobre a pertinência de vários elementos em B durante a computação; ela pode adaptativamente determinar quais questões são perguntadas com base em respostas às perguntas anteriores. Em contraste, uma redução por tabela-verdade ou uma redução por tabela-verdade fraca deve apresentar todas as suas consultas "oraculares" ao mesmo tempo. Em uma redução por tabela-verdade, a redução também dá uma função booleana que, quando dado as respostas para as perguntas, irá produzir a resposta final da redução. Em um redução tabela-verdade fraca, a redução usa as respostas como uma base para cálculos posteriores que pode depender das respostas dadas. Equivalentemente, uma redução tabela-verdade fraca é uma redução de Turing que o uso da redução é delimitada por uma função calculável. Por esta razão, eles são muitas vezes referidas como reduções de Turing limitada e não como reduções tabela verdade fraca.

Definição
uma linguagem A é redutível em tempo polinomial por tabela verdade a uma linguagem B, escrito , se existe uma função computável em tempo polinomial g mapeando uma entrada X em uma número polinomial de entradas Y1; : : : ; Yk e uma função f computável tambem em tempo polinomial (chamada predicado tabela-verdade), que depende de X e que mapeia  para  tal como  onde  é a função característica para a linguagem B

Propriedades
Como toda redução tabela verdade é uma redução Turing, se A é a tabela verdade redutível a B, então A também é Turing redutível a B. Considerando, também, uma uma redutibilidade, muitos um redutibilidade e fraco redutibilidade tabela de verdade, tem-se a seguinte cadeia de implicações:

 H. Rogers, Jr., 1967. The Theory of Recursive Functions and Effective Computability, second edition 1987, MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-68052-1 (paperback), ISBN 0-07-053522-1
 Fortnow L., Reingold N. PP is Closed Under Truth-Table Reductions

Complexidade

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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All images from Arctica: The Vanishing North. © teNeues 2015.
SEBASTIAN COPELAND
by flaunt
The award-winning environmental photographer has been documenting the destruction of the Artic ice caps for the better part of 20 years
"I was obsessed with water." Sebastian Copeland admits, "to the extent where I even contemplated stealing my partner's water at times. I was thinking maybe I could just go and steal a gulp." Desperation can do funny things to human beings, and Copeland discovered a deep layer of it during his 26-day, 404-mile trek across Australia's Simpson Desert this year. "To try and understand what's going on around the world when people are really with their backs against the wall," he tells me, "is to begin to understand the nature of conflicts—because this is real, this is what happens." Copeland, the photographer, environmentalist, author and explorer, has travelled into some of the most remote, isolated, and unforgiving landscapes on earth to peer inwards towards the raw core of humanity.
Copeland is an artist—a renowned and multi-award-winning environmental photographer, whose stunning photo books have boasted forewords and introductions from no lesser figures than Mikhail Gorbachev, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Richard Branson.
"Art can make the link between the heart and mind and enable people to think from the standpoint of emoting first. My role as a photographer and an adventurer are sort of tied in my mission," Copeland tells me. "This is an all-hands-on-deck moment in the story of our development. It's one that calls to task everyone and their skillset."
Copeland has travelled to both the North and South Pole to document the livid beauty and haunting, thawing desolation as the world transforms into a much warmer, and very different place. The environment that human cultures have emerged from over the last dozen millennia or so is changing rapidly. His photos capture the shifting nerve center of a transforming planet, yet the tendrils of that change stretch far beyond the icy vastness: "In Syria we look at the regime of Bashar al-Assad as the trigger for the uprising there," Copeland points out. "But it would be foolish not to consider that six years of severe drought preceded that uprising. From 2005 to 2011, Syria experienced unprecedented drought, which essentially destroyed 60% of its agricultural land and killed 80% of its cattle. People are a lot less likely to go to war when they have enough food and water to feed their families. When that sense of security is taken away from them, you start to watch social systems disintegrate."
Copeland describes the situation with stark clarity: "We're running out of resources. Our planet essentially loses 10% of its calories [food production] and 7% of its hydrology [fresh water resources] for every 1°C rise in temperature. Right now we are 1°C warmer than we were in 1880. By definition, we have lost about 10% of global calories, and 7% of water. And if the trend continues, as it's predicted to, the more people are going to push to areas where they're trying to survive, and the more stress that's going to be placing on the social order."
Gusts of wind crackle through the receiver while I speak to Copeland over the phone during his vacation in Maui. "The weather is amazing," he tells me. "There's lots of wind, and I'm a windsurfer, so I'm very happy." Yet his description of the rapidly changing arctic is little short of sobering, "You no longer have the possibility of walking to the North Pole and back overland because of the condition of the ice," Copeland explains, "it melts too rapidly. It's the spring thaw that comes much quicker than it used to, and the summer periods extend in length.
The multi-year ice—the ice that generally survives the summer thaw—is practically gone. It used to be between 50% and 80% multi-year ice only 30 years ago, and now it's only between 8% and 3%."
Ice melting in the far reaches may seem like a remote problem, but Copeland stresses its relevance to us all, "It means that there are very powerful forces at play. The incidence of melting has profound consequences on geopolitics. What's going to happen in the world in the next 30 years—you need to look no further than the poles. If you see great rates of change, which we are witnessing with no doubt, that's going to have an effect on other places," Copeland says plainly. "Global warming in Antarctica means the ice has a melt factor that is threatening ocean rise. 80% of the world lives within 100 miles of a coast—it's not by accident. If you look at just the Mekong Delta area of Vietnam, which is the second-largest exporter of rice, the number-one calorie around the world. That region is going to be completely flooded within a half century."
In an America still reeling from the ascent of the President-Elect Donald Trump, the words of Copeland and other experts take on a haunting quality when juxtaposed against recent campaign rhetoric, "You are starting to examine what a real immigration problem—a real climate refugee problem is going to look like." Copeland continues, "Right now, everyone around the world is up in arms about the concept of refugees. The reality is, for the most part, half of them already are just climate refugees. There's 16 million people around the world seeking asylum, and by the end of the century, we're going to have at least 300 million displaced."
"Displacement" of another kind is something oft confused by climate skeptics like Trump and other members of his future administration, for while floating ice has approximately the same displacement as melted ice (salt water affects the equation), the main problem is that warmer water (by definition) is made up of molecules with more energy than cold water. These energetic molecules create a wider distance between each other, and hence more volume, in a phenomena called 'thermal expansion.' Thus the sea level rises as more of the ice caps melt into the heating ocean.
Water is thus our elixir and our panacea; our nightmare and our curse. Copeland has a clear perception of both the profundity and the banality of H20. Returning to his greedy cravings in the Simpson Desert, he admits, "The irony was that I really obsessed over being able to drink a big glass of cold water every morning. I was thinking when I get home this is what I'm going to do, I'm going to commit to a big glass of water every morning and I'm going to appreciate what that means because some people don't have it," he tells me wistfully. "And guess what? When I got home, I basically turned on the tap, poured myself a glass of water—and a glass of water was just a bloody glass of water—no more, no less. It had completely lost its relevance, because it was no longer associated with this profound, primary need for it, because now I have plenty of it. And that's the disconnect that we have with people around the world for whom that reality is a daily struggle."
All images from Arctica: The Vanishing North, available here.
Written by Gus Donohoo
Gus Donohoo


Dora and Boots go on an adventure to Benny's Barn Dance. They use different dances to overcome obstacles along the way.
To dance along with Dora and Boots, children place the non-slip mat on the floor and then select a song by pushing one of the sound buttons.
While the music plays, Dora gives basic dance instructions for the child to follow. Let�s Dance also features pictures of Dora doing each dance step-by-step.
Learn five new dance with Dora.
10 sound buttons, including 5 songs.


All over the world, social entrepreneurs are devising innovative commercial solutions to the world's greatest challenges. Supporting entrepreneurs, and those investing in their businesses, to do well by doing good is something we get excited about.
Impact investment is one of the core pillars of our pro bono practice. Through our global impact investment practice, HSF Impact, our firm is proud to support social enterprises, impact investors and social finance intermediaries who are on the frontline in the battle against issues such as climate change, homelessness, poverty and financial exclusion.
Through HSF Impact we deliver pro bono advice across a wide variety of sectors, including education, energy and cleantech, agribusiness, financial inclusion, climate change, consumer products, affordable housing and healthcare.
We leverage the expertise of our global and multi-disciplinary team to support our social impact clients in relation to a broad range of legal issues, with opportunities for our lawyers to get involved at any level and from any office across our international network.
Check out our HSF Impact pages or download a copy of our brochure to find out more about HSF Impact and how we can help you generate positive returns.


Join us on the 22th of February for the festive finissage of Johannes Langkamps exhibition 'Sun Tracing'. The exhibition can be visited free of charge between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. during the Kunstavond and we invite invite you to drink a toast to the exhibition at 8 p.m.
The exhibition Sun Tracing, Johannes Langkamp's first solo show in Rotterdam, embodies the artist's longtime fascination with our perception of celestial bodies and the methods and devices developed to capture them. His interest for this exhibition concerns the sun in particular.


The DUB Prophet comes with a steppers rhythm and several effects to spice up the oh so catchy tune. This is the kind of DUB that will make a whole crowd dance, even when they wouldn't know what they were dancing too. Why? Cause Prophesy must Fulfill!
Just before he starts performing the tune, Eek A Mouse explains how he has to speak clear as he is not a place where everyone has English as their native tongue. The message is kind of clear, as he calls on the violence to end.
When you want to hear how Toasting sounds inna Russian, this is the tune for you. Based on a Rub a Dub riddim, the Lion and the Prophet chant up to the Most High because there is no speech or language where Jah Voice is not heard!


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Home/Corporate News/MAPFRE does business in over 30 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, where it employs more than 1,000 people
MAPFRE does business in over 30 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, where it employs more than 1,000 people
Group revenue in the region exceeded €366 million in 2013
MAPFRE recently strengthened its presence in South East Asia by acquiring a 20 percent stake in Indonesian insurer ABDA.
MAPFRE aims for total revenue in excess of €30 billion from all countries in which it operates by 2016.
MAPFRE has been operating in Asia since 1994 and does business in over 30 countries in the region, where it employs more than 1,000 people. In 2013, the Group recorded income from premiums and services of €366 million.
China, with nearly €95 million in premium income, together with Japan, with €61.4 million, represent almost half of MAPFRE's business in the region, which offers enormous growth potential for the insurance industry as a whole. In addition to these two markets, the group generates significant business volume in the Philippines, where revenue rose to €42.6 million in 2013, and Israel, with over €38 million coming from the reinsurance business.
MAPFRE is now also active in Australasia, where it has a team of 20 employees, and revenue of €33 million.
The group has recently strengthened its operations in South East Asia by acquiring a 20% stake in the Indonesian insurance company Asuransi Bina Dana Arta, (ABDA). This transaction is proof of MAPFRE's commitment to the region and strategically positions the company in a market offering significant growth potential.
By region, Latin America generates the most business for MAPFRE (44.3 percent), with income of €9.91 billion, followed by Europe, where revenue rose to €9.85 billion (44 percent of the overall total), and North America which, with €2.21 billion, now represents 10 per cent of the Group's overall business.
MAPFRE worldwide
Among MAPFRE's strategic objectives for the next three years are the aim to raise total revenue to over €30 billion, the maintenance of the combined ratio at below 96%, and keeping the dividend return at current levels.
MAPFRE, which operates in 47 countries on five continents, recorded net income of €790.5 million in 2013, 18.7 percent more than the previous year. Revenue rose to €25.89 billion, a rise of 2.3 percent, and premiums grew by 1.2 percent to €21.84 billion.
At the same time, MAPFRE's net equity amounted to €7.83 billion, an increase of 0.3 percent, and total managed assets rose to €66.05 billion, representing an increase of 2.2 percent over the last twelve months.
MAPFRE is the number one multinational insurance group in Latin America and is among the Top 10 insurance groups in Europe in terms of premium volume, as well as being among the Top 20 Automobile insurance companies in the United States.
Redacción MAPFRE2017-12-20T12:03:39+00:0019 March 2014|Categories: Corporate News|0 Comments


Where is God? Terrorism and us.
Even as we grieve the horrific violence last year in Charleston and now in Brussels, a perusal of the homepage of our local newspaper, the Fresno Bee, shows multiple shootings and a murdered woman's remains found buried on farmland.
As a Christian, I understand that the role of believers is to emulate Jesus and to come alongside those who suffer, those who mourn.
However, even before the facts are confirmed, before the victim's names are released, before we have any chance to sort through the wreckage of tragedy and violence, my fear is that people of faith are lining up to be on the "winning" side.
I think this is wrong and a misrepresentation of the way of the cross.
The good news of the Gospel is not about winning or being right about gun control, hate crimes, American politics or the pathology of violent criminals.
The good news of the Gospel is not about assigning blame or piecing together infallible arguments. The good news of the Gospel is not about defending a position against an onslaught of bad news.
We wonder how a loving, generous God could allow evil to seemingly triumph.
Answers to this question don't come easily. They are ancient and mysterious questions that humans have been grappling with for thousands of years.
Perhaps an easier question to answer is: Where is God not?
God is not preparing his comments to be broadcast globally so he can rally support behind his cause.
God is not with the winners.
In God's love economy, or kingdom, he is with those who have lost. He comforts those who mourn, he joins in the suffering of those who suffer.
Now, during Holy Week, as we confront a global reality of tragic violence in Belgium, Mali, Ivory Coast, Turkey, Syria and at home, let us remember that Jesus came to save us from sin and death. He lived and died humbly, without posturing, scheming, torturing or killing.
May that same God have mercy on us all.
Posted in Devotional Messages and tagged as belgium, borders, fear, terrorism.