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How roadblocks, not just minerals, fund rebels and conflict in the Congo
For over a decade it's been widely recognised that rebel financing in the Democratic Republic of Congo is firmly linked to mining.
First discovered by the Belgians in 1904, the Congolese soil harbours a huge amount of precious minerals. Subsequent industrial exploitation of copper and gold became the backbone of first Belgian colonialism and later Mobutu Sese Seko's kleptocracy.
After Cold War support for Mobutu waned, masses of ordinary Congolese invaded crumbling industrial mining concessions in the hope of digging out a livelihood. Today, hundreds of thousands of these miners persist. Knee-deep in the mud, for often little more than a dollar a day, they are the foot soldiers of the high-tech sector. With rudimentary tools, they supply not only copper and gold but also chemical elements like coltan, tungsten and tantalum.
This unregulated exploitation has fuelled conflict in the country. Part of the mining sites are controlled by either soldiers or rebels who seek to collect "rent" before minerals find their way to Asian producers and western markets.
Underscoring this dark connection between conflict and minerals, the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region in Africa recently reiterated that
the illegal exploitation of minerals remains the core cause of conflict and instability in Congo.
Donors have set guidelines, companies stepped up due diligence, and a myriad of partnerships labour to remove rebels and soldiers from mining sites. And important strides have been made. Over the past two years about 400 of 2400 monitored sites have been validated as conflict-free. Here, artisanal miners arguably make money without submitting to coerced labour or hefty illegal taxes.
But the rebels have found other ways of making money. Chased from mining sites, they simply try to control roads. Whoever controls the transport routes can levy taxes and control economic activities.
Map showing roadblocks. IPIS
In a recent study, we mapped nearly 1000 roadblocks in Eastern Congo. It was difficult to find a road in Eastern Congo without a roadblock. I believe it's time to acknowledge the existence of these roadblocks and the support they provide to rebels and undisciplined soldiers.
Land of a thousand roadblocks
Last year deep in Eastern Congo's conflict-ridden North Kivu Province, General Mando, the leader of the Mai Mai Simba, the oldest rebel movement in Congo, and a plethora of state representatives and military officials gathered for important negotiations. The meeting's aim was to convince the rebel leader to stop occupying a profitable gold mining site. A local researcher reported that, after listening to their arguments, Mando declared
But I have always lined your pockets with the proceeds of the mine. We have all benefited. You, Misses the Territorial Administrator, have always received your cut from me. And to thank me, you come with the army—so they will simply be the ones profiting from taxes now! Give me one good reason why I should leave?
After a few hours of heated debate, a pragmatic solution was found: Mando would be allowed to simply set up roadblocks a small distance from the site, taxing entry and exit at a distance. This would be a little less profitable than directly pocketing gold production, but had the benefit of being much easier to manage and to hide.
This allowed authorities to declare the site "conflict-free" to western donors, while at the same time accommodating local strongman.
Mando's story is one of many. Congo is home to about 120 different armed groups, and roadblocks are key to their survival. This is particularly true for rebel leaders in areas where no minerals can be found.
Everywhere across Eastern Congo, as mining sites become cleared of armed actors, rebel leaders and military conflict entrepreneurs simply set up roadblocks to finance their activities. Congo's roads are a magnet for extortion because everyone has to take their products to markets.
It is an easy strategy compared with robbery or controlling a mining site. It's a lot easier to sit next to the road, tighten a string, and simply wait for the money.
Roadblocks are also a crucial strategy for government actors. Congo is as large as western Europe but has only 2000 km of paved road. Given that the DRC state collects few taxes, remote government or military outposts are largely "self-financing" – government agents collect taxes to pay their salaries (or daily bread) locally – through roadblocks. Their commanders frequently impose a weekly quota of sums to make along the road.
As a result, everything that moves, will be taxed. Every item that goes between field and village, and then village and market, is subject to a host of little roadside impositions.
Roads to peace?
One piece of cord strung between two palm trees isn't much more than a nuisance. But multiply it by a thousand and you get a significant source of conflict financing.
Congolese roads are a crucial space where conflict, illegal taxation, and conflict financing entangle. Ask anyone in Eastern Congo how conflict affects her life, and she probably won't mention remote mining sites but rather start complaining about roadblocks and food prices. For ordinary Congolese, the cumulative burden of roadblock taxes form a key problem of the current conflict, leading to outrageous prices on even the most basic consumer goods in urban areas – and that for a population trying to survive on a dollar a day.
Roadblocks aren't easy for the international community to fix. Whenever a well-intentioned United Nations patrol passes, roadblock rebels simply stand aside and set up shop again by stringing a cord over the road as soon as the blue helmets have passed.
But a way needs to be found. One possible solution is to turn conflict data into a tool to fight abuses. For instance, the development of an app to monitor abuses and hold authorities accountable for the panoply of illegal taxes. However seductive the "conflict mineral" story, the systemic exploitation of Congolese on the move shouldn't be ignored. Roadblocks are sapping the ability of ordinary Congolese to trade in goods – and to survive.
Peer Schouten, Postdoctoral fellow, Danish Institute for International Studies
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article
News, RDC
congo, London, RDC
TOKOMI WAPI 08 08 2018 KIN KIEY MULUMBA AKIMI KABILA?
Kinshasa Makambo – Screening in London Fri 7th


Technical consultants, team leaders and software engineers recorded the greatest increases in pay expectations in contract recruitment specialist Crackerjacks' latest Professional Contracting Rates Guide.
IT contractors' hourly rate expectations have increased from $68 to $72 on average in the past six months, according to a survey by contractor placement specialist Crackerjacks.
British IT contractors are pushing for longer term work, even at the expense of pay, according to recent research.


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Muscatine County
Pvt. Layman Saltsman
Saltsman and Owen Reported Held Prisoners
A War Department dispatch from Washington, D.C., through the United States, today listed the names of Pvt. Layman Saltsman, of Muscatine, and Tech. 5th Grade Melvin R. Owen, of Tipton, as interned prisoners.
The Journal, through information obtained from the families of the young men, had previously reported their status in news stories.
Technician Owen is interned by Germany at Transit camp No. 25, Capua, Italy, and Pvt. Saltsman is interned at Stalag 58 in that country.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, June 14, 1943
Young Men Are Held In Enemy Prison Camps
Source: Muscatine Journal & News-Tribune, December 30, 1943 (photos of POWs are published in this issue)
Prisoner Ranks Expand As War Grows Intense In France and Germany
Hopes for an eventual happy reunion at the conclusion of hostilities with father, brother, son or husband, initially reported as "missing in action" has been spurred in a number of homes in Muscatine and nearby communities in southeastern Iowa and western Illinois by later information, advising that the missing service man was listed as a prisoner of war.
Anxious hours of hopeful waiting after official information listing men as "missing in action" has been followed in repeated instances by such data during the past year, as it was in former years of World War No. 2, as the number of men who have become members of the "Barbed Wire Legion"—prisoners of war—has increased.
Then, for families and for the members of the Barbed Wire Legion, as well, has followed a second interval of waiting—until through the channels of the International Red Cross, letters and communications have been re-established.
This, in turn, is followed by further waiting—waiting for that day when peace will return and the guns of war are silenced—when long days of confinement in distant camps and restriction of privileges will come to an end and families and friends may be reunited.
As the period of America's participation in the war has lengthened, so has the number of men listed from this community as prisoners of war.
For some, stationed in the Pacific theater of action, three years have passed in prison camps. For others, captured in other fields of action, one year in a prisoner of war camp is stretching to a second. Others, participating in more recent actions, have spent lesser periods in prison camps.
From some of these men, relatives have received fairly regular, although restricted letters, advising of their treatment, the receipt of certain items of clothing, food and for recreational purposes through the Red Cross. From others only scratches of information have been received.
From official sources and from members of their families, brief sketches of the following men reported as prisoners, have been obtained:
PVT. LAYMAN SALTSMAN—Listed as missing in action on Feb. 17, 1943, Pvt. Layman Saltsman was reported as a prisoner of Germany on April 27, 1943, his father, Cal Saltsman, 710 West Second street, was advised. He had been overseas since March of 1942 when captured.
Source: Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, Friday, December 29, 1944
Transcribed by Linda Ziemann, June 2014
IAGenWeb
Return to County Surname Index

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Metropolitan Museum of Art closed down its palatial halls for the 2016 Met Gala, celebrating the Costume Institute's "Manus x Machina" exhibition with a glittering display of hand- and machine-made couture.
All famous faces from Blake Lively, to Karlie Kloss, to Olivia Wilde, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Jourdan Dunn had a silver shadow.
Makeup Artist Charlotte Tilbury gets Blake Lively ready for the Met Gala. She opted for luminous skin, sculpted cheekbones, and velvety lips. All courtesy of the famous London-based makeup artist.
Karlie Kloss looked absolutely stunning in her Brandon Maxwell dress with serious cut outs. She glowed using the L'Oréal golden illuminator on cheekbones, temples, collarbone, as well as under her neck, explained celeb makeup artist Sir John. Another option is the NARS 'Sheer Glow Foundation' that delivers a naturally radiant finish with sheer, buildable coverage.
Also try out highlighters and contour kits that can replicate gala attendees' shiny faces and gleaming cheeks.
Brightening contour Hourglass' 'Ambient Lighting Edit' palette is a collection of the label's best-selling powders designed to give you everything you need to finish.
Illuminating Bronzer : Burberry Beauty's 'London With Love' palette gives skin a natural sun-kissed glow.
Subtle shimmer : Perfect for warm-toned complexions, this pearlescent peach shade is packed with gold to create a subtle shimmer. You can mix with moisturizer on days when you want to wear less makeup.
Highlighting Blush : "Highlighters are a great way to subtly contour," says NARS founder François.
Manus X Machina Exhibition st The Met is on my wish-list !!!!


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It's official, the black spritz is the new drink of the summer
by Sarah Bristow
The tangerine tipple has just had a gothic makeover at one Melbourne bar.
It's long been acknowledged that Melbourne loves the colour black. But the city's preference for the shade has no longer just infiltrated wardrobes, but has crept into the Victorian capital's favourite cocktail, with the emergence of the black spritz.
The nero (black) spritz has arrived in town as a part of the new drinks range at Brunetti Flinders Lane. The gothic take on the long adored Aperol Spritz is just one of 12 new flavours of Italian aperitif at the venue, and is the result of the black food trend currently sweeping the globe say the owners. While Brunetti may be better known for being one of Melbourne's leading sweet treat purveyors, that looks set to change with their new focus on Instagram-friendly cocktails.
As for the colour itself, it's the result of a concoction of Fabbri Marendry and Fabbri Black Gum (a 100% natural black syrup of Arabic gum and vegetable charcoal), topped with prosecco and soda water. Thanks to the charcoal element, it's even been dubbed a 'cleansing' drinks option.
While we're more than sceptical of the health benefits of the cocktail, we have to agree with Brunetti director Yuri Angele, who simply says of the drink: "it's very fun and easy to drink!"


David Livingstone Smith is associate professor of philosophy at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, where he teaches on the philosophies of biology, ethics, metaphysics, mind, psychology, and the history of philosophy.
He is co-founder and director of the New England Institute for Cognitive Science and Evolutionary Studies. The institute explores the interface between evolutionary biology and human nature.
Smith is the author of Why We Lie (2004) and The Most Dangerous Animal (2007). His third book, Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others, illuminates the issue of dehumanization and the roots of human violence.


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El Salvador rector at centre of national sanitation row
University of El Salvador rector Roger Arias calls on parliamentary groups to reconsider privatisation of water services
Rachael Pells
Twitter: @rachaelpells
Source: Istock
Church behind water fountain on Plaza Barrios, San Salvador
The leader of El Salvador's largest university has become embroiled in a nationwide debate over the proposed privatisation of water services in the country.
Students and staff at the Universidad de El Salvador have staged a series of protests in recent weeks in a bid to stop the government's attempts to sell off sanitation services to major corporate bidders. The demonstrations have ranged from peaceful protests to the setting up of roadblocks around the capital, San Salvador, this month.
The dispute began earlier this year when El Salvador's largest party, the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance, agreed to allow private water company representatives to sit on the country's water board – a move that campaigners claim will shift majority control away from public authorities.
Counter-proposals have been presented by the university rector, Roger Arias, in partnership with social campaign groups, to redefine water as a primary human right, arguing that clean water at an affordable price is crucial for the public health and stability of the country.
At one protest, students requested an audience with policymakers outside the National Assembly, but parliamentarians responded by accusing Professor Arias of being a terrorist, local news sites reported.
A second march took place outside local Coca Cola headquarters – the company already faces a backlash on account of a nearby bottling plant that uses scarce local water supplies.
An independent report released in 2016 warned that El Salvador will become uninhabitable within 80 years as a result of the current water crisis. The country has the most contaminated water in all of Latin America and the least water per person in the Central American region.
Under a privatised system, many fear that commercial companies could up the price of water per unit, creating a health crisis for thousands of underprivileged communities.
Giving a statement during the protests, Professor Arias asked to be part of the National Congress discussions. "We are not willing to be accomplices of a privatisation project promoted by the [government]," he said.
rachael.pells@timeshighereducation.com
Student death toll rises in Nicaragua after latest police clashes
Ongoing violence in the country's capital forces students to flee the city's largest university campus
By Rachael Pells
São Paulo rector sees no end in sight to Brazil's turmoil
Dramatic cuts to public funding and an exodus of talent in the midst of an economic crisis endanger country's position as a leader in Latin American higher education


Being a part of Erasmus Student Network, our goal is to make your stay in Warsaw even more unforgettable!
By our events we want to give you an opportunity to make new friends, practice your speaking skills but mostly to have a lot of fun.
•	Tandem Evenings - the best way to talk in foreign languages with natives from all over the world. Grab a beer and learn languages in a restful atmosphere!
•	Karaoke nights - every month we're getting a bit crazy by singing our favourite songs all night long!
•	Board games - remember how you loved playing board games when you were a child? Do it again! Relaxing and funny thing to do during your class week.
•	City games - prepared by our most creative minds specially for you! Be a part of Warsaw adventure, so you could explore the city in a different, unusual ways.


Established in 1962, The University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives aims to increase understanding and encourage critical thinking about cooperatives by fostering scholarship and mutual learning among academics, the cooperative community, policy makers, and the public. One key project is its Annual Cooperative Business Survey, which collects basic financial data from cooperatives to provide a baseline for understanding financial management across cooperatives sectors. The Center also houses the Torgerson Cooperative Library, which maintains one of the largest cooperative collections in the world.


Running 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26, the Mayfair Juried Art Show in Zenith Park will feature work from new and well-known artists and will showcase jewelry, fine art, sculptures, pottery, and handcrafted pieces. In addition to breathtaking art, the festival includes new vendors this year and booths for children.
Following the festival, at 7:30 p.m., the Cloudcroft Light Opera Company will perform a special melodrama in the Zenith Park Pavilion.
For more information on the Mayfair Juried Art Show, visit http://coolcloudcroft.com/mayfair/. For more information on all there is to see and do in Cloudcroft or to plan a visit, go to http://coolcloudcroft.com.


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New e-resources
Announcements, E-Resources / By Meg Kribble
The Harvard Library has an astounding number of resources, with new titles coming in every day! For help efficiently navigating it all, make an appointment to meet with a librarian or contact the Reference Desk.
Among our newest e-resources:
Note: "about" descriptions are taken from the resources themselves.
ACADIA (Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture)
Publications from The Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, an international network of digital design researchers and professionals that facilitates critical investigations into the role of computation in architecture, planning, and building science, encouraging innovation in design creativity, sustainability, and education.
Apabi Chinese Art Museum Picture Database
Chinese E-book Treasure House is a professional Chinese E-content integrated service platform launched by Beijing Founder Apabi Technology Limited. With a formidable collection of E-content, ranging from the majority of books published since the founding of the People's Republic of China, various newspapers of all levels in China, yearbooks, reference books, pictures and other characteristic resource products, made available to readers, Chinese E-book Treasure House is dedicated to provide prime online reading, full article search, offline borrowing, mobile reading, download, printing and other convenient e-services to an array of clients like libraries, enterprises, governments, common readers, etc.
Atlanta Constitution 1946-1984
Archives from Atlanta's metropolitan daily newspaper.
BrowZine
View top journals from your field in the BrowZine Scholarly Journal Room. BrowZine is a browsable newsstand of the library's top journals. Easily discover, read, and monitor the key journals in your field.
Chinese Genealogy Zhongguo pu die ku 中国谱牒库
Chinese Philosophy & Religion Classics Zhongguo jing dian ku 中国经典库
CNKI. China Monographic Series Full-text Database 中国学术辑刊
Monographic Series is a complete set of proceedings published irregularly by academic institutions. CCJD is the sole academic monographic series full-text database in China. It has collected 588 titles and189011 full-text articles by now. Most of the publishers of the journals included in CCJD are higher education colleges, universities and academic institutions, which have high academic qualities and publish excellent papers, with strong expert knowledge and academic leading characters in each area.
CNKI. China Yearbooks Full-text Database 中国年鉴全文数据库
CYFD is the largest and continuously updated yearbooks full-text database in China. It covers various fields, including basic national conditions, geography, history, politics, military, diplomacy, law, economy, science technology, education, culture, sports, medical health, social life, figures, statistical material, documentary standard and regulations, etc. It has collected 2,828 titles and 22,756 volumes of yearbooks by now.
CuminCAD (Cumulative Index of Computer Aided Architectural Design)
CumInCAD is a cumulative index of publications about computer aided architectural design. It includes bibliographic information about over 12,300 records from journals and conferences such as ACADIA, ASCAAD, CAADRIA, eCAADe, SiGraDi, CAAD futures, DDSS and others. All papers include full abstracts. Full texts, in PDF, of some 9,600 papers are also available.
Doing Bayesian Data Analysis, Second Edition: A Tutorial with R, JAGS, and Stan
There is an explosion of interest in Bayesian statistics, primarily because recently created computational methods have finally made Bayesian analysis obtainable to a wide audience. Doing Bayesian Data Analysis: A Tutorial with R, JAGS, and Stan provides an accessible approach to Bayesian data analysis, as material is explained clearly with concrete examples. The book begins with the basics, including essential concepts of probability and random sampling, and gradually progresses to advanced hierarchical modeling methods for realistic data. Included are step-by-step instructions on how to conduct Bayesian data analyses in the popular and free software R and WinBugs. This book is intended for first-year graduate students or advanced undergraduates. It provides a bridge between undergraduate training and modern Bayesian methods for data analysis, which is becoming the accepted research standard. Knowledge of algebra and basic calculus is a prerequisite.
International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (Second Edition)
Latin America in Video
Latin America in Video offers quality original language documentaries from some of the most important producers and independent filmmakers in Latin America. The films were produced in Latin America, by Latin Americans, about Latin American issues, such as cultural identity, political history, human rights, popular culture, agribusiness, education, religion, and much more. It brings a comprehensive, exclusive and unique perspective on the region to any library.
Newsday 1940-1986
This historical newspaper provides genealogists, researchers and scholars with online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.
Online Music Anthology
A-R Editions' Online Music Anthology is an extensive collection of examples designed expressly for music history courses. A-R's Online Music Anthology contains many more pieces than print anthologies, all newly engraved and available online by subscription. (A-R offers complimentary access to instructors, pending approval of their requests.) Instructors can adapt the contents of the Online Music Anthology for use in a variety of courses, like any print anthology, but as an online resource, it is more powerful.
Révolution et l'Empire = Revolution and the Empire
This collection contains the complete works of the greatest historians of the nineteenth century, or 155 works, 1789-1815. Among the authors in this collection include: Aulard, Barante, Louis Blanc, Buchez, Jaures, Lamartine, Michelet, Quinet, Thiers or Tocqueville.
Scotsman 1817-1950
SBRnet: Sports Business Research Network
SBRnet's unique approach to research allows its users to focus on any one aspect of the market or on all segments, depending on a specific assignment or project. These aspects include but aren't limited to current and historic TV viewership; social media usage; mobile device viewership; sport participation trends; apparel, footwear and equipment purchasing, gender issues in sport, financial trends, and youth sports, to name the most frequently used portions of SBRnet's database. The more a sport business solution is based on current market data, the more likely it is to succeed.
tralac Trade Law Centre
tralac engages in applied trade law and policy analysis, with the aim of addressing the most pressing trade matters for countries in the region. Our research is presented in different formats: news articles, electronic newsletters, trade briefs, working papers, and monographs.
You can also view our list of recently activated e-journals.


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For Patty Jenkins, Making Wonder Woman Was Literally a Dream Come True
Patty Jenkins Wonder Woman Interview August 2017
August 31, 2017 by Quinn Keaney
"She inspires me still," Patty Jenkins says of Wonder Woman. She's huddled around a table with a small group of journalists in a New York City hotel to discuss the superhero film's upcoming DVD release, and her love for the iconic character is palpable. "Ever since she did when I was a kid, to be all things that I want to be: to have love and to have weakness, to have a sense of humor and have greatness, and to think for yourself."
It's clear that Jenkins, who's sitting next to the film's scene-stealing Lucy Davis, still can't believe she was given the utter privilege to direct a movie about a character she grew up idolizing. "The fact that she's so thoughtful about her use of power, and it's not glorious . . . it's serious the way she walks into it. I think, honestly, it's a spiritual model that I believe in . . . Making movies about stuff that you believe in always helps you be a better person, but when it's someone you would aspire to be, even more so it makes you think about your choices."
It wouldn't be right to call Wonder Woman's insane success over the Summer a surprise — as one of the DC Extended Universe's big-budget, superhero tent poles, it was always going to be a box office hit no matter what critics thought of it, if Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad were any indication. What people probably weren't expecting, though, was just how big of a triumph the film has become.
Not only has Wonder Woman's earnings surpassed more than a few male-driven superhero movies, but the Jenkins-directed, Gal Gadot-led flick got an overwhelmingly warm reception from both critics and fans. In such uncertain times, it's ended up being a much-needed source of inspiration and empowerment not just for women but also for anyone who's ever felt unsure of themselves.
"The idea of having that kind of communion with other people through a shared experience of something I made, and they saw, is unbelievable. That's art. That's what I'm here for."
"We did something for iTunes last night, and a guy stood up, and he didn't feel comfortable talking," Jenkins recalls. "But oh my god, wow. Something spoke to you so much that, even though you are so uncomfortable speaking, you feel compelled to do it? How incredible. I would have not been able to do it when I was that kid. The idea of having that kind of communion with other people through a shared experience of something I made, and they saw, and all of us made together is unbelievable. That's art. That's what I'm here for."
4 Wonder Woman Scenes That Could Have Been Very Different If They'd Been Directed by a Man
Our chat with the director, who's still in talks to direct the highly anticipated sequel, came just a day before Terminator director James Cameron made some bafflingly off-the-mark comments that asserted Sarah Connor is a stronger female character than Wonder Woman because she's "troubled" and "not a beauty icon." Although Jenkins couldn't have possibly known his comments were coming, she actually spoke at length about why Wonder Woman is taken seriously despite her decision to steer the film away from being gritty and dark, like Man of Steel and the Dark Knight trilogy.
"I came in very definitively only wanting it [to have a lighter tone]. The choice of me [as director] became the choice for that tone. [Making a gritty Wonder Woman] probably was a conversation, and I peripherally heard of some of that. I always believed that Wonder Woman is not dark. If ever there's a place for a dark superhero, great. Do it. But that's not Wonder Woman to me. That's not a way I would want to make Wonder Woman," she says. "I love this genre, which I feel is almost a little bit of a pocket that nobody else is doing, which is the grand, classic Superman superhero; a totally sincere love story. So I was like, if not Wonder Woman, who? She's a great opportunity to do that because that's what she really stands for. I was very clear about what I wanted to do and very supported."
Of course, after Cameron's comments went public, Jenkins shared her unfiltered thoughts on the matter with a tweet. After pointing out that multidimensional female characters come in all shapes and sizes, she noted that "there is no right and wrong kind of powerful woman. And the massive female audience who made the film a hit it is, can surely choose and judge their own icons of progress." Though the 2017 Wonder Woman audience is a vocal one, it's no secret that the Diana Prince character has been around for years. The immensity of her legacy is one that Jenkins is still coming to terms with, she tells us. Fortunately, there's one person who's gone through the same situation, one whom Jenkins regularly turns to for support: Lynda Carter, who played Wonder Woman on TV and whom Jenkins talks to "two or three times" a week.
"There will forever be kids who are touched by Wonder Woman, who will talk to me about my version of Wonder Woman."
"It's pretty incredible that it's only now dawning on me as I see that Wonder Woman will go on into the future. It's interesting that there will forever be kids who are touched by Wonder Woman, who will talk to me about my version of Wonder Woman. And there's a version of Wonder Woman that I think is important to carry on," Jenkins explains. "Lynda was just saying, it's so lovely that she doesn't feel so lonely anymore, that it's like there are others of us who are trying to protect the gates of Wonder Woman. Not belonging to any of us, but being something that we will forever want represented in a beautiful way."
A Delightful Sneak Peek at the Wonder Woman Epilogue Blesses Us With More Etta Candy
People like Cameron might not be able to understand the true impact Jenkins and Gadot's Wonder Woman has had, but they don't have to. Wonder Woman has done just fine without them and will continue to for quite some time. The digital release of Wonder Woman is set for Aug. 29, and the DVD will follow a few weeks later on Sept. 19. On top of that, Gadot will reprise the character in Justice League this November (though Jenkins says she's had little to no input on how Diana will be portrayed), and then it's another long wait until the Wonder Woman sequel hits theaters in December 2019. In other words, don't expect the fervor to die down anytime soon.
"You would think a movie would come out, and it would be as successful as it was, the end," Jenkins adds. "But now, I've realized, 'No, this conversation will have different resonance going forward that will continue.' It's never going to stop. It's kind of cool."
Image Source: Everett Collection
Celebrity InterviewsWonder WomanMoviesCelebrity QuotesPatty Jenkins
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Richard Lipp :: Photographer
Some Feeling
Not Art
Richard Lipp is a photographer based in Melbourne, Australia.
Graduating from RMIT University with a Bachelor of Fine Art majoring in Photography and Sound, Lipp's work is highly considered and meticulously executed on both conceptual and technical levels.
Enjoying success nationally with exhibitions in both public and private galleries in Victoria and Western Australia, in 2011 Richard was published in an art history book titled New Romantics: Darkness and Light in Australian Art by Simon Gregg (Australian Scholarly Publishing).
Preferred format for image capture is a medium format Mamiya RB67, using analogue film ( pictured, right).
Lipp continues to explore the landscape from an emotion driven perspective, creating exposures that shed light on his relationship with himself and the environment he is drawn to explore.
"I try to photograph things that can't be seen, and instead, felt."
Photo: Movana Chen


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5 ways to secure FHBs and consolidate the property market
25th March, 2019 | PIPA In the News
Keeping first home buyers afloat means protecting the one source of growth in the Australian property market at present, but the federal opposition's tax changes could soon change this. One property expert explains there's five better ways to help these buyers.
Current data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) puts the proportion of first home buyers above its historical average, currently sitting at 17.9 per cent as of January 2019 – consistent with the average proportion of properties financed to first home buyers over 2018 (also 17.9 per cent).
Peter Koulizos, chairman of the Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA), said that with strong first home buyer activity propping up the struggling property market, the federal opposition's proposed changes to negative gearing and Capital Gains Tax could make property even more affordable for first home buyers, but would do so at the expense of the rest of the market.
"I truly believe that first home buyers must get assistance to get into the property market because it is good for them, good for the property market, good for the economy and good for the whole community," Mr Koulizos said.
"However, there are better ways to assist first-timers than causing everyone's property price to drop [just] to seemingly make it cheaper and easier for them to get into the market."
He offered five recommendations to support first home buyers without hitting the wider property market as a result:
1. Open up the FHOG
The First Home Owner Grant aims to provide extra funding for the purchase of a first home, but has been limited to only new properties, which account for just 2 per cent of purchases.
Meanwhile, PIPA research indicates that four in five (80 per cent) first home buyers purchase established properties.
"While restricting the grant to new properties was no doubt a strategy to assist the construction sector, it is very difficult to make housing more affordable for all when you are only focusing on just two per cent of all properties," Mr Koulizos said.
"State governments should extend the FHOG to include established properties, so we are not forcing first home buyers to buy new dwellings, which are generally found on the urban fringes, or new units, which tend to be tiny apartments.
"It's unfair that first home buyers are almost being forced to buy a new property, which history shows us also won't grow as much in value as an existing one."
2. Restrict the FHOG
While opening up the grant in terms of property type, Mr Koulizos also suggested it be restricted in terms of eligibility: by making it only applicable for "reasonably priced" property, and that it be means tested.
"In other words, it should only be available to those on a reasonable income," he said.
"Households who are on an annual income of $250,000 per year don't need as much assistance as those who are on $70,000."
3. Raise the FHOG
The FHOG has lagged behind the rate of housing price increases in recent years.
For example, when it was introduced in 2000, the NSW FHOG was at $7,000, which comparised to a Sydney median house price of $287,000. However, fast track 19 years, and property prices have increased by a much greater rate than the grant– notwithstanding temporary boosts such as during the GFC or to stimulate the building sector.
The original $7,000 grant was about 2.4 per cent of the Sydney median house price of $287,000 in 2000.
Today in 2019, the grant is now at $10,000 and only applicable for new property, but Sydney's median house price has shot up to $840,000.
"It's clear that the grant needs to be increased to reflect today's property prices, not what they cost nearly two decades ago," Mr Koulizos said.
"Also, a Productivity Commission report found long ago that grants do not increase property prices by the same amount.
"The FHOG's function has always been to help first-time buyers save a deposit."
4. Give FHBs interest free loans
An alternative to changing for FHOG operate is to instead give first home buyers an interest free loan, Mr Koulizos said, as it could be more easily funded than a grant.
Mr Koulizos hypothesised that it could assist first home buyers to save a 20 per cent deposit and avoid paying lenders mortgage insurance.
"When the first home owner sells their property, they need to pay back the amount they borrowed," he said.
"If they sell their property in 30 years, the amount they pay back will seem insignificant, but for those who sell within, say, 10 years, the payback is still a reasonable amount.
"This money can then go back into a pool of government funds that is used specifically for interest-free loans for other first home buyers."
5. Shared equity schemes
Mr Koulizos' fifth suggestion was to set up shared equity schemes, which are gaining traction in some states already.
Under a shared equity scheme, the government, when selling a property it owns, would retain a share of the property.
"Instead of selling on the open market, they make their homes available to purchase to a certain section of the market, who need to meet income and asset criteria, for, say, $400,000 and the state government retains $100,000 equity," Mr Koulizos explained.
"In this example, the government has a 20 per cent share of the property.
"The purchaser of the property can either buy out the state government's share at some stage or, alternatively, they need to give them 20 per cent of the proceeds when the property is sold."
Sasha Karen, Smart Property Investment, 26 March 2019
https://www.smartpropertyinvestment.com.au/research/19366-5-ways-to-secure-fhbs-and-consolidate-the-property-market


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Q: Cassandra pattern for modeling columns with mutable keys This is my first week with Cassandra :)
I'm doing a gamey sort of application which should be able to service millions of users across the world, and Cassandra seems like a good bet for the data store.
Modeling for fast reads is fun! But I also have some concerns about whether or not I'm going down the right path with regards to some things, and this is one of those things.
Consider this CF:
CREATE TABLE leaderboard (
    user_id timeuuid,
    year int,
    month int,
    week int,
    country varchar,
    name varchar,
    above_threshold boolean,
    predictions_count int,
    correct_predictions_count int,
    accuracy_percentage float,
    PRIMARY KEY ((year, month, week, country), above_threshold,
    accuracy_percentage, correct_predictions_count, user_id)
) WITH CLUSTERING ORDER BY (above_threshold DESC, accuracy_percentage
  DESC, correct_predictions_count DESC);
CREATE INDEX user_id ON leaderboard(user_id);

As its name states, it stores leaderboard data, using a bitmap index pattern to allow fetching leaderboards for any year and/or month and/or week globally or in a specific country, e.g.
SELECT userId, name, country FROM leaderboard WHERE year=2013 AND
month=0 AND week=0 AND country='' LIMIT 10;

This would fetch the top ten global leaderboard. The data stored here is the accuracy of a user's predicted outcomes on a number of events. The "above_threshold" boolean signifies whether the current score qualifies as a rankable score. Put simply, a 100% average based on just one prediction normally won't qualify the user to rank on the first place — he or she would have to have made more predictions to qualify. On the other hand, at the beginning of a new time period, we don't want to have an empty leaderboard until users have made enough predictions to qualify for ranking there, so I've added the "above_threshold" flag and made it the primary decisor in the compound column key so that non-qualifying ranks are allowed in the top of the leaderboard so long as there aren't enough qualifying ranks to fill it.
Anyway! :) Given the quite large truth table for the bitmap index row key, there's gonna be quite a few writes here when data is inserted and changed. I know writes are fast, so I'm not too concerned about that.
My concern has to do with updating existing scores. When an event takes place, my application will distribute scores to all those users that have made a prediction on that event. This means updating the leaderboard entries in a large part of the columns for each of those users. And furthermore, since we're not allowed to change the primary key, I'll have to delete the old scores, then insert the new ones.
This seems a bit ... ugly to me. I can't think of a better way to do it, though. Logically, it'd be nice to have rows as in the above table, and then a column key per 1/10th of a percentage point (i.e. 100.0, 99.9 ... 0.0) with each column containing the number of users currently at that score and then a map of all those users' ids and names. But adding and removing users from that map would be a performance nightmare, not to mention the 64K items limit on Cassandra collections. Querying for a top-something leaderboard would also be ugly as far as I can predict.
So what do you think? Have I overcomplicated things here, am I still to relational in my mindset, or is this acceptable Cassandra-style data modeling for such a usecase?
UPDATE; as requested, here's the current implementation. It's a bit different from my initial stab at it, as I needed something atomic for safely counting, i.e. counters, and mixing counters with non-counters outside the primary key in a CF is (was?) a no-go. It's been a while since I last dealt with this code, so I'm hazy about all the details. Either way, this is the schema definition for my user scoring CF:
CREATE TABLE "scoreCounters" (
    "userId" text,
    "year" int,
    "month" int,
    "week" int,
    "day" int,
    "friendId" text,
    "games" counter,
    "gamesWon" counter,
    "predictions" counter,
    "hits" counter,
    "globalRank" counter,
    "countryRank" counter,
    PRIMARY KEY ("userId", "year", "month", "week", "day", "friendId")
) WITH
CLUSTERING ORDER BY ("year" ASC, "month" ASC, "week" ASC, "day" ASC) AND
COMPACTION = { 'class': 'LeveledCompactionStrategy' } AND
GC_GRACE_SECONDS = 864000 AND
COMMENT = '
= All the counters belonging to a user and all of her friends over the span of
  her history with us, ordered and clustered by periods in time in a matrix
  primary key. When a counter is incremented or decremented, it is done in five
  places, covering all-time, yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily scores. Zeroes
  are used for "wildcard" positions in the matrix.

  This is replicated to the partition of every known friend, making fetching the
  leaderboard of any one user for any particular period in time a single SELECT.

  Note that we do not store names here, as they would be required to be part of
  the clustering key, effectively making them immutable.

  Also note that the date parts are UTC dates, so roll over is at midnight UTC.

  IMPORTANT: Week 1 will more often than not appear twice in a year, once in
  January, and once in December. This means that weekly counters on week 1 in
  the month of December may still be incremented until the end of the week in
  the year that follows. Similarly, weekly scores in the first week in January
  may already contain counters collected in the same week in December the
  previous year.

  The same holds for week 52 or 53, when it continues into the following year.

  This way, you never have to do two reads to get the weekly score. But on the
  other hand, you should know that if you add all weekly scores together, you
  will get a higher count than what is accumulated for that year.

  You should also make sure that if you iterate over the counters for each week
  in a year, the first week may not be 1, but 52 or 53 (in January), and the
  last one might not be 52 or 53.

* games, gamesWon, predictions, and hits (# correct predictions) are the
  basis of all ranking and scoring statistics.

* globalRank and countryRank are the most recently calculated ranks for the
  user on the global and regional leaderboards.
';

Actually, I have two CFs, and I don't recall if I use both or them or just the following... Sorry for the half-assed addendum here :/
CREATE TABLE "userCounters" (
    "userId" text,
    "year" int,
    "month" int,
    "week" int,
    "day" int,
    "games" counter,
    "gamesWon" counter,
    "predictions" counter,
    "hits" counter,
    "globalRank" counter,
    "countryRank" counter,
    PRIMARY KEY ("userId", "year", "month", "week", "day")
) WITH
CLUSTERING ORDER BY ("year" DESC, "month" DESC, "week" DESC, "day" DESC) AND
COMPACTION = { 'class': 'LeveledCompactionStrategy' } AND
GC_GRACE_SECONDS = 864000 AND
COMMENT = '
= All the counters belonging to a user, ordered and clustered by periods in time
  in a matrix primary key. When a conuter is incremented or decremented, it is
  done in five places, covering all-time, yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily
  scores. Zeroes are used for "wildcard" positions in the matrix.

  Note that the date parts are UTC dates, so roll over is at midnight UTC.

  IMPORTANT: Week 1 will more often than not appear twice in a year, once in
  January, and once in December. This means that weekly counters on week 1 in
  the month of December may still be incremented until the end of the week in
  the year that follows. Similarly, weekly scores in the first week in January
  may already contain counters collected in the same week in December the
  previous year.

  The same holds for week 52 or 53, when it continues into the following year.

  This way, you never have to do two reads to get the weekly score. But on the
  other hand, you should know that if you add all weekly scores together, you
  will get a higher count than what is accumulated for that year.

  You should also make sure that if you iterate over the counters for each week
  in a year, the first week may not be 1, but 52 or 53 (in January), and the
  last one might not be 52 or 53.

* games, gamesWon, predictions, and hits (# correct predictions) are the
  basis of all ranking and scoring statistics.

* globalRank and countryRank are the most recently calculated ranks for the
  user on the global and regional leaderboards.
';

Here's the node.js code used to increment the counters (prepares queries for async and node-cassandra-cql:
/**
 * Generates queries for incrementing (or decrementing, when given negative values) user counters.
 *
 * As noted in the schema, certain weeks (1, 52, and 53) will sometimes span two years, in December and January.
 *
 * To ensure that we can always read once to get the counters we want in the time frame that we want, we update
 * weekly counters on such weeks in both years. Or, to put it very precisely: If we're in December, week 1, or
 * January, week 52 or 53, we update the counters on that week on both sides of New Year — just the weekly
 * counters in the other year, mind you, not the monthly nor yearly ones.
 *
 * @param   {string}    userId      User's id
 * @param   {object}    counters    Hash of counter keys to increment and the integer amounts by which to do so.
 * @param   {Date}      date        Date instance representing the time for when to increment the counters.
 * @param   {function}  queries     (optional) array to add queries to if you prefer that to handling the return value.
 * @return  {Array}                 Queries array (same as the queries argument if given).
 */
module.exports.incrementCounters = function (userId, date, counters, queries) {

    var query  = 'UPDATE "userCounters" SET ',
        userId = { hint: 'text', value: userId },
        zero   = { hint: 'int', value: 0 },
        year   = { hint: 'int', value: date.getUTCFullYear() },
        month  = { hint: 'int', value: date.getUTCISOMonth() },
        week   = { hint: 'int', value: date.getUTCWeek() },
        day    = { hint: 'int', value: date.getUTCISODay() };

    if (!(queries instanceof Array))
        queries = [];

    for (var counter in counters)
        query += '"'+counter+'" = "'+counter+'" + '+counters[counter]+',';

    query = query.substr(0, query.length-1)+' WHERE "userId" = ? AND year = ? AND month = ? AND week = ? AND day = ?';

    queries.push({ query: query, params: [userId, zero, zero, zero, zero] });
    queries.push({ query: query, params: [userId, year, zero, zero, zero] });
    queries.push({ query: query, params: [userId, year, month, zero, zero] });
    queries.push({ query: query, params: [userId, year, month, week, zero] });
    queries.push({ query: query, params: [userId, year, month, week, day] });

    /* Check if we should also add to this week for last year. */
    if (month.value === 1 && week.value > 51) {
        log.debug && log.debug('Incrementing weekly user score counters for this week next year, as the current week spans New Year');

        queries.push({
            query  : query,
            params : [userId, { hint: 'int', value: year.value-1 }, { hint: 'int', value: 12 }, week, zero]
        });
    }
    /* Or for the coming year. */
    if (month.value === 12 && week.value === 1) {
        log.debug && log.debug('Incrementing weekly user score counters for this week last year, as the current week spans New Year');

        queries.push({
            query  : query,
            params : [userId, { hint: 'int', value: year.value+1 }, { hint: 'int', value: 1 }, week, zero]
        });
    }

    return queries;
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Ty Peggie is a pretty stone barn conversion, beautifully renovated and thoughtfully designed, set down an unmade private drive on the Eastwood Estate on the outskirts of the popular market town of Narberth and only a short drive from the stunning coastline at Saundersfoot.
One of three properties converted from agricultural buildings on this estate nestling in rolling countryside and surrounded by stunning mature indigenous trees, it is adjacent to the owner's holiday home. Step into the light open-plan living space with vaulted ceilings and beams, it is beautifully furnished in a perfect mix of antique and contemporary unusual pieces in natural tones that reflect the rural surroundings with comfortable seating, dining table and modern well-equipped fitted kitchen. The hallway leads to two charming compact well-appointed bedrooms each with their own high quality ensuites, stairs take you to two further bedrooms nestling in the eaves with some restricted headroom, again with ensuites, the twin room is galleried over the sitting room.
The sitting room opens to the enclosed rear garden, enjoy an alfresco meal on the large gravel terrace a delightful spot with steps up to a sloping lawned area. Good walks abound in this area - at the end of the drive join the Knight's way and explore Canaston Woods and Blackpool Mill.
Narberth nearby has a wonderful selection of popular pubs, restaurants, boutique shops and antique markets to sample and is only a few minutes drive away. For that treat or special occasion enjoy a meal at The Grove Hotel just a few minutes away. There are a number of family attractions including The Blue Lagoon which has a spa for real pampering, Oakwood Theme Park and Folly Farm, all within a short drive while to the south less than 20 minutes away lie the pretty seaside towns of Saundersfoot and Tenby with their beautiful, sandy beaches and seaside restaurants. Join the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path to explore the stunning coastline of southern Pembrokeshire on foot. For golf enthusiasts there is a course on your doorstep at Heronsbrook or alternatively try the courses at Tenby.
Ty Peggie is a delightful quality holiday home to enjoy whatever the season.
Ground Floor: Open plan lounge/kitchen/diner, hall, single room/ensuite shower room/whb/wc, cloakroom/whb/wc, utility room, double room/king size bed/ensuite bathroom/whb/wc.
First Floor: Restricted headroom - Double room/king size bed/ensuite shower room/whb/wc, twin room galleried over the living area/ensuite bathroom/whb/wc.
Facilities: Electric hob, eye-level oven, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washer/dryer, 3 TVs, DVD player, WiFi, towels, patio furniture.
Narberth Museum is a great visit for all the family, learn all about the history of Pembrokeshire's little market town. With it's own bookshop and cafe, you can easily spend an afternoon here learning all about local history.
The Golden Sheaf is located in the market town of Narberth. They sells quirky, unusual and unique homewhere, decor, gifts and exhibits and sells local art, ironwork, textiles and ceramics.
The Queens Hall is a live gig venue. All genre of music is covered and is the venue is home for their very successful Comedy Club. The Queens Hall host a vast amount of events that happen daily, monthly and weekly and depending on the time of year. It also has a film club and cimena listings as well as a cafe and gallery that displays works from Pembrokeshire artists and further afield.
Located in The Queens Hall. A terrific products on offer have grown to fill the hall and now include, bread and cakes, locally produced cheese, free range eggs, jam and chutney, organic veg, plants as well as a wide range of excellent hand-made crafts and gifts.
Known to be one of the best days out in West Wales, Oakwood has a range of rides and attractions for all the family. Be brave and feel the adrenaline buzz on rides such as Megaphobia, Speed and Vertigo or get went on Hydro! Circus Land and Mini Golf are perfect for the little ones. If spooky is your thing, you're definitely in for a treat with Spooky 3D. Head to the newest attraction at the park, Neverland where you can visit Skull Rock, the Jolly Roger and Tink's Flying School, or go on a Neverland Chase, a Crocodile Coaster or even a Lost Boys Adventure! Make sure to keep updated with Special Events they offer throughout the year, such as their Oakwood After Dark where the park stays open til late, all the rides are illuminated and they put on a fantastic firework display!
Please Note: Dogs are not permitted into the park, but there are free holding kennels available on a first come first served basis. They do ask for a refundable £5 deposit, and advise you bring along a bed/blanket plus a bowl and water. You are allowed to leave the park as many times as you wish to check on your dog.
Pembrokeshire Wake Park is one of Pembrokeshire's newest attractions and offers an exciting new watersport to the Pembrokeshire waters! Wakeboarding is a mix between surfing and water skiing in that you use a board to skim along the water. adding in jumps and flips when you're a little bit more confident! They offer everything from beginner sessions at £40 to progression sessions at £99. You can also buy family packs, day passes, ride passes, memberships, jam sessions and bulk buys! Their options allow you an introduction to the sport, an opportunity to advance your skills and socialise with other wakeboarders. You can even book birthday parties!
But that's not all. You can also opt for a Ringo Ride for £25 where you can speed up and down the lake in a large inflatable shaped like a donut or try your hand at Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga, these run weekly and cost £17pp.
Spectators are welcomed, the cost to enter the park is free. Booking for all sessions is recommended.
Please Note: Wakeboarders must be 8+ whilst Ringo Riders must be 6+, all must be able to swim at least 25 metres competently and children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Wakeboards, boyancy aids and helmets are included whilst westuits and obstacle wakeboards are available at an additional cost. Wifi will soon be available for visitors.
Bethesda Farm Shop are located near Narberth and offer high quality food in a stunning location. They sell True Taste of Wales award winning local produce and are known for their achievements by Countryside Alliance. Bethesda have a relaxing Coffee Shop offering local homemade cakes, sandwiches, pastries, all-day breakfasts and light lunches. They also have an easy online ordering system to buy their high quality produce. They are open all year round Tueday - Saturday 8.30am - 5.00pm with a beautiful view where you can watch all the animals grazing.
Llawhaden is a 12th Century fortified Bishop's Palace, which was first built as a ringwork castle. If visiting, make sure to check out the ruined chapel of Llawhaden Hospital nearby. Entry is free. Please Note: Dogs must be kept on leads at all times.
Try your hand at fishing, or improve on your hobby whilst on holiday! Why not fish at your leisure, or have a few lessons to improve your skills with a coarse fishing champion. This coarse fishery in Pembrokeshire is one of the best in Wales. They provide the perfect spot for both the experienced angler and the novice. There are three lakes on the site - all easily reached from the road which circles the site. They are well stocked with carp and tench, as well as crucians, bream, golden orfe and golden tench. The pretty fisheries are bordered by the Eastern Cleddau River (you are also able to fish on this river too), where sea trout and salmon can be found.
The Grove's restaurant is surrounded by trees and meadows making it a peaceful setting for a meal whatever time of year. The menu offers a variety of fresh local produce and varies through the seasons with lunch and dinner menus available. Have a cosy afternoon tea next to real log fires, or enjoy an alfresco meal on a warm summers day.
An Award-winning café and tearooms which serve delicious, home-made, organic food. They pride themselves on creating a welcoming, family-friendly environment while serving high quality, locally sourced food to eat in or take-away. From time to time, they host themed nights in the café, such as a Spanish tapas evening or Thai curry night. Please visit their website for more details.
Ultracomida is located in the heart of Narberth. Its a busy small restaurant and delicatessen that offers a wonderful selection of artisan food & cheese and has a great selection of authentic Spanish tapas and a large section of drinks including local beers, cider and wines.
Hotel Plas Hyfryd is set in the centre of the boutique market town of Narberth. Open for breakfast, lunches, evening dinners and Sunday Roast. As well as serving freshly ground Italian coffees and afternoon teas. Or just sit in there traditional lounge bar which serves a broad range of fine wines, soft drinks, spirits and beers, an ideal atmosphere to relax in before or after dinner. They also have a large function room can seat up to 130 guests making it very popular for weddings and larger celebrations.
Enjoy a meal at the Boars Head Inn in Templeton. Families are welcome. This pub has highchairs and childrens menus available. There are also baby changing facilities. There is an outdoor eating area and a playroom where the children can play. There are set menus available as well as a specials boa. Please Note: Dogs are welcome to the outdoors eating area only where there are dog bowls available.
The Bush Inn is a particularly popular local pub situated in the rural village of Robeston Wathen, near to Canaston Bridge. They offer quality home-cooked meals with a children's menu and a senior citizens menu, as well as a carvery option every Wednesday and Sunday lunch time. Booking is advised for the carvery. For those with a sweet tooth, you'll be drawn to their home-cooked desserts on display!
The Snooty Fox serves food daily, making the most of local produce within their menus. Head to this traditional pub for classic pub meals such as fish and chips, or maybe visit for a light lunch? Take the children along to have a play in the outside play park, or maybe make use of their large function room. Please Note: Phoning ahead for lunch opening times is recommended. Dogs allowed in the outside seating area only.
The restaurant at Slebech Park is situated amongst approximately 600 acres, alongside beautiful woodlands and the Dau Cleddau estuary. With an open log fire and a outside terrace, Slebech Park is a place to visit all year round. Open from breakfast through to dinner, you can also visit for lunch or afternoon tea - and there is a separate children's menu to keep the little ones happy. They also take private functions. Booking in advance is advised.
The Peppercorn Restaurant & Grill is a family steakhouse based in the bustling market town of Narberth. They are located on the high street behind the clock tower, on Water Street. They offer quality meat and steak dishes, gourmet burgers, vegetarian dishes, real welsh ciders & ales. They also do a great Sunday lunch which are served between 12 -3pm. Please note: Only guide dogs are allowed in the restaurant.
Market Square Chop House specialises in Prime Dry Aged Steaks all cooked on a charcoal grill. They have a large range of starters including several light dishes as well as some delicious old time favourites. Main courses include classic dishes, such as Barnsley Chop of Salt Marsh lamb, Double Celtic Pride Pork Chop and ample choice of Vegetarian and Gluten free dishes.
Ideal family accommodation with a wow factor!!
Approached from an A-road and approximately 1 mile down narrow country lane and then onto unmade private drive.
Cottage is accessed by 5 bar gate to gravel parking area outside cottage.
Main entrance reached by one step.
Small garden mainly lawned – slight incline.
Level graveled area with patio furniture.
Ground floor facilities include 2 ensuite bedrooms 1 with a shower 1 with a bath. Open plan sitting room/kitchen/dining.
First floor has 2 ensuite bedrooms 1 with a bath 1 with a shower.
T.V operated by remote control.
Public transport local town approximately 2 miles.
How would you like to contact us about Ty Peggie?


30-Aug-2017Manage Your Mind Fashion Show – September 2017 Manage Your Mind are hosting Fashion Show being held in Gillingham this coming September - Enjoy a Fashion Show with live mode..
Medway Council can help organisations to apply for the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
If you do fewer than 100 checks a year you must use a company known as an umbrella body, 100 or more checks a year you can choose to register with DBS or use an umbrella body.
As a registered umbrella body with DBS, Medway Council can offer this checking service to external organisations.
In order to have a DBS check, the organisation is asked to commit to their DBS policy and they will help you to determine is a DBS is required and which level is appropriate. A form is issued to the applicant and once completed a designated person from the organisation will complete the ID Check process and send the form. DBS will then issue the document straight to the applicant. The process can take up to 8 weeks.
How much it costs depends on the type of check.
An Enhanced or Basic Check for a Volunteer would cost £16.80.
A Basic Check for staff would cost £42.80.
An Enhanced Check for staff would cost £60.80.
If you need any further help or if you would like to use their checking service for your organisation, please call HR advice on 01634 332878 or email dbsadvice@medway.gov.uk.


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Why Parents Choose Rainard School for the Gifted
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We understand the unique academic and emotional needs of gifted children. At our school, students from Pre-K through 8th grade learn in an environment designed to challenge them intellectually and meet their emotional needs.
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As a former public school teacher for gifted children I never thought I would send my child to a private school. Yet, the experience of having my own highly gifted child changed everything I thought to be true about education…A RAINARD PARENT
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Cr 173 is a hiking, biking, and horse trail in , Colorado. It is within San Isabel National Forest. It is 10.2 miles long and begins at 7,325 feet altitude. Traveling the entire trail is 10.6 miles with a total elevation gain of 2,542 feet. The Little Rattler Parking parking, the little rattler survey point, and the Arkansas Hills Map information map are near the trailhead.
One of Colorado's best trails, Cr 173 is located near , CO. Trails' printable online topo maps offer shaded and un-shaded reliefs, and aerial photos too. Use topographic maps to find elevation, print high resolution maps, save a PNG, or just learn the topography around Cr 173. You can also get free latitude and longitude coordinates from the topographical map and set your GPS. Premium members can download or print any topo and cover more terrain when you map your Cr 173 route ahead of time.


There's nothing quite like a good old fashioned mystery, especially when it's presented in a point and click adventure game. Getting involved with solving puzzles, interrogating characters and generally just being a sleuth can be a great experience. One third of The Raven lets you experience this; the rest, to be honest, is a bit of a let-down.
King Arts are the developers behind The Raven. You may remember them from such other point and click games as The Book of Unwritten Tales, the sequel to which I covered in a recent Kickstarter article. This is not only an interesting fact, it also allows me to shamelessly plug one of my own articles.
The first chapter of The Raven, Legacy of a Master Thief, begins with the theft of a priceless jewel, the Eye of the Sphinx. We soon learn that the thief, the titular Raven, was supposedly killed several years before by an up and coming French policeman, Nicolas Legrand. So who is this new thief, this person passing themselves off as the famous Raven? All will eventually be revealed, through a somewhat convoluted plot.
The game is set during the 1960's and there are more mystery references than you can shake a murder weapon at. Fans of Agatha Christie especially will get a real thrill out of playing this game and it certainly starts off on the right foot.
After the Museum heist, the action turns to Switzerland, aboard no less than the Orient Express. This is where Christie fans will wet their pants with delight because, as well as the familiar locations, which also involve a cruise ship, they will discover among the eclectic passengers of the train an elderly famous author who writes mystery novels. The whole game seems like an homage to a beloved genre and it is one of the most gratifying things about The Raven.
Players take control of Anton Jakob Zellner, a Swiss policeman, a bit older than middle-aged, and no-one of any particular note. He is, however an avid mystery buff and is overjoyed when he hears Inspector Legrand, the famous Raven killer, is aboard the train (as well as his favourite writer).
His offers to help are refused but after a bit of amateur sleuthing, we discover that the Inspector is transporting the second Eye of the Sphinx to a museum in Cairo, and that he is hoping to lure the Raven into a trap. To say anymore would be to spoil the plot so I'll leave it at that.
At first glances, Zellner may seem an odd choice for an adventure protagonist. His middle-aged spread and plodding ways mean you won't be expecting any high octane chases. But that's not what The Raven is about. It's about plot and character and these are what pulls the game out of mediocrity. Having Zellner as the main playable character is actually a stroke of genius; he is an amateur and you feel like you are really discovering important facts as you go along with him. Sometimes playing as a highly intelligent character, such as Sherlock Holmes, means you are left always trying to live up to something and I, despite my best efforts to build myself a mind palace, am just not that smart.
So Zellner is an inspired choice and I grew to love him. His gentle tones, often heard reminiscing over memories of an object you've discovered, are grandfatherly, and he is a very comfortable person to play as. I would have been very happy playing as him all the way through the chapters of The Raven. Alas, it was not to be. Halfway through the second chapter, you are thrust back to the beginning of the game, this time in the shoes of a different character, to experience events from an alternative perspective.
While I'm generally a fan of this method of storytelling when it's done right, King Arts mess it up. Because not only do you play as a different character in the second chapter, you also play as two completely different characters in the third, never returning to Zellner. And replaying the same locations over and over again feels a bit like you're being cheated.
My experience was marred anyway because I played this game on the Xbox 360. Controlling your character is a chore to say the least. I had Zellner staggering all over the Orient Express like he'd had one too many brandies, bumping into walls and trying not to walk into other characters. Moving the right stick highlights interactive objects but only if you're facing in the right general direction. The point and click controls themselves are fairly straightforward to use and instructions are always highlighted. It's just getting to them that's the problem.
The tutorial is pretty sparse, with no instructions on how to use Zellner's notebook to its full potential or the hint system. This works through spending points you earn as you solve mysteries. A nice touch but not fully explained.
Legacy of a Master Thief has well executed puzzles which are logical when you play through and make you feel a bit smug once you've cracked them. The other two chapters, Ancestry of Lies and A Murder of Ravens, are more adventure based and often require more stretches of the imagination to make the puzzles work. In particular the third chapter doesn't sign post the answers very well and the detailed environments of the game, while pleasing on the eye, make finding objects and focusing on them difficult. You may find yourself engaging in a bit of pixel hunting, which can be tedious and likely to sap your enthusiasm for the story.
But there is a lot to enjoy about The Raven and if, like Zellner, you're a mystery buff, you'll probably be able to overlook these issues in favour of playing through the story and interacting with the characters. This part King Arts does very well and all the characters are well rounded, with interesting back stories. The voice acting is exceptional and there wasn't one character who I disliked talking to or who pulled me out of the story.
The game itself looks divine; it's bright and colourful and each location is beautifully rendered. The way the scenery flashes past on the train and the way the light falls amongst particles of hanging dust in the Cairo museum – these are the things that make me happy. The characters are also well animated, each with their own distinctive movements. Zellner moves a bit like Poirot, with small definite steps, and he moves his head to glance at others as he passes them. It's the little details that help pull you into the game world.
The orchestral score is also very involving but, again, works best in the first chapter. It becomes repetitive as it is reused in the other chapters and often the timing is poor, such as dramatic music over placid conversations and vice versa. It would also have been nice to have a different score for specific locations, like the Cairo museum.
The Raven has a few technical issues and it will depend on your love of mysteries and the game itself as to whether these will be game breakers for you. Most of the time they amount to nothing more than a few glitches and the odd character jumping into a wall in the background but they become more frequent and obvious as you progress through the chapters, making it seem that chapters two and three were rushed out. There isn't the same level of dedication that went into making the first chapter.
The plot is arguably the main aspect of any mystery adventure and The Raven certainly delivers an intricate story. There are pacing issues however. The first chapter is much longer than its successors, with the middle chapter being the shortest, and the sudden switch in characters means there is a climax in the middle of the second chapter, rather than at the end. Admittedly middle chapters are always difficult to get right but with so much going on here, it might not have been too hard to rearrange things a little.
The switch to other playable characters, while a novelty in the second chapter, wears thin in the third. It's clear that King Arts were trying to make something unique and turn the usual mystery tropes on their head but that doesn't quite work for them in the last chapter, where they start to fall back on some of those tropes, reinforcing the idea that Ancestry of Lies and A Murder of Crows were rushed.
Disclosure: Midlife Gamer were provided a digital copy of The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief for review purposes by the promoter. The title was reviewed over the course of two weeks on a Xbox 360. For more information on what our scores mean, plus details of our reviews policy, click here.
This entry was posted on Friday, May 23rd, 2014 at 17:00 and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.


I bring to you, Unquiet Minds. A poetry collection written over the last six years.
This is the link to buy the ebook version from smashwords. The kindle and paperback versions will go live in 72 hours. Keep your eyes on the blog. I will share a link once it is live.
Thank you for your support. Share this book with your friends and followers, please.


text:
Global Markets Forum, The Path of De-Dollarisation
Merian Financials Contingent Capital Fund
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Eight reasons to consider an actively managed 'coco' fund.
EIGHT REASONS
EIGHT REASONS OUR APPROACH THE TEAM INSIGHTS
WHAT IS A 'COCO'?
A "coco" or "contingent convertible" bond is a type of security issued by banks and insurance companies. They were first issued after the financial crisis, and were designed expressly to help ensure that banks are sufficiently well capitalised to survive another severe shock to the global financial system.
THE EIGHT REASONS
These instruments are not inherently as complex as some investors may perceive.
They really have changed.
Glorious yield!
How high?
Coco supply is not endless… so consider buying some before they run out!
Cocos offer a much higher margin of safety than some investors may realise.
NOT BORN EQUAL
Choose your cocos carefully, and understand your risks.
Cocos offer attractive low correlation characteristics.
RATE RESETS
Cocos offer a degree of protection from longer term rate hikes.
COCOS ARE NOT INHERENTLY AS COMPLEX AS SOME INVESTORS MAY PERCEIVE
Anecdotal evidence shows that some investors are unnecessarily avoiding holding cocos because they believe they may be in some way intrinsically more complex than other instruments they are perfectly happy to hold.
We would argue that cocos are, in reality, not much more complex than a normal callable bond – an instrument many fixed income investors would hold without giving the matter so much as a second thought. Indeed, more complex than the instruments themselves is the field of banking regulation – in itself, a strong case for choosing an active coco fund, run by managers with a deep understanding of bank capital structures and banking regulation.
BANKS REALLY HAVE CHANGED
The global financial crisis and its ensuing damage is still raw in our collective memory. In many investors' minds, banks still conjure up images of bloated balance sheets, and a focus on engaging in risky – but potentially high-margin – business.
More than a decade on from the crisis, however, this image simply doesn't reflect the reality of the companies banks have become. Balance sheets have, in many cases, shrunk radically, and the businesses in which many banks engage have been pared back, so that many now focus on core deposit taking and lending business. As a result, banks have, in many cases, become much more like utility businesses, providing necessary but ultimately unexciting services, with much steadier revenues.
CASE STUDY: RBS
What a difference a decade makes…
Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc arguably faced some of the greatest challenges of all major banks in the global financial crisis. A decade on, the bank has a balance sheet that is barely a shadow of its former self, has returned to profitability, and has made significant progress on its stated priority of "simplifying the bank."
YIELD, GLORIOUS YIELD!
When yield accounts for such a high proportion of total investment returns, are you missing out on one of the most attractive yielding assets currently available? Cocos offer a yield broadly equivalent to many much more lowly-rated fixed income instruments, but with significantly lower realised volatility.
Which instrument would you rather own?
As this example shows, by owning cocos, it is possible to achieve an income stream that compares favourably with that which is available from riskier high-yield issuers, but with the credit quality of some of the world's largest and most capitally robust financial institutions.
SUPPLY OF COCOS IS NOT ENDLESS…SO CONSIDER BUYING SOME BEFORE THEY RUN OUT!
The relative newness of cocos as financial instruments may have led some investors to hold back from allocating to them. As a result, net issuance – which has increased quite steadily over the last five years or so – has at least kept up with demand. However, some potential coco investors may not realise that total net issuance is expected to start peaking in the next few years, suggesting a much increased likelihood that demand may start to creep ahead of supply.
COCO "BUFFERS" ARE NOW SIZEABLE OFFERING A MUCH HIGHER MARGIN OF SAFETY THAN SOME INVESTORS MAY REALISE…
In the years since the global financial crisis, European banks have raised approximately €600bn in fresh equity. This has vastly extended the amount of "headroom" holders of cocos enjoy, before there is a risk that their coupons will be turned off, or their investment converted to equity.
CASE STUDY: HSBC
How big is your buffer?
What would it take for an issuer like HSBC's cocos to be "triggered"? It's a fair question, and of course, it could happen, but we believe it to be an extraordinarily unlikely event.
Here's why…
Necessary sequence of events for HSBC's cocos to be converted to equity:
All of HSBC's global profits would need to be reduced to zero.
HSBC would in fact need to make an annual loss of US$46bn before the coupons of its cocos would be switched off, and a further US$19bn loss before its cocos would be converted to equity.
This would appear highly improbable, given that the bank reported pre-tax annual profits even in the immediate aftermath of the worst financial crisis in living memory, and at a time when its capital position was markedly weaker than it is now.
Source: HSBC quarterly figures.
NOT ALL COCOS ARE BORN EQUAL SO CHOOSE CAREFULLY, AND UNDERSTAND YOUR RISKS
The coco investment universe contains dozens of issuers, the majority of which are "household name" European financial services firms. We think that coco investors should focus on high-quality issuers, where there is clear visibility of the issuer's ability to pay coupons. While the asset class can be accessed through ETFs, we believe that investors may not be fully alert to some of the risks of doing so. For example, we currently consider Deutsche Bank cocos to be uninvestable – yet Deutsche Bank's cocos form around 3% of the index tracked by a number of the ETFs in this market.
A GREAT DIVERSIFIER
Cocos have a relatively low, or negative correlation with a number of key asset classes, giving an allocation to them the potential to enhance overall portfolio diversification.
OFFERING A DEGREE OF PROTECTION FROM LONGER TERM RATE HIKES
Cocos offer periodic coupon "resets," meaning that they offer an element of defence against the effect of future interest rate rises. By extension, rising interest rates typically bode well for banks' capital adequacy, as their net interest margins tend to improve in a rising rate environment. The following illustrative graphic shows the effect of a long-term rising rate environment on coco coupon payments.
The Merian Financials Contingent Capital Fund has a robust, structured and repeatable four-stage process. Its aim is to select the highest quality and best value issuers, which in the managers' opinion have the strongest balance sheets and capital generation characteristics. The managers focus on cocos that have the lowest likelihood of missing coupon payments, in their view. Through detailed analysis of available distributable items and by making forecasts of retentions, they seek to predict whether issuers will have sufficient reserves in the future to pay coupons. They also aim to invest in cocos whose likelihood of conversion is remote.
THE FOUR STAGE INVESTMENT PROCESS
CREDIT FUNDAMENTALS
Fundamental, in-depth analysis of the issuers' balance sheets and income statements, combining the strengths of both the Merian Global Investors credit and equity desks.
DISTRIBUTABLE RESERVES
Forecasting whether issuers have sufficient reserves to comfortably pay coupons now and in the future.
BUFFER TO COUPON DEFERRAL
Forecasting issuers' future capital ratios versus future capital requirements, and whether issuers will maintain a healthy capital buffer.
BOND STRUCTURE
Selecting the most attractive bonds from the highest quality issuers.
View the fund's performance and various documents.
VIEW PERFORMANCE VIEW DOCUMENTS
Lloyd Harris and Rob James manage the fund. Lloyd is a member of the Merian Global Investors fixed income team, led by Mark Nash, while Rob is a member of our UK equity team, headed by Richard Buxton. Combining expertise in debt and equity analysis, both fund managers have extensive experience in analysing banks and insurers. Huw Davies, investment director for fixed income, provides additional knowledge and experience in capital markets.
04 Jun 2019 | By Lloyd Harris
Market Minutes: finding value in a little understood asset class
CoCos may not be well-understood, but there are a number of reasons to consider them carefully
23 Apr 2019 | By Lloyd Harris
Santander's coco saga: opportunities amid a storm in a teacup
Recent news coverage of Santander's "cocos" is bewildering, but nevertheless serves to underline the importance of identifying the strongest issuers...


text:
using System;
using System.IO;
using Inbox2.Framework;
using Inbox2.Framework.Interfaces.Enumerations;
using Inbox2.Framework.VirtualMailBox.Entities;
using Inbox2.Platform.Channels.Entities;
using Inbox2.Platform.Framework.Extensions;
using Inbox2.Platform.Interfaces.Enumerations;

namespace Inbox2.Plugins.Documents.Helpers
{
	internal static class DragDropHelper
	{
		public static void UploadFile(string filename)
		{
			var document = new Document
			{
				Filename = Path.GetFileName(filename),
				ContentType = ContentType.Attachment,
				DateCreated = DateTime.Now,
				DateSent = DateTime.Now,
				DocumentFolder = Folders.SentItems
			};

			document.StreamName = Guid.NewGuid().GetHash(12) + "_" + Path.GetExtension(document.Filename);
			document.ContentStream = new FileStream(filename, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.Read);

			EventBroker.Publish(AppEvents.DocumentReceived, document);
		}
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Errant members must be punished, but after being given an opportunity to be heard.
The biggest criticism of our political parties is their apparent lack of internal democracy.
The leaders tend to run these organisations like personal fiefdoms, where decisions are often made with a streak of dictatorship and intolerance.
This is so and yet the parties are often very critical of any flaws in the running of the national government. Indeed, parties have become adept at preaching water and drinking wine.
They must avoid a throwback to the grim days of single-party tyranny.
Parties are governed by rules and regulations. It would, therefore, be illogical to join one if one does not believe in its philosophy.
Sadly, this appears to be the nature of our crude politics, with parties reduced to vehicles for ascent to political office.


text:
326K Reads 6K Votes 27 Part Story
By BramStoker Completed
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Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, "Dracula" tells the story of Dracula's attempt to move from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing.
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVII
Chapter XVIII
Chapter XIX
Chapter XX
Chapter XXI
Chapter XXII
Chapter XXIII
Chapter XXIV
Chapter XXV
Chapter XXVI
Chapter XXVII
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Cover done by @himeko7


Staff in the Spotlight: Jed Crawford - Energy Federation, Inc.
We're kicking off the New Year of Staff in the Spotlight with our Director of Strategic Initiatives, Jed Crawford, who has been a part of the EFI team for 14 years and counting!
Jed's role at EFI has evolved quite a bit since he started. He was originally the Inside Sales and Warehouse lead for the Wisconsin warehouse before moving to Inside Sales and eventually, Outside Sales. In 2012, Jed became the Midwest Regional Sales Manager and then, most recently, the Director of Strategic Initiatives. During his career, Jed was awarded the Art Toleno Award for Top Sales Performer for three consecutive years!
In his current role, Jed works with some of our largest clients and manages our B2B sales team. One of his proudest accomplishments thus far has been getting the opportunity to work on the Focus on Energy – Simple Energy Efficiency program. He has been involved for the past three years and loves supporting a program based in his home state of Wisconsin.
Outside of the office, Jed is a husband and father of three daughters. When he isn't helping his daughters experience and appreciate the "aha" moments in life, Jed is an avid outdoorsman – he loves camping, fishing, hunting, and snowmobiling.
Being an outdoor enthusiast is what motivated him to start a career in the Energy Efficiency space. He loves being able to help customers with their energy efficiency decisions, which ultimately helps conserve natural resources.
This was surely something Jed could get behind as he has taken many measures to integrate energy efficiency in his personal life: LED lighting, water conservation measures, air-sealing and insulation - even installing a Solar Domestic Hot Water heating system!
We applaud your accomplishments here at EFI, Jed! Thank you for your endless dedication to energy efficiency inside and outside of the office!