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2010 June 24 Thursday
Clueless Stanley McChrystal Fired By Clueless Obama
What kinds of guys become US generals? Apparently, guys who need everyone to know that they aren't pussies.
"I'd rather have my ass kicked by a roomful of people than go out to this dinner," McChrystal says.
He pauses a beat.
"Unfortunately," he adds, "no one in this room could do it."
With that, he's out the door.
"Who's he going to dinner with?" I ask one of his aides.
"Some French minister," the aide tells me. "It's fucking gay."
That's from the Roling Stone article that got Stanley McChrystal fired by Barack Obama.
McChrystal probably has an accurate take on Obama. But McChrystal and his aides come across as incredibly foolish for telling a reporter what they really think. Could McChrystal possibly be smart enough to competently direct the US war in Afghanistan while simultaneously being foolish enough to allow a reporter to get the material to write the following paragraph?
Even though he had voted for Obama, McChrystal and his new commander in chief failed from the outset to connect. The general first encountered Obama a week after he took office, when the president met with a dozen senior military officials in a room at the Pentagon known as the Tank. According to sources familiar with the meeting, McChrystal thought Obama looked "uncomfortable and intimidated" by the roomful of military brass. Their first one-on-one meeting took place in the Oval Office four months later, after McChrystal got the Afghanistan job, and it didn't go much better. "It was a 10-minute photo op," says an adviser to McChrystal. "Obama clearly didn't know anything about him, who he was. Here's the guy who's going to run his fucking war, but he didn't seem very engaged. The Boss was pretty disappointed."
The US government is not competent to fight wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Obama's way in over his head. His generals do not show signs of riding the clue train. Americans do not have enough curiosity or ruthlessness about the world to run an empire. The US military ought to withdraw from some of hits far-flung holdings.
Douglas Macgregor makes sense to me.
"The entire COIN strategy is a fraud perpetuated on the American people," says Douglas Macgregor, a retired colonel and leading critic of counterinsurgency who attended West Point with McChrystal. "The idea that we are going to spend a trillion dollars to reshape the culture of the Islamic world is utter nonsense.
Update: The US officers who blabbed to Rolling Stone really did the country a great service. We get to hear what they really think, rather than what the Administration has instructed them to say. So while they were foolish to speak to this Rolling Stone reporter the article is very much worth reading in full to find out more about the US war in Afghanistan and the politics of how the US runs a war than you'd otherwise get a chance to find out.
Ross Douthat relays the argument that during WWII lots of officers including general were sacked for poor performance and the US military improved greatly as a result. But in that war officers sacked other officers and the sackings were rarely over politics or war goals. Who is competent to do the sackings today? Certainly not leftist activist Barack Obama. Both Obama and his generals support a war goal that is absurd on its face. We do not have an objective reasonable goal or a willingness among the politicians or generals to admit to the absurdity.
Share | By Randall Parker at 2010 June 24 06:05 PM Military Warrior Culture
Tschafer said at June 25, 2010 5:52 AM:
It's really hard to imagine Eisenhower or Grant or Lee or Pershing or even the outspoken Patton doing something like this. It's simply not how mature, successful military men behave. Nor do victorious American generals have aides that use phrases like "fucking gay", or give interviews to lightweight, pinko mags like "Rolling Stone". Obama is a complete incompetent, and I feel creepy agreeing with him on anything, but he was probably right to fire McCrystal. I certainly wouldn't want this boasting liberal dweeb who employs Eric Cartmen as an aide as my CO...
Tschafer
Wolf-Dog said at June 25, 2010 7:26 AM:
Randall Parker wrote: "Americans do not have enough curiosity or ruthlessness about the world to run an empire. The US military ought to withdraw from some of hits far-flung holdings."
What was the original reason the US invaded Afghanistan? To suppress terrorist operations.
Who started the terrorist operations in Afghanistan in the first place? Those who wanted to provoke the US to overextend itself by invading distant countries.
Since the provoked war has been successful for the enemies of the US, as soon as the US withdraws from Afghanistan, the terrorist attacks on US soil will probably resume, not so much because we got out of Afghanistan, but to bring us back to Afghanistan.
Black Death said at June 25, 2010 7:41 AM:
George Santayana said that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. How depressing. It seems that every generation is a blank slate that learns nothing from the past. After World War II, Douglas MacArthur, who knew as much about the East as any American, warned us against becoming involved in land wars in Asia. Yet über-liberals JFK and LBJ got involved in the Viet Nam quagmire because they didn't want to "look weak" to Nixon and Goldwater. Jimmy Carter thought that dumping the nasty old Shah would lead to some sort of Jeffersonian democracy in Iran, but instead we got a thuggish Islamic theocracy. Well, whatever the Shah's failings, Iran under his rule was an ally and a force for stability in the Middle East. The current theocratic Iranian government may be planning to start a nuclear war.
Afghanistan in the 19th and early 20th centuries was part of the "Great Game" between the British (in India) and the Russians (coming down from central Asia). Why they wanted it, heaven knows, but they both coveted Afghanistan. Now we may think of the British as all cricket, tea and crumpets, but the people running their Empire were plenty ruthless when they had to be (for example, after the Sepoy Mutiny, captured rebels were strapped to the mouths of cannons and blown apart). Well, three times the British went into Afghanistan, and three times they got their butts kicked out. And does anyone recall nowadays how the Soviets dealt with their opponents? Yet their little incursion into Afghanistan led to disaster for them.
Now the US and friends are in Afghanistan, trying to do - what, exactly? Create a stable democratic government in a country that has never known democracy or stability? Please, let's be serious for a moment. If we want to protect ourselves against Islamic terrorism, the best (and cheapest) way is to keep the Muslims out. Now this isn't very politically correct, and both Bush II and Obama have blathered about "religion of peace," yet, as I look around the Muslim world, I see lots of conflict and not much peace. Not too much democracy either.
I agree completely that, whatever McChrystal's military skills, he certainly doesn't have too much common sense, even if what he says is correct. Lincoln, FDR and Churchill never would have tolerated this sort of thing from their generals, and Obama shouldn't either. But now, almost eighteen months into Obama's presidency, he owns the Afghanistan mess, lock, stock and barrel. Blaming his predecessor just isn't going to fly. Obama faces the same unpleasant situation that Johnson faced in Viet Nam - pull out, admit that the whole mission was a failure, and look foolish and weak, or double down, accept rising casualties and costs, and make the ultimate crash even more severe. This whole thing is going to end very unpleasantly.
WildHeart said at June 25, 2010 5:24 PM:
Got to agree with you, Black Death. Why do we care about Afganistan or any muslim country. Also, Obama will continue to show how bad America is to islam. No doubt about it: "This whole thing is going to end very unpleasantly."
Randall Parker said at June 25, 2010 8:44 PM:
Black Death,
In the Great Game the British wanted to protect India from the Russians. The Brits wanted a northern border that was as far north as possible and didn't want Russians near northwest India.
As for US goals in Afghanistan: Yes, definitely absurd. Yes, the way to protect ourselves from Muslims is to keep out Muslims.
Obama can't really measure generals by their ability to achieve the stated war goals because the war goals are ridiculous. Any competent general would come up short faced with trying to turn Afghanistan into something remotely like a Western secular democracy with individual rights, freedom of expression, an non-corrupt government, and an educated and enlightened citizenry.
Wolf-Dog said at June 25, 2010 11:40 PM:
But nobody answered my question: What will happen after the US withdraws from Afghanistan in 2011? The plan for Afghanistan was an initial "surge" followed by the total evacuation, similar to the plan for Iraq.
Already there are indications that as soon as the US withdraws from Iraq, hell will break loose there.
I suspect that after the US withdraws from Iraq and Afghanistan, there will be a lot of large scale attacks inside the US, similar to 9/11, but the purpose will be to force the US to invade and waste blood and treasure.
Thus my final question is this: After the US evacuates both Iraq and Afghanistan (and Obama will almost certainly do just that before the elections, in order to get re-elected), if what can the US do to avoid invading distant countries without losing the oil fields of Saudi Arabia?
Engineer-Poet said at June 26, 2010 12:34 AM:
The problem with Afghanistan and Waziristan is the Afghans and Waziris.
The solution, while obvious, isn't something anyone wants to admit.
Randall Parker said at June 26, 2010 11:07 AM:
E-P,
If you are referring to partition I proposed it years ago for Iraq and Afghanistan. Break them up into ethnic states. But that goes against the prevailing ethos of our times.


Terry Stiastny is an ex BBC TV journalist who knows Westminster inside out. It shows. Her tight, ingenious novel charts the causes and consequences of a political scandal that could have fallen from the pages of a broadsheet paper.
But this is not a contemporary story. Stiastny has chosen to set her novel in the late nineties, allowing her to explore the full awfulness of the Blairite media machine at its zenith. She also weaves in a very credible Le Carre-esque story of lost Stasi records that conceal more than one damaging secret. She's really nailed the tone of the time, and she paints very realistic pictures of the politicians and journalists of the time; to the point where anyone who was there at the time will be hunting for traces of real personalities behind the richly-drawn characters.
But Acts of Omission is much more than just a 'political thriller'. Its real weight lies in its human stories, as Stiastny takes us unsparingly through the impact of the scandal on a 'beleaguered' politician and his family, with great realism and compassion. And she saves her most moving revelation for the book's final pages. This is one of those brilliant moments where the point-of-view character isn't aware of what they're witnessing. Keep your eyes peeled for it: it brought tears to this reader's eyes.


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Omicron: New covid isolation rules could last until March
Anyone who has contact with a suspected case of the variant must isolate for 10 days
Milo Boyd
A man wearing a face mask walks past a boarded up store in Clumber Street (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)
Covid isolation rules brought in to combat the spread of the new omicron variant could be in place until March, it has been reported.
The new rule means anyone who comes into contact with a suspected case of the covid variant must isolate for 10 days - whether vaccinated or not.
If they don't, they face a £10,000 fine.
According to the Mirror, this measure could last for the next four months.
The new rules will not expire until March 24, under legislation passed yesterday, the Telegraph reports.
It is not guaranteed that the system will remain in place until then however.
If the threat from omicron, which some fear may people able to evade the vaccine, is considered to be lessened, then the rules may be eased.
In Parliament today 33 Tories voted against the new rules, including the former Cabinet
ministers Greg Clark, Jeremy Wright and Esther McVey, as well as Mark Harper, the former chief whip.
Sir Christopher Chope, a Conservative MP who made headlines last month by forcing a debate on whether Owen Paterson should be suspended, criticised the isolation plan.
He said the regulations were "part of a scaremongering propaganda campaign that is really designed to restrict or stop interaction between social animals ".
Other MPs told the Telegraph that they were concerned the rules would lead to a "pandemic" and people cancelling Christmas parties to avoid going into isolation.
At his press conference today the PM told Brits not to cancel Christmas plans - and stressed there is no immediate lockdown threat.
Boris Johnson said he wanted to take a "balanced and proportionate" approach to omicron, which has now seen confirmed UK cases rise to 22.
There are 13 in England, with nine in London.
His intervention came after the head of the UK's Health Security Agency, Dr Jenny Harries, urged people not to socialise if they do not need to in the run-up to Christmas.
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said uncertainty caused by such remarks was "extremely frustrating".
He said: "At the very moment operating costs are at their highest, we are now faced with another poorly conceived communications strategy from Government which has and will severely impact businesses.
"Christmas bookings and advance ticket sales have already been hit following the announcement of the new Omicron variant.
"The Government needs to recognise that, while restrictions are not in place for the hospitality and night-time economy sectors, we are reliving the moments of March 2020 where the Prime Minister asked people not to go to pubs, bars, clubs and theatres.
"It is surreal and extremely frustrating to see healthcare advisers publicly telling people not to socialise, giving unnecessary uncertainty to our customers and workforce."
'Further action' planned as Nottingham tram staff reject pay offer
Police warning over reports Nottinghamshire school pupils followed by a van

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Het Jayawijayagebergte ligt in de Indonesische provincie Papoea op het eiland Nieuw-Guinea. Het gebergte vormt het oostelijke gedeelte van het  Maokegebergte (het "Sneeuwgebergte"). De hoogste bergtoppen zijn de Puncak Trikora ("Julianatop", 4730 m) en de Puncak Mandala ("prins Hendriktop", 4640 m). Het Jayawijayagebergte heette in de Nederlandse koloniale tijd (tot 1962) het  Oranjegebergte.

Gebergte in Indonesië
Geografie van Papoea

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Do dolphins deserve special status?
From the London Times:
"Dolphins have long been recognized as among the most intelligent of animals but many researchers had placed them below chimps, which some studies have found can reach the intelligence levels of three-year-old children. Recently, however, a series of behavioral studies has suggested that dolphins, especially species such as the bottlenose, could be the brighter of the two. The studies show how dolphins have distinct personalities, a strong sense of self and can think about the future.
"'Many dolphin brains are larger than our own and second in mass only to the human brain when corrected for body size,' said Lori Marino, a neuroscientist at Emory University in Atlanta, who has used magnetic resonance imaging scans to map the brains of dolphin species and compare them with those of primates.
"'The neuroanatomy suggests psychological continuity between humans and dolphins and has profound implications for the ethics of human-dolphin interactions,' she added."
Marino and colleagues will present new evidence about dolphin intelligence at the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science conference, set for Feb. 18-22 in San Diego.
Marino worked on a 2001 study demonstrating mirror recognition in bottlenose dolphins (see photo), a cognitive trait shared by only a few mammals outside of humans.
Marino's work is also featured in Discovery News.
Should killer whales be captive?
Finally, 'Noble' Prizes for animals
Dolphin therapy is all wet
What is the impact of zoos?
Posted by eScienceCommons at 9:29 AM
Tags: Bioethics, Community Outreach, Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center
Dining with machines that feel
Working through the bugs of evolution
Joining forces to fight neglected diseases
Queen bee eats her way to the top
Home as a state of mind


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aMule – klient rozproszonej sieci ed2k, powstały na bazie kodu aplikacji xMule. Rozdzielenie na oba te projekty nastąpiło we wrześniu 2003 roku. Od lutego 2005 tylko bardzo mała część kodu źródłowego pochodzi jeszcze z xMule. aMule jest dostępny na wiele systemów operacyjnych: (Linux, Mac OS, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Solaris, MS Windows, Xbox). Obsługuje także mechanizm skórek. aMule to w pełni funkcjonalny, multiplatformowy klient p2p przeznaczony do obsługi sieci eDonkey (ed2k) oraz KAD (kademlia).

Aplikacja oferuje takie funkcje jak alokacja slotów, filtrowanie adresów IP, ograniczanie transferu wychodzącego i przychodzącego, ustawianie priorytetów pobierania plików, wyszukiwanie danych w zakładkach, automatyczne kasowanie z listy niedziałających serwerów, ustawienia proxy, rozmowy z użytkownikami podłączonymi do danego serwera i znacznie więcej.

Największym walorem aMule jest możliwość zarządzania całą aplikacją (aMuleWeb i aMule Remote GUI) w tym pobieranymi zasobami z dowolnego miejsca wykorzystując dowolną przeglądarkę internetową.

Najnowsza wersja aMule nosi numer 2.3.3 i obsługuje też sieć Kademlia.

Linki zewnętrzne
 Strona domowa aMule (BerliOS)
 Strony Wiki projektu aMule

Klienty ed2k


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Internships and Summer Camp
Faculty and Research Centers
Category: Research
During An Historic Drought, Higher Temperatures Helped a Beetle Kill More California Pine Trees
Higher temperatures during an historic California drought helped a beetle kill more ponderosa pine trees, an NC State-led study found.
Compost Carnival
The Sustainability Department of Student Government is hosting a Compost Carnival on October 19th from 5-8pm in Talley's Student Involvement Suite (4210). Come play carnival games and collect stickers from each…
Five Questions with Mollusk Technician Audrey Keen
Keen, who graduated in 2021 with with a bachelor's degree in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology, is now a technician for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences' mollusks collection lab.
5 Best Places to See Fall Foliage in North Carolina Without the Crowds
From Carvers Creek State Park to Jordan Lake Educational State Forest, North Carolina is home to a variety of crowd-free destinations that are sure to provide a good show of fall color.
Doris Duke Scholars Program Aims to Promote Diversity in Conservation Science
NC State students gain valuable experience in conservation through the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program.
Grant Will Fund Climate Resilience Strategies for Frontline Communities in the Carolinas
NC State leads a multi-institutional effort to develop climate resilience solutions in frontline communities in the Carolinas.
Study Finds Natural Outdoor Spaces Are Less Common at Schools
NC State researchers found natural spaces like woods or gardens were relatively rare in a small sample of elementary and middle schools in Wake County.
Doris Duke Conservation Scholar: Five Questions with Daniel Choi
Choi, who graduated in May 2021 with a master's degree in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology, reflects on his experience in the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program and discusses his plans for the future.
North Carolina's Fall Foliage: Will It Be A Disappointing Year?
This year's fall foliage might not live up to expectation as warm, dry conditions persist across the state, according to an expert at NC State.
Saving America's Forests Could Help Curb Climate Warming
NC State researchers modeled the role that forestry and agriculture could play in reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions across multiple future economic scenarios.


Traditional neighbourhood values of shared interests amid like-minded people could be in decline according to new research. More than one quarter (27%) of us say we "do not trust" our neighbours and most of us feel we neither have a lot in common with (59%) nor share the same values (44%) as them.
Those are the key findings of a new study into British neighbourhoods from Legal & General.
The 'Next Door Strangers' report also found that the majority of British residents don't know their neighbours' names and wouldn't recognise them if they passed them in the street (70%). According to the research, on average, we would only immediately recognise just over one in three (37%) of the people from our street.
· Half of us (50%) do not even enjoy "spending time with" our neighbours.
In contrast to the traditional view of neighbourly duties, 42% of us would not trust our neighbours with our homes when we are not there and over one in three,(36%) when we are on holiday. 78% of respondents said they do not share keys with their neighbours.
Instead, it seems some of the values of neighbourliness have shifted online. Many of us are now more 'neighbourly' with people on social networks than with those in our street: 34% of social networkers are 'friends' with or 'follow' people we've never met before on Facebook or Twitter but fewer than one in five (19%) are online friends with a neighbour. Only 8% have bothered to check if a neighbour is on a social network site.
"People often think of neighbourhoods as places where similar types of people congregate, but our research suggests that the idea of 'neighbourhood' and 'community' has subtly changed over recent years.
'' People are choosing to socialise more online, for example. Changing employment patterns have led to some people living away from the home, in areas where they do not necessarily have 'roots', for part of the week or a sustained period of time. In some areas of the country, one in four homes is a second home. We read that the traditional village is in decline, with many campaigns to save them. These are all example factors that may have led to a decline in the traditional idea of 'neighbourliness'.
Gary continued: "What's fascinating is the impact of this on security in a neighbourhood. Our findings indicate that people feel less responsibility for looking out for suspicious activity in their street, which, along with taking practical security measures, is one of the best ways of discouraging burglars.


A bicyclist and a motorcyclist collided recently in Manchester, according to an article published in the Union-Leader.
The accident occurred at Cilley Road and South Porter Street just after 9 p.m. on a Saturday night. The bicyclist was crossing South Porter Street when he crashed into a motorcycle rider who was traveling with two other motorcyclists. All three motorcyclists were wearing helmets. An eyewitness noted that the bicyclist, who appeared to be wearing headphones, may not have heard the motorcycles before he collided with them.
The motorcycle rider, a 36-year-old Manchester resident, was taken to a local hospital and treated for his injuries. He was released later that evening. Manchester police do not have information on the bicyclist's condition.
Manchester police decided to investigate the accident after descriptions of the collision led them to suspect that the bicyclist had been riding on the sidewalk. They are also inquiring about whether the bicyclist or the motorcycles had the right of way when the collision occurred. Police are asking anyone with information about the accident to contact them.
Whether you are traveling by car, motorcycle, or bicycle, staying alert to your surroundings is key to avoiding accidents. This is particularly true if you are driving a car, since motorcycles and bicycles can be difficult to see. Double-checking for oncoming traffic at intersections, even if you have the right of way, can help protect you from accidents.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, an experienced New Hampshire motorcycle accident attorney can help you understand your legal rights and options. The skilled legal team at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. will help you hold negligent parties responsible for their actions and recover the compensation you need after an accident. Call Tenn And Tenn, P.A. today at 1-888-511-1010 for a free consultation.


Making houses using cardboard boxes is an all time favorite. This time we started collecting big and small cardboard boxes. Out of the big boxes we could cut out the base for our creations. The smaller boxes were used to make the houses. Once again going by everybody's choice we finally had houses in various shapes and sizes. Some had round windows placed at odd spots on the walls and some had too many windows!
While talking about our cardboard creations, we also discussed how everybody manages to take care of their work once they install them in their homes. Most of them prefer to keep them displayed in their rooms. Some of them also expressed their concerns regarding space to store their creations. And so we wondered if we could create a foldable doll house out of cardboard, which can be put away after playtime.
Here are our gorgeous doll houses. I love how the children decorated them!!!
Happy creating. Just enjoy making new things!!


The wait for the Amazon Kindle to come to Canada is now over. Effective immediately, the Kindle can be ordered, and delivered to Canada for a price of $259 US. Of course, this does come with a few catches, the books, newspapers and magazines are all priced in US dollars.
Although the Kindle is by no means the first e-book reader to reach the Canadian market — several electronics companies including Sony Corp. sell their own digital book readers — Amazon's wireless distribution system and consumers' familiarity with the company's retail sites could help it stand out.
Finally, for those interested in ordering a Kindle, just visit the US Amazon website.


Is effectively financing growth a challenge for your company? Discover Vulcan Engineering's testimonial in the video below.
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Syrian refugee exceeds expectations with support from Korea and UNESCO
04 - Quality Education
05 - Gender Equality
Saif Al-Sharaa's journey started when he and his wife sought refuge in Jordan in 2013. The couple rented a modest apartment from a friend in Irbid and within three days, Saif found work in a local café.
Saif began to explore avenues to continue his education in Jordan. In Syria, Saif had successfully completed his Tawjihi (Secondary School Certificate) but had not pursued any further studies. He heard about some scholarships being offered to Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian youth.
During the day, I would work in the café whenever I was not at school, and in the evenings I would study. After receiving the civil engineering diploma, I became interested in the business management program. I applied for this scholarship and was accepted
In support of the Government of Jordan's Response Plan for the Syria Crisis, the UNESCO Amman office, with generous funding from the Government of Korea, and in cooperation with Luminus Technical University College, is implementing the "Provision of TVET for vulnerable Jordanian and Syrian Refugee Youth" project.
Through the project, UNESCO supports youth to receive quality training programmes as a way of creating employment. The project is fully aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in particular, Sustainable Development Goal 4 which focuses on ensuring inclusive and quality education for all and promoting lifelong learning.
Saif applied to the BTEC level 3-qualification at LUMINUS Technical University College in civil engineering programme and began his studies in 2015, earning his diploma the following year.
The café where Saif had been employed went-up for sale. Saif saw a chance to achieve his dream; together with his brother, they approached the owner of the café and collected all the money that they had saved. The owner accepted their offer and the brothers set about making the place their own.
"We undertook a big renovation in an effort to make the café a more open and friendly place. In honour of the place where I have been studying, we decided to re-name the café 'Luminus'".
Saif added that some members of the community had a difficult time accepting that the café had been sold to Syrians and voiced their resentment. "We had to overcome this attitude and we lost some of the old customers. In the process though, we gained new clientele. Previously, the café was frequented mainly by men and now, women feel comfortable coming and enjoying the space as well".
It was a period of transition and adjustment, but now the café is thriving. "My wife has been such a support to me. It is almost like she does the marketing for the café, referring her friends who then tell other people about it. We have started a loyalty program as well, offering discounts to returning customers". Saif is currently supporting his wife as she begins her university studies.
While Saif and his family are now members of their new community, he has fond memories of Syria. "Everyone who is forced to leave their home, dreams of returning someday. If I someday did go back to Syria, I would open the same sort of café there".
Saif's scholarship is one of the 250 scholarships offered to vulnerable Jordanians and Syrian refugees under this project, supporting youth access to meaningful, accredited post-basic education. Many of the students enrolled in the BTEC programmes being offered have not succeeded at passing the Tawjihi, which is not a requirement for admission.
During his studies, Saif benefited from the entrepreneurial skills portion of the training program, making use of these skills in his current work. He feels grateful for the employability skills he learned during his Korean-funded programme and highlights that he feels more confident about managing profits and mitigating losses. He also feels that he has learned a lot about leadership, a skill that is sure to strengthen his resilience and ensure his continued success.
Syrian student overcomes challenges through learning and training opportunities - Resilient young Syrian proves benefit of TVET education with support from Korea and UNESCO - Jordan transforms education challenges into opportunities during COVID-19 crisis - Young Jordanian perseveres to strengthen her skills with support from Korea and UNESCO - Young Jordanian enjoys meaningful work following TVET scholarship - Bright young Jordanian defies expectations with support from Korea and UNESCO - A Syrian student aspires for a brighter future - Provision of Technical and Vocational Education and Training for Jordanian and Syrian Youth - Noor pursues lifelong learning with support from Korea and UNESCO - UNESCO and Korea provide TVET training scholarships to Jordanian and Syrian youth
9,Yacoub Ammari St. Abdoun.
Amman 11181
amman@unesco.org


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Thiess has secured a new A$900 million syndicated term loan, successfully refinancing part of its existing finance facilities.
With the completion of this debt refinancing, Thiess has diversified its existing banking relationships and introduced new global partners with market leading capabilities into the syndicate.
The new term loan provides Thiess with a debt facility of A$900 million, aligning the maturity with its diversification strategy and continuing Thiess' commitment to a capital structure commensurate with an investment grade credit profile.
Thiess Chief Financial Officer Craig Morton said: "We thank our financiers for their support and look forward to working with them as Thiess continues to deliver strong operating performance and diversify our business in accordance with our sustainable resources strategy."
Issued by Thiess Group Holdings ABN 34 646 054 757 www.thiess.com
Dharshika Gnanasundaram, Head of M&A and Investor Relations, +61 447 839 500
Vivian Lim, Group Manager – Marketing and Communication, +61 434 306 131
Mt Owen 28 Years


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Never Mind!
I wrote last week about 17 Hendrie Avenue selling for $5,300,000 which, I opined, set a new record for back lots in Riverside. Turns out this newspaper got it wrong and the actual selling price was $3,300,000. I'm a bit chuffed about this because I've previously written about the folly of relying on newspaper reporters to accurately transcribe sales figures from the Town Clerk's day book, then I fell into that exact trap. Of well. At its real price, I think the buyers did very well.
Nice Houses
Two new listings of note last week. Pam Cunconan brought on 74 Valleywood Road in Cos Cob for $1,150,000 and Heather Platt, Cleveland Duble & Arnold, has 66 South Park Avenue in Old Greenwich for $1,650,000. Both are older homes that have been nicely renovated and I think both are well priced. The owners of 74 Valleywood took down walls in the kitchen and perhaps some other rooms to create a light airy house with a welcoming atmosphere as you enter. Three bedrooms and bath on the second floor plus a guest bedroom bath over the detached garage. Nice back yard, all on a street loaded with young families. A good buy.
66 South Park is a real surprise: from the street, it looks like a tiny cape which, since FAR regs won't allow further expansion, appears to be far too small to accommodate a family. Once inside, however, you'll discover that the owners have made excellent use of the space and added an eat in kitchen with adjoining family room. It's very nice and plenty big enough, in my opinion. Fenced back yard that, while small, is perfectly serviceable and besides, South Park's a dead end, so you can shove the kids outside to play in the street.
Not Everyone's Away
While it may seem that the entire town has emptied out for these last weeks of summer, there is still a fair amount of real estate activity. Seventeen houses went to contract last week including one multiple bidding war for a house on Riverside Avenue. That's not a busy week for, say, September but for the dog days of August, it's reassuring.
Back Country Blues?
There's a five acre plot of land in the Northwestern Back Country that sold for $2,950,000 in October, 2002. The purchasers must have changed their minds about developing it because, six months later, they put it back on the market for $3,400,000. It didn't sell and today its asking price is $2,995,000 which probably means you could buy it for less than the sellers paid. Why is that? Did the original buyers overpay, or has the market for land in that area just dried up? I don't know, but I do know that an awful lot of builders are holding off, for now, on starting big new expensive projects and I think this is an illustration of what happens when they do.
When they Came for my Cell Phone, I was silent
Now that Connecticut has joined New Jersey in uselessly banning hand-held cell phones in cars,I wonder whether it will follow that state in another bit of lunacy: a New Jersey legislator has proposed banning cigarette smoking while driving – a distraction, she claims, worse than cell phones themselves. Pretty soon we'll have no radios in our cars, no cupholders,and inoperable windows (they let in distracting cool breezes and odors!). It could be worse: the EU has just enacted a law that requires employers of outdoor construction workers to force them to wear shirts and sunblock. Forget the Nanny State; we're rapidly moving toward a Nanny Universe.
The energy bill just passed by Congress finally eliminates the requirement to add MBTB or ethanol into gasoline. Greenwich Time says that this is because cars no longer need it to burn cleanly but the sad truth is, cars never needed the stuff. Not since fuel injection became standard, and that was before Congress imposed the requirement to begin with. No this was always a sop to corn farmers in Iowa and, as evidence of that, note that, even though we're no longer required to put ethanol in our gasoline, the same energy bill mandates a doubling of ethanol production, all subsidized by the taxpayer. I don't know what we're supposed to do with this wonderful product that absorbs moisture and ruins gasoline and uses more energy to produce than it yields, but I doubt Congress does either. Nor does it care.
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The Sky is Falling?
About two weeks ago, the New York Times claimed that the housing market was doomed because the ratio of rents vs. buying price was so skewed. As I understood the argument, rents were so low that it made far more sense to rent rather than buy and that meant that the bubble was about to pop. So today the Times ran another article, this time on the front page, stating that rental prices were rising. Their conclusion? "Evidence that housing boom is ebbing." I realize that no one at the Times actually reads the damn thing and I understand the Times' fierce determination to bring down the housing market (and anything else they can grab on to) but really, if they think that declining rents and rising rents both mean the end of the world is near ("women, minorities hardest hit") then perhaps we should interpret their economic reporting for what it is: "all the bad news we can dream up". Consistency may well be the hobgoblin of little minds but self-contradictory conclusions are evidence of no mind at all.
How to Update an Older Home
Marion Nolan has just listed 23 Meadow Lane (off of Zaccheus Mead). Built in 1930, its present owners have revived it beautifully without losing the features that made this house so appealing in the first place. They replaced the shingles with clapboard painted a light mint and kept, it appears the original trim, painted white. Very nice. Inside, they added a screened porch, new kitchen, and, I think, added an addition to accommodate a master bedroom suite with a huge living room beneath it but that's about it, so far as my eye could tell. New mechanicals were installed, including central air, and the house is ready for another 75 years. Great big back yard, plus conservation land to the south, and a terrific location close to town. Asking $4,200,000, which seems right in the ballpark.
Record Price in Riverside
I recently wrote about 17 Hendrie Avenue in Riverside, stating how well built and well designed it was. At the time, the house, with an original asking price of $3,500,000 was under contract with buyers who, I was told, "added some extras". Well I guess they did, because it just hit the land records as selling for $5,300,000. That's a lot of extras. I am not criticizing the price, or the house – it's a great one – but if that's the new price for a half-acre back lot in Riverside, all of us who own teardowns just got richer. And, if builders can now expect to fetch that sort of price, we all own tear downs now. So aberration or new price level? Stay tuned.
Never Mind! The newspaper report as to Hendrie's selling price was, as it so often is, wrong. Actual price was $3,300,000; a very good price for both builder and buyer, but no record.
Why Haven't You Sold My House?
That's a common complaint many builders are demanding of their agents these days so in the hope that I can take some of the heat off my friends, here's the answer: there are too many new houses out there. There are 27 houses currently for sale in the $6 – 7 million range, of which 5 are new construction. That's not so bad, but when you bump up past $7 million the fun begins: 64 houses for sale in that bracket, 21 of which are new. A total of 31 houses sold last year (August to August) for more than $7 million and only six of those were new. Is that because the huge supply of mega-priced new houses only showed up this year, or because the market tends to prefer older homes? I don't know, really, and I'm not quite sure how to massage the data to find out but if you're the sleepless owner of a large spec project, be patient. And see if you can refinance.
200 John Street has gone to contract, something several of us wondered if we'd see in our lifetime. Nothing against the house, mind you, it's just that the market for $12 million houses in the northwest corner of town is pretty slim. The original house at 200 John Street, built in 1790 by one of the Meads, was put on the market in 2000 for $9,840,000.No go. Two years later a new broker priced it as land for $4,000,000 and got rid of it. That house is, of course, long gone, replaced by much more, if you consider 17,000 sq.ft. and a 10-car garage more.
Our town is now blessed with several new signs in orange plastic steering folks to the YWCA. And in front of that building the same orange plastic proclaims a new mission statement: Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women. I thought it was all about learning how to swim, but what do I know? More important, did they really have to choose orange plastic as their medium for conveying this message? I realize that the signs are no uglier than the building they identify but that's about the same as pointing out that, for a fat girl, she doesn't sweat much.
The Mob in Greenwich
While you all were off in Nantucket, the New York Post reported on the Gambino family's extortion of the owner of Valbella's, in Riverside. Sent some Albanian thugs (apparently better at this sort of thing than Italians – how standards have slipped) to hang the poor guy by his heels from his restaurant's ceiling until he saw the wisdom of paying the Albanians $5,000 a month protection money. The Gambino goons who accompanied the muscle were less demanding, asking merely for a reserved table and free meals. With reasoning like this, how long before the Albanians are running the entire show? In any event, all this explains the long running Saturday night show down there, with huge white stretch limos with NY plates parked in front, drivers waiting, and the (male) gold jewelry crowd in the basement. It might also explain, for those with long memories, the fire that gutted the place way back when it was first scheduled to open. I hope the indictment of 32 of these people will end the restaurant owner's torment. But not, I hope the Saturday Night visits from Brooklyn – best entertainment in town.
15 Bayberry Lane
This terrific house (Jackie Hammock listing) is pretty far up into the Back Country but not so far that it's impossibly inconvenient. It's an elegant home, described on its listing sheet as "Colonial" in style but it looks more European than Colonial American to me. No matter, it's beautiful. It sits on "only" four acres, but it's protected by conservation land and then water company property that stretches all the way to Lake Avenue – no one is ever going to build behind you. The actual four acres consist of lots of rolling lawn, with a putting green and a one-hole golf "course" plus gardens – lots and lots of gardens. Raised vegetable beds that I envy beyond words, huge swaths of beautiful flowers and an assortment of fruit trees (including a fig!), ornamentals and big, old, oaks and maples. The yard is entirely fenced so, unlike my property in Riverside, deer aren't a problem
That's just the yard. The house itself is truly special. Great spaces for formal entertaining plus a ground floor master suite, four additional bedrooms upstairs and a servant's or guest wing (it's nice enough for either use) with a separate entrance. Everything, including the kitchen, six baths and what they call a conservatory (and what I'd call a high class greenhouse) seems brand new and in excellent condition. The place is filled with books, an item from which today's young buyers will recoil in horror but, like asbestos, these can be removed by trained experts and replaced with your kid's golf and lacrosse trophies and your own collection of autographed sports memorabilia. I struggle a bit with placing "value" and "$6,800,000" in the same sentence but no other house that I'm aware of offers so much privacy and luxury for anything like this price.
38 Lockwood Lane
Not quite so nice as Bayberry, but asking $1,875,000, is Dee Webber's and Bari Taylor's listing in Riverside. Five bedrooms, a huge amount of open space, light, and a great front porch. I liked it.
Green Hornet Alights in Cos Cob!
Well, not quite, but Mr. Isao Kato, Fjord Fisheries' sushi chef, has opened a ramen stand behind the store. Open only in the evening on Thursdays through Sundays, from 6-9:30 pm, Kato serves up incredibly tasty bowls of soup served over ramen noodles. Shrimp, fish, vegetable, etc., for approximately $7.50 (price depends on ingredients). One bowl will serve one glutton (that would be me) or two people with normal appetites. Fans of Andy's Hideaway in St. Bart's can dine outside on tables with a lovely view of the car park and feel as though they're back in the Caribbean. Or take your meal home; a treat either way.
And Also in Cos Cob
Construction has finally begun on the new Starbucks. I know that many Cos Cob residents objected to this project and I personally have a few qualms about a company that, by inventing a few phony Italian words, managed to convince America (and the world) to part with three bucks for twelve cents of raw materials, but what the heck: it's a good cup of coffee (especially the "Americano", which is watered-down expresso and not bitter like the drip) and the idea of relaxing with a drink while looking over the Mill Pond sounds appealing. Even Cos Cob folks might come to appreciate it.
Kayaks in Cos Cob
Hey – it's Cos Cob's week, I guess. In any event, the boys at Sportsman's Den (869-3234) have just begun stocking Heritage kayaks, seaworthy, rotomolded polyethylene craft that scream to be set loose upon the waters. The model I like best is the "fisherman", with two rod holders built into the hull. This being Greenwich, I'm sure the store would modify one of the holders to accommodate a martini glass but wouldn't it be better to have your servant nearby on his own craft, ready to pass along drinks as needed? I hope to buy one (kayak, not servant), but I live on Ole's Creek, so that's an easy decision. If you aren't so fortunate, check with Sportsmen's Den, which is looking into offering storage and water access, or the Old Greenwich Yacht Club (used to be a boat club, before it got snooty), OGYC.com, or the Mianus River Boat Club, 869-4689. Antidisirregardless, you're sure to find a way to use one of these neat little boats.
One Final Food Item
The Food Mart sells a juicy, crisp Texas watermelon for $3.99. Whole Foods sells the same melon for $9.99. We're not talking organic – no special coddling for the Whole Food product: soft futons to lie on, Howard Dean rants read at bedtime, and so forth. No, the melons are identical: sown by machine, laced with insecticide and brought foaming from the garden. Same melons, different prices. Someone's being shucked here, and I don't think it's the corn.
The Trouble with Google Ads
Google (at least I assume it's Google) sells ads based on the content of whatever you happen to be reading. But context is everything. If, for instance, you're reading the story in today's Greenwich Time about the shipboard murder of a young Greenwich resident (click on link, below) you probably aren't going to be receptive to an ad for a cruise on the Royal Caribbean.
When they came for my cell phone I was silent
Now that Connecticut has joined New Jersey in uselessly banning hand-held cell phones in cars,I wonder whether it will follow that state in another bit of lunacy: a New Jersey legislator has proposed banning cigarette smoking while driving – a distraction, she claims. Pretty soon we'll have no radios in our cars, no cupholders,and inoperable windows (they let in distracting cool breezes and odors!). It could be worse: the EU has just enacted a law that requires employers of outdoor construction workers to force them to wear shirts and sunblock (click on the link button below if you think I'm kidding). Forget the Nanny State; we're rapidly moving toward a Nanny Universe.
August 5, 2005 · 12:46 pm
Bad Construction
A year or so ago I toured a bit of new construction that was so badly built I sought out the name of its builder, in order to ensure that I never steered a customer his way. The house sold in a heartbeat, of course, to a young family that will probably be regretting it any day now. In the meantime, our builder moved on to other projects and just last week offered his latest creation to the buying public. Same poor quality, including improper framing, cheap finishes and the like, and the same result: it received multiple offers, all over the asking price. I find this discouraging.
Neighborhood is very important in choosing a house, but it's not the only element to consider (despite what I implied in a column a few weeks ago). A cheaply built new house ages much faster than a well built one and, three or four years after its purchase, it will begin showing its age. I won't name specific houses, but there are a number of houses in town which were built in the past six years and which now are in need of renovation. They don't command anything like the resale value of a better-built house and that hurts you if you're trying to sell it. So don't be blinded by flashy details; look instead for the substance that ought be behind those new cabinet doors and whirlpool tubs and, if there's no there there, skip along to another house.
Speaking of Great Construction
I drove way up North Street the other day to see Brad Hvolbeck's new $12,750,000 listing house and was impressed. This house is beautifully designed (by Hilton & Vanderhorn) and impressively made. Hand-made bricks that look antique, laid in a Flemish bond (thanks to Mat Matthews for teaching me the proper term), a convex mahogany front door that is easily the best looking door I've seen and, inside, a lay out that is perfectly proportioned for human beings. The trim work is amazing, including a room whose measurements were taken from an Italian palace and recreated here in American Walnut. The third floor is entirely devoted to a children's' play area, including a small stage and a "bed", perhaps twenty feet wide, for sleep over parties. Cool. Finished just this year, its owner enjoyed the project so much that he's already started another one.
Some great houses continue to show up on the market, even though everyone's supposed to be out of town. Jackie Chamandy listed 1 Ford Lane for $2,380,000, which is a very smart price. Great location on a dead end lane, nicely renovated four bedroom house with a decent yard and a front porch that demands an Adirondack chair, an iced tea and a late summer afternoon. My guess is, to do that, you'll have to become friends with the new owner because I think this will be gone in days.
Amanda Miller has listed 9 Stanwich Road for $2,395,000 and it, too is a very good buy. The current owners had intended to enjoy this renovation for themselves before their plans changed, and it shows. Unlike certain builder/spec renovations currently on the market, this one has no short cuts, no dubious compromises between quality and cost. There are certain builders out there who think that, as long as a property has a Greenwich address, buyers will pay any amount for any piece of junk. It's not true, and when I see, for instance, a poorly designed renovation offering bad hardware, cheap plastic doors and Home Depot plumbing fixtures for the princely sum of $2,600,000, I'm insulted on behalf of myself and my buyers. We aren't that dumb. So avoid that problem and go see 9 Stanwich.
Our First Selectman
Greenwich Time reports that First Selectman Jim Lash was out of town for 13 weeks last year. "First Selectman's Many Travels Under Scrutiny", the headline blared and I wondered, by whom? So far as I'm concerned, if the town is being well run, either directly by the man or by persons he's delegated responsibilities to, he can go attend to his private business dealings to his heart's content. Lash's Democrat opponent claims that accessibility is an issue, but here's my experience with that: my brother's request for a zoning fee refund had been mired in the town's bureaucracy for over a year before I wrote a polite note to Lash, someone I've never met, asking that he look into the problem and, if appropriate, sending a refund on its way. The check arrived five days later. That works for me.
Two weeks ago I mentioned a "tiger" appearing with Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant in "Bringing Up Baby". Baby was a leopard, of course – I can't believe no reader spotted this.


When President Donald Trump meets with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un—assuming the on-again, off-again summit proceeds as scheduled—a broad-based group of faith leaders and human rights activists wants religious freedom included on the agenda.
Buckner International is sending aid to people in Guatemala affected by the eruption of Volcán del Fuego, which killed at least 62 people June 3 outside the capital city.
Despite widespread secularization, 64 percent of Western Europeans surveyed in 15 countries still identify as Christians, even if only 18 percent say they attend church at least once a month.
Chilly relations between the United States and North Korea appear to be "thawing" in recent days, said Baptist minister Yoo Yoon of Dallas. But when he journeyed to North Korea last month, he experienced greater restrictions than in the past.
As the United States opened a controversial embassy in Jerusalem, many Southern Baptists lauded the occasion and celebrated the modern state of Israel's 70th anniversary. Meanwhile, more than 60 Palestinians were killed and 2,700 wounded by the Israeli military.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom renewed its call for the U.S. State Department to add six nations to its list of the world's worst religious freedom violators.
Librada Cortez Martinez never imagined the Buckner Family Hope Center would become such an important resource for her entire family.
A North Carolina pastor who has been jailed in Turkey will go on trial next month on charges he is a terrorist who used Christianity as his weapon.
A Kenyan children's home and school that serves orphans, vulnerable children and youth from Nairobi's Mathare slums needs a reliable source of clean water, and Texas Baptist Men volunteers hope to provide it.
As Britain grapples with religious extremism, Parliament has turned its focus toward English schools.


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Q: unable to install forexconnect python package I have python 3.9.6.
Pip install, python3 pip install none of these is able to install forexconnect(https://github.com/gehtsoft/forex-connect) package
$ python3 -m pip install  forexconnect
ERROR: Could not find a version that satisfies the requirement forexconnect (from versions: none)
ERROR: No matching distribution found for forexconnect

The error is the same on mac and linux (ubuntu). Please can I get help?

A: It looks like there aren't any files on PyPI for forexconnect for Python versions above 3.7, except for a single wheel for 3.10 on macOS/ARM64. A look at their website confirms that. Since this appears to be a proprietary project which doesn't publish its source code, I don't think there's much you can do other than contact the company and complain, or just use Python 3.7.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


ZARA is finally in Cape Town as most of you most probably know and we had an exclusive sneak peek of the store on Thursday, 16 August. For those who's been there to see what the hype is about, you will probably agree that it is a shopping experience like no other.
The store is designed to showcase each collection, trend and style in their own space with more than 30 mannequins styled in high fashion ways. There are 3 sections that make out the store namely Women, Men and Kids Fashion and within each section they have different exclusive ZARA collections.
I think the most impressive part of the store is the fact that they will update their stock twice a week EVERY week and the brilliant international service makes it a pleasure to shop here.
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Mothers are amazing. They are strong, beautiful, wonderful, and they are what we wish to be when we have kids of our own. If you are a mother, you know what we're talking about. You most probably want to be a parent like your mother and may even think that you're not doing such a good job, but you're wrong. You will realize what an amazing job you have done just by looking at your children, who will grow up to appreciate what you have done and strive to be just like you. This is especially true for single moms, whose burdens are twice as much. Raising kids on your own and working at the same time can be unimaginably difficult; and sometimes, single moms need to feel special, which is why we have dedicated this article to them.
Getting wrist watches for yourself or for someone who you know is a single mom is a great idea. Single moms may need to save as much as they can while trying to run an entire household and raising children, but having that one pretty, somewhat expensive wrist watch shall always make them feel a little special and maybe even boost their self-confidence.
Accessories can really lift one's spirit sometimes, so never underestimate the charm and the power of them. This is especially true for wrist watches, as having a little something special with you at all times will make you feel at least the slightest bit better even when you're totally worn out. Here are some of our suggestions of the best watches for women.
If you're looking for a traditional looking wrist watch, then this is the one for you. It looks fascinating and have a very contemporary and dramatic look. Oh, and did you know? They're among the top ladies' watch makers. This piece would be perfect with formal wear, and it will be sure to make you stand out from other women, as this is a very different piece. On top of that, it has an in-built caliber that is automatic.
This unique watch was made for the company's 20th anniversary, which makes it unique and different from watches of the other brand. This is an original, meaning that other brands have not had something like this, and so, this is for all those single moms who like to sport their one-of-a-kind pieces at all times.
"Le Temps Suspendu" literally means the time suspended in French. This piece is not something that you will see ordinarily, as it contains a very different feature that makes it stand out from the rest. The person wearing this watch will almost feel as though time has been suspended, as the watch always points at 12 o'clock until the small button is pushed. The hands, as though by magic, then move towards the correct time. This is a charming piece for a single mom that would rather wear something unique at all times.
This entry was posted in Mom's Ideas and tagged Single Moms Accesories, Stylish Watches, Watches for Mom, Wrist Watches. Bookmark the permalink.


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House of Fraser to close 31 department stores in UK
British department store group House of Fraser has revealed plans to close around 31 stores in the country as part of its rescue plan.
The retailer currently operates 59 department stores across the UK and Ireland, of which more than half will be closed, including its flagship store on Oxford Street in London.
According to the company, the stores are expected to be open until early 2019.
The company's funding has also filed company voluntary arrangements (CVA) regarding House of Fraser Stores and House of Fraser to save the business from bankruptcy.
The CVA also includes a request for rent reductions of 25% at ten other stores. Creditors will vote on the CVA on 22 June.
"Our legacy store estate has created an unsustainable cost base, which, without restructuring, presents an existential threat to the business."
House of Fraser chairman Frank Slevin said: "The retail industry is undergoing fundamental change and House of Fraser urgently needs to adapt to this fast-changing landscape in order to give it a future and allow it to thrive.
"Whilst closing stores is a very difficult decision, especially given the length of relationship House of Fraser has with all its locations, there should be no doubt that it is absolutely necessary if we are to continue to trade and be competitive."
China-based C Banner International Holdings also agreed to acquire a 51% stake in the House of Fraser Group.
However, the transaction depends on the approval of the restructuring plan and, if materialised, will leave the current owner Nanjing Xinjiekou Department Store with a minority stake.


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Q: Почему если в исходном массиве, если последний элемент == 1 не добавляет в новую коллекцию? Есть массив из нулей и единиц, мне нужно за один проход по массиву найти сумму единиц до каждого из нулей и результат записать в новую коллекцию, проблема в том, что в новую коллекцию не добавляется последний элемент, как мне это исправить? Спасибо.
const int N = 10;
int[] array = new int[N];
Random random = new Random();
for (int i = 0; i < array.Length; i++)
        array[i] = random.Next(2);
Console.WriteLine("Исходный массив: " + string.Join(", ", array));
int sum = 0;
var list = new List<int>();
for (int i = 0; i < array.Length; i++) {
    if (array[i] == 1) {
        sum = sum + 1;
    } else if (array[i] == 0) {
        if (sum != 0) {
            list.Add(sum);
        }
        sum = 0;
    }
}
Console.WriteLine("Результирующий массив: " + string.Join(",", list));

A: Например, после окончания цикла сделать еще раз:
for ( ... ) {
    ...
}
if (sum != 0) {
    list.Add(sum);
}

Еще один вариант - добавить принудительно в массив завершающий 0:
int[] array = new int[N + 1];
...
for ( ... )
    ...
array[N] = 0;

ну и, наконец, можно вместо явного добавления нуля в массив добавить его в перебираемую последовательность, если вы используете .NET 4.7.1 или выше - с помощью метода-расширения Enumerable.Append (придется заменить цикл for на foreach):
foreach (int x in array.Append(0)) {
    if (x == 1) {
        sum = sum + 1;
    } else if (x == 0) {
        if (sum != 0) {
            list.Add(sum);
        }
        sum = 0;
    }
}

В более ранних версиях .NET вместо Append можно использовать Concat (но это не так удобно - придется заводить массив с одним нулем):
foreach (int x in array.Concat(new[] { 0 }))


text:
The 15 Hardest Languages to Learn to Talk Good
By M. W. Byrne
English - hardest language to learn - via englishsafeguard.blogspot.com
Greek - hardest language to learn - via theunboundedspirit.com
Basque - hardest language to learn - via groundbeneathmyfeet.wordpress.com
Finnish - hardest language to learn - via finlandiupdates.blogspot.com
Japanese - hardest language to learn - via japanesetranslationservice.org
German - hardest language to learn - via nyanimazep.comyr.com
Icelandic - hardest language to learn - via en.wikipedia.org
Norwegian - hardest language to learn - via en.wikipedia.org
Hungarian - hardest language to learn - via shminhe.com
Vietnamese - hardest language to learn - via onehourtranslation.com
Arabic - hardest language to learn - via onehourtranslation.com
Danish - hardest language to learn - via dtu.dk
Navajo - hardest language to learn - via armedforcesmuseum.com
Mandarin - hardest languages to learn - via viresattached.com
French - hardest language to learn - via euractiv.com
Hardest Languages to Learn
As a wise person once said: "Talk good hard." These immortal words have been passed down through generations, and they still ring as true today as they were when they were first muttered.
It's difficult to learn languages, since they're nothing but a bunch of made-up sounds with weird rules that aren't really rules. Most of us spend our whole lives barely being able to spit out English, much less try to conquer some of the tougher syntactical challenges out there. For anyone who seeks to be a polyglot, the order is even taller.
If you're trying to add a new tongue to add to your repertoire, here are the 15 hardest languages to learn, so you know what to avoid.
What Is The Hardest Language to Learn?
There's no universal measurement for how difficult a language is to learn, so there is naturally some subjectivity inherent in this list.
Languages that are most closely related to your native tongue are going to be easier than those that are utterly alien to you.
The list below reflects languages with the most complexity, intricacy, and nuance – as well as the ones with the downright craziest rules – making them harder for anyone to comprehend.
via euractiv.com
Called the language of love, French, much like love, is confusing, frustrating, nearly impossible to get right, and makes you want to drink, heavily. If you start off with a Roman lingual base – such as Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese – you'll do fine. Everyone else is going to be lost in the endless unusual pronunciations that are based on history rather than logic, rationality, or rules.
via viresattached.com
First off, don't call this "Chinese" as there is no official Chinese language. Mandarin is merely the most popular and common dialect in all of China, and it's only ignorant westerners who don't recognize that, because everyone else knows how to speak it, since China is probably going to be ruling the world any minute now. Forget about writing things out the way they sound, and good luck learning the tone system.
3. Navajo
via armedforcesmuseum.com
There's a reason the military boys decided to use this as the basis for their Windtalkers program during WW part deux. It's based around verbs, with most adjectives (descriptor words) having no parallel in Navajo, making translation tough. Also, if you aren't raised speaking it, some words are indistinguishable due to how your neuro-linguistic brain pattern has been developed.
4. Danish
via dtu.dk
The spoken and written forms of Danish seem to have almost nothing to do with each other, so even if you're a master of one, you're still going to need to hit the books to figure out which sound goes with which word. A tongue-twisting sound system creates difficulties for anyone not raised speaking it, making an accurate accent harder than eating a soup sandwich.
5. Arabic
via onehourtranslation.com
Not only are the letters in Arabic complicated, but each one has 4 different forms depending on where it's placed in a word. That's tough for writing it, but it doesn't get better when you start trying to speak it, because there's a load of different dialects spoken by a bunch of countries riddled with people who often hate each other. Imagine a deep-south bayou New Orleans trumpet player chatting with a cockney soccer hooligan and you'll understand why the same language can be completely different, and impossible, when it comes out of two different mouths.
6. Vietnamese
Vietnamese has undergone a lot of changes, and that hasn't made it any easier to learn. It began as an offshoot of a Chinese language that took on its own form over time. Then, heavy western influence came into the country (along with a boatload of soldiers looking to fight communism) and the language stopped being written in its original form, and is now scrawled down in Latin with accent marks thrown in like popcorn kernels. It'll get stuck in your teeth time and again, and trying to read it is a crapshoot.
7. Hungarian
via shminhe.com
The words and the writing aren't quite as hard to put together as many languages on this list, but where Hungarian starts to send students into a panic is when the Big Book of Terrifying Grammar Rules comes out. Possession and tense aren't determined by word order, but rather by a suffix attached to the word. This makes it hard to figure out things like who is doing what, and when they are doing it. You'll get the basics quick, but won't be able to tell if someone owns a thing, and won't be able to figure out if they already used it, will be using it, or are using it right now.
8. Norwegian
via en.wikipedia.org
While Hungarian has a skein of grammar rules as long as Svetlana Pankratova's legs, Norwegian goes the other way by having absolutely no official, correct way to speak it. There's no such thing as proper spoken Norwegian, and those who use it have no problem switching to whatever dialect suits them at the time.
9. Icelandic
This language comes from the land that made singer Björk famous, which should tell you a little about how much crazy is lurking in the great frozen north. Heavily inflected with ancient words and meanings that laugh madly at the modern world, paired with enough insane grammar rules to choke one of the polar bears that vacation there.
10. German
via nyanimazep.comyr.com
Three grammatical genders (don't ask what the third gender is. Just don't lift any skirts or look down any Lederhosen in the Fatherland) along with plenty of inflection and multiple standard dialects give German its unique flavor. Try it for a while and you'll see why every German speaker sounds angry, even when just ordering some bratwurst.
11. Japanese
via japanesetranslationservice.org
The official language of red tape and bureaucracy, Japanese borrows heavily from multiple Chinese languages, and sprinkles in English for good measure. Both written and spoken codes are different, so you'll never sound anything out. It's also overrun with ways to show politeness and deference, because Japan is all about hierarchy and respect, and because those things are never needlessly complex.
12. Finnish
via finlandiupdates.blogspot.com
While the suffixes in Hungarian are tough, Finnish takes it to a whole new level. Everything seems to have a suffix that changes the entire meaning of a word, a sentence, a paragraph, or a name. Verbs, nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and everything else seems to have a few thousand different ways to modify them. Don't worry though, only half of them will contradict each other.
13. Basque
via groundbeneathmyfeet.wordpress.com
Only about 700,000 people speak Basque, so you won't run into it often, but what makes it difficult to learn is that it bears zero resemblance to any other language in the world. It has 5 dialects to choose from, so you'll need to both learn which version you want to try, and then try to figure out how it fits with the other 4.
14. Greek
via theunboundedspirit.com
Older than anything else in the Indo-European bag of linguistic tricks, Greek has been kicked around for a couple thousand years, and it's gathered much more than moss. Every few generations it gets overhauled and revamped, with complex sounds added in, inflections redesigned or removed, and new rules of syntax over which to do battle.
15. English
via englishsafeguard.blogspot.com
A horrid hodgepodge, English is an immensely difficult language to learn because it comes as the bastard child of Germanic languages and also Greek, bearing a few roots in Latin as well. The mishmash of contradictory rules, tenses, and constant fluctuations offer new challenges all the time, even for native speakers, and make it damn hard to write good, too.
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Caio Veloso says:
Try Brazilian Portuguese
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HomeBlogDrug CrimesWhat Happens If You're Charged with a Drug Crime in a San Diego School Zone?
What Happens If You're Charged with a Drug Crime in a San Diego School Zone?
February 10, 2022 dodlaw
California takes drug crimes very seriously, especially if they occur in school zones. According to state and federal law, drug crimes are punished far more harshly when committed within 1,000 feet of drug-free zones (DFZs), including school zones. Under the law, school zones may include elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, youth centers, swimming pools, and playgrounds. More generally, a drug-free zone is any location that may cater to anyone under eighteen.
When you face drug charges in a San Diego school zone, you need an aggressive and determined criminal defense attorney to review all the evidence the prosecution has against you and uncover new evidence that can cast reasonable doubt on the prosecution's case. You need a trusted criminal defense attorney at your side. Attorney Dod Ghassemkhani will use his experience and skills to fight for you.
Understanding Drug Crime Charges
The penalties for convictions of drug crimes in San Diego can vary widely. Cases can become more complicated when more elements are involved, such as the number of offenses, the location of the crime, or if there were weapons involved. The consequences for a drug crime conviction range from total dismissal of the case to treatment programs or severe prison sentences. Drug crime charges in San Diego take a variety of forms, including:
Possession with intent to sell
Drug trafficking or distribution
Each case is unique, and a skilled San Diego criminal defense attorney can review the facts and evidence of your situation to build the best defense possible.
How Are Drug Crime Penalties Affected If It Occurred in a School Zone?
Federal law states that drug crimes committed near or in a school zone are subject to twice the maximum punishment allowed by the law. They may also be subject to twice the supervised release term, during which the offender is monitored after they are released from custody. Individuals found guilty of a drug-related crime in a school zone may also be required to pay up to twice the amount in fines than usually assigned. Those guilty of committing a drug crime in or near a school zone may also be subject to a minimum one-year jail sentence.
It's generally challenging to list specific penalty enhancements for drug crimes in school zones because they vary based on the specific crime. If a drug crime charge involves a minor, the penalties may be up to three times the usual fine and a minimum sentence of three years in prison.
A common crime that occurs in school zones is the employment of minors to sell or distribute drugs. Federal law states that anyone found guilty of employing, hiring, persuading, or coercing an individual under eighteen into selling drugs is subject to triple the standard fine and sentence. The law also applies to adults who use minors to avoid detection or blame minors for the drug crimes they committed. The mandatory minimum of anyone found guilty of these crimes must be imprisoned for no less than three years.
Contact a Skilled San Diego Criminal Defense Attorney to Fight for You
After over seventeen years of experience in criminal defense law, Attorney Dod Ghassemkhani at Dod Law knows that a drug crime charge has the ability to uproot your whole life. Penalties for drug crimes in school zones are automatically harshened by law. If you are facing drug crime charges that occurred in a school zone, you need an aggressive and determined criminal offense attorney at your side. Attorney Dod understands the law and can help build a strong defense case. Call (619) 814-5110 or fill out the contact form to schedule a consultation today.


Data is omnipresent. Every interaction we have with information has the potential to build up a set of data. I have heard the term 'Data is the new oil' on several occasions and I have been thinking deeper about what this means for designers.
Companies have even started to make decisions based upon data alone. Google and Amazon were at the forefront of this movement customising advertisements and customer experiences to their individual data. Every company must acknowledge the role of the technology and data, and its potential to create opportunities for better customer and employee experience. If every company is able to collect data, it is now growingly important to make sense of it. In short one could say the art lies in the data's refinement.
How can new collaboration build systems that add the human depths to the data and highlight new design opportunities?
How can we make data more engaging that just being numbers and statistics?
How can various stakeholders engage with its value and acknowledge its role in the development of the company?
On a less corporate note.. How could end users of services be given access to their own data to use and create their own experiences with services?


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Conditions & Wellness
Pain & Joints
Healthy Trends
Probitotics
Free Health Booklets
The Essentials on CoQ10
It has earned accolades for its heart health benefits. Now, CoQ10 shows promise for migraines, fibromyalgia, and even as a skin care ingredient.
Vera Tweed
In 1981, after giving birth to her son, Joan developed postpartum cardiomyopathy, a rare form of heart failure that can strike young women. Two years later, she was on the waiting list for a heart transplant. But things changed after she saw Stephen Sinatra, MD, a cardiologist who was beginning to use coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to treat patients. At the time, says Sinatra, "The strategy was totally experimental." But Joan wanted to try it—and it worked.
"By the time my name came up on the heart transplant list," recalls Joan. "I was on CoQ10, and it gradually started bringing my heart level up." Experiencing considerable improvement, she declined a new heart and continued on a supplement regimen prescribed by Sinatra. To this day, 30 years later, her own heart serves her well.
Joan is only one of many heart patients who've benefitted from CoQ10. One study, published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, documented marked improvement among 11 people waiting for heart transplants. "After CoQ10, some patients required no conventional drugs and had no limitation
in lifestyle," wrote the researchers.
In a University of Texas study that followed more than 400 heart patients, taking CoQ10 (75–600 mg daily) significantly improved heart function, and for some, eliminated risk of imminent death while reducing the need for various medications. Dozens of other studies have found similar heart healthy results.
See Also CoQ10 Helps Restore Health
But the heart isn't the only part of the body that benefits from this nutrient. In fact, mitochondria, the energy-generating components of every cell, must have CoQ10 to function properly. Because that energy is essential to keep us alive, a CoQ10 shortfall has far-reaching consequences, and restoring levels can produce remarkable benefits. In addition to its effects on heart health, research has shown that CoQ10 can:
Reduce inflammation and muscle damage from intense exercise
Provide some relief from fibromyalgia symptoms
Lessen the frequency and severity of migraine headaches
Improve quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease
Fight sun damage when used topically in skin care products
How to Use CoQ10
Our bodies naturally produce CoQ10, but the amounts decrease as we get older—lack of energy is a symptom. The nutrient is also found in meat and oily fish, but in quantities too small to be therapeutic, so supplements are the way to go. Also look for the reduced form of CoQ10 (ubiquinol), which is easier to absorb. Sinatra recommends the following dosages:
To maintain a healthy heart and prevent periodontal disease: 90–150 mg daily.
When taking statins, or if there is high blood pressure, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, or existing gum disease: 180–360 mg daily.
For mild-to-moderate heart failure: 300–360 mg daily.
For severe congestive heart failure or dilated cardiomyopathy (a weak and enlarged heart): 360–600 mg daily.
To improve quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease: 600–1,200 mg daily.
To reduce migraines, a study found this dosage effective: 100 mg, three times daily, taken for several months.
CoQ10 & Statins
Statin drugs for lowering cholesterol are known to deplete levels of CoQ10, and this is one cause of the drugs' side effects, including muscle weakness, fatigue, memory loss, and peripheral neuropathy—damage to nerves that causes numbness, tingling, or prickly sensations in hands and toes. CoQ10 supplements can help to reverse these symptoms while protecting the heart.
In a study published in the journal BioFactors, doctors at a clinic in Tyler, Texas, gave an average of 240 mg of CoQ10 daily to 50 heart patients who had discontinued statin drugs due to their adverse effects. Researchers tracked these patients for an average of 22 months and saw no heart attacks or strokes in the group, and in most cases, heart function either improved or remained stable. And the percentage of patients suffering from statin-related adverse effects decreased significantly:
Another study, published in The Physician and Sportsmedicine, found that 200 mg daily of CoQ10, taken for six weeks, improved muscle function in a group of athletes who were over age 50 and were taking statins.
For more information, visit heartmdinstitute.com.
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Whale Breaches Near Surfers In Australia And It Was All Caught On Camera By A Drone
By Timothy Roberts
There are many amazing things to see in the world around us, but if you ever had the opportunity to see whales in the ocean, it's both incredible and somewhat humbling. Those friendly animals can be seen from far away, but sometimes, we get to see them up close and personal.
That is what recently happened in Australia when surfers were caught off guard after a whale and her calf came into the area. The footage was captured by Thom Van Mil on his drone. He heard that the animals were at Manley Beach in New South Wales, so he rushed to the area to capture the footage.
A post shared by Thom ❥ Lianne 🇳🇱 (@whatifwefly_) on Aug 9, 2020 at 12:29am PDT
"We kind of live on the beach and received a phone call that some whales came very close. So I grabbed my drone and ran to the beach where it all happened," Van Mil explained.
Van Mill reported on Instagram that they were Southern Right Whales. He also said that the adult female could be up to 55 feet long.
"There were loads of surfers close to the whales and it looked like the calf wanted to play with the surfers," he recalled.
A post shared by Thom ❥ Lianne 🇳🇱 (@whatifwefly_) on Aug 3, 2020 at 1:25am PDT
It seems as if the mother whale was a little nervous about the calf getting so close to the surfers so she swung her tail around and swiped a few of them. A diver even sat on the back of the whale, but he feels that they all got to close.
When he saw the footage first, he knew that he was witnessing something special.
As you can imagine, the footage has spread around the world and has even reached the Netherlands, where he and his partner are from.
"Especially in our home country it was a big thing," Van Mil said of the overnight hype. "Right now to be honest, we are very proud of the footage we have."