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Were there any polar vortexes in 2018?
Were there any polar vortexes in 2018? On what dates?
I want to see what the weather looked like on those dates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPuDPxK88g0
Yes I know. You would think that I could just google it and it would be the first thing on the page. But no.
R. EmeryR. Emery
First of all the question is not appropriately titled. The polar vortex ALWAYS exists as explained in this URL - What is the Polar Vortex ?. The real question is whether a polar vortex split up at the poles and the smaller vortices moved equatorward or not. In February of 2018 the polar vortex did split high up in the atmosphere due to a SSW event. If we take a look at it from GFS forecast data from the period - February 2nd 2018 10 hPa wind data and then a few days later - February 12th 2018 10 hPa wind data.
Content owned by The National Observatory of Athens, Greece confirms it in this youtube video - Polar Vortex split. An associate of mine who creates popular science videos for the larger public came up with a layperson's view of the polar vortex in this youtube video -SSW explanation plus polar vortex split
The key point in Simon Clark's video of the sudden warming of the stratosphere can be seen in GFS forecast data as well - Air temperature before polar vortex split at 10 hPa and this Air temperature after the polar vortex split There is a 40 degree centigrade warming of the stratospheric air at 10 hPa over some locations. Over the temporal scale (3-4 days) that is fairly dramatic and that effect is eventually "felt" at the surface level. While the mechanism behind this is still a matter of deep research the impact is synoptic to planetary scale to cause a cold wave through Europe as was asked in this question - Where did the daily temperature variation go?.
Finally I am not sure of the impact on US stations but I believe it affected Western Canada and Europe.
UPDATE With NOAA partially restoring their database and their website the images are available now. I am displaying the 10 hPa air temperature for two different dates. One is before the SSW event (9th February 2018) and another one after the SSW event (13th February 2018). The stereographic projection is over the northern hemisphere
As one can make out over large areas of the North Pole the air temperature at the 10 hPa has increased by around 40-50 degree Kelvin and the colder air has been displaced equatorwards. Unlike the GFS forecast images shown earlier these temperature values are the mean values averaged over a single day and are therefore more representative than a single time associated with the GFS data.
Finally the vector wind at the 10 hPa levels on both those two days and you can see clearly the split vortices in this one
Looking at the literature for the polar vortex splits it appears that they also use the geopotential height increase over the poles to indicate the impact of a SSW. The first image is prior to a SSW which indicates the presence of a stable polar vortex(lowered geopotential height)
The second image is after a SSW and one that indicates the instability of the polar vortex(it's weakened state) and split vortices over Western Canada and Northern Europe. (Geopotential height increase over the poles).
Copyright Owner for NCAR NOAA images
NOAA NCAR URL
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Floating down from Quebec's upper Gatineau, the haunting ethereal sounds of Outside I'm a Giant carry poetic homage to Leonard Cohen.
Jeremi Pierre Caron, the songwriter of this touring ambient folk band, drew inspiration from his family's much-loved river hideaway for many of the songs released in their acclaimed 2017 debut album, Point Comfort. Combining acoustic guitar, pedal steel, violin, mandolin, clarinet and harmonica, this four-piece band creates atmospheric, richly layered, heartfelt songs that transport you to a calm and peaceful place. Lingering contemplation of nature and human nature is in abundance here.
Listen to Outside I'm a Giant now.


Eleaf iStick Pico 2ml Starter Kit with Melo 3 Mini consists a iStick Pico battery Mod and 1 Melo3 Mini atomizer(EC 0.3ohm). The Pico 75W Kit utilizes a single 18650 battery that can be accessed through the top battery screw top, it boasts several firing modes, fires up to 75 watts, features temperature control for vaping perfection, and the Pico is firmware upgradeable so that it constantly stays up to date!
Eleaf iStick Pico 2ml Starter Kit with Melo 3 Mini consists a iStick Pico battery Mod and 1 Melo3 Mini atomizer(EC 0.3ohm). The Pico 75W Kit utilizes a single 18650 battery that can be accessed through the top battery screw top, it boasts several firing modes, fires up to 75 watts, features temperature control for vaping perfection, and the Pico is firmware upgradeable so that it constantly stays up to date!With 2ml capacity, top filling and hidden adjustable airflow, Eleaf Melo 3 Mini is the best match for iStick Pico.


(1) S. P. | A wine from the Languedoc–possibly l'Esprit du Silene: beautiful, seductive, loads of flavor. This is not a simple wine; nor was it a simple woman. One taste left you wanting more. Or, conversely, she could be like a nice champagne–Veuve Clicquot–effervescent, fun, and extremely classy. Or maybe the Ampelos Rosé of Syrah: refreshing, thirst-quenching, lively, and strawberry blonde.
(2) E. Y. | The Montlouis chenin blanc from François Chidaine: smooth, supple, honeyed, and slightly sweet, though this sweetness is offset by a bit of acidity. One of the few whites I absolutely love.
(3) A. B. | The Sea Smoke Southing pinot noir: refined, graceful, and yet, possessing a whollop!
(4) K. Y. | This new Pleiades XVI from Sean H. Thackrey. I opened it yesterday–my mom loved it!–and finished it off today. It stood up to everything, even fried chicken and oranges. Awesome wine. Fiery, intoxicating aroma, beautiful color. Delicious, long finish.
(5) J. C. | A malbec–maybe the Maipe malbec from posts past. Dark, velvety. Tight grip of tannins that open to a full, voluptuous body.
(6) S. H. | A shiraz: loves Australia, loves chocolate. Smooth, easy-drinking, great match for almost any situation. Probably like the Thorn Clarke Shotfire Ridge.
(7) Me! | Dunno. Probably the Charles Cimicky Trumps grenache / shiraz: mouth-filling, delicious, memorable, and short finish!
Any thoughts? What sort of wine would YOU be?
Barolo. Focused, intense and sometimes almost impenetrable. Although sometimes so tight as to be disagreeable, if you are able to coax it right and be patient a world of depth awaits.


Today I'm sharing a celebration card with you! I've been seeing 'fringe' dies being used quite a bit, so I thought I'd have some fun and use the Stitched Fringe die on my card.
I chose three different shades of blue cardstock for my strips of fringe. After, I layered them together on my card base. Which for my base, I used the Polka Dot Rectangle die with. Once done, I then used the Celebrate die with a lighter shade of yellow cardstock. After I added it to my fringe.
Fringe fabulous, Shelly! Such a fun card!


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Sosias (VI/V wiek p.n.e.) – garncarz grecki, jeden z przedstawicieli stylu czerwonofigurowego.

Znany jest z sygnatur na dwóch wazach. Był kontynuatorem stylu czarnofigurowego, ukazując postacie w najszerszych płaszczyznach i unikając skrótów perspektywicznych. Próbował oddawać muskulaturę postaci za pomocą kilku schematycznych linii. Naturalne fałdowanie szat przedstawiał dokładnie, starając się na swoich malowidłach odtworzyć grubość materii i różnorodność draperii. Malował sceny zarówno mitologiczne, jak i sportowe.

Jednym z najbardziej znanych dzieł Sosiasa jest kyliks o wnętrzu dekorowanym przedstawieniem Achillesa opatrującego rany Patroklesa, a na zewnątrz wprowadzeniem Heraklesa na Olimp (obecnie w zbiorach Altes Museum).

Bibliografia
 Ostrowski J.A., Słownik artystów starożytności, Wydawnictwo "Książnica", Katowice 2006, s. 188-189, .
 Piszczek Z. (red.), Mała encyklopedia kultury antycznej, PWN, Warszawa 1983, s. 695, .
 Encyklopedia sztuki starożytnej, praca zbiorowa, WAiF i Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa 1998, s. 534,  (PWN),  (WAiF).

Garncarze starożytnej Grecji

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Green Steel Value Chain
In 2016, the Swedish industries SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall launched the HYBRIT initiative to decarbonise steelmaking by replacing coking coal with hydrogen for ore-based steel production. The initiative aims to produce steel without using fossil fuels, thereby reducing Sweden's CO2 emissions 10% by 2026. Finland joined the consortium in 2018, aiming to reduce its own CO2 emissions 7%.
In this effort to create the world's first entirely fossil-free value chain (from mine to steel), the pilot Luleå facility was commissioned in 2020 to test using renewable hydrogen to produce sponge iron for steel.
Construction on a hydrogen storage facility started in May 2021, and SSAB produced its first fossil-free steel in August. At full capacity, the 100 GWh storage facility will be able to power a full-size steel mill for three to four days. The project required SEK 200 million (USD 22.1 million) in investment as well as SEK 52 million (USD 5.7 million) in support from the Swedish Energy Agency to build the storage facility.
In 2021, the town of Gällivare was selected as the site for a demonstration facility for industrial-scale steel production. In addition, innovation in green steel has continued along the value chain, with Volvo Group producing a first-of-its-kind vehicle using SSAB's green steel, and steel manufacturer Ovako developing a hydrogen filling station that will use surplus hydrogen to power Volvo's next-generation trucks.
Source: See endnote 244 for chapter 01.
Snapshot Map
1 South Australia
10 Mauritius
11 Argentina
14 Chad
18 South Africa
19 Hawaii, US
20 South Australia
21 Belgrade, Serbia
22 Helsinki, Finland
23 Durban, South Africa
24 Paris, Rouen and Le Havre, France
25 US Cities
26 Essen, Germany
Renewables 2022Global Status Report
Chapters 1–6
Previous NextEgypt
01 Global Overview
02 Policy Landscape
03 Market and Industry Trends
04 Distributed Renewables for Energy Access
05 Investment Flows
06 Renewable-based Energy Systems
07 Renewables in Cities
Renewables 2022 GLOBAL STATUS REPORTHOME
REN21
Crowd-sourced knowledge and data
Methodological Notes
Data Pack
© 2022 All rights reserved REN21

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Over the past few years, there has been a growing trend toward providing courses for credit through Continuing Education. Currently, there are three basic models for providing credit through CE.
CE with academic authority. This model exists when continuing education is offered through an existing academic department and when the offerings are generally consistent with other courses offered by the department. The differences most likely occur in the hours which the course is offered, the characteristics of participating students, and sometimes format. However, the academic requirements of the course are consistent with the traditional departmental offerings.
CE with narrowly focused mission. This model often applies to community college programs and/or to professional development courses offered through four-year institutions when the offerings are not part of the curriculum for a degree. In this model, CE will often partner with an academic department to assure academic rigor and content in order to establish the worthiness of the course to carry academic credit.
Entrepreneurial. In this model, enterprise entities, either within or outside of the institution, partner with the academic unit to provide credit-worthy learning experiences. Credit is conferred by the academic partner.There are a growing number of examples, such as: LERN/USD Master's Degree Partnership, or corporate/academic partnerships where credit-bearing courses are delivered at the corporate location for both professional development and degree pursuant purposes.


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Could Pope Francis deliver yet another 'July surprise'?
In News Analysis
Pope Francis and Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, on the occasion of their private audience at the Vatican, Thursday, July 4. 2019. (Credit: Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP.)
This energizer bunny of popes has laid waste to the old days of July as a time of lethargy and repose.
ROME – Once upon a time, Rome in July was a tranquil place for those whose professional activities unfold in and around the vacation.
Popes suspended their audiences and left town, seeking to escape the brutal summer heat, so Vatican personnel and Vatican-watchers alike could while away leisurely days catching up on reading, taking long lunches and equally long naps, and just savoring la vita dolce. (Total honesty? Right now, I'm deeply nostalgic for those days.)
Famously, St. John Paul II had a swimming pool installed at his summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo outside Rome in 1979 so he could take dips in the dog days of July and August. When Pope emeritus Benedict XVI was elected in April 2005, one of the first items on his to-do list was to organize a summer vacation to Les Combes in Valle d'Aosta, in northern Italy by the Alps, that July.
Then, Pope Francis happened.
This energizer bunny of popes has laid waste to the old days of July as a time of lethargy and repose. Just consider what the month of July has brought over the last six years.
July 2013: A papal outing to Lampedusa to signal Francis's solidarity with immigrants; World Youth Day in Brazil, including the "Who am I to judge" mother of all soundbites; and approval of a miracle clearing Pope John Paul II's path to sainthood.
July 2014: Francis's first meeting with victims of clerical sexual abuse; his second interview with Eugenio Scalfari, in which the nonagenarian Italian journalist had Francis basically saying that priestly celibacy is on the way out; and the first-ever papal visit to a Pentecostal church, one located in southern Italy and pastored by a friend from Argentina.
July 2015: A three-nation homecoming to Latin America in Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay, in which Francis's fiery anti-capitalist rhetoric featured the line that money is the "devil's dung."
July 2016: World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland, including a papal visit to Auschwitz in which Francis deliberately remained silent; appointment of veteran American journalist Greg Burke as the papal spokesman; and calling the assassination of elderly French priest Father Jacques Hamel by ISIS loyalists "absurd."
July 2017: A papal expression of support for the parents of Charlie Gard, who were seeking to keep the infant diagnosed with a rare disease alive despite a court order to suspend treatment; the removal of German Cardinal Gerhard Müller as the head of the Vatican's doctrinal office; and a controversial article by two close papal allies, Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro and Argentine Protestant Rev. Marcelo Figueroa, which posited an "ecumenism of hate" in the U.S. between conservative Catholics and Evangelicals.
July 2018: The removal of Theodore McCarrick from the College of Cardinals over allegations of sexual abuse (McCarrick would later be expelled from the priesthood as well); and an ecumenical visit to the Italian city of Bari.
Frankly, it's exhausting just listing all that activity, let alone performing it. All of which brings us to this question: Does Pope Francis have a "July surprise" up his sleeve for 2019?
Francis already spent July 4 — coincidentally, Independence Day in the U.S. — meeting the leader of America's great Cold War rival, Vladimir Putin of Russia, for what the Vatican afterwards described as "cordial discussions."
We also know that next Monday, July 8, the pope will celebrate a special Mass for migrants in St. Peter's Basilica. It's hardly surprising that Francis would take such a stand, but the gesture will put the issue back in the spotlight at a time when a new CNN poll shows that three-quarters of Americans call immigration a "crisis," but are bitterly split as to why: Democrats say it's because of harsh treatment of migrants, Republicans because too many people are spilling over the border.
Beyond that, here are three plausible July surprises that Francis could deliver.
Curial reform: A draft of a new apostolic constitution titled Praedicate Evangelium has been making the rounds for a while, designed to mark the culmination of Francis's project of reforming the Roman Curia, meaning the Vatican's central administrative bureaucracy. Presumably the pontiff is putting the finishing touches on the document now, and theoretically he could promulgate it anytime.
Trip plans: While it's long been rumored that Francis will visit Japan in the fall, marking a sort of return to his Jesuit missionary roots, plans have not been officially confirmed. There are also rumors he might add a stop in Thailand while he's in Asia, although that prospect too remains a mere hypothesis. If Francis is serious about these journeys, July could bring the official ins and outs.
Curia shake-ups: At the moment, there are five heads of Vatican departments over 75, meaning their resignations are on Francis's desk: Cardinal Marc Ouellet at the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Luis Ladaria at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi at the Congregation for Catholic Education, Cardinal Beniamino Stella at the Congregation for Clergy, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri at the Congregation for Eastern Churches, and Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi at the Pontifical Council for Culture. In addition, the Secretariat for the Economy is vacant as Australian Cardinal George Pell is over 75 and fighting for his freedom after a conviction for "historic sexual offenses." Should Francis make changes in any of these posts, it would be a huge signal about where he wants the Vatican to go.
Naturally, these are merely three possibilities out of a virtually infinite set. If there's anything the Francis era should have driven home by now, it's that anything could happen – even, as odd as it to say in the context of popes and their history, in July.
Pope taps Farrell for key role in papal transition despite McCarrick questions
Pope meets with family of kidnapped Italian Jesuit
Vatican: Argentine bishop at Holy See under investigation
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick
Charlie Gard
Papal travel
World Youth Day Krakow


1. Bloggers always apologize for not posting in a while, but whatever. I'm busy and i don't care if you missed me. Ha. Actually, i might be writing for another outlet in a minute, and this blog will have to take a backseat to that. Announcement soon.
2. Last night i won the Minneapolis Grand Slam, which makes me the 2008 Minneapolis Slam Champion. I know people might accuse me of some false humility or whatever, but i honestly didn't expect this. It's nice though, because i performed three poems that i really believe in politically, philosophically and artistically, so it was cool to see them validated by strangers like that. Mostly, i'm just happy that i made a National Poetry Slam team, because NPS is in Madison this year and i have to return to my second home to beat the Madison team. Not sure if i'll compete at the St. Paul Finals yet-- might be on tour in May.
3. Just got back from South High in Minneapolis-- did all-day workshops for a bunch of classes. I don't understand how you people can do this 8 hour thing every day. Once a week is good for me.
4. Lots of great shows in the past month: opened for PM Dawn a few days ago; just about caused a riot at a middle school-- good to know the kids appreciate my angry music; saw KRS-ONE live for the first time, which was amazing; performed at an AME Church, which was beautiful; performed at the Minneapolis Urban League with Truthmaze and Tish Jones; did a bunch of workshops... like i said, been busy. It's nice to have hip hop shows, poetry shows, writing workshops and social justice workshops in the arsenal-- never gets boring.
4. So this new Atmosphere album is ridiculous. Haven't let it soak in yet, but it's really impressive. They could have done the same 'ol same 'ol and people would have loved it, but they're pushing the envelope. Should be a really interesting live show. Loving "puppets" and "guarantees."
4. Same for the new Kanser album. "Legacy" is beautiful, beautiful song. You can hear it at their MySpace.
5. As long as we're talking about local music, man, you need to check out Chastity Brown. Great voice, great melodies, great instrumentation, but more than anything, great LYRICS. Probably my favorite local act next to Big Quarters.
6. The album is going to be on Itunes soon. Updates to come. THANKS to everyone who has already bought it at shows or straight from me; really appreciate the feedback.
7. Tish Jones, one of my favorite poets and favorite people in the city, is celebrating her birthday along with Desdamona's at the Blue Nile this Saturday the 26th. Come through. Should be a good time.


We met Erica Greenwold Reisen through our most favorite wedding planning podcaster, Aleisha, over at Bridechilla. Erica helps moderate the Bridechilla community—a task she handles with wit and grace—but she also has an event planning company based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Folie à Deux Events. We chatted with Erica about how she got started, what she loves about weddings, and what joy means to her!
I started out in Fashion Design actually. I had a small business designing custom wedding gowns in NYC. When I moved to North Carolina in 2014, I wanted to take a break from sewing for a living, but I didn't want to give up the wedding industry. So I began looking into wedding planning! I have always been the kind of person to throw over the top theme parties, and I had assisted with two weddings of close friends by this point.
I also spent some time doing dance, theater and costume design, and in a way, wedding planning has a lot in common with theater production. I still design wedding gowns occasionally too, but I am so glad I made the move into planning and event design with Folie à Deux Events because it allows me to flex my creative muscles and problem solving skills in new ways!
I feel "eclectic" best describes my personal style, but in my events I like to identify the couple's style and express that through the design of their wedding!
What's been your favorite experience as a wedding planner?
Last June, a couple I worked with had a Celtic Handfasting officiated by a family friend from Wales. It was honestly the most moving ceremony I have ever seen. I always feel pretty close to my couples, planning weddings does that, but that ceremony really stuck with me. It was emotional and authentic. Not too serious or mushy-romantic either… It was just the perfect encapsulation of the couple and their values.
When was the last time you cried at a wedding you coordinated?
OMG, like every time. But most recently was actually at a Styled Shoot where the couple modeling surprised us all by doing a pop-up vow renewal during the photoshoot! It was so lovely!
What do you love most about planning weddings? Why do you plan weddings in particular?
I believe in the power of relationships and partnerships but I am not blinded by the wedding industry rhetoric about "the perfect day" or love being "forever." I feel that it is important for more people in the wedding industry to move away from language like that and instead help the couples we work with get off to a good start. I love a good party and all the pretty things for sure, but in all of that, it is important that we don't lose sight of the real reason we are doing this, the commitment being made by the couple.
I also plan weddings because I want to be there for the folks who feel left out or left behind by the wedding industry. People who don't fit into the limited scope of the Princess Dream Wedding. I love that I can help guide couples through the process of planning a wedding that truly represents their relationship while also (I hope) setting them up for a successful marriage!
My favorite venue is Motorco Music Hall in Durham, NC. It is a bar and concert venue, and very "un-weddingy." I had my own wedding there and then planned another wedding there this year! I am also working with them on a styled shoot soon. I love this venue because it speaks to my little punk rock heart.
At a wedding earlier this year, the couple made a custom blend of earl gray tea in cute little bags that were ribbon-embroidered by the groom's mother! So unique and beautiful!
At a wedding last fall, the groom's grandmother fell and we had to call the EMTs. She had to be taken to the hospital less than a half hour before we were supposed to start the ceremony. Shortly after the ceremony we received an update that she was doing alright, and everyone was able to relax a little, but it was super emotional for the couple and family.
Who are some of your favorite local vendors to work with?
Kenna and Cynthia of NC Secular Weddings are my favorite local officiants and I work with them on a TON of weddings. Kenna also helped me break into the planning business by giving me my first few referrals! I cannot thank her enough! She actually officiated my own wedding, which is how we met!
What piece of advice would you give brides and grooms to ensure that find a wedding planner who will ensure their big day goes off without a hitch?
Even if all you need is a Wedding Coordinator, try to find someone who will be there with you the whole way. I work with my clients from the moment they book to make sure they are set up with the tools they need and the resources to plan their wedding. I can follow along with their progress and then as we get closer to the wedding, there are no surprises!
Online Planning tools have made such a huge difference on weddings for couples, so that is a big plus! Also online RSVP and website services like Joy offers… I absolutely love it! Social media on the other hand… I think it causes a lot of stress for couples. The emphasis that is put on being featured on wedding blogs and impressing not only your guests but also the internet with your wedding leads to a lot of stress for couples. I think the pressure to impress has always been there, but it feels a little extra lately.
The wedding planning process is the first step in your life as a married couple and it can also help you prepare for married life! I also feel that a wedding should be a reflection of the couple's personality and a celebration of their commitment to each other. The little details are less important when you look back, so I believe its better to focus on making awesome memories with your friends and family!
Designing bridal gowns! I actually would love to get back into that side of the biz someday, but the idea of having a bridal salon or a event venue is also really tempting. I am one of those folks who just loves to be creating and am never completely happy with just one thing!


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Chew on This, Uncategorized
Culture, Cocktails, and China
Posted by Katie Askegaard on April 6, 2020 April 13, 2020
Chinese Countryside
I comfortably sat on the bullet train flying across the Chinese country side at 160 MPH from Tianjin to Beijing through split pea soup smog that had my lungs heaving just looking at it. The landscape looked like the movie "The Mist", but Instead of monsters emerging, there were pods of massive homogenous housing complexes. Seeing so many series of 34-story brown and grey high rises freaked me out a bit. How many people were inside? What did they all do? What kind of lives did they live?
This was the second time myself along with two friends, Patrick and Chris, headed into Beijing for an overnight stay during our contract onboard the Westerdam. Beijing is home to some amazing temples, delicious food, high end shopping, and plenty of bars, but there's an odd feeling of always being watched, and the buildings have a quiet, hushed aura.
Art Zone
The day held peking duck, exploring narrow Hutongs, and checking out the 798 Art Zone, and the night was dedicated to casual bar hopping. To kick off the night, we stopped at a bar called The Parlor, and little did we know what that bar would lead to.
We took three seats at the speakeasy-esq bar despite being instantly turned off by the fact it was empty, far too bright, and the featured decoration was a fake deer bust above the bar. However, it was time for a cocktail, so we figured we'd have one before heading out. I got an old fashion with bacon infused whiskey, which was average at best. The three of us exchanged knowing looks of "let's get the bill", but then Jef, the owner, started talking and things got interesting. Jef's English was impeccable, and it turned out he owned 3 spots around the city and was a budding entrepreneur. After covering the basic get to know you questions, we started testing the waters with deeper topics.
I had been dying to know how Chinese people feel about the restrictive nature of the government. Google is blocked, facebook is banned, and there is zero tolerance for any controversial free speech on the internet, newspapers, or media. Did each homogenous apartment complex door open up into a personalized, colorful apartment with people discussing the issues of abortion and environmental policy? Or were people sitting in a happy state living a life of duty to the government?
The idea of having my free speech taken away and life completely regulated by the government makes me cringe, but I recognize that I've a grown up in a culture with those values. My freedoms are imbedded into the very threads of the United States Constitution, and I've never known otherwise. In China, what I, as an outsider, sees as brainwashing is their normal. Who am I to say what "freedoms" are "right" and "wrong"? Values and standards are all relative to a specific culture, and wanting my western ideals for the Chinese is naïve.
I might want my idea of "freedom" for Chinese citizens, but do they want it for themselves? Hopefully Jef would provide some insight.
The first topic was public planning and progress. Chinese growth has blasted off in the last 20 years; the extensive, efficient, Beijing subway system alone was put together in one measly decade. In America, our urban planning projects are expensive, inefficient, and can take years to complete. In China, the concept of citizens opposing public planning projects is flat out preposterous, and there are no legal battles over the government seizing little old Betty's land or concerns about building a new city on a nature reserve. The government decides what is best, and just does it.
Next, we discussed the idea of tipping in the US. Jef asserted that it's better to get paid a steady solid wage; a pretty standard opinion from non-tipping cultures.
He whipped out some Makers Mark and said "this one's on me", and conversation got a bit deeper.
We asked what his thoughts were on google, facebook, and Instagram being blocked. He smiled, pointed to his phone, and explained he just gets around the block with a VPM converter and proceeded to follow us al on Instagram. Chris asked, "But doesn't it bother you that the government doesn't let you have access?" He said no. In China, the people serve the government, while In the US, the government serves the people. The systems are completely opposite, so it only makes sense that we will have differing opinions.
Jef continued on in explaining how Chinese government and culture is built on thousands of years of history and it's flat out stupid to think civilians can ever change that. In the United States, people take the approach of influencing the government to bring about change. In China, the people simply find a way around the laws and regulations. It's like blowing through a mountain with TNT vs. going up and around.
He poured yet round out, and we ask him his thoughts on Americans and how the Chinese news portrays us. Jef responded, "That you are all rich" without hesitation. Jef continued to say that Chinese citizens hate Trump, and that his policies and approaches to issues are ridiculous. He also threw in the absurdities of US gun laws; "the response to mass shootings is more guns?! The stupidity is comical!" He continued on in explaining that it's pointless for Chinese people to have guns. The government is so astoundingly strong that a civilian uprising with measly AK-47s would cause more harm than good.
I asked what he thought of the Japanese out of curiosity, to which he responded, "They are simple and organized."
Jef ended with giving us his prediction that China will be the top country in the world before long. The powerhouse has mastered the formula for efficient growth that is built on over 3,000 years of culture, and it's only a matter of time before they surpass the United States.
It seemed like the right time to grab the check and head out. What we thought would be a quick drink ended up being one of the most interesting conversations I've had.
Americans, myself included, tend to make the fatal logical flaw of assuming everyone wants the freedoms and social liberties that we want. Free press, right to a fair trial, social mobility, access to education, freedom of religion, so on and so forth are all "correct" values that have been imbedded into US citizens from a young age. Stepping back and taking a global perspective, it's naïve to think the values of a 243 year old country is what the standard should be. Why should we think that a country built on thousands of years of culture would ever want our ideals?
Experiences like this is why I crave travel. I love being forced to question my beliefs and choices, and nothing thrills me more than a revelation that maybe I'm wrong about something I was avidly defending 5 minutes prior.
Cheers to never settling for complacency, questioning everything, and embracing the world.
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AndysWorldJourneys says:
interesting thoughts. culture is strange in many ways, its hard to ever fully appreciate and understand how the way we live and the values we have influence how we view the rest of the world.
5 Must Try Vietnamese Dishes even Picky Eaters will Love
What Is Daily Life in Tasmania Like During COVID-19? (Spoiler Alert: It's Pretty Normal)


Today, the Honourable Larry Bagnell, Member of Parliament for Yukon, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable John Streicker, Yukon Minister of Community Services, announced joint funding of over $16 million through the Small Communities Fund for three infrastructure projects across the territory.
This funding will be used for planned improvements to the City of Dawson's water and sewer infrastructure. It is also enabling important upgrades to the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Water Treatment Plant to ensure residents continue to have access to clean drinking water. In addition, this funding has been used to install 12 kilowatts of solar modules and energy storage in Moosehide, which will reduce the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in's reliance on diesel at this important community site.
Once completed, these projects will help to protect the local environment and keep communities in the territory healthy and sustainable.
Our partnership with the Government of Canada and collaboration with Yukon First Nations and municipalities is really helping us build and improve our communities. Projects to ensure access to clean drinking water and reduce diesel use improves the quality of life for Yukoners for today and the future.
Today's announcement demonstrates Canada's commitment to working closely with Yukon to meet the unique needs of small communities. Along with our partners, we are proud to invest in green infrastructure projects like the ones announced today that will help maintain sustainable communities and clean waterways—leading to a better quality of life for those living and working in the territory.
Access to safe clean drinking water is critical to the wellbeing of our citizens. Today's announcement represents an investment in one of our core infrastructure requirements and we thank the Government of Canada and the Yukon Government for their ongoing support.
Reducing environmental impacts is a responsibility the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in take seriously. We are pleased to partner with other levels of government in bringing a clean, sustainable energy source to Moosehide and thank everyone who played a role in bringing twenty-first-century technology to our century-old gathering place.
Maintaining water and sewer infrastructure is a key municipal responsibility and an important part of building a sustainable community. We are thankful for the assistance received from Canada and the Yukon Government for these essential upgrades.
Of this funding, $2 billion will support infrastructure projects that meet the unique needs of rural and northern communities like facilities to support food security, local access roads and enhanced broadband connectivity. In addition, $400 million will be delivered through the Arctic Energy Fund to advance energy security in the territories.


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Are Ghanaians ready for the new e-payment tax?
The proposed levy is a 1.75 % charge on all electronic transactions from February 1, 2022.
by Kuda Pfende
in Africa, Business
The e-payment levy is said to broaden the revenue base and bring in the informal sector.
There are concerns that it might jeopardize the country's existing digitization effort.
The e-implementation cedis may further reduce the use of cash by compelling consumers to make electronic payments, requiring them to pay the e-levy.
Ghana'scurancy [Quartz Africa]
Ghana's finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has declared an introduction of the e – payment levy (e-levy) on all electronic transactions in the 2022 budget. He explained that this would broaden the revenue base and bring in the informal sector.
The proposed levy is a 1.75 % charge on all electronic transactions over $16 and will take effect from February 1, 2022. The levy will include payments made with mobile money, bank transfers, merchant payments, and inward remittances. The transaction's originator will incur the charge except for inward remittances, which the recipient will fund. All transactions up to US$16 will not incur these charges.
The Finance Minister highlighted the rise in total digital transactions from US$81 billion in 2020, up from US$12.5 billion in 2016. In just five years, these electronic payments have seen a considerable jump
While economists expect this will broaden the tax net, given that the bulk of the population works in the informal sector, it's an easy way for the government to raise income. It is no surprise that news of the levy is receiving widespread anger. There are concerns that it might jeopardize the country's existing digitization effort.
Minister Ken Ofori-Atta [The Africa Report]
Analysts do not predict a reversal of these responses, as happened recently with the payment of benchmark values at ports. Given the current cost of mobile money, the government may reconsider the introduction and additional charges. There are several reasons why the minister is unlikely to reverse course. Ghanaians should anticipate this levy on electronic transactions.
Read: Cost of living to go up for EAC
Why the government is unlikely to reverse course
There are no viable alternatives: While this e-levy may force some people to use cash, there is no viable alternative for the vast majority. Electronic transactions, particularly mobile money, is currently the most efficient and cost-effective method of transferring funds in Ghana because it is widely available. Its widespread use is due to its practicality, particularly in rural areas. The only other option is to use banks, which have a restricted number of locations. Banks are also digitizing their services to reduce the use of cash.
According to some studies into the use of financial technology in Ghana, mobile money is the only way for many people to access financial services without realistic alternatives. This study also found that the cost of using mobile money is not an impediment. People will continue to utilize mobile money regardless of the e-levy.
Revenue-generating methods that are simple to implement
Even though the informal sector employs the majority of Ghanaians and accounts for around 85% of the urban economy, successive governments have failed to discover new ways to broaden the tax net to encompass it. The government sees mobile money as an easy way to tax the informal sector because many people, even those in the informal sector, use electronic transactions. According to estimates, the overall amount of mobile money transactions in 2020 would be above US$99 billion, significantly exceeding the US$29 billion of cheque and cash transactions. Given the government's potential revenue and its inability to develop a novel approach to Tax the informal sector, mobile money taxes appear to be the easy way out.
Ghanaians to pay tax [SowetanLive]
Institutionalization of digital payments
The government has recently launched digitalization projects to eliminate the use of cash. The e-currency (e-cedi) project, for example, will see the Central Bank issue its "own kind of mobile money." The e-implementation cedis may further reduce the use of cash by compelling consumers to make electronic payments, requiring them to pay the e-levy.
Read: Safaricom seeks to broaden M-Pesa's future scope
The government is also transitioning to a digital-only payment option for its services to combat corruption and income leakage. This means that without digital payment, people may have difficulty getting a passport or driver's license, registering a business, or clearing cargo at a port. Making it Another reason people will have no choice but to pay the e-levy.
With the introduction of COVID and the enforcement of movement restrictions, as well as the fact that mobile money, bank accounts, and cards have grown more closely linked, many people have turned to electronic transactions and payment for the majority of their day-to-day economic operations. Between February 2020 and February 2021, the government claims that the value of digital transactions increased by 120%. It increased by 44% in the preceding year. The government recognizes that most people's custom now is to conduct business online. People will find it difficult to return to physical transactions since they are so handy.
Ghana's electronic payments [Worldakkam]
Because of the present charges on mobile money, many individuals will oppose the e-levy. It also has the potential to stifle the expansion of Ghana's FinTech ecosystem by making the country undesirable to FinTech entrepreneurs. This e-levy, for example, will limit profit margins for FinTech businesses that may not want to pass the expense on to customers. Zeepay, a Ghanaian FinTech firm, alone got US$7.6 million in financing in 2021.
Given the direct and indirect benefits FinTech brings to economies, this e-levy will exacerbate an already difficult situation for FinTech businesses. The administration appears to be mainly concerned with short-term revenue gains. As a result, instead of imposing a blanket e-levy on electronic transactions, the government should reconsider the implementation and deliberately target the Tax. Lessons learned from other nations that have adopted mobile money taxes, such as Uganda, should be influenced.
Read: How Kenya plans to increase revenues, fund US$26.5Bn 2019-20 budget
Tags: e-payment levyGhana taxGhana's electronic transactionsKen Ofori-AttaMobile money
Kuda Pfende
EABL net profit rises to reach KSh 8.7 billion supported by reopening of Kenyan bars
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How safe are digital currencies and are they legal?


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EV charging>
Choosing EV charging cables
Choosing an EV charging cable
Written by Ben Gallizzi, Senior Content Editor - Energy and Electric Vehicles
If you buy an electric vehicle, tethered public charging points mean you can just about get away without your own charging cable, but it's much easier to have your own to call on when you need to charge.
Because you're not filling it up with petrol (unless you have a hybrid), you'll need to be able to connect it to a charger at home or out and about so you can top up the battery.
What should you be looking for when choosing an EV charging cable, though?
How do I choose an EV charging cable?
There are a few things to think about when choosing an EV charging cable: the type of connector, the type of power source you're likely to use and the type of current likely to be provided.
Electric car charging cables have two connectors, one at each end - one connects to the charging unit and the other connects to the car, so it's important that you get one which will provide an optimal charging performance.
There are two types of connector: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is the Asian, Japanese and American standard (and is single-phase only) while Type 2 inlet is the European standard and covers both single and three-phase charging. Almost all electric vehicles can use a Type 2 connector, though some older models will exclusively use a Type 1 connector.
You can get cables that plug into standard three-pin plug sockets, but this isn't recommended as best practice - it will take a long time to charge the car and cause reduced performance over time. It's much more advisable to get a Type 2 EV charging cable.
Power sources and ratings
Single-phase and three-phase power
Single-phase power is typically available from residential properties, while three-phase power is typically available from commercial buildings. Three-phase power can deliver more current than single-phase power, so a car plugged into a three-phase network will charge three times quicker.
With that in mind, charging cables are optimised to facilitate both single-phase and three-phase charging, but it's worth being aware of which type of power you're plugged in to so proper charging time expectations can be set.
Alternating current and direct current power
EV batteries require direct current (DC) power to charge - they can accept alternating current (AC) power but this then has to be converted by the car into DC power. EVs plugged into DC chargers will therefore charge more quickly because the conversion from AC power doesn't need to happen. However, direct current chargers are typically only available at service stations and locations where rapid charging is important, rather than at home.
Charging cable current ratings come in either 16 or 32 amps, with the former commonly found at home and the latter found at public charging points. A 16 amp cable charges the vehicle more slowly, but as 32 amp charging cables can be used in a 16 amp charger, it could be worth investing in a 32 amp cable to help you charge at public charging points.
Which EV charging cable should I choose?
You'll almost certainly need a cable that can cope with a home charger - whether you want one that can also cope with direct current public chargers depends how often you think you'll need to charge away from home.
At a minimum, you need one that will match the car's maximum AC charging rate, which your manufacturer handbook or dealer will be able to help you pinpoint.
For instance, in the table below, we see how a Honda e, with a maximum charging rate of 6.6 kW, charges with different power types.
Time to charge fully
1-phase 16A (3.7 kW) 230V / 1x16A 3.7 kW 9h15m
3-phase 16A (11 kW) 230V / 1x16A 3.7 kW 9h15m
Figures taken from https://ev-database.uk/
A single-phase 32 amp charger will charge at around 7.2 kW per hour, but as the Honda e only has a maximum charging rate of 6.6 kW, it won't exceed that in terms of power. Similarly, a three-phase 32 amp charger will charge at about 22 kW per hour, but here it can't go faster than 6.6 kW.
Regardless of the single-phase/three-phase or 16 amp/32 amp options, charging speed will ultimately be dictated by the car's maximum charging rate, so make sure you know what that is and how the different cable types in different locations will affect charging speed. The higher the battery capacity, the more power it will need to charge quickly, so those with bigger batteries should probably opt for a 32 amp cable - it will work perfectly well in 16 amp connectors but be invaluable when more powerful DC chargers are available to use.
How long should an EV cable be?
A longer electric car charging cable will make it easier to reach public charging points, while a shorter cable will be easier to store. 7.5 metres is a good compromise, but you may prefer a longer or shorter option.
What should the EV cable's power rating be?
You'll need a cable that matches your vehicle's maximum charging rate. This goes back to the table above - you'll want one that matches the maximum AC charging rate of the car, at least.
Do I need a separate charging cable?
Most EV drivers get a separate charging cable, especially if they have a tethered home charging unit. They can then carry the cable in the car so they can connect to public charging points when they're on the move, though some charging points will be tethered so there won't be a need for your cable.
Unsure if you need an EV home charger?
Find the advice you need for the stage you're at here.
I'm considering buying an EV
If you're thinking about getting an EV, what do you need to consider when it comes to charging?
My EV is on the way
If you've ordered an EV, what do you need to do to prepare for its arrival?
I already have an EV
If you have an EV and you're considering installing a home charger, we can help advise you.
EV connector types
The EV connector type you have will impact how fast your electric car can charge. Find out what EV connector type you need for your EV charging needs.
EV home charger installation process
EV home chargers are the most affordable and convenient way to charge, but what's involved when it comes to the installation process? We've explained it here.
How to charge an electric car
Charging electric cars couldn't be simpler but it can be daunting for new EV drivers. Uswitch explains everything you need to know about EV charging.


I was searching for a Property and found this listing (MLS® #E4142203). Please send me more information regarding 231 Windermere Drive, Edmonton, AB, T6W 0S4. Thank you!
I'd like to request a showing of 231 Windermere Drive, Edmonton, AB, T6W 0S4 (MLS® #E4142203). Thank you!
Courtesy Of Daniel Israel Of Royal Lepage Arteam Realty.


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The Four Square Club is an honorary giving society recognizing donors who have given an outright gift of $1,000+ during the year. The name Four Square Club is meant to honor the generous four-digit gift from the donor, while eliciting feelings of nostalgia over the threads of camp that remain the same over multiple generations.
The game of four square dates back to before the beginning of Lakeshore and continues to be played during canteen today. Camp has changed over the years–the songs are different, the games change, the activities get upgraded, and the buildings get remodeled–but the spirit of camp remains.
The four squares not only represent the gift, but also the four foundational elements of Lakeshore's camp programming: faith formation, community building, leadership development, and personal growth. Year after year, we notice these characteristics in our campers. We watch campers and guests meet lifelong friends, grow deeper in their faith, learn to be leaders and grow as people, ready to tackle challenges using skills they learned at camp.
Joining the Four Square Club is an acknowledgement that this foundation is just as important now as it once was and a commitment to ensuring Lakeshore Camp and Retreat Center is equipped to continue offering quality programming for the enrichment of people of all ages. Major gifts like these, along with our robust Cabin 17 program, are the two best ways to sustain the future of this place.
Members of the Four Square Club will receive a welcome gift and special content from Lakeshore throughout the year as appreciation for their generous support.
Four Square Club membership is granted with a gift of $1,000 or more, or a pledge of up to four installments in a calendar year. Membership is renewed annually. Join today at lakeshorecamp.org/donate or send a check to:


If you missed them over the weekend, maybe you can sneak out for their Lagunitas engagement.
Replacing an earlier date that was canceled due to laryngitis, Tommy's on the mend and going ahead with tonight's show.
There's no real way to sum of FIDLAR, but if we had to try: Loud, fast, and done with a lot of attitude.
We're mostly in this for locals Rays, but we'll take a little of Home Blitz's nostalgic early-'00s punk, too.
All your favorite indie heroes, all in one place.
The relaxed pop of Peach Pit meets SF's DIY mainstays the Yellow Dress.
It's Frankie Cosmos. What more is there to say?
One of our Band-to-Band Relay honorees heads up a heavy bill at the Golden Bull.
Check her "red hot" new single here.
The normally rock-heavy club gets an electronic makeover with the experimental sounds of Com Truise and the impeccable production of Nosaj Thing.


The agency said the card provides growers with a secure way of storing data that can be retrieved at any point.
The data includes name of the farmer, grower's number and centre where one delivers their produce.
The agency said the card provides growers with a secure way of storing data that can be retrieved at any point. The data includes name of the farmer, grower's number and centre where one delivers their produce.
A receiving clerk will then swipe the card to capture and store data and then give the farmer a printed receipt, unlike previously where the document was handwritten opening a window for errors and theft.
"The use of a smart card in weighing tea leaves is very secure, we have managed to increase efficiency. We will be taking less time for the tea to get to the factory and process it within a short period of time," said John Gitau, manager at Makomboki Tea Factory.
The card has been touted as a game-changer. "We will know the exact volume of tea that a farmer has delivered meaning we pay farmers for the exact amount they bring to the factory without overpaying or underpaying," said Mr Gitau.
With the card, the agency said it will be able to safely collect, secure and transmit tea and track performance of all the 65 factories it manages.
KTDA also plans to use the smart card to notify farmers of fertiliser delivery. "The farmers can query their accounts at any time to find out about their deliveries and volumes on a daily and monthly basis," said KTDA corporate communication manager Egadwa Mudoga.


Contact us today to schedule a Free Estimate for our experts to prescribe the best insulation for your needs. Blown insulation is a great option when insulating an attic. We offer our services in Connecticut throughout Stamford, Norwalk, Hartford, New Haven, Danbury, Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, Westport, West Hartford, Ridgefield, Hamden, Cheshire, Milford, Trumbull, Shelton, Bridgeport, Waterbury, New Britain, Bristol, Meriden, Glastonbury, Monroe, Stratford and all surrounding cities and towns.
Some insulation contractors install blown fiberglass insulation, some install cellulose. We can do both but recommend cellulose in most situations.
Cellulose insulation has a similar R-value to fiberglass but performs significantly better in real world tests. It also acts as a better air and vapor barrier. Cellulose is treated to achieve the highest fire rating and for resisting mold growth.
We proudly offer a home energy evaluation to properly evaluate what areas in your home are the source of your comfort or energy problems. Once identified, we will provide the best solutions. Need attic insulation?
"We will probably have you back in Spring 2012 or earlier to install kneewall insulation."
"The crew did a great job and a wonderful cleanup at the end of each day."
The crew did a great job and a wonderful cleanup at the end of each day.
We offer Free Estimates for attic insulation and the use of blown insulation in Norwalk, Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, New Haven, Hartford, New Canaan, Westport, Darien, Ridgefield, Hamden, West Hartford, Milford, Trumbull, Stratford, Cheshire, Bridgeport, Waterbury, New Britain, Bristol, Meriden, Glastonbury, Monroe, Shelton and all surrounding cities and towns!


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Q: Variable references in lisp Another newbie (Common) LISP question:
Basically in most programming languages there's a mean for functions to receive references to variables instead of just values, that is, passing by reference instead of passing by value. Let's say, for the sake of simplicity, I want to write a LISP function that receives a variable and increases the value of the variable by one:
(defun increase-by-one (var)
  (setf var (+ var 1)))

Now obviously the problem is that this function only increases the value of the copy of the variable on the stack, not the actual original variable. I've also tried to achieve the effect by using macros without much success, although I have this feeling that using macros is the right way to go.
I hit this wall all the time in LISP and I'm sure there must be a way around it or maybe there's a completely different approach to this problem in LISP I haven't thought about? How are things like this are done in LISP?
EDIT: Multiple people has suggested using incf. I only used this example to demonstrate the problem in a simple way, I wasn't actually looking for reimplementing incf. But thanks for the suggestions anyway.

A: With lexical scope one does not have access to variables that are not in the current scope. You also cannot pass lexical variables to other functions directly. Lisp evaluates variables and passes the values bound to these variables. There is nothing like first-class references to variables.
Think functional!
(let ((a 1))
  (values (lambda (new-value)
            (setf a new-value))
          (lambda () a)))

above returns two functions. One can read the variable, another one can write the variable.
Let's call the first function writer and the second one reader.
(defun increase-by-one (writer reader)
   (funcall writer (1+ (funcall reader))))

So, to do what you want, the code needs a) be in the scope or b) have access to functions that are in the scope.
Also the variable could be global.
(defvar *counter* 1)

(defun increase-by-one (symbol)
  (set symbol (1+ (symbol-value symbol))))
  ; note the use of SET to set a symbol value

(increase-by-one '*counter*)

This works for global variables that are represented by a symbol. It does not work for lexical variables - these are not represented by a symbol.
There is also a macro INCF that increases a 'place' (for example a variable).
(incf a)

But a is the variable in the current scope.
(defun foo (a)
  (incf a))  ; increases the local variable a

The limit is seen here:
(defun foo (var)
  (add-one-some-how var))

(let ((a 1))
   (foo something-referencing-a))

There is no way to pass a direct reference of a to FOO.
The only way is to provide a function. We also have to rewrite FOO, so that it calls the provided function.
(defun foo (f)
  (funcall f 1))   ; calls the function with 1

(let ((a 1))
   (foo (lambda (n)
          (setf a (+ a n)))))
   ;; passes a function to foo that can set a

A: Of course, in Lisp you can make your own way make variable references, if you want to. The simplest approach is like this:
(defstruct reference getter setter)

(defmacro ref (place)
  (let ((new-value (gensym)))
    `(make-reference :getter (lambda () ,place)
                     :setter (lambda (,new-value)
                               (setf ,place ,new-value)))))

(defun dereference (reference)
  (funcall (reference-getter reference)))

(defun (setf dereference) (new-value reference)
  (funcall (reference-setter reference) new-value))

And then you can use it:
(defun increase-by-one (var-ref)
  (incf (dereference var-ref)))

(defun test-inc-by-one (n)
  (let ((m n))
    (increase-by-one (ref m))
    (values m n)))

(test-inc-by-one 10) => 11, 10

A: While Common Lisp supports a functional programming style, that is not its general focus (Scheme, while not purely functional, is much closer). Common Lisp supports a completely imperative style of programming very well.
If you find you need to write code like that, the usual solution is a macro:
(defmacro increase-by-one (var)
  `(setf ,var (+ ,var 1)))

This allows you to write code like:
(increase-by-one foo)

which will be expanded into:
(setf foo (+ foo 1))

before it is compiled.

A: Macros are probably what you want, because they don't evaluate their arguments, so if you pass a variable name, you get a variable name, not its value.
INCF does exactly what you want, so if you google "defmacro incf" you'll find a whole bunch of definitions for this, some of which are even close to being correct.  :-)
Edit: I was suggesting INCF not as an alternative to writing your own, but because it does what you want, and is a macro so you can easily find source code for it, e.g., ABCL or CMUCL.

A: I think you are missing out on one of the key concepts of functional programming - you are not supposed to change the state of objects once they have been created. Changing something via a reference violates that.

A: You can produce similar effect by using return values, this is a possible design pattern in Lisp, even though it is not passing a variable by reference.
Like this:
(defun increase (subject increment)
  (+ subject increment))

(let ((my-var 0))
  (message "Initial value: %s" my-var)
  (setq my-var (increase my-var 25))
  (message "Final value: %s" my-var))

A: As a beginner I came here to figure out how to do what should be a trivial procedure in any language.  Most of the solutions posted above did not work properly, may have been more complicated than what was needed, or different implementations.  Here is a simple solution for SBCL:
(defmacro inc-by-num (var num)
           (set var (+ (eval var) num)))

Apparently you cannot use setf b/c it restricts the scope whereas set doesn't.  Also you may need to use eval before var if you get an "argument X is not a number" error.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Fending off foreign threats: How 6 countries are working to curb interference in national politics
From viral influence campaigns on social media to political donations and state-sponsored cyber attacks, there is much alarm over the phenomenon of foreign interference in national politics. The Straits Times bureaus look at the mix of efforts across the world to curb the growing menace.
Protesters taking a stand against President Donald Trump in front of the US Capitol building during a "People's Rally for Impeachment" late last month. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
https://str.sg/J3on
Since the 2016 election, America has become familiar with the threat of foreign interference in the form of social media agitation by established troll factories overseas and state-sponsored cyber attacks that favour one candidate over another.
But recent events have forced the Washington establishment to grapple with a fresher question: whether asking another country to dig up dirt on a political rival constitutes a request for foreign interference, which would be illegal.


One hundred and forty days into the job that denied him the honour of leading Spain to the 2018 World Cup, Julen Lopetegui was handed a sack letter. It took just 10 La Liga matchdays for Florentino Perez to realize his mistake. Santiago Solari was quickly drafted to steady the ship.
Solari couldn't last longer than 14 days in his new role. According to the Spanish Football Association (RFEF) rules, a team cannot maintain a caretaker manager for more than two weeks. Early results allowed Perez to make him the permanent boss, as if that was a literal term.
Solari's early success kept Antonio Conte unemployed if, like permanent managers having any job security, early rumours were true. In the end, we never found out. Four successive wins and 15 goals scored convinced the board Solari was their man at least through the summer. To appease LFP regulations more than demonstrate his confidence in the Argentine, Perez handed the hitherto inexperienced 42-year-old a two-year contract.
There have been a few dark clouds along the way but the outlook at the Bernabeu lately has been as sunny as the new boss' name. The Merengues were ninth when the former Inter Milan midfielder took charge. They're now third. Their goal difference has also shot up, from nil to +8.
It's clear that Solari has flipped a switch at the Bernabeu, maybe more than one. The question is how?
Debate over the rising player-power in football cannot ignore Real Madrid players. Managers who upset the big names in that clubhouse don't last long.
Handed a team with eight players nominated for the Ballon d'Or, including the reigning World Footballer of the Year; Lopetegui found it difficult to keep the majority happy. He wasn't impressing the Madrid board either. Enter Solari.
Solari wasn't just another ex-Madrid player gifted the big job; He managed the Madrid youth side before moving up to handle the Real Madrid Castilla, the B team. He became a popular figure among fans and the board. Unless your name is Isco, it was hard not to like the easy-going South American.
For this part, Solari didn't need to do anything but be Solari; a man known for his friendly demeanour and football mindset. Added to his deep understanding of how things work at Real. It all combined to make him the perfect short-term answer to Madrid's managerial crisis.
A major problem for Madrid was getting goals without Cristiano Ronaldo. Solari came in with a system that clicked. Karim Benzema received particular attention. The Frenchman repaid the new gaffer with five Liga goals, one more than double his total under Lopetegui.
Luka Modric and Lucas Vázquez were given the playing time they craved and deserve.
Solari has since brought back solidity and flair to Los Blancos while installing a new sense of belief and confidence. After all, they're the Champions of Europe. Madrid players now enjoy the freedom to express themselves and have fun on the pitch. The result has been telling. Real have picked 20 points from a possible 24 in their last eight Liga games.
As things stand, Real Madrid is still in contention to win three major trophies this term.
It's always been Florentino Perez' intention to one day build a Galactico with youth players, preferably from Madrid's youth ranks. Straight from managing the Castilla, Solari looks the second-best manager to make that dream a reality. Second-best only because Zinedine Zidane followed the same path.
Solari hasn't wasted time. He handed first-team appearances to Federico Valverde, Sergio Reguilon, Javier Sanchez and Marcos Llorente.
Most importantly, Solari has eased Vinicius Junior into the first team. Real signed the 18-year-old Brazilian in 2017 for €45 million. Since then, Perez hasn't been happy seeing him outside the senior team.
Santiago Solari is well and truly in touch with the tactical aspect of the game. He simply had to move a few pieces to get Real Madrid ticking.


text:
Q: How to communicate with Excel files via subprocess using python? How do I change cells in an excel file with subprocess?
So far, my code is:
import subprocess
ob =subprocess.Popen(['*Path to excel file*'], shell=True)
ob.communicate('H2=test')

But, it doesn't do anything!
Any help would be appreciated

A: Excel doesn't have a pipe communication interface, so you can't communicate with it using the subprocess module alone.
What you want to do can be achieved using the win32com module, because excel has a COM interface:
from win32com.client import Dispatch
excel = Dispatch("Excel.Application")
wb = excel.Workbooks.Append()
range = wb.Sheets[0].Range("A1")
range.Value = 'test'

However that is not the best integration with excel available. I suggest looking into openpyxl that allows you to open excel files without needing excel itself.

A: I think maybe here you are struggling to understand what subprocess module actually does.
When you use the shell=True argument in it, it is the same as if you are opening your terminal (or cmd in windows) and typing that argument in.
If you are on windows, try running subprocess.call('dir', shell=True) and see what happens. You should see the contents of your current directory shown. If you are on mac/linux just run subprocess.call('ls', shell=True) and it should do the same.
So for your task currently, this is not the right tool. However, this module can be very useful for other tasks.
Personally, I like to use openpyxl combined with Pandas to read Excel sheets to a DataFrame and manipulate it inside of python. Pandas has a nice read_excel function, and the docs are here.


So this is the end of the report on Tactica 2016 in Hamburg. Go to the convention report page for mor pictures.
The next convention I will go to will be Crisis 2016 in November as I can't make it to Salute in London this year.
A fantastic trove of photos, Tom! Thank you for all the eye-candy!!
Thanks for sharing them, and we might meet at Crisis in Antwerp.


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Xbox Series X Impressions
Posted on 17th March 2020 30th June 2020 by Spitfire Spud
It finally happened and yesterday was the day. Microsoft and team Xbox dropped some juicy information about their next-generation console, the Xbox Series X. Finally, all those silly rumours can be laid to rest and we can deal with the cold hard facts as we know them.
So, what makes the Xbox Series X tick? Well at the heart of this mechanical marvel is the AMD Zen 2 CPU which it's 8 cores clock in at 3.8Ghz. Then there is the GPU, which is also a custom built AMD GPU, which is a RDNA 2.0 graphics chip that will output at 12 teraflops and has 52 CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) cores coming in at 1.825Ghz. On top of this we get 16 GB of GDDR6 RAM which is double the RAM that is currently in the Xbox One X. The Xbox team have also decided to make the leap to an SSD drive instead of the standard mechanical drives of previous gens. With the Series X we get a 1TB custom NVME SSD and to be honest, is this big enough?
With the size of the hard drive being only 1TB and games continuing to grow with each passing year, I feel that it's simply not big enough. However, we are given the option of expanding on this with an integrated memory slot in the back of the console. We can slot in 1TB expansion cards which are currently being made by Seagate and more companies will start to make their own versions once the Series X has been released. My only concern about these cards is pricing and are they going to be ridiculously overpriced? Only time will tell, and we can only be hopeful that they are not too expensive.
The teams have made everything compact and when you watch the Digital Foundry video you get to see how everything fits in snugly with one another, it's almost like compatible LEGO and I love it. To help cool this beast, Microsoft have placed a 130mm fan on the top which will pull air through the bottom and push it out of the top. This hopefully will keep the console cool when we are playing our favourite titles this holiday. It's also going to matter how loud that fan is when running too in our own homes when we are gaming. They did a fantastic job with the Xbox One X cooling system and I feel confident that the team will repeat that level of dedication with Series X
Game developers will now have 16GB of RAM to play with and will have more freedom to work with when creating the worlds that they want with the aim of targeting 4K/60fps on their games and even 120fps in some cases. Though to reach these types of frames, it's probably safe to say that it won't be 4K but more aiming at 1440p or even an adaptable 4K with Checkerboard rendering. At this point in time, it's more or less just guessed work and we have to again wait and see what it console can do in our own homes.
Developers will be using the overall 16GB of memory in two ways: there's 10GB for fast GPU optimal memory, 3.5GB for standard memory, and 2.5GB reserved by the OS. All of this power will include the ability to expand storage through 1TB expansion cards at the rear of the console, with USB 3.2 external HDD support and a 4K Blu-ray drive. Microsoft is targeting overall performance at 4K 60fps, up to 120fps.
With all the tech babble out of the way, kind of, can the average gamer understand it all or will they notice any difference in terms of performance, graphics and gameplay? The short answer would be yes. The thing is, it really depends on how each developer decides to use the console to its strengths and how they want to utilise it. One of the biggest features you will notice straight off the bat will be the ridiculously fast load times. The Xbox team released a tech demo showing the load times of the Xbox Series X and the Xbox One X to show you how much of an improvement their next-gen console is. The video shows that State of Decay 2 loads up in just 11 seconds, while the Xbox One X loads in at around 55 seconds. It's a huge deal and when it comes to playing in an open world title like Red Dead Redemption 2 or The Witcher 3 and we are using fast travel. The loading screens should be almost non-existent, which is massive feature to have, as how often are we left waiting to get stuck back into our favourite games only to be greeted with loading screen after loading screen while we wait. Loading screens being a thing of the past would be a nice feature to have.
Another great feature that you will notice is the resume feature that lets you have multiple games instantly resume from a saved state. Which is a huge feature to have for people who love to game solo and with friends. Just picture it, you are playing some a game like Fable or Ori and the Will of the Wisps, when your friends pop online to play some Halo Infinite. You can jump onto Halo and play some games with friends and then come back and finish right where you left off on Fable or Ori, all in the matter of a couple of seconds. From the screenshots and videos we have seen, it looks like you can have up to 4 titles ready to quick resume, which apparently can also be done after the console as had an update or even if the console has been turned off for a few days. I do hope it's true as with a family like mine, someone is always on the Xbox and this feature would come in handy, so that we can continue our games whenever we want without having to reload up our games etc.. Small miracles in technology.
Another huge factor for me in the news that we got with the Xbox Series X is Ray Tracing. What is ray tracing and what will achieve? Ray tracing is something new to us console gamers and it's exciting to finally have it as a feature in our games. What it does is enable more realistic lighting effects to our worlds, improved shadows and effects that PC gamers have enjoyed for quite a while. Microsoft showed off some ray tracing features on Minecraft and it looks amazing how much it improves the overall look of the game. I have seen ray tracing working on games like Battlefield V on PC and it looks amazing and to finally have it come to Xbox and PlayStation consoles, will be something we can all finally appreciate it on our favourite titles.
I can't wait to jump back into games like Gears 5 and hopefully Battlefield 5 with ray tracing added. Even with the added extra "enhancements" that we should get just with the Series X itself should be amazing. Game developers like CD Projekt Red have stated that those of us who pick up Cyberpunk 2077 on release, will get a free upgraded version of their game for the Xbox Series X. It's also safe to say that many other developers may follow, and I believe that's what publishers like Ubisoft have delayed their games, just so they can get their games ready for the new wave of consoles.
With the console being a monster, it's great to see the team giving their controller more love and attention. The controller looks slightly smaller and seems to fit perfect in your hands, with the added grips on the controller's bumpers and triggers. There is also a new SHARE button for those of us who love to capture our favourite moments from our games. I hope we can finally capture in HDR as well, as I have always had an issue with the Xbox One X when trying to capture video in HDR, it would always appear washed out.
The Series X controller also uses AA batteries and I am one that loves this. While an integrated battery pack would have been handy in terms of not having to look for batteries and just plug it in to your console to charge. I much prefer reaching for my rechargeable batteries and this is due to keeping wires down to a minimum. Microsoft is also allowing us to keep our controllers we have now and use them with the Series X. Some of us have our favourite controllers that we like to use and plus those of you who have already picked up the latest Elite 2.0 controllers need not worry since they will work too.
There is so much more to find out about the Xbox Series X and we should hopefully hear more about it in the coming months. June should be a big month and with E3 being cancelled, the Xbox team will be hosting a digital event to showcase their upcoming console and games that their studios have been working on. It's definitely exciting times we are in now with what Microsoft are showing us and things are only going from strength to strength as we edge closer to June.
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brown blue living room and tan color gray grey decorating ideas beige c. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
cream living room design ideas with reference to gray brown view grey and dark a navy gra. . . . . . . . . . . . . .… Continue reading "Gray And Cream Living Room"


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Our COVID-19 Plan would Minimize Mortality and Lockdown-induced Collateral Damage
Dr. Martin Kulldorff
Dr. Sunetra Gupta
Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya
– October 23, 2020 Reading Time: 2 minutes
Current COVID-19 lockdowns protect low-risk college students and young professional bankers, attorneys, journalists, scientists and others who can work from home, while older high-risk working-class people are risking their lives building the population immunity that will eventually protect us all.
While mortality is inevitable during a pandemic, the COVID-19 lockdown strategy has led to more than 220,000 deaths, with the urban working class carrying the heaviest burden. Many older workers have been forced to accept high mortality risk or increased poverty, or both. While the current lockdowns are less strict than in March, the lockdown and contact tracing strategy is the worst assault on the working class since segregation and the Vietnam War.
Lockdown policies have closed schools, businesses and churches, while not enforcing strict protocols to protect high-risk nursing home residents. University closures and the economic displacement caused by lockdowns have led millions of young adults to live with older parents, increasing regular close interactions across generations.
The "Focused Protection" plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes. In line with pre-2020 pandemic preparedness plans, the declaration calls for better protecting the old and other high-risk groups, for whom COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza.
By contrast, for children, COVID-19 is less dangerous than influenza. Children and low-risk young adults should be allowed to live near normal lives as they face greater medical, psychological and economic harms from lockdowns than from COVID-19. Immunity among low-risk young adults could also shorten the length of the pandemic, making it easier for older people to protect themselves.
Denying in-person teaching to students is harmful to their education and physical and mental health, with working-class children hardest hit. Online schooling puts a disproportional burden on our children, despite their own minimal risk.
For ages 1 to 15, Sweden kept day care and schools open throughout the height of the pandemic, and among the 1.8 million children of that age, there were zero COVID-19 deaths without masks used or physical distancing. Neither was there any excess risk for in-person teachers compared with the average of other professions.
Some argue that it is impossible to separate older and younger generations. While 100% separation is impossible, lockdowns have "successfully" shifted infection risk from the professional class to the working class and nursing home residents.
It is no more challenging to shift infection risk from high-mortality-risk older people to low-mortality-risk younger adults, including the young bankers, attorneys, journalists and scientists who are now protected.
Reprinted from USA Today
In addition, the Great Barrington Declaration has added a new FAQ
Martin Kulldorff, PhD, is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. His research centers on developing new epidemiological and statistical methods for the early detection and monitoring of infectious disease outbreaks and for post-market drug and vaccine safety surveillance.
Get notified of new articles from Dr. Martin Kulldorff and AIER.
Dr. Gupta is a professor at Oxford University, an epidemiologist with expertise in immunology, vaccine development, and mathematical modeling of infectious diseases.
Get notified of new articles from Dr. Sunetra Gupta and AIER.
Jay Bhattacharya is a Professor of Medicine at Stanford University. He is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economics Research, a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, and at the Stanford Freeman Spogli Institute.
Get notified of new articles from Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya and AIER.
Related Articles – Crisis, Policy, Science


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Std - 3 To 8 Microsoft Team Virtual Class Time Table in Excel File
Std - 3 To 8 Microsoft Team Virtual
Class Time Table in Excel File
You are well aware that in all schools, teaching through Microsoft Teams virtual classes, the education of children in schools has become irregular in the time of Covid-19. Teachers in your district go to school and learn at home from all kids without a device in their own way. According to the instructions, Daily also informs parents about learning at home.
Std - 3 To 8 Microsoft Team Virtual Class Time Table
In addition to std. 9-10 and std. Live webcasts are also taking place via YouTube, Facebook, Microsoft Teams and Geo TV under Gujarat Virtual School for 11-12.
Also through the whole education if students have the device at home learning? A survey was conducted to find out and it was found that a large 40% of students in the state are using digital devices. The focus of the state government department of education has taken many initiatives and efforts to ensure that not a single student is deprived of education during the Covid epidemic.
Download Microsoft Teams Time Table for STD - 3 To 5
As part of this, Microsoft has created a user account for all children and teachers studying throughout the Std government and charter schools.
Microsoft Teams ni Samaj
It turns out that only a few teachers are currently teaching kids how to use Microsoft Teams. From now on, you are expected to lead a virtual class through Microsoft Teams, using the appropriate IT materials available at the school and, if necessary, teachers using their own devices such as mobiles, tablets, laptops, etc. . They are also expected to join certain categories at the district level.
Currently, the office has provided the necessary guidance and training to teachers through the Microsoft Teams online platform to teach students from the virtual classroom at home in order not to spoil the teaching work of students in the situation arising from COVID19. To do this, the Microsoft Teams user ID and password required for teachers and students are provided here.
How to Login in Microsoft Teams, watch this video given below.
Therefore, all the schools in your district under the "Gyan Kunj project" have installed Microsoft Teams on the laptops assigned under Gyan Kunj and used the interactive whiteboard configuration. Note: MHRD, Government of India PRAGYA Online Learning Guide for Std-1 to 8, based on the duration of student-led online learning, one hour 30-45 minutes in a maximum of two hours of learning in line.
Considering all these facts, the Government was considering the question of organizing exams for Gujarat state colleges / universities and starting the admissions process and academic work for the upcoming 2020-21 academic year.
At the end of careful consideration, the following instructions are decided to organize the exams for the state college / university and begin the admissions process and academic work for the upcoming 2020-21 academic year.
The terminal / semester / year end exams in UG courses / programs as per UGC guidelines must be taken as of 06/25/2020, as well as the first year of PG courses / programs and the terminal / Last semester / year must be taken as of 06/25/2020.
Guidelines for the use of masks, social distancing, and disinfectants should be strictly followed during these exams. The duration of the exam should be two hours instead of three hours. And you will have to take the exam in multiple shifts if necessary.
Taluka / local level exam centers should be established to conduct the exam. In the event that the COVIP-19 epidemic situation is not normal and the social distance guidelines cannot be followed, a 50% score will be awarded to the Intermediate Semester 2,4,6 students based on internal evaluation and the The remaining 50% grades will be awarded immediately based on the previous semester.


When it comes to sleep, not all Americans are equal. Some are better rested than others, and a study published in the Sept. 2015 issue of "Sleep Health" suggests geography may play a role in how many Z's you catch nightly.
The study is based on data gathered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which surveyed 432,000 Americans.
The findings are a bit counter intuitive. As Christopher Ingraham of The Washington Post notes, the study reveals that it's not residents in bustling metropolises like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago that are the most sleep deprived.
Ohio - the Buckeye State is also the Bleary-eyed capital of America.
Other restless states include West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. Basically, Appalachia is the nexus of insomnia in America.
Hawaii - there's nothing like a lullaby played on a ukulele.
Other well rested states include Arizona, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont.
Some states fall between best and worst: Texas tops the list of the three worst counties for sleep, but it also has another 13 counties listed as the best places to rest in America.
Meanwhile, southern California is much better rested than the north end of the Golden State.
However, the study isn't conclusive. Not enough data was collected from Montana, Alaska and large chunks of the Midwest to rank their counties.
Perhaps they slept through the survey.


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Ya tebya pomnyu
I Remember You (Ali Khamraev, 1985)
September 30, 2018 spinenumberedLeave a comment
Like Fellini's Amarcord, whose title it recalls, I Remember You is a semi-autobiographical meditation on the past. Kim, a veterinarian, leaves Samarkand at the request of his seriously ill mother and heads on a voyage across Russia in search of the grave of his father who died during the war. Reflecting Ali Khamraev's own personal history – his Ukrainian mother and Tajik father, his father's death during World War II, his own subsequent voyage with his brother to find the grave – this poetic journey into the subconscious memory is rendered in images of extraordinary intensity and beauty and one of Khamraev's true masterpieces.
Criterion Collection, Eclipse, Experimental, Film, USSR, Uzbekistan1980s, Academy Ratio, Ali Khamraev, Art House 80s, Avant-Garde, Behind the Iron Curtain, Color, Gulbuston Tashbaeva, I Remember You, Liliya Gritsenko, Memory Projects, On Writing Duty, Soviet Cinema, Soviet Union, The Good War Revisited, USSR, Uzbekistan, Vyacheslav Bogachev, Ya tebya pomnyu, Zinaida Sharko
The Rugged Odysseys of Ali Khamraev
August 22, 2018 spinenumbered3 Comments
An artist of rock-solid humanism and amazing expressive power, Ali Khamraev is a giant who sits astride the history of Uzbek cinema. A graduate of Moscow's Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography in 1961, he went on to make more than thirty documentaries and twenty feature films – criss-crossing between romantic comedies, Western adventures, political dramas, TV mini-series, and art cinema. Through them all, Khamraev engages in the unveiling of traditional Muslim Uzbekistan and expresses a faith in the modernizing influence of Soviet values and technology. A wizard with landscapes and an instinctual expert of social dynamics, Ali Khamraev is truly an underappreciated master of world cinema.
White, White Storks (Belye, belye aisty)
Influenced by Mikhail Kalatozov's black-and-white classic The Cranes Are Flying, the Italian Neorealist movement, and the interpersonal dramas of Yasujiro Ozu, Ali Khamraev traces the impossible romance of a married woman and an unconventional outsider in a small, traditional Uzbek village called "White Storks."
The Seventh Bullet (Sedmaya pulya)
Set during the Central Asian revolts of the 1920s, a Red Army commander allows himself to be captured by a Basmachi warlord to reunite with his imprisoned battalion and lead them to victory in this Western-inspired adventure in the Soviet frontier.
The Bodyguard (Telokhranitel)
A grizzled mountain trapper and a conscientious revolutionary are tasked by a Red Army unit with the difficult task of transporting a captured sultan, along with his daughter and his loyal servant, through a harsh mountain landscape to a neighbouring province while pursued by a ruthless Bashmachi warrior.
Triptych (Triptikh)
This modernist political melodrama set in a small northern town in 1946 follows three women struggling with the social constraints of post-World War II Uzbekistan: an illiterate girl who wants to build a house on her own, a school teacher aiming to bring progressive ideas to the villagers, and an old woman kidnapped in her youth by a poor peasant and forced into marriage.
I Remember You (Ya tebya pomnyu)
In this semi-autobiographical meditation on the past, an adult son's journey from Samarkand across Russia to find the grave of his father becomes a poetic voyage into his subconscious memory and an exploration of intersecting Uzbek and Russian traditions.
With notes by Kent Jones
Action, Eclipse, Film, Melodrama, USSR, Uzbekistan, Western1960s, 1970s, 1980s, Ali Khamraev, Avant-Garde, Belye belye aisty, Black and White, Color, Fishes Out of Water, I Remember You, Love Under Pressure, Melodrama, Movies by Number, Period Pieces, Sedmaya pulya, Soviet Cinema, Telokhranitel, That Old-Time Religion, The Bodyguard, The Seventh Bullet, Triptikh, Triptych, USSR, Uzbekistan, Westerns, White White Storks, Widescreen, Ya tebya pomnyu


Today's bike of the day is this 2007 Suzuki GSX-R750.
"White and blue, 5+ owners, GSX-R750. We present here for sale this Suzuki GSX-R750 in Blue and White. This bike has only covered 9,953 miles. The bike is finished off nicely with genuine single seat cowl, R&G Tail Tidy, Tank Pad, Bar Ends, Hel Front Brake Lines, Stand Bobbins and Maxxis Supermaxx Diamond Tyres. The bike has original owners manual and service book and comes with some service history. "
"Perfect balance is a tricky concept to build into a motorcycle, especially a sportsbike, but the Suzuki GSX-R750 is arguably the best blend of sheer speed, fluid handling and outstanding braking that anyone could ask for. The GSX-R750 is devastatingly fast, at the track, or on the road and incredibly easy to ride too. It's so good, you wonder why anyone buys the Suzuki GSX-R1000."


United Way is sponsoring a "Small Businesses Give Back" week; December 17-24. The United Way is asking Small Businesses like yourself to help, raise United Way campaign dollars to; help support our local agencies. The United Way will advertise, and in hopes, this will bring revenue to our local businesses. No coupons required, businesses choose 5-10% from total sales on their assigned day.
As of now, the United Way is struggling to make campaign goal this year. If interested, please let me know which day works best for your local business. Please respond back to United Way by Wednesday, December 14, 2016.