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Tag Archives: evaluation
Evaluating Criticism
Every writer can benefit from feedback, but not every bit of criticism is equal. Some may come from readers who can tell writers little about how to improve a story. Primarily they can point to what they liked or where they lost interest or what rubbed them the wrong way.
Those bits of feedback are still helpful, but a writing group is the best way to get useful information about how to make a story better. However, a writer needs to evaluate the feedback coming from their group because all criticism is still not equal.
When I first joined an online critique group, I discovered this problem. Some critiquers would write how much they loved a piece I submitted, and others would tell me how bad it was. In fact, both might point to the same line, even the same word. How can a writer know which voice to listen to?
Author and writing instructor Nancy Kress pointed out some years ago in her Writer's Digest article "Critiquing the Critics" that there are basically four types of criticism: line editing, story structure, character development, and prose. The feedback a group gives in each of these areas needs to be evaluated differently.
Line editing, which many writers key on, is the easiest to validate or disprove. The kinds of problems uncovered in a line critique include factual errors, repetitious words, inconsistencies, and proper word choice.
If, for example, a quote is attributed to Shakespeare but it was actually from the Bible, a line critique will make that correction. Or if the protagonist is six feet five in the first chapter and six feet four in chapter ten, a line critique will point out the discrepancy. If the word turn shows up four times in two sentences, that's a line critique issue. As is using words properly, according to any nuanced meaning rather than a strict dictionary definition.
Because these line issues deal with factual information, a writer should accept most suggestions. If there's a disagreement, a good style book or dictionary can verify or refute a critiquer's suggestion.
Story structure criticisms involve things like the direction of a scene, its pace, its necessity, whether or not it accomplished what the writer intends, whether it's properly set up, if it's confusing.
These criticisms are easy to evaluate when more than one person mentions the same issue. Even then, the members of the group may not suggest the best possible way to fix the problem. They may think the scene is redundant, for example, but you, the writer, know there's some necessary information embedded in it. Consequently, you may wish to change key components to eliminate the similar elements rather than cut the scene altogether.
If only one member of the group identifies a problem area, then it's important to weigh the source. Is this bit of criticism coming from an experienced writer who has studied the writing craft and completed several novels, or is this the idea of a beginner?
Of course, beginners can spot problems, too. It's important to give the criticism consideration, but to be validated, it should not hinge solely on preference. Beginning writers and beginning critiquers sometimes critique based on how they would write if this were their work. In other words, the scene is not actually confusing—it's just different from the way the critiquer would have structured it.
The third area of evaluation has to do with character development. Unfortunately not every person in your group may like your main character. In that case, it's important to know if the problem is in your portrayal of the character or in the character himself.
In other words, did you mean to draw the character as clever and innovative but your critique partner perceives him as sneaky and untrustworthy? In that case, you haven't portrayed him as you intended and you need to revise accordingly.
If, on the other hand, you meant to create a sneaky, untrustworthy character, and your critique group sees that, understands that, and doesn't like him, should you make changes? Your decision here is tricky.
One point to consider is whether or not your target readers are similar to the people in your critique group. For instance, members of your group may say they don't care for your protagonist because he's a mind reader and they only like characters that seem realistic. Criticism like that misses the mark.
On the other hand, if your group reflects your likely readers, their reaction to your character gives valuable feedback. Do they not like the character but feel invested in his journey and want to see what will become of him or do they not like the character and want to stop reading? In many types of stories, the character needs to be plausible, interesting, well-motivated and not necessarily likable.
The fourth area of evaluation is prose, or style. Because style is a personal signature of an author, it's not easy to critique and just as hard for the writer to judge the feedback. Ms. Kress explains:
Perhaps the most difficult criticism to evaluate—and to sit through without anger or despair—is stylistic criticism. You can rewrite scenes in your story, strengthen characters, fix line gaffs. But what do you do when you're told that your style has problems—that same style in which you wrote not only this story, but all your others? ("Critiquing The Critic," italics in the original).
When confronted with stylistic criticism, start by determining if there's a group consensus. Next read the work with the suggested stylistic changes (fewer adjectives, for example, or more concise dialogue) and see if you think the piece is stronger. Third, ask you critiquer to explain why he is making a suggestion. Have you fallen into a common stylistic error—"head hopping," using cliches, passive voice, incorrect use of participial phrases, overly descriptive to the point of interrupting the story, too much telling, and so on. A good critiquer should be able to give you a reason for any stylistic changes they suggest.
In the end, the story is yours. You need to decide what changes to make. Critiquers are there to reflect to you what they see. As the author, you must then evaluate what they've suggested. Keep things that make your writing and your story stronger; ignore whatever doesn't accomplish that goal.
Filed under Revision, Writing Process
Tagged as criticism, critiquers, evaluation, feedback, Nancy Kress, Writer's Digest, writing group


Do not ever shop there they will rip you off. I was over charged 1,300 for a ring. and Lied to about how much the ring was. I signed a fake receipt. Nothing they say is true.
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This is the first post of my new Solo Travellers Series – that aims to introduce you to solo travellers from India and across Asia – who are challenging the solo travel norms in their own fierce ways. In this post, meet Mariyam Niuma – the first solo female traveller, surf photographer and couchsurfer from the Maldives – who is giving new perspective to the culture and women of the Maldives.
[Update May 2018] Read the second post of this Solo Travellers Series: Meet the Courageous Indian Woman Travelling the World Solo – On a Wheelchair.
When I first met Niuma (Mariyam Niuma), she was renting a small house on a local island in the Maldives, spending her days surfing in the warm waves of the Indian Ocean. As she spoke of her laidback life, I began yearning to live out my hideaway island dream too.
We were at the World Travel Writers Conference in the Maldives, where I was speaking on a travel panel about storytelling. We stole a few moments to chat about our recent adventures and the similar battles we had fought at home to chase our dream of travelling the world.
But I never truly understood her battles until I spent a couple of weeks living in a small guesthouse on Maalhos, a local Maldivian island, a few months later. Unlike "resort islands" – private islands occupied by a tourist resort – local islands offer an intimate glimpse into daily life in the Maldives. It was on Maalhos that I realized that most Maldivian women, including young girls, are expected to fully cover up their bodies even under the hot tropical sun; that their ambitions are often limited to becoming teachers, though most of them only end up fulfilling the duties of a wife; that even though the pristine blue ocean is in their backyard, they are shy (and often not permitted) to join the boys and men to learn to swim, surf, snorkel or dive.
Niuma's love affair with the ocean began as a little kid, when on long ferry rides from Male to her father's island village, she imagined herself as a mermaid! She has travelled solo across Southeast Asia, crewed a sailboat from Malaysia to Thailand, taken surf lessons in Morocco, crossed 96 islands on foot in the Maldives and honed her surf photography skills to become Maldives' first female surf photographer.
When I reached out to her for this story, she was sailing on a 45-foot catamaran on a two day adventure from the Maldives to India!
Follow Niuma's solo travel adventures on her blog – Somewhere Salty, Instagram and Facebook.
Her tryst with travel began in 2004, when she won return tickets to Colombo on Emirates. She was so stoked by the win that she decided to fight her fears and go solo to Sri Lanka. She loved it, and eventually saved enough money to move to Sri Lanka for college, where she began experimenting with Couchsurfing on her travels – becoming the first Couchsurfer from the Maldives!
Upon returning home, she scored short-term work gigs of six months to a year – with NGOs, environmental organisations and high-end resorts – and saved up what she earned to travel in between. She took courses in surfing and diving, and invested in professional gear for surf photography. This paved the way for her to live at surf spots in Pondicherry, Morocco, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, where she would learn surfing in exchange for her work as a photographer – and gradually begin earning a living as a surf guide and surf photographer.
Back when she first travelled out of the Maldives, Niuma said she felt like she somehow attracted people who supported her dreams. But the more she travelled, the more she realised how different she was; everyone she grew up with was getting married and having babies and doing 'normal' things.
Apart from the burden that society placed on her, being in the surf industry and working as a surf photographer and guide, came with many challenges. She didn't feel accepted in the local community for a long time. But her work built her reputation, and gradually people warmed up to the idea of supporting a Maldivian woman who was making it on her own.
Niuma had been wanting to dive and surf since she was a kid, but it was only at age 28 that she learnt how to swim! She couldn't let her eye glasses get in the way of her dream, so she saved up for a laser surgery.
She pushed her comfort zone to finally learn surfing at 32, despite the fear of getting injured in a foreign country as she travelled on her own. But going for a wave felt incredibly liberating to her, even if she got injured while surfing in Morocco and had to nurse herself back to health.
Niuma: "Why do you want a certain thing in life? I want a life of adventure because it makes me feel alive instead of just living a life where you get up to go to work and that's it, or you go on a holiday once a year and that's it. There is a whole world out there, full of amazing experiences. Make connections, learn new skills on the internet (so many free resources), ask questions from people who are doing it. It doesn't take a lot of money to follow your dream. You just need to put in a little effort and chase it proactively. Save up and start small. Your confidence will build for bigger things.
Also read: Solo Travel: To Go or Not To Go?
Back in 2011, when I first began to travel solo, it felt like a lonely space. I wondered if I was the only one crazy enough to venture out on my own – especially as a 20-something Indian woman. But over time, I've been lucky enough to cross paths with solo travellers from around the world, but especially from Asia. Yet in the online travel arena, non-white solo travellers continue to be a minority.
In this new monthly blog series, I hope to share with you inspiring stories of solo travellers from across Asia, especially women. Growing up in protective families and a conservative society, our battles are different, yet not impossible to fight.
If you know of solo travellers from Asian countries who, in their own ways, are challenging societal norms and choosing an unconventional life, please connect us!
My island hideaway in Maalhos, Maldives.
Have you ever gone on a solo trip? Why or why not?
Thanks to Mariyam Niuma and Remya Padmadas for their inputs.
Thanks; hope to share more such stories soon!
Stunning pictures ! thanks for sharing n keep it up !
Thank you for sharing Ms. Nath! I vaguely remember an interview with a Malaysian motolady who took a motorcycle pilgrimage to some Muslim holy places. Unfortunately, I don't remember either her name nor the motosite address. Few things that I remember: 1) the lady's "regular job" is teaching at school; 2) that pilgrimage was not her only mototrip in Asia.
Anyway, luck with this important and exciting project! Please let people like Ms. Mariyam Niuma share not only their travel experience but also the way they deal with their conservative envionment, their solutions on how to make it at peace (if possible).
Sounds interesting! If you ever recall the name, let me know. In the meantime, I'll try to google her story.
Such an inspiring story! thank you for sharing it, and I wish all the best to Niuma!!
Thanks for reading Sev; I think we can all use the inspiration from time to time!
Great post on amazing female traveller ! Looking forward to read more such stories here !!
More coming soon; I'm really excited about the next one too!
Such an awesome story! I also learnt swimming at 28. 🙂 I discovered the joy of solo travelling at 35 and have taken a handful of solo trips since. Niuma is right. Pushing that envelope is the key. I too am very fearful when it comes adventures especially since I am a mom. Please keep sharing such inspiring stories!
That's amazing Amrit! Just goes to show that age doesn't matter. I recently turned 30 and have wondering how to stir up my life again. You guys inspire me!
Inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hope to share many more stories of such solo adventurers!
Felt so inspired meeting her too!
Surf Photographer !!! Sounds so cool.
I am not a solo traveler,but journey has really inspired me to experience it myself someday.
Hi Shivya, I just loved this article. So beautifully written. I can't wait to read more!! These types of stories inspire and appeal to women from all walks of life. Everyone who travels has a story. A reason for leaving the comfort zone called home in the first place. I had the pleasure of meeting Niuma personally. I spent 2 weeks with her on the 45ft catamaran (Sail Shantaram) that went to India. She is exactly as you describe. Such an inspiration to women all over. I just love her! I have a suggestion for a story of another inspirational young lady new to traveling if you would like I can send her details privately.
Hi Lindi, so cool that you were on the same catamaran! I would love to hear your suggestion. Could you send me an email with her details at shivyanath@gmail.com – or let me know how I can reach you. Thanks again; I think hearing stories of other women and their battles can inspire so many more.
Truly inspiring story. It will help me to conquer my fears.
Honestly, I found this article very interesting and inspiring.
Glad to hear that Anshul!
Thanks so much for the feature, Shivya. Hope this helps someone else to follow their dreams too. And hope I get to meet you again one day 🙂 It is by reading about and meeting people like yourself that I get the courage to do what I do.
Pleasure's all mine, Ni! I'm so glad to finally get this series going 🙂 It was truly inspiring to meet you and spend time with you, and I'm pretty sure our paths will cross again!
Maldives is beautiful place for solo travel. It is a very advantageous post for me. I've enjoyed reading the post. It is very supportive and useful post. i am impressed from this post. I haven't any word to appreciate this post. Thanks for such post and please keep it up.
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We have several mine farms available for either sale or Lease in Taita Taveta County. The mine farms have been scanned by geologists and the minerals available listed. These reports are available for perusal by potential investors.
We have several sizes available from 10 to 50,000 acres.
The biggest piece is 50,000 acres which is virgin land,not mined before. This same property would also double ideally for a bush hotel as the land lies on the Kasigau animal corridor. The community here has the requisite documentation and authorities for both tourism and mining.
Any investor looking for either large scale or small scale mining farms or hotel sites would find these properties very ideal.


More than 90% percent of the Spanish internet population use the web for search and social networking, according to new data.
comScore has released a ranking of the top ten Web properties and categories in Spain based on the comScore Media Metrix audience measurement service for September 2010.
The data revealed that each of the top ten web properties in Spain have grown over the past year, with Facebook exhibiting the strongest growth with a 49 percent increase.
The most visited categories in Spain were Portals, which reached 99.5 percent of the total Internet audience, Search/Navigation (92.1 percent reach) and Social Networking (90.1 percent reach).
In September 2010, Microsoft Sites ranked as the top property with 20.9 million unique visitors age 15 and older, reaching nearly 100 percent of the Spanish internet audience. Google Sites (which includes YouTube.com) ranked second with 19.6 million unique visitors, up 17 percent versus last year.
Facebook showed the fastest growth among the top ten properties with a 49 percent increase to 14.2 million visitors.
While the top five properties are comprised entirely of global Internet brands (Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Yahoo! and Wikimedia Foundation), the Spanish publishing house Grupo Prisa ranked sixth in the market.
Grupo Prisa grew 13 percent during the past year, attracting nearly 8.8 million visitors to its sites, which includes leading Spanish newspaper El País.
Additional companies in the top ten were Schibsted (which includes Anuntis, Infojobs and 20minutos) with 8.7 million visitors (up 15 percent), RCS Media group with 8.7 million visitors (up 12 percent), Terra Telefonica with 8.6 million visitors (up 19 percent), and social networking site Tuenti with 8.3 million visitors (up 21 percent).
In September 2010, more than 99 percent of the 23.1 million Spanish internet users age 6 and older accessed a property in the Portals category, most notably Microsoft and Yahoo!.
The Search/Navigation category also ranked near the top with 21.2 million users, followed by Social Networking with 20.8 million unique visitors.
*Excludes Corporate Presence, Promotional Servers and Platforms.
**Excludes traffic from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDA.


I'm hoping to get some advice on the steering servo for a UAV-3000. Other people seem to be using really big servos (10kg-cm or more), and I'm having a bit of trouble understanding why. As far as I can tell there should be next to no torque applied on the wheel during takeoff/landing (mainly because the strut is vertical, so there's no arm for the torque to act around).
Could someone clarify whether I actually need a big servo here? I've got a fancy Hyperion DH20X coming at some point, but it could be a while - and I've got a brand new HobbyKing HK15138 here that's just waiting to be used for something.
And there is the possibility of wheel shimmy - high frequency wobbles that can wreck less powerful servos.
On real aircraft, the jacks/motors that control nose gear steering are quite surprisingly powerful for that very reason.
Great, thanks for the responses. I guess I'll wait for the Hyperion one to turn up.
Yes, I've got a lot of Hyperion servos now. When they're as cheap as those ones were ($6 - $15) it'd be silly not to buy them. Got an Emeter2 as well for at-the-field adjustments to speed and trim.
Yep. Tje programmability makes for very east setups. They ate the only servos I have fitted to my helis that allow absolutely zero trim setups, resulting in lovely balanced helis.
Must get some more! Heh heh!
At some point I really should pull one apart and have a look at the hardware inside them. There's got to be a microcontroller in there, presumably with the UART connected to the signal wire (for programming). I suppose that you could set up an autopilot so it programs individual servos for trim/speed, which would be pretty cool.


CCC's VIP COACHES Loyalty Rewards Program is an Exclusive Club for Cheer and Dance Coaches.
What is the CCC VIP COACHES LOYALTY REWARDS CLUB? CCC has changed our VIP Program from receiving discounts and newsletters to a Customer Loyalty Reward Program. Not only will members be updated on CCC Current News, but also receive discounts towards camps and competitions, coaches gifts, free hospitality room at competitions and the chance to become CCC's COACH OF THE YEAR! Champion Cheer Central has so many coaches and teams loyal to our company, that we enhanced the VIP Program to show our appreciation for your business.
Once you have been enrolled, you will receive a VIP COACH Name Badge to wear proudly at CCC Competitions for access to our CCC VIP COACHES Hospitality Room and CCC VIP Coach T-Shirt.
NEW THIS SEASON Early Bird Option. Save $5 an athlete if you register and pay for an event prior to the ON TIME RATE. Registrations including payments ON or AFTER the ON-TIME RATE will receive your VIP discount below.
Discounts on Competitions based on number of events you have attended.
Hospitality Room at CCC Events with Complimentary Refreshments. Visit Spirit Sales for refreshments when room not available.
Become a member of the CCC VIP Coaches Group on Facebook. This group is to share, ask questions and upload videos to other coaches and CCC Owners!
VIP Discounts cannot be combined with other discounts. Bids awarded can not use any additional discounts. Use your best discount/bid per athlete.
This award is very prestigious – awarded once a year for displaying Integrity, Enthusiasm and Passion for our industry!
CCC's I Award recipient will be awarded at CCC's Lake Erie National Cheer and Dance Championships April 6-7, 2019!
More info about the IEP and I Award click here!


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Tri-City Partnership Provides Update to Community on COVID-19 Emergency
STRAFFORD COUNTY, N.H. -- Leaders of the Tri-City Partnership Dover Mayor Robert Carrier, Rochester Mayor Caroline McCarley, and Somersworth Mayor Dana S. Hilliard wish to provide their communities with regular updates regarding the COVID-19 emergency.
March 27, 2020 Kelsey Bode Client News, City/Town News, COVID-19
March 27, 2020 by Kelsey Bode
STRAFFORD COUNTY, N.H. — Leaders of the Tri-City Partnership Dover Mayor Robert Carrier, Rochester Mayor Caroline McCarley, and Somersworth Mayor Dana S. Hilliard wish to provide their communities with regular updates regarding the COVID-19 emergency.
On Tuesday, Gov. Chris Sununu has banned gatherings of 10 or more people in social, spiritual and recreational settings through April 6 in an effort to quell the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state. The ban prohibits events such as concerts, parades, festivals, conventions, fundraisers and community, civic, public, leisure, faith based and sporting events. The move does not ban meetings of the General Court, the operations of for profit and not for profit organizations, State Government, or events for urgent medical purposes. To read the Governor's full emergency order, click here.
COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, has been declared a Global Pandemic by the World Health Organization and has moved Governor Chris Sununu to declare a State of Emergency in New Hampshire and President Donald Trump to declare a National Emergency.
On Monday, the City of Rochester announced that it had been notified by the New Hampshire Health & Human Services Department (NH-DHHS) that a Rochester resident has tested positive for COVID-19.
The City of Rochester opened its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on Monday, which allows staff from multiple City agencies, state agencies, utilities and federal agencies to work together with the City of Rochester. Rochester Public Schools and local healthcare facilities are also in contact with the EOC. The City of Dover also opened its Emergency Operations Center this week, and the City of Somersworth's management team is meeting several times a week while its emergency management and public safety commanders are in daily communication regarding the virus.
There are no confirmed or presumptive positive cases of the virus in Dover or Somersworth.
Residents are strongly advised to adhere to the Governor's order restricting gatherings of 10 or more people, and city, state and federal public health officials urge residents to continue practicing social distancing.
"This is a challenging, stressful time not only for our City, but for the world," Rochester Mayor McCarley said. "We want residents to know that we will continue to update them regularly as new information is available, and we are closely monitoring this situation. In the meantime, it is of the utmost importance that residents heed the Governor's order: avoid social gatherings, unnecessary group activities and the like, for the health and wellbeing of yourself, your family and loved ones, and our community."
"Reducing contact with others is going to be critical over the coming days and weeks for our communities to effectively reduce the numbers of people who are exposed to this virus," Somersworth Mayor Hilliard said. "It's an action that we can all take to promote public health and well-being, and we're urging residents to do their part and stay home where possible."
The cities have each implemented the following measures:
Since Wednesday, March 18, City Offices have been closed temporarily to the public. Residents are asked to call city offices or use website/email to conduct business.
Police and Fire Departments in Dover, Rochester and Somersworth will continue to respond to all emergencies as normal. Residents are reminded to always call 911 in an emergency. Police stations in all three cities remain open for public, non-emergency walk ins. The Rochester and Somersworth Fire Station lobbies are temporarily closed to public, non-emergency walk ins. The Rochester Fire Department can be reached for non-emergency matters at it's business line: 603-335-7545. The Somersworth Fire Department can also be reached for non-emergencies at its business line: 603-692-3457.
All schools in the Tri-City area are closed to students through at least May 4.
Residents are reminded that the grocery supply chain remains stable and there is no food shortage, so residents should feel comfortable following their regular grocery shopping routines, while practicing social distancing.
All requests for public use of meeting and recreation spaces are canceled.
Libraries and recreation facilities in all three cities are closed, and all associated programming is cancelled or postponed until further notice.
The Rochester Police Department is additionally accepting donations of much needed personal protective equipment, including goggles/face shields, ponchos, coveralls and N95 masks. Anyone who would like to donate is encouraged to contact the Rochester Police Department at 603-330-7127.
City leadership wish to thank the Richard W. Creteau Regional Technology Center, Somersworth High School Career Technical Center and the Dover High School & Regional Career Technical Center, which recently donated much needed masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) for use by emergency personnel.
Residents are also encouraged by City officials to stay in touch with family, friends, neighbors and so on, virtually and in accordance with social distancing guidance, which recommends people stay at least 6 feet apart.
"In my neighborhood, we're closely following social distancing advisories, but we're also staying in touch to make sure everyone is doing alright, has the supplies they need and so on," Dover Mayor Robert Carrier said. "It's important that everyone does what they can to check in, safely, with those who might need help. Stepping up and offering to go grocery shopping for a neighbor in need could make an incredible impact on their health."
As part of the resource-sharing initiative, information will be posted to all three city websites and through their social media avenues as appropriate, so that residents, business owners, visitors and property owners can receive the latest up-to-date information on their phones or computers. The three city managers encourage residents to follow their respective city websites:
Dover: Dover.nh.gov/services/covid19.html
Rochester: Rochester News and Events Portal — Rochesterportal.com
Rochester: Rochesternh.net
Somersworth: Somersworth.com
Tri-City Partnership leadership additionally wish to share the following guidance on social distancing from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services:
Stay a minimum of 6 feet apart from other people in public.
Avoid "high touch" areas in public spaces. Do not hug, shake hands or high five anyone in public. Where possible, avoid paying with a pin-pad or touch screen.
In adherence with the Governor's order, reschedule, postpone or cancel parties, play dates and other social, recreational and/or spiritual gatherings.
If possible, telecommute from home.
Parents are encouraged to support remote learning.
For more information, visit the NH DHHS website at www.dhhs.nh.gov or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website at www.cdc.gov.
About the Tri-City Partnership
Dover Mayor Robert Carrier, Rochester Mayor Caroline McCarley, and Somersworth Mayor Dana S. Hilliard, together with their city managers, emergency management officials and public safety chiefs have come together and agreed to form the informal Tri-City Partnership. As part of this partnership, the three cities have agreed to remain in constant communication and to share ideas, best practices and resources that will help residents and business owners in all three communities respond to and recover from the COVID-19 crisis. The cities also agreed to share information regarding each community's public safety and government operations decisions that are being made in conformance with the recommendations from the New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as the situation continues to evolve.
City/Town News, Client News, COVID-19
coronavirus, coronavirus prevention, dover, New Hampshire, rochester, Somersworth
City of Dover
Mayor Robert Carrier
City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr.
Mayor Caroline McCarley
City Manager Blaine Cox
City of Somersworth
Mayor Dana S. Hilliard
City Manager Robert M. Belmore
Media Contact: Kelsey Bode
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Town of Hingham Announces COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic for First Responders in Town January 16, 2021
Towns of Hingham, Hull, Scituate and Cohasset Continue to Advocate for Transit Services as Schedule Changes Soon to Take Effect January 15, 2021
North Reading Fire Department Reminds Residents of Ice Safety Tips January 15, 2021
Enfield Fire District 1 Shares Cold Weather, Ice Safety Tips January 15, 2021
Ipswich Town Hall and Council on Aging to Temporarily Close Due to Local Rise in COVID-19 Cases January 15, 2021
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LACHLAN Miles used to travel to Brisbane several times a month to have an MRI as the machines in the Toowoomba Hospital could not support the stimulator device he has in him.
The teenager, who has severe refractory epilepsy, can now have the scans done in the Toowoomba Hospital after the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation purchased a special transmit-receive coil for the machine.
If he was to use the machine before the coil was installed, the machine could have severely damaged his stimulator.
"It means I don't have to go to Brisbane and on those long drives," Mr Miles said.
"It's a lot more comfortable now as I know a lot of the hospital staff in Toowoomba a lot more than Brisbane, as it's my hometown."
Toowoomba Hospital director of medical imaging Aiden Cook said most MRI machines these days only used a receive coil, but that created issues for people with stimulators, implants and other forms of medical technology.
"These transmit-receive cameras are not that common these days, we used to use them all the time to scan people," Mr Cook said.
"The only way we can scan Lachlan here is to use the transmit-receive coil."
The funds for the new coil were donated by Tess Bourke and WPM Sheet Metal Works.
"I have a huge fear of MRI machines and am a regular volunteer at the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation," Ms Bourke said.
"Aiden told me recently about the new machine and said won't be clasutraphobic in it. He said we are just missing one part, that's the coil, and from there he told me Lachlan's story.
"I went and met him and his mum and I just knew we had to raise the money."
Ms Bourke raised the funds through hosting a golf day.


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Abbas mulls option of postponing Palestinian elections
Al-Monitor has learned that President Mahmoud Abbas is getting ready to postpone the Palestinian general elections under the pretext of Israel's yet to be announced reponse to a request to allow Palestinians in Jerusalem to vote.
Read In: العربية
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends the funeral of former senior Fatah official Ahmed Abdel Rahman, Ramallah, West Bank, Dec. 4, 2019. Photo by REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman.
Rasha Abou Jalal
Palestinian reconciliation
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — A high-ranking source in the Palestinian presidency told Al-Monitor that President Mahmoud Abbas is leaning toward postponing the release of a presidential decree that would determine the time frame of holding Palestinian general elections (legislative and presidential) until further notice. This came after Israel's irresponsiveness to the Palestinian request to allow the elections to be held in Jerusalem, which might jeopardize the whole process.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) sent an official letter to the Israeli government Dec. 10 asking it to allow Palestinians in East Jerusalem to participate in the general elections, after the Palestinian government announced Nov. 14 reaching Palestinian consensus to hold them. Israel has not responded to the Palestinian request until now.
The 1995 Oslo II Accord states that Palestinians in Jerusalem have the right to participate in Palestinian elections, provided that Israel makes arrangements to implement this step.
The presidential source reported that Abbas asked the European Union (EU) and Russia to pressure Israel to allow holding elections in Jerusalem and giving Palestinians there the right to vote, like it was the case in 1996, 2005 and 2006.
On Dec. 18, the Office of the European Union Representative in Jerusalem announced its readiness to support Palestinian elections politically and financially in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, as soon as Abbas issues the election decree.
The source added, "Some European countries [without naming them] are trying to pressure Abbas into releasing the election decree first, because that would help them pressure Israel more to abide by international law, which considers East Jerusalem part of the occupied Palestinian territories in 1967."
During his participation in the Christmas Eve celebrations for Christian churches that follow the Eastern Orthodox Liturgical calendar in Bethlehem Jan. 6, Abbas said, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, "Either elections are held in Jerusalem too, or not at all. Some are insisting that we issue the election decree, but we cannot. If we issue it and then have to cancel it, we would face a big problem."
Fatah spokesman Hussein Hamayel told Al-Monitor, "Abbas refuses to issue the election decree before getting Israeli approval for Palestinians in Jerusalem to vote. Otherwise, Palestinians would be admitting Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem."
He added, "This cannot happen, because we will never recognize any form of Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine."
The Palestinian government will not accept any alternative for granting Palestinians in Jerusalem the right to cast their ballots, such as the electronic voting option. Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh told the official Palestine TV Jan. 4, "We will not accept electronic voting in Jerusalem. This is an issue of sovereignty, and Palestinians in Jerusalem must cast their ballots in person."
Hamas, which won the legislative elections in 2006, is also bent on not holding elections without Jerusalem. But, at the same time, Hamas is calling on Abbas to issue the election decree without waiting for Israeli approval to hold elections in Jerusalem.
Suheil al-Hindi, a member of Hamas political bureau, told Al-Monitor, "We can force Israel to approve by creating public clashes with Israeli authorities in Jerusalem, similar to the public protests in Jerusalem through which the Palestinians forced Israel to remove the electronic gates in front of Al-Aqsa Mosque on July 25, 2017."
He argued that such clashes would push the world to put political pressure on Israel to force it to allow Palestinians in Jerusalem to participate in the elections.
Hindi condemned Abbas' inclination to postpone the elections until further notice. He said, "Such a measure will only entrench the [Palestinian] division and prevent unifying Palestinians behind one authority and a joint political program."
Ahmad Awad, political science professor at Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, told Al-Monitor, "There is a pressing Palestinian need to hold the elections, as they are a constitutional duty that has been suspended since the last elections in 2006. They also are the best solution to end the Palestinian rift."
He added, "It is important to hold the elections to renew Palestinian legitimacy, which is an international demand. The policies of states and international bodies offering the PA financial support — especially the EU — require publicly elected official bodies to deliver this aid to them."
Awad said it was unlikely Israel would allow Palestinians in Jerusalem to participate in the coming elections, like the previous ones. The US declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital on Dec. 6, 2017, only weakens the possibilities, he noted.
He underlined the Palestinian insistence on not holding elections without Jerusalem, saying, "Succumbing would be a sign of official Palestinian abandonment of Jerusalem and of the Palestinians' identity there."
Awad noted, "I believe the elections will be delayed, because of this hurdle."
Mustafa al-Sawaf, political analyst and writer at Felesteen newspaper in the Gaza Strip, told Al-Monitor that he doubts Abbas' seriousness in holding general elections on the Palestinian territories.
He said, "Abbas' announcement before the United Nations on Sept. 26, 2019, to hold elections was done under international pressure, as Palestinian elections have not been held for 14 years."
He noted, "But I think Abbas is neither ready nor serious about the elections because of Fatah's internal issues, mainly [the dispute with] Fatah's Democratic Reformist Current led by defected leader Mohammed Dahlan."
According to Sawaf, Abbas thought Hamas would refuse to participate in the elections on condition of achieving Palestinian reconciliation first. But Hamas' approval was shocking, he said. He added, "For that reason, Abbas sought other impediments by insisting on linking the election decree release to Israeli acceptance to hold elections in Jerusalem. Abbas wants to hold Israel accountable in front of the whole world for his failed attempt to hold general elections."
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text:
European Kingdoms
Pomeranian Branches
A Germanised duchy was established in Pomerania which gradually conquered the remaining native tribes, turning them into vassals and Christianising them. As was typical of German feudal states, it was divided several times over the course of its five hundred years of existence. The ruling house was the Greifen, or house of Pomerania, which was probably descended from local Slavic nobility.
Ratiborides (in Schlawe-Stolp)
Ratibor, brother of the first duke of Pomerania, Wartislaw, was the founder of the Ratiborides branch, although some uncertainty remains as it seems the connection cannot be confirmed. Ratibor gained the lands of Schlawe-Stolp and governed them independently, albeit also briefly, and the Ratiborides also account for missing reignal numbering in the main list of rulers of Pomerania.
Ratibor I / Racibor
Brother of duke of Pomerania. Founder of the Ratiborides.
Wartislaw of Pomerania is killed by pagans and leaves the duchy to his young sons. His younger brother, Ratibor, steps in to manage the duchy. The youngest of the three brothers, Swantibor, is the founder of the Swantiborides.
Bogislaw I / II
Son?
Bogislaw III
Son.
Ratibor III
Half-brother or cousin.
With the death of Ratibor III, the Ratiborides are extinct and their territory is incorporated back into Pomerania proper.
Shown here is the first seal - dated to 1317 - issued to the city of Schlawe in the very east of Farther Pomerania during the Crusader period which conquered these lands from Balts and Slavs (part of Poland since 1945)
Principality of Rügen (Wizlaw)
The largest island belonging to modern Germany, Rügen (or Ruegen) lies close to the north-eastern coast. First inhabited by the people of the Funnelbeaker culture in the late fifth millennium BC, the island was settled by Germanic Rugii in the first millennium AD, probably from Scandinavia. Slavs arrived in the seventh century, mixing with the Germanic population which remained after the Migration Period saw many Germanic groups head southwards, probably alongside the Goths. A native principality fully emerged at the same time as Pomerania to the immediate south-east was being Germanised, and in 1168 the island was conquered by the Danes.
The native principality of Rügen is usually referred to as being Slavic, although this generally ignores the remaining Germanic population. However, the first full English translation of Gesta Danorum (History of Denmark) by Saxo Grammaticus in 2015 adds a further layer of complexity to the picture. He states that the Danes referred to the island's population as Wends, suggesting a clear link to the Venedi. This rather nebulous group have been equated to northern and eastern Celts - Belgae in essence - whose presence in the region would have predated the Germans and Slavs (although again, many commentators, especially Slavic ones, insist on claiming the Wends as Slavs, seemingly ignoring the subtleties of the situation). These Celts appear to have remained in place, simply swapping a Celtic nobility for a Germanic one for a Slavic one. They have a complicated and little-seen history which covers vast tracts of northern and eastern Europe, with 'Venedi' being transformed over time and language shifts into 'Ouenedai' and 'Wend'. Another Wendish group on the western edge of Pomerania, under the leadership of Dragovit, was defeated in AD 789. These may have been related to the Wends of Rügen, but the latter group were only conquered when the island fell to the Danes.
(Additional information from Gesta Danorum: The History of the Danes, Karsten Friis-Jensen & Peter Fisher (Ed & Trans).)
Wizlaw
Native ruler.
Kruto / Krito / Cruto
Son of Grin / Grinus.
Grines / Grimmus
Ratislaus / Ratislaw / Ratze
Tezlaw
Defeated by Danes. Reduced to a vassal prince of Rügen.
In his work, Gesta Danorum, Saxo Grammaticus describes the defeat of a group of Wends. They occupy the island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea, off the coast of north-eastern Germany. After years of pirate attacks by the Wends, King Valdemar of Denmark has been persuaded by Absalon, bishop of Roskilde and the chief royal advisor (and future archbishop of Lund), to launch a crusade against them. The Danes land on Rügen and besiege the capital city of Arkona. Once Valdemar's forces set fire to the city's walls and buildings, the residents of Arkona surrender.
The Danish conquest of Rügen ended more than a millennium of independence for the native people - a possible combination of Celts, Germanics, and Slavs - pulling down their gods in the process
Valdemar takes control of Arkona and receives hostages from the leaders of the Wendish people. Then he orders the statue of a local deity named Svantevit to be destroyed. The Danes receive word from the people of Karenz - another important town on the island - that they are ready to surrender. Absalon travels to the town with thirty men, where they are met by six thousand warriors. However, the Wends prostrate themselves to the Christians and welcome the bishop. Karenz is the home to three pagan deities - Rugevit, Porevit and Porenut - which are believed to be the gods of war, lightning and thunder. Bishop Absalon destroys the temples to all three of these gods and Christianises the populace. Rügen and an area of the adjoining mainland are now Danish possessions while the native rulers are retained as vassals. They remain so until 1438.
Jaromar I
Brother.
Barnuta
Wislaw I
The Danes are defeated in the Second Battle of Bornhöved on 22 July by a coalition forces of German states led by Count Adolf IV of Schauenburg and Holstein. They lose their mainland territory, retaining only the island of Rügen.
Jaromar II
Wislaw II
Sambor and Wislaw III, the sons of Wislaw II, rule jointly for just a year before the former dies, leaving the latter in sole control.
The island of Rugen was first occupied by the Rugii in the first century AD, and some elements of the tribe remained, giving their name to it (although this is disputed)
Wislaw III
The death of Wislaw III leaves no surviving heir to the principality, so it is absorbed into Pommern-Woolgast, still as a Danish vassal.


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text:
Едісон () — англомовний топонім, прізвище або ім'я.

Топоніми

Едісон — місто, штат Джорджія
 Едісон — селище, штат Небраска
 Едісон — селище, штат Нью-Джерсі
 Едісон — селище, штат Огайо
 Едісон — переписна місцевість, штат Вашингтон

Прізвище

 Томас Алва Едісон (; 1847—1931) — американський науковець і винахідник.

Ім'я

 Едісон Джеймс (;  1943) — домінікський політик, прем'єр-міністр країни з 1995 до 2000.
 Едісон Мендес (;  1979) — еквадорський футболіст, півзахисник.
 Едісон Петтіт (; 1889—1962) — американський астроном.
 Едісон Уртадо (;  1972) — колумбійський борець вільного стилю.
 Едісон Фігурадо (;  1990) — ланкійський футболіст, півзахисник.
 Едісон Флорес (;  1994) — перуанський футболіст, півзахисник.

Див. також
 Еддісон

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
Cuomo to AFL-CIO: Workers Have Been Getting 'Screwed' for 30 years
By Joe Maniscalco
Members of the Building Trades salute Governor Cuomo Outside the AFL-CIO Convention.
New York, NY – Governor Andrew Cuomo told delegates at the 33rd New York State AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention on Monday that working men and women across the country are going into this year's presidential election feeling nervous, angry, and frustrated because they've been "getting screwed for the last 30 years."
"That's why there's an anger — they have gotten a raw deal," Cuomo said. "Over the past 30 years productivity went up 74 percent — wages went up 9 percent. You know what that means? It means that the middle class is going backwards."
New York's chief executive noted that over the last three decades, home prices have jumped 20 percent, consumer goods have increased 30 percent and college costs have soared 60 percent – "and to aggravate things, the top one percent got a 138 percent increase."
So far, Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump has been able to exploit a lot of that fiscal pain to his advantage. The latest LA Times tracking poll actually has him slightly ahead of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton — with responding white middle-class voters currently favoring the real estate developer-turned-reality TV personality by almost 19-percentage points.
NYS AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento urged trade unionists throughout New York State to not only cast ballots for Clinton in November — but to also help the former secretary of state beat Trump in key battleground states.
"Look, there are people who still somehow support Donald Trump," Cilento said. "That's their right. But just remember something: As a labor movement we are built on bedrock — a foundation of unity, solidarity, a shared sense of purpose. We are one family and if you pick on one of us you have to deal with all of us. Donald Trump hates everything that I just mentioned that we stand for. He wants to divide us, and segment us, and pit us against each other."
Cilento, who unanimously won re-election on Monday, noted the recent Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association case which could been disastrous for unions had it not gone labor's way — and warned that the next president of the United States "must be Hillary Clinton."
"Let's keep one thing in mind: The next president of the United States is going to choose at lease one, possibly two or three Supreme Court judges," Cilento said. "And brothers and sisters, that president must be Hillary Clinton — it has to be."
Cuomo assured delegates that Clinton will be a strong advocate for the trade union movement if she wins the White House this fall.
"We have to elect Hillary Clinton the next president of the United States," the governor said. "She understands it, she gets it. I was part of the [Bill] Clinton administration for eight years, and she gets and understands our issues, the problems and the solutions."
At the same time Cuomo was advocating for Clinton, he nevertheless reminded delegates that the fight for working class men and woman will have to go on no matter who wins the White House.
"Let's be honest, just electing a new president is not going to make the problems disappear automatically," Cuomo said. "We're still going to have to organize and fight to resolve those issues."
On that score, both Cilento and Cuomo said that New York State will lead the way. The New York State AFL-CIO's 2.5 million trade unionists represent almost 25 percent of the statewide workforce. That's the highest in the country and twice the national average. Last year, New York State saw a net gain of 60,000 new union members.
Cilento called that "amazing."
"What it means is that we have a culture in this state where non-union members can actually see union members," Cilento said. "They can see the benefit and the value of being a member. Better wages, benefits and conditions of employment. Our track record of success is unprecedented."
Said Cuomo, "What organized labor does in New York will make a national difference. When New York acts, the rest of the country follows."
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Search is a core part of the online experience for everyone — Firefox users alone search the Web more than 100 billion times per year. So, a quality search experience is important to our users and to us, and each of our search agreements is the result of a competitive process reflective of the value that Firefox brings to the ecosystem. With respect to products, we are focused on innovation and delivering a market leading Web experience that we can be proud of and that users love.
We entered into a new search strategy at the end of 2014 to control our own destiny and to diversify the user experience and competitive landscape of Web search globally. We announced Yahoo as our default Firefox search provider in the US, as well as continued search relationships with Baidu, Yandex and others globally.
Firefox users can easily choose to change their search provider from a number of pre-installed alternatives. These choices include Microsoft Bing, Google, DuckDuckGo, Amazon, Twitter, Wikipedia and many other regional search providers.
Baidu continues to be the default search experience for Firefox in China.
Having used Google since 2004 as the default search provider in Firefox worldwide, when we started a review of our default search providers in 2014 we paused our revenue relationship. After this review period, we decided that the default search providers would be Yahoo in the US, Baidu in China, Yandex in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Turkey, and Google for the rest of the world. We have completed partnerships with each of these providers.
Following our review in 2014, Google remained the default provider outside the US, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkey, China, and other regions where we had search agreements. It took a short period of time to complete a revised partnership with Google, during which there was no revenue relationship.
We worked together with Yahoo to deliver a new search product for Firefox users in the US when we began the relationship. Today, there is room for improvement in the search product and we've been working closely with Yahoo on that.
The agreement with Yahoo (announced in 2014) allowed for expansion to more regions outside the U.S. We will soon add Yahoo as the default Firefox search provider in Hong Kong and Taiwan where the Yahoo brand is strong and local testing in the regions demonstrated a positive user experience.
Yandex Search became the default search experience for Firefox in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine in 2014 and Turkey in 2015.
This page was last modified on 26 September 2016, at 17:01.


Hey hey, happy Wednesday! I hope you all don't mind the usual Monday outfit post being delayed this week. If you caught my Instagram stories over the weekend, you know that I was out of town! I visited my hometown on Saturday to see my family, and on Sunday I went to Austin to meet up with friends and go to Lana del Rey's concert. I didn't get back in town until late and had work early the next day, so the outfit post had to wait. Today, I'm sharing the look I wore while in Austin.
To quote an iconic Outkast song, "you can plan a pretty picnic, but you can't predict the weather." Listen, the groundhog was not joking around this year when his shadow said there would be six more weeks of winter. Two weekends ago, I was literally wearing shorts. It was a week before Lana del Rey's concert and the weather inspired me to plan my concert outfit: shorts with a pretty floral top. Basically, I wanted a festival kind of vibe with a boot instead of a sandal. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans.
By the time Lana's concert arrived, the temperature dropped down to the low 30-40 degree range. Andddd it was raining on and off. Basically, my springtime festival vibe idea was a total bust and I had to throw together a last-minute concert outfit that didn't leave me freezing. What's a girl to do when in need of a last minute concert outfit?
Shop your own closet and grab a staple! I knew that even though the concert was at night, I'd be spending the day out and about with friends. I wanted an outfit that was comfortable enough for the full day, so I decided to do a mini outfit change while sticking in the same red, denim, and black color palette.
For the daytime look, I kept styled a Ballin tee from Boohoo with denim and the red sneakers that were featured in my recent favorites video. I'm typically not a fan of a denim jacket with jeans, so I added a pop of black with my favorite leather jacket. I've featured this leather jacket so many times over the years, but it's seriously such a closet staple and is the perfect fit. Normally, I would wear a red lip to complement the red details in the look. Since I met up with my friends pretty early in the day for brunch, I kept my lips natural. Call me lazy, but wearing a bold lip while eating is just extremely inconvenient.
As for the concert, I didn't get a good quality photo (so sorry for that!) since the venue didn't allow cameras and we were in low light. I still wanted to include a shot of what I wore, so the phone pic will have to do for now! Keeping with the color palette of the day, I swapped the black jacket and blue jeans combo with a jean jacket and black jeans combination. The Topshop black jeans are an ankle cut, but the Steve Madden red boots were tall enough to hide the cropped hem. I also added a red lip for the night using Fenty Beauty's Stunna lip paint in Uncensored.
Despite not wearing what I actually wanted to wear to Lana's show, I had a great weekend and felt comfortable all day. As long as I'm comfortable in whatever it is that I'm wearing, I consider it a successful look.
FTC: This site uses affiliate links. I receive a commission for purchases or clicks made through select links in this post.


text:
(800) 259-1001 alan.mott@nsac.net
About Alan Mott
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Converting an IRA to a Roth IRA and Satisfying RMDs: Today's Q&A Mailbag
I wondered if it's possible to convert my traditional IRA to a Roth for 2017 and prior years, and then file an amended return?
At least I could offset the higher taxes paid going forward, knowing I will have a tax-free Roth?
Thanks very much for your help and thanks for all the provocative, timely advice.
When it comes to Roth IRA strategies, it can pay to be creative. However, as with all tax planning, there are some limits. Unfortunately, your proposal of doing a conversion now for 2017 and amending your return, will not work. The rules are very clear that a conversion for a year must be done in that year. Remember, not only are you reporting a conversion on your tax return, but your IRA custodian is doing reporting to the IRS as well. For a conversion to be taxable for 2017, it would have to be reported on a 2017 Form 1099-R. That's just not going to happen if you do a conversion now.
I have a client who turns 70 1/2 this year (birthday 5/4/48). He has a $2m 401k that he has not rolled into an IRA for purposes of taking a QCD. Is it too late to roll into an IRA without getting stuck with the plan administrator requiring that the RMD must first be satisfied before rolling to an IRA. Therefore, he is stuck and cannot do a QCD for 2018?
If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Your client will be 70 ½ this year. That means that unless an exception, such as the still-working exception, applies, he has an RMD from his 401(k) for 2018. The rules do say that the first money that is paid out of a 401(k) in a year, when an individual has an RMD, would be considered the RMD. An RMD cannot be rolled over to an IRA. Unfortunately, this means that there is no way that your client can satisfy this RMD by doing a QCD from an IRA for 2018. The good news is that if the remaining 401(k) is rolled over this year, beginning in 2019, QCDs can be done to satisfy future IRA RMDs.
https://www.irahelp.com/slottreport/converting-ira-roth-and-satisfying-rmds-todays-qa-mailbag
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text:
LG Optimus 4X HD Rolls Out in Europe
Ian Calcutt, June 11, 2012 2:12 pm BST
LG's Optimus 4X HD has begun its rollout in key European countries. The new Android smartphone was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in February and arrives hot on the heels of quad-core competitors the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S3 (or at least its white version, the delayed blue S3 is now due in the last week of June).
German customers get their hands on the Optimus 4X HD first, with the UK due to follow suit imminently. The German price for a SIM-free handset is about €500, equivalent to just over £400, though a few UK online retailers have started listing the model for between £449 and £499. Contract pricing is yet to be announced.
The Optimus 4X HD has an Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, Android 4.0, 2150mAh battery (newly upgraded with LG's SiO battery ehnacing technology), a 4.7-inch True HD IPS display and a Quick Memo feature embedded in its operating system, so you can make or share notes from within any application.
The Tegra 3 processor is a "4-PLUS-1" quad-core chip. At peak performance it will use its four main cores but in standby it switches to a fifth one for power management purposes. LG says it plans a special Eco Mode for the 4X HD in a later firmware upgrade so that users can manually shut down individual cores for fine control over power consumption.
Amid all this quad-core action, Nvidia's rival chip-maker Intel recently cast doubt on Android's current suitability for running on multi-core processors. According to The Inquirer, Intel believes system-on-chip (SoC) vendors have not done enough to optimise Android for dual and quad-core technology, and that in some circumstances multiple cores can even be detrimental.
The site quotes Intel's Mike Bell, who said, "I've taken a look at the multiple core implementations in the market, and frankly, in a thermal and/or power constrained environment – what has been implemented – it isn't obvious to me you really get the advantage for the size and the cost of what's going into that part."
He added, "The way it's implemented right now, Android does not make as effective use of multiple cores as it could, and I think – frankly – some of this work could be done by the vendors who create the SoCs, but they just haven't bothered to do it."
Via The Inquirer


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Ryan Discusses – Battlefront vs. Battle Royale
by Respawning | Feb 22, 2019 | Featured, Games | 0 comments
"Watch those wrist rockets!"
We're in no short supply of shooter games trying to mould to the latest trends these days. Fortnite and PUBG rule the Battle Royale scene, with the likes of Respawn Entertainment, Treyarch and even Valve following suite with their own IPs. Whilst not going in the direction of the Battle Royale, even my beloved Halo franchise has gone through some changes; with Halo 5 playing more like Titanfall or Call of Duty, and Halo Infinite potentially setting its sights on open world gameplay. So, thank god for EA's Battlefront 2.
Sure, it's weighed down by loot crates and microtransactions, but in the modern gaming climate, that has to be somewhat expected; but it's emphasis on more retro class-based gameplay in large scale battles is a nice blast from the past. Yes, there are still games like Overwatch offering a class-based shooter experience, and Team Fortress 2 is still going strong with a large player base of its own. However, Battlefront 2 takes the large expansive map sizes one would come to expect in a Battle Royale, fills them scripted events and objectives, for instance, manning an AT-TE and destroying a droid factory.
If you've read my previous review of Apex Legends, you may be thinking to yourself "but Ryan, you said large maps make it hard to find other players to kill, and that's a bad thing" and yes, I did say that; but Battlefront 2's maps always have a sense of a linear direction. You know exactly where the enemy are going to be and vice versa. So, you're likely to find it rather easy to charge head on into the heat of combat.
Speaking of maps, there are a ton, and they all play differently. For instance, the open fields of Geonosis and the spread-out platforms of Kamino make it perfect to play specialist and pick off the enemy with your sniper rifle. However, the tight streets of Tatooine lend themselves more to the assault or heavy classes. Maps also offer a versatility of playstyles with maps like Endor going from a large jungle perfect for sniper battles, to a claustrophobic imperial bunker fit for close quarters combat. That isn't to say that Battle Royale games don't offer a dynamic range of scenarios in their own maps, Apex Legends being a good example of utilising both expansive exterior spaces, as well as compact building interiors; but the amount of environments at your disposal to play in Battlefront, from the sandy stretches of Tatooine to the snowy surface of Hoth mean that you'll never feel like you're replaying the same game over and over again.
One of the reasons I prefer Apex Legends over Fortnite or PUBG, is the different 'Legends' that contribute their own unique playstyles to the game. As a massive fan of class-based shooters like Team Fortress and Overwatch, Battlefronts inclusion of classes not only calls back to the original Pandemic Battlefront games, but also adds a more tactical element to the gameplay, with different scenarios, be it the aforementioned diverse battlefields or a specific unit or set of units on the opposing team that requires an effective counter measure.
This more tactical element is missing from the majority of Battle Royale games, with everyone instead being forced to scavenge their own weapons on the battlefield. Whilst this means that every player does start off equal, there is a great deal of luck involved with the equipment you can end up obtaining. Battle Royale games are obviously not alone in this, with games such the Halo franchise, especially the original trilogy, lacking any class-based gameplay or even loadouts and instead leaving the player to find other weapons on the map. Having said that, I feel like that style of gameplay loans itself to the smaller scale maps of a game like Halo rather than the much larger map sizes of the likes of Fortnite or Battlefront 2.
Another thing Battlefront 2 offers over Battle Royale's is a bloody good selection of single player modes. You've got a pretty decent campaign that'll keep you occupied for a good few hours, and nice catalogue of single player 'arcade modes' that'll have you pitted against bots, either in predetermined scenarios, or battles that you can customise to your own desires.
Overall, there are just so many more reasons to revisit EA's Battlefront 2 over your standard Battle Royale. More variety in map, lots of different playstyles to experience and master; with the addition of a weapon progression system for each class which encourages you to carry on playing as that specific class. Cosmetics can be achieved through the in-game currency which is earned rather easily if you keep on playing multiplayer, so nothing is locked behind microtransactions. There's a plethora of single player options if you tire of multiplayer; and the multiplayer still has the huge open environments of your typical Battle Royale as well as some more intimate modes that can see you flying around in space, or even fighting as the 'hero' classes like Han Solo or Obi Wan Kenobi.
Whilst Battlefront 2 does cost £25, it's still being updated, with new heroes and maps added on an almost monthly basis, there has never been a better time to jump in and experience the game. With stunning visuals, an addictive multiplayer and solid gameplay, not to mention that all expansions are free. There's no reason not to give it a shot, and if you subscribe to Origin Access Basic, which is only a measly £4 a month, or alternative £20 for a year, it's included for free!
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S&P AND MOODY'S HAVE THE RATE STUFF: BOOMING BUSINESS IN NEW CORPORATE, MUNI BOND ISSUES BOLSTERS PROFITS
jon birger
When Dun & Bradstreet Corp. split into three public companies in 1996, Moody's Investors Service was transformed from a bit player to a star within the new, slimmed-down Dun & Bradstreet.
The timing was propitious. Business has never been better for Moody's and the other Manhattan-based member of the credit rating duopoly, Standard & Poor's Ratings Service.
Rating agencies sell research to investors, but the bulk of their revenue is generated from issuers -- the companies and municipalities that hire Moody's and S&P to rate their new bond offerings. With the economy booming and interest rates low, issuers are selling bonds at a record pace.
Covering the market
Through the first five months of 1998, U.S. companies issued $316 billion in public debt, according to Securities Data Co., and 99% of these bonds were rated by both Moody's and S&P, a unit of The McGraw-Hill Cos. At this rate, the corporate bond market's one-year record for new issue volume could be shattered by Labor Day.
The news is almost as good in the municipal bond market, where Moody's and S&P rate some 95% of new bonds. Though issuance is still off from the levels that preceded the 1994 muni market meltdown, it has risen steadily every year since, climbing to $215 billion last year from $162 billion in 1994.
Bonding with issuers
Moody's and S&P typically charge between $35,000 and $50,000 to rate new bond issues. These ratings range from triple-A and double-A for the safest bets to B, Caa and D for the riskiest.
Issuers buy credit ratings for their bonds because failing to do so would cost them hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in higher borrowing costs, far more than the cost of the rating. In fact, most companies and municipalities buy ratings from both Moody's and S&P; as a result, the growth of one rating agency does not necessarily come at the expense of the other.
The rating agencies' profit margins have always been among the highest on Wall Street -- 40%, according to some analysts -- so any increase in business means a substantial increase in profits for Dun & Bradstreet and McGraw-Hill.
"It's a wonderful business," says Henry Berghoff, an equity analyst with Harris Associates, Dun & Bradstreet's largest shareholder.
S&P does not disclose its revenues, but during the first quarter of 1998, the McGraw-Hill unit that includes S&P recorded a 20% increase in revenues to $281.5 million and an 11% increase in operating profits to $83 million.
Moody's revenues increased 25% to $132.5 million over the same period.
Moody's stellar first quarter came on the heels of a year when revenues rose 19%. Clearly the firm is feeling few, if any, ill effects from the Department of Justice investigation into its sales practices. Moody's is accused of bullying issuers into paying for ratings by assigning lower, unsolicited ratings to issuers that do not hire the firm, a charge that Moody's denies.
Investors are definitely taking notice of Moody's performance. A perennial stock market laggard, Dun & Bradstreet's stock returned 35% last year in gains and dividends -- the first time since 1991 that Moody's parent outperformed broader market indices.
While lesser-known rivals like Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. and Fitch IBCA are also doing well, these firms do not appear to be stealing much business from the market leaders. "Right now, 1998 looks like it's going to be another record year for S&P Ratings," says S&P President Leo C. O'Neill.
Both Mr. O'Neill and John Rutherfurd, his Moody's counterpart, acknowledge that in the current environment, it would be hard for rating agencies not to be making money hand over fist. Should interest rates rise and bond issuance decline, however, rating agencies would be among the first to feel the impact.
Such concerns have not stopped Moody's and S&P from expanding their workforces in order to keep up with demand for new ratings. Moody's ended 1997 with 1,291 U.S. employees, approximately 950 of whom are in New York, and the company expects to add another 200 people this year.
Over the past 12 months, S&P's U.S. head count has increased 12% to 1,044; in New York, the number of S&P employees has grown to 969 from 866.
Going forward, the challenge for both rating agencies will lie not only in weathering the inevitable market downturn but also in retaining all their new hires. Investment banks have a long history of poaching the rating agencies' top analysts.
"An analyst with one to five years' experience (at a rating agency) is viewed as ripe for being picked off," says Debra J. Brown, an executive search consultant with Russell Reynolds Associates.
Even commercial banks are getting into the act. "We used to hire from Chase and Citibank," laments Mr. Rutherfurd. "Now they hire from us."
Compensation shortfall
Moody's has raised pay, offered more flexible work schedules and even changed the title of its senior analysts to senior vice president. "But," Mr. Rutherfurd says, "if Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley wants an individual and that individual is motivated primarily by compensation, there's not much we can do."
While U.S. corporate and municipal bonds remain their bread-and-butter markets, both Moody's and S&P are diving headlong into more exotic securities, like asset-backed securities. S&P is trying to develop a business selling risk ratings to mutual funds. And both agencies are aggressively seeking assignments in international market.
In 1993, less than half of all non-U.S. corporate debt was rated by S&P and only 58% was rated by Moody's, according to Securities Data. Today, the agencies each rate about three-quarters of foreign corporate debt.Experts expect bond issuance in Europe to increase dramatically with the introduction of a single European currency.
"If a German company wants to sell bonds to investors in Italy, they'll need a brand that can cross borders," says Rudolph A. Hockanson, an equity analyst with CIBC Oppenheimer Corp. "In some cases, that's going to be the S&P name."
Sponsored Content: Lessons learned: navigating financial assistance in a crisis


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Youths warned to stay away from lottery scamming
Published:Wednesday | November 30, 2022 | 1:39 PM
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Stacey-Ann Powell, delivering the keynote address at the recent graduation at Jonathan Grant High School in Spanish Town, St Catherine. - Contributed photo.
Young people have been warned to avoid posting negative information on the Internet and to stay away from lottery scamming as these activities could lead to their demise.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police, Stacey-Ann Powell, the various anti-crime units are on the heels of lottery scammers, who, as a result, are in hiding and unable to benefit from the illegal spoils.
Delivering the keynote address at the recent graduation ceremony for the Jonathan Grant High School in Spanish Town, St Catherine, Powell said young people should choose education and not allow criminals to entice them into illegal activities.
She said that some persons believe that to be a don and getting involved in drug-running and other such activities will bring fame and riches but warned that it could also lead to the downfall of such persons and their loved ones.
"They are either in prison, dead, or hiding from the police. No matter how rich they are, they have to spend time hiding from the police, hiding assets, and not being able to live comfortably with their quick riches," she told the audience.
The senior police officer is cautioning youth that what they upload and communicate cannot be deleted, "so you need to protect yourself", as their negative presence on social media can cause them to lose out on employment opportunities, "as companies are protecting their brands".
Powell, who is a past student of the school, underscored that while the certificates given to the students were clear proof that they learned well enough to go on to other levels in life, "your reputation will take you places, or prevent you from going places".
She said the teachers' selfless efforts and extraordinary contributions have helped the students to find their purpose and urged the graduates not to accept the world in the same way it is, as they now have the opportunity to make meaningful changes.
- JIS News
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Gloucester, Dec. 25--Fire that did $2500 damage in the home of James Greeley on Beacon street this noon broke up his Christmas dinner and menaced several houses in the neighborhood before being extinguished. With a stiff wind blowing, the firemen for three hours with the blaze. A water pipe that broke rendered one hydrant useless in addition to reducing the pressure.


Just back from London – was invited across for the weekend to demo at an entertainment industry workshop. Ended up running the life drawing sessions while other artists did live digital painting demos. Was amusing to be working on paper in a room full of computers and projectors. I suppose I enjoy being contrary.
We were all doing our best to be available for critique of portfolios and talk about games and film art as a career – plus of course plenty of pubbing with an array of inspiring artists – so I was only able to steal a couple hours for a race across London with my sketchbook. A little sketch-crawl from Southwark to Waterloo.
Apologies to the USK'ers in London – I had so little notice that I'd be invited for the event, then so little time while there – I didn't make the effort I should have to meet up and go drawing. I hope to be back soon for a real sketching trip!
These are great, Marc. Have fun in Barcelona.