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All that Jazz: New Orleans and the Preservation Hall
There is nothing that can describe sitting in the humid air of the dusty floor of a packed hall in an old Spanish colonial building set in the main square in the Vieux Carré and listening to feet tapping strains of the brass, woodwind, bass, piano, and percussion instruments that could only be associated with the fabulous sounds of the southern brand of jazz, all for a sum of two U.S. dollars. I suppose there is nothing that can aptly describe New Orleans as well, where the Preservation Hall Jazz Band performs every evening since 1961 to packed audiences in a setting that could only be that of the temple of southern jazz. New Orleans is a city that is unique in many ways, atypical as North American cities go, a collection of the influences of her former French and Spanish masters, before becoming coming under control of the U.S. with the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon for a sum of $15 million. In New Orleans, we see architecture that is inherited from the Spanish, a joie de vivre inherited from the French, in a setting that perhaps feels more like the Caribbean that a city on the North American mainland should.
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band performing to a packed hall.
The Preservation Hall on St. Peter Street (off Jackson Square) was founded in 1961 and is the temple of southern jazz.
Wandering around the streets of the French Quarter or Vieux Carré filled with buildings that date back to the era of Spanish rule in the late 18th Century with the characteristic wrought iron balconies and inner courtyards, one can't escape from the sound of music that constantly fills the air. In and around the Vieux Carré which is centered on Jackson Square, the former Place d'Armes, one often sees a piano or two being wheeled around. Music is very much a part of street life in a city that is synonymous with hearty celebration and cuisine: the Mardi Gras and Jambalaya. It is a city that is both magical as well as being mysterious, being associated with practices such as Voodoo, where walks around the old cemetery is a must for the visitor as much as sitting on the floor of the Preservation Hall is. It is a city that continues to fascinate me and one that I would love the opportunity to visit again.
Music is everywhere in New Orleans.
The wrought iron balconies of the Spanish influenced buildings that line the streets of New Orleans.
Tags: Jazz, New Orleans, Preservation Hall, Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Categories : 1989, Architecture, Music, New Orleans, The Summer of 1989, The Wonder Years, There are places I remember ..., USA
In memory of those who gave their lives in the pursuit of democracy on that fateful day, 21 years ago on Tiananmen Square. I remember 4 June 1989, and I hope the world doesn't forget.
Remembering Tiananmen: "One Man alone, can stop history, can move a mountain".
Categories : 1989, History
A Tall Ship in port: The Pallada
There is nothing more magnificent than seeing a rigged sailing ship, sails fully deployed, making its way at full speed over the sea. I have always dreamt of sailing on board one of these … since being drawn to the white silhouette of a clipper that stood against red container of my father's Old Spice hair cream which sat on the dresser when I maybe five or six. I have always made it a point to visit one whenever the opportunity arose … the Cutty Sark, a well preserved retired clipper involved in the tea trade, being one that I had visited at its resting place in Greenwich.
The Pallada at its berth next to Vivo City.
It was a pleasant surprise when I learnt that Tall Ship Pallada was in town and made it a point to get acquainted with at the berth alongside Vivo City. The steel hulled three masted Fully Rigged Ship is operated by the Navigation Institute of Dalrybvtuz (the Russian Far Eastern State Fisheries University). Used as a seamanship training ship to train cadets for the Russian merchant fleet, the Pallada carries over 100 cadets, including some from the Singapore Maritime Academy.
A Ship's Officer on the Pallada.
Cadets on the quarterdeck.
The Pallada which currently holds the record as the fastest Tall Ship with a maximum speed of 18.7 knots under sails, was in port for stay of 4 days from 11 to 14 March. Built in Poland in the year, 1989, when the fall of communism in Europe commenced with the events there, by the Gdansk Shipyard (Stocznia Gdańska), the 106 metre (sparred length) ship boasts a main mast of 49.5 metres, has a draught of 6 metres and a beam of 14 metres. Gdansk Shipyard is of course the yard where the Solidarity movement, which was instrumental in the fall of communism in Poland, began in 1980. The Pallada is named after the Greek goddess Pallas Athena, is based at Vladivostok in the Russian Far East and can hoist 26 sails with a total area of 2771 square metres.
The foremast sail.
The foremast sail and jib being hoisted.
Up the foremast.
On the yards of the foremast ...
Ship's name on the bow.
Engine Room skylight.
The main mast.
Block and tackle.
Anchor chain on the gypsy.
A sailor on the forecastle.
Sailors on deck.
Ship's bell.
Builder's plate.
Stay of the main mast.
Mooring rope on quarterdeck.
Up the main mast.
The bowsprit.
Tags: Pallada, Ships, Tall Ship, Vivo City
Categories : 1989, Ships
A Maniac November
20 years has passed since the November of 1989. Then, my final year at university was underway, well underway, so much so that I was starting to feel the heat. Having spent a summer that had me wandering around the eastern seaboard of the US, some of Canada, and also Italy, settling back into a daily routine of lectures, coursework, and books was quite a tough ask. Already behind in my final year project, there was also coursework due before the mid-term, and a group project that was far behind – it being difficult to get the group members together outside the setting of the campus pub, to contend with.
Deadlines, Deadlines, November 1989
A lot happening around us as well, serving as a distraction from what we should have really been focused on. We had our eyes were fixed on the telly, not only for our Blind Dates with Cilla Black on Saturday evenings, but also due to the drama that was unfolding before our eyes in Europe, as presented by the correspondents with the BBC and ITV.
Growing up during the era in which the Cold War served as a backdrop to politics, we had been constantly reminded of the vice like grip exerted by the authorities behind the Iron Curtain on their so called Comrades. The secret police and organisations such as the KGB and the Stasi came to mind – responsible for maintaining the obedience of the masses. We had constant reminders of the brutal nature in which some of these organisations acted, as well as stories of daring escapes by dissenters from behind the Iron Curtain – more often than not ending tragically.
What we were witnessing in 1989 seemed at that time, surreal. It was the beginning of the end – the beginning of a very swift end to the wave that that engulfed much of eastern Europe that started with the Bolshevik revolution in the early part of the century, and hastened by the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. For close to half a century, Europe was divided into the communist East and the free West. The Berlin Wall, built to prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Berlin, stood for 28 years as a potent symbol of this divide, sticking out like a sore thumb over a Berlin rebuilt from the ashes of the Second World War.
With the Soviet Union in transition, distracted by Glasnost and Perestroika, the Soviets had stood by and watched, as Poland and then Hungary abandoned communism, unlike the brutal manner in which Soviet troops imposed their authority in the attempted revolutions of the 1960s. There was little then to stem the tide, as one by one, their communist allies fell around them. The opening of borders between Hungary and Austria rendered the control over the border between East and West Germany ineffective and against this backdrop, the border controls between East and West Gerrmany were relaxed on 9 November, leading to a frenzy of movement of East Germans to the West over the days that followed. Over the course of the next few days, history was about to be made, as television footage showed masses, armed with sledgehammers attempting to physically bring the much hated Berlin Wall down. With the Wall tumbling down, and inaction by the mighty Soviet army, the emboldened oppressed masses of the other eastern bloc states started to come out on the streets. We were also to witness the beginning of the end in Czechoslovakia that November, with riot police cracking down on peaceful demonstrations by students, leading to mass protests on the streets.
And the Wall came tumbling down - euphoria at the Wall, November 1989 (Source: Financial Times, 7 Nov 2009)
A trip to Ballachulish, near Glencoe, was also a welcome distraction in mid November. During the trip with several college mates from Singapore and Malaysia, some of us had somehow ended up taking a drive up what seemed to be an eerie moonlit Loch Ness and getting spooked, teeth chattering (it wasn't that cold that November evening) in what we were certain was a haunted Urquhart Castle!
The Moonlit Loch Ness, November 1989
St. Mun's, Ballachulish, November 1989
Categories : 1989, Madness, Scotland, The Fall of Communism, The Wonder Years, There are places I remember ...
On top of the world …
Mountains bring a sense of peace to many of us. With transport links and the technology that the 20th century gave us, mountains have become a lot more accessible and we do not need to be mountaineers to enjoy the experience and exhilaration of being on top of the world.
My first encounters with mountains were somewhat confined to those that were accessible by road from Singapore. The mountain top resorts of Cameron Highlands and Fraser's Hill, provided the colonial masters of Malaya with respite from the heat and humidity of the tropics, and since, they have become popular as a destination for many from Singapore and Malaysia. It was much later in life that I first had my experience of the wonderous feeling of being amongst the peaks and the breathtaking views on offer. The Alps in Europe are particularly spectacular. There is no better feeling I get than that that comes from staring out at the peaks of mountains, sometimes over the clouds, sometimes capped with snow, and sometimes just bare rock faces. The most spectacular views I have seen of the Alps are from a cable car, the Gondola Panoramic Mont-Blanc, that runs across the Glacier du Géant from Aiguille de Midi to Ponte Helbronner … the views on offer are simply grogeous!
The Panoramic Mont-Blanc Gondola across the Glacier du Géant
The Vallée Blanch (White Valley) as seen from the Gondola Panoramic Mont Blanc
All across the Alps, the views are as spectacular… the Dolomites in Alta Badia in Italy for one have provided me with some breathtaking views as well.
Corvara and Monte Sassongher in the Alta Badia Region of Italy
Monte Lagazuoi near Corvara in Alta Badia
The view down Lagazuoi ...
Having spent time in the West of Scotlands, I am no stranger to the Western Highlands, which provide a serene getaway for many, as well as a fair bit of folklore and mystery. It is hard to imagine kilted men running around in the hostile climes of the Western Highlands, doing battle first with rival clans, and then the invaders from the south. It is of course the stuff that legends are made of.
Glen Coe in the Western Highlands of Scotland
Loch Ness in the Western Highlands of Scotland
Categories : 1989, Inspirational Moments, Scotland, The Summer of 1989, There are places I remember ..., Vive la France
Of Melting Timepieces and Hallucinogenic Bullfighters …
Inspired by a piece of melting Camembert, which Salvador Dalí observed on a hot August evening, the images of melting clocks and watches are some of the most recognisable images produced by Dalí. A visit to the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, brought about by my fascination with Dalí since the encounter with Dalí's "Christ of St. John on the Cross" in Glasgow, provided some enlightenment to the artist's inspiration for the iconic melting timepieces that first appeared on what is probably his most famous painting, "The Persistence of Memory", against the backdrop of another interpretation of this work – "The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory". The melting timepieces represent the relativity and decay of time, which conventional thought held to be rigid and deterministic. Dali, as we were told by the guide had pondered if time could melt like the piece of cheese that stood before his eyes, on an evening where suffering from a bad headache, the artist had stayed home while Gala his wife, had gone to the movies. Then and there, the artist got his inspiration to add the images of the melting pocket watches to the landscape near Port Lligat which he had been in the midst of painting, which filled not just Gala on her return from the Theatre, with fascination, but the many of us who have seen the images of the melting timepieces.
The Disintegration of Persistence of Memory (1952 - 1954), Salvador Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida. (Source: Wikipedia)
Dali's Melting Timepiece on display in Singapore in 2006. Profile of Time (1977 - 1984), Dalì Sculpture Collection.
The museum, which houses the largest collection of Dali's works outside of Europe, has several of Dali's masterworks, including the "The Hallucinogenic Toreador" and "The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus". "The Hallucinogenic Toreador" perhaps provides some insight into Dali's state of mind and the hallucinogenic state which provided the many images we see in his work. Several of the images we see repeated over many different works, the potrait of Gala, the little boy which represents Dali in his youth, the bay of Port Lligat … the symbolistic images, many of which depict Dali's past experiences and influences.
The Hallucinogenic Toreador (1969 - 1970), Salvador Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida. (Source: Wikipedia).
The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus (1959), Salvador Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida. (Source: Wikipedia).
Another striking piece is the "Archeological Reminiscence of Millet's "Angelus"", Dalí's interpretation of Jean-François Millet's famous painting …
Archaeological Reminiscence Millet's "Angelus" (1933 - 1935), Salvador Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida.
Jean-François Millet's "The Angelus" (1857 - 1859), Musée d'Orsay, Paris. (Source: Wikipedia).
Several of Salvador Dalí's sculptures from the Dalí Sculpture Collection were on display in Singapore in September / October 2006. Among the striking pieces on display were the ones depicting his melting timepieces, as well as the "Homage to Newton", which is now permanently displayed at the UOB Plaza.
Horse Saddled with Time (1980), Dalí Sculpture Collection.
St. George and the Dragon (1977 - 1984) in Singapore in 2006, Dalì Sculpture Collection.
Unicorn (1977 to 1984) in Singapore in 2006, Dalì Sculpture Collection.
Homage to Newton (1985), UOB Plaza.
Information Plate - Homage to Newton (1985), UOB Plaza.
Categories : 1989, Art, Surrealism, The Summer of 1989
Midsummer Madness
As students, we usually found many ways to keep ourselves amused, and hang on to our sanity. The usual visits to the campus pub wasn't always as interesting as other amusements such as the odd Ceilidh; our regular meet ups on Friday evenings when each of us, two Singaporeans, two Italians, two Malaysians, an Irishwoman, and a Cameroonian, would take turns at upsetting each other's stomachs; joining the Labour movement's rallies in Glasgow Green; and of course Wine Tasting sessions …. One particular one involved a few of us left behind in Glasgow during the start of the summer break…
Odd Bins Wine Tasting Card 21 June 1989
Categories : 1989, Madness, Scotland, The Summer of 1989
Remembering 4 June 1989 – Poland
Besides the events on Tiananmen Square 4 June 1989 is also significant as the first of two days on which elections were held in Poland. The elections can be said to have started the chain of events leading to the fall of communism in Europe. The elections, the first where candidates other than those from the Communist Party were permitted to stand, saw Solidarity, whose origins are lay with a trade union led by a former shipyard electrician from Gdansk, winning most of the seats they were permitted to stand in. The elections were held as a concession to allow Solidarity a voice amidst widespread disenchantment at living conditions in a country whose rulers could no longer depend on full support by a Soviet Union distracted by the introduction of Perestroika and Glasnost by Mikhail Gorbachev, licking its wounds after its withdrawal from Afghanistan after a costly excursion lasting a decade. The elections provided the platform for the first non-communist led government in the Eastern Bloc, and could be seen as the catalyst for the sudden and dramatic collapse of communism which had dominated much of Eastern Europe following Nazi Germany's defeat at the end of World War II.
Categories : 1989, The Fall of Communism
How to tie a bow-tie
Preparing for the exams can be stressful. Besides our regular Friday evening beat the stress get-togethers, the Pub on Campus proved to be a great place to escape to, not just for a pint with friends … sometimes there are a few new skills that can be picked up at the Pub as well …
How to tie a Budweiser Bow Tie (on the back of a drink coaster)
Afternote: If any is really looking for instructions on how to tie a bow-tie … this is possibly a clearer guide:
How to Tie a Bow-Tie (courtesy of Tie-Rack)
Categories : 1989, Scotland
Remembering 4 June 1989
One Man alone,
can stop history,
can move a mountain
The man who can move mountains, Tiananmen Square, 1989
20 years on from the sad and tragic events of 3 and 4 June 1989, there is still the deep sense of anger, disbelief and astonishment at the brutal way in which the seven week old peaceful protest staged by students in China were ended by the Chinese government. Among the many stories and images that have been published, one image remains etched in the memories the many of us who were shocked by the television footage and newspaper reports. This image is one of a brave young man, attempting to halt the progress of a column of tanks by standing in the way. I remember seeing a poster of the much viewed photograph in Italy, with the words that went something that translated as "One man, alone, can stop history, can move a mountain".
Being in University in the UK, the scenes on television were seen by the many students who came from different parts of the world. We were equally outraged and shocked by the way the protests were put down. It would never be known how many died on the square when the tanks and troops moved in, perhaps only the couple of hundreds that the Chinese government would like us to believe, or, perhaps the many thousands some others have estimated. What is important is that those lives were not lost in vain. It is for use to continue to remember, and to continue the effort to seek justice and freedom, where there isn't any. We do know that 20 years on, the families of the many that perished still have not come to terms with what has happened – many continue to be persecuted because they seek to have the truth told (see the article below, published in the Scotsman on 30 May 2009). For us, observers from the outside, there is little we can do except that we must continue to remind ourselves and everyone else of the 4th of June 1989 and not forget what those who lost their lives, stood for. In our own way, we must find a way to keep the flame of the goddess of democracy alive.
The poster, "One Man alone, can stop history, can move a mountain". (Added 14 Sep 2009) - Remembering Tiananmen.
20 years on, families still fight for the truth of Tiananmen
By Carolynne Wheeler in Beijing
IT HAS been 20 years since Jiang Jielian, a carefree youth of 17, ignored his mother's pleas and rode his bicycle to join friends among massive numbers of student demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, Beijing.
His death in the early hours of 4 June, 1989 – from a bullet that entered his back and pierced his heart – would change his mother forever, turning a mild-mannered university professor loyal to the Communist Party into a heartbroken, angry parent pressing for answers.
Ding Zilin, now 72 and frail, has withstood two decades of arrests, interrogations and constant surveillance. Even today, she remains under effective house arrest as she continues her fight for the truth about the military crackdown and killing of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of students on 4 June, 1989.
"Their bloody deaths should be returned by justice, not a life for a life. No matter what we do, our children will not come back," she told The Scotsman in an interview conducted a month before the anniversary, necessary to avoid the government clampdown that comes before every sensitive occasion.
Twenty years after Tiananmen, the government still quashes all discussion of that day. Officials maintain the demonstrators had created a "counter-revolutionary riot", therefore justifying the soldiers' actions. Any mention of the incident in state media is forbidden and no credible number of those killed has been released.
Yet a quiet but resolute struggle by survivors and the families of the dead and injured for answers continues.
"I don't know why they are so worried about us – we are widows and families who are old, sick and weak. It is impossible we would be a threat to national security. We just want justice," Ms Ding said, referring to the Tiananmen Mothers' network she has helped organise.
"We want the government to declare how many people were killed on 4 June. We want to know who died. And after that we want compensation for the people who were killed."
Their efforts have produced a list of those killed – 195 names, the most recent discovered only in the past few months – and annual letters to the government reiterating their demands. This week, a new letter was signed by 128 family members.
"What was once the truth that couldn't be clearer has become so blurred as to be almost turned upside down. Utilitarianism and pragmatism have replaced the idealism and passion of former days. China is not getting closer to freedom, democracy and human rights, but drifting farther away," the letter reads.
Today's students were babies in 1989. Too young to remember, they have been shielded from the truth by a government that doesn't want them to know and families afraid they will suffer from political involvement. It's a generation Ms Ding fears is more interested in good jobs and designer clothes than in the political changes her son fought for.
"Young people do not know the truth. They think the 1989 incident was not necessary."
The events of 4 June are not discussed openly at universities on the mainland. However, earlier this year students at the University of Hong Kong – who, unlike their northern neighbours, are able to debate such issues – voted 93 per cent in favour of calling on the Chinese government to be held accountable for the Tiananmen crackdown.
About 10 per cent of that university's students are from the mainland, and their debate was as loud as that among Hong Kong students.
"Even though they can't access everything, many know the truth. You cannot cover the truth forever," said Martin Kok, of the students' union.
The Scotsman newspaper.


SMA's science teachers Maureen Daschel, Julia Stadler and Cindi Hounton had an exciting opportunity to demonstrate their tech-savvy at the Oregon Science Teachers Association (OSTA) conference on October 10 and 11.
Daschel and Hounton focused their interactive workshop around using Explain Everything (a video and presentation creation app) for science tutorials and student presentations. Daschel returned with glowing reports. "We had around 20-25 people in the workshop," Daschel said. "They asked good questions and got a lot of opportunity for playtime."
Julia Stadler demonstrates student work in video assessments and exploratory labs.
In her session, Stadler focused on project-based learning in her AP Chemistry classes, including demonstrating how she uses video tools in exploratory labs and assessments. Stadler has been particularly intrigued by the effect of using video tools to evaluate student understanding of scientific concepts. "What she found is that kids who often didn't test well were able to really excel in the video assessments," Daschel said.
Stadler's observations have been echoed by a variety of other teachers at SMA who have explored creative forms of assessment, both technological and otherwise, and also by significant current research about the effectiveness of different types of assessments in student learning and teacher evaluation. For more information, check out this comprehensive review of research about assessment posted on Edutopia.
Maureen Daschel and Cindi Hounton smile proudly at the beginning of their presentation.
Daschel demonstrates functions in Explain Everything to one of the teachers in her session.


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Q: MySql Database migration We have a large MySql table having around 400 million records, it is running on google cloud sql version 1 (MySql version 5.5).
Now google has come up with the new version of cloud sql (MySql version 5.6) ,so we want to migrate our database into this new sql version.This new version is available only on new instance. That means version 1 is on machine 1 and version 2 is on machine 2.
In this process we also made few schema changes, please check the following.
Old Schema
CREATE TABLE page_views_old (
  domain varchar(50) DEFAULT NULL,
  guid varchar(100) DEFAULT NULL,
  sid varchar(100) DEFAULT NULL,
  url varchar(2500) DEFAULT NULL,
  ip varchar(20) DEFAULT NULL,
  is_new varchar(20) DEFAULT NULL,
  ref varchar(2500) DEFAULT NULL,
  user_agent varchar(255) DEFAULT NULL,
  stats_time datetime DEFAULT NULL,
  country varchar(50) DEFAULT NULL,
  region varchar(50) DEFAULT NULL,
  city varchar(50) DEFAULT NULL,
  city_lat_long varchar(50) DEFAULT NULL,
  email varchar(100) DEFAULT NULL
)

New schema
CREATE TABLE page_views_new (
  domain varchar(50) DEFAULT NULL,
  guid binary(16) NOT NULL,
  sid binary(16) NOT NULL,
  url varchar(2500) DEFAULT NULL,
  ip varbinary(16) NOT NULL,
  is_new tinyint(4) NOT NULL,
  ref varchar(2500) DEFAULT NULL,
  user_agent varchar(255) DEFAULT NULL,
  stats_time datetime DEFAULT NULL,
  country char(2) NOT NULL,
  region varchar(6) NOT NULL,
  city varchar(50) DEFAULT NULL,
  city_lat_long varchar(50) DEFAULT NULL,
  email varchar(100) DEFAULT NULL,
  id int(11) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  PRIMARY KEY (id)
)

As mentioned above we changed datatype varchar to binary, varchar to varbinary, varchar to tinyint, ip to binary and others. So my question is what is best way to load this database into new instance. I didn't mention here we need to add few indexes also.
My approach for this problem
1.Take a dump of complete Database.
2.Import into new instance.
3.Modify columns one by one using alter table statements.
4.Make it live.
Can you guys please specify is there any issue with this approach and suggest me best approaches. Please mention if any issues with schema also.
Thanks

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


CATSCA legislation becomes effective on January 1, 2012. This legislation requires that manufacturers doing business in California ($100M+) disclose the efforts they take to ensure product supply chains are free of slave labor and human trafficking. The intent of this legislation is to help consumers make informed choices and to encourage businesses to ensure humane practices throughout the supply chain.
Verify product supply chains to evaluate and address risks of human trafficking and slavery.
Audit suppliers to evaluate compliance with our company standards for trafficking and slavery in supply chains.
Require direct suppliers to certify compliance with the laws regarding slavery and human trafficking of the country or countries in which the suppliers are doing business.
Maintain internal accountability standards and procedures for employees and/or contractors failing to meet company standards regarding slavery and trafficking.
Provide company employees, who have direct responsibility for supply chain management, training on human trafficking and slavery, particularly with respect to mitigating risks within the supply chains of product.
Saint-Gobain requests that all products supplied to our manufacturing facilities in the state of California comply with the company's policy of compliance with the California Transparency of Supply Chains Act of 2010.
Suppliers are required to provide required certification. Select for more details and compliance information.


Wes See - Marine River Diamond Mining Equipment. Marine River Diamond Mining Equipment Manufacturers - Wes See Konstruksie, South Africa..
... Underground mining machinery and equipment ... Manufacturers cc. Manufacturers of mining ... mining equipment. Germiston, South Africa.


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Non-native invasive species
More pages related to Non-native invasive species
3 Rivers Clean Up
Many species in Britain today are not native, and a small minority of these pose a real problem to human health, the environment and the economy. These problem animals and plants are known non-native invasive species. An invasive non-native species is one that has the ability to successfully spread and colonise outside of its native range, often outcompeting native species and causing damage to the environment.
Thames21 works to manage some of the common alien species which cause a problem to London's waterways, crowding native species, reducing light and oxygen flow to water.
Himalayan Balsam: Himalayan Balsam is a problem plant, which has spread throughout Britain, first introduced from India in 1855 for its attractive pink flowers. It spread from gardens and quickly started to grow along our riverbanks, where it can cause riverbank erosion, out-compete native species, and impact negatively on the wildlife in the area.Thames21 works with volunteers to remove this plant from areas it has colonised.
Fortunately, physically removing balsam is quite an easy, if time consuming activity, and we find people of all ages and abilities can take part and have a lot of fun in the process. Each year we help lead the 3RiversCleanUp, a series of intensive events to tackle the species in South East London's waterways.
For more information on Himalayan Balsam click here.
Floating Pennywort: Floating Pennywort is quite an attractive green weed that grows across water courses. It became naturalised in 1990 after spreading from ornamental garden ponds. It grows incredibly quickly, at a rate of up to 20cm per day, forming a carpet over the water, blocking out sunlight and outcompeting native species. It thrives in polluted water due to increased levels of phosphates, and as a result is a particular problem in the polluted waterways of East London. This weed can also be safely removed with volunteers.
For more information on this weed, click here.
Giant Hogweed: Giant hogweed is a large, seeding plant, which was introduced as an ornamental plant and has become common across England mostly due to deliberate planting. Its seeds can be spread by wind or watercourses, and as a result is seen along rivers and canals. Giant Hogweed is difficult to manage due to its highly poisonous sap, and even minor contact with human skin can cause welting and blisters. Thames21 staff have been trained in Giant Hogweed removal and can lead volunteers to do this safely, but it should not be attempted unsupervised.
For more information on this weed click here.
Japanese Knotweed: Japanese knotweed was also introduced to Britain as an ornamental plant. It is green in colour, has shovel shaped leaves. The stem is bamboo like in appearance produces white flowers around September or October. The plant spreads via a rhizome (underground stem) and stem segments, rather than its seeds. The weed can grow a metre in a month and can grow through concrete and tarmac, damaging buildings and roads. Thames21 staff have training in the use of pesticides and will treat small patches of Knotweed but removing or deposing of it incorrectly can cause the plant to spread and can be illegal so volunteers should only tackle this plant under supervision.
Thames21 encourages people to spot and report non-native invasive species and helps train people in identifying them. We are part of a network of environmental groups and bodies, which helps manage and develop solutions to non-native invasive species in London. We will update you as our work in this area grows.
If you want more information or to get involved, contact chris.coode@thames21.org.uk

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We had a great time this weekend in St. Pete sailing with Team Rock Steady and the Siegler's. This was our first time sailing together and we didn't even manage to get in any practice time before the event.
Friday was a pretty disgusting day in St. Pete. The Race Committee flew the AP on shore just as we were ready to leave the dock. We hung out on the boat, tweaking things and then heard the America's Cup was playing in the club. We headed inside and watched the giant multi-hulls race. Just before the end of the match, the AP over A was flown (racing was abandoned), so we headed to lunch and a relaxing day.
Saturday was quite cold and the breeze was up. Team Rock Steady had an excellent day on the water with a 10, 7, 6, 5 even though we didn't have the greatest starts. We had an port-starboard incident just before the finish of the first race and definitely would have had a better finish, if we hadn't been hit. Luckily, Rock Steady is strong and the pole of the other boat didn't completely hole us. After dinner, we headed out for some team bonding and indoor go kart racing at Tampa Grand Prix. Seth and Ed were our speed demons, each winning one race in the three we participated in.


Re: Things that destroy cyborgs.
I imagine airborne asphyxiation like chlorine gas, nitrogen, or phosgene would also put a cybrog out of comission, if not kill. I'm not sure how effective nerve agents would be since 'borgs seem to be able to shrug off getting shot or stabbed pretty well, so who knows what's going on with their nervous system.
Lure the cyborgs into a building, then collapse it with a muffler charge - two carbombs, one on each side of the building, detonated simultaneously by radio.
Another cyborg, freshly reconditioned to remove any emotional attachments.
Strange not to see you playing something like this for laughs, Odon.
What can destroy a cyborg?
The death of her handler. Unrequited love. Overconditioning. A distracted Section Two surgeon. They're really quite fragile, in their own way.
I'm gonna go with...Power Tools.
@boomer_gonz wrote: I'm gonna go with...Power Tools.
But they already used those on Triela in Amsterdam and she came back better...stronger...faster!
And like usual, her work is never over.
This sounds like a rejected Billy Mays commercial.
Diving past 30 meters, if you follow Voodoo's stories. If not, then simple immersion would do the trick. Don't know how long they can hold their breath, but there must be a limit.
Likewise, falling from a height. We know that the girls' cyborg anatomy allows them to make some astounding jumps, both vertical and horizontal, but the soft human brain inside that carbon-fiber-reinforced skull can only handle so much jostling. Pino knocked Triela out with a hard blow to the chin; how much harder a head strike would it take to kill?
@Thescarredman wrote: Diving past 30 meters, if you follow Voodoo's stories. If not, then simple immersion would do the trick. Don't know how long they can hold their breath, but there must be a limit.
I always liked Voodoo's 30m rule, not just because it gave us Marisa, but also because it was an extra twist in the tail for any cyborg going swimming.
In 'Rehabilitation Branch,' Jack snorkels with Angel, but he won't allow her to SCUBA dive. Perhaps he's been talking to someone.
@Thescarredman wrote: Pino knocked Triela out with a hard blow to the chin; how much harder a head strike would it take to kill?
I'd imagine the same amount of force as for a normal human. It's their one major weakness (in multiple ways, but we're just focusing on the physical), that they have regular human brains instead of microprocessors in their heads. Thus, any brain trauma very likely will severely kill or injure the cyborgs. I don't know what effect the conditioning medication would have, but in terms of physical injury, I'd suspect probably not much if at all.
@Alfisti wrote: I always liked Voodoo's 30m rule, not just because it gave us Marisa, but also because it was an extra twist in the tail for any cyborg going swimming.
Overall, I think cyborgs are actually a lot more fragile than we'd like to believe. Sure, they're capable of sustaining a lot of damage, but how much of it is due to innate protection and how much of it is due to the conditioning medication making them ignore their pain. Indeed, ignoring shots to the eyes, even regular pistol rounds can kill a cyborg like any normal human if the bleeding isn't addressed soon enough. It's just that the cyborgs aren't going to flinch upon being hit, and are likely to rip the head off of the shooter.
@PSVT wrote: Overall, I think cyborgs are actually a lot more fragile than we'd like to believe. Sure, they're capable of sustaining a lot of damage, but how much of it is due to innate protection and how much of it is due to the conditioning medication making them ignore their pain. Indeed, ignoring shots to the eyes, even regular pistol rounds can kill a cyborg like any normal human if the bleeding isn't addressed soon enough. It's just that the cyborgs aren't going to flinch upon being hit, and are likely to rip the head off of the shooter.
Agreed, I think the major difference between a cyborg and a regular human is the ability to absorb damage and keep fighting. We know that the cyborgs are better protected in some places: the head for example I believe can canonically repel small arms fire (how that treats the brain though, who knows), and I suspect that there is a reduced chance of a hit penetrating to anything vital. However, once they are hit the clock is ticking... again possibly slower than for a normal human, but still ticking.
Or course, the other advantage of a cyborg is that they're much faster put back into the field again after.
I think what you said was flawed , From the viewpoint of a trainee doctor .
Our cyborgs , medical perspective , are extremely durable with extremely high physical strength and extremely formidable spirit , with replaceable body parts . These things makes them the perfect , the dream of all mankind so far .
If the story continued and they can continue research to 3rd or 4th generation . It is likely that we will see the Call of duty : Advanced warfare in reality and people will abandon their natural limbs in exchange for artificial limbs, daily.
Triela is probably on a mix grow hormone and steroids as part of her anti rejection meds.
That would make there grow.
Also there probably mechanical valves on the larger blood vessels to stop any major blood loss by just shutting off blood flow.
Like wise such vessels are probably armoured, with say braided kevlar around the outside.
It wouldn't stop a bullet but it might stop a knife or a fragment or lump of shrapnel.
We're only 10 years away from the timeline of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but I believe we'll be able to voluntarily replace existing limbs and organs with better mechanical counterparts much sooner than 2027.
Without the crazy ability to fire off Claymore pellets out of our spine, that is.
Now I'm gonna have to look that song up.


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Danas je ova biskupija naslovna biskupija. Biskup je Stefan Siczek.

Izvori
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Katolička upravna podjela Albanije
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Families will argue about many things - what to watch, who to vote for, how to dress - but there is one thing we can pretty much agree on. Chocolate isone of the best substances ever devised. Therefore, wouldn't it make sense that Christmas - one of the best holidays - be spent indulging in the stuff? Whether you want sophistication, pampering, or fun, chocolate can provide it all.
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Another hotel specialising in chocolate is the Chocolate Boutique, for which you don't even have to leave the UK. Located in Bournemouth, the Grade II listed building have thirteen unique chocolate themed bedrooms. They include daily chocolates, free wifi,an iPod docking station, LCD TV, and breakfast. While at the hotel, you can take part in workshops and holistic therapies such as reflexology, Indian head massage, Thai yoga massage, and aromatherapy.
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starting from the 23rd November, there will also be special the Christmas events, such as a pantomime performance of Jack and the Cocoa Bean Stalk, festive food in the cafe, and a visit from Father Christmas.
Thons Hotels are offering a package deal holiday to Brussels that includes a voucher to the Belgian Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate. Learn about the history of chocolate, key dates, such as when it was introduced to Belgium, and see daily demonstrations. It will be a one night stay with a buffet breakfast and choice of hotels.


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Tired of Trump, Deutsche Bank wants to end ties but sees no good options: Sources
In meetings in recent months, a Deutsche Bank management committee that oversees reputational and other risks for the lender in the Americas region has discussed ways in which it could rid the bank of these last vestiges of the relationship, two o...
By Reuters | Updated: Nov 03, 2020, 12:28 PM IST
The bank has over the years lent Trump more than $2 billion, one of the officials said.
NEW YORK | FRANKFURT: Deutsche Bank AG is looking for ways to end its relationship with President Donald Trump after the U.S. elections, as it tires of the negative publicity stemming from the ties, according to three senior bank officials with direct knowledge of the matter.
Deutsche Bank has about $340 million in loans outstanding to the Trump Organization, the president's umbrella group that is currently overseen by his two sons, according to filings made by Trump to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics in July and a senior source within the bank. The three loans, which are against Trump properties and start coming due in two years, are current on payments and personally guaranteed by the president, according to two bank officials.
The German bank, which started lending to Trump in 1990s, has been dragged into congressional and other investigations into Trump's finances and alleged Russia connections.
-Bad Publicity
In meetings in recent months, a Deutsche Bank management committee that oversees reputational and other risks for the lender in the Americas region has discussed ways in which it could rid the bank of these last vestiges of the relationship, two of the three bank officials said. The bank has over the years lent Trump more than $2 billion, one of the officials said.
One idea that has come up in the meetings: sell the loans in the secondary market, two of the bank officials said. But one of the officials said that idea has not gained traction, in part because it is not clear who would want to buy the loans and the attendant problems that come with it.
While it was known that Deutsche Bank has been closely examining its relationship with Trump, including by setting up a working group in 2016 to review the bank's relationship with him, its recent eagerness to end all ties and the contours of discussions in light of the election have not been previously reported.
Deutsche Bank declined to comment. The Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment. The White House declined to comment.
WARREN'S WARNING
The German bank, which first started lending to Trump in the late 1990s, has been dragged into congressional and other investigations into the real estate mogul-turned-politician's finances and alleged Russia connections.
The probes and the bad press, seen by one senior executive as "serious collateral damage" from the relationship, are an unwelcome distraction for the bank, the three officials said. It comes at a time when Chief Executive Christian Sewing is trying to turn Deutsche Bank around after its decades-long run at becoming a major Wall Street bank left it nursing huge losses.
The loans are such that the Trump Organization has only had to pay interest on them so far, and the entire principal is outstanding
-Bank Officials
Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat member of the Senate banking committee, has previously called for an investigation into Deutsche Bank over its money laundering controls and has demanded answers from the lender about its relationship with Trump and his family. She told Reuters that she intended to keep pushing for a probe in the next administration.
"You bet I'm going to continue to fight for accountability and strong enforcement of our banking laws, especially for giant institutions like Deutsche Bank," she said.
What happens next for the bank rests on the outcome of Tuesday's elections, according to the three bank officials.
If the Republican president loses, and Democrats take control of the White House and Congress, senior Deutsche Bank executives believe congressional investigations that have stalled amid a court battle over access to Trump's financial records could be rejuvenated, the three bank officials said.
In this scenario, however, Deutsche Bank executives believe they will also have more freedom to deal with the loans and end their relationship with Trump, the officials said. They hope doing so might help reduce some of the scrutiny, they said.
DIFFERENT SCENARIOS
The loans, which are against Trump's golf course in Miami, and hotels in Washington and Chicago, are such that the Trump Organization has only had to pay interest on them so far, and the entire principal is outstanding, two of the three bank officials said. They come due in 2023 and 2024, the filings show.
The businesses backing the loans face challenges. The coronavirus-driven economic slowdown has hit the travel industry, including hotels. Moreover, last month Reuters reported that Trump's plan to make money by developing houses and hotels on his golf courses, including the one involving the Deutsche Bank loan, had not panned out so far.
The Deutsche Bank executives are not unduly concerned about Trump's ability to repay the loans, given the president's personal guarantees and the time left before they come due, the three bank officials said.
If Trump is not in office, Deutsche Bank executives feel that it would be easier for them to demand repayment, foreclose if he is not able to pay it off or refinance, or try to sell the loans, according to two of the three bank officials.
Since Trump has personally guaranteed all the loans, Deutsche Bank could also seize the president's assets if he is unable to repay, two of the three bank officials said.
If Trump wins a second term, Deutsche Bank executives feel their options would be fewer, the three bank officials said. The bank wouldn't want the negative publicity inherent with seizing assets from a sitting president and would likely extend the loans until he is out of office, two of the bank officials said.
The bottom line, the three bank officials said, is that the matter won't be resolved until well after the election.
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Europ Assistance USA takes care of consumers, corporate customers and their employees when the unexpected happens, anywhere in the world, providing immediate support and assistance in times of emergency and distress. Leveraging its worldwide network of 39 always-open multilingual assistance centers and 430,000 partners in 208 countries and territories, Europ Assistance USA provides medical travel assistance and duty of care solutions, identity theft resolution and beneficiary assistance services. Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Europ Assistance USA is part of the Europ Assistance Group, which is owned by Global 500 insurance conglomerate Generali Group.
Europ Assistance USA was at a crossroads with its desktops. At 4-5 years old, the organization's desktops would either need to be replaced or virtualized. Because there were several models of desktops being used, much of the in-house IT staff's time was spent on debugging desktop and resolving user issues. Constant updates and maintenance on these desktops were also taking a lot of time and effort. Beyond total cost of ownership of their desktops, Europ Assistance USA was concerned with compliance issues related to the nature of their travel assistance, healthcare and financial business. The organization needed to ensure the security of its data and customer information.
Europ Assistance USA had worked with Nortec in the past on many projects including the virtualization of their server environment. As Nortec understood their business they were able to give Europ Assistance USA a realistic solution as to what could be done to address their TCO and compliance concerns.
When it came to desktop virtualization, Nortec set up a proof of concept in order to give Europ Assistance USA an accurate model of what could be done and how it would work. The proof of concept also gave Europ Assistance USA the comfort level to move ahead with virtualizing the desktops on their entire operational platform.
The thin clients that replaced the desktops had a life time of 7 to 10 years whereas a desktop would only be good for 3 to 5. Software updates and system changes were quickly and easily tested and deployed using base images and snapshots. Desktop virtualization also addressed the compliance concerns that Europ Assistance USA had by not storing anything on physical hardware to which the end user had access.
Desktop virtualization has solved a number of challenging issues for Europ Assistance. The virtualized desktops have reduced total cost of ownership and have reduced the amount of time and money spent on support. Long-term hardware refresh cost is reduced due to the simplicity and resilience of the thin clients used. Support costs are reduced due to more efficient patch testing and deployment processes. With no ability to store data on the thin clients and the ability for administrators to disable the attachment of USB drives, Europ Assistance was also able to mitigate its concerns about compliance. This technology also provides an additional benefit of being able to provide telecommuters the exact same user experience from the office or home office. Manager of IT Operations Shafraz Branudeen believes that deployment of virtual desktops at Europ Assistance USA takes them to a new level of compliancy security and manageability while reducing the Total Cost of Ownership, revolutionizing the way the company managed desktops.