It did not work out to celebrate Thanksgiving with "blood family", so we spent the day with "heart family". We've done this before, and it is always a nice time. There were 8 people total: Valerie, her two kids, her mom Doris, her boyfriend Michael, her friend Katherine, and the two of us. As usual, we had more food than necessary, but it provided wonderful leftovers. Due to some paperwork snafu (on their end, not mine), the jobs I had planned to do on Monday got pushed to Wednesday, so all the prep work I'd intended to do got scrubbed and I ended up doing it all Thursday morning. Thankfully, Alex was very helpful getting it all done, and at least I got the grocery shopping done on Monday before the stores got crazy.
Turkey – Valerie baked hers for Thursday, but I also bought one and baked it on Friday. It's good, filling, and so very inexpensive this time of year! Some of it got frozen for later use. I also made a big stockpot of broth from the bones.
Ham – I got a spiral-sliced ham from Costco. Those come pre-cooked, but I had to heat it and make the glaze.
Stuffing – Doris made this. It was good, but I've realized that I'm not a big stuffing/dressing eater. It's nice, but I don't get overly excited about it.
Green beans – Valerie did not make it into the loved/reviled green bean casserole, just served green beans.
Baby Carrots –boiled until tender. I don't think I actually tried any of these, so I don't know what seasonings Valerie used.
Mashed potatoes – Doris made some for the meal, but I also made some at home. I'd bought them planning to make them before I knew she was going to do it, and didn't want them rotting. Besides, I love mashed taters!
Sweet potatoes – Valerie makes a casserole that I don't want the recipe for. I love to eat it, but I'm quite sure I do not want to know the butter and sugar content. The potatoes are creamed, then topped with a brown sugar and pecan topping. It's like a candy. No marshmallows are involved.
Mac & Cheese – This was Alex's request, and he grated the block of cheddar for it. I used mostly cheddar, but added some pepper jack for a little kick, and threw in some smoked gouda I had that was a bit old and rather crumbly. I was amazed how the little bit of that I used infused the whole pan with the smoked flavor. It was quite yummy.
Marinated Asparagus – I generally don't enjoy asparagus as I find it tough, sometimes stringy, and not all that flavorful. Apparently I normally get served the thicker stuff. Doris used little thin stalks (about the same thickness as the green beans, maybe even thinner) that she roasted then marinated in a vinegar and oil sauce. This stuff was fantastic. I will probably get some asparagus myself to make this again, and that's not something I ever thought I'd say!
Caramelized onions – I saw this, thought it sounded good, and figured this was a good time to try it since even if I didn't care for it, someone else might. Nice to use everyone as a guinea pig, huh? The pearl onions were $3/lb and the yellow onions were $1/lb, so I opted to just use the smallest yellow onions I could find. I can see how the pearl ones would have been a little easier for eating, but what I used came out just fine. I also substituted dried cranberries for the raisins since that's what I had.
Salad – I used a spring lettuce mix, spinach leaves, and romaine lettuce. I grated some carrots, diced green peppers, and used grape tomatoes. I figured we had enough other veggies in the rest of the meal. The leftovers made a perfect light lunch the next day with some of the olives, cheese squares, and shredded turkey.
Cranberry sauce – For someone not that fond of cranberry sauce, I surprised myself by deciding to make some this year. I made a double portion of this recipe, but used two cinnamon sticks instead of ground cinnamon, reduced the sugar by 1/3, and added a finely diced apple. I also zested the orange that I juiced. Apparently I like "real" cranberry sauce, just not the canned jelly stuff, and it was so easy to make. It firmed up a little after it was refrigerated for a while, but it was noticeably soupy at first. I think I would cut back the liquid just a little bit next time.
Baguettes – I got them from Costco and just cooked them up in the oven right before we ate. They are fabulous, and we had enough made-from-scratch food.
Beverages – Katherine brought some wine and tea, plus we had a couple soda options.
Pecan and Pumpkin pie – Valerie purchased from a local diner. Both were delicious.
Death by Chocolate – This was Alex's request for dessert. It is layers of chocolate cake, brownies, chocolate pudding/mousse, and whipped cream. You can also pour Kahlua or Baileys on the cake for additional flavor, and can put chopped up bits of candy in it. I've done it all those varieties, but we left out the alcohol and candy this time. I made the pudding on Tuesday and ended up making the whipped cream, but Alex did pretty much the entire rest of it, including assembly. It unfortunately escaped the photo of the feast as desserts were intended to do separately and then were forgotten.
Since dinner never ends up being served when we expect it will, I made a little platter with four kinds of olives and three types of cubed cheeses to use for munchies. Lo and behold, Valerie had made a tray of sliced cheese, sausage, and crackers! We've never included an "appetizer" before, so for us to both do one the same year without mentioning it to the other was pretty funny.
Hopefully I didn't leave anything out. It was clearly a smorgasbord of food! Even with portion sizes of literally 2-3 bites to basically just taste test each item, it still filled the plate and the tummy. It was a great time, though!
That death by chocolate sounds good!


text:
Press Release -- April 26th, 2010
Source: Integra Telecom
INTEGRA TELECOM COMPLETES $785 MILLION OF DEBT FINANCING
Positive Reception Leads to Increase in Total Amount Raised
Portland, Ore. – April 26, 2010 – Integra Telecom Holdings, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Integra Telecom, Inc., announced that it has successfully completed the syndication of $785 million in senior secured pari-passu notes and bank debt.
J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank Securities, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Jefferies & Company and Morgan Stanley acted as the joint bookrunners and joint lead arrangers for this transaction. The financing is comprised of $475 million of senior secured notes, a $250 million bank term loan and a $60 million revolving line of credit that was undrawn at closing.
"We are extremely pleased by the success of this financing event, which illustrates the confidence the investor community has in Integra Telecom and our business model," said Dudley Slater, CEO of Integra Telecom. "The financing transaction was strongly embraced by the market, allowing us to increase the combined facility by $15 million from the originally anticipated financing."
The net proceeds from the financing will primarily be used to refinance existing debt with remaining proceeds to be used for general corporate purposes. The transaction lowers the company's cost of debt, improves the company's maturity profile and allows for greater operational flexibility.
With the new financing, Integra received a corporate family rating of B2 by Moody's Investor Service and B- by Standard and Poor's. The Company increased the size of the transaction from $770 million to $785 million. The term portion of the bank financing is priced at LIBOR plus 725, OID of 98, with a 200 basis point LIBOR floor. The bonds are priced at 10.75% with no OID. The revolver is priced at LIBOR plus 425 with no OID or LIBOR floor.
"Integra's new debt structure will provide the Company greater financial flexibility and additional capital to invest in our fiber network and develop new products and services," said Slater.
The notes and the guarantees of the notes are not and will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws. They may not be offered or sold in the U.S. or to U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. The notes were offered only to "qualified institutional buyers" in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to non-"U.S. persons" in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
This press release contains statements regarding beliefs and expectations of the outcome of future events that are forward-looking statements as defined within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Integra Telecom Holdings Inc. takes no responsibility for updating the information contained in this press release following the date hereof to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof or the occurrence of unanticipated events.
About Integra Telecom
Integra Telecom, Inc. provides integrated communications services across 33 metropolitan areas in 11 states of the Western United States, including: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah and Washington. It owns and operates a best-in-class fiber-optic network comprised of more than 2,800 route miles in 11 metropolitan access networks including approximately 1,386 on-net buildings, a world class Internet and data network, and approximately 4,900-mile high-speed long-haul fiber network. The company has earned some of the highest customer loyalty and customer satisfaction ratings in the telecommunications industry. Primary equity investors in the company include Goldman, Sachs & Co., Tennenbaum Capital Partners, funds managed by Farallon Capital Partners and Warburg Pincus. Integra Telecom and Electric Lightwave are registered trademarks of Integra Telecom, Inc. For more information, visit: www.integratelecom.com.
John Nee, 503-453-8084, john.nee@integratelecom.com
Shannon Riggs, 503-546-7885, shannon@lanepr.com
Previous: HickoryTech Expands its Fiber Network to Sioux Falls, S.D. and Fargo, N.D.
Next: Internap Unveils New XIP Web Acceleration Service at Interop
INTEGRA TELECOM SEEKS $770 MILLION OF DEBT FINANCING
INTEGRA TELECOM HIRES JASON KOENDERS AS VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, WASHINGTON
INTEGRA TELECOM PROMOTES DAVE JORGENSON TO VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES FOR CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA
INTEGRA TELECOM PROMOTES MATT SMITH TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA
INTEGRA TELECOM UNVEILS ONLINE DATA STORAGE FOR BUSINESSES

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Dot Girl Blog: How Do You Wear Your Vivi Dots?
I've had two fantastic Vivi Dot customers send me some photos of themselves sporting their purchases recently and I just can resist sharing them here. First up is Sher who won a gift certificate over at Cali Vintage. She picked out a bunch of rings and some earrings and then did a very pretty post about them on her blog Beneath the Crystal Stars. She also captured her Delicate Lace Ring in an outfit post she did the next week! I can't wait to see how she incorporates more of her Vivi Dot items into her picture perfect outfits. Next up is a mini Vivi Dot customer named Amaya. She's the cutest and is obviously reading the Dot Girl Blog as this was captured. She couldn't possibly make her Red and White Hair Bow Barrettes look any more adorable!
Please don't hesitate to capture yourself sporting your Vivi Dots and send them my way. I'd love to see!
Cute! I should have Andres take some pictures of me with my Vivi Dot's! I rock them pretty much everyday!


MCU welcomes prospective students at the open day session in March. This is a great chance to learn about all MCU's institutes and colleges that will introduce their educational programs at one platform.
You will receive all the information necessary to make an intelligent choice of your educational trajectory. Besides, you can talk with the MCU students and teachers and ask them questions about the studies, exams, and student life at MCU.
Bachelor's programs: 11.00 a.m. — 2.00 p.m.
Master's programs: 15.00 a.m. — 6.00 p.m.
5B Malyj Kazennyj pereulok, Moscow.


Get a local Fowler Home Window Contractor.
Get Window Repairs in Fowler.
A great thing about choosing modern replacement windows for your Fowler home is that they do more than regulate temperature in the home; many also block the dangerous UVA and UVB radiation. If you have valuable furniture, delicate curtains or hardwood flooring made of natural material, you may have noticed just how damaging these UV rays can be over time.
Need help with home windows? Contact the best companies in Fowler. home windows companies in Fowler truly value YOUR business! Fowler homeowners know their business is important to home windows experts. You need to contact us today for the most trustworthy Home window repair sources in Fowler!


Timeless style, uncompromising quality and a passion for perfection which never lose their relevance. As natural as water, earth, air and fire. And as unique as you are. A well-designed task chair created with skilful craftsmanship, attention to detail and pioneering ergonomics.It is available with high or low back and with or without armrests. The Synchro Torsion System (STS) is MartinStoll's pioneering technology for an actively ergonomic posture. A mechanism based on synchronised movements between seat and back. It also has an active lumbar support that provides constant, supportive contact, ensuring that the position of your back is comfortable and ergonomically correct. The controls are integral to the chair's design and are easy to access and use. Thanks to the gas spring, you can adjust the height of the chair easily (42-53 cm). It has a stable aluminium star base (with castors) in either black or chrome. The fabric and leather upholstery has been carefully selected and gives you a wide variety of options. A tip for creating a personal feel is to combine fabric and leather in the same chair.
Collection S from MartinStoll is a chair family, with task chair, lounge chair and meeting chair, designed by Michael Lammel and Markus Heller from NOA Intelligent Design. The representative chairs offer different functionality but shares the same recognition in the high quality level and common design expression.


text:
De STP 400 is een race uit de NASCAR Sprint Cup. De wedstrijd wordt gehouden op de Kansas Speedway over een afstand van 400 mijl of 644 km. De eerste editie werd gehouden op 5 juni 2011 en gewonnen door Brad Keselowski. In het najaar wordt op hetzelfde circuit de Hollywood Casino 400 gereden.

Namen van de race
 STP 400 (2011 - )

Winnaars

NASCAR-race

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


These two were so much fun earlier this week. The Lakeside Country Club was the PERFECT backdrop – and it's going to be an amazing venue for their wedding as well.
We started inside – which is gorgeous… and then made our way through the grounds… the sunlight came at just the right time. All in all – Perfection.
Christine & Hunter – thank you for being such fun clients!


text:
Lowetide: How Oilers winger Kailer Yamamoto can increase his value
By Allan Mitchell
On Feb. 11, the Edmonton Oilers were dealing with a difficult situation at a critical moment in the season. News arrived that the team's captain, Connor McDavid, would be out of action for several weeks with a quad injury. James Neal's foot issue was also a worry, so the discerning fan knew general manager Ken Holland would be active with the trade deadline two weeks away.
At the same time, some internal solutions were keeping the team competitive.
By the time of the McDavid injury, Kailer Yamamoto was already an impressive story. The undersized winger had five goals and 13 points in 14 games since his recall, despite rarely being on the ice with the man advantage. His points arrived via tough work at even strength.
In the 14 games leading up to the game Feb. 11 against the Chicago Blackhawks, Yamamoto had zero points while playing 3:37 on the power play.
At 16:19 of the first period, Jonathan Toews took a minor penalty for tripping Riley Sheahan. One minute later, Yamamoto scored his first power-play goal of the season.
The young winger was in his third NHL audition and finding great success with new coach Dave Tippett. He scored again on the power play a few days later against the Carolina Hurricanes, but when everyone was healthy again, he was no longer a part of the rotation.
It's a scenario Yamamoto likely will see more of as his career rolls out, and it represents one area where the already valuable forward can help his team win. Just 53 games into an NHL career that will hopefully span the next decade or more, how many areas can Yamamoto help? Turns out, the answer is several.
Value contract
This will be a major benefit for the 2020-21 season. Yamamoto's cap number for the season is $894,166, with $230,000 in bonuses, so the Oilers will probably be paying close to $1.1 million for him. Based on his performance after being recalled, that total will represent an extreme value contract, possibly one of the best since Ales Hemsky in 2005-06.
Hemsky's 2005-06 contract paid him $901,740 and represented the last year of his entry deal. It was also the first season under the salary cap and one of the reasons Edmonton had more quality players than most teams that season. It's interesting to compare Hemsky's even-strength performance in that season to the campaign just completed by Yamamoto:
Hemsky's 2005-06 even-strength numbers: 81 games, 11-34-45 in 944:16 (2.86)
Yamamoto's 2019-20 even-strength numbers: 27 games, 9-15-24 in 443:10 (3.25)
There are several things to mention when viewing these numbers, including the era gap, quality of linemates and that Hemsky drove results on his line in a big way. No sin to say it, Yamamoto is a complementary player on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
If Yamamoto can score two-plus points per 60 minutes at even strength in 2020-21, it would represent an exceptional value contract and a major lift for the Oilers roster. Put another way, imagine a player posting 3.25 points per 60 at even strength entering unrestricted free agency. How much cap room would that player consume? It's a much bigger number than Yamamoto's, and for a team badly in need of value, it's one of the best deals on the roster.
Tippett will want to see his top two lines, with McDavid and Draisaitl, delivering results every game. Injuries and slumps will no doubt interrupt set lines; it's been happening since hockey began.
Not all players have great chemistry together, but early signs have Yamamoto being effective with Draisaitl. In 448 minutes at five-on-five with the big man, Yamamoto has delivered seven goals, 14 assists, 21 points and 2.81 points per game, per Natural Stat Trick. That's outstanding production from the young winger.
His work with McDavid was less impressive during Yamamoto's first two auditions. Combining the 2017-18 and 2018-19 campaigns, he posted just one assist with the captain in 151 five-on-five minutes. Yamamoto delivered an assist in 26 minutes with McDavid in 2019-20 and will likely get more chances as the team shuffles lines next season.
If Yamamoto can develop chemistry with McDavid, it'll keep him on a skill line during slumps and make him less susceptible to playing a tertiary role with the club. He played zero minutes with the captain on the power play this season, so there's plenty of room for Tippett to experiment. Yamamoto also played 38 percent of his five-on-five ice time against elites, according to Puck IQ. He delivered in those minutes, in a complementary role, as Edmonton outscored the competition 9-4 in his 158 minutes against elite competition.
I mentioned the power play potential above, but Yamamoto's skills (quick, smart, aggressive) could also be useful on the penalty kill. He scored at least one short-handed goal a season (six in total) during his four WHL seasons, and his great anticipation and smart positioning should work on defense, causing turnovers/breakouts while on the penalty kill.
The worries are blocked shots and injuries — Yamamoto is not a big player. That said, as Tippett becomes more and more familiar with him, it would seem to be a natural fit of player and deployment opportunity.
Right place, right time
Among Oilers players aged 25 and under in 2019-20, only one (Jujhar Khaira) struggled under Tippett and most (Yamamoto included) flourished in all roles given. Even Khaira played well on the penalty kill, but it looked like a crisis of confidence impacted his decision-making at even strength.
Yamamoto is the first skill forward to blossom under Tippett, earning a spot despite a crowded field that at one time included top-five overall pick Jesse Puljujarvi, Drake Caggiula and Russian Anton Slepyshev.
That's important because a player such as Puljujarvi lost ground in that competition during the past 12 months. The Finn has enormous potential, but Yamamoto having played 27 games under Tippett should give him the edge over all others.
Yamamoto made a major impression on his coach, team, management and fans. His even-strength performance was nothing short of brilliant. You can argue that a skill player placed in a similar position would deliver strong results, but the results with Yamamoto on the No. 2 line tower over those delivered by previous unproven candidates.
This is a player with impressive utility, and I believe he could deliver in both special teams and might perform well on more than one skill line.
There aren't many skill jobs at forward remaining in Edmonton. One major reason is Yamamoto.
(Photo: Andy Devlin / NHLI via Getty Images)
Allan Mitchell is a contributor to The Athletic's Oilers coverage. He is also the co-host of "Lowetide and Jamieson" on TSN 1260 Radio in Edmonton, and his blog, Lowetide, has chronicled the team since 2005. Follow Allan on Twitter @Lowetide


text:
package es.udc.fic.acs.infmsb01.atm.bank.model.dao.to;

import java.util.Calendar;

public final class AccountMovementTO {

	byte type;
	float ammount;
	Calendar date;

	public AccountMovementTO() {}

	public AccountMovementTO(byte type, float ammount, Calendar date) {
		this.type = type;
		this.ammount = ammount;
		this.date = date;
	}

	public byte getType() {
		return type;
	}

	public void setType(byte type) {
		this.type = type;
	}

	public float getAmmount() {
		return ammount;
	}

	public void setAmmount(float ammount) {
		this.ammount = ammount;
	}

	public Calendar getDate() {
		return date;
	}

	public void setDate(Calendar date) {
		this.date = date;
	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Building a solr index using large text file I have a large text file in following format:
00001,234234|234|235|7345
00005,788|298|234|735

You can treat values prior to , as keys and what I want to do is quick and dirty approach to query these keys and find the results sets for each key. After reading a bit I found out that solr provide a good framework to do this.

*

*What would be the starting point?

*Can I use python to read the file and build this index (search
engine) using solr?

*is there a different mechanism to do such?

A: You can definitely do that using pysolr which is a python library. If the data is in key value form you can read it in python like shown here :
https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pysolr/3.1.0
To have more control on search you need to modify the schema.xml file to have the keys as you have in your text file.
Once you have the data ingested in SOLR you can follow the above link to perform search.

A: You can index your data directly in Solr using the UpdateCSV handler: You just need to specify the destination field names in the fieldnames parameter in your curl call (or add them as the first line in your file if that is easier). No custom code needed.
Do remember to check that the destination field for the |-separated values splits into tokens using that characters.
See https://wiki.apache.org/solr/UpdateCSV for details.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Hindustan Motors, owned by the C K Birla Group, has sold the Ambassador brand name to Peugeot SA in a the deal closed last Friday and said to be worth Rs 80 Crore. Production of Ambassador cars stopped around three years ago.
"We have executed an agreement with the Peugeot SA Group for the sale of the brand Ambassador, including the trademarks. We intend to use the proceeds from the sale to clear dues of employees and lenders," a spokesperson for the group said.
It may be recalled that last year Last year, Peugeot Citroen announced plans to re-enter India by 2018. The company earlier this year formed a joint venture with CK Birla Group for the Chennai plant.
The tie-up aims to make use of the Hindustan Motors plant in Chennai as its production unit. The Chennai plant currently produces vehicles for Mitsubishi and has a capacity of manufacturing 12,000 units a year. It is unlikely now that the plant will be making the same vehicle.
The Ambassador brand was introduced seven decades ago when Hindustan Motors launched the UK-designed Morris Oxford series II but with minor changes.
It quickly became a national icon and continued to dominate Indian roads till the 1980s, when the Maruti 800 served to exposed its inadequacies.
From a production tally of 24,000 units a year in the mid-1980s, sales slumped to less than 2,500 units in 2013-14. On May 24, 2014, the inevitable happened when work was suspended at Hindustan Motors' Uttarpara facility which dates back to 1942, making it the second oldest in Asia after Japanese giant Toyota.
At this juncture, it is unclear if Peugeot will use the Ambassador brand for its cars in India.
Peugeot had a brief three-year presence in India in the mid-1990s, when the Peugeot 309 was assembled and sold by PAL.


text:
Bears TE Greg Olsen "kicked off" of high school field
By Dane Noble@WindyCGridiron Apr 15, 2011, 7:57am CDT
Share All sharing options for: Bears TE Greg Olsen "kicked off" of high school field
It's not as serious as many of the lockout arrests that have come across the NFL news wire lately, but Bears TE Greg Olsen had some recent frustrations over trying to find a good place to workout.
Per ESPN Chicago, Olsen went to Stevenson High School (Lincolnshire, IL), and tried to use their field to get a workout in, which he says he's done many times. Apparently, the faculty there would have none of it, and asked Olsen to leave.
Stevenson public information coordinator Jim Conrey said it's school policy not to allow the general public on the facilities during school hours.
"Here's my understanding -- I believe he showed up unannounced during the school day and tried to go out on the field while we were trying to have phys ed classes," Conrey said. "One of the phys ed teachers asked him not to go out on the field."
Conrey said Olsen "challenged" the decision.
"If he wants to give us a call and work something out, we'll see if we can accommodate him," Conrey said. "We understand he's in a tough situation with the lockout. We can't have the general public showing up and disrupting classes. Mr. Olsen said he was a resident of our district, and I'll have him on his word."
Olsen has also responded via Twitter, saying that he did call the school and request to sign paperwork (release of liability presumably), but no one would return his call.
Also, rumor has it Greg was heard driving off with this song playing loudly from his speakers:


text:
/consumer/press/press-releases/2014/article.page?
You are here: Home > Press > Press Releases > March 2014 > Leeds Building Society supports Marie Curie daffodil appeal this spring
Back to Article created: 25th March 2014
Leeds Building Society supports Marie Curie daffodil appeal this spring
All 65 U.K. branches of Leeds Building Society are currently supporting the 2014 Marie Curie Cancer Care Great Daffodil Appeal. The Society's branches are encouraging customers to take a daffodil for a suggested donation of £1.
Liz Howlett, Marie Curie Cancer Care Fundraising Manager said, "The Great Daffodil Appeal is our biggest annual fundraising campaign. We need everyone to get behind the appeal by donating and wearing one of our daffodil pins during March. Every penny you can give is vital in helping Marie Curie Nurses provide more care to people with terminal illnesses in their own homes and in the Marie Curie Hospices, as well as emotional support for their families. £20 pays for a Marie Curie Nurse to look after someone with a terminal illness for one hour, £160 pays for a Marie Curie Nurse to look after someone with a terminal illness for a full nine hour shift in the comfort of their own home and £435 pays for someone with a terminal illness to stay in a Marie Curie Hospice for 24 hours so they can receive the hands on care they need in their final days. Thank you so much to everyone at Leeds Building Society, staff and customers, for all their fantastic support of the Great Daffodil Appeal in 2014."
Gary Brook, Leeds Building Society's Head of Corporate Communication said, "The Great Daffodil Appeal is always very popular with our colleagues and members. We are looking forward to welcoming customers to our 65 strong national branch network to make a donation for a daffodil, and hope to see many people in the areas around our branches proudly wearing a daffodil."
For more information about the 2014 Marie Curie Cancer Care Great Daffodil Appeal visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil.
Leeds Building Society has 67 branches throughout the UK, Gibraltar and Ireland and assets of £11.2bn (as at 31 December 2013). The Society has operated from the centre of Leeds since 1886.
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text:
High protein vegan recipes
Planthlete
articles Meet these 6 vegan athletes that became World Champions!
Meet these 6 vegan athletes that became World Champions!
Innumerable studies indicate that a vegan or plant-based diet is perfect for meeting the needs of an athlete or a sportsperson, where protein is concerned. Many athletes have reaped the advantages of a vegan diet. However, a vegan diet is not only about consuming plant-based food and its health benefits. It is also about protecting our beautiful planet and sparing the animals from a painful end. Whether it is cows, pigs, goats or chickens; factory farms treat these creatures like objects. Their limited lives are filled with untold pain and suffering. They are not only mercilessly killed but are kept in barbaric conditions and suffer horrific mutilations.
Consuming a vegan diet improves your heart rate, cholesterol levels and gives a good night's sleep. As you will experience if you take on a vegan diet; the benefits of ditching eggs, meat and dairy are many. Most people have concerns about getting enough protein when it comes to following a vegan diet. It may surprise you to know that many top athletes of the world, including weightlifters, martial artists and other sports persons have no such concerns and get the required amount of protein from vegan diets.
Meagan Duhamel
Meagan Duhamel is a Canadian who is a two-time world pairs skating champion. She went vegan in 2008 after she read the book 'Skinny Bitch.' It all started out as a way to improve her health before the 2010 Olympics. But now it has become a lifelong option. A vegan diet has not deterred Meagan from bringing home a gold medal in the Team figure skating category, and a bronze medal in the mixed pairs event. But that is not all that Duhamel does; she even rescued a dog from a horrible fate when it was being taken for the dog-meat trade. This is not the first time she has come to the aid of animals. She adopted her 2-year-old dog called Moo-tea on her trip to South Korea last year. She is planning to find the animal a permanent and loving home. Duhamel has urged other Olympians and sportsmen to do the same.
Who hasn't heard of the legend Carl Lewis? It may surprise you to know that one of the most talked about sportsmen in history is a vegan. Carl Lewis has an amazing track record. He has won a total of 10 medals, out of which nine were gold. Apart from Lewis, there are only four other Olympic sportspersons who have won so many gold medals. Lewis attributes his success on the field to his vegan lifestyle.
Venus William
Looking at Venus William's amazing body, it would surprise anyone to know that she follows a vegan diet. The American tennis player, who has won an astounding seven Grand Slam singles titles and 14 Grand Slam Women's doubles titles, is a force to reckon with. She has shown her mettle on the Wimbledon Court where she has won the women's singles title five times and has even won four Olympic gold medals. With an estimated net worth of 72 million pounds, Williams is the second highest earner where tennis is concerned. Venus adopted a raw vegan diet after she had the misfortune to be diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome in the year 2011 and the doctors advise a change in diet to ease the symptoms of joint pain and extreme fatigue. When she was interviewed for Health magazine, she talked about her raw vegan diet and the disease. She said she was diagnosed with autoimmune disease and wanted to uphold her performance on the court. Once she got started, she loved the idea of fueling herself in the best possible way; through a diet of raw, vegan food. She feels exhilarated on court and also feels good about herself.
Scott Jurek
The long-distance runner, Scott Jurek has had much the same experience. Scott, an American ultra-marathon runner has won 16 prestigious titles and even holds a personal best record of running as many as 165.7 miles in a period of 24 hours. It was during his college days that Jurek started his transition from a diet of meat and potatoes to a total vegan diet. He was spurred on by health problems and illness. Jurek's mother was suffering from multiple sclerosis. A vegan diet seemed like a good long-term solution to his problems, as he wanted to avoid his mother's history of disease. Jurek spoke to GQ and said that if athletes aren't fueled well, the results are not really great.
David Haye
British boxer David Haye won three out of four major boxing titles in the cruiserweight category. He has also won world titles in other two weight categories. Said to have a net worth of $26 million, he is a force to be reckoned with. After a serious shoulder injury where he was forced to take a break because of a surgery, Haye researched the benefits of a vegan diet and how it accelerates the healing process. He switched to a plant-based diet and has been a vegan for four years now. While talking to a reporter from The Sun magazine, he shared his views about plant-based food and physical strength. He stated that apes are so much stronger than humans and they don't eat meat. As such, he felt that it was a myth that meat was required for strength. He is very hands on in the kitchen and makes sure he gets all the minerals and nutrients that his body needs.
Jack Lindquist
Track cyclist Jack Lindquist is a keen blogger. In 2005 the cyclist adopted a vegan diet after some friends who are vegan shared their experiences with him. He was asked by his friends what the difference was between the dog he loved and the animals on the farm that are ready for slaughter and he had no answer. But the argument convinced him and he turned vegan. While that was the main reason why he stopped eating animal products, he cannot deny that his performance has seen an improvement.
As David Haye says, apes don't eat meat and yet they are 20 times stronger than humans. A vegan diet not only saves the animals from merciless slaughter but also dramatically improves health and well-being.
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Ana Sobral
I grew up on the southern coast of Portugal, a small country with an immense coastline facing the Atlantic Ocean. My connection with nature, and the ocean in particular, was evident from a very early age. By the time I was five, I knew I wanted to be a marine biologist (although for a short time I did consider a career as an astronaut). My desire to become a marine biologist stemmed from wanting not only to learn more about the marine environment, but also to work towards its conservation.
As I grew, so did that passion and by 2010 I had graduated with a BSc in biology from the University of the Algarve. The will to work in marine conservation made me go abroad and travel to Mozambique to participate in a whale shark and manta ray conservation project. It was there that I had my first encounter with a manta ray, an experience I'll never forget. The curiosity and penetrating eyes of these wonderful and mysterious animals immediately fascinated and intrigued me. In Mozambique I had the opportunity to learn a lot and be a part of the conservation work done in the field, thanks to Marine Megafauna Foundation team.
I left Mozambique in 2011 to start my MSc, this time in the Azores Islands. The Azores is an archipelago 'lost' in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. These nine volcanic islands are the most isolated in the North Atlantic and are surrounded by many offshore underwater sea mounts. These unique characteristics make them an oasis for many marine species migrating across the Atlantic every year, from whales to sharks to devil rays.
Once here, I realised that this was one of the few places in the world where mobula rays, the smaller cousins of manta rays, gather in large groups. One species in particular, the Chilean devil ray Mobula tarapacana, is barely known to science, yet it is one of the species caught by target fisheries around the world to satisfy the demand for mobula and manta gill rakers used in Chinese traditional medicine. Having large groups of these rays 'in our own backyard' makes this the perfect place to study them, and that is what I have been doing.
The Chilean devil ray is listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN. The lack of information about this species hampers the implementation of management strategies and conservation measures. The use of new technologies and methodologies to study it has already proved of great importance and will be crucial to learning more about these animals.
For the past three years I have been collecting data about the occurrence of the Chilean devil ray with the help of dive operators and citizen scientists through the project Manta Catalog Azores, the first attempt to build a photo-ID database for a Mobula species. The fact that these rays are present only during the summer months (between July and October) gives us a short timeframe to study them. Moreover, the offshore location of their aggregations makes it difficult to carry out intensive field work.
Thanks to support from the Save Our Seas Foundation, however, we have been able to develop new technology in the form of two prototype programmable video stations that will be deployed at two well-known sea mount aggregation sites. Comprising GoPro cameras with external power sources, the video stations can be programmed to function independently for several days. This technology will enable us to watch for the presence of devil rays over a much longer time, which is crucial to filling gaps in our knowledge of the species and giving us a better understanding of these unique aggregations that occur in such specific systems as the sea mounts.
Catching devils on camera
The Azores is one of the few places on earth where Chilean devil rays gather in large groups. We know that these rays are among the ocean's deepest divers, but otherwise they remain a mystery to us. What will researchers discover with the use of remote underwater video stations?
See project and more news


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Final Alex Trebek-Hosted 'Jeopardy!' Episode Airs With Tribute
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An all-day Joint Session of Congress concluded during the early morning hours Thursday, with Joe Biden winning the presidency and Kamala Harris, the vice presidency.
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Lance Ballance


I sent out hundreds of resumes; no one would hire me.
"Kim can you please restock the linen cart with sheets and towels? "Nurse Donna asked, anxiously, in the middle of doing a hundred other things.
"Sure no problem!" I chirped.
"After that please bring Mr. Dooley his lunch from the hot truck then feed it to him." she muttered.
"Got it Nurse Donna!" I yelled as I lifted a huge load of towels onto the cart.
I was hooked the second I walked into that hospital in my red and whited striped Candy-striper uniform. I had volunteered before as a Girl Scout but now I really felt like I was helping people. I started when I was 12. I volunteered for four years. My friends made fun of me. I didn't care.
I went to my local community college. I loaded my schedule with classes in Psychology, then writing classes. Needless to say, I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I dropped out and went to work full time. I had been working in retail up to that point and really started to hate it. I signed up for a nurses aide training course and worked for a home care agency for the next two years.
A friend of mine who was working at a center for developmentally disabled children said to me "You'd be great at working with MR/DD children. You should apply." I did just that. I was called the next day. I started working part time on weekends. I wanted a full time position. I picked up every extra shift I could. Finally a few months later I was given a full time ion.
The building was divided into four dorms: boys, girls, young men, and center dorm. (which WAS in the center of the building but I never understood why they called it that....it was the teenage girl's dorm) I was in Boy's dorm. I had one of the most difficult groups. My boys needed a lot of motivation to do the simplest things. They were very behavioral.
One of them needed five people to pull him off of you if you got caught in his iron grip when he had one of his fits. He was also extremely lovable when he wasn't angry. It was noise! Loud noise levels confused him and made him extremely agitated. Hey, I don't like a lot of noise and chaos either!
The average time of employment there was nine months. I stayed 12 years! While I was working there I met many wonderful people. People that deserve a Purple Heart for doing what they do. One lady Jillian, had been there for 10 years when I started. She was still there when I left. She complained about how little money she made all the time. She had to go on Workmen's Compensation for six months for an injury she sustained from one of the residents and she became bankrupt. She came back and worked extra shifts.
After several years on the day shift, I decided to work overnights and go back to school. After a seven year absence, it was hard to get back into study mode. I decided I wanted to work for a D.A. like Ben Stone on "Law and Order." I wanted to get justice for people. I majored in Paralegal Studies.
There weren't many openings for an internship and when I graduated, I didn't have any experience working in a law office. I sent out hundreds of resumes. No one would hire me. I had to go back into the field I had most of my experience in...Which was health care.
I was hired as a Residential Manager at a house in Stony Brook, New York. There were 10 adult residents: five were developmentally disabled and fivs had mental health issues. Within the first week I had to completely reorganize the office. Nothing was current. Nothing was organized. The files on the computer were organized. The financial books were a mess.
The residents had an allowance from the state which they had to spend by a certain time. They hadn't been taken shopping for clothing, toiletries, linens, new furniture for years! I had to spend this money as soon as possible.
After a year of being on call 24 hours a day seven days a week, and getting beeped by staff members to "buy milk for the house" (which was ridiculous, my beeper was supposed to be for emergencies only) I decided to resign. I loved the job but it just became too exhausting. I did continue to work for that agency as a part time weekend direct support professional.
A friend of mine that was the manager, begged me to help her out. Her house and my house were mysteriously understaffed by the staffing coordinator who was responsible for providing us with staff when our regular staff called out. Whenever we tried to recruit staff ourselves she got angry.
After about four months, I got a full time position as a recreation therapy assistant at a very well known huge assisted living and nursing home facility. I worked in the Alzheimer's unit. I was responsible for doing therapeutic recreation with the residents all day.
The residents were very affluent and almost immediately I learned that the administration's main concern was filling beds. They treated the residents like royalty until hey ran out of money then their families were given a letter stating that they had to get out by next month. I thoroughly enjoyed working with my residents.
They were hilarious, but i realized I wasn't really helping anyone. I wanted to do something more. Something more significant and more real. I realized I needed to get my Bachelor's degree.
I wanted to help whole groups of people. Not just individuals. I wanted to work in social services. There are so many different job titles in this field so there isn't one title that I have in mind. All I know is I want to help as many under-privileged people as I can.


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Cuba and Venezuela: A Bolivarian Partnership
By Greg Rosenthal, Cory Fischer-Hoffman (Posted Jan 13, 2006)
Culture, Democracy, Health, Human Rights, Labor, Literature, Revolutions, SocialismCuba, Latin America, Mexico, Soviet Union (USSR), United States, Uruguay, VenezuelaCommentary
José Martí and Simón Bolívar, two of Latin America's most respected independence fighters, recognized nearly a century ago that their homelands would never be free of imperial domination, until Latin America came together in solidarity as a united force.
Martí and Bolívar's insights remain relevant in the age of neo-liberal globalization. The colonizers of their centuries have been replaced by multinational corporations and imperial states with the ability to blow up the world many times over, terrorizing the global populace. Their collective power is augmented by seemingly untouchable supranational bodies (i.e. the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization) that allow them to come together to devise the most effective ways to control the world and amass wealth.
Martí and Bolívar would be delighted to see the unique partnership that has developed between Cuba and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela — the relationship that defies the logic of neo-liberalism and takes an important step toward Latin American unity. Cuba and Venezuela demonstrate — to a world where all are forced into a "race to the bottom" — that empowering the poorest people through a needs-based partnership is not only possible but also desirable. Their mutual-aid exchanges in educational materials, medical services, and preferential prices of oil are a living counter-example to the competitive and exploitative nature of "free trade."
In the Lands of Martí and Bolívar
For many decades, the Cuban Revolution has played a distinct role throughout the South as an openly anti-imperialist country interested in relationships built on solidarity, actively pushing for a more humane economic and social system. A poor island with little material resources, hobbled by the US imposed blockade, Cuba nonetheless offers the world medical expertise and humanitarian support. Just as the Cuban Revolution has brought food, housing, literacy and education, free and quality medical assistance to all Cubans, it has, when possible, actively supported countries and movements that share similar goals of social equity and economic justice.
The rise of the Bolivarian revolutionary movement to power in 1998, through the election of Hugo Chávez, has meant real change for the poor of Venezuela and the initiation of a new relationship with Cuba. Reinvigorating the vision of Martí and Bolívar — while respecting each other's differing systems and different paths toward revolution — Cuba and Venezuela have built a relationship based on humanism, solidarity, mutual aid, and a shared vision of a world without poverty and imperialism. The aid that Cuba has provided is most notable in the social sphere. Cuba, rich in human capital and revolutionary experience, is aiding Venezuela as it goes down its own revolutionary path, with its Bolivarian projects and missions.
Literacy and Healthcare without Borders
The Cuban Revolution has inspired two of the Bolivarian Revolution's largest accomplishments. The socialization of education and health was an important focus for Cuba; similarly, education and health initiatives are at the core of the Bolivarian project today.
Venezuela, with assistance from Cuba, set out to devise a literacy program modeled after the 1961 Cuban Literacy Campaign, to help 1.5 million Venezuelans overcome their illiteracy.1 In Cuba, students, armed with pencils and paper, traveled throughout the island teaching reading and writing. Misión Robinson, Venezuela's literacy campaign, employs a video literacy program, which was made by Cuba.2 Cuba donated thousands of educational videos along with TV and VCR sets, printed material for classroom use, reading glasses, and aids to train Venezuelan teachers. Venezuela has adopted these tools and translated the video into different indigenous languages. This tremendous joint effort has eradicated illiteracy in Venezuela.3
Accessible and affordable education and healthcare are essential pieces of the Bolivarian and Cuban Revolutions. In addition to Cuba's aid in Misión Robinson, Cuba's support has been vital for Venezuela's Barrio Adentro (Inside the Neighborhood), a program that brings medical assistance to the poor. Over 20,000 Cuban doctors have participated in the program to date. First, doctors lived in people's homes, but they are now working out of offices, providing free basic and preventative health care in the poorest neighborhoods of Venezuela. They provide care for seventeen million Venezuelans, nearly two-thirds of the population, many of whom have never before received healthcare. It is not solely the medical expertise but also the experience of working within a system that prioritizes healthcare that allows the Cuban doctors to aid in the Bolivarian Revolution's first healthcare initiatives. The doctors live in the communities they serve and are on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Clinics are stocked with equipment and medicines from Cuba. Additionally, Cuban health specialists have joined the effort to teach about health, diet, and exercise, focusing on preventative care and healthy living.4
In order to fully staff and expand Barrio Adentro and meet all the medical needs of the population, Venezuela is also training doctors. Many Venezuelans are learning medicine through education Missions within Venezuela. Thousands more are receiving free education in Cuba, attending the Latin American School of Medicine in Havana; upon their return, they will be integrated into the Barrio Adentro program.5
Oil, Trade, and Solidarity
The relationship between Venezuela and Cuba has also shown that the same values of humanism and solidarity can effectively be applied to trade.
The collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Block, between 1989 and 1991, and the addition of extraterritorial stipulations to the U.S. blockade, threw the Cuban economy into deep crisis, resulting in the implementation of the "Special Period," a literal economy of desperation, survival, and scarcity. Although Cuba had officially recovered from its economic depression, increased trade with Venezuela has been a relief. Venezuela has become Cuba's top trading partner, providing oil, food, and construction materials at preferential prices.6 This assistance is essential to the maintenance of Cuba's social system achieved by the revolution.
Defying the neo-liberal dogma of "free market," whereby a country uses its "comparative advantage" to exploit its trading partners, Cuba and Venezuela have committed to oil accords and to a system of bartering. Venezuela has agreed to sell oil at a preferential rate to Cuba, so that, despite rising oil prices in the world market, Cuba can buy oil below the market price. Moreover, the two nations have been bartering, Venezuela's oil for Cuba's medicine and technical services in the agricultural, tourist, and sports industry, demonstrating a humanistic approach to trade which values health and sustainability as important resources.7
Cuba and Venezuela are constructing a trade relationship that transcends the logic of markets and profits. In effect, the two nations exchange goods and services based on each other's needs and capabilities. This fosters an economic partnership that views the goods and resources of one nation as potential tools for aiding the other's revolutionary processes. The larger effect of the mutual-aid exchange model is the demonstration of an efficient alternative to market-driven "free trade," offering a vision for Latin American unity and integration that is radically different from the dominant neo-liberal model.
Towards a United Latin America
In 2002, Fidel Castro made a statement that captures the essence of the distinctive Cuban-Venezuelan relationship: "We share a mutual awareness of the need to unite the Latin American and Caribbean nations and to struggle for a world economic order that brings more justice to all people." Revitalizing the ideals of José Martí and Simón Bolívar for a united Latin America, Cuba and Venezuela have together taken steps to eventually make it a reality.8
One such example toward a cooperative integration is exhibited through Misión Milagro (Mission Miracle), a hemisphere-wide program dedicated to providing eye surgery to the poor, free of charge. Venezuela provides the air travel to Cuba, and Cuban doctors perform the operation — a truly internationalist initiative. Thousands have already participated in this hemispheric program, and Misión Milagro will assist hundreds of thousands more.9
Cuba and Venezuela have also collaborated with Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina to create the first Latin American joint venture satellite television station, TeleSur (Television from the South). The station is designed to be an alternative to CNN, providing voices and viewpoints from the South. TeleSur broadcasts international news and specializes in independent documentaries made in Latin America, promoting both political and artistic Latin American perspectives.
Two further projects for Latin American integration are PetroAmerica and the more encompassing Alternativa Bolivariana para las Americas (ALBA), a counter proposal to the US-backed ALCA (Free Trade Area of the Americas).
PetroAmerica would seek to consolidate the energy resources such as oil, natural gas, and electricity of Latin America guaranteeing Latin American nations all of their energy needs. Moreover, PetroAmerica would enable the participant nations to use their natural resources for their collective benefit, effectively curtailing the ability of foreign capital to export the energy profits away from Latin America and into the Global North.
ALBA's goal is the grandest of all: to integrate the economies of Latin American based on the principles and methods of Cuba-Venezuelan mutual aid, planning trade based on the values of humanism, solidarity, and self-determination, according to needs and capabilities of the participant nations.10 Contrast to the Social Darwinist policy of ALCA — according to which profits are the sole arbiter of success, taking precedence over the elimination of poverty and the overall development of poor nations — cannot be clearer.
Although Cuba and Venezuela are nurturing the vision of Martí and Bolívar, they face economic and political limitations that threaten the realization of their grand project. As Chávez contends in a 2002 interview with Marta Harnecker, "There has been a change in the legal-political structure," but "the essence of the socio-economic structure of the country, we have advanced very little."11 Up to this point, Venezuela has heavily relied on its petroleum revenues as a means of contributing to the unification of the Americas as well as internal social progress. However, its oil reserves are not infinite. If and when oil runs out, or prices fall in the world market, and if Venezuela's socio-economic structure continues to be tied to corporate power, the integration of the Americas will be limited in its reach and scope.
As for Cuba, the US-imposed blockade has asphyxiated the Cuban economy and hence its ability to initiate programs that go beyond its own survival. If the United States succeeds in advancing the FTAA, a proposed free-trade bloc that incorporates every country of the hemisphere except Cuba, Cuba will become further marginalized. Cuba's future largely depends on change in the current balance of power, the coming into being of united anti-imperialist Latin America could bring about this transformation.
Since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the pending Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), with many political leaders of the Americas signing on to a US agenda, a united counter-hegemonic force of the kind that Cuba and Venezuela seek is all the more difficult to muster. At this point, much of Cuba and Venezuela's hope has rested on leftist leaders being swept into power by popular movements in Latin America. Unfortunately, Lula, Kirchner, and Vasquez (of Uruguay) have not fulfilled many of their electoral promises. While invoking populist and oftentimes anti-imperialist language, many of the supposedly "leftist" leaders have walked the centrist path, on their own or pressured by foreign capital and debt. Although Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay have contributed to TeleSur, promoting a shift from US domination of the media, their collaboration only goes as far as mounting a united counter-power to Northern hegemony. In many cases, they play by the rules of neo-liberalism, wishing that a United South America could outcompete the US and beat it at its own game.
Despite concessions and limitations, Cuba and Venezuela have met other nations willing to challenge the hyper-power to the North with open arms, in the hopes that the strength of their unity can encourage their neighbors to move in a more progressive direction.
The election of Evo Morales in Bolivia holds great promise of a united anti-imperialist Latin America. Morales, an indigenous socialist, will assume the position of presidency in January of 2006. He has spoken to the necessity of the nationalization of natural resources, redistribution of wealth, and collaboration with Venezuela and Cuba, and he has openly condemned U.S. imperialism.
Directly following his election, Evo visited Cuba and Venezuela, signing cooperative agreements based on solidarity, humanism, and the advancement of Latin American integration. Evo and Fidel signed a bilateral agreement that Cuba will fully equip two eye care centers; one in La Paz and the other in Cochabamba, providing free eye care to Bolivians. Additionally, Fidel extended 5,000 scholarships for the training of Bolivian doctors and specialists. With the help of Cuba and Venezuela, a program to eradicate illiteracy in Bolivia will begin in July 2006. Evo and Chávez have agreed Venezuela will help Bolivia in organizing its Constitutional Assembly. Chávez has also promised to provide Evo's government with a $30 million donation for social projects. Furthermore, Venezuela will supply all of Bolivia's diesel fuel needs in direct exchange for Bolivia's agricultural products.
Cuba and Venezuela's demonstration of mutual-aid exchange, rooted in humanism and solidarity, is breathing life into ALBA. Now, as Bolivia joins their ranks, there is greater possibility for the vision of Martí and Bolívar. Evo Morales shares this vision, as he has stated: "[t]ogether, united, we are going to change history, not only in Bolivia but in all of Latin America and free ourselves from US imperialism."12
1 Brian Lyons and Rich Palser (2005), Cuba and Venezuela: Breaking the Chains of Underdevelopment in Latin America, North London Cuban Solidarity Campaign, pp. 71-73.
2 Named after Simón Bolivar's friend and teacher Simón Rodríguez, who changed his named to Samuel Robinson after Robinson Crusoe.
3 Richard Gott (2005), Hugo Chávez and the Bolivarian Revolution, Verso, p. 258.
4 Gott, pp. 257-258; Lyons and Palser, pp. 69-73; Claudia Jardim, "Prevention and Solidarity: Democratizing Health in Venezuela," Monthly Review 56.8, January 2005. Also see, Hugo Chavez's speech to the United Nations in New York City, 2005.
5 Peter Maybarduk, "A People's Health System: Venezuela Works to Bring Healthcare to the Excluded," Multinational Monitor, October 2004; and Gott, p. 257.
6 "Part of Mr Chávez's popularity stemmed from the Petrocaribe Initiative that Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA, signed last June with 13 Caribbean and Central American countries. It codified a scheme dating back to October 2000 which gave the signatories up to 15 years to pay for Venezuelan oil with a nominal two per cent interest at $20 a barrel, one-third less than the prevalent price of $30. The updated scheme enabled the signatories to pay only $40 a barrel instead of the market rate that shot up to nearly $70 in October" (Dilip Hiro, "Power of Oil," The Statesman 13 January 2006).
7 Steve Ellner, "Venezuela's 'Demonstration Effect': Defying Globalization's Logic," NACLA, reprinted in Venezuelanalysis.com 17 October 2005; Marta Harnecker (2005), Understanding The Venezuelan Revolution: Hugo Chávez Talks to Marta Harnecker, trans. Chesa Boudin, Monthly Review Press, p.120.
8 Fidel Castro wrote these words in his book War, Racism, and Economic Injustice: The Global Ravages of Capitalism (Melbourne: Ocean Press, 2002, pp. 63-64), cited here from Lyons and Palser, p.77.
9 See Hugo Chavez's speech to the United Nations, 2005.
10 Harnecker, pp. 113, 120-23.
11 Ibid. p.107.
12 Joaquin Rivery Tur, "A Brotherly Encounter: Fidel Castro and Evo Morales Sign Bilateral Cooperation Agreement," Granma 1 January 2006.
Cory Fischer-Hoffman has organized and participated in actions at the recent trade meetings in Cancun, Mexico, and Miami, Florida. Greg Rosenthal is an undergraduate student and activist at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. He can be reached at <rosgre28@evergreen.edu>.
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Also by Greg Rosenthal, Cory Fischer-Hoffman
Cuba and Venezuela: A Bolivarian Partnership by Greg Rosenthal, Cory Fischer-Hoffman January 13, 2006


Five alleged gang members were charged Monday with the attempted murder of a pregnant first-grade teacher who is still recovering following a brutal robbery and carjacking last week in Sunland, officials said.
Police previously had only announced the arrest of three individuals, and none had been publicly identified.
The female defendants held hands as they walked into a courtroom in San Fernando to be arraigned Monday.
None of the five spoke except to answer "yes" when the judge asked if they would agree to waive time for an arraignment plea until April 17.
Reyes' bail was set at $1.9 million, Luna's was set at $1.475 million and bond for the remaining three defendants was set at $1.4 million. Luna was given an additional $75,000 because of a "probation matter," the judge said.
A GoFundMe campaign set up to raise money for her recovery had collected more than $40,000 of its $100,000 goal as of Monday afternoon.
L.A. police are continuing to investigate the assault.


Thanks to our sophisticated techniques in combination with multilingualism, we offer entrepreneurs and institutions an extraordinary medium to showcase their products and services.
All texts, menus and functions can be represented in up to 33 languages.
Since we are on the internet and our audience is large, we give the opportunity to as many people as possible to view all the contents of the virtual tours in their own language.
In order to represent larger areas more clearly, we offer two versions of the enhanced photograph, otherwise known as bird's eye view .
Up to 7m height, the recordings are made from a mast (pole) . This technique covers most scenarios, for example in the presentation of pool areas, golf courses, beach areas and other limited sized exterior location. Recordings from a higher altitude to be implemented with so-called drones, this are more costly to set up and require high technical effort and expertise.
The new 360TOURIST city concept is created to allow cities, regions or locations to select panoramas out of the portfolio of 360TOURIST and display them, with an interactive map, on their own website. The map system, which is provided by 360TOURIST, can be integrated using an embedding code in any chosen homepage.
The information portal for your vacation. Find out about destinations around the world.
Enjoy 360 ° images & Virtual Tours of attractions such as museums, ski resorts, beautiful beaches, cities, towns, shopping centers & many more.
Once you have decided on a destination, you can, using our booking, inquire directly providers for accommodation (hotels, inns, rental of villas and apartments) visit , choose and book your stay .
Promote your business, services and / or products on a panoramic image of a touristic attraction on our platform. In addition to the virtual tours, we offer attractive opportunities to advertise on selected panoramas in your favorite region or place.
We decided to use the technology of personalized QR code on all of our virtual tours to facilitate the recording of data.
This includes all data contained in the information window of your virtual tour: web address, and email address, contact details etc..
Our floor plans help hotels for better representation of local conditions and create trust. In addition, sell or rent properties will be much faster, more effective and more professional. We refurbish your old floor plans quickly, easily and accurately in 2D or 3D and include them in your virtual tour. Depending on the property size up to 30 layout plans can be integrated.
The result can be seen.
We offer some standard Web pages with the most important elements such as image gallery, guestbook, Disclaimer and contact form, on very favorable terms. The websites are mainly used for customers to use, which do not have their own web presence. They are optimized to virtual tours to be about to view active in the Home.
Our system has the ability to manage content themselves (CMS Content Management System). As a special service we populate the pages with text, data and logo of customers. The color scheme can be adapted to the customer.
In case our customers want a specially crafted page with special functions, we collaborate with regional professional companies to which we would like to recommend you.
This technique is used for example in the visualization of architectural projects, construction projects and real estate advertising for use.
As a template for production, we will need some existing 3D video to it erstellenzu can the virtual tour.
The main advantages here are the interactivity and a smaller amount of data than in the video ... what has been proven for use on the Internet.
Add this free app to your Facebook Account to, it just takes a few clicks and your virtual tour is available on your Facebook pages! The prerequisite is that you have is your Facebook page not created as private page. As with all our applications, updates are not necessary. 360TOURIST applications are hosted on our server and updated regularly for you.
The Facebook app creates a blue little picture, with the caption provided "360 Virtual Tour", the top of your Facebook home page. It's a great way to enhance your Facebook page. Allow your friend to have on your new acquisition. Through sharing of content with your friends, the news about your new marketing tool in the wind spread hurry.
"Most of our customers added our Facebook app already your Facebook account added and are thrilled by the success."


Hello again after a long time! I am feeling really lazy lately that I just wanna sleep, wake up and go to bed again. I am a little stressed out but I really do not have a choice but to get up, cook for the kids, feed them, blah blah blah, until it's sundown and it's bedtime again. So, instead of complaining and posting all the rants in IG or FB, where I can right away get a reaction from my friends or relatives in PH, here I am sitting down in front of my computer and updating my blog. Just so you know, our life here in Turkey newly started and is finally sinking in to me.
To keep my sanity, I will be blogging again about both the uninteresting and interesting things in my Aegean expat life. I knew I will be blogging again when I am already here in Turkey, the reason why I kept this domain and waited until today. I will be using this platform to air my daily struggles and whatnots.
My family arrived here in May and just as I expected it, life in this part of the world is not easy. We we've been visiting every summer for like 5 years straight, but not a lot of people here can speak English which is very important if you are a foreigner and starting anew. Aside from the hard to find ingredients that my palate is longing for, I also have a problem going around the area since most places are ideally reachable by car or bus. Though hubby already bought me a car and I learned driving here, I still can't go around freely for safety reasons. You know, typical things if you are a foreigner and a woman and alone. You can get catcalled or worst harassed.
Happy to share that I met a Filipina here over 2 weeks ago. She is from Davao and is married to a Turkish guy who grew up in this district. Their small family used to live here but moved to Istanbul. They come here only to visit her in-law and for summer vacations. So we met a couple of time and it was like a breathe of fresh air. I also met 2 young Indonesians working in a hotel nearby. They noticed my sis-in-law and I were talking in English that's why they approached us. They were so cute. I knew from their accent and looks that that they were Indonesians. I met Indonesians in Hong Kong before in early 2000s.
Anyway, it's hard to find ingredients like I initially mentioned. Not a single Asian store is within the district. While shopping at Kipa last night, I finally found coconut milk and it got me so giddy. Turkish food is yum but also I want a taste of home so I have been searching for coconut milk for weeks now. Although they have fresh coconut here in Migros, they can't clean it for me. I don't have the means to extract the milk by hand as well. No coconut grater here. So in October, when I'm back to PH for a short visit, I will definitely hoard coco milk powder and many more Asian stuff.
Thanks for dropping by. Have a great day!
Wear Something Pink this Valentine's Day!


Home » Fat Burners » Relacore Review – This Fat Burner Is a No Go!
This represents a relatively new fat burner on the market which has had a solid marketing outreach in recent months. Despite its initial popularity, Relacore actually had a turn for the worse after people started complaining that it does nothing at all. Is that really the case? Let's find out!
Check Out Lean Fuel V2 Instead!
We are all familiar with the fact that there are thousands (if not even millions) of fat burning supplements that promise to do magical effects in a short period of time. We all know about them and that's a fact! These sorts of "magic" pills are what's giving the supplements market a bad name. It's been doing so for quite the time now and, it's becoming quite obvious, is not planning to go away on its own. But what about Relacore? Is Relacore one of those types of products? Is it all talk and no show? Well, that's what I am here for, guys. In the following couple of paragraphs, I'll do my best to objectively present everything important about Relacore. I'll analyze things such as its ingredients, testimonials, scientifical background and more… so if you are interested in this product, it might be a good idea to read till the end and find out if it's actually good or should you avoid it at all costs.
What can this product do?
Relacore is a fat burner. I already mentioned that in the introductory paragraph but I wanted to make sure you understand that. As all other fat burners on the market, Relacore also has one simple goal and that is… you've guessed it – helping you lose fat. Relacore marketing department took it one step further and claimed it is best at removing belly fat. As soon as I read that, I immediately began thinking this is a faulty product. Why? Well, because there isn't such an ingredient that can allow a certain supplement to only attack a single part of our bodies. That's why i did some research about some of the ingredients found inside Relacore and made quite a discovery. Here's what I found!
What is inside of Relacore?
Before jumping to the part where I talk about some of the ingredients that I found most interesting, first let's take a look at the full label of Relacore. As you can see, it has quite a lot of ingredients mixed up. The question is – how many of them can actually help you lose fat?
In addition to a wide variety of vitamins, Relacore also sports a proprietary blend of lesser known ingredients. Let's take a closer look at some of them!
Passionflower powder is a rarely seen ingredient in the supplements world. I did some research and found out that its sleep aid and GI related effects (the most known ones) aren't backed up by science, which leads me to believe this is not a good fat burning ingredient.
On the other hand, Relacore has Magnolia which is a popular weight loss supplement nowadays. Unfortunately, its weight loss effects haven't yet been confirmed by any scientifical research studies so we cannot be sure if it really works or is it just a placebo.
As we'd expect from such a clumsy product, Relacore also has a pretty common side effect to go along with the rest of its faulty story. Many of its users complained about rapid heart beat that could be dangerous, especially with people who have heart problems. So with that being said, if you already had some issues with your heart, it might be a good job to steer away from this supplement!
EDITORS TIP: Check Out Lean Fuel V2 instead for a better result.
What do other users say about it?
From all that I have shown you throughout this review, I consider it's quite clear that Relacore is a supplement of rather questionable quality. It features a few really weird ingredients among a couple of known ones. But still, in the end, the end product fails to deliver across the board, leaving lots of disappointed customers that are spreading the word… At the end of it all, there's just one simple conclusion – if you are looking for a fat burning product, look elsewhere because Relacore is not the solution!
If you want something that can actually help you lose fat and get those lean muscles, perhaps you'd be interested in Lean Fuel V2!
A plant whose flowers are used for all sorts of medicines.
Passionflower powder is most frequently used as a sleeping aid and as a solution to gastrointestinal issues. In addition to that, it is also known for treating burns, swelling, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure and relief pain.
So far, Passionflower powder's effects haven't been proven.
Magnolia is a plant whose bark and flowers are used for making medicine.
Magnolia is known for its ability to promote weight loss and is frequently used in fat burning and weight loss supplements. In addition to that, it is also used for treating constipation, inflammation, anxiety, stress, depression and plenty more health issues.
An increased beating of one's heart that could lead to more dangerous problems, especially to people with prior heart conditions.
What Causes rapid heart beat?
Considering there's a huge number of ingredients within this supplement, it is really difficult to say which one is in charge of the rapid heart beat side effect.
Why did this supplement get such a bad star rating?
Just look at the review above, it answers this question completely. If you're too lazy (and I'm sure some of you are), here's the quick story: it does not have a good ingredient mixture, it has a lot of unsatisfied customers. Combine that with a non-existent customer support and there ya go!
Are there any good alternatives I should check out?
Panaxcea Review - There Are Much Better Nootropics Than This!!!
Regenify Review - Don't Buy This Nootropic!


text:
Move swiftly on Sheboygan pier safety
The Sheboygan Press, Sheboygan Press
This week, Sheboygan was hit by twin tragedies – a shooting at Union Avenue Tap and the loss of two young men in Lake Michigan.
The first, in which Sheboygan Police shot a man who was allegedly touting an AR-15 at Union Avenue Tap, will likely be shrouded in speculation until a final investigation regarding the incident is completed. But for the family of the victim who was shot in the incident, the suspect -- Kevin Higgins -- the officers involved and the surrounding community, we can offer only our sympathy to all involved and a promise we won't rush to judgment.
There will likely be lessons to be learned after this incident, and we must be mindful that we seek solutions to prevent such an outcome again while reminding ourselves that we cannot prevent every worst case scenario.
The second incident – the loss of Adam LaLuzerne and Kurt Ahonen – seemed so avoidable as to prompt a call to action. LaLuzerne and Ahonen were swept into the lake by fairly mild waves, but on a higher water mark for the lake than normal. Engineer Roger Miller has said this could easily become a more common trend with water levels reaching their apex over the next couple of decades.
It was also wasn't the first time, even this year, where the Lake Michigan tide left a resident in mortal danger, as 14-year-old Lonely Vang was sent to the hospital in critical condition after being dragged into an undertow.
And so it makes sense that the city of Sheboygan would commit itself to preventing any repeat tragedies from occurring.
For the families who lost their children and the parents of countless other children who meander out to South Pier, this is exactly what a city who seeks to protect its citizens should be asking.
But the response has a quintessential flaw – it has been slightly overthought.
On Monday, Mayor Mike Vandersteen proposed a task force to investigate new safety measures at the piers. At the same time, Alderman Scott Lewandoske proposed a committee to do much the same thing, though with a different composition.
Which should prompt the question – why does there need to be a committee to address this?
Citizen-led committees make sense when the issue is a complex matter of public policy or spending – A committee was created to investigate whether to build new or remodel. It took months of discussion and contracting with a firm to investigate city options. And in the end, the city council rejected its recommendations.
But we're not talking about an unknown decision about city finance and government operation. This is a question of how do we better improve safety on the pier. Considering a similar committee was put to work in 2009 and developed recommendations as well, this should not be a vague question: It either includes improving response time for rescues, providing readily deployable safety equipment to prevent quick drowning and a warning system to move people off the pier when waves create a dangerous situation.
Perhaps there are details that would need to be worked out about what combination of measures would be most effective, but do we need to mobilize a citizen committee to meet at regular intervals to agree on the specifics?
One thing is clear: city and county leaders should move as swiftly as possible to make the pier as safe as reasonable to prevent another tragedy. And if they do decide to make those changes through a task force, they should ensure that they don't need another one in five years.


text:
Wipro-earthian is Wipro's Sustainability Education Program which seeks to support and drive sustainability thinking and action by embedding in the learning process in schools and colleges across India. The program completed 5 years in 2015. In 2015-16, we saw very enthusiastic response reflecting in a massive increase in participation numbers, outreach and representation. We achieved wide geographical representation across 21 states, 45 districts and increased our reach to 2,000 schools, 1,500 colleges and 2,200 teachers. This was done by developing new partnerships with six state government bodies and three civil society organizations who played a key role in ground outreach.
Our cumulative outreach was more than 10,000 educational institutes via social media and other digital channels. Fiscal year 2015-16 saw the program being offered in four languages (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam) and our total submissions have crossed 1,300 which is a threefold increase over the previous year and the highest ever. Nine college and twelve school teams were selected as winners by national jury and felicitated by Mr. Azim Premji at the annual Wipro-earthian awards.
The Continuous Engagement Program (CEP) program aims to promote integrated sustainability education in schools and colleges and to co-create educational practices within institutions that leads to sustainability action and thinking. In colleges, the CEP was driven by a few key initiatives such as our Sustainability Internship program where we facilitated a diverse range of sustainability internship opportunities through our partner ecosystem for 10 students from 6 winning colleges. As a first, 2015 also saw the launch of the Wipro-earthian Sustainability quiz where we successfully ran quizzes at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad Confluence festival and the IIM Bangalore Exemius festival where 227 teams and 681 students participated. Two noteworthy initiatives were the launch of the Wipro Sustainability Fellowships at IIM Bangalore as well as the curation of a round table discussion on sustainability education which was attended by 60 regional colleges in Orissa.
As a part of our strategic collaboration with XUB, Bhubaneshwar we also facilitated a one month sustainability discovery program across India for six students from the PG program at the Xavier School of Sustainability. The CEP program in schools focused on curricular intervention- where we developed a unique sustainability curriculum for Wipro-earthian schools which is being piloted in 9 schools across India.


Nandina domestica 'Gulf Stream' is a compact selection of this magnificent evergreen shrub that has so much to offer with an almost kaleidoscopic range of leaf colour at any one time – reds, yellows, oranges, purples and, of course, green. Equally tough and accommodating as the type.
Excellent plants. As described. Very well packaged. Delivery driver very polite. More than happy with purcase. 5*****<br /> Will buy from again!


text:
Q: How can I copy a value from server to client in Google Earth Engine? On Google Earth Engine, suppose I have a Number on the server side. How can I get it as an integer on the client side?
var x = ee.Number(42)
typeof(x)  //  yields "object", i.e. server side

var y = ??? // what function of x will get me a local 42 in y?

A: This seems to work, although it is not recommended by the documentation:
var x = ee.Number(42)  // server side variable

var z = x.getInfo()  // local string

var y = parseInt(z)


text:
package com.codeborne.selenide.impl;

import com.codeborne.selenide.Config;
import org.openqa.selenium.Alert;
import org.openqa.selenium.UnhandledAlertException;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriverException;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

import javax.annotation.CheckReturnValue;
import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
import javax.annotation.ParametersAreNonnullByDefault;
import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.Set;
import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentSkipListSet;

import static java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets.UTF_8;

@ParametersAreNonnullByDefault
public class WebPageSourceExtractor implements PageSourceExtractor {
  private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(WebPageSourceExtractor.class);
  private final Set<String> printedErrors = new ConcurrentSkipListSet<>();

  @Nonnull
  @CheckReturnValue
  @Override
  public File extract(Config config, WebDriver driver, String fileName) {
    return extract(config, driver, fileName, true);
  }

  private File extract(Config config, WebDriver driver, String fileName, boolean retryIfAlert) {
    File pageSource = createFile(config, fileName);
    try {
      writeToFile(driver.getPageSource(), pageSource);
    }
    catch (UnhandledAlertException e) {
      if (retryIfAlert) {
        retryingExtractionOnAlert(config, driver, fileName, e);
      }
      else {
        printOnce("savePageSourceToFile", e);
      }
    }
    catch (WebDriverException e) {
      log.warn("Failed to save page source to {}", fileName, e);
      writeToFile(e.toString(), pageSource);
      return pageSource;
    }
    catch (RuntimeException e) {
      log.error("Failed to save page source to {}", fileName, e);
      writeToFile(e.toString(), pageSource);
    }
    return pageSource;
  }

  @Nonnull
  protected File createFile(Config config, String fileName) {
    return new File(config.reportsFolder(), fileName + ".html").getAbsoluteFile();
  }

  protected void writeToFile(String content, File targetFile) {
    try (ByteArrayInputStream in = new ByteArrayInputStream(content.getBytes(UTF_8))) {
      FileHelper.copyFile(in, targetFile);
    }
    catch (IOException e) {
      log.error("Failed to write file {}", targetFile.getAbsolutePath(), e);
    }
  }

  protected synchronized void printOnce(String action, Throwable error) {
    if (!printedErrors.contains(action)) {
      log.error(error.getMessage(), error);
      printedErrors.add(action);
    }
    else {
      log.error("Failed to {}: {}", action, error);
    }
  }

  private void retryingExtractionOnAlert(Config config, WebDriver driver, String fileName, Exception e) {
    try {
      Alert alert = driver.switchTo().alert();
      log.error("{}: {}", e, alert.getText());
      alert.accept();
      extract(config, driver, fileName, false);
    }
    catch (Exception unableToCloseAlert) {
      log.error("Failed to close alert", unableToCloseAlert);
    }
  }
}


The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is the successor of the very capable first generation Redmi Note. Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note first in November 2014, and the 5.5-inch phablet at just Rs. 9,999 became a game changer for the company. Right after 16 months of the Redmi Note, came its successor the new Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and with this smartphone as well the Chinese mobile maker wishes to recreate the magic.
This time it is even better, but even now, the price remains the same, which helps it in this highly competitive mobile market of India.
The new Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 comes in two versions – one with 2 GB of RAM along with 16 GB of inbuilt storage that is priced at Rs. 9,999, and the other with 3 GB of RAM along with 32 GB of memory that is tagged at Rs. 11,999.
The current market is all for large smartphones or phablets that comes with over 5 inch of display, and Xiaomi now has many more market rivals including Lenovo, LeEco, Coolpad and Huawei all of which compete in the budget to lower mid-ranged mobile market.
While there are a lot of good mobile handsets available at the Redmi Note 3's price range, the Redmi Note 3 will have the advantage of its already established name and of course its looks and features.
First things first – looks really matters. While the high-end smartphones are good looking by default, at the budget price people don't really expect a looker, but if a highly affordable smartphone also comes with premium looks then nothing can be better.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3's primary draw point is its premium design and full metal body. The handset flaunts a sandblasted metal texture in three premium shades of Gold, Silver, and Grey.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has now become sleeker and lighter, and its premium unibody design does not allow a removable back cover.
The device gets a hybrid SIM and microSD card slot, so you can use either 2 SIM cards or one SIM card and one microSD card. Although the overall design of the Redmi Note 3 is now rather common, it really looks and feels premium and that is its advantage.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 features a 5.5-inch Full High Definition IPS wide-angle display, which is good and vibrant, although it does not get Corning Gorilla Glass or any such protection. The phone's Sunlight Display feature also adjusts the screen according to the light to offer good outdoor visibility as well.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is the first smartphone in the Indian market to get powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 chipset with the support of 2GB of RAM.
The device offers overall smooth performance with no noticeable lags. The smartphone is good for the multitaskers and well as heavy game players. The handset also does not have much of heating problem, although it does get warm when playing gamed and browsing on Wi-Fi, but performance remains unaffected. The Redmi Note 3 comes with Adreno 510 GPU to take care of the graphics requirement well.
The smartphone runs on the Android version 5.1.1 with the MIUI 7 on top. The MIUI 7's primary advantage is that it offers the user gets a complete package. However, unlike the previous MIUI, the MIUI 7 is not bug free. The UI also takes considerable time to load. Nevertheless, the MIUI 7 is great on the whole as the MIUI is one of the best UIs in terms of end user experience.
The Redmi Note 3 is superb multimedia experience with great visuals and really pleasant audio quality.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 boasts of a good quality primary 16 MP rear camera with PDAF f/2.0 5 element lens along with dual tone LED Flash. At the front, the device gets secondary 5MP f/2.0 lens selfie camera. The device also comes with a fingerprint sensor, which can be used to click pictures with both the snappers.
The selfie camera clicks great selfies and is meant to please people who are dependent on edited selfied and software beautification features, as the Redmi Note 3 is loaded with lots of picture enhancing features.
On the other hand, the primary camera offers good quality pictures under normal lighting conditions, delivering fast focus and crisp images. However, in low light conditions, the picture quality falls a bit and appears noisy, while the auto focus also becomes slow.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 gets powered by a huge 4,050 mAh non-removable battery. This offers great backup of well over a day's time with moderate usage and also a day for the heavy users. Once you fully charge the battery, which takes around 4 hours of time, you can well forget about recharging it for at least a day.
So, this phone is great for the heavy gamers and internet users. The smartphone also comes with an IR blaster and can be used as a TV remote at home.
In few words, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is an excellent smartphone under the slab of 12k. Yes, it is not a flawless device and there is room for improvement. However, at its price point the Redmi Note 3 is definitely a highly impressive handset. It is one of the best-recommended budget phones in the Indian market at present. While the 2 GB version is not highly recommended for the lack of adequate available RAM, the 3 GB RAM version, it comes with, is certainly a great phone to bring home.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 offers a complete package of great looks, good performance, good user experience, decent cameras, and great backup. It is also a superb choice for all those who love smartphones with large displays, but don't want to shell out a bomb.