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Governance Overview & ESG
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Jacobs Investor Relations
Jacobs Announces Leadership Succession Plan
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President and COO Bob Pragada Named CEO
Steve Demetriou Continues as Executive Chair of the Board of Directors
Appointments Effective Jan. 24, 2023
DALLAS, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs (NYSE: J) today announced a leadership succession plan that positions the Company to continue driving significant profitable growth and delivering on the vision that Jacobs has set for its people, clients, communities and shareholders. Bob Pragada, currently President and Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Steve Demetriou as Chief Executive Officer and join the Company's Board of Directors. Demetriou will continue as Executive Chair of the Board. The changes are effective Jan. 24, 2023, the date of the Company's annual shareholder meeting.
"It has been the highlight of my career to lead Jacobs over these past seven years and work with our outstanding people to transform Jacobs' portfolio, advance our culture and position the Company for even higher levels of growth and success. With a strong foundation and clear trajectory in place, now is the right time to implement our succession plan," said Demetriou. "During Bob Pragada's 16 years with Jacobs, including the last several years as President and COO, he has demonstrated leadership excellence and a strong track record of execution. His passion for innovation and teamwork are evident in our many achievements. The Board and I are confident that Bob is the right person to serve as Jacobs' next CEO and continue to accelerate our momentum."
Pragada joined Jacobs in 2006, holding several senior management positions over nine years. He returned to Jacobs in 2016 as President of the global Industrial and Buildings & Infrastructure lines of business, and in 2019, Pragada was appointed President and COO of Jacobs. He has been instrumental in developing and leading the successful execution of Jacobs' strategy, as well as driving global integrated delivery of Jacobs' operations around the world as a differentiator in the industry.
"It is an exciting time for Jacobs," said Pragada. "We have just launched our bold new strategy and are at the forefront of our industry – anticipating the global trends most important to our clients and developing differentiated, data-enabled solutions that meet their needs. I am honored to take on the role of CEO early next year and advance the exciting work underway to further diversify our capabilities and offerings, increasing opportunities and value for our people, our clients and our shareholders alike."
Pragada added, "I want to thank Steve for his partnership and guidance over the past seven years. He is an incredible leader who inspires all around him and leaves a tremendous legacy at Jacobs."
Demetriou will serve as Executive Chair for a minimum of two years, working as a member of the Board advising Pragada on strategic and capital deployment initiatives. He will provide executive sponsorship for several key client engagements and ongoing culture initiatives, and will also continue as a Board member of PA Consulting.
Chris Thompson, Lead Independent Director of the Board, said, "On behalf of the Board of Directors, I thank Steve for his service to Jacobs and his inspirational leadership during his tenure as CEO. Steve set out to create 'a company like no other' and achieved it. He was the architect of a visionary portfolio transformation that led to accelerated growth at Jacobs through the acquisition of CH2M, the sale of our oil, chemicals and mining businesses, and the majority investment in PA Consulting."
Thompson continued, "Steve demonstrated the highest standards of ethics and integrity, and established an unparalleled culture of inclusion, accountability and innovation that has positioned Jacobs at the forefront of the industry. We look forward to continuing to benefit from his leadership and insights as Executive Chair."
Following Demetriou's appointment as CEO in 2015, he set in motion a profound strategic and cultural transformation anchored on growth and inclusion. Galvanizing elements included formalizing Jacobs' purpose of creating a more connected, sustainable world and establishing the Company's core values: We do things right, We challenge the accepted, We aim higher and We live inclusion. To reflect the Company's transformation, he also unveiled Jacobs' new brand and brand promise of "Challenging today. Reinventing tomorrow."
Demetriou's aggressive portfolio transformation to emphasize higher-growth, higher-value businesses resulted in an approximately $11 billion increase to Jacobs' market cap and a 236% total shareholder return, all while improving adjusted returns on invested capital by 260 bps.1
Demetriou has personally championed inclusion, and today, Jacobs' Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors are 67% and 50% diverse respectively across gender and ethnicity. In 2021, he established Jacobs' Office of Global Climate Response & ESG to provide focus and accountability on the Company's efforts to address climate change. Jacobs is now ranked as the No. 1 environmental and sustainability consulting firm globally by Environment Analyst for significant work in line with the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
About Bob Pragada
Pragada joined Jacobs in 2006, and over the following nine years, he held several executive leadership positions, including Senior Vice President, Global Sales; Group Vice President, Northern Region (United States and the Republic of Ireland); and Vice President, Field Services. He returned to Jacobs in 2016 as President of Jacobs' global Industrial and Buildings & Infrastructure lines of business, after serving as President and CEO of the Brock Group, one of the largest providers of industrial services in North America.
Since 2019, Pragada has served as President and COO of Jacobs, providing executive oversight of all global operations, driving impressive profitable growth across the Company's Critical Mission Solutions and People & Places Solutions lines of business. During his tenure, Pragada led the successful integration of CH2M, a $5 billion diversified technical services leader in infrastructure, water, environmental and nuclear sectors. He was also instrumental in Jacobs' strategic majority investment in PA Consulting, a multi-billion-dollar world-leading digital consulting firm, where he now serves as a Board member.
After graduating from the United States Naval Academy, Pragada began his career in the Navy as a Civil Engineer Corps and Seabees officer, providing international contingency operations, base engineering, construction and maintenance services, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He is a graduate of Stanford University, where he earned a Master of Science in engineering and management. Bob also serves as a Director on the Boards of Eaton (NYSE: ETN), the Board Advisory Council of Brightstar Capital, the U.S. India Business Council, the Dallas Mavericks Foundation Advisory Council, and the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation.
For detailed leadership infographics on Steve Demetriou and Bob Pragada, visit Jacobs' Investor page.
About Jacobs
At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. With $14 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector. Visit jacobs.com and connect with Jacobs on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
1 Market cap and total shareholder return growth rates calculated from the closing stock price on September 30, 2015 through September 14, 2022. Adjusted returns on invested capital (ROIC) calculated from full-year adj. ROIC for fiscal 2016 compared to full-year adj. ROIC for fiscal 2021.
Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided by the same. Statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. You can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "intends," "plans," "estimates," or "anticipates" or similar expressions which concern our strategy, expectations, plans, projections or intentions. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the company's growth expectations. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, our ability to fully implement our strategy, competition from existing and future competitors in the our target markets, the possible reduction in demand for certain of our product solutions and services and the delay or abandonment of ongoing or anticipated projects due to the financial condition of our clients and suppliers or to governmental budget constraints or changes to governmental budgetary priorities, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical events, and the impact of global and regional market conditions, including the impact of inflation and increasing interest rates, on the company's business. For a description of some additional factors that may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements, see the discussions contained under Item 1 - Business; Item 1A - Risk Factors; Item 3 – Legal Proceedings; and Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Item 2 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; Item 1 - Legal Proceedings; and Item 1A - Risk Factors in our most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company is not under any duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results, except as required by applicable law.
For additional information contact:
Jonathan Doros, 817-239-3457
jonathan.doros@jacobs.com
Marietta Hannigan, 214-920-8035
marietta.hannigan@jacobs.com
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Armenian soldier killed in 'clashes along Azerbaijani border'
By Ani Avetisyan
The village of Verin Shorzha. Photo: Hayk Sargsyan.
Armenia's Ministry of Defence has reported that one Armenian servicemember has been killed in a shootout on the Azerbaijani border in Armenia's Gegharkunik Province.
According to the ministry, a 32-year-old soldier was killed on Tuesday after Azerbaijani forces opened fire at an Armenian position near the village of Verin Shorzha. No further information was given.
Azerbaijani authorities responded by accusing Armenia of sharing 'false information' and insisting that Azerbaijani forces did not open fire. In a statement, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence said that Armenian forces 'attempted to approach the marked area of the border'.
'As a result of the warning measures taken by our departments, the movement of the opposite side was prevented.'
'According to the information we possess, the incident involving the death of an Armenian serviceman occurred as a result of an accident. This incident has nothing to do with the Azerbaijani side.'
'The Azerbaijani side is in constant contact with the Russian side regarding the issue', their statement concluded.
The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions along the border. Armenian authorities have accused Azerbaijan of making several incursions into Armenian territory in areas of the border which Azerbaijan gained control over following the war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
According to Armenian authorities, Azerbaijani forces crossed the Armenia-Azerbaijan border on 12 May, in the Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces, advancing their positions several kilometres into Armenia's territory.
Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on 21 May that there were around 500–600 Azerbaijani soldiers on Armenian territory.
Last week, a fistfight broke out between Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers near the village of Khoznavar, in Syunik Province. Eleven Armenian servicemen were reportedly injured during the incident. Azerbaijani denied the Armenian account of the incident.
Despite recent confrontations, this is the first fatality since a clash between Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces over the villages of Khtsaberd and Hin Tagher in Nagorno-Karabakh in late December. Armenian authorities reported that nine servicemembers were killed and around 70 more captured during the incident.
After a week of negotiations brokered by Russia, on 23 May the Armenian Ministry of Defence reported that some Azerbaijani forces had returned to their initial positions, but that most remained on Armenian soil.
[Read more: Proposed agreement on Armenia-Azerbaijan borders sparks protest in Armenia]
Armenia has appealed to Russia and the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation for assistance. Russia has offered to mediate the dispute.
Several Western countries including the US, France, Canada, and Greece have expressed concerns over the reported incursions into Armenian territory. On Tuesday, the Dutch parliament passed a resolution calling on the EU to demand the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces.
#Armenia
#Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict
#Azerbaijan

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Jews appeared in Kyiv in pre-Christian times. This is not surprising, because it was from the Middle East that civilization came to the Slavic-Russians.
And the first written document about Kyiv was written exactly in Hebrew in the 10th century.
in the development of industry and construction of the city.
in order to build a synagogue for the local Jewish community.
Who donated money to build the Bessarabka market and why the city wanted to refuse them; under what conditions were created the first Talmud-Tora and Jewish hospital; where did Evbaz disappear – a market where you could get everything from a loaf of bread to a revolver.
and visit the museum of the classic of Jewish literature, Sholem Aleichem.


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Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP AF 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD, f/1.8, 1/100 сек., ISO 2000.
Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP AF 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD, f/1.8, 1/80 сек., ISO 125.
Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP AF 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD, f/1.8, 1/80 сек., ISO 320.
Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP AF 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD, f/4, 1/100 сек., ISO 2000.
Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP AF 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD, f/3.2, 1/10 сек., ISO 100.
Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP AF 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD, f/1.8, 1/80 сек., ISO 100.
Canon EOS 6D, Tamron SP AF 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD, f/1.8, 1/25 сек., ISO 100.


If you would like to purchase more than 10 books or you live outside the US, please email our office.
Every parent wants to see their children happy, successful, and most of all, healthy. Often times, however, ensuring that a child has the best chance at a healthy life can be out of the parents' hands. Developmental delays have long been viewed as something that parents have to handle as they happen; however, Dr. Amber Brooks, DC, CACCP has news that will change all that.
15 Things Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Your Child: Questions Answered About Developmental Delays is a remarkable new book by Dr. Brooks that helps parents understand how developmental delays can be caught early and even treated when found. Through outlining problems and symptoms that are often ignored by other doctors, the book points to things that can later be the root cause of the delay. Regardless of what stage you may be in with your child, this book will show you how to properly navigate the obstacles inherent with healing. By being proactive early on, this enlightening book teaches parents how to be informed and most of all, empowered to heal their children.
This inspirational book is filled with real-life examples and the medical basis and philosophies involved with their treatments. Spanning multiple diagnoses and all of their respective symptoms, Dr. Brooks lays out the information in a way that parents can truly understand and connect with the book. With an easy to read and comprehensive approach, 15 Things Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Your Child appeals to parents and doctors alike, while eliminating the need to read between the lines.
Inspired by the huge void in medical and alternative models, the book combines the best of both worlds in order to care for each child individually, instead of treating them all alike. By removing the cookie-cutter approach to children's medicine, readers are taught that we can do more for each child without the wait-and-see methodology used by some doctors. The book teaches that examining the whole child, rather than particular symptoms, can lead us to the correct wellness model to raise a healthy child. Using the book's revolutionary new model, readers can treat and ultimately prevent developmental delays in order to give their children the brightest possible future.
Dr. Brooks is a pediatric expert who combines alternative and traditional medical methods to provide an individualized and comprehensive approach to pediatric wellness. She has dedicated her career to helping children around the world achieve their optimal health, and in her private practice at Whole Child Wellness, she has developed specialized treatments for today's biggest pediatric health problems. Dr. Brooks' unique perspective of diagnosing the problem rather than treating the symptoms has led to remarkable results on a variety of disorders, and she looks forward to helping readers on their road to wellness.


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Latina Lista: News from the Latinx perspective > Columns & Features > BlogBeat > Little Havana's Mysterious Mural
Little Havana's Mysterious Mural
Latina Lista
inBlogBeat, zNew Headline
By Katharine Keane
Saving Places
When I Google "Edificio Jose Marti," the all-knowing search engine generates few links related to the building I am researching: a building database with little more than the address listed, a 2008 "Miami New Times" article about a party held there, a few Spanish sites referencing the eponymous Cuban national hero. Only three of the first 25 pictures under the "Images" tab depict the white, Modernist, three-story structure that sits at 801 SW Third Avenue in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami. And even more difficult to locate are descriptions of the unmistakable mural by which the building, Edificio Jose Marti, is identified.
With 2,381 individual components varying from clay to brick to cinder blocks painted in shades of red, yellow, blue, and white, the asymmetrically designed artwork has created much debate about what the mural actually depicts.
"We've heard that it is an abstract of a Cuban flag," says Neli Santamarina, a longtime Miami resident, preservationist, and former tenant of the building. "We've also heard that it is the map of the Bay of Pigs region in Cuba."
When Santamarina first opened her local eatery, Tina y Café, in Edificio Jose Marti in 2005, she hosted an event for people to vote on what they thought the mural portrayed. But, eleven years later (and with many questions about the mural's history still remaining), Santamarina was not able to renew her lease when the building was sold to the furniture company, Modani, which now plans to remove the mural.
"It means a lot to this city," explains art conservator Rosa Lowinger of RLA Conservation. "Everybody recognizes that mural; you name anyone [and] they've seen it because you can't miss it when you get on and off the expressway."
With Lowinger's help, Santamarina is looking for a new home and plans to help save the 50+ year-old mysterious mural.
Many of the elements are in need of restoration to repair chipped paint and cracks.
It is believed that the artist was known for working with construction materials like the cinder blocks in this piece.
Built in 1962, just as Cuban immigration began to increase in Miami, Edificio Jose Marti represents one of the first examples of development in eastern Little Havana. Plans for the national highway I-95 had already been established in the 1950s, and just four years after the Jose Marti building was completed, so was the expressway. At the time, the location overlooking the busy road was ideal for potential tenants, but in more recent years may have contributed to the lack of support for the building and its artwork.
"At that time, it was a big addition to that neighborhood," explains Paul George, HistoryMiami Museum historian, local professor, and Miami native. "The neighborhood wasn't receiving those kinds of additions [at the time]. Both sides of 8th Street [where the building is] were still a sprinkling of residential buildings and some small businesses."
The lower-to-middle class neighborhood remained dominated by vernacular architecture and shotgun-style homes until the early 2000s, and has since undergone vast development. "It's one of the most rapidly changing areas that I know of in the eastern United States," says George.
The mural itself likely went up around the same time as the building; Santamarina attributes it to unknown artist and ceramicist, Fran Williamson, whose signature she discovered under peeling paint. But the discovery ends there. Even George, one of Miami's foremost historians—who made deliveries for an adjacent grocery store and remembers the building as it was being constructed—has never heard of the artist nor has located an online record or trail.
Though Santamarina was forced to leave the space just a few weeks ago, she has not given up on the colorful artwork. "We don't have a lot of history," Santamarina explains, because "Miami is a very young town, but the little history that we do have, we continue to erase."
Just last year, a historic Art Deco mural from the former Versailles Hotel was removed to make way for new construction of hotel and condominium towers. In 2014, one of Miami's oldest bars, Tobacco Road, closed and the iconic signage that had graced the exterior wall for part of its 112 years was removed. Development in eastern Little Havana continues to boom, causing some concern among locals who worry the neighborhood will lose its history and culture to newer more expensive buildings.
Unfortunately, the future of Edificio Jose Marti remains unclear. After a complete appraisal and documentation of the mural, Lowinger estimates the cost of removal and safe packaging could be anywhere from $30,000-$50,000. Multiple pallets of the individually wrapped components would then need to be stored until a new home for the mural is found and restoration could begin.
Whether it is because the community knows little about its meaning or its artist—or merely because of the location—few have rallied around the building or its ornamentation.
"It's not like [the mural is] in a park and you stand there and look at it," says George. "It's just in an incredibly busy automobile hub and I think to some degree it's been ignored and so it's probably been underappreciated for that reason."
While the current owners are open to a contingency plan that would both save the mural and allow them to continue their plans to repurpose the building, Santamarina and Lowinger continue to shoulder this fight alone.
"If at least we can get it safely brought down and it can go somewhere else, we won't lose yet another piece of our heritage," says Lowinger.
Katharine Keane is an editorial assistant at Preservation Magazine. She enjoys getting lost in new cities, reading the plaques at museums, and discovering the next great restaurant.
art, Cuba, Miami, mural
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New app hopes to inspire Latino Millennials to be informed and engaged in upcoming presidential election


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A Threat to Its Own Survival: China and The Party Look Forward
June 7, 2014 • By Tomas Hachard
IN 2010, Harvard philosophy professor Michael J. Sandel went to China expecting to give a talk to a small group of philosophy students, much as he had done on a previous visit to the country. Instead, he arrived at his lecture to find a mass of listeners, some of whom had arrived close to six hours early to get seats. Videos of his lectures in the United States had recently been subtitled and posted online for Chinese viewers, creating a fervor that The China Daily wrote was "usually reserved for Hollywood movie stars and NBA players."
Sandel's Chinese reception, not unlike Thomas Piketty's recent popularity in the United States, is surprising but not inexplicable. Academic rock stars are created in some part by the hope their theories may inspire in a time of seeming desperation. In the United States, Piketty's Capital in the 20th Century proposes a solution to ever-widening wealth inequalities. And as Evan Osnos suggests in his latest book The Age of Ambition, the popularity of Sandel's lectures on moral philosophy is yet another indicator that China's economic model is about to undergo a major change.
Sandel, it turns out, is an opportune thinker for China's chaotic contemporary moment. While China's adoption of a market economy has not occurred at the uncontrolled speed that ex-Soviet countries experienced after the fall of Communism, today the country faces the consequences of its great opening: individualism and its less tolerable cousins, self-interest and corruption. Osnos describes one case of state corruption in which an official was found with so much hoarded cash in his house that the bills were moldering. A study cited by Osnos, meanwhile, found that while academic research has increased in China, much of it is of suspect quality: a third of it is tainted by plagiarism or fabricated data.
In Justice and other books, Michael Sandel writes about moral decisions, about where a society ought to draw the line of what's right. His theoretical explorations of morality, grounded in realistic but hypothetical situations, push precisely against the worst excesses that plague China. Sandel's lectures and books, Osnos writes, "offered Chinese young people a vocabulary that they found useful and challenging but not subversive, a framework in which to talk about inequality, corruption, and fairness without sounding political." One woman tells Osnos that Sandel's work was "a key to open my mind and doubt everything." As a result, and much to the chagrin of this woman's mother, she began to question everything, to see the moral dilemma in everyday activities. "I didn't say it's wrong or right," she says. "I'm just questioning."
The fact that it's Sandel and his ideas that sparked such interest also has other potentially far-reaching implication. For Sandel, justice is a deliberative process, as it is for Amartya Sen, who in his book The Idea of Justice, argues that the concept is closely tied to democracy. The two are ultimately grounded on the same thing: "the exercise of public reason." Democracy, Sen argues, is not a matter of elections and ballots but of several intertwined elements: a free media, the existence of opposition parties, and full freedom of speech — all necessary for a society to foster public debate. As a result, Sen writes, the existence of democracy "is centrally important for the pursuit of justice as well." In the case of what Osnos describes in China, though, the opposite path is opening up. The hope is that by thinking about justice, China may be finding its way to democracy.
Osnos never explicitly predicts the fall of China's authoritarian Communist Party; he is too prudent a reporter for such speculation. A former China correspondent for The New Yorker, his book draws on eight years of reporting he did for that magazine and the Chicago Tribune before moving to Washington, D.C. last year. For the most part he maintains the role of the objective journalist as he interviews both strident nationalists and radical activists for democracy.
But intermittently, in his most honest moments, Osnos hints at what all his reporting may indicate. He admits to being overwhelmed at the sheer scope of thoughts and opinions he encounters in a country, that for many, is defined by the ideological and political rigidity of Communism. The more Osnos digs, the more he finds a flurry of political activity and thinking underneath the country's seemingly unflappable public face. The country can no longer be reduced to the image of a subservient work force, motivated by state propaganda and satisfied with the promise of having done their part: workers who do their best to only satisfy the needs of the whole, to become a "tiny screw" in the revolutionary machine. Instead, what Osnos presents is a nation of clashing ideas — a country filled with individuals etching out a place for themselves rather than plugging into a role predetermined for them.
Osnos reports on censorship, repression, and corruption as well, but the prevailing sentiment of his book — the underlying optimism — is that the Communist Party has become much like an aging giant attempting to rule over a bustling town: with a stomp of the foot the giant can strike fear into the people and briefly stop all activity, but it is too slow and lumbering to maintain control at all times. Writing about the government's ceaseless updates to its list of banned words on the internet, Osnos gets at what he sees as a major weakness of the Party. Because it had to keep up with the terms that people persistently invented to evade censorship, Osnos writes, "the government was in a race against the imagination, and it was forever trying to catch up."
Age of Ambition is especially important to consider in light of many recent arguments about China and its economic resurgence: that it represents a potentially fatal challenge to democracy. Joshua Kurlantzick writes in Democracy in Retreat that such economic power may be "the most serious threat to democratic capitalism since the rise of communism and fascism in the 1920s and early 1930s."
The Economist put forward a similar argument recently in a long essay about the dispiriting decline of democracy over the past ten years. It noted how Freedom House, an NGO that performs research on democracy and political freedom, has reported eight consecutive years of decline in global freedom, a measure that Freedom House calculates based on changes to political rights and civil liberties in countries around the world. Many countries like Russia have kept the outward appearance of democracy, holding consistent elections, but have lost the other pivotal elements that many, including Amartya Sen, see as requirements for true democratic government. In others the parts of the world, such as the Middle East, democracy has appeared to be on the rise, but few actual signs of fundamental change have emerged.
In such a climate, The Economist argues, China's three decades of growth proves an ominous example. "The Chinese Communist Party has broken the democratic world's monopoly on economic progress," it writes, in part because "China's leaders have been able to tackle some of the big problems of state-building that can take decades to deal with in a democracy." That success has rightfully forced some to question the necessity of democracy. As a Chinese student studying in the United States tells Osnos, "If democracy can really give you the good life, that's good. But without democracy, if we can still have the good life, why should we choose democracy?"
The rapid increase in prosperity that China has experienced over the past thirty years may be unequal, may be unsustainable, but on a basic level it may also be irresistible. As Osnos writes, "in 1978, the average Chinese income was $200; by 2013, it was $6,000." Or as The Economist points out: "When America was growing fastest, it doubled living standards roughly every 30 years. China has been doubling living standards roughly every decade for the past 30 years."
Internally, such rapid growth means any political change immediately gets pitted against the fear of diminishing returns. The people who have been afforded a middle-class existence by China's growth "won't bet their apartments, cars, television sets, washing machines and hopes on a prayer," says one Chinese writer in Age of Ambition while commenting on Charter 08, a declaration headed by Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo which called for radical political reforms and led to Xiaobo's arrest. Even if that growth has been vastly imbalanced — if, as Osnos writes, "for most of the Chinese people… the boom has not produced vast wealth" but rather "permitted the first halting steps out of poverty" — it offers the promise of example. In the face of the extraordinary financial possibilities that the current system seems to offer, any political change will require convincing people that the possibility of wealth won't disappear as a result.
From an outsider perspective, China's growth gets to the heart of a question posed in The Quest for Prosperity by Lin Yifu, whose life Osnos uses as a guiding narrative for his book. In 1979, Lin, then called Lin Zhengyim, was a Taiwanese soldier who defected to China at a time when most people were attempting to flee. By 2008, he had become chief economist at the World Bank. His question — "How can a developing country catch up to developed countries?"—continues to be a pressing one, and the fact that the Chinese economic and political model appears to offer an answer has given many countries a reason to take China's example seriously.
In Democracy in Retreat, Kurlantzick writes about how China has begun aggressively advocating the benefits of its model by setting up training programs for foreign ministers from developing countries in which "the Chinese system and its ability to rapidly handle crises and successfully pursue long-term goals" are contrasted with slow and inefficient Western democracies. And for many countries, Kurlantzick writes, the pitch has been appealing:
Having analyzed surveys of political values in Southeast Asia going back a decade, [Indonesian scholar Ignatius] Wibowo concludes that people in many Southeast Asian countries share a willingness to abandon some of their democratic values for higher growth and the kind of increasingly state-directed economic system that many of these countries in fact had in their authoritarian days, and that China still has today.
Ultimately, the Chinese government is betting on economic prosperity by following the famous words of Deng Xiaoping, China's reformist leader following Mao's death: "Development is the only hard truth." When necessary, however, the Communist Party has sacrificed growth for political stability. In 2009, Osnos writes, two ethnic groups, the Muslim Uighurs and the Hans, clashed in the western city of Ürümqi. Two hundred Hans died, after which Uighurs began to be targeted for revenge. To reassert control, the Party created a digital blackout, shutting off the internet, cutting long-distance phone lines, and disabling text messages. "The Party," Osnos writes, "was willing to accept immense economic damage to smother what it considered a political threat."
Adaptability for the sake of maintaining power has been the Party's successful work model, whether that has meant allowing elements of the free market economy to take a foothold or, more recently, beginning to tackle corruption. The latter is, alongside environmental concerns, the largest current threat to its credibility. Both issues have continued to grow in importance because the numbers involved, sometimes reaching tens of billions of dollars, speak to a profound injustice, and because on a day-to-day basis they have ruined the sense that upward mobility is possible for everyone in China. Political positions are regularly sold for six figures and the possibility of a good education seems increasingly compromised: "Nationwide," Osnos reports at one point, "46 percent of parents said in a survey that strong 'social connections' or fees were the only way to get their children a good education."
Still, it's important to remember that the evidence of a popular move to democracy remains only speculative. Osnos documents a lot of intellectual activity and a lot of frustration but no breakthrough in stemming the government's arrest of dissidents or its fierce battle against free speech. Liu Xiaobo remains in jail and just last month the journalist Gao Yu was detained by police before publically apologizing for leaking a government document that listed seven subversive concepts inimical to the Communist Party, including Western democracy, human rights, independent media, and questioning China's economic policy. As the activist Hu Ping once wrote: "Freedom of speech is both the first requirement for democracy, and also its last line of defense. With this inner sanctum protected, democracy can win the field, and the process of democratization will be unstoppable." Hu wrote those words in 1980. Today, the field has not yet been won and the process of democratization is still very much in question. But the fact that such a question is being asked, that Osnos is able to even raise the possibility of a shift towards democracy, indicates that much has already changed in China.
It remains to be seen whether the Communist Party can change in a way that satisfies the Chinese people. Osnos is optimistic that the Party might be ending, or, at the very least, adapting. "The longer I lived in China," he writes, "the more I sensed that the Chinese people have outpaced the political system that nurtured their rise." He begins Age of Ambition by listing a series of China's contradictions: a population buying Rolls-Royces in droves but whose government bans the word "luxury"; a country with two of the world's largest internet companies, but where the state has devoted unprecedented resources to online censorship; a society told that political stability is the only way to continue economic growth, but where income inequality between some cities is equal to the discrepancy in wealth between the United States and Ghana. Given this context, Age of Ambition leaves you with the distinct feeling that, as Osnos writes with a nice twist on Marxist dialectics, "the Party has unleashed the greatest expansion of human potential in world history — and spawned, perhaps, the greatest threat to its own survival."
Tomas Hachard is an Editorial Assistant for Guernica Magazine.
Tomas Hachard
Tomas Hachard is an Editorial Assistant for Guernica Magazine. He has written about art, politics, and himself for NPR, The Morning News, and The Millions, among others. Follow him on Twitter: @thachard.
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Since this can be a feeder versus just a plain pet food storage container, you possibly can put it nearer to the ground to allow your dogs to get their very own food. This metal dog food container stands at about 22" high, so maintain that in mind in the event you plan to store it beneath a counter or desk.
It simply is sensible to retailer Fido's meals in a metallic container. And, with so many models to select from, it's fairly simple to find one which matches your measurement needs and the general feel of your room. The draw back? This explicit steel pet food storage container solely holds as much as 17 pounds of food. If you have an enormous canine, it could be extra splendid for holding treats.
For those who're searching for cute but practical decorative dog food storage containers, this one gets my decide. The simplistic black and white design is perfect for both traditional and trendy décor kinds. Preserve dry pet food, cat food & chicken seed recent in these hermetic meals storage containers. Hermetic seals maintain out moisture humidity & pests. Broad prime entry for simple scooping. Simple-to-clean BPA-free molded plastic.
Since this can be a feeder versus only a plain pet food storage container, you'll be able to put it closer to the bottom to allow your canine to get their very own food. This steel pet food container stands at about 22" high, so keep that in mind if you happen to plan to store it below a counter or desk.
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This is the latest addition to the National Museum of Art series, "American Scene" and focuses on the work of Joseph Rodriguez, who has been photographing Spanish Harlem since 1986. Over the years, Rodriguez has documented not only the changes that have occurred in Spanish Harlem, but also, and more importantly, the vibrant and vital cultural traditions that have remained. Rodriguez's photographs and Vega's essay are a wonderful testament to the Spanish Harlem of today, revealing the many different sides of life in this extraordinary place.


text:
Lopușne (în ) este o comună în raionul Lanivți, regiunea Ternopil, Ucraina, formată din satele Lopușne (reședința) și Pahînea.

Demografie

Conform recensământului din 2001, majoritatea populației comunei Lopușne era vorbitoare de ucraineană (%), existând în minoritate și vorbitori de alte limbi.

Note

Lopușne, Lanivți, Ternopil
Lopușne, Lanivți, Ternopil
Lopușne, Lanivți, Ternopil

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I went to the post office for the first time in a long time today.
What an odd place. I approve of the queuing, but not of the complaining. Everyone in line assumes that the postal workers are being lazy and not doing their job. I'm guessing the postal workers are assuming that we're all a bunch of impatient mouthbreathers, so I guess it works out okay.
I've always been amazed that I can slap a stamp on something and it'll get to where it's headed without too much fuss. People complain when the price of a stamp goes up – I usually don't. It used to cost a quarter to mail a letter (when I was in high school), now it costs 37 cents. Not bad for 14 years later, I think. E-mail is great and all, but actually being able to get a physical thing to someone else is just…neat.
Think about it – what are some of the most precious heirlooms? Letters written "back in the day." How cool is it to hold in your hand something that your great-grandpa wrote to your great-grandma when they were young and in love? Holding in your hand the actual piece of paper he held and wrote on. There's just such a connection there.
It's the same appeal that museums have for me. Looking at a piece of pottery and knowing it was made by a forgotten woman 1500 years ago…man. Perspective City.
For as "into" technology as I am, I regret that most of our lives can be wiped away by a strong magnet. Your grandkids won't be able to hold an e-mail in their hands. Videotape won't last. Even DVD's will be unreadable in 50 years. Sorry to depress you, but that's just the way it is. Want to leave a legacy? Start writing things down.
Sure, there's fire and floods. There are no guarantees, but starting with writing is still a better way.
I also espouse taking actual printed pictures – at least print your digital ones. You'd hate if your hard drive crashed and youlost 3 years worth of memories, wouldn't you?
So…post office. Mail a letter to someone tomorrow.


2011's tape seems to be playing fast, its end July already! WOW. Life as per normal, like a busy bumblebee.
Just have to Thank God for everyday.
I find myself blogging less regularly, & only do so when I have to because I attend events. That's bad. I think blog is supposed to be about MY life, and not JUST ABOUT the events I attend. So here's just a sum up of the month, since it's already gone... so no point I blog about my daily life. Maybe, next month I try okay:) heheh!
Through I'm busy, AT LEAST I'm glad I won't be in this whiny state complaining why my everyday is so routinely boring... Aye wait, come to think of it, maybe I'm a little wrong because my life is sorta a routine too - Waking up for school, Projects for 1/4 of the day, BSC for another 1/4 of the day, lunch 1/8 of the day & heading home to continue the work distributed for the another 1/4 of the day (okay by then it's night already). Seemingly, it's like that.
So here's the highlights for the month.
My trio team travel babes. Last year, we conquer shopping at BKK. Next month it's our 1year anniversary trip this time to BANDUNG, yes for shopping again. Next year, TAIWAN.
Look! We even bought breakfast ingredients the night before at my house's NTUC 24hours & made breakfast for each other the next morning at 7am.
OMGZZZ, see told ya we are busy girls! Our day starts so early!!!
Evident that it's really 7am - Look at our super cui shagness face :/ ROFL!!!
& of course, had my #weekly tennis sessions.
This weekend, Alina came over to play tennis with us. After tennis, we had dinner, a good dinner date.
This time we tried another eating place for dinner.
Near my place, okay not THAT near. This is located at Kembangan, one of the bottom shophouses.
After meeting last Tues, went to Grandma's house w Virina (Since we were in the same meeting, might as well...) Good time tgt!
& of course, got a chance to see my baby cousin, Angel!
Trust me, she's really TINY!
The next day, I had Events Mgt Presentation. WOW what a busy week, I know!
Can you believe it, we took this pictures infront of Business School. Really BHB don't care sia, machiam the whole Business concourse belongs to us-.- HAHA!
Despite my busy schedule, I attend #church service regularly every Sat. Finally, this Sat, I have some time to spend with my LG for dinner. We walked all the way to Dhoby Ghout for Just Acia @Shoby Ghout Xchange! hahaha!
& adding on a Chawanmushi for just S$1 w every setmeal purchased!


Join NSSLHA today to connect with other students and clinical fellows and save money on certification application dues/fees.
Transition from being a student to becoming an independent provider of clinical services. Verify that all academic coursework has been completed and apply for certification any time before, during, or after your CF experience.
Ensure the facility is able to provide you with the opportunity to evaluate, habilitate, or rehabilitate individuals with speech and language disorders. Verify online that your mentor holds an active CCC-SLP certification.
Familiarize yourself with your state licensure requirements; licensure and certification are separate! Many states require you to have an interim license as you complete your CF.
Confirm your mentor will complete 18 direct hours and 18 indirect hours of observation. Establish with your mentor what kind of CF experience you prefer and goals for your CF experience. Know the ASHA Code of Ethics and understand your responsibilities and your mentor's.
Review the SLPCF Report & Rating forms with your mentor. Document any changes in mentor, setting, or average hours worked per week on a separate form.
Participate in feedback sessions with your mentor at the end of each segment of the CF. Complete a minimum of 36 weeks worked, totaling no less than 1,260 hours.
Earn a rating of "3" or better in the final segment for each of the core skills to qualify for approval by the ASHA National Office. Review the Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Fellowship Report and Rating Form [PDF] to make sure no areas are left blank and that all information is accurate! Make a copy of the SLPCF form for your records.
Mail your SLPCF Report and Rating Form to ASHA. Note that the CF will not be reviewed until you have applied for certification. Understand that the evaluation and processing of your complete application for certification, including all required documents, will take approximately 6 weeks.
You will receive email confirmation from the National Office when your certification has been awarded—make sure you receive this before you begin signing with the CCC-SLP. Pay annual dues and fees while you are an applicant in the process for certification.


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text:
The Anderson Group's current portfolio companies and the Anderson Partner representing each investment.
Active Portfolio Investments
Cole Kepro International Locker, LLC | Las Vegas, NV
Cole Kepro Locker, LLC d/b/a American Locker is an industry leading electronic storage solutions business that provides a global customer base with electronic locker, parcel delivery systems and related products that are designed to integrate seamlessly into customer facilities and equipped with advanced software. American Locker has been in operation for more than 100 years and continues to lead through innovation by providing advanced technologies for the widest range of storage solutions in multiple environments.
www.americanlocker.com
Cole Kepro International, LLC | Las Vegas, NV
Operating from a Las Vegas, Nevada headquarters, Cole Kepro International is an industry leading designer and manufacturer of turnkey cabinets for the electronic gaming industry and secure storage lockers for several end markets including amusement parks, law enforcement and post offices. Cole Kepro International leverages its reputation for product quality and innovative concepts & designs to meet global demand for premium cabinet and locker products.
www.colekepro.com
The Anderson Group Partner: Cory Gaffney
Gaming Division
Cole Kepro
Operating from a Las Vegas, Nevada headquarters, Cole Kepro is an industry leading designer and manufacturer of turnkey cabinets for the electronic gaming industry. Cole Kepro leverages its reputation for product quality and innovative concepts & designs to meet global demand for premium cabinet products.
Electronic Locker Division
American Locker
CKI Locker, LLC d/b/a American Locker is an industry leading electronic storage solutions business that provides a global customer base with electronic locker, parcel delivery systems and related products that are designed to integrate seamlessly into customer facilities and equipped with advanced software. American Locker has been in operation for more than 100 years and continues to lead through innovation by providing advanced technologies for the widest range of storage solutions in multiple environments.
F.K. Instrument Co., LLC | Clearwater, FL
FK Instrument is a precision machining business that provides some of the world's most renowned businesses with mission critical components which are required to meet incredibly tight tolerances. The company is established as a key partner, from prototype to production, for a dynamic customer base that is operating on the leading edge of innovation.
www.fk-instrument.com
The Anderson Group Partner: Tom Gaffney/Justin Flood
Fosbel, Inc. | Cleveland, OH
Fosbel is a global service provider specializing in refractory furnace inspection, maintenance, repair and reconstruction primarily for steel and glass producers. Fosbel's service offering is directly tied to the performance, profitability and environmental compliance of its customers, and preserves the life of critical operating assets.
www.fosbel.com
Latina Boulevard, LLC | Tonawanda, NY
Latina Boulevard is a specialty food distributor operating from two complementary divisions that deliver fresh produce, meats, dairy and other food and ingredients, including a broad range of supplies, to retail, independent pizzeria and casual dining markets in Western New York. Since 1954, the company has provided customers with superior quality and customer service.
www.latinaboulevardfoods.com
Michigan Wheel Marine | Grand Rapids, MI
Founded in 1903, Michigan Wheel is an industry leader in the design and production of marine propulsion systems. The company's high-quality, innovative products are marketed under both OEM and aftermarket brands.
www.miwheel.com
CTCOA, LLC d/b/a Olympic Aviation | Cerritos, California
Olympic Aviation is a distributor and exporter specializing in the sale of government certified aircraft replacement parts and chemicals. Over the last twenty-five years, Olympic Aviation has established a reputation for efficiently sourcing and supplying high quality, uncommon components.
www.ctcoa.com
Parkview Health Services, LLC | Buffalo, NY
Based in Buffalo, New York, Parkview is an institutional "closed door" pharmacy that provides pharmaceutical products to long term care agencies, which include assisted living facilities, developmentally disabled residences, chemical dependency rehabilitation facilities, group homes, and mental health clinics. Parkview has been in operation since 1985 and currently supports more than 6,000 individual end consumers who reside in New York State.
www.parkviewhs.com
The Anderson Group Partner: Barry Shapiro
Quality Logging, Inc. | Midland, TX
Quality Logging is a leading supplier of mud logging services, a form of energy exploration, to the oil and gas industry. Founded in 1980, Quality manages one of the most technologically advanced and well-maintained fleets of logging trailers. Each of Quality's trailers employ a proprietary software and instrumentation platform, which enables the company to deliver the most timely, accurate and reliable data in the mud logging industry.
www.qualitylogging.com
United Brands LLC | San Diego, CA
United Brands is a developer and producer of innovative ready-to-drink beverages within both alcoholic and non-alcoholic categories. The company's product lines currently consist of flavored malt beverages, energy drinks and coconut water products which are sold through a nationwide distribution network to big box and convenience stores.
www.unitedbrandsco.com
Valley International Cold Storage, LLC | Harlingen, TX
Valley International Cold Storage is a cold storage, packaging and logistics service provider that is strategically located in Harlingen Texas, approximately twelve miles north of the border between the United States and Mexico and near the center of the agricultural delta of the Rio Grande Valley.
www.valleycold.com
World Precision Instruments, Inc. | Sarasota, FL
Headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, World Precision Instruments is a global manufacturer and supplier of precision instruments and equipment, surgical tools and laboratory consumables, and supplies used primarily in pre-clinical lab animal and zebrafish research and drug discovery, with specific expertise in tissue and cell biology, animal physiology and electrophysiology research.
www.wpiinc.com
The Anderson Group Partner: Tom Gaffney
View a Selection of Former Portfolio Companies
Red Monkey Foods
WCB Ice Cream
SPEAK WITH AN ANDERSON PROFESSIONAL TODAY.
REACH OUT TO US HERE
THE ANDERSON GROUP, LLC
©2021 The Anderson Group


GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) T.J. Lang says playing hurt comes naturally for an offensive lineman.
''It's in your DNA to do what you've got to do to go on the field,'' the Green Bay Packers' veteran right guard said Friday.
So a week after he left the unbeaten Packers' latest victory with an injury, Lang plans to play Sunday when Green Bay hosts the San Diego Chargers before their bye week.
With the Packers (5-0) off the field Friday, Lang said his injured right knee felt fine after practicing with the rest of the team in pads the previous day.
Lang's readiness to jump right in and play with the injury doesn't surprise coach Mike McCarthy. He said his current starting five on the offensive line has been the best during his 10-year tenure, shrugging off aches and pains on an almost weekly basis.
Lang's willingness to play Sunday, though he'll do so wearing a protective brace over the bad knee, comes after veteran right tackle Bryan Bulaga made a swift return to the lineup. Bulaga suffered a significant injury to his previously reconstructed left knee in practice after the Packers' season opener Sept. 13.
In turn, Bulaga missed just three games before making the start in the win over the St. Louis Rams last Sunday.
Last season in the team's run to the NFC title game, Green Bay's offensive line of Bulaga, Lang, left guard Josh Sitton, left tackle David Bakhtiari and then-rookie center Corey Linsley combined for only one missed game. That came after Bulaga reinjured his surgically repaired left knee in the season opener.
Sitton refused to take time off despite having an injured toe most of last season.
Bakhtiari was sidelined the last three weeks of the preseason this summer with a knee injury but came ready to play when the season started. Lang noted how Sitton, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, still is hurting with his foot.
Notes: WR Davante Adams, who has missed the last two games with a nagging ankle injury, isn't sure he will be ready to play Sunday despite being able to practice this week on a limited basis. ''At the very least, I'll be set to go after the bye,'' said Adams, who is questionable. S Morgan Burnett (calf), who has missed the last three games, also is questionable. NT B.J. Raji (groin) and LB Nick Perry (shoulder/hand) are doubtful. . DE Datone Jones rejoined the team after being away Thursday for the birth of his first child, daughter Laila. She is named after Laila Ali, the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. ''I always say if I didn't play professional football I'd be a boxer, probably heavyweight champ right now,'' Jones said with a laugh.


text:
Q: Config WebSpshere application to use specific class loader In WebSphere I have configured two custom server class loader for shared libraries(A and B).
Is it any way to config to my EAR to use only the A class loader and not the the B?

A: Server-level shared library class loaders are visible to all applications on the server, and that cannot be changed (assuming here that your configuration is similar to the "Associating the shared library with the server" section of this tech note: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-create-shared-library-and-associate-it-application-server-or-enterprise-application-websphere-application-server).
If you'd prefer to have your shared libraries associated with specific applications, you would want to associate the library with the application (or one of its web modules), rather than with the server class loader - the configuration steps for that are in the following sections of the above tech note.
If you require a separate class loader for the shared library for some reason (for example, because something in the shared library needs to be used in preference to something in the EAR/WAR, or multiple apps need to access the same Class instance), you can select the "Use an isolated class loader" option when configuring the shared library. That will give the library its own class loader, which will be searched in preference to both the EAR/WAR libraries AND the server libraries, so you need to be careful that it does not include any APIs that you intend to load from the server.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Literature Cited California Highway 190 runs west to east from US Highway 395 in the Owens Valley, across Panamint Valley and Death Valley, to Death Valley Junction in the Amargosa Valley.
Junction: U. S. Highway 395, north to Lone Pine, south to Los Angeles, etc.
Locations: Olancha Dunes. Olancha Sand Dunes south of the highway.
Other articles: California Highway 136 18000 Junction: CA Highway 136, southeast along the east shore of Owens Lake to California Highway 190.
Other articles: Olancha Darwin Road at CA Hwy 190 Junction: Olancha Darwin Road, southeast to Darwin.
Locations: Panamint Valley. Panamint Valley Dunes. The Panamint Dunes are about 8-9 miles north.
Eriogonum inflatum in bloom near Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley. Eriogonum inflatum in bloom near Stovepipe Wells.
Locations: Death Valley Dunes. Death Valley Dunes.
Sand dunes at Stovepipe Wells in the late afternoon. Sand dunes at Stove Pipe Wells in the late afternoon.
Other articles: North Highway at CA Hwy 190 Junction: North Highway,north to Scotty's Castle, Ubehebe Crater, and Racetrack Valley.
Corkscrew Peak from the valley floor. View of Corkscrew Peak to the north.
Lowest point on California State Highway System, 242 feet below sea level. Lowest point on California Highway System, 242 feet below sea level.
Locations: Gower Gulch. Gower Gulch. Furnace Creek was diverted through Gower Gulch in 1941 as a response to damaging floods.
Other articles: Furnace Creek Wash Road at CA Hwy 190 Junction:Furnace Creek Wash Road, to Ryan and Dantes View.
The Amargosa Opera House at Death Valley Junction.


DECENT DUDES It's OK for Decent Criminal to be excited about their new album.
If all had gone according to plan, fun-loving punk band and Santa Rosa natives Decent Criminal would be celebrating the Oct. 13 release of their excellent new LP, Bloom, with a free show at the Last Record Store this weekend. Those plans changed last week when fires swept through the region.
"It's bittersweet to be releasing an album this week," says Tristan Martinez, frontman of Decent Criminal. "It was like, how could we put out a record and be excited when all our friends and families have lost their homes?' It's insane."
Though Martinez currently lives in Long Beach, his heart is still in Santa Rosa, and he has agonized over the last week while watching the disaster unfold from afar.
"We've been waiting for updates online, talking with my parents, trying to find out everything we can," says Martinez, whose parents live near Piner and Fulton roads in Santa Rosa, and were evacuated Oct. 9.
On Oct. 10, the band met to discuss their plan to play in Santa Rosa on Saturday, Oct. 21, which they ultimately cancelled. Then they came upon an idea to give back. "We felt like we wanted to do what we could as a band to raise funds and benefit victims," says Martinez.
The band spoke with their Milwaukee-based record label, Dodgeball Records, and offered the idea of a benefit compilation album. Dodgeball Records owner Chris Messer immediately agreed. The album, For Santa Rosa, is online now and all proceeds will go to relief for victims of the Tubbs fire.
"We put the word out [about the compilation], and had a lot of great responses from everybody wanting to be a part of it," says Martinez.
Sonoma County bands featured on the compilation include indie-pop outfit Self Care, fronted by Santa Rosa songwriter Ryan Michael Keller, local rockers Argentivas, alt-punks Green Light Silhouette, veteran Forestville pop-punk band Bracket, old-school punks M Section, new-school punks Brown Bags and self-described "wine punks" Sciatic Nerve, whose own self-titled debut album came out on Oct. 13 as well.
The compilation will also feature bands from across the country including Off With Their Heads, Smoking Popes, Boss' Daughter, Showoff and more.
Many of the tracks on the album are unreleased or yet-to-be-released, including Decent Criminal's track, "Rocks," which was recorded during the Bloom sessions. Incidentally, many of the tracks on Bloom were written at Manzanita Studios near Coffey Park in Santa Rosa. "A lot of us grew up in that neighborhood," says Martinez. "It's crazy to think that all the memories there are now just that—memories. It's so sad."


text:
using System;

namespace stellar_dotnet_sdk.federation
{
    public class NotFoundException : Exception
    {
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Spark/Scala: Impossible to make an RDD to DF conversion I am a new programmer of scala(2.11) and spark (1.6.0) who is trying to convert an RDD to a DF without spark-csv package (for practicing but also because of some technical issues). After reading the starter guide of Spark and all the related posts of stackoverflow, I don't know how to make some methods (4) to work -only one works for me, and I don't know why-:
Every help with any of them will be amazing!
I have a simple table like in a txt file:
Jorgito 10 1 Soltero
Juanito 20 2 Casado
Jaimito 30 3 Divociado

I code a few preliminars:
var RDD_filas = RDD_datos.map(_.split("\t"))
var esquema = new StructType()
.add("Nombre", StringType)
.add("Edad", IntegerType)
.add("Hijos",IntegerType)
.add("EC",StringType)

import org.apache.spark.sql._
import org.apache.spark.sql.Row;
import org.apache.spark.sql.types.{StructType, StructField, StringType, IntegerType};
import org.apache.spark.sql.SQLContext

case class X(Nombre: String, Edad: Int, Hijos: Int, EC: String)

And, then, I apply all the methods I have seen which doesn't work:
var DF_datos = RDD_filas.map({case Array(s0, s1, s2, s3) => X(s0, s1.trim.toInt, s2.trim.toInt, s3)}).toDF("Nombre","Edad","Hijos","EC")
var DF_datos2 = RDD_filas.map(p => X(p(0), p(1).trim.toInt,p(2).trim.toInt,p(3))).toDF("Nombre","Edad","Hijos","EC")
var DF_datos3 = RDD_filas.map(Array(s0, s1, s2, s3) => Array(s0, s1.trim.toInt, s2.trim.toInt, s3)).toDF("Nombre","Edad","Hijos","EC")
var DF_datos4 = sqlContext.createDataFrame(RDD_filas,esquema)

The first three methods allows me to create the DF and to print their schemas, but they don't have the header (DF_datos.header() returns the first row) and I have an error if I try DF_datos.show()
The strangest one (for me) is number 4, because it is supposed to be the most "canonical" way.
Only this worked for me:
var a = RDD_datos.map(_.split(" ")).take(3)
val rdd = sc.makeRDD(a)
val df = rdd.map {case Array(s0, s1, s2, s3) => X(s0, s1.toInt, s2.toInt, s3)}.toDF()

A: In order to use sqlContext.createDataFrame you will need to have an RDD[Row] where the types of the entries in your rows correspond to the types in your schema. Thus you will need to convert some entries from String to Int when appropriate.
Here is an example:
scala> val data = sc.textFile("./junk/dat.txt")
data: org.apache.spark.rdd.RDD[String] = ./junk/dat.txt MapPartitionsRDD[20] at textFile at <console>:28

scala> data.foreach{println}
Jorgito 10 1 Soltero
Juanito 20 2 Casado
Jaimito 30 3 Divociado

scala> :pa
// Entering paste mode (ctrl-D to finish)

var esquema = new StructType()
.add("Nombre", StringType)
.add("Edad", IntegerType)
.add("Hijos",IntegerType)
.add("EC",StringType)

// Exiting paste mode, now interpreting.

esquema: org.apache.spark.sql.types.StructType = StructType(StructField(Nombre,StringType,true), StructField(Edad,IntegerType,true), StructField(Hijos,IntegerType,true), StructField(EC,StringType,true))

scala> val rowRDD = data.map(l => l.split(" ")).map{case Array(a,b,c,d) => Row(a, b.toInt, c.toInt, d)}
rowRDD: org.apache.spark.rdd.RDD[org.apache.spark.sql.Row] = MapPartitionsRDD[22] at map at <console>:30

scala> val df = sqlContext.createDataFrame(rowRDD, esquema)
df: org.apache.spark.sql.DataFrame = [Nombre: string, Edad: int ... 2 more fields]

scala> df.show
+-------+----+-----+---------+
| Nombre|Edad|Hijos|       EC|
+-------+----+-----+---------+
|Jorgito|  10|    1|  Soltero|
|Juanito|  20|    2|   Casado|
|Jaimito|  30|    3|Divociado|
+-------+----+-----+---------+

However this is a lot of work so I would recommend that you either a) upgrade to Spark 2.0 and use the built in DataFrameReader csv loader
or b) look into spark-csv. In both cases you would simply  set the delimiter to \s or \t as needed.

A: One approach is to add column headers to the csv using Struct Type
val df = spark.createDataFrame(rdd, structType)

If the csv already contains column headers, you can directly convert it into Data frame.
val df = spark.read.option("headers",true).csv("/path/to/csv")

Convert to DataFrame from source file
Now as you have used a custom delimiter.
val df = spark.read.option("delimiter", " ").csv("/path/to/csv")


The first scientist to become defense secretary, Mr. Brown brought technical knowledge and a background in weapons research. The episode of Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj, which critiques the crown prince, was blocked from streaming in the country after the government complained that it violated cybercrime laws. Hearty AND vegan?! It is, indeed, possible. Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has been charged in connection with an allegation that he sexually abused an 18-year-old boy at a Nantucket, Massachusetts, bar more than two years ago, the local district attorney said on Monday.
Roger Federer geared up for his Australian Open title defense in convincing fashion, guiding Switzerland to a 2-1 triumph over Germany on Saturday for their fourth Hopman Cup crown.
Research into a rare outbreak of bubonic plague in 20th Century Britain found that it was actually people that led to the disease spreading - not rats (stock). With more and more electric cars on the road, the utilities that feed vast amounts of electricity for building cars are tasked with fueling them, too. Every month, subscription streaming services add a new batch of titles to their libraries. Here are the ones we think are most interesting for January. California utility company PGE Corp is exploring filing some or all of its business for bankruptcy protection as it faces billions of dollars in liabilities related to fatal wildfires in 2018 and 2017, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. Cambodia's centuries-old tradition of masked dance was nearly wiped out by the Khmer Rouge's "Killing Fields" regime, but a handful of artists managed to keep it alive and are now working to pass it... Hwaban makes elegant compositions out of traditional dishes like spicy chicken stew. In the past three weeks, Philadelphia has fired General Manager Ron Hextall and Coach Dave Hakstol. The team is next to last in the Eastern Conference. The lavish wedding of Sam and Phoebe Burgess may have looked like a fairytale but guests are now claiming the day was riddled with family drama, signaling trouble ahead.
Colombian state oil company Ecopetrol has halted the Cano Limon-Covenas pipeline after it was damaged in a bomb attack, spilling crude into two streams in Norte de Santander province, the company said. At age 29, McIlroy is trying hard to make his life more than just an extension of the golf course. He seems to be succeeding. Europe took a 10-6 lead into Sundays singles matches, but Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth won twice to keep the United States close. The template for Nick Sabans dominating Crimson Tide teams is easy to see if you look back nearly 120 years. Mr. Khashoggis case underscores the complexities of Secretary of State Mike Pompeos coming visit to eight Arab nations in the Middle East, where he will discuss strategies to contain Iran.
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The evidence for design grows like a new patch of kudzu on a Mississippi highway. That is the second of three arguments each Christian should know. Officially, it's called the teleological argument.
So, what is the teleological argument?
The teleological argument is one argument Classicists like to use to bring people to acquiesce God's existence. But what does it look like?
There are many forms of the teleological argument, the most famous of which derives from William Paley's watchmaker analogy. Since every watch has a watchmaker, and since the universe is exceedingly more complex in its operation than a watch, it follows that there must be a Maker of the universe. In brief, the teleological argument reasons from design to an intelligent Designer.
All designs imply a designer.
There is great design in the universe.
Therefore, there must be a Great Designer of the universe.
One of the chief objections skeptics have to the teleological argument is of course the second premise of the above Syllogism-There is a great design in the universe.
They rightly say that merely postulating design because certain attributes of the universe exist making our existence possible is putting the cart before the horse. To them, postulating design does harm to science by assuming too much and in the process placing a dead stop to both the research and the thought behind science. The problem with that is the fact that they must assume certain logical truths to even do science and those laws of logic are evidence of purpose in and of themselves.
Even Darwin had difficulty denying purpose or design in origin of the universe.
Darwin considered the evidence for design was undeniable at times.
During the process of photosynthesis green plants carbohydrates are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source. Photosynthesis releases oxygen as a byproduct. Without photosynthesis humans would not have suitable air to breathe.
Without a stable water system, it would be impossible for human life to develop.
On average the Earth is 92,960,000 miles from the Sun. The closest it comes is 91,400,000 miles from the Sun and the furthest it goes from the Sun is 94,510,000 miles.
The axis of the Earth is inclined at an angle of 23° to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. This gives rise to the seasons. If this angle was greatly changed, the temperatures on earth would become a great deal hotter or colder and plant life and animal life would not survive.
The earth does not rotate around the sun in a perfect circle. The earth takes an elliptical path around the sun, the shape of an oval rather than a circle. This path is perfect for our present variation of the seasons. If the orbit of the Earth around the Sun greatly changed, the seasons as we know them would alter and many plants would not be able to survive.
if thicker: too much oxygen would be transferred from the atmosphere to the crust. Then there would not be enough oxygen left to permit the development of life as we know it.
if thinner: volcanic and tectonic activity would be too great. There would be so much ash in the atmosphere along with so many earthquakes and tidal waves that human life would not develop.
if greater: tidal effects on the oceans, atmosphere, and rotational period would be too severe for life and as a result there would be catastrophic tidal waves.
if lesser: orbital obliquity (incline or slope) changes would cause climatic instabilities. The regular seasons of the year as we know them—spring, summer, fall and winter would not be able to exist.
if greater: a runaway greenhouse effect would develop.
if lesser: rainfall would be too meager to support advanced life on the land.
John Polkinghorne, President of Queens' College, Cambridge.
Our world definitely has the appearance of design, and design means purpose. Don't take my word for it.
The teleological argument is in fact an approach among several to show people that there is good evidence that God exists, no matter the objections of skeptics. This objection has been answered for some time.
First principles are the foundation of knowledge. Without them nothing could be known (see Foundationalism). Even coherentism uses the first principle of noncontradiction to test the coherence of its system. Realism affirms that first principles apply to the real world. First principles undeniably apply to reality. The very denial that first principles apply to reality uses first principles in the denial.
Consider learning some of the principles attached to the teleological argument. Your God created a universe specifically for you knowing that someday you'd be able to place this argument in your arsenal in his defense. There is a plethora of evidence, big and small. Evidence for design is like kudzu. It spreads fast and is almost undeniable.
 Evans, C. S. (2002). In Pocket dictionary of apologetics & philosophy of religion (p. 113). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
 Geisler, N. L. (1999). In Baker encyclopedia of Christian apologetics (p. 277). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
 Warfield, B. B. (2008). The Works of Benjamin B. Warfield: Studies in Theology (Vol. 9, pp. 569–570). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
89 "Life and Letters," i. p. 312.
 Warfield, B. B. (2008). The Works of Benjamin B. Warfield: Studies in Theology (Vol. 9, p. 571). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
94 Ibid., i. pp. 313 f.
 Warfield, B. B. (2008). The Works of Benjamin B. Warfield: Studies in Theology (Vol. 9, p. 573). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
 Water, M. (2001). The Bible and Science made easy (p. 43). Alresford, Hampshire: John Hunt Publishers Ltd.
 Water, M. (2001). The Bible and Science made easy (p. 45). Alresford, Hampshire: John Hunt Publishers Ltd.
 Water, M. (2001). The Bible and Science made easy (p. 41). Alresford, Hampshire: John Hunt Publishers Ltd.
 Water, M. (2001). The Bible and Science made easy (p. 40). Alresford, Hampshire: John Hunt Publishers Ltd.
 Dabney, R. L. (1892). Discussions by Robert Lewis Dabney: Philosophical. (C. R. Vaughan, Ed.) (Vol. 3, p. 476). Richmond, VA: Presbyterian Committee of Publication.
 Geisler, N. L. (1999). In Baker encyclopedia of Christian apologetics (p. 250). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.


text:
Cold weather slowed winter wheat, but crop should thrive
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- This year's cold winter slowed wheat growth so the late-March freeze across much of Mississippi probably did not cause major damage to the state's wheat crop.
Erick Larson, grain crops agronomist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said most wheat across the state had not reached a growth stage where it would have been sensitive to freezing temperatures when the cold returned on March 26.
Market prices drive planting intentions
MISSISSIPPI STATE – Memories of last year's bumper crops have Mississippi farmers eager for fields to dry out so they can plant the 2014 crop.
Market potential remains the first consideration when making crop choices.
"Prices are driving growers' planting decisions," said Brian Williams, an agricultural economist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. "Mississippi corn is trading about $2.50 per bushel lower than a year ago, while Mississippi soybean prices are slightly higher than a year ago."
2014 outlook is mixed for timber industry
April 11, 2014 - Filed Under: Forest Economics, Timber Harvest
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Markets for Mississippi's sawtimber and pulpwood are bouncing back from the economic recession, but the industry is not improving across the board.
"Slowly but surely, markets for sawtimber are beginning to grow again after the sharp declines seen after the collapse of the U.S. housing market and the ensuing recession," said James Henderson, associate Extension professor of forestry at Mississippi State University. "But the closing of the International Paper mill in Courtland, Ala. will have an impact on north Mississippi's pulpwood markets."
Weather may stall summer forage crops
April 17, 2014 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Forages
JACKSON – Hay producers need warmer temperatures and drier ground to catch up with production this spring.
"Everything is shaping up to be late with all the wet, cool weather we've had," said Charlie Bush, Mississippi State University Extension Service agent in Simpson County. Simpson was one of the counties where some fields flooded after most areas in central Mississippi received between three and 10 inches of rain between April 5 and 7.
Mississippi corn faces another delayed start
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Spring rains are delaying the state's corn planting much as they did in 2013, but growers will not complain if the season ends with another record harvest like last year's.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated the crop was just 64 percent planted by April 20, putting it farther behind than it was at this time last year and well behind the five-year average of 87 percent planted. It takes five to 10 days after a rain before growers are able to resume planting in saturated soils, and frequent rains have kept most growers from planting as intended.
Local strawberries are finally in season
May 2, 2014 - Filed Under: Fruit
MISSISSIPPI STATE – Unseasonably cool temperatures in the wake of historic tornado activity could be a boon for the state's strawberry growers.
"The weather over the past few days has been tough, but it's still early in the strawberry season," said Brooks Brownlee of Brownlee Farms in Red Banks, Mississippi. "This year has been the latest start we've ever had -- we just started picking on April 24. But the cool weather that delayed the crop may be a good thing and prolong our season."
Sustained success forecast for 2014 poultry industry
May 9, 2014 - Filed Under: Agricultural Economics, Poultry
MISSISSIPPI STATE – The poultry industry is riding a wave of success, propelling it from a strong 2013 into another year with promises of favorable market prices and lower production costs.
John Michael Riley, an agricultural economist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said several issues will influence poultry profits in 2014.
Rain-free week allowed planting to gain ground
May 16, 2014 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Crops
MISSISSIPPI STATE – Frequent rains kept farmers indoors through much of April, but clear weather in early May allowed them to play catch-up on row-crop planting.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that planting of most of the state's row crops is back on schedule after the wet early spring. Corn is the first crop planted in Mississippi and much of it was planted on schedule. As of May 11, USDA reported cotton is 45 percent planted, rice is 68 percent planted, grain sorghum is 42 percent planted and soybean is 55 percent planted.
Good weather starts peanut crop off strong
May 23, 2014 - Filed Under: Agricultural Economics, Peanuts
JACKSON -- Most peanut growers are on schedule despite the cool, wet weather that hit Mississippi at the beginning of May.
"We are in pretty good shape all over the state," said Jason Sarver, peanut specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. "The cool, wet spell we had set some folks back, but only by a week or so. Depending on this summer's conditions, their harvest might be pushed a little later, but nothing extreme."
Fewer dairy producers left to celebrate June
May 30, 2014 - Filed Under: Dairy
TYLERTOWN -- Mississippians looking to raise a glass to celebrate "June is Dairy Month" with local producers may be drinking their milk alone.
Walthall County Extension agent Richard Hay has seen a drastic change in dairy numbers in his county since he arrived in 1984.
"We had more than 200 dairy farms when I started my Extension career in Walthall County. Today, the number is closer to 14," he said. "The good news is if you are still in the business, you are one tough dairy farmer."
Late start, rains have delayed rice flooding
June 6, 2014 - Filed Under: Rice
STONEVILLE -- With Mississippi's rice crop about two weeks later than normal, growers will have narrow windows of opportunity to perform necessary management as it grows.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated 92 percent of rice was planted by June 1. Seventy-four percent of the crop that has emerged was in good to excellent condition.
Bobby Golden, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station agronomist in Stoneville, said the late planting and heavy rains in late May are making management a challenge.
Wet weather delays soybean growth
June 13, 2014 - Filed Under: Soybeans
JACKSON -- Although most of the state's soybeans have been planted, Mississippi famers will have to deal with the consequences of this spring's wet weather for the rest of the growing season.
"We never want to wish away a rain in June," said Trent Irby, Mississippi State University Extension Service soybean specialist. "But growers are and will continue to experience some issues because of the excess rain we've had."
Irby estimates the state's largest row crop is 90 percent planted, and some fields are already in the reproductive stage.
State cotton acreage up on good prices, high 2013 yield
June 20, 2014 - Filed Under: Cotton
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi cotton producers remain optimistic about a crop that is up significantly in acreage despite frequent planting delays.
The state is expected to plant about 400,000 acres of cotton in 2014, about 40 percent more than last year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on June 15 that cotton was 98 percent planted. USDA rated 65 percent of the crop as "good" or "excellent," but 32 percent was rated "fair."
Wet, cold weather delays watermelons, blueberries
JACKSON – Party planners may have a hard time finding Mississippi-grown watermelons and blueberries for July 4th celebrations this year.
Unfavorable weather slowed maturity and increased disease pressure for both crops. Much of the state's blueberry crop is grown in south Mississippi, and most of its watermelons are grown in the southeast quarter of the state. Acreage for both crops remains steady. Blueberry producers grow about 2,700 acres, and watermelon growers have about 2,400 acres.
Mississippi having excellent wild-caught shrimp season
July 3, 2014 - Filed Under: Seafood Harvesting and Processing
BILOXI -- Mississippi shrimpers had an excellent opening day, a fact that had them pleasantly surprised.
Based on reports from just two of Biloxi's three shrimp dealers as of July 1, fishermen landed 790,000 pounds of shrimp in the first week. Last year, all three Biloxi shrimp dealers reported total first-week landings of 541,000 pounds of shrimp.
Dave Burrage, professor of marine resources with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said hot, dry spring weather is considered good for shrimp crops, but the state got the exact opposite this year.
Record livestock prices create curious dilemma
July 11, 2014 - Filed Under: Swine, Beef
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Cattle and hog prices are soaring to record highs, causing producers to debate whether to sell their valuable animals or expand their herd sizes for the future.
"It's hard not to sell when prices are this good and the pull of the feedlot is so strong," said John Michael Riley, an agricultural economist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.
As producers continue to reduce herd sizes nationally, prices should remain strong, but the result will be fewer animals available to sell in the future.
Corn growers feel the bite from a bear market
July 18, 2014 - Filed Under: Agricultural Economics, Corn
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Who knew Mississippi corn growers should worry about bears?
The bears are not in the fields eating the crop; they are in the market, eating the profits. When economists refer to a bear market, they are talking about declining stock prices over a prolonged period, usually a 20 percent or larger decline.
Brian Williams, agricultural economist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said several factors have pushed corn prices down in recent weeks.
Turf and hay battle armyworms, weather
July 25, 2014 - Filed Under: Forages, Insects-Forage Pests, Turfgrass and Lawn Management
JACKSON -- Turf and forage producers in Mississippi need fewer clouds and more sunshine.
In 2014, forage producers raised an estimated 600,000 acres of hay across the state. There are about 60 farms producing sod for sale in the state.
Turf production…
The unusually harsh winter melted into a cool, wet spring and summer, which slowed spring growth and intensified diseases and last fall's herbicide injury in sod, said Jay McCurdy, turf grass specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.
Catfish find challenges in cooler pond waters
August 1, 2014 - Filed Under: Catfish
STONEVILLE -- There is a reason catfish do well in Mississippi: hot summers.
"An unusually cool summer like we have had can create nice days for people, but the temperatures have caused some problems for our catfish," said Jimmy Avery, Extension aquaculture specialist at the Mississippi State University Delta Research and Extension Center.
Desire for truck crops keeps demand on rise
August 8, 2014 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Farming, Fruit, Nuts, Commercial Horticulture
JACKSON -- Locally grown produce continues to increase in popularity on Mississippi's kitchen counters, grocery shelves and restaurant menus as consumers seek fresher fruits and vegetables.
To get them, they often turn to the state's truck crops growers, who traditionally sold their specialty items, such as tomatoes, berries, nuts and sweet corn, from the beds of their pickup trucks.