text:
Newark on high alert as nor'easter starts dumping snow on city
Updated: Mar. 30, 2019, 11:32 a.m. | Published: Nov. 07, 2012, 6:35 p.m.
Recovery from Hurricane Sandy continues in Hudson County
Gallery: Recovery from Hurricane Sandy continues in Hudson County
By Star-Ledger Staff
By James Queally and Jessica Calefati/The Star-Ledger
NEWARK — New Jersey's largest city has not fully recovered from Hurricane Sandy, but city officials wasted no time preparing for the nor'easter that has begun to dump snow and rain across the northern part of the state this afternoon.
Mayor Cory Booker urged residents in low-lying areas to stay with family or find a shelter today and dispatched tree cutters throughout the city to quickly remove or secure trees damaged by the hurricane. The storm is forecast to bring wind gusts up to 65 mph and could easily cause more tree damage.
"We are taking this storm, in the city of Newark, very seriously," Booker said. "We are expecting the worst, even though this storm may not be that bad. We are expecting the worst and trying to plan and prepare for it."
Roughly 40,000 Newark homes and businesses remain without power more than a week after Hurricane Sandy struck the state. Booker warned residents about running generators or gas stoves inside homes where they ride out the nor'easter, citing the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning that have already claimed the lives of two city residents.
"Sandy was strong, but we have proven to be stronger," Booker said. "The resiliency of this city is incredible."
Increased numbers of city police and firefighters will be on call today to respond to the storm if needed. Public schools are in session now, Booker said, but a contingency plan is in place if facilities lose power and need to close early.
Follow @starledger
• Snow starts falling in N.J. as nor'easter winds pick up
• Damage from Sandy means ordinary nor'easter could have destructive impact on N.J.
• Nor'easter could cause more flooding, damage as N.J. continues to reel from Sandy
• Complete nor'easter coverage


...that makes me often think if there is no way that you can avoid corruption in the professional world because so bound is everything together that the more you try to resolve dependencies, the more they crop up in another form, in another aspect or place.
Velocity, that you often hear trumpeted in Scrum, can be quite misleading.
Velocity, in Scrum, is calculated by the number of features/tasks/stories/bugs completed/delivered/fixed by a Sprint member over a given period of time.
More specifically, in the Scrum context, the points associated with a Story - in Agile parlance, a User Story can have some points associated with it as an estimate of effort - are added up for each successfully delivered story and the sum is the velocity achieved for a sprint or a timebox. Velocity is a paraphrase, or an euphemism, for Productivity.
Productivity needs two parameters, too - one, time (usually called planned or scheduled) and two, money (usually called budgeted or allocated) - and as in matters of relativity (!), needs a surface ie., resources (usually called resources allocated).
The below image depicts all the data that is needed to measure productivity.
But, the picture although tells a lot still does not bring to light the need to measure productivity ie., a platform from which future planning, additional productivity improvements steps can be taken.
And, we also have the assignment of the resource - two resources are assigned to a task at 60 and 50% respectively and the formula (G12+G13) that has calculated shows (in the top left of the below image) that both the values have been taken into account to calculate the planned date.
Productivity is a dangerous metric to use or measure unless it is done in a mature environment and around maturer sets of people. Discussed or analyzed, especially on the internet where the amalgamation is made of disparities and varied cultures, the metric will fail to convince due also to relative application of local work culture and employee engagement parameters.
3. All Sprint members are co-located.


text:
Teamsters look to fight pension cuts
Jeff Bollier
DE PERE - Retired Teamsters fear it will take no less than an act of Congress to undo an act of Congress.
Former Morning Glory Dairy employees are among the nearly 40,000 Wisconsin Teamsters who face a 50 percent cut to their pensions under a 2014 law aimed at keeping large pension funds solvent. Approved as part of a federal budget bill, the the Kline-Miller Multiemployer Pension Reform Act allows pension plans, the Central States Pension Fund in this case, to request federal permission to slash payouts if their payments significantly exceed a fund's income.
The Washington, D.C.-based Pension Rights Center indicates as many as 100 of 1,400 multiemployer pensions could face insolvency in the next 15-20 years, making them eligible to pursue cuts similar to those the Central States Pension Fund has sought federal approval to enact. Central States has proposed cutting payments to close a $2 billion per year shortfall.
Local Teamsters affected by Central States' application to cut pension payouts have written letters, lobbied federal legislators and launched a local committee to coordinate efforts to oppose the cuts. Many are concerned that the cuts are not evenly distributed among retirees.
"We've sent letters. We've met on this, but what do we do now?" retired Teamster Larry Holterman asked. "Everybody understands we'll all have to take a cut, but the variance in how much is what we don't understand. We've got no more knowledge than when we started."
Clarence Calaway, who went to work delivering milk for Morning Glory after he was discharged from the U.S. Army 42 years ago, said most of the retirees' efforts have fallen on deaf ears since they were notified last fall of the plan to cut pensions. If approved, the pension reductions would take effect July 1.
"We're preparing for the worst," Calaway said.
Retirees and others affected by the Central States' proposed cuts have until Feb. 1 to submit their comments to the U.S. Treasury, which is evaluating the fund's request. To date, the application has received 1,923 comments.
Meanwhile Dale Dobbs, a retired member of the Teamsters Local 200 in Milwaukee, said he hopes local groups can organize their opposition and send representatives to Washington, D.C., for a demonstration in April planned to oppose the cuts more visibly.
"I want to help as many people affected by this as possible," Dobbs said. "This is going to be devastating to everyone affected."
The retirees know they're fighting long odds. A bill to repeal Kline-Miller, introduced last summer by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., failed to gain any traction and it is unclear whether it will be reintroduced in this session of Congress.
Jeff Jones, 65, said that without some alternate plan or effort from Congress, he'll have to find a new job. Jones retired in October after 41 years with Morning Glory and its predecessor companies
"We didn't work all these years to retire into poverty," Jones said. "The joke back when we were working was that we'd have to find a one-bedroom apartment next to a bus route after we retired. Now, that's closer to reality."
jbollier@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @GBstreetwise .
To comment on the Central States Pension Fund's request to cut Teamster retiree benefits, visit https://www.treasury.gov/services/Pages/Plan-Applications.aspx and click "Comment on This Application" in the center of the page.
For more information on local efforts to oppose pension cuts, visit MyCSPensionHandsOff.com.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Hezbollah slams Britain's terrorist group listing
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Lebanese group Hezbollah condemned on Friday the British government's decision to list it as a terrorist organization, saying the move showed "servile obedience" to the United States.
The heavily armed Shiite group, which is backed by Iran, said in a statement it was a "resistance movement against Israeli occupation" and described the British move as an "insult to the feelings, sympathies and will of the Lebanese people that consider Hezbollah a major political and popular force".
"Hezbollah sees in this decision servile obedience to the US administration, revealing that the British government is but a mere a follower in service of its American master," the statement added.
Britain said on Monday it planned to ban all wings of Hezbollah due to its destabilizing influence in the Middle East, classing it as a terrorist organization. It is already deemed a terrorist organization by Washington.
The most powerful Lebanese group's clout has expanded at home and in the region.
The group controls three of 30 ministries in the government led by the Western-backed Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, the largest number it has ever held.
Hezbollah and political allies that view its arsenal as an asset to Lebanon won more than 70 of parliament's 128 seats in an election last year, a major blow to Lebanese parties that oppose its possession of weapons.
It has also seen its regional influence expand with fighters in various Middle East conflicts including neighboring Syria.
Hezbollah was founded in 1982 by Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
Egypt places 2nd on 2021 list of Middle East military strength
We won't accept de facto policy on GERD, says Sudanese PM
'Trial marriage' is invalid, says Egypt's Dar al-Iftaa
Amid virus surge, EgyptAir sets new travel procedures for UK and France
Tags britain Hezbollah Iran Lebanon Revolutionary Guards Saad al-Hariri Shiite syria US
Britain to ban Lebanon's Hezbollah as terrorist group
Building on Syria war gains, Hezbollah scores political win
Hezbollah chief warns Israel against continuing strikes in Syria


I'm at a loss for words. This was amazing.
This has to be one of the best comebacks I have ever witnessed in my entire life. Last night, the Red Sox were down three runs with 2 outs in the ninth inning against Aroldis Chapman. Somehow, someway, they were able to tie it in the ninth and then walk it off in the tenth to complete a four-game sweep of the Yankees. This team is incredible.
I am going to start by saying this: I was fully expecting David Price to get rocked and lose the game. Instead, he came out and pitched a great game. Props to him. He struggled to start the game, but settled in after getting into some early trouble. I will say that after the first inning, I was really worried about what was in store. Fortunately, Price turned it around and had a really good outing.
The Red Sox lefty did get into another jam in the fifth inning after he allowed a single and a bunt to put a runner in scoring position with the top of the lineup coming up. Price was able to work around the jam and get two ground balls from Aaron Hicks and Giancarlo Stanton to escape the inning.
The Red Sox bats weren't able to get any run support for Price as they were getting shut down by Masahiro Tanaka. It seemed like the Red Sox were doing a great job of making Tanaka work, but they couldn't manage to put a few hits together and score a run. The first run came in the fifth after Mookie Betts took Tanaka deep over the Green Monster. This gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead.
Price was able to shut the Yankees down in the sixth after working around a lead-off walk. I really thought this would be the last inning for Price. Instead, Alex Cora opted to send him out for the seventh. Price allowed a single and a walk to start the inning and was immediately taken out of the game. Heath Hembree came out of the bullpen to try and escape the jam. Hembree had been really good at getting out of situations like the one he was put in on Sunday night.
Hembree started things off by walking the first batter he faced after the batter was trying to lay down a sacrifice bunt. You need to be able to throw strikes when a guy is giving you a free out. Aaron Hicks came up next and hit a ground ball to Xander Bogaerts that could have easily been a double play. Instead, the ball got away from Bogaerts and skipped into the outfield and scored two runs. Stanton then came up and drove in another run. The Yankees added one more to their inning total and had a 4-1 lead headed into the bottom half of the seventh.
The Red Sox had an opportunity to score in the seventh, but failed to drive the run in. It looked like they could also get a run in the eighth, but went scoreless in that inning too. Tyler Thornburg came into the ballgame for the ninth inning and got three quick outs after a lead-off walk.
This brings us to the bottom of the ninth inning with the Red Sox trailing 4-1. The Yankees brought in Aroldis Chapman for the save opportunity and had trouble with his command right from the start of the inning. He started things off with a long at-bat to Brock Holt that ended in a strikeout. He then walked Leon and Betts to bring up Andrew Benintendi with one out. Benintendi would strikeout, but Steve Pearce followed the strikeout up with a walk to load the bases for J.D. Martinez. Martinez hit a sharp line drive into center field that scored two runs. With the tying run on second base, Xander Bogaerts came up and hit a ground ball to Miguel Andujar at third base. Andujar's throw came up short of Greg Bird at first base and Bird couldn't handle it. Bradley was able to score from second base to tie the game up. The Red Sox couldn't finish the game off in the ninth, so the game went into extras.
Matt Barnes came out for the tenth and threw a 1-2-3 inning. Barnes really impressed me in his appearance in this one.
After two quick outs in the tenth inning, Sandy Leon hit a single to start things off. Leon then reached second after a wild pitch. Alex Cora decided to pinch-run Leon after the Yankees intentionally walked Mookie Betts. Tony Renda came in to run for Leon. Benintendi then hit a ground ball up the middle that Renda was able to score on. Unbelievable.
The Red Sox are now up 9.5 games in the AL East. That is the largest lead in a division in the majors. What a weekend for this team. They are back in action tomorrow night against the Blue Jays.


text:
Serious mortuary errors could be reduced by applying common patient safety protocols
New research investigating serious incidents occurring in the management of patient remains after their death concludes that safe mortuary care may be improved by applying lessons learned from existing patient safety work. The research, published today by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, analysed 132 incidents reported in England to a national NHS database between 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2013. The study is believed to be the first to systematically examine serious incidents of this nature.
Incidents included in the study related to the storage, management or disposal of deceased patient remains. They included 25 errors in post-mortem examination, or post-mortems on the wrong body, and 31 incidents related to the disposal of bodies. Of these, 25 bodies were released from the mortuary to undertakers in error, with nine buried or cremated by the wrong family. Nearly a quarter of all reported incidents in the study involved foetuses.
The study's lead author Mr Iain Yardley, who is a consultant paediatric and neonatal surgeon at Evelina London Children's Hospital, said: "This remains a deeply sensitive and contentious area that is a rigorous test of the quality of patient-centred care. A hospital board and its senior executives cannot promote their values in this regard if they fail parents by presiding over incidents in the management of the bodies of their precious children."
The researchers found that the reported underlying causes of all incidents included in the study were similar to those known to be associated with safety incidents occurring before death. They included weaknesses in or failures to follow protocol and procedure, poor communication and informal working practices.
Mr Yardley said: "Serious incidents involving a dead body are uncommon. However, the findings of our study serve as a warning to those responsible for the management of mortuary services of the significant risks inherent in such services and the potentially devastating incidents that can occur if these risks are not mitigated and errors are allowed to go unchecked."
Serious incidents after death: content analysis of incidents reported to a national database (DOI: 10.1177/0141076817744561) by Iain E Yardley, Andrew Carson-Stevens and Liam J Donaldson will be published by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine at 00:05 hrs (UK time) on Friday 24 November 2017.
For further information or a copy of the paper please contact:
Rosalind Dewar
Media Office, Royal Society of Medicine
DL: +44 (0) 1580 764713
M: +44 (0) 7785 182732
media@rsm.ac.uk
The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (JRSM) is a leading voice in the UK and internationally for medicine and healthcare. Published continuously since 1809, JRSM features scholarly comment and clinical research. JRSM is editorially independent from the Royal Society of Medicine, and its editor is Dr Kamran Abbasi.
JRSM is a journal of the Royal Society of Medicine and it is published by Sage Publishing.
Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE Publishing in 1965 to support the dissemination of usable knowledge and educate a global community. SAGE is a leading international provider of innovative, high-quality content publishing more than 1000 journals and over 800 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. A growing selection of library products includes archives, data, case studies and video. SAGE remains majority owned by our founder and after her lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures the company's continued independence. Principal offices are located in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC and Melbourne. http://www.sagepublishing.com
Related Death Articles from Brightsurf:
Recommendations to improve consensus of determining brain death, death by neurologic criteria
International professional societies developed recommendations for minimum clinical standards to determine brain death/death by neurologic criteria in adults and children to improve the consistency of these criteria within and among countries.
Silicones may lead to cell death
Silicone molecules from breast implants can initiate processes in human cells that lead to cell death.
Sleep, death and ... the gut?
A new study finds a causal link between sleep deprivation and death.
Risk of death from stroke falls by 24%
Thousands more patients each year are surviving strokes, as the risk of death and disability after a stroke fell significantly between 2000 and 2015, according to analysis by Guy's and St Thomas' researchers.
Cells control their dance of death
La Trobe University researchers have revealed for the first time how white blood cells control the final moments of their death, helping their own removal from the human body.
Predicting frailty, disability and death
In a study led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital, researchers analyzed patterns of movement among elderly study participants and found that irregular, spontaneous fluctuations could predict a person's risk of frailty, disability and death years later.
One in 10 people have 'near-death' experiences, according to new study
The new findings were presented at the 5th European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress.
Jobs vs. death toll: Calculating corporate death penalties
What misdeeds warrant corporate death penalties? A new study explores two case studies focused on industries that kill more people than they employ.
New role for death molecule
To unravel programmed cell death pathways, investigators examine a molecule deemed unimportant, and find new function.
Death near the shoreline, not life on land
Our understanding of when the very first animals started living on land is helped by identifying trace fossils--the tracks and trails left by ancient animals--in sedimentary rocks that were deposited on the continents.
Read More: Death News and Death Current Events


Polylactic acid (PLA) is growing rapidly in popularity as an alternative to petroleum-derived plastics for packaging and other applications. It is biodegradable, thermoplastic, and derived from renewable resources. However, there are characteristics associated with PLA that limit its workability. Particularly, the slow crystallization rate of PLA makes it difficult to process for injection molding and extruding when compared with many other thermoplastics. Nucelating agents are known to increase crystallization rates, and in fact, many have been explored for use with PLA. However, many of the compounds explored as nucleating agents for PLA are not ideal for food contact. Hence, there is a need for food-safe nucleating agents that will significantly improve the crystallization rate of PLA.
This invention provides a method for using B-cyclodextrins as nucleating agents for PLA. The B-cyclodextrins confer high crystallinity, high crystallization rate, good clarity, and non-coloring to the base polymer. Furthermore, the nucleating agents are food-safe and can be incorporated into PLA packaging intended for food applications. The invention also provides a bioplastics formulation which incorporates B-cyclodextrins loaded with plant volatiles possessing antifungal activity (see Technology Listing 06073) to control fungal rot of postharvest fruit. Additionally, the nucleating agents can function as a binding agent for ripening agents or other decay inhibitors for fruit.
Enables improved workability and higher performance of PLA: The B-cyclodextrins have been shown to significantly increase the crystallization rate of the PLA without impacting clarity. Also, higher resistance is achieved when using these compounds as nucleating agents.
Enables totally biodegradable packaging that is food-safe: Both PLA and B-cyclodextrins are starch-based products that are biodegradable and accepted for use with food.
Enables crop lost prevention and prolonged shelf-life of postharvest fruit: While serving as nucleating agents, the B-cyclodextrins can be loaded with plant volatiles possessing antifungal activity (see Technology Listing 06073) to control fungal rot of postharvest fruit.
This invention is useful for improving the workability of PLA films intended for food applications. Specifically, the invention is useful for enabling a totally biodegradable film capable of extending the shelf-life of postharvest fruit and potentially other foods items.


text:
Dive, Dive, Dive - The Red Submarine Experience
Looking back through some old articles, I came upon this page which I had put together in 2001 to provide for the people at a company then called Red Submarine a run-down of the incredible mess they had made of supplying me with a custom-built, top-of-the-range (at that time!) PC with dual boot facility for both day-to-day use and for recording music.
In light of my more recent experience with the Zinky company (see the blog) it is... interesting to reflect that different companies can behave in equally infuriating ways over a period of several years.
Having ordered and paid for the PC in April 2001, I was given four different delivery dates before the PC initially arrived.
The first two dates were agreed on with staff at Red Submarine but put off due to delays in testing. However both times I was not aware of the delay until after the delivery was supposed to have occurred.
The third attempt was due to incorrect postcode labelling, resulting in the PC being on the wrong van in the wrong part of the country.
When the PC finally arrived I was not supplied with most of the expected software CDs or manuals. The wrong SCSI adapter and CD re-writer had also been installed, so the PC had to go back to Red Submarine.
It took two attempts to get it collected. The failure of the first attempt was blamed on Business Post.
On its return the boot manager began reporting errors related to a non-existent hard drive. The SCSI adapter also developed an undiagnosed and intermittent problem on booting up.
I was sent a replacement boot manager program in the hope that I could install it myself, but none of the documentation was included.
Even when I obtained the full set of files from the Internet, the task of de-installing the old boot manager as well as installing a new one was too complex and risky for someone of my limited experience so the PC had to go back to Red Submarine again.
It took two attempts to get it collected again. The failure of the first attempt was blamed on Amtrak. When the PC did get collected, it took Amtrak three days to complete an overnight delivery (collected Friday, delivered Wednesday!)
On its second return the PC was found to have been damaged internally. The drive bay mountings were bent leaving the drives not properly in alignment with the front of the case. Also the SCSI adapter was still unreliable, although since moving the adapter to a different PCI slot it has shown an error only once.
It took six weeks for a replacement drive bay to be delivered (because it was a "special order") and when it came it was the wrong one.
Another replacement was promised within 24 hours. It was delivered promptly but it was also the wrong one.
Another different part was subsequently also delivered. Apart from not being what was required or requested, this part would not have fitted the case anyway.
Main Complaints
Most of the above aggravation could easily have been avoided by better communication, proper checking and attention to detail.
As three out of six deliveries and two out of four collections never happened as I was led to expect, I have wasted a great deal of time: five mornings, afternoons or evenings, ensuring I was at home and suitably alert to a knock at the door.
Over 8 weeks passed between the date when I first expected to receive and start using this PC and the time when I felt sufficiently confident to do so. During that time I spent instead many hours on the telephone with Red Submarine discussing failed deliveries and collections, items and components not supplied and problem diagnosis.
I have also spent over a dozen hours conducting extended testing: booting and re-booting the PC simply to try and discover why it was not working correctly.
For many weeks I had no productive use of the PC because there was always the possibility that it might have to be sent away again and anything could happen to the work on it when it was.
It was not cheap. I paid over three thousand three hundred pounds in the belief that the system and the service would be appropriately professional.
Despite writing directly to the Managing Director Andrew Wass twice, I have had no communication from him to suggest that he is even aware of this catalogue of problems.
Detailed Timeline
4 April: I sent an enquiry by e-mail with my proposed specification.
5 April: I received confirmation from Phil Elliott by e-mail.
6 April: I checked the specification of the suggested SCSI adapter on the Adaptec web site and noticed that it would not support internal Ultra SCSI device connections.
I telephoned Phil Elliott and pointed this out to him. He said he would follow it up and later that day I received an e-mail from him to the effect that I was correct and Red Submarine would fit a 29160 adapter, which was suitable, at no extra cost.
24 April: I confirmed by telephone that I would like to order a PC to the specification discussed and duly received an order confirmation by post.
25 April: I sent payment by return.
9 May: I waited until the day before the projected delivery date (10 May), at which point I telephoned to confirm delivery. I was told that a certain amount of testing still needed to be done so the delivery would more likely be 11 May.
10 May: I telephoned to confirm the 11 May delivery date and was told that the PC was not quite ready so delivery would be on the morning of Saturday 12 May.
12 May (This is where it starts going awry): I waited in all morning on 12 May. No delivery was made.
14 May: I telephoned Red Submarine to find out why the PC had not been delivered and spoke to Andy Ingle. I was told that the Delta 1010 audio interface had not been working correctly and that a new one was on order. I arranged a new delivery date of the evening of 16 May and requested that I be told if any problem would prevent that happening.
16 May: Having heard nothing untoward, I waited in all evening on 16 May. No delivery was made.
17 May: I telephoned Red Submarine to find out why the PC had not been delivered and spoke to Andy Ingle. I was told that the PC was still being tested because the SCSI hard drive had been getting too hot as a result of being mounted in a SilentDrive cover. I was also told that a voice message had been left for me but I could find no trace of one either on my home machine or work system. I agreed for the SCSI hard drive to be fitted without the SilentDrive cover and again pointed out that it was useless to discuss dates until the testing had been completed satisfactorily. Andy Ingle said he would call me when that was the case.
22 May: After hearing nothing for several days, I telephoned Red Submarine to find out the status. I was told that the PC could now be delivered on the evening of 24 May.
24 May: I waited in all evening on 24 May. No delivery was made.
25 May: I telephoned Red Submarine to find out why the PC had not been delivered and was told that the packaging had been marked with the wrong postcode and had hence been put on the wrong van, but would be delivered that evening.
The PC was subsequently delivered that evening by an unmarked grey Escort van - classy.
On opening the packaging, it was immediately obvious that it did not contain many of the expected CDs and manuals, e.g. for Windows 98. Nor did it contain a power cable!
26 May: I found a spare power cable and connected the PC up. I quickly observed that the CD re-writer was not showing up as a SCSI device. On opening the PC case, I found that it was an IDE CD re-writer and that the SCSI adaptor had only one internal connector, to which the Ultra-160 hard drive was attached. On re-booting the PC I saw that the SCSI adapter was reported as a 29160N which is a different specification from the 29160.
I telephone Red Submarine and spoke to Andy Ingle, explaining that the wrong SCSI adaptor and CD re-writer had been installed and I thought I should have received more CDs and manuals. I agreed to e-mail him a complete list, which I did that afternoon.
29 May: Following the Bank holiday, I telephoned Red Submarine and spoke to Andy Ingle, to confirm that he had received my e-mail. He expressed great concern anout the items and components that had not been correctly supplied and it was agreed that the PC would be collected on the afternoon of 30 May and returned to Red Submarine for the correct components to be put in. I was also told that the missing CDs and manuals had been "sent in a separate box" and should arrive any time.
30 May: I re-packaged the PC and, being on leave from work, waited in all afternoon for the PC to be collected. No collection was made.
31 May: I telephoned Red Submarine to find out why the PC had not been collected and was told the company had been experiencing problems such as this with Business Post. Another collection was arranged with Amtrak for that afternoon.
The PC was duly collected by Amtrak.
Approx 5 June: After hearing nothing for several days, I telephoned Red Submarine to find out the status. I also pointed out that the box of missing CDs and manuals had still not arrived and was told by "Mark" that he had definitely sent it but it might be taking some time because "small stuff usually goes by normal post".
7 June: I telephoned Red Submarine and arranged delivery for the morning of 9 June. I was told at that point that the error in supplying the wrong SCSI adapter and CD re-writer was due to the supplier not differentiating correctly between the 29160 and 29160N models.
I reported again that the box of missing CDs and manuals still had not arrived and was told that another set would be sent.
9 June: I waited in during the morning and the PC was duly delivered.
The packaging included a quantity of CDs and manuals. To date there is no evidence that any were ever sent separately after 29 May as claimed on at least two occasions by Mark.
9/10 June: I connected up the PC and began familiarising myself with it. I began to notice that when re-booting, the system device list sometimes reported the SCSI adapter was not working correctly, in which case the CD re-writer was not shown at all and the Ultra-160 hard drive was described as being under DOS compatability mode.
I re-installed the SCSI adapter drivers several times (from a hand-labeled floppy disk included with the other software CDs) but this did not achieve a cure. I even downloaded the drivers again from the Adaptec web site in case newer ones were available, but the downloaded ones were the same version.
At around this time, the boot manager also began displaying an error message when re-booting from using the "audio" system drive (but not when re-booting from using the "home" system drive). The error message referred to being unable to unhide a partition on hd4.
12 June: I telephoned the Red Submarine support number and spoke to Daniel Drogie. He suggested running a complete scandisk check on both system drives. I did so and no errors were reported. I informed Daniel of this and agreed that, as I could not run diagnostics on the PC during the week because it was located at home, I would wait until the weekend to investigate further.
16 June: I telephoned Red Submarine and spoke to Daniel Drogie again. He took me through using the setup dialogues in the boot manager to hide and unhide partitions manually. We eventually concluded that the error message was due to the boot manager thinking there was a fourth hard drive, with the same partition name as the second hard drive (the "home" system drive) when in reality there was not.
Daniel started talking through re-installing the boot manager but this was found not to be feasible. Daniel then e-mailed me a utility to check the partitions, which I copied onto the PC and ran. There were no problems evident.
As I was reluctant to send the PC back to Red Submarine a second time, I agreed to try installing a different boot manager if Daniel e-mailed the files. A Zip file was duly sent.
18 June: On examining the contents of the Zip file I was concerned to find that there was no documentation included on how to install the program, nor any on what needed to be done to de-install the previous one.
Having been told by Daniel that the new boot manager was freeware, I obtained a full distribution of it from the authors web site. The genuine Zip file contained considerable amounts of documentation on the program itself but I was still left unsure as to how to de-install the old one.
19 June: I telephoned Red Submarine and spoke to Daniel Drogie again. I pointed out that he had not sent me any documentation (about which he made no comment) and reminded him that I was still having problems with the SCSI adapter intermittently failing to work.
We agreed at that point that the PC would have to be returned to Red Submarine again which would allow Daniel to install the new boot manager and get the SCSI adapter working.
Daniel confidently assured me that the PC could be collected on the afternoon of 20 June, delivered to Red Submarine and fixed on 21 June and returned to me by the weekend. A provisional arrangement was made to this effect.
20 June: I telephoned Red Submarine at 9:45am, spoke to Daniel Drogie and confirmed that the PC would be collected by Amtrak that afternoon.
I waited in all afternoon. No collection was made. I telephoned the local Amtrak depot and was told that they did not have a collection on their list for my address.
21 June: I telephoned Red Submarine at approximately 9:40am and asked Daniel Drogie why the collection had not been arranged. I was told he "didn't know, Mark was responsible" and that Mark was not in the office, but he would find out and call me back.
I telephoned Red Submarine again in the afternoon because I had not heard anything and arranged for the PC to be collected on the afternoon of 22 June. To date no explanation has been offered for the failed collection.
22 June: The PC was collected at approximately 4:45pm
26 June: I received a telephone message from Daniel at approximately 9:15am and when I called back he asked me whether the PC had been collected! When I confirmed that it had, I was told that it had not yet been delivered to the Red Submarine address.
I located the consignment number on returning home and telephoned Amtrak who verified that the package had reached their York depot on the 23 June but did not know why it had not been sent on to its destination then. I sent an e-mail to Daniel with the consignment number.
27 June: I telephoned Red Submarine and spoke to Daniel Drogie, who confirmed that the PC had been delivered to them that morning, but did not offer a reason for the two-day delay.
Daniel confirmed that he had replaced the boot manager and it was working correctly. He also claimed that the SCSI adaptor was now working fully after every re-boot, as a result of him deleting the driver files and re- installing them. I pointed out I had already done virtually the same on several previous occasions, but he was adamant that the adaptor was now working reliably.
I arranged for the PC to be returned on the morning of 30 June.
30 June: The PC was delivered as arranged. I immediately noticed that it was not packed in the additional plain outer box that it had been collected in.
I unpacked the PC and connected it up. I then noticed that there was a gap between the edges of the floppy and CD drives and the front panel of the case which had not been there before.
I removed the top of the case and observed that the the drive bay assembly's retaining brackets were bent as if by a heavy impact. A bracket that protruded from the right side of the front fan enclosure (extending across the back of the floppy drive at a distance of about an inch) was also bent.
I checked the exterior of the case and the packaging again but found no evidence of unusual impact or abrasion. I then called Daniel to inform him of this and was told that the PC left Red Submarine undamaged and I could try "bending back" the affected parts.
I agreed to take some photographs with a digital camera and e-mail them to him so he could see the extent of the problem.
I also observed that the software I had installed on the "home" system prior to sending the PC back the second time was no longer present. I had not been warned that the hard drive(s) might be re-formatted but it appeared as if that had been done. Fortunately I had not put any irreplaceable data on the drive.
1 July: I e-mailed four pictures to Daniel with a commentary. Having examined the drive bay closely I concluded that it was out of alignment with the hole in the front panel in all three dimensions: it was too far back, too far down and too far to the right, by a distance of about 3mm.
I therefore felt that it would be very difficult to straighten the brackets back to the point where everything lined up correctly, and requested that I be sent a replacement assembly.
I also reported that I had again experienced errors on the SCSI adapter after a few re-boots.
1 July: I telephoned Red Submarine and spoke to Daniel Drogie, who confirmed that he had seen the pictures. He agreed to arrange for a replacement drive bay to be sent, although it might take some time because a whole case would have to be ordered.
I mentioned the continuing problems with the SCSI card, to which he suggested pressing in the card and all the connectors in case they had worked loose in transit.
4 July: At the first opportunity I removed the top of the case, lifted the SCSI adapter out of the PCI slot number 6 and checked the connectors. Both were so firmly fixed to the card that I could not easily unplug them and the connections at the Ultra-160 hard drive and CD re-writer were similarly firm.
I relocated the SCSI adapter in PCI slot number 5 and booted the PC to both the "audio" and "home" environments in turn. In each case I was prompted by Windows for the drivers so I used the same floppy disk copies as before.
The SCSI card performed correctly for the remainder of the evening, during which the PC was repeatedly booted both from a warm and cold start, into both environments.
5 July: Having assembled this chronology of hassle, I wrote to the Managing Director of Red Submarine, Andrew Wass, enclosing a copy as it stood at that point. I suggested in my covering letter that there might be a case for offering some tangible compensation for all that I have had to put up with, rather than the half-hearted apologies that had become the norm.
16 July: In the intervening two weeks I did not received a reply to my letter to Andrew Wass and I did not hear from Daniel Drogie. I telephoned Daniel to find out the status of the replacement drive bay. I was told that he had not been able to place an order until Andrew Wass had returned from a holiday and signed it, but this had now happened and he expected it to arrive with them that week.
Over the same period of time the SCSI sub-system had not been causing problems, so I installed some software and copied on several hundred megabytes of files, mostly to the "home" drive. However that evening I did experience an unusual event: On booting to the "home" environment the PC got as far as confirming the DOS code page settings, then the screen went blank and the PC re-booted itself. On selecting the "home" boot again Windows reported that an error had occurred, ran a scan of the disk and booted into safe mode. When I checked the system settings, the PC reported three identical SCSI adapters and four CD re-writers (two with a slightly different model number to the one installed).
When I shut down Windows and re-booted into normal mode again everything looked all right though, so I put this down to the wonder of Windows rather than a hardware problem.
2 August: Another two weeks went by with no sign of the replacement drive bay. I again contacted Daniel Drogie and received an e-mail in reply stating that it would be delivered on Monday 6 August.
6 August: The drive bay was not delivered on 6 August, and at this point there was still no reply of any sort to my letter to Andrew Wass. I wrote to him again, asking why this was so.
8 August: After the drive bay was not delivered on 7 August either, I e-mailed Daniel Drogie again pointing this out.
13 August: The drive cage was finally delivered between 9 and 11 August, during which time I was away. At the first opportunity I opened the packaging and found a covering letter dated 8 August from Andy Ingle, Customer Service Manager in response to two my letters to Andrew Wass. There was no indication that Mr Wass had even received the letters himself, despite the envelopes having been clearly marked "Private and Confidential".
Mr Ingle's letter was interesting on two counts: he re-iterated Daniel Drogies explanation that the drive bay was a special order, which is why it had taken the six weeks to arrive; he also apologised for the "initial problems" with my system and reassured me that "we have... where necessary reviewed our systems to make sure events of this kind do not happen in the future". Keep that phrase in mind...
Imagine my reaction then, when I found on unpacking the replacement drive bay and comparing it to the damaged one that it was not the right design! There was no vertical space on the left hand side where the floppy drive was mounted on my PC, so it had space for only five devices whereas my PC had been built from the outset with six: one floppy, three hard drives, two CD drives.
I e-mailed Andy Ingle and Daniel Drogie to advise them of this situation.
14 August: I received a telephone call from Andy Ingle, who explained that they had "had to take the drive bay out of a case they had and were not aware that the manufacturer had changed the design". He assured me that he had contacted the manufacturer who would send me the correct bay directly by the following day.
On re-reading Mr Ingle's letter of 8 August, I could not reconcile this explanation (of taking the incorrect bay from an available case) with the assertions in the letter that the drive bay had been a "special order", hence the time delay. How could another replacement bay then be sourced from the manufacturer within 24 hours when I had waited six weeks for the first one?
I e-mailed Andy Ingle again asking him to confirm whether the drive bay came from a case they already had and received a reply to the effect that the case concerned *had* been specially ordered to obtain a replacement bay.
15 August: Bright and early the following morning another delivery was made, with another drive bay... which was just the same as the first incorrect replacement. I sent an e-mail to Andy Ingle notifying him of this fact.
I received a prompt reply informing me that the part was "as specified by the manufacturer" for a 5U case and that he would "check further".
17 August: Two days later I received another e-mail from Andy Ingle to the effect that the manufacturer was checking the case specification and I would be informed of progress as soon as they replied. The e-mail concluded "If they cannot source this cage I will have to replace the whole rack under warranty" which in practice would entail sending the PC back a third time!
24 August: Approximately a week went by with no further news and then, a package was delivered from TMC Technology, postmasked Stevenage and containing what looked like a different component of the PC case, namely the right hand piece of the front fan enclosure, onto which the left hand side of the drive bay would fix.
29 August: After waiting to see whether anyone from Red Submarine would contact me about this delivery, (they did not) I sent another e-mail to Andy Ingle pointing out that I had no idea why I had been sent this different component, especially as on checking I found it would not fit in my case anyway.
17 September: Eventually I received a letter from Andy Ingle, ascribing the delay to problems with their e-mail service. The latter stated that if the replacement parts were wrong, and they had come straight from the manufacturer, it must therefore not be possible to source a replacement part and the whole case would have to be replaced, as suggested on 17 August.
26 September: I pondered the pros and cons for several days but eventually decided that it was not worth the risk of sending the PC off again just to cure a bent drive bay mounting, in view of the fact that the PC could sustain further damage in transit and there was no guarantee that the collection and delivery would be any less problematical than in the past.
I wrote back to Red Submarine to this effect, concluding: "On balance, if I am denied the option of replacing the drive bay myself, I prefer to live with the damage to the inside of the case rather than sending it on another round trip to York."
17 October: So that should have been the end of it, unless serious problems developed with the PC that could not be solved without the expertise of the Red Submarine support staff. But no, there was more to come...
Because exactly three weeks later, having had no response from Andy Ingle to my letter, I received a telephone call from Daniel Drogie, with the proposal that they get the PC collected and replace the case! I pointed out that I had declined that option in writing, which obviously was news to Mr Drogie.
Having convinced him that I was not letting the PC go back to Red Submarine, he moved on to the issue of collecting back the unsuitable case components that had been sent to me all those weeks ago. As they were considerably smaller and lighter than the whole PC, we agreed that I would take them to my workplace from where they could be collected, so that I would not have to waste more hours waiting in at home.
To my considerable surprise, when it was not my time that would be wasted by their incompetence, the boxes were collected by Business Post as arranged.
20 October: I realised again that althought the PC case came with a sizable fan in the front left corner, I had never been aware of it coming on, and was suspicious that it may not have been connected properly. To this end I installed the ASUS Probe software that was supplied on CD, which allows the temperature and voltage settings to be monitored. Although it was aware of a CPU fan, it did not show any information about the fans which were supposedly on the power supply and chassis.
This suggested that some more reading of the motherboard manual and checking of the internal connections would be worthwhile.
I never did do anything about my suspicions that the main fan was not connected properly. The glitches with the SCSI card went away and I have been using the PC regularly ever since, although not for recording music as much as I originally intended. C'est la vie!
The non-music Win98 SE system became flaky after a few years - main symptom was a refusal to shut down cleanly. I upgraded that hard drive to 160GB and installed XP while I was at it, with the predictable result that although it is now a lot more stable, it is also a lot slower. But what do you expect with a 1GHz processor and maximum motherboard memory capacity of 512Mb?


Whoever said, "You can't take it with you" didn't know a thing about truck-mounted air compressors. A&K Equipment offers truck-mounted air compressors that pack incredible power into their space-saving designs.
What kind of tools will it be powering, and will I be using those tools in short bursts or for long intervals?
How much air capacity will I need?
Am I looking for an engine- or hydraulic-driven compressor?
Need help deciding which truck-mounted air compressor is right for you? Ask one of our professionals! A&K serves the NJ, NY, and PA areas.


Hamburg Senior Residence goes beyond meeting all of the standards for independent living, and will meet all of your needs in the same award winning way we have done in years past. Our building is handicapped accessible on all of it's three floors through elevator access. Each floor has beautifully decorated and spacious common areas that are the perfect gathering place for residents. Aside from our three-story building, our community offers 62 garden style apartments. These apartments are available with one bedroom with one full bathroom or two bedrooms with one full bathroom. Our residents enjoy an array of amenities such as a theater room, a fitness center, community room, and a business center. Our outside grounds are lovely to stroll through community sidewalks. Sit for a spell with friends or loved ones in our beautiful gazebo. Our spacious, totally electric apartments have central heat and air, and all apartments come equipped with refrigerator, ranges, garbage disposal, and dishwasher. Every unit comes with washer and dryer at no additional charge. Kitchens have ample cabinet space and a lovely breakfast bar and island. We are a pet friendly community and welcome your furry family members to come along and join you in your new lifestyle. You may bring up to two pets. Our totally independent apartments offer free water use, but residents pay for electricity, phone, and internet services. In addition to these amenities, we are pleased to offer a professional staff committed to putting our residents needs first. There is ample parking for residents and their families. Each living space is unfurnished so that residents can add their own decor and individualize their personal space the way they would like to. Independent seniors 55 and up should check out our award winning Hamburg Senior Residence. There is no better place to enjoy your golden years. We take pride in our award winning community, and look forward to your visit with a specialized tour of the grounds.


I am Anastasia and I am a Greek designer and manufacturer of fine handmade jewelry. Most of my creations are inspired by ancient Greek history.
My passion for jewelry began at the young age of ten when started making pendants with strings of beads. The turning point came when I worked for a few months at a friend's jewelry workshop. After this, I went on to follow my true passion and studied jewelry design and manufacture.
After a career as an artisan and later as a sales manager in the same field, I started my own workshop back in 2006, crafting statement pieces from 14 - 18 karat gold and delicate precious stones. I believe in the concept of fine jewelry designed to be worn by modern women every day and for all occasions.
I believe that fine handmade jewelry shouldn't be reserved for special occasions. I want pieces that are casual and classic, elegant, personal, but above all, timeless. The beauty of the collection is found in the quality of the exclusive designs and the technical details that are infused in every piece.
Beside my exclusive collection I create handcrafted, unique (one-of-a-kind) pieces sold solely to selected clients. I live in the City of Patras, in western Greece where I run my workshop and retail store.


As St. Louis attorney Rachel Gold knows firsthand, the demands of the profession can take a toll on young lawyers. Some turn to drugs, some give up the job and occasionally one gives up altogether. According to the medical examiner, Sari Bashir belongs in the latter category. After she fell from the eighth floor of the downtown garage, the police rule her death a suicide and move on.


text:
Q: Consequences of tubular neighbourhood theorem Consider an oriented manifold without boundary S embedded in an oriented manifold M.
The tubular neighbourhood theorem says that there is a neighbourhood T of S in M which is diffeomorphic to $N_{S|M}$. Moreover the 0 section of $N_{S|M}$ composed with this diffeomormphism is the inclusion map $i \colon S \to T \subset M$. ($N_{S|M}$ is the quotient of $(TM)_{|S}$ by $TS$).
I have read on my notes that we can see every form $\omega$ on $N_{S|M}$ as a cohomolgy class on T. If $\omega$ has compact support on the vertical direction, then it vanish near the boundary of $\partial T$(closure if T), so we can extend it to a form on M...
My question is: how the form $\omega$ vanish near $\partial T$??

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Black Death Facts & Worksheets
Worksheets /Social Studies /World History /The Black Death Facts & Worksheets
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The Black Death was a pandemic plague that spread throughout Europe in the 14th Century. It's thought that the plague wiped out around half of the population of Europe with some estimates saying that up to 200 million people lost their lives. See the fact file below for more information on the Black Death:
The Black Death was most prominent in the years 1346 to 1353.
The Black Death is also referred to as the 'Great Plague' and the 'Great Mortality'. In London, England, it was named the 'Bubonic Plague'.
It was called the 'Black Death' because of the swollen buboes that appeared on people's bodies that turned the skin black.
It's believed that the Black Death originated in Central Asia and was caused by harmful bacteria that were brought to Europe via the fleas living on black rats.
The black rats entered Europe on trade ships that travelled between Europe and Asia.
At the time, people did not understand where the Black Death came from or how it spread. Many people blamed God or certain communities, such as Jewish people, beggars and lepers.
The first European country to be infected with the Black Death plague was Italy when trade ships carrying the disease landed in Sicily in 1347.
It's estimated that anywhere from 30-60% of people living in Europe died because of the plague, which amounts to up to 200 million people.
The Black Death killed 50% of the people living in Paris, 40% of the people in Egypt and 60% of the people in London.
Most people who caught the plague died within 12 hours of being bitten by an infected flea, carried by the rats.
When people died, many were buried in wooden caskets that were marked with a red cross to show they had died from the plague. However, people were dying in large numbers and quicker than the coffins could be made, so many bodies were simply thrown into mass burial pits.
The Black Death spread from Italy and infected most countries in Europe, including France, Spain, Portugal, England, Germany, Norway, Russia and even as far north as Iceland.
The plague spread so quickly throughout Europe because many of the towns and cities were cramped and dirty, which gave an ideal home to the infected rats.
The most common symptom of the Black Death was the appearance of buboes (infected swellings) on the body, in particular on the neck, armpits and groin.
Alongside buboes, people suffering from the Black Death also showed symptoms of fever, rashes, vomiting and blackened skin.
Outbreaks of plague happened on a regular basis during the 14th to 17th Centuries because people understood little about infection and how diseases could spread.
The Great Plague of London in 1665 was the last of the widespread plagues in England. It killed around a quarter of London's population.
The Black Death Worksheets
This bundle includes 11 ready-to-use Black death worksheets that are perfect for students to learn about the pandemic plague that spread throughout Europe in the 14th Century. It's thought that the plague wiped out around half of the population of Europe with some estimates saying that up to 200 million people lost their lives.
It Sounds Familiar
Picture Analysis
This download includes the following worksheets:
Black Death Facts
Fact or Bluff
Black Death in Numbers
Analyzing Primary Document: "The Report of the Paris Medical Faculty"
Eyewitness: Giovanni Boccaccio
Mysterious Black Death
Cure for the Plague
"Brother Abandoned Brother"
The Black Death Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 17, 2016
Link will appear as The Black Death Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 17, 2016
Black History Facts & Worksheets
Juneteenth Facts & Worksheets
Trail of Tears Facts & Worksheets


text:
I'm uneasy about Bin Laden killing, admits Archbishop while Dalai Lama says: Sometimes you have to strike back
By Sam Greenhill for the Daily Mail
Updated: 07:42 EST, 6 May 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday declared himself 'very uncomfortable' about the killing of unarmed Osama Bin Laden.
But as Americans insisted they had every right to celebrate the death of the 9/11 terror chief, they found an unlikely ally in the Dalai Lama, who seemed to suggest Bin Laden had it coming.
Amid growing international unease at the manner of the Al Qaeda leader's killing, the Archbishop said justice had not been seen to be done, adding that the White House's ever-changing story had not helped matters.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, left, yesterday declared himself 'very uncomfortable' about the killing of unarmed Osama Bin Laden, while the Dalai Lama seemed to suggest Bin Laden had it coming
Dr Rowan Williams said: 'I think the killing of an unarmed man is always going to leave a very uncomfortable feeling because it doesn't look as if justice is seen to be done.
'I think it's also true that the different versions of events that have emerged in recent days have not done a great deal to help.
Yesterday it was claimed Bin Laden was executed 'in cold blood' in his pyjamas and that all but one of his clan were unarmed and never fired a shot before being killed
'I don't know the full details any more than anyone else does. But I do believe that in such circumstances when we are faced with someone who was manifestly a war criminal in terms of the atrocities inflicted it is important that justice is seen to be served.'
Pakistan threatens to cut military co-operation with 'gung-ho' U.S. Bali bomber captured down the road from Bin Laden's secret compound
Terror secrets of bin Laden's mansion: Al Qaeda was planning to derail U.S. trains on 10th anniversary of 9/11
The Dalai Lama was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying: 'Forgiveness doesn't mean forget what happened. If something is serious and it is necessary to take counter-measures, you have to take counter-measures.'
Later, the Buddhist leader added a statement on his website stressing that such counter-measures must be done with 'compassion'.
The comments from Dr Williams are not the first time he has made a controversial intervention. In 2008, he called for Islamic sharia law to be recognised in Britain, and in 2003 he was criticised after accusing Britain of 'targeting Muslims'.
Some in Europe and the Muslim world have condemned the failure to arrest Bin Laden as a breach of international law, and have warned it may provoke a backlash. In addition, U.S. accounts of what happened on Monday at the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, have changed almost every day.
The latest version is very different from the first dramatic scenes painted by the White House which suggested U.S. commandos had come under heavy fire from bullets and rocket-propelled grenades as they battled to capture the Al Qaeda kingpin alive.
Yesterday it was claimed Bin Laden was executed 'in cold blood' in his pyjamas and that all but one of his clan were unarmed and never fired a shot before being killed.
U.S. officials privately concede that four of the five people shot dead by U.S. Navy Seals – including Bin Laden and his son Khalid – were not carrying weapons at the time.
However the CIA claims it is in possession of two guns seized from Bin Laden's compound, an AK-47 and a Makarov hand gun.
Bin Laden was in his bedroom wearing pyjamas when confronted by a Seal who shot him first in the chest and then in the head. The CIA insists he was shot because he made 'threatening moves' – apparently lunging for his AK-47. Contrary to initial claims of a 'highly volatile firefight', it is now believed the 24-strong squad of Seals was shot at by only one man – Bin Laden's courier – who aimed small-arms fire at them from his guesthouse in the grounds of the compound. The courier, Sheik Abu Ahmed, and his wife both died moments later when the Seals unleashed a hail of bullets in reply.
But apart from Sheik Ahmed, all the shooting was done by the Americans, according to fresh accounts coming from both U.S. officials and Pakistani sources.
The Seals moved on from the exchange with the courier to the main residence. The first Seal who entered the bedroom was said to have been charged at by Bin Laden's 27-year-old wife Amal Al-Sadah, who cried out her husband's name at one point. She was shot in the calf. The same Seal then turned his weapon on Bin Laden, shooting him twice to ensure he died.
However, it emerged last night that the Seals had forgotten to take a tape measure to help them check they had got their man. One of Bin Laden's key identifying features was his height, reportedly 6ft 6in.
According to U.S. officials, one of the strike team lay down next to the terrorist's body so his colleagues could estimate his height.
One of the terrorists behind the 2002 Bali bombing, which killed more than 200, was captured down the road from Bin Laden's compound after travelling to Pakistan to meet him, it emerged last night. Umar Patek and his wife were seized on January 25 in a raid on a nearby house.
Osama Bin Laden killing: Dalai Lama says 'sometimes you have to strike back'
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text:
include_recipe 'mongodb3::package_repo'

# Install MongoDB package
install_package = %w(mongodb-org-server mongodb-org-shell mongodb-org-tools)

install_package.each do |pkg|
  package pkg do
    version node['mongodb3']['package']['version']
    case node['platform_family']
      when 'debian'
        # bypass dpkg errors about pre-existing init or conf file
        options '-o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" --force-yes'
    end
    action :install
  end
end

# Create the db path if not exist.
directory node['mongodb3']['config']['mongod']['storage']['dbPath'] do
  owner node['mongodb3']['user']
  group node['mongodb3']['group']
  mode '0755'
  action :create
  recursive true
end

# Create the systemLog directory.
directory File.dirname(node['mongodb3']['config']['mongod']['systemLog']['path']).to_s do
  owner node['mongodb3']['user']
  group node['mongodb3']['group']
  mode '0755'
  action :create
  recursive true
end

unless node['mongodb3']['config']['key_file_content'].to_s.empty?
  # Create the key file if it is not exist
  key_file = node['mongodb3']['config']['mongod']['security']['keyFile']

  # Create the directory for key file
  directory File.dirname(key_file).to_s do
    action :create
    owner node['mongodb3']['user']
    group node['mongodb3']['group']
    recursive true
  end

  file key_file do
    content node['mongodb3']['config']['key_file_content']
    mode '0600'
    owner node['mongodb3']['user']
    group node['mongodb3']['group']
  end
end

# Update the mongodb config file
template node['mongodb3']['mongod']['config_file'] do
  source 'mongodb.conf.erb'
  mode 0644
  variables(
      :config => node['mongodb3']['config']['mongod']
  )
  helpers Mongodb3Helper
end

# Disable Transparent Huge Pages (THP)
# https://docs.mongodb.com/manual/tutorial/transparent-huge-pages/
cookbook_file '/etc/init.d/disable-transparent-hugepages' do
  source 'disable-transparent-hugepages'
  owner 'root'
  group 'root'
  mode '0755'
  action :create
  only_if {
    node['mongodb3']['mongod']['disable-transparent-hugepages']
  }
end

case node['platform']
  when 'ubuntu'
    if node['platform_version'].to_f >= 15.04
      cookbook_file '/lib/systemd/system/disable-transparent-hugepages.service' do
        source 'disable-transparent-hugepages.service'
        owner 'root'
        group 'root'
        mode '0655'
        action :create
        only_if {
          node['mongodb3']['mongod']['disable-transparent-hugepages']
        }
      end
    end
end

service 'disable-transparent-hugepages' do
  case node['platform']
    when 'ubuntu'
      if node['platform_version'].to_f >= 15.04
        provider Chef::Provider::Service::Systemd
      end
  end
  action [ :enable, :start ]
  only_if {
    node['mongodb3']['mongod']['disable-transparent-hugepages']
  }
end

# Create the mongod.service file
case node['platform']
  when 'ubuntu'
    template '/lib/systemd/system/mongod.service' do
      source 'mongod.service.erb'
      mode 0644
      only_if { node['platform_version'].to_f >= 15.04 }
    end
end

# Start the mongod service
service 'mongod' do
  case node['platform']
    when 'ubuntu'
      if node['platform_version'].to_f >= 15.04
        provider Chef::Provider::Service::Systemd
      elsif node['platform_version'].to_f >= 14.04
        provider Chef::Provider::Service::Upstart
      end
  end
  supports :start => true, :stop => true, :restart => true, :status => true
  action :enable
  subscribes :restart, "template[#{node['mongodb3']['mongod']['config_file']}]", :delayed
  subscribes :restart, "template[#{node['mongodb3']['config']['mongod']['security']['keyFile']}", :delayed
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Do you find your hair becomes extremely high maintenance after you started dyeing it because your natural roots start showing in less than a month? Or maybe you have stopped going in for regular haircuts because you so desperately want your hair to grow past your shoulders. We totally get the frustration! You want nothing more than to see your hair grow but it just won't seem to grow. So we are here to offer some of our insight on why your hair may not be growing as quickly as you'd like it to.
On average, your hair should grow about half an inch a month. Meaning, the average person's hair grows about six inches in one year. However, if you don't take care of your hair, there are many factors that can contribute to hair breakage which will inevitably stop your hair from growing past certain lengths.
Some of the main causes of hair breakage are over-processing your hair on a regular basis. This can include dyeing your hair, getting fresh highlights, or perming your hair. The continuous action of exposing your hair to chemicals gets rid of your hair's natural oils which keep your hair healthy. This type of damage can make it almost impossible for your hair to grow past a certain length because the ends of your hair continue to break and split.
If you do start colouring your hair, be sure to see a professional so they can do a full examination and consultation on your hair. They will give you the best options and tips to keep your hair as healthy as possible while you expose it to chemicals.
We all love to style our hair as much as the next person but, if you overuse hot tools or use them on a daily basis, they can cause major damage and affect the growth of your hair because using hot tools on your hair only accelerates the potential for damage by drying out and frying your hair.
You can help prevent hair breakage by giving your hair the time to get back to it's healthier and stronger self. Stronger hair can begin to repair itself and grow again. You know what that means ladies- flaunt what your momma gave ya!
Did you know that tying your hair up in a top knot when it's wet can actually damage your hair? The combination of wet hair being pulled tightly with uncovered elastics will cause hair breakage. If you have curly or coarse hair and continuously fight the natural way your hair wants to go, that will also cause breakage.
Try using scrunchies when you want to put your hair in a ponytail, plus cute scrunchies are totally back in style in 2019! And definitely avoid tying your hair up in a tight top knot before it has had the chance to dry!
If you find you have been giving these tips a try over a few weeks and still can't seem to see a difference, come in for a consult with one of our professionals. Your hair may need a good trim to stop the ends from splitting, or maybe we can suggest a hair therapy kit with a better shampoo and conditioner to help repair the breakage. Whatever the case may be, our professionals are ready to help your hair get back to it's healthier self and begin growing again.
Winter is destroying your good hair days… one snowfall at a time. During the colder months of the year, the cold weather outside, combined with the warm temperatures inside, can cause breakage and split ends to your hair. This affects all types of hair during winter. However, we are here to help you through the winter season so you can continue rocking your gorgeous mane of hair. We have provided some helpful tips you can follow to prevent winter hair damage this season.
The cool, dry weather can cause your scalp to feel very itchy and to become flaky. It is highly recommended to lighten up the amount of time you cleanse your hair with shampoo to prevent this from occurring.
Constantly exposing your hair to the cool dry air is not good for any type of hair. Whether your hair is natural, curly, wavy, relaxed or coiled, it is sensitive to cold weather. Cold weather contributes to your hair becoming more brittle and more exposed to breakage, split ends, and frizziness. We recommend using an oil-based moisturizer to add extra moisture to your hair with the combination of using less shampoo.
Cooler air also means no matter your hair texture, you should focus on seeing your hair stylist on a more frequent basis this winter. Your hair dries out during the winter from lack of moisture, which is why we recommend treatment therapy and good conditioners. Once a week, you should apply a good conditioner (preferably one recommended to you by your hair stylist) and let it sit in your hair for 30 minutes. The moisture from the conditioner helps repair the hair shaft.
The constant heat and dryness from styling tools will inevitably result in breakage and split ends for your hair. Use leave-in conditioners to help treat your hair and embrace your natural style more in the winter time. You can also try to use more styles that don't involve heat tools such as; buns, braids, twists, and ponytails.
Although we are always busy in the mornings, it is actually critical to dry your hair before exposing it to the cold. It all comes down to basic science – anything that is cold expands, and that's what will happen to your wet hair shaft in the cold weather. When hair expands, you are at a higher risk for hair breakage. It may also contribute to your hair colour fading quicker than normal. Take your time to make sure your hair is dry in the morning before leaving for work – your hair and wallet will thank you!
These tips are an easy way for you to maintain healthier and happier hair and reduce winter hair damage this season. Take care and moisturize your hair like you do your skin during the colder months. At Caralyn's, we are happy to help all of our clients with all of their hair needs. We look forward to seeing you for your next hair treatment!
Fall isn't just the season for pumpkin carving, lattes and oversized sweaters. It's the perfect time to experiment with new fall hair colour trends. As the leaves change from green to gold, sunny summer highlights fade away to make room for darker shades of auburn. In this season of change and transition, it is time to embrace our own changes in hair colour.
As we wave goodbye to the warm summer days and put away our floral dresses, let's look ahead to fall 2018 to make sure we are embrace the latest hair trends. From there, we can consider which fall hair colour trends would suit us best. Be sure to book an appointment with us because we want to help you stay on top of fall trends!
In this blog post, we will share 5 Fall Hair Colour Trends in 2018 for you to try out!
Balayage is a perfect fall transition to a more natural, multi-tonal finish. Whether you're blonde or brunette, It's a great look if you want to refresh your hair colour but not go totally overboard.
We are so busy in the fall season with back to school, so balayage is a perfect hair colour trend because it requires far less maintenance than a traditional colour. It goes out perfectly on its own and looks fresh for longer periods of time compared to a traditional colouring job.
Why not try Balayage, the has been such a colouring phenomenon of 2018, so why not try it out before the end of the year?
Lowlights are the complete opposite of highlights. Instead of elevating the colour in your hair, lowlights create depth and dimension to your hair. It's a perfect look for fall because the lowlight accents are darker than your base colour and can contrast your overly-highlighted summer hair, giving it a more natural fall look. Lowlight options are available at our salon so you can transition your hair colour from summer to fall.
According to beauty experts at Marie Claire, warm blonde shades have been on trend all year, but the perfect transition time is now. Blonde has never been more low-maintenance than it is now! Honey-Blonde Ombré acts as the ultimate fall grow-out disguise.
A nearly-black hair colour like a goth brown hair is a perfect edgy fall colour. Celebrities like Jenna Dewan and Nina Dobrev are pulling off this colour. If you want it to be a more dramatic fall look (maybe around the Halloween season), be sure to add a smokey cat-eye to enhance your overall look.
We are talking espresso, not pumpkin spiced lattes! Although, an espresso hair colour paired with a pumpkin spiced latte in hand would be a look for all! According to Giselle of Pierre Michel, brown hair colours this fall are leaning more towards more "woodsy" shades "from chocolate to espresso." There has never been a better time than now to go dark. The change of season is the perfect time to embrace a change in your look; drastic or subtle.
If we've convinced you to change up your hair for the fall season, be sure to book your appointment with us. Our dedicated team is here to keep you on trend so if you've been dreaming of your new fall look we are here to help.


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How To Win A Talent Competition
Under: Music Business
The last four Sundays, I've been a talent show judge.
Yes, I don't understand either why someone would pick a guitarist, let alone me to judge talent!
Be that as it may, I had a lot of fun emulating my hero – Simon Cowell.
"You have the personality of a handle." – Simon Cowell
The format was exactly like the TV shows, with one small change. We weren't allowed to give verbal feedback directly after the act had performed. Instead, we took notes and discussed who got a Yes, No and who needed more consideration in a holding room backstage.
The acts were mainly singers. Although there was a dance troupe who were good, a Chinese boy who played the piano like Ling Ling (no really, he's 14 and exceptional).
Then there was the case of the magician. He was so good he disappeared and couldn't be traced! Sadly, he didn't go on to win a talent competition!
I learnt a lot about performance, dance, sound levels, being positive when giving negative feedback. Let's looks a few of the key points you can learn from.
And maybe if you follow some of my points then you might be able to win a talent competition!
Get feedback when possible
The hardest part, in some ways, was having to wait around at the end to give feedback. You might see on the TV the phenomenon known as stage mothers. Yes, they exist in real life as well.
Luckily for us, other than one small run in (where we were already busy), there was very little drama and no tears.
I was fascinated that most of the acts we put through into the semi-finals, wanted some kind of feedback.
This included our piano wonder child. We couldn't fault with him, so had nothing constructive to say! As well as pro singers who knew they could sing and didn't need much feedback.
Not one of the acts we didn't put through came back for advice or to ask us why. This not only baffles me but drives me a little crazy.
There is always room to improve. I've been playing for over 15 years and I still learn something new every time I pick up the guitar.
That said, each contestant had the opportunity to talk with three industry experts, which is quite a rare opportunity. Those who sought our advice will hopefully put the feedback into practice and grow as a performer, even if they don't go on to win a talent competition.
Friends and parents are the worse people at giving honest feedback. They probably love you too much to be brutally honest. So you need to find experts who want to help you and will be honest.
The art of starting
A constant who inspired was a guy in his late 60s. He was in his 60 before he started singing. Apparently, over the years he's just kept singing and has developed a great voice in his style.
He spent years performing and singing badly only to keep going and refining his craft. The point is, he started, then he kept going.
If you want to learn to sing, play the guitar or paint. Start today and refine from there. Don't wait until life slows down or work eases up.
Life will only get slower when you're dead or close to heaven's door. Plus by that point, it's likely that you won't have the brain power to learn a new skill.
Join a local choir or jam night
The best advice I can give to any contestant and to you is: Get out there and try. Sure, it's scary but you'll find that you will improve greatly by pushing yourself.
Local jams and community choirs are a great training ground. They'll help you learn your craft and smooth some of your rough edges. Plus they're a superb way to get over your fear of performing.
Also, you'll get more opportunities by meeting like-minded people. If you know you're gifted, you have to share it with the world!
If you haven't been to a local jam session before then read my guide to Jams.
Are you ready to perform?
The other slight change to the regular format is that each act has two songs. While seemly a small change, this created a huge amount of problems.
Firstly, very few artists thought about what to say in between. While some laughed nervously, others used a lot of umms! This is also a great tip for all those who perform. Think about what you're going to say in between songs.
Use this short break to tell the story of the song you've just sung or maybe the next one. If you don't have a story or something interesting to say, then ask the crowd how they're doing today or if they're having a good time. If you're playing guitar, tune it during this short break!
If you're a support artist, use this time to thank the main act. Tell the crowd why you like the main act. Also, don't forget to mention your CD and merch!
The one rule of chatting – keep it short, fairly funny (but don't try to be a comic) and if possible, lose the nervous laughter. I know that's hard, but please try!
Sony Choice
Another big issue was song choice. We watched over 40 performers. However, only 6 had chosen two songs which suited their voice or act. The rest chose one good song and one which didn't help them win a slot in the semi-finals.
The person who sticks out was a lady who sang "Somebody Else's Guy" – a funky dance track from the 80s. The seven and a half minutes long arrangement was enormous. We lost interest fast.
In addition to a massive arrangement, she also picked the wrong key for her range. This didn't help either. She killed it and not in a good way!
However, her second song was by Duffy. In two bars, she transformed into a completely different singer! She sang the 3-minute tune beautifully and left us wanting more! Luckily for her, that song saved her. She got through based on that song alone.
Performing tips
When planning a performance think short, sweet and memorable. Leave the audience wanting more.
Another common problem was stage presence or lack of it. Hiding behind a mic stand isn't really performing. Nor is sudden and awkward movements!
Like with chatting in between, think about how to use the stage to add depth to your performance. I know that's a lot to think about. However, it all transfers to the crowd.
If you look happy and like your enjoying yourself, the crowd will pick up on it and they'll feel like they have been entertained!
Don't enter a local talent competition judged by me!
Well, this goes without saying really! But really, follow my tips and you just might win a talent competition! Even if you don't plan to enter a competition, using any of these tips will make your performance that extra special!


Love being able to feel the ground. I've put the thermal insoles in for winter which does affect the width fitting for my marginally larger right foot. Couldn't go bigger though as already a decent thumb space at the end, so I'd prefer an option for increasing the width. Overall,happy with the design and feel and the shoe that's slightly too tight does seem to be giving enough to keep them comfortable.
Hope these soles last longer than 1 year - would love an option for resole on all the shoes - feels a huge waste throwing away my previous very good set of Fulham ankle boots just because the soles have worn through after a year.
I've only had these a couple of weeks and am still getting used to them, wearing them all day indoors at work, gradually building up to walking to and from work in them. They are really well made - they look and feel lovely. My feet are SO comfortable in them and they look more stylish and less 'strange' than I had anticipated. I've just ordered a second pair of barefoot shoes as I don't like the feel of my old shoes any more. My back and (right) knee are so much happier in the barefoot shoes.


For too long now sales has lived in the shadow of corporate and marketing strategies, but these tend to provide limited direction. They are usually too broad and generalised or too narrow, only focused on financial results. That makes them of little tangible value in the pragmatic world doing business. That being said Selling is often seen by management as the unit that gets the business in; a tactical function in the value chain at best.
However, selling is much more complex than just getting in business. Selling is where the 'rubber hits the road'; where the concept of micro-marketing and micro market segmentation, which best describes sales strategy, focuses your business and your sales efforts in a way that directs salespeople on a sustainable basis and tells you if your business, marketing, and sales strategies are viable and paying real dividends.
Sales Strategy is vital to business success, yet very poorly understood or executed in businesses.
Read more at the Barrett Sales Blog Site.
The seventh Sales Trend for 2014 is 'The Normalising of Social Media in Sales'.
This sales trend is seeing businesses really ramping up their use of social media and in very sophisticated ways. Rather than seeing social media as a tack on to the marketing budget, smart businesses are now creating their own social media departments which are actively working in concert with sales, marketing, and other departments to create real-time content that is engaging, relevant and interactive.
Prospects and customers have never been closer to our businesses – they are just a click away. They can scrutinise us as much as we can scrutinise them in real time. Social media is the window into our customers' world and it tells us so much – if we would only listen and engage.
We could be forgiven for thinking that everything about selling revolves around numbers, developing new opportunities, making sales and achieving results. Because that is what is usually written and spoken about at board room tables, sales meetings, and in manner of articles.
The pursuit of finding securing opportunities is relentless.
It is little wonder then that many salespeople find themselves feeling off colour or even distressed every now again, especially when times or markets are tougher than usual. It is hard enough to maintain your own momentum, let alone having a sales manager or boss breathing down your neck chasing the numbers.
Have you ever tried online sales training? Why not try this complimentary Sales Essentials Module – ethics, philosophy and history of selling? Why? Because the world of sales education and training is evolving and online sales training is starting to take hold. Whilst classroom training will always have its place, here are 7 reasons you might like to include online sales training in your repertoire.
In our digital world it is becoming much easier and quicker to find and contact people we want to get in front of. Just think LinkedIn and how easy it is to research prospects by title, industry and company, or using Google to research industries by location, speciality, etc.
There should be no excuse about not being able to find and contact prospects.
It's all in how you do it. Let's take a look.