Anyone remembers the Snake game that used to come with old Nokia phones? This micro:bit version in glorious 5×5 resolution is easy to make and fun to play!
In this step by step guide, we will build a snake game from scratch, handling controls, movement, win and lose conditions, as well as the drawing of the game board.
Actual coding looks cooler than block-based drag-drop coding. I know it's intimidating, but look at these colours!
Once set up, connect your micro:bit to your computer using the micro-USB cable. It should connect to the port at the top of the backside of the micro:bit. Once ready to be flashed, the micro:bit should light up bright yellow. Ignore this step if you're on the simulator. Otherwise, stop reading and set it up if you haven't already.
Six simple steps to SNAKE!
By breaking the code into separate portions, each aspect of the game can be tested individually to ensure that they are all functioning as they should.
By checking the code constantly, we can be sure that what has been written so far is correct.
all necessary libraries for the project.
Since the project is a fairly simple one, we just need the default micro:bit library and this nifty function called randint that produces the random numbers we need.
all the variables we will need later.
A point on the board is represented by a list [x, y] with x representing the column and y representing the row. The snake is a list of these points (yes, a list of lists!) as it contains more than one point. It starts as a single pixel at the top left of the screen, denoted by [0,0]. After which, more points will get appended to the list. The food is a single pixel positioned randomly somewhere else (not in the same row or column).
Each direction is represented by a list containing an increase/decrease in the column, or increase/decrease in the row (In essence, a vector). For example, right is represented by [1, 0] – an increase in the column by one, and no increase in the row. The snake is moving right by default, which is the first option in the list of directions. For the snake to turn leftwards, we simply go to the next direction in the list (right -> up -> left -> down -> right). For the snake to turn rightwards, we go to the previous direction in the list.
The code within the loop repeats an infinite number of times, or until the loop is broken. Remember, this is Python, so all subsequent lines will have to be indented.
First, we clear the display of anything that was previously drawn, so that we start with a blank slate. Next, we draw the food particle as a bright light on the display. After that, we loop through the snake list and draw every single pixel at medium brightness. Then, the program pauses for 0.8 second before redrawing the screen again.
It is important to constantly check that everything is as it should be. At this point, There should be two pixels on the board lighting up on the board. Press the reset button and the food particle will move to a different location.
the snake and figure out what happens next.
The whole code should be placed on top of the previous display code. (See completed code for reference). The first line determines the next pixel the snake will move to. Based on the current location of the head of the snake and adding the direction (in terms of row and column), we can find the next pixel. By obtaining the modulo 5, we can wrap the snake around the edge of the board.
What happens if this next block is already occupied by the body of the snake? In this case, a collision happens and the game ends. Note that break stops the while: True loop from running.
The next block is now made the new head of the snake. Next, we check if a piece of food has been eaten. If so, then a new piece of food should be generated. If not, the tail of the snake should removed so that the snake is moving, not simply growing longer.
Become infuriated as you realize that there is no way to win the game.
This code should be placed on top of the display code, but below the movement code. (See completed code for reference). What it does it continually check if the snake contains twenty five pixels, which is the entire board. If that is the case, the player wins!
Enjoy your fully functional snake game.


text:
Put down the skim milk: Full-fat dairy is having a major moment
by Erin Magner, June 14, 2016
Photo: Viktor Hanacek/Picjumbo
Sorry skim milk and fat-free yogurt, but you're starting to feel as dated as Jazzercise and the Thighmaster.
That would be because, thanks to a deluge of new research suggesting that saturated dairy fat isn't the death sentence doctors once claimed it to be (quite the opposite, in fact), science is once again proclaiming whole milk, yogurt, and cheese to be healthy diet must-haves.
World-renowned doctors such as David Ludwig and Drew Ramsey have written books extolling the virtues of a fat-rich diet, dairy products included. Food brands are big-time investing in their full-fat dairy offerings (more on that later), while nutrition arbiter Michael Pollan went so far as to say "low-fat milk is kind of a joke."
"The scientific evidence that tells us saturated fats are harmful has been significantly questioned by the medical community," says Dr. Ramsey, a spokesperson for Stonyfield Organic. "This doesn't mean to run out and eat them with abandon, but it does mean that products like full-fat yogurt are a healthy choice."
Surprised? Keep reading.
Photo: Angelina Litvin/Unsplash
Busting the full-fat dairy myth
At the heart of this dairy debate are saturated fat and cholesterol. In the '60s, when the low- and non-fat craze first took hold, these two substances were linked to heart disease and obesity. But flash forward to today, and despite the prevalence of skinny lattes and fat-free yogurt, the US population is heavier than ever. Meanwhile, as Dr. Ramsey points out, "the majority of observational studies do not find an association between dairy products and a risk of heart disease."
Not only that, but current research indicates that eating full-fat dairy products actually decreases the risk of many illnesses, including colon cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
So what gives? Dr. Ramsey suspects that since full-fat dairy is highly satiating, it can curb the urge to mindlessly snack on less natural foods. Plus, he says, "People often forget that the diets from around the world, like the Mediterranean diet, have always utilized fermented dairy products. The healthiest diets have dairy in them." (And we're pretty sure those Blue Zone residents aren't putting fat-free yogurt in their tzatziki.)
Photo: Fabian Blank/Unsplash
Dairy fat makes a comeback
As those in-the-know become increasingly full-fat curious, brands are responding with new product lines—all of which have come a long way from their 1950s forbearers.
One of the first to enter the arena was Smári, a California-based brand of organic Icelandic-style yogurt. "I've always been a big fan of dairy fats," says founder Smári Ásmundsson, who notes that when a product is higher in fat, less sugar is required to make it taste good. (And there's a lot of sugar in most yogurts.)
Nonetheless, when he launched his company in 2013, he did so with only non-fat flavors. "Three years ago there was essentially no market for whole milk yogurt, so we did what we needed to do to survive," he explains. A year-and-a-half later he decided to take the full-fat plunge, and the whole milk line did amazingly well—so much so that his vanilla whole milk yogurt is the best-selling flavor in the company. "For our next product launch we will be focusing purely on whole milk," he says.
Stonyfield is also betting the (dairy) farm on the healthy fat renaissance with several new products, including a 100 percent grass-fed whole milk yogurt. Why grass fed? Echoing a recent study, Dr. Ramsey notes that when cows eat as nature intended them to, the fats in their milk become even healthier.
"In organic and grass-fed dairy products you have a 60 to 80 percent increase in healthy fats that we want people to eat, like CLA, omega-3s, and monounsaturated fats, and a significant decrease in the saturated fats that have people concerned," he explains. "So going organic and grass fed is going to improve the nutritional profile of yogurt in exactly the way we would want."
Even cottage cheese—the OG diet snack—is getting the full-fat treatment, thanks to SoCal brand Good Culture. "We launched as an organic brand with higher levels of milk-fat and the response has been amazing," says co-founder Jesse Merrill. "People are looking to real food as their primary source of nutrition, and they want full-fat dairy products that are satiating, delicious, less processed, and contain less junk." (Skim milk, we're looking at you.)
Should we still be counting fat grams?
According to Dr. Ramsey, there's not a specific amount of fat we should be aiming for each day. Rather, he says, "When I work with patients nutritionally I'm trying to get them to increase the nutrient density of their diet… eating plant-based with lots of seafood and fermented foods like grass-fed and organic yogurts." One less thing to worry about on your fitness tracker—and one more thing that's about to seem positively retro.
Yes, healthy fats are still healthy when they're turned into frozen desserts—these three super delicious recipes are proof. And if you're still not into dairy, you'll want to try these creamy, cheeseless pasta dishes.
Nutrition Tips, wellness trends

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
Q: Linux bond mode 802.3ad not activated on a server running Debian Stretch I configured a bond0 with the 802.3ad mode as following:
auto bond0
iface bond0 inet manual
        slaves eth0 eth2
        bond_miimon 100
        bond_mode 802.3ad

The bond0 interface is up and and running but it's working with the load balancing (round robin) mode:
root@servir01:~# cat /proc/net/bonding/bond0
Ethernet Channel Bonding Driver: v3.7.1 (April 27, 2011)

Bonding Mode: load balancing (round-robin)
MII Status: up
MII Polling Interval (ms): 100
Up Delay (ms): 0
Down Delay (ms): 0

Slave Interface: eth0
MII Status: up
Speed: 1000 Mbps
Duplex: full
Link Failure Count: 2
Permanent HW addr: e4:1f:13:65:f0:c4
Slave queue ID: 0

Slave Interface: eth2
MII Status: up
Speed: 1000 Mbps
Duplex: full
Link Failure Count: 2
Permanent HW addr: e4:1f:13:36:a3:ac
Slave queue ID: 0

On the switch the LAG is correctly created with the LACP enabled and it has both ports up and running:
[

The same machine has another bond interface (bond1 on eth1 and eth3 interfaces) configured in the very same way, connected on the same switches, and the LACP is working good:
Bonding Mode: IEEE 802.3ad Dynamic link aggregation
Transmit Hash Policy: layer2 (0)
MII Status: up
MII Polling Interval (ms): 100
Up Delay (ms): 0
Down Delay (ms): 0

802.3ad info
LACP rate: slow
Min links: 0
Aggregator selection policy (ad_select): stable
System priority: 65535
System MAC address: e4:1f:13:65:f0:c6
Active Aggregator Info:
    Aggregator ID: 1
    Number of ports: 2
    Actor Key: 9
    Partner Key: 1010

Why the bond0 interface doesn't want to enable the LACP?
Where I am wrong?

A: Old question, but since it comes up pretty early in searches, and I had a similar setup, with the same problem. Here's how I got it working, (using ifenslave on Debian stretch)...
/etc/network/interfaces...
    # The loopback network interface
    auto lo
    iface lo inet loopback

    # bond0 is the bonded NIC and can be used like any other normal NIC.
    # bond0 is configured using static addressing.
    auto bond0
    iface bond0 inet static
    address <your static address>
    gateway <your gateway>
    # bond0 uses standard IEEE 802.3ad LACP bonding protocol
    bond-mode 4
    bond-miimon 100
    bond-lacp-rate 0 (This is on a small NAS, so no rush)
    bond-slaves none

    # eth0 is manually configured, and enslaved to the "bond0" pseudo NIC
    allow_hotplug eth0
    auto eth0
    iface eth0 inet manual
    bond-master bond0

    # eth1 ditto, thus creating a 2-link bond.
    allow_hotplug eth1
    auto eth1
    iface eth1 inet manual
    bond-master bond0

What was the cause?
Well, the NICs would come up, the bonding driver would grab them, then the NICs would go down to reconfigure to be slaves, and the bonding driver would panic 'cos it had no slaves, and ran around like a headless chicken (round robin).
Now, the bonding driver comes up, sees that it has no slaves, so it sits back and waits... The NICs see that they have a master, so they go and report in, get their addresses from bond0, and off to work they all go.

A: tested on debian 10 (after reading this thread and the debian bonding documentation)
config is below (no other files edited - modules or something like that)
auto enp4s0f2
allow-hotplug enp4s0f2
iface enp4s0f2 inet manual
        bond-master bond1
        bond-mode 4

auto enp4s0f3
allow-hotplug enp4s0f3
iface enp4s0f3 inet manual
        bond-master bond1
        bond-mode 4

auto bond1
iface bond1 inet static
        address 1.2.3.4
        netmask 255.255.255.0
        bond-mode 4
        bond-slaves none
        bond-miimon 100
        bond-lacp-rate 1
        bond-updelay 800
        bond-downdelay 400
        bond_xmit_hash_policy layer2+3    # optional, sets the bonding algorithm

what's new:

*

*interfaces are brought up BEFORE the bond

*the bond mode is specified also @ interface level

*the bond has no slaves defined

A: Have spent few days after Debian 10 buster upgrade (full-upgrade) to Debian 11 Bullseye, so want to share the bonding issue solution.
After Debian Linux upgrade, existing trunk configuration is not working anymore. There are breaking changes, referred as bugs:

*

*https://www.debian.org/releases/bullseye/amd64/release-notes/ch-information.html

*https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=990428

*https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=968368
And previously on Debian 10 working bond0 configuration was like this:
cat /etc/network/interfaces.d/bond0

auto enp9s0f0
iface enp9s0f0 inet manual
        bond-master bond0
        bond-mode 4

auto enp9s0f1
iface enp9s0f1 inet manual
        bond-master bond0
        bond-mode 4

auto bond0
iface bond0 inet static
        address 192.168.23.1
        network 192.168.23.0
        netmask 255.255.255.128

        bond-slaves none
        bond-miimon 100
        bond-lacp-rate 1         # 'fast' detection, every 1s, instead of 'slow', every 30s
#        bond-updelay 100        # optional, mostly for debugging
#        bond-downdelay 100      # optional, mostly for debugging
        bond-xmit-hash-policy layer2+3    # optional, sets the bonding algorithm

which resulted in no bond0 configured or even errors like these:
RTNETLINK answers: Cannot assign requested address
run-parts: /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/ifenslave exited with return code 1
networking.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE

or
journalctl -n -u networking

showing error line
No iface stanza found for master

where 'stanza' is so called module configuration, term used by developers.
The root cause of that is the ifenslave package was refactored a lot, main idea was to remove the "stanza" from child items, which are physical interfaces (nic), and keep it all in one place, e.g. bond interface it self.
Also even in ifenslave version 1.22 bug left, referring to nonexistent command ifstate in Debian 11. Easy and quick fix is:
sed -i 's/ifstate -l/ip link show dev/g' /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/ifenslave

Even after fixing this, bonding does not work, this means there are bugs of issues why bonding is not working on Bullseye.
Going through the code I found that the key change was not only to remove bond-mode from child and put it back to bond interface configuration, like it was in early package days, but also revert back to the early format of bond-slaves.
Thus working Debian 11 Bullseye bonding configuration file looks like this:
cat /etc/network/interfaces.d/bond0

auto enp9s0f0
iface enp9s0f0 inet manual
        bond-master bond0

auto enp9s0f1
iface enp9s0f1 inet manual
        bond-master bond0

auto bond0
iface bond0 inet static
        address 192.168.23.1
        network 192.168.23.0
        netmask 255.255.255.128

        bond-mode 4
        bond-slaves enp9s0f0 enp9s0f1
        bond-miimon 100
        bond-lacp-rate 1         # 'fast' detection, every 1s, instead of 'slow', every 30s
#        bond-updelay 100        # optional, mostly for debugging
#        bond-downdelay 100      # optional, mostly for debugging
        bond-xmit-hash-policy layer2+3    # optional, sets the bonding algorithm

Update 2022:
Recently on one of metal servers I got issue, that after kernel upgrade and removal of old kernel, system become networkless.
Long story short - there can be case, that bonding kernel module is not loaded, not present, or any loading failure because of version mix up, or initrd mess-up. Check that with:
lsmod | grep bond
bonding               167936  0

If it's not there, this is a culprit of the problem. Try to load module manually modprobe bonding and check if it loads. Investigate does loaded kernel version corresponds to what is supposed to be uname -r and check if modules directory is present for that version.
Reference: https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/networking/bonding.txt

A: I solved this problem adding the following to the bond configuration in /etc/network/interfaces:
bond_xmit_hash_policy layer2+3

After adding this configuration and restarting networking everything is working well.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
California judge rules inmates owed $1,200 stimulus payments
The CARES Act did not specifically prohibit payments from being sent to these individuals
By Brittany De Lea FOXBusiness
California is seeking to ensure that residents receive their $1,200 economic impact payments – even if they are incarcerated.
A federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled on the side of lawyers who brought a class-action lawsuit against U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig arguing that denying these individuals relief checks based on their incarcerated status is unlawful.
The agency has until later this month to decide on whether it will follow through on these payments.
The IRS updated stimulus check guidance following a preliminary injunction issued in California to clarify that incarcerated individuals cannot currently be denied a $1,200 check.
The government, however, is appealing the ruling.
A spokesperson for the IRS did not return FOX Business' request for comment.
CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS CASH: FOREIGN WORKERS, RELATIVES OF DEAD ASKED TO SEND $1,200 CHECKS BACK
The language of the CARES Act did not specifically prohibit payments from being sent to these individuals.
In May, the IRS declared that incarcerated people were ineligible.
A report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said more than 84,600 checks totaling about $100 million were sent to people in prison.
The agency has also said that decedents are not eligible recipients of economic impact payments – and the agency has asked that relatives or family members return that money to the government.
Lawmakers have been unable to reach an agreement on an additional round of stimulus relief, though talks are ongoing.
A previous proposal by Republicans updated language for direct payments to preclude individuals that it did not intend the checks to be sent to, like decedents.
Kudlow: Voters have 'utterly rejected' Biden's policies
Nasdaq enters correction, oil nears $87
Biden admin slammed for missing deadline to implement key GOP priority in infrastructure law


Cornea Consultants of Texas is participating in a nationwide clinical trial of the Implantable Miniature Telescope (by Dr. Isaac Lipshitz), a medical device already FDA approved for patients with the most advanced form of macular degeneration (AMD) who have not yet had surgery to remove a cataract.
The clinical trial will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the device in patients with End-Stage AMD who already had their cataract removed from the eye chosen to be implanted.
Cornea Consultants of Texas is actively seeking patients to participate in the telescope implant treatment program. For more information, please call Jessica Yarborough, Cornea Consultants of Texas, at 817-529-3100 or visit www.CentraSight.com or call 1-855-550-1041.


text:
Phillips Idowu
Triple Jumper
DecemberDec 30, 1978
DecemberDec 30, 1978 (age 40)
Triple Jumper#6
British triple jumper known for his colorful personality who took silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and has won gold in the 2009 World Championships, 2010 European Championships, and the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
He grew up in Hackney, a borough in London.
He battled injuries in 2012 and was unable to qualify for the Olympics, which were in his hometown of London that year.
He has two children, Prince and D'Karma.
In 2013, he joined comedian Jack Dee and other British celebrities in "Through Hell and High Water," a canoeing challenge to raise money for charity.
Phillips Idowu Popularity
Phillips Idowu Is A Member Of
Triple Jumpers
Born in England
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text:
CT companies continue to find it hard work to find enough employees
Official: Worker fell through CT bridge under construction
A sign in front of the Dairy Queen on Whitney Avenue in North Haven informs customers of drive-thru service only due to a labor shortage Aug. 31, 2021.
Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media
Connecticut so far has recovered 67.2 percent of the roughly 292,000 jobs that were lost as result of pandemic-related closings and crowd restrictions, according to the most recent state Department of Labor Ddata.
Now, employers, economists and business leaders are differing over the reasons why the state hasn't seen more job growth as life has slowly begin returning to normal.
Some blame the federal government's supplemental unemployment payments, which expired this weekend in Connecticut. Other point to employee concerns about people getting sick from the surge in the delta variant of COVID-19.
Indeed.com's Hiring Lab is reporting that as of Aug. 20, the number of job postings from Connecticut companies was up 39.3 percent compared to February 1, 2020. The state's increase in job postings is slightly higher than the national average of 37.7 percent, according to company officials.
Bill Purcell, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce in Shelton, said "things are getting stronger (in terms of hiring).
"We're starting to eat away at that number," he said of the job losses amid the pandemic.
A 'more complicated proposition'
Donald Klepper-Smith, chief economist and director of research for New Haven-based DataCore Partners, said looking for work in the age of COVID-19 "has become a more complicated proposition."
"When people go back to work these days, they have to ask themselves not only 'what kind of a financial risk am I getting into,' but 'what sort of physical risk am I taking?'" Klepper-Smith said. "Positions that don't interact with the public, people are more likely to apply for those jobs."
Don Klepper-Smith
Contributed Photo /
He said fundamentals needed for continued economic recovery "have improved, but the delta variant (of COVID-19) has injected more uncertainty" into the equation.
"The labor markets are still encountering aftershocks," Klepper-Smith said. "There are so many intangibles, it makes it hard to predict when the economy will achieve full recovery (from pandemic-related job losses)."
Some employers maintain that supplemental unemployment payments from the federal government have provided a disincentive for unemployed Connecticut residents to return to the job market.
Don't tell that to Joanne Civitello of North Branford.
Civitello works as a receptionist at Christopher's Salon in Guilford. But once Gov. Ned Lamont allowed hair salons and barbershops to reopen last year, Civitello admits she was "afraid to come back to work."
"I think most people want to work, but they are afraid," she said. "I go back and forth all the time and not because of the people who work here. But if I go into the Stop &Shop, I wear a mask because I don't know that other people are as concerned about safety or are being lazy."
Because employers are continuing to encounter difficulties in finding enough people to operate their businesses at pre-pandemic levels, they are forced to make accommodations. Some reduce hours of operation, while other pay existing workers overtime and have them work longer hours.
"People who are working are overworked and tired," Klepper-Smith said.
Restaurants changing to stay afloat
Kelly Christopher is the sole proprietor of a Dairy Queen on Whitney Avenue in North Haven near the busy Dixwell Avenue intersection. Christopher currently is operating the business as a drive-through operation only.
"I've never seen it this bad," he said. "These past two years have been awful. In order to operate my front counter, I need 6 or 7 people on a shift; I need fewer people when I only operate the drive-through."
Christopher said the pandemic exacerbated what already was a difficult labor market.
"(At one point earlier this year) I had 24 people on my payroll and there was nobody available to work certain shifts," he said. "And the applicants that come in don't want to work nights and weekends, even though I'm paying $13 an hour."
It's not just fast-food restaurants that are having difficulty finding workers.
Viron Rondos is the owner of the popular full-service Cheshire restaurant, Viron Rondo Osteria. He said the Highland Avenue restaurant "had a lot of issues hiring this summer."
"My core group of employee has been working overtime, sometimes 60 to 80 hours a week to keep things going," he said. "It's gotten to the point that there are some nights we have to put a cap on the number of reservations we take. We really need additional people, anywhere from one to five per shift; I could easily use another 20 to 30 people."
Viron Rondo is photographed on April 29, 2020, in the outdoor bar and seating area of his restaurant, Viron Rondo Osteria in Cheshire completed in October 2019.
Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo
Rondos said the supplemental unemployment is a factor, but so is a paradigm shift in the hospitality industry's workforce.
"I think the restaurant industry has lost a lot of people who have moved on to other jobs," he said.
Looming on the horizon is the traditional increase in demand for seasonal workers to cover the holiday shopping season. The U.S. Postal Service already has begun job fairs to attract seasonal workers: Hiring fairs were scheduled for Saturday at three Connecticut locations, including the Southern Connecticut Processing and Distribution on Research Parkway in Wallingford.
Immediate positions available include city carrier assistant $18.51 per hour, mail processing clerk with a bi-weekly pay rate of $18.67 per hour and mail handler assistant at $16.87 per hour.
Individuals hired for the seasonal jobs could see the positions develop into permanent jobs wtth the USPS, said Amy Gibbs, a regional spokeswoman for the agency. Applicants must be available to work weekends and holidays, according to Gibbs.
"From January 2021 through January 2022, we expect to hire approximately 100,000 employees nationwide," Gibbs said, adding she was uncertain how many people the USPS is looking to hire in Connecticut. "This number covers normal attrition and our peak holiday season. We plan to hire more than 40,000 employees for peak season."
The USPS isn't alone in taking the job fair route to recruit workers.
In early August, the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce held a regional hiring program at the Trumbull Marriott Shelton with 50 employers taking part in the program, according to Purcell.
"And the ballroom was packed with job candidates," Purcell said. The employers taking part in the the job fair include companies in the manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, financial services, retail and senior care sectors, he said.


text:
Novalys Recognized for Excellence with 2009 Readers' Choice Award from Visual Studio Magazine
August 1, 2009 – Novalys today announced that Visual Guard for .Net is honored with a Readers' Choice Merit Award in the product category of Security and Copy Protection from Visual Studio Magazine. The 2009 winners, which will appear in the August issue, are chosen by Visual Studio Magazine's readers and honor excellent software in 23 development categories.
Michael Desmond, Visual Studio Magazine editor in chief and editorial director of the developer media group at 1105 Media, said, "When it comes to judging the value and capability of developer tools, you won't find a savvier audience than Visual Studio Magazine readers. These are committed developers -- demanding professionals who work with code every day and have a deep appreciation for the tools they rely on.
"This isn't a popularity contest," Desmond continued. "A product that earns a VSM Readers' Choice Award has earned the respect and loyalty, over time, of VSM readers, some of the most demanding users on the planet. I commend all the Readers' Choice Award winners. Visual Studio Magazine readers have put your product on top."
Visual Studio Magazine presented awards in three categories:
Readers' Choice Awards, given to products that received the most readers' votes in one of 23 total categories
Readers' Choice Merit Awards, given to products receiving a high number of votes that also show real value to Visual Studio Magazine readers
Editors' Choice Awards, given to the handful of products that earned strong praise from our select panel of dev experts and were singled out as among the very best products overall by VSM readers.
About Visual Studio Magazine
Visual Studio Magazine is the world's leading independent Microsoft development magazine. It serves the enterprise development reader—software architects, senior developers and development managers. Each issue includes practical, proven, unbiased how-to articles readers can put to use immediately. The monthly publication reaches 85,000 subscribers. For more information, visit http://visualstudiomagazine.com.
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For 50 years, the Super Bowl has been an annual event Americans have anticipated throughout the 17-week football season. The best teams of the year battle for the championship title, musicians perform for the masses and national commercials compete for the most laughs.
With that comes reactions from every viewer.
This year, what got the biggest response, and is still generating emotion almost three weeks later, was Beyoncé's halftime show performance. She debuted her single, "Formation," with an arrangement of black women behind her, all showing pride in their race.
The performance sparked controversy because of the "team of dancers, dressed in black and wearing Black Panther-style berets," according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.
The article refers to the single as "politically charged" and directed people to the song's music video, which has also sparked conversation.
In associate web editor Sadie Cruz's story, "Beyonce educated audience on culture," she expresses her thoughts on how today's musicians are making statements in their art that are getting people to talk about major issues in today's society.
"This song is a semantic drive-by to almost every slur ever used against a black person," Cruz said.
She also said the video points to struggles the black community have endured in history, such as police brutality and black beauty.
"Today, we are facing a musical uprising with more and more artists using their audience and fame to shine a light on issues of the disenfranchised," Cruz said.
Beyoncé hasn't been the only artist to do this. Just a couple weeks ago, Kendrick Lamar performed "The Blacker the Berry" at the Grammys and it caused the same reaction.
These musicians use the stage to convey messages of action. They want people to talk. They want change.
The more we bring these social obstacles to the forefront of people's minds, the sooner we can open a dialogue, and maybe we can untangle the issues.


Since 2011 NMM has successfully organized movie screenings, Dance, Music and Marathi drama performances in more than 20 programs. NMM also publishes annual Diwali magazine "Rashmin". Through these programs NMM has provided a platform for widespread talent across Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and other parts of Europe. We would act as an interface between a variety of social, cultural, and commercial initiatives in India and the European audience.
NMM also promotes social perceptions of various other sectors which includes active involvement in social cause for various social projects in India. Till now NMM has supported social projects conducted by different social organizations from India like NAAM foundation, Aadhaar4U, ATMA foundation in one or another way.
In the year 2018 NMM is bringing variety of programs for Indian as well as international audience.
1. Vasatotsav (mainly includes Nrutyotsav) – 24 March: After successfully organizing "Nrutyotsav -1" in 2016, NMM proudly announces "Nrutyotsav 2", which will showcase different Indian pure classical dance styles by artists from all over Europe. Various renowned dance schools will be invited to come and perform in this event.
2. Ganeshotsav 2018 – 15 September: Celebration of Lord Ganesha festival. The event starts with a grand procession of Lord Ganesha. It will be a full day event consisting various activities, workshops, competitions for kids and adults. At the end everyone will enjoy the delicious Indian food.
3. Pulotsav – 10 November: A big event being organized to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of the legendary author from India Mr. P.L.Deshpande. NMM welcomes you all to attend these events. For participating in Vasantotsav and Ganeshotsav do send email to nmm.netherlands@gmail.com. For more details please keep on visiting our Facebook page and website. Below are the details. One can also find glimpses of our recent and past activities here.


My wife and I are ecstatic about the quality of the replacement part, kept looking to see any difference in the fit and color of the piece.
If you've got a missing jigsaw puzzle piece, click here to visit the Jigsaw Doctor and find out what you need to do.
P D Warren Scaffolding Services are a family run scaffolding company aimed at providing a professional access service to both domestic and commercial clients. Originally based in the Bridgwater area of Somerset they now operate from Wellington, Somerset. Their new premises location allows greater access to the M5 corridor. This enables the company to serve all of Somerset and the surrounding counties of Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Cornwall.
P D Warren have been operating for over 30 years and pride themselves on delivering reliable, safe and affordable scaffolding. Their team is experienced, knowledgeable and friendly. They are available 7 days a week, 24hrs a day if a customer requires an emergency call out. All their scaffolding employees have attended Health & Safety training schemes and have achieved appropriate qualifications to meet high health and safety standards.
The core business is the supply and erection of scaffolding. P D Warren Scaffolding Services are large enough to complete large scale commercial projects yet small enough to be flexible. From planning to implementation they are always available to provide advice. They will work directly with their customers to provide efficient and affordable services to help the project run smoothly.
P D Warren Scaffolding Services are proud to undertake domestic scaffolding work because they understand that homes are our greatest financial investment. Many types of building work require scaffolding – home extensions, decorating, leaking roofs, loft conversions and the general maintenance of customers' property. They work with local builders to provide a fast, professional and friendly service. They can design, plan and scaffold any domestic projects.
P D Warren Scaffolding Services already had a home-made website built on a 'do-it-yourself' platform. Whilst these platforms are great for getting a quick website up and running, the client realised that they cannot beat the attention to detail and flexibility of a professional design service, and thus contacted Quantum Enterprises Web Design for a full website.
The website is fully responsive and hand-coded based on the Skeleton Framework. The logo was improved. SEO was conducted to help highlight the client's main POS: being able to erect scaffolding at short notice.
At Quantum Enterprises Web Design we provide cost-effective web design for our clients. On top of that, our clients enjoy comprehensive technical support and a rapid response when a website update is required, all based on over 20 years computing experience.
If you would like an update to your own website, especially if it is not yet responsive (mobile friendly), or if you require a new website from scratch, then please contact us at Quantum Enterprises Web Design.
We've added four more example Premium 'Ultra' handwriting fonts to the Scriptalizer software for you to try and buy if you like. You can try the fonts right now in our web-based, Scriptalizer handwriting font software. These fonts have been created using our Premium 'Ultra' custom handwriting font service.
PremiumUltra35 is a fairly 'messy' handwriting font and is almost entirely cursive. The sloppiness is good if you are looking for a very naturalistic handwriting effect.
PremiumUltra36 is a nice printed style handwriting font with a simplified style.
Another printed style handwriting font with some slant variation giving it a quirky appearance.
We think PremiumUltra38 will be a popular font with its traditional, fully cursive style, and slightly messy look.
The Premium 'Ultra' handwriting font service embeds over 100 additional characters in the font, which are accessed and replaced by our FREE Scriptalizer Software. The software replaces the 'standard' characters with alternatives on a semi-random basis. The replacements include individual letters, letter pairs, starting letters, ending letters and starting and ending letter strokes. This adds another level of naturalness to your handwriting font.
The Premium 'Ultra' service is associated with a unique configuration file which encodes certain aspects of your handwriting style. This gives the fonts the most realistic and natural look you could imagine!
The fonts are of an exceptionally high quality, because the connections of each letter to the next have individually been worked with to produce a truly accurate reproduction of the original handwriting.
The Premium 'Ultra' Service is required to get the best results for cursive (joined up) handwriting, but also significantly improves the realism of printed handwriting styles.
Go to http://www.scriptalizer.co.uk/scriptalizer.aspx to try these fonts or any of the others now for free.
Find out how to turn your own handwriting into a Premium 'Ultra' font.
(You will receive a 25% discount if you allow your font to be made into an example font).
Google has announced a deadline of July 2018 (June 30th) as the date for when Chrome will begin explicitly warning users if a site is insecure.
Over 50% of Internet browsers worldwide are Chrome, meaning this change will likely have a significant impact on your.website and presence. A prominent warning may affect how secure users feel and may cause some visitors to leave a site, which will negatively impacting a sites bounce rate, visitor engagements, advertising impressions, affiliate clicks and eCommerce sales as well as search engine rankings.
People using Chrome as their web browser will see an even more prominent note that the website they're viewing is not secure. This will cause your website visitors to lose trust in your website and a good percentage of them will leave, thinking the website is either infected or simply not trustworthy.
Up to Friday 30th March 2018 at 3pm we will be offering Comodo Wildcard SSL certificates (which are normally £41.95 per year) at a reduced price of only £59.95 for 5 years.
This offer will never be repeated.
That's just less than £12 per year (and for 5 years) for securing your site with the latest SSL certification BEFORE the June 30th deadline.
This offer can be used to EXTEND an existing SSL certificate further.
To order your 5 year SSL certificate please contact us before 3pm on Friday 30th March 2018.
Your best bet is to make this switch now.
This was something we promoted heavily last year. It used to be just banking or e-commerce websites that needed to do this in the past but now it's something for every website.
Since a secure website is something that improves the user experience, it has been said that Google gives these websites a boost in rankings. That's not officially confirmed but we do know that people trust these websites more and Google does want to provide results where the user experience is very good. There's really no reason not to do it.
We've had some more great feedback about our replacement jigsaw piece service known as The Jigsaw Doctor.
Easy and efficient to use website. Speed and quality of work on the missing piece is outstanding.
My new puzzle piece arrived today in the post and I am so happy and pleased with it. I find it amazing how the Jigsaw Doctors have managed to create such a difficult piece and have it fit perfectly to match the colour and shape of the surrounding puzzle pieces. Very happy with The Jigsaw Doctor so thank you very much. I thoroughly recommend this service, they have finally enabled to me get on with gluing my puzzle together and framing it.
Thank you for creating the 3 missing pieces, very hard to spot. The rather strange jigsaw is now complete!
Great job! This puzzle is a wooden one and the pieces match perfectly. My only thought is that if there are 2 pieces together that are missing Puzzle Doctor makes it one. That is really not an issue for the overall look.
Our process does mean that we make two or more adjacent missing jigsaw piece as one larger piece, but as you can see this is not usually an issue for customers, who are pleased just to have that gaping hole filled.
Many thanks for my replacement puzzle piece of which I'm absolutely thrilled, it is such a perfect fit and colour match I found it very hard to find it within the other piece's.
It's so nice to have my Apple Jack puzzle whole again.
Our 'Fossil Beach' website has had a major revamp, making it fully responsive with improved images and an updated and improved fossil hunting game. We've also re-stocked the fossil shop with quality ammonite fossils, with some large ammonites more than 7 cm across – and at great prices! So, come and join us at 'Fossil Beach' to find out more about fossils, how to safely go fossil hunting, purchase quality ammonite fossils, and play the 'Fossil Beach' fossil hunting game.
At the Jigsaw Doctor we've been very busy making replacement jigsaw pieces, and customers have been only too happy to let us know how well we've done.
I have asked a friend to see if they can 'spot the repair'. I am pleased to report that they could not. The service provided by the Jigsaw Doctor can be rated 'excellent overall' and I will be using the service again as I have other jigsaws with a missing piece.
Here's a photo of his repaired jigsaw.
Dear Jigsaw Doctor, The repair piece was perfect. Thanks for a great job. I have already recommended your service to my friends.
I had few missing peaces and The Jigsaw Doctor send back to me as soon as possible a remarkable piece that fits perfect!!!
As usual The Jigsaw Doctor provided fantastic quality replacement parts for my vintage wooden jigsaws – great service from a very professional and reliable company.
You can see two photos below of the four Chad Valley vintage wooden jigsaws that were repaired (The Queen Mary in Trafalgar Square / The Eastern Way / The Hoover Building / TSS Nevasa in the Kiel Canal).
We've left it for you to spot the replacements.
We've been busy making super-quality, very realistic handwriting fonts over the last few weeks and we've now added three more to the Scriptalizer software for you to try. You can try the fonts right now in our web-based, Scriptalizer handwriting font software.
PremiumUltra32 is a lighthearted, printed style font, whilst PremiumUltra33 is a cursive font with a strong rightward slant and some nice flourishes. PremiumUltra34 is another printed font with good letter spacing.
I have just received the replacement puzzle piece. Thank You.
Fantastic work and great service. I will tell friends who also enjoy puzzling !
Tim didn't provide a photo of his finished jigsaw (entitled 'The Kitchen'), so we've included our digital restoration of the image for the missing piece (arrowed).


Keep track of our history and latest developments.
Our first "plug-and-play" solar rice mill.
Exhibit at the 2015 Morobe Show, Papua New Guinea… lots of interest!
Training Trukai staff to use solar powered rice mills.
Receive an order for 200 solar rice machines from Trukai Industries, PNG.
Receive an order for 200 solar rice machines from Trukai Industries, PNG. Thanks Trukai! Agsol is off and running!!!
First bulk delivery for Trukai Industries being collected.
Solar rice huller and polisher being field tested for the first time with Thai farmers… great early feedback.


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Big Ten Power Rankings
2015-16 Week One Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Wisconsin Badgers Drop
Check out BTP's first set of 2015-16 Big Ten regular season power rankings.
By Thomas Beindit@tbeindit Nov 16, 2015, 10:21am CST
Share All sharing options for: 2015-16 Week One Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Wisconsin Badgers Drop
Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
With the college basketball season officially starting last week, BTPowerhouse returns with its second set of Big Ten power rankings for 2015-16. The conference scored some solid wins over the weekend, but also suffered some rough upsets, putting things in a spot to be very exciting this season.
The BTPowerhouse Power Rankings is composed of votes from 45 writers that cover the Big Ten and three statistical measures (BPI, KenPom, RPI). This voting group is composed of BTPowerhouse's staff, 15 writers from SBNation's other Big Ten related sites, Steve Lorenz, Luke Srodulski, Josh Stephens, and Mike Wilson from 247Sports, Brendan Brody of Rush The Court, Alex Cook from MGoBlog, Andrew Kulha from Today's U, Shawn O'Neal from Lindy Sports, and Jim Weber from Lost Lettermen. (Not all writers participated in each set of rankings).
With that, here are BTPowerhouse's week one Big Ten power rankings.
Big Ten Week 1 Power Rankings
#1 - Maryland Terrapins (289 Points)
The Terps opened the season as the Big Ten's preseason favorite on Friday night and moved to an easy win over Mount St. Mary's. Really, it was a team effort with five players scoring in double-digits and Jake Layman leading the way with 16 points. Of course, not many perceptions are likely going to be shaped by a win over a team ranked No. 191 in KenPom.
Luckily, Maryland will get two opportunities this week to start building its resume and prove that it belongs as one of the best four of five teams in the country. The Terps will get a home game against rival Georgetown on Tuesday night and a game against Rider on Friday. Rider is not a great team, but is stronger than Mount St. Mary's on paper, giving the Terps a shot at notching a decent win.
#2 - Michigan State Spartans (262 Points)
The Spartans also got a pretty easy opener on Friday night, matching up against Florida Atlantic. Michigan State was clearly the better team and was able to win the game by a final score 82-55. All told, four Spartans scored double-digits, including Matt Costello and Deyonta Davis in the frontcourt. If Michigan State's frontcourt can continue playing that well, this could be a very exciting season in East Lansing.
Of course, fans are going to have a much better idea about Michigan State soon. The Spartans get a showdown with Kansas on Tuesday night. The Jayhawks are viewed as one of the nation's top teams heading into this season, so seeing how Michigan State performs will be telling. The Spartans also get Arkansas Pine Bluff at home on Friday.
#3 - Indiana Hoosiers (255 Points)
The Hoosiers dominated in the team's opener against Eastern Illinois by a final score of 88-49. Six players for Indiana scored in double-digits, including Max Bielfeldt and Thomas Bryant. Indiana struggled significantly in the paint last year, so seeing production out of Bielfeldt and Bryant was a great sign. Of course, the backcourt also performed well.
This week, Indiana will get matchups with Austin Peay and Creighton. Admittedly, neither team is expected to be outstanding this season, but Creighton is at least viewed as respectable. If the Hoosiers can score two solid wins, it would go a long way toward building an NCAA Tournament resume.
#4 - Purdue Boilermakers (242 Points)
The Boilermakers scored two wins last week in absolutely dominating fashion. Neither team was competitive in the slightest and Purdue did it all without arguably its best player in AJ Hammons. Additionally, Vermont is actually considered to be a respectable team, making Purdue's dominating win over the Catamounts even more impressive.
B1G Recruiting Updates
Follow all the latest recruiting news.
Purdue won't get any major games this week to prove itself, but a matchup with Old Dominion on Saturday does look particularly intriguing. It would be another chance to score a resume-building win in a game where the Boilermakers will be pretty substantial favorites.
#5 - Michigan Wolverines (208 Points)
The Wolverines opened the season on Friday night at home against Division II school Northern Michigan. With the return of Caris LeVert and Derrick Walton from injury, Michigan looked to be closer to what it was in 2013-14 than what it was last season. Michigan will get intriguing matchups against Elon and Xavier this week. With two wins, the Wolverines would be able to add more legitimacy to its spot at No. 5 on these rankings.
#6 - Iowa Hawkeyes (178 Points)
The Hawkeyes had a rough upset during exhibition play, but got off to a good start in the regular season with two opening wins against Gardner Webb and Coppin State. Both Dom Uhl and Jarrod Uthoff have played well so far and with a young and developing wing group, there could be even more to come. The Hawkeyes will get a major challenge this week when the team goes on the road to face Marquette.
#7 - Ohio State Buckeyes (170 Points)
The Buckeyes had a bit of a delayed season opener on Sunday against Mount St. Mary's, but did get off to a good start with a 76-54 win. Though Ohio State did get a solid win, there were certainly some concerns. The Buckeyes finished with 18 turnovers and had some rough defensive stretches. The good news is that true freshman JaQuan Lyle finished with 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Ohio State gets Grambling State and UT Arlington this week.
#7 - Northwestern Wildcats (170 Points)
The Wildcats had a mixture of news last week. Northwestern was able to beat UMass Lowell at home in pretty convincing fashion, but lost key returner Vic Law for the season. It was a big blow to a team that could have an outside shot at this year's NCAA Tournament. Now, Northwestern will look to continue its momentum from its season opener against Fairfield and Columbia this week.
#9 - Wisconsin Badgers (152 Points)
The Badgers suffered a horrible upset in the team's season opener on Friday night at home against Western Illinois. Whether this was a fluke or a trend is still up in the air, but Wisconsin did score a home win on Sunday against Siena. Fans will get a pretty quick answer on where Wisconsin stands as the Badgers will take on Georgetown on Friday with a potential matchup against Duke or VCU following.
#10 - Minnesota Golden Gophers (107 Points)
The Gophers opened the season on Friday night with a solid win over UMKC and a win on Sunday afternoon against Louisiana Monroe. Neither opponent was expected to be great this year, but both were solid wins and neither was incredibly close, which is what most fans want to see from these type of games.
Recap: Michigan-NMU
BTPowerhouse recaps Michigan's win over NMU.
Of course, things will get a lot tougher this week. Notably the game against Temple on Thursday night to start the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. If Minnesota is fortunate enough to beat Temple, it's looking at potential matchups with Butler in its second game and Utah in its third game. Needless to say, things won't be easy.
#11 - Nebraska Cornhuskers (89 Points)
The Huskers did what the team was supposed to on Saturday, recording a solid win over Mississippi Valley State. However, things will get much, much tougher this week. The big game will be Villanova on the road on Tuesday. The Wildcats are expected to be a national title contender, so it's going to be tough to see Nebraska getting the road win. Nebraska will also face Delaware State at home on Thursday.
#12 - Illinois Fighting Illini (58 Points)
The Illini opened the season on Friday night with a brutal loss to North Florida. Though North Florida actually isn't that bad of a team, it was still a rough loss for a team that appeared to be sitting on this year's NCAA Tournament bubble. Luckily, Illinois was able to respond with a win over North Dakota State on Sunday. Now, Illinois is faced with two more challenging games this week against Providence on the road and Chattanooga.
#13 - Penn State Nittany Lions (57 Points)
The Nittany Lions got a solid home win on Saturday over what appeared to be a decent VMI team. It wasn't a great win, but it was one that might give the team a nice boost at the end of the year. Now, Penn State is going to play two more teams that look at least decent in DePaul at home and Duquesne on the road. Neither game is a gimme for Penn State, but scoring two wins could be huge for the team's resume.
#14 - Rutgers Scarlet Knights (24 Points)
The Scarlet Knights are 2-0 on the season, but one of those wins came in an ugly victory over Rutgers-Newark on Friday night where Rutgers trailed for significant portions of the game. Rutgers was missing a few players for large portions of that game and looked better against Howard, but it's hard to be too high on this Rutgers team. The Scarlet Knights get St. John's on the road and Central Arkansas at home this week.


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ABOUT H. PALMER HALL
H. Palmer Hall is the co-editor and director of Pecan Grove Press. He is also director of the library and teaches English at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas.
His stories, poems, and essays have appeared in various literary magazines, including Ascent, North American Review, The Texas Review, The Florida Review, Briar Cliff Review and many others. Books include: The Librarian in the University, A Measured Response, From the Periphery, poems and essays, Deep Thicket & Still Waters and Reflections on Publishing, Writing and Other Things.
"Out of the wreckage of America's failed war in Vietnam, Palmer Hall has fashioned poems of quiet beauty and supple strength. There are no pretensions here, no posturing, but only the hard-earned wisdom of a gentle heart and a bedrock decency making it possible to believe that, in spite of everything, we still have reason to hope."
—W. D. Ehrhart
"I can't say it better than a Vietnam combat vet responding to one of Palmer Hall's poems on the Internet: 'Outstanding! Just outstanding!'"
—Jonathan Shay
"Palmer Hall's voice is as forthright and intimate as a first love affair or a last, lingering grief. His book's subject is the impact of Viet Nam on an American life, and his hope is that he can translate that jungle of painful images for the rest of us who were not there. There is nothing false or affected in these pages--only the undistorted news of the heart. From the Periphery is that haunting, that luminous."
—Charles Fishman
H. Palmer Hall's new book, Coming to Terms, was published in 2007 by Plain View Press. This collection of memoiristic essays has been described by Jeanne Emmons, editor of Briar Cliff Review, as being "written in a clear, distinct prose with a dry wit and a refreshing absence of hype." She adds that "these essays touch on racism, injustice, class snobbery and pure stupidity. Hall's occassional swipes of malice are reserved for the rich, the powerful and the cruel; the pervasive impression is one of quiet kinship with other struggling humans." Will Hochman, poetry editor of WLA: War, Literature and the Arts, says that "these essays reach deeply into the cultural zeitgeist and should be required reading for anyone interested in knowing oneself. [He] not only describes his interior struggles and growth, but he offers intelligent signposts and guiding insights for his boomer generation and its children." Edward Byrne, editor of Valparaiso Poetry Review adds that "these writings offer a familiar and friendly voice that always appears authentic and reliable in its storytelling, providing enjoyable and enriching reading."
To read a profile of the author (in The Texas Observer, January 11, 2008) and some of his books,
including Coming to Terms, please click here.
Coming to Terms is currently available through PayPal and through the order forms of the Pecan Grove Press web site. Please do check out other Plain View Press books at their website: www.plainviewpress.net
H. Palmer Hall's other books:
The first of H. Palmer Hall's six books, The Librarian in the University was published by Scarecrow Press (Metuchen, NJ: 1990). The next, A Measured Response was published by Pecan Grove Press in 1994 before he became a part of the press. His third and fourth books, From the Periphery: poems and essays (1996) and Deep Thicket & Still Waters(1999) were published by Chili Verde Press. Reflections on Publishing, Writing and Other Things was designed for those occasions when he is asked to speak to writers about publishing. To Wake Again, a collection of poems responding to the two Persian Gulf Wars, was published by Pudding House Publications in 2005. Reflections from Pete's Pond(2007) was just published for those people who have become enamored of the National Geographic Society's 24/7 live broadcast of a pond in the Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana, Africa, and who, like the author, spend much to much time watching the animals come to the pond to drink. His next book, Foreign and Domestic, will be published by Turning Point Press in 2009.
All of his books are available from Pecan Grove Press.
Reflections from Pete's Pond
H. Palmer Hall
And FREE, read
Reflections by Moonlight from an African Pond
To Wake Again
A Measured Response
From the Periphery: Poems and Essays
ISBN: 0-9640612-4-4
Deep Thicket & Still Waters
Reflections on Writing, Publishing, & Other Things
ISBN: 1-931247-03-x


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Cinema Tucsón · La Usurpadora the Musical
Tickets $6
LA USURPADORA, THE MUSICAL
(Santiago Limón, USA/Mexico, 2023. In Spanish and English with English subtitles)
La Usurpadora, The Musical is a musical comedy set in Mexico and the United States told with hits from the Latin music of the nineties. The film stars Isabella Castillo, (El Señor de los Cielos, Malverde: El Santo Patrón) who plays Valeria and Victoria, twin sisters who couldn't be more different, and Alan Estrada (¿Conoces a Tomás?, Día de Muertos), who plays the male lead and romantic interest, Carlos Daniel. It's a tale of two identical twins separated at birth and unknown to each other, one poor, but truly decent, the other rich, conniving, and generally awful. A chance meeting brings them together in Las Vegas and soon their lives are hopelessly intertwined.
Cinema Tucsón is presented by Cinema Tropical and the UA Center for Latin American Studies, in partnership with the Fox Tucson Theatre and the Consulate General of Mexico in Tucson. It is sponsored by Rio Nuevo, La Estrella Bakery, SplitSeed Productions and the UA Deparment of Spanish and Portuguese. Media Sponsors are 92.5 FM Urbana, La Poderosa 105.3 FM, and KXCI 91.3 FM. With the support of Film Tucson, Visit Tucson, and Godat Design. Additional support by the Tucson Museum of Art and Borderlands Brewery.
The Fox Tucson Theatre is located at 17 W. Congress St.
Tickets: $6
For tickets and more information visit: www.cinematucson.com
Mario Aguilar · Ser Loca No es Facil
Cinema Tucsón · Users
Benise · Fiesta!
Emmy Award Winning Spanish Guitar & Dance Spectacular!


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Homegears
Honor is Bringing Back Google Services to its Smartphones Starting With Honor 50
bysahil patel — May 24, 2021 0
Huawei's sub-brand Honor is all set to launch a new smartphone in the global market. Yes! We are talking about the highly speculated Honor 50 series, recently the company has confirmed that the handset will be powered by the newly launched Snapdragon 778G SoC. In the latest development, Honor has confirmed that the upcoming smartphone series is going to ship with Google Mobile Services (GMS). The company has confirmed the news on its official Twitter handle, let's have a closer look at the official confirmation.
Honor 50 Series Confirmed to Launch With Google Mobile Services
According to the latest report, Honor Germany has confirmed the news on its official Twitter handle. Last week the company shared a tweet about the upcoming Snapdragon 778 smartphone and in the same thread, a user asked a question about the handset. Replying to the comment Honor made it clear that the device is going to ship with Google services. Alongside, it has also confirmed that the Honor 50 series will retain the Magic UI along with some added features.
Ja, das können wir bestätigen. Aber pssst, soll noch eine Überraschung werden
— HonorDE (@HonorGermany) May 21, 2021
This seems to be good news for Honor fans across the globe and Honor 50 will be the first phone from the brands with Google Mobile service post the US-imposed ban on Huawei in May 2019. Just to recall, last year Huawei sold Honor to Zhixin New Information Technology. It is a consortium formed by dealers and agents of HOnor and Shenzhen Smart City Development Group Co. Ltd.
Since the owner of the company changed last year, the brand was in talks with Google and Qualcomm for the business. The recent announcement confirmed that the talks went well for the brand and that's the reason the upcoming Honor 50 series is coming with the Qualcomm chipset and Google services. Do share your thoughts about the upcoming Honor 50 series in the comment section below.
Tags: gears mobiles technology


At Carolina Stone Products, we are a purpose-driven organization. "A Higher Standard" is the passion and guidepost by which we operate. All of our actions and decisions focus on delivering a product and service to our customers that is truly exceptional thus setting ourselves apart from any other stone installation provider.


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Home › MISC
Conditional Access for HD Radio
By Thomas Rucktenwald
Aug 1, 2007 1:00 AM, By Thomas Rucktenwald
Two main concepts embody conditional access technology (CA): entitlement and encryption. The entitlement is an authorization; the encryption is a digital scrambling of the content.
The CA system sends an entitlement to a receiver, telling the receiver about the programming and all the necessary signals when a consumer registers to receive the entitled services. The system handles everything automatically once information is entered. The receiver obtains only its own entitlements because it is individually addressable by the CA system.
The broadcast contains encrypted program signals that the entitled receiver decrypts. The reconstructed content occurs without error or significant delay. The CA system sends information about how to decrypt the transmission along with the content.
Both transmission and reception are a part of this system. The transmitter and the receiver have complimentary provisioning. The broadcaster transmits entitlements; the receiver recognizes only its own entitlements. The broadcaster transmits encrypted programming; if entitled, the receiver can decrypt the programming.
Conditional access defined
In many traditional CA environments, the service is offered by one single-platform supplier. All content, all services, all entitlements and all authorized equipment for that system originate from one source: the platform provider.
The conditional access Scrambler connects to the HD Radio Importer.
This is not necessarily true for terrestrial digital radio. Content suppliers, radio stations, and station groups will continue to compete independently. A CA system for HD Radio must be a distributed system that coordinates all of these entities, without business interference, so that any equipped receiver may possibly receive any of these broadcasts.
Every station or station group that deploys CA will have the same type of equipment and perform a similar encryption process. At the same time, each station or station group must be uniquely distinct and recognizable by any receiver. There can be no identity, channel identification, or programming ID duplication.
For the system to operate correctly, every radio must be uniquely identified so that its entitlements can be individually addressed to it. Consumers should receive only the programming they desire and only the programming that is intended for them. Each radio must perform with every broadcast source.
The first CA system created for HD Radio is called NDS Radio Guard. It was created by NDS as a technological development in cooperation with Ibiquity Digital. NDS Radio Guard equipment fits into the station and operates within the station"s workflow.
CA in the station
The CA system incorporates into the existing HD Radio system. Only channels created by the Importer, secondary program services or the data channels may be encrypted because the main program will remain free-to-air. The V3.0 Importer (see Figure 1) will contain a new capability called the Scrambler. The Scrambler can be used to encrypt multiple channels, services, or programs simultaneously.
The Protector communicates with the system via an IP link.
NDS Radio Guard includes two additional components, the Protector and the Initiator. The Protector (see Figure 2) links directly to the Importer and Scrambler through an IP-based connection. For architectural efficiency, this function is collocated with the Importer. The Protector generates information about how the Scrambler is going to function. This information is constantly changing at a configurable rate. The Spooler is a carousel information buffer with data sent out through a narrow pipe, about 1kb/s channel, through the Importer.
The Initiator (see Figure 3) is a server that supplies CA administration to provide setup, parameter control and monitoring for the Protector. This server generates the radio entitlements based upon entered data and its local database. It can be physically located anywhere but must be a part of the IP network in order to control the Protector. The Initiator can control many Protectors, therefore a Network Operations Center (NOC) with just one Initiator is a realistic solution.
The National Resource Manager (NRM) (see Figure 4) is a universal component available to all stations. It ties competitive stations and all radio receivers into a cohesive global system. The NRM verifies station authenticity, provides unique CA service identification, verifies and signs radio entitlements, and holds the database of all radios. It is predicted that the radio database could reach one billion units for the U.S. All communication between the NRM and any Initiator in the system is via IP through a virtual private network.
The radio must be able to decrypt the encrypted content transmission in real time. To do that, the radio must know how the content was encrypted and it must already have the information it needs from the system to decrypt it. In a secure system, the information about decryption and how the content was encrypted is only available to authorized receivers. The authorization comes from entitlements embedded within the broadcast. Through an entitlement, the receiver knows that it is supposed to receive the encrypted signals and how to obtain the decrypt information.
The Initiator adds administration and monitoring functions to the system.
Addressing radios in a system that can receive information from multiple broadcasting sources requires something special. Every radio must be unique to the system, even though many may come from the same manufacturers. The most efficient technology that makes every radio unique is serialization.
Each radio is individually serialized through the decoder chip. Each decoder chip contains some unique codes and embedded secrets. The chip/radio identification can be accessed through an activation sequence on the radio. When the consumer calls or registers via a website with the radio information, the system individually addresses that radio.
NDS, as the CA manufacturer, automatically provides the serialization information to the decoder IC manufacturers. The NRM also knows all the serialization information. Servers, located at chip manufacturers and connected to NDS, program the data that individualizes each HD Radio decoder chip. This process is done for other broadcast systems and is well known in integrated circuit manufacturing.
With the proper radio ID information, the receiver obtains its entitlements and automatically turns on in a very short period of time.
Operational changes
Applying CA can be as simple as turning it on for specific multicast channels and leaving that to run until the station decides otherwise. The system will also support constant change. Operational personnel access the user interface to perform required CA changes, to apply CA to specific programs or channels and to change the setup at their discretion. One program may be encrypted but the next program may be free-to-air.
Because of the new channels and new programming opportunities, automation systems will need to control the HD Radio equipment as well as the multiple playlists. The automation system may provide one place to access and setup the entire station system.
Data entry is another future operational reality. When the consumer registers his radio, the radio ID information is critical for entitlement. However, this registration process is an opportunity to learn more about the consumer, which will be extremely valuable for the station advertisers.
The NDS Radio Guard CA equipment can entitle several thousand radios. Should entitlements exceed this, the station or station group might consider a subscriber management system (SMS), a subscriber or membership software that can be integrated with the CA system, or a private company that specializes in customer handling. The system accepts registration information from operations personnel, entries from an SMS system, or from a Web portal that allows the user to self-register.
Rucktenwald is director of data applications delivery for NDS, Costa Mesa, CA.
Thomas Rucktenwald
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ironing out the issues
Uber, Lyft, & Philly Cabs Have Showdown Of Their Own At The DNC
By Ashlee Kieler 7.27.16
Do you remember the scene in Anchorman when all the different news teams have a giant, lethal street fight? We imagine the showdown between Uber, Lyft, and Philadelphia cab drivers over access to the Democratic National Convention to be similar. Okay, it's not physical, but the accusations are flying between the three ride-providing groups related to where and when they can pick up and drop off passengers headed to the event. [More]
No shortage of trips
Taxis Still Provide More Rides Than Uber In New York City
Since bursting onto the transportation scene, Uber has served as a contentious rival for traditional taxis, with the industry arguing that the ride-hailing service has taken away business and depleted driver's take-home pay. But a new report suggests that simply isn't the case, at least in New York City, where traditional cabs continue to dominate the streets. [More]
fakeout
Police: Man Pretended To Be An Uber Driver, Tried To Hug Fleeing Passenger
Reminder: If you didn't call that cab or order that Uber ride, it's not always safe to just hop in the car and hope to get to your destination. Police in Texas have identified a suspect in connection to an odd incident early last Sunday morning, where two female college students reported that a man pretending to be an Uber driver offered them a ride, saying his fare didn't show up. [More]
Uber Pushing Back On New York City's Plans To Put Limits On For-Hire Vehicle Fleet Expansion
In Uber's quest to take over the world, expansion is key — the more drivers it has on the roads picking up passengers, the better its business will do. But in New York City, the company will have to fight to grow its fleet as local authorities consider putting limits on just how many for-hire vehicles will be cruising the streets. [More]
Survey Says: Uber Overtakes Taxis As The Most Popular Ride For Business Travel
The scene opens on a very busy businessperson wearing a business suit and carrying a business briefcase on a mission to do some serious business. Time is of the essence — but how to get there? Though in the past we might've seen such a character emitting a sharp whistle to bring a cab to a screeching halt, nowadays that person is likely going to pick up their smartphone and hail a ride with Uber, according to a new report. [More]
Police: Man Who Took 300-Mile Cab Ride Jailed Because He Couldn't Pay $749 Fare
Can you take a cab on a cross-state ride? Sure. But you better be able to pay for it when you reach your destination, or you could face jail. One New York man found that out the hard way, after police say he didn't have the money to pay his cab driver after a 700-mile journey. [More]
who you gonna hail?
When Is Taking A Yellow Cab Cheaper Than Using Uber?
Anyone who's ever found themselves facing Uber's surge rates has probably grumbled something along the lines of, "Well, at least cabs don't charge more when it's busy." Which is true in most places with taxis licensed by the city where they operate. But what about other times when surge isn't in effect — which service provides a cheaper ride? [More]
getting physical
NYC Cabbie's License Suspended After Video Appears To Show Him Pulling Pregnant Passenger From His Car
A New York City cab driver has had his license suspended after a pregnant woman accused him of pulling her from his vehicle during a payment dispute. She says the alleged incident caused her to go into labor five weeks early. [More]
make your own getaway vehicle
If You're Taking A Taxi To Or From A Robbery, You Might As Well Just Call The Cops Yourself
In this week's hot new trend in bad consumers, two suspected robbers living in different states both made the decision to involve a taxi in their alleged nefarious deeds. Which isn't a smart move for them, as calling in a law-abiding third-party is basically like calling the cops on yourself. [More]
taxi talk
Boston Taxi Drivers Sue City For Allowing Uber, Lyft To Operate
City authorities in places like Portland, San Francisco, and L.A., have each taken legal actions against ridesharing services like Uber, and taxi drivers around the country have accused these companies from sidestepping regulations. But a recently filed lawsuit by Boston taxi drivers points the blame-finger at the city for allowing Uber, et al, to operate. [More]
Passenger Tips Philly Cab Driver Almost $1,000 For A Two-Minute Trip
It's a dream come true for anyone who depends largely the generosity of others to make a living — land a huge tip for a small or otherwise not difficult job, and walk away happy. But one Philadelphia cab driver was so shocked by an almost $1,000 tip for a two-minute that he was more worried the passenger had made a mistake than he was excited about his windfall, at first. [More]
a city divided
While City Arrests Uber Drivers, Philly Mayor Comes Out In Support Of Service
By Chris Morran 10.27.14
Here in Philadelphia, the dispute between cab regulators and the Uber ridesharing service has gotten ugly, with the city arresting and fining numerous drivers over the weekend. Given this response to Uber, you'd think Philly Mayor Michael Nutter would be calling for the service to exit the city. But instead he's calling for a truce. [More]
Taxi App Hailo Hits The Road, Leaves U.S. Due To Expense Of Competing
By Mary Beth Quirk 10.15.14
Apparently taxi-hailing app Hailo was beyond even The Rent Is Too Damn High Guy's help: After four years as a smartphone app for taxi divers, Hailo says it's taking its act out of North America because it's too expensive to compete with services like Uber and Lyft. [More]
well that was unexpected
Chicago Taxi Driver Charges Passenger $800 For Two-Mile Ride
Here's an important lesson in why you should never let your credit card leave your hand when paying for a cab ride: A 20-year-old college student's parents realized their daughter had been charged almost $800 for a two-mile cab ride in Chicago, unbeknownst to her, all because the driver claimed his machine wasn't working. [More]
don't kill people
Louisiana, Where Killing A Cab Driver "May" Be Considered Murder
Usually when you see signs reminding people of penalties for crimes, it's because a particular offense carries with it a harsher-than-usual penalty — "Fines Doubled In Work Zone," "Assaulting a Transit Employee is a Felony," "Failure to Follow Cabin Crew's Instructions May Result in Arrest"… that kind of thing. But the wording on one sign in Louisiana makes us wonder how little the folks of that state value taxi drivers. [More]
taxis for everyone!
Half Of All Taxis In NYC Will Have To Provide Access For Disabled Passengers
By Mary Beth Quirk 12.9.13
It might take a bit of finagling and figuring out how to equip half of New York City's 13,006 yellow cabs with wheelchair-friendly access (in addition to the 231 that already have it), but it's gonna happen: Officials there announced a legal settlement that says at least half of the city's cabs must be wheelchair-accessible by 2020. [via the Associated Press] [More]
Do You Still Tip Your Cab Driver When He Gets Lost?
If your waiter accidentally brings you someone else's food, you're probably still going to tip him, provided that he takes it back and eventually gives you the correct dish. But when your cabbie gets lost, that meter can keep running while he tries to correct his course. So does he get a tip? [More]
Forget The Whistle: NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission Changes Rules For Cab-Hailing Apps
You can use an app to order a pizza, another to refill your prescriptions and there's probably one out there that will just tell you you're pretty, so why not an app to hail a cab? In New York City, the issue of taxi-hailing apps has been a hot issue, as the apps go against rules that forbid cabs from making pre-arranged pick-ups. That's all about to change, as the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission voted to approve a temporary new set of rules that will allow such apps. [More]


During this year, the Church is celebrating all those societies and religious orders who dedicate themselves to various ministries throughout the Church. All are welcome to participate in events all year that celebrate!
OPEN HOUSES are being held at four motherhouses in the diocese on Sunday, February 8, to celebrate this Year of Consecrated Life. You are invited to join the Sisters at any or all of the times/places indicated below. Plan now to attend!


It's that time of year where getting really clear with vision becomes a central part of your work as a Group or Team Coach.
Vision takes us to the 30,000 foot view, allowing us to see the big picture.
Developing a vision helps create clarity on what we want to create in our business or lives.
A vision helps us decide where we want to focus, and where we don't want to focus. This can help us say YES and NO powerfully.
Vision connects us with our purpose and WHY - helping us through the ebbs and flows of life, business or work.
From our vision comes our goals - large and strategic as well as granular and immediate.
From our goals we can create a roadmap and break down our goals into concrete, regular action steps.
This article explores several ways to work with vision with your Team or Group Coaching clients - and the differences and similarities between Team and Group Coaching.
First, What's Different when Working with Groups and Teams around Vision?
The notion of vision is different for coaches when working with groups and teams.
Team Coaching: Most team coaches are working to strengthen the collective capability of a team. So, when working with vision, the focus is usually supporting the team to create a shared vision. And then helping each team member create alignment between their work, role and how that supports the shared vision.
Group Coaching: With group coaching the members of your group may come from different locations, organizations and backgrounds. Group members may not be connected other than having a common interest and/or focus, and being brought together through the conversations you lead. In group coaching, the focus is primarily individual. And this usually means the coach is working with each individual to get clear on their unique vision.
However, the tools we use to work with vision for both group and team coaching can be very similar. What's different is the lens we take - and enter the conversation with.
Just as with other coaching focus areas like strengths or values, there are several different ways to support clients exploring vision. Here I include 5 of my favourite ways to work with team and group visioning.
In today's digital space this might consist of a variety of photographs or collages. In person, you could provide the team with resourcing like scrapbooking materials, or have them harvest their own during the session.
What have your successes been?
Who you have been working with?
What roles and processes have allowed you to excel?
Take your group or team through a guided visualization, and then afterwards tease out the ideas and elements of the vision. As already mentioned, with a team there will be a focus on pulling together to create a joint or shared vision. Whereas with group coaching, the focus will be on helping individual clients tease out and firm up their own unique vision.
Create your own one page form or worksheet with questions which team or group members can use to map out their vision.
Ask your group or team members to create a 3D model of their vision. You could use aluminum foil, plasticine clay etc.
When working with vision, it's important to go one step further, asking them how they are going to keep their vision alive. Leaving time in your work to create a physical structure like this means clients can return back to the office with something tangible. It helps them have something they can refer to, to keep the vision "active".
What are the tools you want to incorporate into your work around vision?
When have you scheduled time to create your vision for your work? To revisit your vision?
Who are you going to share your vision with? How will you keep this visible to yourself?
Take a few minutes to note for yourself what is important about vision for you and your clients. Enjoy the conversation!
The next step may well now be supporting the client to chunk their vision down into bite-sized pieces and discrete goals, while keeping the vision visible.
Contributing author: Jennifer Britton is the author of five books including the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner (2018), Effective Group Coaching and From One To Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching. Jennifer provides a wide range of supports for coaches, and other professionals who are working with teams and groups. From her Conversation Sparker Deck to the 40 Ways to Work with Visual Cards, she's committed to helping coaches create engaging and impactful work with the teams and groups they support, while creating a thriving business.


Impressive economic growth rates and increased democratization across Africa are occurring alongside persistent fragility. In some African countries, deep-seated governance challenges remain, low-intensity violent conflict persists, and political volatility threatens to undermine democratic gains. This is particularly true in countries that are currently affected by violent conflict. While violence might abate and peace deals get signed, the mammoth goal of stabilizing these countries, rebuilding communities, and ensuring that every African citizen feels secure continues to elude practitioners and policymakers.
Persistent low-intensity conflict undermines recent progress and amplifies existing challenges. Addressing endemic insecurity in Africa's conflict-affected states requires a lot more than peace accords and peacekeeping troops. Repairing the broken contract between those in government and the governed is crucial, though often neglected. Economic revitalization programs, an important part of reform and recovery, are often led and financed by foreign assistance. Unfortunately, "side effects" of these programs are aid dependency, elite capture, a protracted war economy, and perverse political economy relationships. There is an urgent need to rethink the nature, design, and application of foreign assistance in this context.
While external assistance is necessary in countries recovering from trauma, evidence suggests that by establishing parallel relationships with both the citizens and the governments, such assistance subverts the social contract.
As Figure 6.6 illustrates, the design and delivery of external assistance programs has fostered a generation of aid-dependent democracies, which have a semblance of participatory and representative governance but are neither effective nor accountable. Matt Andrews and co-authors describe this phenomenon as "isomorphic mimicry." While external assistance is necessary in countries recovering from trauma, evidence suggests that by establishing parallel relationships with both the citizens and the governments, such assistance subverts the social contract. Both governments and their citizens invest more time developing relationships with external partners (NGOs, bilateral agencies, and multilateral institutions) than with each other. Consequently, Africa's aid-dependent economies have anemic rates of domestic resource mobilization, weak institutions, entrenched inequality, institutionalized politics of exclusion, and (most importantly) persistent insecurity.
Africa's financial sector could offer a pathway to understanding and addressing this malaise. The government of Poland used foreign assistance differently during its post-Berlin Wall reconstruction phase. Rather than do "development as usual," the government used foreign assistance from the United States to establish the Polish American Enterprise Fund in 1989. Foreign assistance, which was routed through the banking sector and managed commercially by Polish expatriates, was used to jump-start the country's private sector and help create conditions for sustained peace. This innovative approach limited the scope of resource capture, forestalled aid dependence, and bolstered domestic resource mobilization. Post-apartheid South Africa also experimented with an enterprise fund with mixed results, largely because their fund was run like a development project and did not have an independent and technical oversight board.
Furthermore, foreign assistance could be leveraged to include resources from corporate social responsibility funds, African government programs, and diaspora remittances. This would broaden the scope and scale of program oversight. Rather than replicating traditional development models, Africa's banking institutions and mobile telephony could provide an ideal conduit for reform. As Figure 6.7 illustrates, channeling post-conflict foreign assistance in this manner could contribute to building peace and security in Africa's conflict-affected states by bolstering domestic institutions and bridging the yawning state-society divide. Evidence suggests that communities and countries whose citizenry have a greater stake in economic prosperity and politics are less likely to perpetrate and reignite violent conflict.
Engendering economic recovery in Africa's conflict-affected states is challenging, in part because vulnerable communities are not easily reached with traditional financial instruments. Many of these communities, by virtue of this exclusion, are more susceptible to extremist radicalization.
First, we need a shift in focus from donor-led economic projects to targeted initiatives promoting private enterprise. After decades of policy-driven foreign assistance, it might be time to consider re-configuring our approach in order to prioritize entrepreneurship and leverage other funding streams. This will require audacious leadership, strong partnerships, and innovative thinking; not necessarily new money.
Second, Africa's fledgling mobile banking innovations could be leveraged to facilitate domestic resource mobilization, particularly among the unbanked. The availability of financial instruments at household and community levels could build a viable constituency for peace that rewards the innovators and risk-takers. Digital money platforms could be utilized as mechanisms to enhance accountability. Ultimately, supporting digital and financial innovation is paramount.
Third, prioritizing communities (not political groups) in economic revitalization programs in Africa's conflict-affected states could lead to more effective and sustainable solutions. The use of familiar institutions, relationships, and technology is often better than establishing project-driven parallel delivery mechanisms. Investing in the development of resilient local institutions could serve as a bulwark against what sometimes seems to be an inexorable slide toward violent extremism.


A: Yes you can and it is very easy to implement. QuickBooks Point of Sale refers to this as the Customer Loyalty program and it is a great tool to motivate repeat business. Your program preferences are set up in the Reward manager via the Customer menu. You can make only select customers eligible for the program or you can by default make all of your customers eligible. The cashier is notified when a reward is available for redemption. The cashier is also notified when a reward has been earned. The customer's receipt reflects what has been redeemed and earned as well as the spending amount needed for the next reward.
In this type of setup, a single reward program is shared by all stores, regardless of the number. Like most administrative tasks, the Headquarters store controls this interaction. Headquarters is updated with each mailbag exchange (Store Exchange) and the appropriate information is sent back to the remote stores.
You must require employees to have their unique login for this to be effective. Click on Employees>Security>View>Rewards to gain access to the following screenshot. This is where you define your employee security preferences for the Rewards Program.


Greiner works with a variety of clients to secure their brand identity within their space. As unique and special as each client is, so is each project. Whether in downtown Minneapolis/St. Paul or in the surrounding suburbs, Greiner is the contractor companies turn to for excellence, detailed knowledge of buildings/towers and respectfully partnering with building owners, owner representatives, architects, subcontractors, vendors and the full project team.