"Congratulations on your amazing quality of the entire range."
"The latest addition to my collection from Exoto is a Porsche 910. The finish and quality are fantastic as expected."
Porsche, determined to take over from Ferrari as the leader in the international sports prototype racing, was building faster and faster cars with every season, closing the gap to the Italians. The six-cylinder 910 had scored class victories at the first five races of the 1967 season when the team arrived at the Nürburgring for the ADAC 1000 kms race.
Behind the wheel of the #17 Porsche 910 were Udo Schütz and American, Joe Buzzetta. The pair qualified in 7th behind the faster Type 2F and Lola T70, the trio of eight-cylinder 910s and one of the identical six-cylinder teammates. Impressively, all of the new Porsches out-qualified the 5.7-litre Mirage of Ickx/Attwood!
The Porsche 910s made a rapid getaway under sunny skies, five of them leaping ahead of the field after the "Le Mans start". Had the day been wet, as it so often is in the Eifel Mountains, Porsche might have had an unfair advantage. But even in the dry the diminutive German cars kept up the pace, pushing the faster entries until they broke!
Despite being the slowest of the 910s off the line, the pairing of Schütz and Buzzetta were first to finish, albeit a mere 0.2 seconds ahead of the #19 910 and half a lap ahead of #18 after covering 1000 twisting, turning and undulating kilometers through the German countryside. Porsche was not just first in class like at so many other events, but first overall! The dawn of a new era was breaking!


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Donalda is een plaats (village) in de Canadese provincie Alberta en telt 224 inwoners (2006).

Plaats in Alberta

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Processing: Taken and reduced in CCDSoft v5. Combined sub-exposures with Ray Gralak's Sigma Clip. Gradiants removed and color combined with custom software. Curves/levels/saturation adjusted in Photoshop.
The Bubble nebula lies at the center of a larger complex of shocked glowing gas about 11,000 light-years distant in the fair constellation Cassiopeia. NGC 7635 really is an interstellar bubble, blown by winds from the brightest star visible within the bubble's boundary. The bubble's expansion is constrained by the surrounding material. About 10 light-years in diameter, if the Bubble nebula were centered on the Sun, the Sun's nearest stellar neighbor, Alpha Centauri, would also be enclosed.


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14 Major Malayalam Blockbusters Which Led To Sequels
29 Dec 18 @ 12:28 PM
Sequels have followed popular Malayalam blockbusters and remained a significant part of Mollywood's filmography. Often, filmmakers have relied on the similar cast to repeat the success of their originals. Sequels of successful movies like "Oru CBI Diary Kurippu' and 'Ramji Rav Speaking' went on to become one of the biggest box office hits in Malayalam. Apart from being blockbusters,these films and their cast have created a space for themselves in the Malayalam industry. Their popularity is evident from the fact that they enjoy popularity even now among Malayalees.
Pretham (2016)
Pretham is a horror comedy that had Jayasurya playing Mentalist John Don Bosco. He is an expert at solving mysteries and cold reading techniques. The success of Pretham paved the way for its sequel Pretham 2(2018) which has the mentalist communicate with dead people. Jayasurya's role and the look in the Pretham franchise was a huge hit.
Sources: en.wikipedia
Pretham
Aadu (2015)
Aadu directed by Midhun Manuel Thomas has Jaysurya playing the iconic Shaji Pappan. The film could not live up to the expectations raised with its look and promotions. However, the makers went ahead and made the sequel and had all the main characters from part 1 reprise their roles in Aadu 2 (2017). Aadu 2 did well at the box office and a part 3 of the movie is being planned to be released in 3D format in December 2019.
Aadu
Honey Bee (2013)
Honey Bee directed by Lal Jr starring Asif Ali and Bhavana is a comedy thriller where two friends suddenly unwind their love for each other and elope on the eve of girl's marriage. The commercial success prompted the makers to work on the sequel titled Honey Bee 2: Celebrations (2017). The sequel shows the drastic differences of opinion among the two families leading to conflict.
Punyalan Agarbathies (2013)
Punyalan Agarbathies is a satirical comedy and has Jayaurya playing an upcoming entrepreneur Joy Thakkolkaran whose spirits never die in spite of all the financial hardships he face. The commercial success provoked the makers to work on the sequel Punyalan Pvt Ltd (2017) where the enterprising Joy is back again and fights the corrupt system.
Punyalan Agarbathies
Udayananu Tharam (2005)
'Udayananu Tharam' was a satire on stardom and fan culture in Malayalam film industry. This beautiful film narrates the ordeals of an idealist filmmaker Udayabhanu (Mohanlal), when he plans to direct a good film. It captures the angst of filmmakers who are compelled to compromise their principles to satisfy the egos of mega stars. The film was a blockbuster mainly due to overall performance of the cast and novelty of the theme. Sreenivasan, who wrote its script, came with a sequel 'Padmasree Bharat Dr. Saroj Kumar' (2012), which was a spoof on Mohanlal. However, it was received coldly in theatres.
Sources: imdb
Udayananu Tharam
Commissioner (1994)
This cop film marks Suresh Gopi's debut as an action hero. He portrays Bharathchandran IPS, who brings to justice all the criminals in city. He received wide acclaim for his fiery dialogues, which established him as a super star soon. 'Bharathchandran I.P.S' (2005), another super hit appeared as sequel to this immensely popular action flick.
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Kilukkam (1991)
A romantic drama from Mohanlal-Priyadarsan team, 'Kilukkam' explored the relationship between a tourist guide and a mentally unsound girl. This family entertainer was full of twisted plots and mistaken identities, that formed the core of Priyadarsan's movies. Its sequel 'Kilukkam Kilukilukkam' (2006) failed to create the magic of 'Kilukkam' on screen.
Kilukkam
In Harihar Nagar (1990)
'In Harihar Nagar' is a 1990 Malayalam comedy-thriller film written and directed by the duo Siddique-Lal. It stars Mukesh, Siddique, Jagadish and Ashokan in major roles. The film was a great comic entertainer and a blockbuster. Actress Geetha made her debut in this movie. 'In Harihar Nagar' was later remade into Hindi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu also.
In Harihar Nagar
Ramji Rao Speaking (1989)
Directed by hit film makers Siddique- Lal, this hilarious comedy movie has no parallels in Mollywood. The movie is based on three theatre artists ending up in a kidnap plot to become rich. Innocent, Mukesh and Saikumar gave audience a memorable laughter riot in theatres. Its success was later replicated by Mannar Mathai Speaking (1995).
Ramji Rao Speaking
August 1 (1988)
Considered one of the best cop films made in Malayalam, this crime thriller by Mammootty-S . N. Swamy team was way ahead of its time. Mammootty appears as the legendary cop Perumal, who investigates a plot to kill the new chief minister (Sukumaran), on Independence Day. But, a hired psychotic assassin (Captain Raju) and time are his major challenges. He has to bring to light the villains who are behind the conspiracy to save the life of the chief minister. This thriller was a blockbuster and was followed by a sequel August 15 (2011).
Oru CBI Diary Kurippu (1988)
Mammootty began his legendary CBI series by appearing as shrewd officer Sethurama Iyer in this detective saga. The flick was a blockbuster and was followed by 'Jagratha' (1989), 'Sethurama Iyer CBI' (2004) and 'Nerariyan CBI' (2005). All films in the CBI series were runaway hits.
Oru CBI Diary Kurippu
Nadodikkattu (1987)
Directed by Sathyan Anthikad, this movie had rogue detectives Dasan(Mohanlal) and Vijayan (Sreenivasan) taking on underworld dons. It was a spoof on detective films in Malayalam and was a blockbuster. The film was followed by 'Pattana Pravesham' directed by Sathyan himself and 'Akkare Akkare Akkare' (1990) by Priyadarsan, which was loosely based on 'Pink Panther' films.
Nadodikkattu
Aavanazhi (1986)
Made by veteran director IV Sasi, 'Avanazhi' was the first film in the trilogy of Inspector Balram. It won't be wrong to say that Mammootty was living as Inspector Balaram, a cop who crossed the limits of law to deliver justice. It was one of those times when you see the lead role with shades in his character. 'Avanazhi' told the story of Balram in his chase to catch the dreaded criminal Satyaraj, played by Captain Raju. It went on to become a blockbuster hit of the year and paved way for 'Inspector Balram' (1991) and 'Balram vs Tharadas' (2006).
Aavanazhi
Chemmeen (1967)
Ramu Kariat's 'Chemmeen' enjoys iconic status in Malayalam. It is a timeless classic due to the unforgettable cast- Sathyan, Madhu and Sheela. The movie introduced Manna Dey and Salil Chowdhury to Malayalam. 'Chemmeen' narrated the tragic love story of Karuthamma and Pareekutty. It was one of the most popular films ever made in Malayalam. Its sequel featured Manju Warrier and Suresh Gopi in lead roles.
Chemmeen
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: Python web scraper and input I had started to build a program for my personal work use of web scraping and input for mortgage rates. Essentially what i wanted to do was have my program log into each website, enter the mortgage data necessary, and it would return rates and compare each site so that i wouldnt have to manually do this on each site.
The problem i didnt think of is the login portion. i would have to store tokens and a few other items in order for me to navigate from page to page within each website.
my question is, is this even possible since i dont know the credentials/tokens to send to each page within a site? (i have the login info but unsure if i need more than just the credentials and the tokens)

A: This is complicated with just the request module.
Note that this approach requires more system resources
You can use PlayWright to control a chromium instance.
Chromium saves the credentials and tokens like nearly every other browser and you just have to program the browser to login and scrape.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Monday, 26 January 2015 17:24
Empty desks in Kent Secondary schools: four schools in trouble
In 2013 KCC made the decision to close The Chaucer Technology School in Canterbury, as the intake had fallen sharply every year but one since 2009 from 202 to 85, with a forecast intake of 57 for September 2014. During that period, the school had reduced its capacity from 235 to 150, but this would still leave at least 62% of places empty in Year 7. I now have the school census figures for September 2014 and this shows four secondary schools in a worse situation than Chaucer with regard to empty desks. What is more alarming is that that in 2013 all these four schools again had the highest vacancy rates, all more severe than Chaucer, whilst in 2012 the only school that separated them was Walmer Science College which KCC closed at the end of that year because of falling numbers.
Three of these four schools, Marlowe Academy, Oasis Academy Hextable, and High Weald Academy, are probably safe from direct KCC intervention because of their academy status, but must all have problems of viability, including financial pressures and the ability to offer an appropriate curriculum - for example a proper range of courses at GCSE, as the low numbers work through. All three have previously been placed in Special Measures by OFSTED, but have now earned their way out, although still clearly suffering from their reputation. The fourth is Pent Valley School, Folkestone which actually possesses a 'Good' OFSTED assessment, but whose troubles include expansion by more popular neighbouring schools......
Unsurprisingly, heading the list is The Marlowe Academy, about whose predicament I wrote a few weeks ago, but which still appears unwilling to even acknowledge its disastrous OFSTED last November, and now has just 32 students in Year 7, leaving vacant 83% of the capacity of 180 places. Realistically, it will be impossible for the academy to offer a differentiated and appropriate course for the students of this Year Group at GCSE in two and a half years' time.
Next lowest for 2014 admissions is Pent Valley Technology College in Folkestone, with 68% of its Year 7 places vacant. The school has been falling in popularity annually, in spite of being awarded a 'Good' OFSTED in October 2013 and also reducing its Planned Admission Number (PAN) from 240 to 180, the current 58 Year 7 students being just over a third of the 165 in Year 11. There are major contributory factors out of the school's control, adding to its problems, as explained below.
High Weald Academy in Cranbrook has had difficulty in attracting students for each of the past four years, ever since it went into Special Measures in 2010, in spite of having been taken over as an academy by the Brook Learning Trust, and two subsequent OFSTEDs that found it first 'Satisfactory' then 'Requires Improvement'. This year's Year 7 total of 61, leaving 66% of places empty, is similar to the previous three years, so one wonders what else the academy can do to attract numbers.
Oasis Academy, Hextable, is nearly at the same place as Chaucer was when the plug was pulled on the latter, with 63% of places vacant in Year 7, but is the only one of these four schools that has picked up this year. 2015 entry will be make or break for the school as it is for the others. For 2013 entry there were just 38 students admitted following a failed OFSTED, just keeping Marlowe out of the bottom place. A subsequent "Requires Improvement" assessment was achieved after Alan Brooks, Executive Head of Fulston Manor School in Sittingbourne, had overseen improvements at the school. This, and the subsequent takeover as a sponsored academy, will have influenced an improvement to 55 students this year, but the school's situation is still precarious.
Any school can cope with a sharp fall in numbers for one year, but what sets these four apart is the sustained low numbers, in schools that will shortly be over half empty throughout as the low year groups work through, financial pressures increasing and the curriculum offering having to be trimmed. I would expect that even the Academy Sponsors must be wondering what the next step is to be to avoid bankruptcy.
The other school with over half its Year Seven places empty is St Edmund's Catholic School in Dover, in trouble since its failed OFSTED two years ago, although it has recently passed a subsequent Inspection with "Requires Improvement". It has 60% of its places vacant, having lost over half its intake over the past three years, but is seeking salvation by becoming a Sponsored academy in the Kent Catholic Schools Trust. It also suffers from a similar local problem to Pent Valley.
The pattern of secondary admissions in Kent is changing fast as academies schools are allowed to increase their Planned Admission Numbers without regard to the effect elsewhere, reflecting their popularity, so the importance of a 'Good' OFSTED and good GCSE results has never been higher. League tables for the latter are out on Friday and we are warned that some schools have performed baldy in 2014. There is a strong argument by many that poor schools who fail to improve should go to the wall. Government argues that a preliminary step is to turn them into academies whose freedom from Local Authority control will see them get stronger, but what if they are already academies who refuse to face up to facts? What is clearly more important than the status of the school is its leadership; and this website contains many examples of schools that have been rescued or kept in a good state in difficult circumstances by outstanding leaders.
The second major factor for change in Kent is the expansion of grammar schools, some of whom are setting their own tests, or else finding higher proportions of children to be of grammar school ability through decisions of independent appeal panels. The extreme example is Folkestone School for Girls, which increased its capacity by 15 places to 180 for 2014 entry, absorbing 77 girls who passed the Shepway Test alone. Not only this, the school's independent appeal panel then offered an astonishing 44 further places to girls who had not passed either test on appeal, taking the school over its increased PAN, many of who would otherwise have been found places at Pent Valley. One group with whom this policy will be very popular are the families of the girls accepted by Folkestone Girls, but Pent Valley's future is now in threat as a consequence.
The Folkestone Academy, which in 2011 was one of the most popular schools in Kent turning away 66 first choice applications on allocation, has been falling in popularity ever since. However, for 2014 entry, it still decided to increase its intake by 30 children to 270, which would potentially damage Pent Valley further. In the end, FA started in September with 20 empty spaces in Year 7, so the effect on Pent Valley was limited this year, the very real problem for both schools being with Folkestone School for Girls. Folkestone Academy is run by The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust that also sponsors The Marlowe Academy, so it is well aware of the problems of struggling schools.
In the Canterbury District, apart from Whitstable Community College, the seven other schools are all bulging at the seams, the non-selectives having picked up following the closure of Chaucer, with Canterbury Academy having increased its intake temporarily by 50 places, and Spires Academy by 30. One wonders what 2015 has to offer the district.
In Thanet, apart from The Marlowe, and Hartsdown Academy suffering in spite of its 'Good' OFSTED, from its poor premises in competition with so many schools that have been rebuilt, all the non-selective schools are full.
The Dover Grammar Selection Test has been in place for at least ten years, although for the girls at least, very few who have not passed either this or the Kent Test succeed at appeal. Nevertheless, in spite of over half the girls admitted having qualified on the Dover Test alone, Dover Grammar Girls is consistently amongst the top performers of Kent grammar schools. Folkestone School for Girls is also there at present; it remains to be seen if they can continue to perform at the same level when the first new intake arrives at GCSE in three years' time. Along with St Edmund's, Dover Christ Church Academy also struggles for numbers, but manages to fill 61% of its places.
Maidstone District, has four of its academies with over a quarter of their places empty, The Malling School (66% filled, in spite of its 'Good' OFSTED), Holmesdale (68%, falling rapidly in popularity having been oversubscribed a few years back), New Line Learning Academy (68%, its biggest intake ever!); and St Augustine's Academy (71% again despite a 'Good' OFSTED).
In West Kent, the big issue is with the grammar schools, five of whom have expanded by 30 places in recent years, to absorb the pressures. The biggest increase however, is at Weald of Kent Grammar, which admitted 48 girls on appeal, nearly all initially non-selective, taking its total up to 211 this September, 36 above its PAN. The big issue here is of course the imminent decision on whether Weald of Kent will be allowed to open a grammar school annex for 90 girls in Sevenoaks, which will certainly need to draw on girls from across the county boundary to fill up numbers.
The national controversy over Free Schools failing to fill their places hardly applies in Kent. Both Wye school and Trinity School, Sevenoaks, are full, Wye drawing, I suspect, mainly from Kennington where it has hit the Towers School, leaving the latter with just 135 of its 243 places filled. Trinity has a wider catchment because of its church requirements for 45 of its 120 places, but will have had an intake on the Tonbridge non-selectives, Orchards Academy in Swanley and the Oasis Hextable Academy. The third Free School, Hadlow Rural Community School, with its very specialised agricultural focus, initially planned to offer just 30 places, but took 50 students across a wide rural area, taking in the normal catchment of a number of schools, likely to affect none of them significantly.
Last modified on Sunday, 07 June 2015 19:57
marlowe academy
Kent Secondary School Allocations for September 2019: Initial Information and Advice
Kent & Medway Secondary School Ofsted Outcomes: 2017-18
The Marlowe Academy is to close (technically a takeover)
The Marlowe Academy, Ramsgate: more bad news from OFSTED
More in this category: « Academy News, January 2015; and the costs to KCC of The North School being taken over by Swale Academy Trust. Kent and Medway GCSE Results »


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The ObserverRachel Whiteread
Rachel Whiteread: thinking inside the box
Eva Wiseman
'We had no expectations, we played hard and worked hard': Rachel Whiteread at the V&A Museum of Childhood. Photograph: Phil Fisk/The Observer
Once a key part of a generation of artists who transformed east London, the sculptor talks to Eva Wiseman about doll's houses, her fellow YBAs, and why she left Shoreditch
Sun 26 Mar 2017 02.01 EDT Last modified on Wed 19 Oct 2022 10.21 EDT
It wasn't just that Rachel Whiteread was moving house, it was that she was leaving Shoreditch, east London, the last artist standing, responsible for turning off the lights. "Shoreditch, my great love," she sighs, wistful. She left a year ago, relocating with her husband and two sons to north London, a journey that takes half an hour in the car but, probably, around a decade in therapy.
To enter her new studio in Camden, visitors must squeeze through a low doorway cut into a garage, then carefully descend a single-file staircase. And then, from that tiny darkness, you go through a final door and stand, blinking, in a church of a space, an almost triple-height room that smells of coffee and cultivated peace. On the walls are casts in paper. When Whiteread moved in, she tried to get rid of as much of her collected ephemera as possible. She was left with a single plan chest of drawings, and it weighed on her. So she bought three shredders and turned the lot into papier mâché, which she cast on corrugated iron. Today they hang beside her desk, an abstract archive of a 30-year-old career.
It's 24 years since Whiteread, then 30, cast the last remaining property in a demolished terrace in Bow, east London, in liquid concrete, sparking debates about the upheaval of the East End, the politics of "regeneration", and the point of contemporary art. On the day in 1993 that Whiteread became the first woman to win the Turner Prize, the decision was made to demolish the house.
Between the lines: in Bow in 1993, during the making of House, a concrete cast of the inside of an entire terraced home. Photograph: The Independ/Rex/Shutterstock
That afternoon she got a call from Bill Drummond of the K Foundation telling her she had been voted their worst artist in the world, and had won a prize of £40,000, double the Turner Prize money. They blackmailed her, she said. If she didn't leave the Turner party to receive the cash, it would be destroyed. She accepted, donating some of the money to young artists and the rest to Shelter; a televised interview from the following day shows her wide-eyed and knackered, and unready for such attention. Along with Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst, Whiteread became one of the Young British Artists who gave contemporary art in the 1990s that mass appeal. Though she shudders at the thought, they made art fashionable.
A side effect of that Brit Art boom, with its grimy glamour, was that a spotlight fell on east London where they worked, helping transform it into the "hipster" biodome it is today. As she talks about leaving the area, it's easy to doodle connections between Whiteread's process of casting buildings – inverting a home (complete with outlines of fireplaces, windows and staircases) and turning it into a machine for not living in– and the process of gentrifying Shoreditch. What was, in the 1990s, a diverse community of artists and immigrants is today mainly empty apartment blocks, bars and the odd branding agency.
"Twenty years ago we bought and converted an old synagogue, but the area changed. Nobody lives there now," Whiteread says. "They call it the 'art effect'. Foxtons sniff around the artists, because they're resourceful people, pioneers, who find the interesting seed of a place, and that energy and creativity grows until they price themselves out."
Finding peace: Whiteread's proposal for the Holocaust memorial in London. Photograph: ©Caruso St John Architects
She wears a buttoned-up navy worker's jacket, her hand resting inside, on her collar bone. "We gradually got sick of buskers at three in the morning, coach parties surrounding our house, the constant fight about what would be built opposite us. The studio vibrated – it wasn't good for my mental health. So we moved to find some peace. And we miss it, but not as much as we thought we would."
She sips her coffee. "I'm affected by my environment, and I love the new light, the quiet, not feeling under siege by… youth." Does she feel guilty? She snorts. "Guilty! For changing Shoreditch? No. We bought a weird building that had been empty for years, and it took people like us to work out a way of living there."
It's everyone's fundamental right to have a roof over their head
She's been spending a lot of time back in east London this week, as she installs a permanent piece at the Museum of Childhood. It's a place she's loved all her life – she remembers the long drive in her dad's car to Bethnal Green from Ilford, to marvel at the doll's houses in their glass cases. From Essex the family moved to north London, where at seven years old she helped build a studio in the basement for her mum Pat, a feminist artist. Despite an A Level attempt at science, Whiteread found herself following in her mother's footsteps, and went to Brighton, and then the Slade, to study art.
"Over the years," she says, "through my interest in sculpture and architecture I started to buy the odd doll's house, then thought about lighting them, and it became a bit obsessive – I started to see doll's houses everywhere. These amazing parcels arrived from eBay, the extraordinary way people packaged them. And when I unwrapped them, it became a village." She donated the work to the museum, where it will live in a dark corner, a hillside of crates, the houses lit from within. "It'll be a spectacle," she promises. A quieter, more intimate spectacle than her huge plaster sculptures, but one that similarly reverses a space, the tiny lights revealing emptiness. "Doll's houses can be really creepy, of course, these ones even smell like real houses, that mustiness. Some look like there are people buried in the back garden, they're not sweet in any way. It's a sinister village. Which means, when you walk in, hopefully you'll remember it for ever."
Silent witness: Cabin in New York, with Lower Manhattan in the distance. Photograph: Timothy Schenck
Whiteread is still close to many of her 90s contemporaries – they have a running joke about building an old people's home for YBAs. But her chuckle turns into a groan. "Artists now live a very different life to the ones we lived. We had no expectations, we played hard and worked hard. Now they expect a career, they expect fame. I stopped teaching because of that. It seemed students were only interested in being famous." Perhaps the YBAs did to art what they did to Shoreditch. "We made it look too easy," says Whiteread. "Art was slower then, and better because of it. It wasn't immediate. You couldn't 'yes or no' something on Instagram. You had to travel to see it, which makes for a more thoughtful response."
Are there any great artists emerging now? She scrunches her nose. "I don't know. I rarely go round the galleries these days, partly because I'm sick of it. I just like my own stuff!" She doesn't say this with malice. And she's done plenty to support new artists, taking on a series of "protégés" whose lives she's helped shape. In a pleasing twist, her role was recently reversed when her mentor Phyllida Barlow found success much later in life, "So I was able to repay the kindness, and help her."
I always think of Tracey [Emin] as the girl in the playground shouting 'Me me me!'
Whiteread has just submitted a proposal with her husband Marcus Taylor for the Holocaust memorial in London: they want to cast the existing monument to slavery, and in the space underneath install sound pieces, the walls whispering their memories. There's also a huge piece she's working on for the American embassy, the cast of a flatpack house, though she's devastated it's taken so long – she wanted it installed when Obama was in power. After filling the Turbine Hall of Tate Modern with 14,000 plastic boxes in 2005, she's currently preparing for her Tate retrospective later this year. "Please don't call it a retrospective," she says – there is too much death implied. "I can only think about it if I call it a 'survey'." We walk through her studio, and I touch a set of oversized metal cutlery – enlarged from a doll's house set, wobbly and uncomfortable.
The odd thing about what she calls her "shy sculptures" – a cast house on an island in New York, one in Norway, another in Norfolk, two in the desert – is that rather than their massiveness, the inversion makes you realise how small a home is, its limits. Whiteread doesn't do many interviews, and she is reluctant to talk about something even as dinner-partyish as housing, but she will say: "I'm interested in homes, in the politics of housing, but I'm no expert. I simply think it's everyone's fundamental right to have a roof over their head. We should be helping everyone to make a life – London can absorb many groups of people."
Lighting up time: Place (Village) 2006-08 (mixed media: doll's houses, crates, boxes, wood, electrical fittings and fixtures, electricity). Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian
Her reticence sets her apart from other artists of her generation, with their broadcasting careers and lives that face outwards. "Art was never seen as a career when I was studying. Damien [Hirst] had a lot to do with changing the way people thought about it, with his ability to spin anything. People like Grayson Perry, who I shared a studio with back when he was still struggling, great show-offs who want to be in the media all the time… It's not for me. Damien is a bit quieter now, but you see the residue of him. Tracey [Emin] too, these are people who have done a lot to be out in the world spinning a tale, making art an attractive proposition."
She smiles shyly. "Early on I did a lot of TV, with a crew following me round, but I can't be arsed with it now. I could have been the person that got the year-long contract with Channel 4, but I like being in the studio." Does that media attention affect the work? "Well, in the end it must, mustn't it – you're always on show. I see Grayson making his Brexit pot online and I think… OK." OK? A shrug. "People do what they need to do. I always think of Tracey as the girl in the playground shouting 'Me me me!' I'm very fond of her, but she plays on that and it seems to work. People love her for it."
She is comfortably silent for a moment and, of course, it's this silence, against the noise of her contemporaries, that people love her for. The political poetry of her work, her continuing crawls around the spaces we fill, the quiet, concrete search for home. "The mystery of being an artist is quite important I think, the privacy. I need and enjoy that, and spend time keeping hold of that." She looks up at the window, then across, at her new cast of a window, and she's had enough of being interviewed. She wants to get back to work. "It's just… the way I am." She looks at me. "Done?"
Rachel Whiteread's Place (Village) is at the V&A Museum of Childhood from 25 March (vam.ac.uk)
Turner prize
Lubaina Himid becomes oldest artist to win Turner prize
Rule change frees Turner prize from wearisome focus on the new
Turner prize's diverse shortlist 'makes a powerful political statement'
Lubaina Himid: the Turner prize nominee making black lives visible
The Guardian view on outrage and art: the new no longer shocks
Turner prize 2017: a cosmopolitan rebuff to Brexit provincialism
Dalí, Duchamp, Basquiat and beards: the best art of autumn 2017
Gallery in JMW Turner's beloved Margate to host 2019 Turner prize
Turner prize: artists over 50 will now be eligible for prestigious award


Ben Uri is a family friendly gallery and we run a programme of events so children and adults can explore the current exhibition together.
Thursday 12 April: Austrian Folk Stories with Ali Williams.
Celebrating our current exhibition Out of Austria, we are holding a Family Morning at the gallery. On Thursday 12th April, parents/carers and their children are invited to come and listen to a traditional Austrian folk story with Storyteller Alison Williams, followed by a creative activity led by our Learning team.
Tickets are £7 per child and £12.50 for two siblings.
All ages welcome, but particularly suitable for 4-7yr olds. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
All materials are included in the price of the tickets.
A two week workshop and celebrating the Austrian tradition of puppet making, our After School Family Art Club will explore different ways to make puppets and put on puppet shows.
We will listen to a traditional Austrian folk tale, and then make rod puppets based on characters from the story. We will perform a short show using our hand crafted puppets in our handmade puppet theatre.
Participants need to sign up for the fortnight.
The 2 week course costs £6 per child or £10.50 for 2 siblings.
We recommend children attending are aged 5+ and all children must be accompanied by an adult.
Based on Shakespeare's play 'The Tempest' and a series of original lithographs by Marc Chagall displayed at the gallery, local families learnt how to devise, film and edit a short stop-frame animation.
See the results of their hard work below.
During the first half of the summer term 2017, local families attending our 6 week animation project produced a series of charming stop-frame animated short films. During the workshops, they devised and wrote a film script, storyboarded each scene, made all the props and characters as well as backgrounds. They shot, directed and edited their films adding voice overs, sound effects and music to bring them to life. The ages ranges of the children were 4 yrs to 10 yrs.
Artist Josef Herman travelled from city to city throughout his life, from Warsaw to Glasgow to Ystradgynlais, a small village in Wales, producing beautiful paintings and drawings wherever he went.
Lots of his work focuses on memories, of places he went, people he met and stories he heard. Now you can make an artist's suitcase of your own, to remember people, places and special memories!
This project explores a painting by artist Ludwig Blum of Jerusalem, entitled Jerusalem, View from Mount Scopus towards the Valley of Jehoshaphat and explains how you can make a collage using this image as inspiration.
Theatre designer Boris Aronson featured in a Ben Uri exhibition in 2013. He was known as an 'Avant-garde' theatre costume and stage designs and worked in Kiev and New York during the First World War and in the 1920s.


The journey of Masi snow shovels began in Rauma, Finland, more than three decades ago, and Masi is still going strong and growing around the globe with strong international sales..
The founder of the company, Teuvo Sallinen, had the design for a snow pusher made of polyethene in his desk drawer for a couple of year before the suitable partners were found and the first Masi snow pushers were manufactured in 1982. Our company was already using HDPE plastic in the other products we manufactured, such as mudguards for tractors. The material was known to be easy gliding and cold resistant up to the temperature of -40 ºc (-40 ºf ).
In the early 1990s, the Masi product selection was broadened from snow pushers to long-handled products i.e. snow shovels and pusher shovels. At the same time we really began to conquer the Swedish market.
In 1996, we sold the 200,000th Masi snow pusher. It was Masi Nova, a novelty product, with the plastic components made with gas–assisted injection molding. This was the first product we designed with computers in a 3D environment. It was also the first one of our products to have an international patent. Nowadays, all our products are 3D-modeled by our dedicated team of professional designers. We have international product protection for our own product ideas and those acquired from our external inventors.
In the early 2000s, we developed new assembly technology for manufacturing the Masi snow pusher handle. We began manufacturing the handle of larger 22 mm pipe instead of the formerly used 19 mm pipe to make it more comfortable to hold. The new technology improved manufacturing speed and made surface treatment more environmentally friendly. Even after the reform, Masi snow pushers are still known for having a reinforcement pipe inside the handle.
In 2002, Motoseal headquarters and component manufacturing were moved into new premises on Isometsäntie, in Susivuori, Rauma. Masi product assembly and logistics were centralized in the earlier facilities on Hakunintie. The eight premises in the area nearby that were rented for manufacturing purposes became obsolete when all assembly was placed in one facility.
In the autumn of 2005, we launched the affordable Masi Light in the segment of low-priced consumer products. Masi's 25th anniversary was celebrated in the autumn of 2007.
In February 2012, the millionth Masi snow tool was sold. The following autumn we launched two patented novelties: Masi Swing snow scraper and Masi Polar Plus snow pusher with steplessly adjustable handle.
In the autumn of 2015, the new dashing shovels and pushers of the Polar AL series enhanced our position as one of the leading snow tool suppliers in the Nordic countries.
We are ever more focused on using Finnish knowhow in our supply chain and all major Masi products are entitled to carry the Key Flag Symbol of the Association for Finnish Work.
Motoseal Components Oy, the developer, manufacturer and supplier of Masi products, is the only snow tool manufacturer with ISO9001 and ISO14001 certification for quality and environmental management.


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Intentionally different
Home » Presenteeism during lockdown – Levels reach record highs in organisations as stress at work rises
Presenteeism during lockdown – Levels reach record highs in organisations as stress at work rises
Unlike absenteeism, presenteeism isn't always apparent. You know when someone doesn't show up for work, but you often can't tell when or how much illness or a medical condition hinders someone's performance.
Lockdown has taken its toll on many UK employees, as new research reveals that nearly half (46%) of those who are working from home feel more pressure to be present, and 16% are working through sickness because of redundancy fears[1].
No signs of abating
With coronavirus (COVID-19) expected to push unemployment levels significantly higher this year, UK employees and employers were polled to understand how presenteeism in the workplace has changed during lockdown.
The findings reveal that the trend of presenteeism is showing no signs of abating, as more than one in three (35%) have continued to work while unwell during lockdown. This is affecting younger – likely junior – staff more, with 41% of 26-34-year-olds working while they're sick and 33% of 18-25-year-olds doing so, compared to just 20% for the over-55s.
Reasons people continue to work while ill
Didn't think it was serious enough to warrant a day off 40%
My workload was too great 26%
Didn't want to hand over important work to colleagues 25%
Worried about the financial implications 22%
Other colleagues/senior members of staff make me feel guilty about taking time off 20%
I feel too threatened by the risk of redundancy 16%
I don't feel secure enough in my job 15%
I didn't think I'd be able to get a doctor's note 13%
A quarter (24%) of workers admitted they feel the need to prove that they were working every day, 22% are checking in with their colleagues or managers more often, and one in five (21%) are checking their emails more regularly outside of working hours.
Nearly a fifth (18%) have been working longer hours, 15% are taking fewer breaks during the day, and over one in 10 (12%) are taking no breaks at all. Further to this, a quarter of employees are starting work earlier, 24% are juggling their hours around childcare, and more than one in five (22%) are finding working from home more stressful than being in the physical office.
Presenteeism extends to SME decision makers too, with 41% feeling more pressure to be present and available for employees during lockdown. And, although 28% think their company had an issue with presenteeism before the coronavirus pandemic, 21% feel as though it is worse since everyone has been working from home.
Encouragingly, 41% of employers have introduced measures to support workers struggling with presenteeism and 25% are actively encouraging them not to work if they're feeling under the weather.
The 'always on' work culture we've adopted over the last decade has come to a head. Lockdown has made it worse and employees feel like they can't switch off. As the physical and mental wellbeing of UK employees is stretched to the limit, productivity could be significantly hit.
But with so many people frightened they might lose their jobs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, it's no surprise they're working through sickness and worried about the implications of taking time off.
Protecting your finances
Increased presenteeism is associated with increases in reported common mental health conditions as well as stress-related absence. If you have concerns about protecting your health and wellbeing as well as family finances, please contact us. We're here to help. Contact us here.
Follow Haslers on Facebook for all our latest updates.
Source data:
[1] Canada Life polled working UK employees and employers to understand how presenteeism in the workplace has changed during lockdown, 3 June 2020
Categories: Blog, HR, News
Posted on: 26th August 2020
HR January Update
Don't miss the ISA deadline
More over-55s forced to dip into pension…


CTMH Australasian "La Vie En Rose" Blog Hop.
or you may have joined in from here! Once you have seen the ideas below, follow the link at the end and you will visit 9 fellow "La Vie En Rose" bloggers and land right back here where you began!
The La Vie En Rose collection is such a beautiful assortment and will provide you with a wonderful array of paper crafting supplies to create!
With so many wonderful googies to use for this Blog Hop, I decided to create this beautiful "Exploding Box Card"! Which just happens to have a three tier cake inside!
With the Flower side of the La Vie En Rose papers mounted onto Black Cardstock.
The combination came together beautifuly.
The lid and box are 4" x 4"
Black Shimmer Trim was adhered around the edge of the lid and also around each of the three tiers of the cake.
Black & Gold Ribbon used to create the bows!
The versatility of this card is wide with the option to use it for weddings; birthdays; any celebration really!
Hope you have enjoyed this Cake in a Box card, wishing you a wonderful journey as you hop through all of the creative ideas for "La Vie En Rose" Blog Hop!


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Q: Siteminder injected custom header not found by ASP.NET MVC site I have a ASP.NET MVC website that is protected by Siteminder. After authentication. Siteminder injects custom header values and redirects to my MVc website. Here I am trying to parse the header in the Application_AuthenticateRequest method in the Global.asax.cs
 //Logging incoming request to check header for debug purposes
 protected void Application_BeginRequest(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            Elmah.ErrorSignal.FromCurrentContext().Raise(new ApplicationException("Begin Request. \n REQUEST HEADER =" + HttpContext.Current.Request.Headers.ToString() + " \n"));

        }

protected void Application_AuthenticateRequest(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {

            if (HttpContext.Current.User == null)
            {
                var smcred = ParseAuthorizationHeader(HttpContext.Current.Request);
                if (smcred.Username != null)
                {
                    if (Membership.ValidateUser(smcred.Username, null))
                    {
                        FormsAuthentication.SetAuthCookie(smcred.Username, false);
                        var identity = new GenericIdentity(smcred.Username);
                        string[] roles = null;// Roles.Provider.GetRolesForUser(smcred.SMUser);
                        var principal = new GenericPrincipal(identity, roles);

                        Thread.CurrentPrincipal = principal;
                        if (HttpContext.Current != null)
                        {
                            HttpContext.Current.User = principal;
                        }
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        Context.Response.StatusCode = 401;
                    }
                }
            }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Parses the Authorization header and creates user credentials
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="actionContext"></param>
        protected virtual SiteminderCredentials ParseAuthorizationHeader(HttpRequest request)
        {
            string authHeader = null;
            var smcredential = new SiteminderCredentials();
            var auth = request.Headers.Keys; //request.ServerVariables.Keys;

            foreach (string LstrKey in auth)
            {
                switch (LstrKey.ToUpper())
                {
                    case "USER":
                        smcredential.Username = request.Headers[LstrKey].ToString();
                }
            }

                return smcredential;

        }

SiteminderCredentials.cs
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;

namespace PerceptorWeb.Models
{
    public class SiteminderCredentials
    {

            public string Username;
            public string FirstName;
            public string LastName;
            public string EmailAddr;

    }
}

I installed advanced logging on IIS and I see that the custom header information is coming through fine from Siteminder to my IIS hosted site. But when my authenticate_request tries to parse the header none of those custom values are to be found.
Any help would be appreciated.


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Home College Football Picks 2019 College Football Picks 2019: Week One
College Football Picks 2019: Week One
Current Picks Record: 0-0
(#11) Oregon Ducks vs. (#16) Auburn Tigers
Justin Herbert, Oregon
For the second straight year, Auburn will open up their season with the Pac-12 favorite. After beating Washington in a close one in 2018, the Tigers are hopeful they can get a huge resume booster early against the Ducks. Auburn just recently announced who will be running their offense, as true freshman Bo Nix beat out redshirt frosh Joey Gatewood for the starting job. Nix has loads of talent, but is staring down an Oregon defense that could be difficult. Not only do they have one of the nation's premier linebackers in Troy Dye, they also have a ball-hawking secondary that loves to create turnovers. I expect the Tigers to lean on the ground attack often, particularly early on in this duel. JaTarvious "Boobie" Whitlow is going to get the bulk of the carries, and will have to open up some lanes for this offense to work with. Gus Malzahn is also going to want to get Nix out and running, considering his dual threat potential. Expect a heavy dosage of read options and RPO looks to open up this offense, but some receiver is going to have to emerge for this passing game to really hit its stride. Auburn will be a tough team to move the ball on, as they feature one of the game's best front sevens. Derrick Brown, Nick Coe and Marlon Davidson are all future NFL Draft selections, and their goal in this opener is to make Oregon QB Justin Herbert uncomfortable. Herbert is already drawing Heisman attention, but starting the season against an SEC team is a whole different animal. There can be no sloppiness or early-season jitters that can usually accompany an offense built like the Ducks. Not only will Herbert have to be on the top of his game, he'll need his two-headed rushing attack to find weaknesses, as well as this inconsistent wide out group to play well. The good news is that this offense will be operating behind one of the best O-Lines in college football, who should be able to neutralize Auburn's D-Line trio. This is a tough game to pick, as Top 25 matchups early on in the season generally are. While I like Auburn's defense more than Oregon's, I like what the Ducks have offensively. Oregon is so talented this season, there is no excuse for them not to be a Pac-12 Title favorite. Now, they have to go out and prove it, which begins with a win in AT&T Stadium.
The Pick: Oregon, 28 Auburn, 21
(#2) Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Duke Blue Devils
Could Duke, a team losing Top 10 NFL Draft pick Daniel Jones, really have a chance at toppling the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide in the opener? This game got a lot more interesting when the Tide recently announced four starters were suspended for the first half in this neutral site opener. That list includes backs Najee Harris and Brian Robinson, as well as receiver DeVonta Smith and linebacker Terrell Lewis. Things got even more interesting when another star Tide 'backer, Dylan Moses, went down with a knee injury and may be out for the year. That is a very significant group of players, and it gives Duke at least a fighting chance in a game where the Tide are still favored by five touchdowns. Yet, Alabama still does have one of the premier players in college football in Tua Tagovailoa leading the show, along with a bunch of other offensive weapons. Even with a decent secondary, does Duke have the answers to stop Jerry Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle and Henry Ruggs III? At running back, the Tide are likely to turn to Keilan Robinson or redshirt freshman Jerome Ford, who has seven career carries. With two important linebackers missing all or a significant portion of this game, the Blue Devils job on offense becomes significantly easier. Without Daniel Jones, new quarterback Quentin Harris will be the feature guy running the show, but facing this 'Bama defense isn't a great introduction. He'll have to deal with a physical Tide pass rush that includes studs like Raekwon Davis and LaBryan Ray, as well as an improving secondary. Only making things more difficult for Harris is the absence of wide out Jake Bobo, who was expected to be his top guy but is now out for a long time due to a fractured clavicle. With that in mind, along with the absence of two key Alabama linebackers, the Blue Devils are going to have to find a way to get things going on the ground. Deon Jackson and Brittain Brown are rock-solid, but they won't get anything easy against Saban and this defense. The absence of a number of key Tide contributors should add some much-needed intrigue to this game, but don't expect it to change the result. Unless something crazy happens, the Tide begin their 2019 campaign with a cruising victory.
The Pick: Alabama, 49 Duke, 14
Houston Cougars @ (#4) Oklahoma
One of the best parts of the first college football is the fact the games don't end on Saturday, but extend further into Labor Day weekend. That is the case once more in 2019, and the Sunday night battle between Houston and Oklahoma is sure to have some fireworks. Between the two of them, it isn't unreasonable to think they could eclipse 100 points in this one, as these are a pair of Top 10 units. Oklahoma will unveil their new signal-caller in Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts, who will guide an offense still stocked with skill position talent. The Sooners will also trot out a 1-2 punch at running back with Kennedy Brooks and Trey Sermon, who can run through defenders and also run around. Then, on the outside, OU still has star wide out CeeDee Lamb and a number of young freshmen in Jadon Hasselwood and Trejan Bridges. That will give the Cougars defense a ton of playmakers they'll have to contain, with a unit that is already losing one of its leaders, defensive linemen Ed Oliver. All eyes will also be on the Sooners' other side of the ball, where they have to rebuild one of the nation's worst defenses. Fresh new coordinator Alex Grinch has been working with this group all summer, but they face a daunting challenge in Houston. Not only are the Cougars led by one of the nation's most underrated quarterbacks in D'Eriq King (50 TD's in 2018 despite missing two games to injury) but they have a new coach on the sidelines in Dana Holgorsen. For all the criticism Holgorsen took at times during his West Virginia tenure, there is no denying his offensive expertise. He is excellent at finding weaknesses and exploiting them, and while Grinch continues to do his best, there is still ample holes on this Sooners' D. All in all, this Sunday night battle should keep the scoreboard operators busy, and it should be competitive. Yet, the smart money here should still be on Oklahoma, even if they did lose their last meeting between these two. They have more experience and firepower on offense, while Lincoln Riley has had Holgorsen's number since taking over in Norman. The preseason Big 12 favorite survives a difficult test at home to begin the fall.
The Pick: Oklahoma, 56 Houston, 42
Florida Atlantic @ (#5) Ohio State: Ohio State, 49 Florida Atlantic, 21
Georgia Tech @ (#1) Clemson: Clemson, 48 Georgia Tech, 17
(#14) Utah @ BYU: Utah, 35 BYU, 24
(#3) Georgia @ Vanderbilt: Georgia, 41 Vanderbilt, 21
Upset: Northwestern, 24 Stanford, 20
College Football Picks 2019: Week One Reviewed by McGowan Mania on 3:00 PM Rating: 5
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College Football Preview 2019: Breaking Down the B...
College Football Preview 2019: Breaking Down the A...
College Football Preview 2019: 7. Texas Longhorns
College Football Preview 2019: 8. Utah Utes
College Football Preview 2019: 9. LSU Tigers


To be successful in any given field is to be willing to hone your craft constantly. When it comes to building your own business, your own enterprise, it is not enough that you have sufficient capital to finance growth. You must also invest in your people's training and development so that they grow with you, learn with you, and succeed with you.
Before you crack your head about the most effective marketing strategy that will help boost your business in the UK, you must start with the core. That core is your team. Allowing them to train in sales is the first step.
In this day and age when everything is fast-paced, you cannot rely on old tricks to win new challenges. You must keep up with the times, be armed with updated approaches to constantly improve your sales performance and subsequently grow your business.
Everything starts with education. Your team should continuously embrace new challenges, learn new tricks, and be willing to keep up with change. Everyone should never stop learning because it can help you discover the key to success.
This is allowing your team to have sales training is valuable. You have to keep them well-informed if you want to keep them updated with new and effective approaches to win the market.
Sales training involves different lectures that teach business owners about winning the business they want, managing their people effectively, and of course, keeping their most important customers. It could be scheduled as often as needed. Your team can attend training whenever they have free time.
What are you waiting for? Take your business to the next level. Fulfil your aims. Create a more effective sales process. Have your team trained in sales today.


Mr. Trond Varlid has extensive international marketing and senior executive experience from Europe, the U.S. and Asia.
His career experience includes 15 years in corporate banking in London and Tokyo, two years as Japan country manager for an Asian online wealth management company based in Singapore, and 7 years as President of Tomra Japan—an environmental technology joint venture between Sumitomo Corporation and Tomra, a pioneer and global market leader in sorting technology for materials recycling.
He is President and Co-Founder EMC Quest K.K., helping business professionals in Tokyo become better presenters and communicators—and coaches executives on dealing with difficult management, HR and personal challenges.
He is currently also Program Director of the JMEC Business Training Program in Tokyo, a unique and hands-on training program for mid-career business professionals—operated by 18 foreign Chambers of Commerce in Japan.
Various skills and knowledge are required to be successful in business. Arguably one of the most difficult skills to master, however, is managing and dealing with people.
Are leaders born or made? Why do people and organizations tend to resist change? How can you bring about change in your team or organization when it is needed? How do you empower and motivate your team to be successful and achieve their best performance?
These are some of the key themes we will cover in our Organizational Behavior and Leadership class—and I look forward to your active participation.


Researchers in several academic disciplines have investigated the effect of the sequence of pleasure and pain on the customer in service, experience, or healthcare-related interactions. Specifically, past research from psychology, behavioral economics, and other related fields suggests that the sequence effect can significantly impact a customer's overall impression of a service interaction. In this article, we test the influence that the sequence of discrete events separated by several days or weeks plays on customers' assessment of service bundles. If the relative importance of the sequence effect for discrete bundles is known, then a service designer and event scheduler can optimize and develop a better sequence of interactions for the customers, leading to higher satisfaction, loyalty, and repurchase. Using an extensive multi-year ticket purchase database from a world-renowned performing arts venue, we develop and test econometric models to predict season ticket subscription repurchase. The estimated models show that sequence effects do indeed play a significant role in determining customer repurchase of subscriptions. These results have important implications for effective service design and capacity planning for a wide range of service industries. This article suggests both managerial implications and future research opportunities related to sequence effects in service operations.


The Ember Days are upon us! The what? you ask. The Ember Days. They are making a comeback in the Catholic Church after a long absence following the changes of the Second Vatican Council in the mid-1960s, which significantly revised a Catholic's obligation for fasting.
Why are the Ember Days making a comeback?
In light of recent revelations of past sins within the Church, clergy and laity alike feel a strong urge to do something. The bishop of Pittsburgh, David Zubik, has proposed the revival of the Ember Days accompanied by a Holy Hour for his clergy and seminarians as a means of getting back to the Christian basics of prayer and fasting. He has invited the laity to join them in this effort.
Faced with the sinful actions of the members of our own ranks of the clergy, who are called to manifest the example of Christ, we feel both shame and sorrow, and are reminded of our own sinfulness and the need for mercy.
He has also asked that the practice of reciting the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel be reinstated after all Masses.
The #EmberDays hashtag on Twitter is also gaining momentum. Check it out here.
We'll have more on the Ember Days the next time they come around in December.
Ah, didn't know you guys posted this as well. Already watched Dr. Taylor Marshall video, but glad to have come by it again.


Will you have to curb your use of e-scooters?
On behalf of O'Malley Tunstall PLLC on Friday, January 25, 2019.
Electric scooters, often called "e-scooters," are everywhere. These motorized, battery charged rental scooters have quickly risen in popularity around the world. While e-scooters certainly have their appeal, they come with significant risk of bodily harm.
Electric scooters were released to the streets before cities had the chance to regulate them. Now, cities are scrambling to address serious public safety concerns after the fact. That is exactly what is happening here in North Carolina.
These new rules aim to increase public safety in a time where just about everyone is at risk of injury.
Rider injuries. The first problem with electric scooters involves rider injuries. For the past few years, emergency rooms have known what the public has not: e-scooters often lead to a wide range of injuries. These injuries can range anywhere from scrapes and bruises to broken bones and even deaths.
Pedestrian injuries. In addition to rider injuries, pedestrians are feeling the pain as well. Lawsuits filed on behalf of injured pedestrians describe horrific accidents that lead to painful and expensive injuries. It is not uncommon for e-scooters to surge into a pedestrian, or for someone walking on the street to trip over a discarded scooter in the middle of a sidewalk.
Juicer injuries. Electric scooter companies rely on people referred to as "juicers" or "chargers" to keep operations running. Companies pay these people to pick up scooters in need of charging and take them home to charge before returning them to the streets. The public is beginning to hear more and more cases of scooters catching fire or exploding while charging, putting the juicer and those nearby in danger.
Scooter companies are now facing a growing number of lawsuits for injuries sustained from their alleged negligence.


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Home → current affairs → GS-2 → Should Article 35A be scrapped?
Should Article 35A be scrapped?
current affairs, GS-2
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was an integral part of the Dominion of India, according to the Instrument of Accession which was signed by Maharaja Hari Singh on October 26, 1947 and subsequently ratified by the Constituent Assembly of J&K.
Article 35A of the Constitution is now being vigorously contested with its constitutional validity being challenged before the Supreme Court. It has managed to create widespread legal and political controversy, despite it not even finding a mention in the regular sequential text of the Constitution. As Article 35A is reflected only in an Appendix of the Constitution, it is often missed by many legal experts.
Explaining Article 35A
Article 35A was born through a Presidential Order, the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order of 1954. Therefore, it was added to the Constitution without undergoing the procedure for constitutional amendments as laid down in Article 368. The Presidential Order was issued in exercise of the power conferred under Article 370 (1) (d) of the Constitution. Whether such power also extends to inserting a new Article in the Constitution is contentious.
The heading of Article 35A reads: "saving of laws with respect to permanent residents and their rights". Article 35A declares that any law enacted by the J&K State Legislature on the issues of permanent residence, or special privileges and rights, or imposition of restrictions, or employment, acquisition of immovable property and settlement in the State, or aid from the State government shall not be void on the ground that it is inconsistent with any rights conferred on other citizens of India. In short, such laws granting special rights to permanent residents would not be deemed a violation of the fundamental rights of other citizens.
Classification of citizens
The 'classification' created by Article 35A has to be tested on the principle of equality as it treats non-permanent residents of J&K as 'second-class' citizens. Such persons are not eligible for employment under the State government and are also debarred from contesting elections.
Meritorious students are denied scholarships and they cannot even seek redress in any court of law. The major sufferers are women who marry outside J&K. Though they retain their Permanent Resident Certificate, their children cannot be permanent residents. This restricts their basic right of inheritance. Further, the issues of refugees who migrated to J&K during Partition are still not treated as 'State subjects' under the J&K Constitution.
This matter requires the active participation of all stakeholders. It is necessary to give confidence to the residents of J&K that any alteration in status quo will not take away their rights but will boost J&K's prosperity as it will open doors for more investment, resulting in new opportunities. Article 35A, which was incorporated about six decades ago, now requires a relook, especially given that J&K is now a well-established democratic State.
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee firmly believed that the issues relating to J&K could be resolved following the principles of insaniyat (humanity), jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat (Kashmiri values). Hopefully, this issue will be resolved using the same principles.
Bhupender Yadav is a BJP member of the Rajya Sabha
NO | MANISH TEWARI
There is a reason why Article 35A is not found in the main body of the Constitution
The challenge to Article 35A rests on two constructs. The first is that it was inserted unconstitutionally, bypassing Article 368 which empowers only Parliament to amend the Constitution. The second is that the laws enacted in pursuance of Article 35A are ultra vires of the fundamental rights conferred by Part III of the Constitution, especially, and not limited to, Articles 14 (right to equality) and 21 (protection of life).
The Instrument of Accession
Unlike other princely States that started making choices after the Partition Plan was announced on June 3, 1947, J&K dithered. On August 12, 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh signed a Standstill Agreement with both India and Pakistan. Pakistan did not honour it. It invaded J&K in the third week of October. Confronted with the absorption of his State into Pakistan, the Maharaja signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947. The schedule attached to the Instrument of Accession specified that the Dominion of India could only make laws relating to Defence, External Affairs, Communications, and ancillary matters.
With the issue of plebiscite under UN auspices still hanging, India moved to consolidate its relationship with the State by enacting Article 370 on October 17, 1949. Article 370 (1) (d) reads as follows: "Such of the other provisions of this Constitution shall apply in relation to that State subject to such exceptions and modifications as the President may by order specify: Provided that no such order which relates to the matters specified in the Instrument of Accession of the State referred to in paragraph (i) of sub clause (b) shall be issued except in consultation with the Government of the State: Provided further that no such order which relates to matters other than those referred to in the last preceding proviso shall be issued except with the concurrence of that Government." This Article empowers the President of India to extend with requisite exceptions and modifications the other provisions of the Indian Constitution to J&K as may be necessary.
The Delhi Agreement of 1952 followed Article 370. Clause 2 of the agreement stated, "It was agreed between the two Governments that in accordance with Article 5 of the Indian Constitution, persons who have their domicile in Jammu and Kashmir shall be regarded as citizens of India, but the State Legislature was given power to make laws for conferring special rights and privileges on the 'state subjects' in view of the 'State Subject Notifications of 1927 and 1932: the State Legislature was also empowered to make laws for the 'State Subjects' who had gone to Pakistan on account of the communal disturbances of 1947, in the event of their return to Kashmir."
Clause 6 stated: "With regard to the fundamental rights, some basic principles agreed between the parties were enunciated; it was accepted that the people of the State were to have fundamental rights. But in the view of the peculiar position in which the State was placed, the whole chapter relating to 'Fundamental Rights' of the Indian Constitution could not be made applicable to the State." Please note that it said special rights for State subjects and not fundamental rights.
It was pursuant to this agreement that the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order of 1954 was promulgated by the President of India. It contains Article 35A, which empowers the State Legislature to define permanent residents. That is why Article 35A is not found in the main body of the Constitution; it is in the Presidential Order having exclusive application to J&K. Therefore, striking it down will have implications for other constitutional amendments contained in the 1954 Presidential Order.
Manish Tewari is a lawyer and a former Information and Broadcasting Minister
IT'S COMPLICATED | PRASHANT BHUSHAN
Article 35A is a recognition of the conditional accession of J&K into India
Article 35A says that no law in J&K regarding restrictions imposed on employment under the State government, or acquisition of immoveable property, or settlement in the State, or scholarships and aid given by the State government shall be void on the ground that it is inconsistent with any fundamental rights in the Constitution.
Introducing Article 370
Though this Article came in through a 1954 Presidential Order, it was in furtherance of the Instrument of Accession which the J&K government had signed with the Indian government. The Instrument of Accession gave only limited rights to the Centre to interfere with the autonomy of J&K. That is why Article 370 was introduced, to recognise the special status of J&K. It said that the power of Parliament to make laws in J&K shall be limited to those matters in the Union List and the Concurrent List which, in consultation with the State government, are declared by the President to correspond to matters specified in the Instrument of Accession.
Land, rights over land, and settlement in the State are the main issues. Land is a State subject. Because of the limited accession of the State of J&K and the relatively greater autonomy given to the State, Article 35A is only a recognition of the conditional accession of J&K into India and the restrictions placed on both Parliament and the Constitution that the normal powers of Parliament to make laws will not apply to J&K. It is Article 370 that restricted the application of certain provisions of the Constitution to J&K. It is pursuant to Article 370 that Article 35A was inserted by way of the 1954 Presidential Order. All that it says is that the laws made by the state regarding settlement and acquisition of property will prevail and not be struck down on the ground that they violate fundamental rights.
Incidentally, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have laws which say that no outsider can buy land. Strictly speaking, these laws are unconstitutional and violate two fundamental rights — the freedom to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India and the freedom to practise any profession, trade and business. Those laws are void. But because the accession of J&K was conditional to their being given their rights, their sovereignty with regard to matters concerning land and settlement are preserved. Therefore, it cannot be challenged on the ground that it violates fundamental rights or the basic structure of the Constitution because it is pursuant to an original part of the Constitution and pursuant to the limited accession signed with J&K.
Kashmir never acceded fully to India. Therefore, it is a quasi-sovereign State. It is not like any other State. Article 35A follows the Instrument of Accession and the guarantee given to the State of J&K that the State's autonomy will not be disturbed even by the Constitution.
It is for the J&K to decide, according to its laws, on the issue of discrimination against women with regard to property rights. Such a law is discriminatory according to the Indian Constitution, and is repugnant to the issue of gender equality. But under the Instrument of Accession and the autonomy given to the State of J&K, this will also have to be decided according to laws and the Constitution of the State.
As told to Anuradha Raman
Prashant Bhushan is an advocate in the Supreme Court of India


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Q: Adding breakpoint to custom theme in Material UI Next (reactjs) I'm creating a custom theme with mui as follows:
export default createMuiTheme({
  breakpoints: {
    keys: [
      "xxs",
      "xs",
      "sm",
      "md",
      "lg",
      "xl",
    ],
    values: {
      xxs: 0,
      xs: 414, // iPhone X and below in portrait mode
      sm: 600,
      md: 960,
      lg: 1280,
      xl: 1920,
    },
  },
})

But when I try to use it in a class declaration like so:
const styles = theme => ({
  root: {
    [theme.breakpoints.down('xxs')]: {
      textAlign: "center",
      padding: theme.spacing.unit * 2,
    },
  },
})

I get the following CSS:
@media (max-width:NaNpx) {
  .root-3 {
    padding: 16px;
    text-align: center;
  }
}

Is there a special way to add a custom breakpoint vs. just modifying existing ones?

A: Currently it is only possible to customize the values of the predefined breakpoints. Here is an example:
const theme = createMuiTheme({
  breakpoints: {
    values: {
      xs: 0,
      sm: 450,
      md: 600,
      lg: 900,
      xl: 1200
    }
  }
});

The breakpoint names cannot be configured. There is a comment in  createBreakpoints.js explaining this:
// Sorted ASC by size. That's important.
// It can't be configured as it's used statically for propTypes.
export const keys = ['xs', 'sm', 'md', 'lg', 'xl'];

UPDATE (September 2018):
This feature has been requested and is currently under discussion.  See material-ui/issues/11649

A: In case you prefer not to change the default values,
You can use a quick workaround,
use the theme breakpoints field to change the breakpoint value where needed.
For example:
xxl breakpoint
 [theme.breakpoints.up(theme.breakpoints.values.xl + CUSTOM_BREAKPOINT_DIFFERENCE)]: {
  padding: "0 3.5rem",
},


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NAFTA/USMCA
Dr. Luis Rubio: Policy and Progress in Mexico
A former Public Policy Scholar with the Wilson Center's Latin American Program, Dr. Luis Rubio is an expert on issues of democracy, economics and globalization, global governance and political economy. He is currently serving as a Global Fellow with the Wilson Center's Mexico Institute and chairman of the Center of Research for Development (CIDAC), an independent research institution devoted to the study of economic and political policy issues.
Reaching Agreement with Mexico
U.S. and Mexican cabinet ministers are conducting intense negotiations this week to craft solutions on handling Central American migrant flows. They seek to forgo a dangerous path of ratcheting up U.S. tariffs on Mexican imports that would dearly cost U.S. consumers, businesses and farmers.
As former U.S. Ambassadors to Mexico, we urge these senior leaders to delink trade and immigration and find ways ahead to address the real problems around Central American migration. Otherwise, we face lose-lose outcomes.
Time to Seal the Deal on USMCA
The time is ripe for the Trump administration and the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives to forge an agreement for approval of the new North American trade agreement, called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or the USMCA.
The new NAFTA will give North America at least 16 years of modern, predictable rules and processes for strengthening the continent's massive trade and co-production networks, including the many millions of jobs they support.
Sixth Annual Building a Competitive U.S.-Mexico Border Conference
The Wilson Center's Mexico Institute and the Border Trade Alliance held the sixth annual high-level "Building a Competitive U.S.-Mexico Border" conference, which focused on improving border management in order to strengthen the competitiveness of both the United States and Mexico. Topics covered at the conference included USMCA (the renegotiated NAFTA), strengthening security and efficiency at border ports of entry, the impact of tariffs and reduced staffing on trade, and growing crossborder cooperation for regional economic development.
Directions to the Wilson Center
Supporting Prosperity and Competitiveness by Approving the New USMCA
https://www.americanambassadorslive.org/post/supporting-prosperity-and-competiti...
Infographic: Mexico's New Labor Reform
Knowledge Gaps Create Opportunity for Mischief Among U.S. Legislators as USMCA Ratification Stalls
Originally published in
Trump Threatens to Put Tariffs on Cars Coming from Mexico
"Imposing tariffs on cars for this reason would be a huge violation of existing trade rules. What's more it would be immensely costly for US auto producers and consumers. It's difficult to see this as a credible threat. The Mexican government will surely view this threat with some skepticism as well as frustration after making significant concessions to Trump on migration last week."
- Duncan Wood
Get USMCA Done to Preserve Over 30 Years of Prosperity
The United States, Mexico and Canada have forged a massive commercial relationship over the past three decades.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) significantly reorientated all three economies. Businesses and farmers built mutually beneficial co-production networks that enabled them to compete successfully against other global trading powers.
The new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) preserves economic advances wrought since NAFTA came into effect in 1994.
The USMCA and the Future of Mexico's Trade Policy under AMLO
In this event, Luz María de la Mora, Mexico's Undersecretary for Foreign Trade, discussed the USMCA and future directions of Mexico's trade policy under AMLO.