Hello, friend! I'm not sure about you, but 2019 has been full of surprises so far. Some of them have been more than I could have imagined or asked for, and some have forced me to come to some difficult realizations. Things that I was sure would work out have fallen to the wayside, and things that I never considered have come to pass.
In the midst of life being full of surprises, I have also found myself doing the routine work necessary to maintain balance at home. It's been a time of reflection, re-calibration, refocus and in a word, stretching. I have been forced to let go of some ideas that I had and be open to new opportunities that I didn't plan for.
It's been an interesting time of disappointment and hope, sadness and excitement. I've gone from frustration to clarity to determination in a matter of days and I've been forced to let go of certain plans to embrace new opportunities.
Not every change has been heartbreaking and not every change has been ideal, but what they have been is affirming. I have never felt more sure that Root & Restore is where I belong and what I am supposed to be doing.
I do believe that life has a way of igniting a passion within you and then helping you to navigate the journey towards realizing that passion in a way that fits your life story and your gifts.
This is why every person's journey doesn't look the same, regardless of the similarity of their profession. When life put me in a situation where I had no choice but to accept what is, I have been encouraged that when we loosen our grip on our specific plans, we open ourselves up to new possibilities. This does not guarantee an easy time, nor does it guarantee complete clarity in every aspect at all times. What it does guarantee is that as we work towards our callings and the fire in our hearts, we may find that life stretches us to meet our goal and achieve more than we might have thought possible.
Are you currently being stretched in your life? What does that look like for you? I would love to hear your story!
There's so much more, but we don't like to dwell on the negative.
Now, another thing you may already know from Root & Restore is that we aren't afraid to talk about these topics. We are firm believers of the idea that when you share these burdens with community, you lighten the load. When the load of entrepreneurship is lightened, you have the freedom to dream bigger, work harder and go for your goals with confidence and joy.
Root & Restore doesn't guarantee that there won't be hard days along the way. However, we do guarantee that when the hard days come, you'll be equipped to handle them in a way that doesn't completely derail you.
Now, imagine what it could be like without Root & Restore. Without the tools and guidance established in our program, you are still guaranteed to have hard, disappointing days. You're sure to have those days where you just don't quite "feel like it".
Rather than being able to be able to recognize your hard days as just that, a hard day that will pass, you may experience extreme doubt that your'e doing the right thing. You may be tempted to believe that your feelings of being alone are an indicator of your incredible isolation rather than an opportunity to engage in a community that deeply cares for you and genuinely wants to see you succeed. Even worse, you may believe that you are not actually intended to pursue this dream and you may choose to cut your losses and quit while you're ahead. These are all relatively normal feelings, but they can feel debilitating when you don't have the correct tools to combat them when they arise.
We want you to be equipped to handle the hard days when they come. Root & Restore can help.
Do you have any questions about how Root & Restore can help your business? We'd love to hear your thoughts!
I've always known that my passion was people. I have always been driven by learning what makes people tick and I never tire of hearing the stories of how you came to be the person you are today. I have always known that psychology was in my blood and I have always loved the subject.
I went to college to study psychology and actually had plans to marry two of my favorite topics: sports and psychology. This wasn't exactly the way the plan worked out, but I did pursue psychology throughout my entire academic career.
I've worked in many different arenas that integrate psychology- from Academic Advising to Career Counseling to Outreach and Planning. I've seen a lot and never seem to tire of the subject. How can you, when there are new people to meet and new stories to learn??
I never quite saw myself integrating the subjects of psychology and entrepreneurship, but doing so through the creation of Root & Restore has ignited a new passion in me that makes me so very excited for the future.
Having been a calligrapher for 3 years prior to starting Root & Restore, I have felt the glory and pain of entrepreneurship. I understand the crippling doubt and have felt the unquenchable excitement.
I have experienced the frustration of wishing that your skill could just be SEEN for what it's worth and I have felt the pride of a positive review.
I understand having goals and dreams for your business and pouring your heart and soul into making them come true.
All of this, in addition to my academic and professional background, has led me to develop Root & Restore. I know because I have lived entrepreneurship and I am able because I have the education and experience to back my passion.
Root & Restore is the first program of its kind- an immersive program for entrepreneurs based in mental health and designed with you, the attendee, in mind. It offers a unique blend of psychology with an entrepreneurship focus and was created to grow and develop with you as you grow and develop.
I would love to meet you and can't wait for you to join us on the journey through Root & Restore!
The Self-Care Quickie is here: it's the self-care exercise you never knew you needed but won't know how you lived without.
Meet what we lovingly call the "self-care quickie"... our cheeky term for an exercise that we will love forever.
Here at Root & Restore, we think self-care is extremely important. So important, in fact, that we used our background and experience to design an exercise that will allow you to give yourself the maximum in relaxation and refocus in the next 5-10 minutes.
This exercise was designed to be super easy to use and super easy to access. We want this to be something that you come back to time and time again. Please feel free to print this, put it in a place that you'll see regularly, and use it whenever the mood strikes to help you remain centered and focused.
Know a friend who absolutely must have this on hand? We love to share!
Share this link with a friend, or click the button below, download the file and send it to everyone in your community.
Give me the self-care quickie!
We would love to hear how this exercise helped you to regain your balance and focus!
You walk into a room with 8 other people- some you may know and some you may not. You are met with kind smiles and a friendly welcome, but you're still nervous. Could these people truly understand how hard it is for you to run your business? Could they honestly get that sometimes throwing in the towel seems so much easier than pushing through?
In your first session, you're encouraged to share your story. You listen to each person go around and tell a small part of their journey and you're a bit taken aback. You didn't expect to hear so much that you would identify with coming from people that you may have heard of, but didn't know directly. You leave with the nagging feeling that you just may not be as alone as you think you are.
The next week, you arrive to your workshop and you've done your homework. You know your personality type but don't quite see how it plays into who you are as a business owner. Aren't those two things separate? Catrina expertly guides you through another intriguing conversation in which you, alongside each of your group members, are encouraged to share any feedback or thoughts you might have over the week's content. You start to connect the dots and leave the week's session with a small glimmer of hope.
Maybe I AM supposed to be doing this and maybe who I am as a person is all a part of the bigger story!
As you arrive to your Root & Restore workshop for week 3, the knot in your stomach has changed from a sense of being unsure to a feeling of excitement. You've really enjoyed sharing your heart over the past few weeks and are looking forward to what is to come. Now that your group has taken some time to really build a foundation of rapport and trust among each other, it's time to dig in a little deeper. Catrina seamlessly navigates the topic of the group as well as the group exercises and works implicitly to ensure that every voice that wants to be heard is heard.
There are some tears and some deep revelations that come to the surface. Connections that have previously been made are cemented as hearts are vulnerable and honest.
The entire time, Catrina is guiding your group along, making sure that each meeting is a safe place for you to go to be heard, seen and understood, not just by her but by your group members as well. Validation and respect are paramount and you start to uncover dreams and hopes for yourself and your business beyond what you could have ever dreamed. There is something to this and a new fire is being ignited in your heart.
In each of the subsequent meetings, the topic you cover builds on the previous weeks' content and the group's cohesiveness is further cemented. You laugh together, you cry together and you help each other navigate the breakthroughs that you didn't expect to come.
The reason that the Root & Restore content works is because it doesn't focus on itself as a program, it focuses on you. You are encouraged to self-reflect and share how the information impacts you, as well as your reflection on the insight that your group member share.
As you find yourself coming to the end of the 8-week workshop, you have found that, almost effortlessly, you are walking away with new connections and new friends who are not only interested in you as a person, but who are also deeply committed to the success of your business and the realization of your dreams. They want to stand with you in the hard days and celebrate the small accomplishments, because they all realize that the small accomplishments are the ones that lead to the big dreams being realized.
Your real and your messy and your hopeful are welcome here. We believe that is what makes you fabulously unique and we are honored to share it with you.
Root & Restore was written with a very specific purpose in mind. As a fellow creative entrepreneur, I understand the difficulties of small-business ownership very deeply. I understand what it is like to feel alone in feeling like you're not good enough or that you don't have what it takes to be successful. However, my vantage point is also unique because I have a professional background in counseling & psychology. This allows me the unique perspective of being able to use my prior education and experience to equip individuals to combat the difficulties that arise in small-business ownership.
As we go through each of these topics, our hope and goal is that you will not only come away from Root & Restore encouraged in sharing your gifts with the world, but also confident that you did not make a mistake in starting your business. Root & Restore does not guarantee that every single day will be an easy one, but what we can do Is equip you to combat the hard days with the tools and content that you've learned in our program.
We all have a personality type- it's something we've learned along the way in high school or college. We've taken the tests online and been told the color of our aura and our spirit animal.
This information can be fun and somewhat insightful, but most of us may not realize that there is great power in discovering the name of your personality type and our preferences for how we interact with the world. Learning this information about ourselves gives us an opportunity to harness powerful insight into the why behind our preferences for our interaction with the world and our behavior.
Root & Restore has teamed up with 16 Personalities to provide the comprehensive personality assessment used in our program. As you take the personality assessment, you may learn new insights into your personality. You may find that behaviors you have that have felt like simple quirks are actually a shared characteristic that many with your personality type have as well!
In order to help you better understand your preferences for interacting with the world, we would like to invite you to take the 16 Personalities assessment and download our free worksheet, linked below. This information comes directly from our workbook, so you're getting an incredible inside peek at just a fraction of the content that Root & Restore participants engage in!
Did you find anything compelling in your personality assessment results, or did you uncover something significant in working through some of our content? Please share below- we would love to hear from you!
Click the link below to access your FREE download direct from the Root & Restore content!
Just last month, we were on our very first Root & Restore retreat. We are so very excited to share our time with you!
We were welcomed into an absolutely stunning home right on the beach in the Texas Gulf Coast. We had gorgeous flowers by Amanda Bee Floral Design to brighten up the space and give it a luxuriously comfy feel. The decor and location of our retreat helped each attendee to feel immediately relaxed and cared for as she walked into the home and took in the scenery on the balcony.
As we started the course material, immediate connections began to form as each woman shared her dreams and motivations for starting her business. This gave each of us an opportunity to connect on a fundamental level, as we opened our time together by getting to the heart of why we are on our entrepreneurial journeys.
The beauty of opening our time together in this way meant that genuine connections happened very quickly. As connections of the heart happened, this led to more in-depth, authentic conversations over insecurities, comparison, and self-care. Furthermore, the retreat attendees were able to quickly rally around a new friend when tears came and frustrations were shared.
As the retreat facilitator, it was such an incredible honor to see each retreat attendee step into the gap for each woman, meet her where she felt inadequate and lift her up to reach for her fullest potential.
The conversations over meals and over course content was inspiring, real, transparent and encouraging. Because of the Root & Restore content, our retreat attendees felt that they could be exactly who they were and use their unique voice to speak life into each woman's heart.
As we navigated through topic after topic in the workbook, walls came down, vulnerabilities were shared and dreams were spoken into life. Each woman knew that her innermost thoughts were safe in our group. She knew that she could share her big, scary dreams and that they would be held with respect, honor and have life breathed into them. Her vulnerability was honored, not used against her.
Our most powerful session was on Self-Talk, which led to some life changing dreams being shared and incredible goals being put into play.
We were able to dig deep into connecting each woman's passions with her vision, which resulted in some powerful ideas coming to life that can truly change the world.
One of my absolute favorite parts of working through Root & Restore content with different groups is to see which topic is the one that changes lives. It has varied with each group, but it is an incredible testament to the power of Root & Restore and its ability to help an incredibly diverse audience.
As a result of working through the Root & Restore content, each woman gave as much as she received, she shared her heart and listened to the hearts of others, and each woman saw the power in being vulnerable in a safe space. We saw strength and vision ignited in their hearts and minds and we all left feeling truly honored to have had an opportunity to join in these women's stories.
Our gorgeous booklets were designed by Lynsey Creative and were absolutely perfect for facilitating our conversation over three days and three nights.
We were treated to deliciously made and beautifully styled meals made with lots of love by Chef Alfreda with The Purple Orchid.
While our bellies were taken good care of, Wilma took incredible care of our bodies and minds by guiding us through a personalized yoga course as well as calming, relaxing massages.
Our gorgeous gift boxes included goodies from Houston-area vendors and were the ultimate in self-care with goodies like bath bombs, candles, sugar scrubs and a gorgeous journal for jotting down every single thought and emotion during the retreat time together.
We had an abundance of laughter, heart-to-heart moments, some tears and more warm memories than we could count. All of these wonderful times were accented by a gorgeous view and the calming sound of waves on the sand throughout the duration of our time together.
We all walked away from our retreat weekend with incredibly full hearts and friendships that are certain to last a lifetime.
Life was spoken into our dreams and passions through the Root & Restore content. We also received incredible value on business strategy from Melinda with The Lovely Creative. She also was the amazing photographer during the retreat and we were so blessed to have her!
As if our time together couldn't have been more special, we were greeted by an incredibly intense rainbow as we wrapped up the retreat and prepared to head back home.
It almost felt like a promise- that as we each went our separate ways back to our lives, that we had been seen, known, loved and cared for and that our journeys were not by mistake.
What a powerful image to wrap up our time together.
Will you join us for our next retreat? We believe that our time together has the power to change your life and we want you to be in on it all. We can't wait to celebrate you!
Preface: Most of the time, Root & Restore will be a place of encouragement and empowerment. However, something that is more important to me than lifting people up is being real. I believe with every part of my being that in order for me to be an effective encourager, it is vital that I be genuine and real. That way, when I say the fun, kind things, the recipient of those words knows that they are hearing me speak something that I truly believe in rather than just anecdotal happy words to lighten the mood.
A very real and normal part of building a business is being told "no" or watching doors close that you wished would open. If entrepreneurship was an easy path to achieving wild success, everyone would do it! However, it's actually a difficult road that is full of detours, delays and disappointments.
Part of those disappointments can show up as rejection. A lost bid, a rejected idea, a "change in direction". All are forms of the answer "no" and all have the potential to be a nuisance at best and crushing at their worst.
Today I'd like to share with you some thoughts on how to deal with rejection- from a lost bid or a disappointed client to losing a client to a competitor.
1. Understand that it doesn't feel good.
Allow yourself to feel sad over receiving "no" for an answer. It takes time to process the feelings you'll have over rejection- from relief to disappointment, etc. I believe that in our boss-lady culture, it can be tempting to gloss over our feelings of hurt or disappointment and try to put on a brave face.
You don't have to show the whole world your broken heart or ruined vision board, but it is important to be honest with yourself about how you feel. If you're relieved, that's ok. If you're upset, that's ok too. If you're crushed, it simply means you are human.
Being rejected is not fun, regardless of how you look at it. However, it doesn't mean that you are a failure. It doesn't mean you should quit. It doesn't mean that you have no value. It can be tempting to jump to those types of conclusions, but being told "no" doesn't mean that the whole world rejects you. It just means that the situation you were wanting to be in was not for you, or not for you in that time. Being kind to yourself and giving yourself room to process your emotions (be it for 5 minutes or 5 months...) is key to moving on in a healthy, effective way.
I was once told no over two very big projects that were deeply disappointing. I just KNEW I was the perfect fit and the "yes" was so palpable I could taste it. Then, I got a no for both. I was SO upset!! It felt like a punch in the gut and while I knew I'd ultimately be fine, I had to take a minute to protect my space to protect my sanity. This meant taking a step back from specific social media pages for a while and intentionally surrounding myself with things that would lift me up. I took on projects that made me happy and I spent time with people that really knew me and loved me. Instead of scrolling on social media, I spent more time away from my phone than I normally would and found such peace and joy in simply protecting my space.
4. Try to accept that not everyone/everything is for you.
This can be difficult, because it's so easy to feel like you want to be all the things for all the people. This "no" could have been a case of bad timing: maybe you weren't ready for the opportunity, or maybe the opportunity wasn't ready for you! Maybe in 2, 5, or 10 years, things will be different. OR, maybe you will simply grow out of the need for that opportunity and saying "no" now positions you for something that is a much better fit later.
Maybe your business growth would be hindered by the opportunity you're seeking now and you are being protected for something more significant in the future. I've heard the concept that "there is enough success for everyone" and I sincerely believe that's true. However, the success that someone else has may not fit your life in the same way. That same concept works for why some people get "yes's" and some people get "no's". Your opportunity will come, and it will be the best fit for you. An answer of "no" can be painful, but it can also be a protection for what is meant to come into our lives.
What is meant for you will find you!
5. Try to find the lesson.
Finally, I strongly believe that we are told "no" in life for a plethora of reasons. These closed doors can be deeply disappointing and painful, but they can truly shape us and our businesses for incredible growth if we let them. Maybe experiencing rejection ourselves helps us to be more compassionate and considerate when we have to tell someone else "no" to something. We can be more kind and understand how they may feel.
Being rejected for an opportunity can give us freedom to pursue new, unexpected avenues of our businesses that we might not have otherwise. We never know what growth opportunity is waiting just around the corner! We can also take the opportunity to learn from our experience. Maybe we were weak in certain areas of our business and this gives us the opportunity for true, honest reflection and improvement.
We are told no for so many reasons, so many times in our journey as entrepreneurs. It is a difficult part of pursuing your dreams, but it can be a refining part of our journey if we allow it. If we choose to let our experiences of rejection be fertile ground for growth and positive change, these "no's" can become the very foundation that we build our empire off of.
I'll have to give you the details over coffee sometime, but there have been a few "no's" in my life that I truly thought would crush me. I did not feel that I could stand under their weight and getting through a day felt overwhelming and downright impossible. I don't share these things lightly or ignorantly... I know that if you really had your heart set on something and it doesn't work out, it can feel as if oxygen suddenly was in short supply.
This is when it is best to engage in serious self-care and tangible tools for success... care for yourself at your most basic level, meet your immediate needs and let the rest fall into place.
One final thought: I am no spring chicken... HA! I've seen a lot and experienced a lot in my life. I just want to encourage you that there has yet to be a "no" in my life that I didn't come to eventually appreciate, no matter how much it hurt at the time.
A dream deferred can surprise you in the ways it does come true, in its own time and in its own way.
I am cheering you on, friend. I would love to hear about how you handle rejection and how you've come to appreciate how hearing "no" can shape your journey.
How do you know when you've succeeded in life? What will it take for you to measure your life as a success? I have friends who are practicing surgeons and Ph.D's. I have friends who are successfully parenting four or more children and are cultivating real romance with their spouse. I have friends who are completely debt free and have bodies now that would make their 16 year old selves green with envy. I know person after person who, when ranking my accomplishments against theirs, will out perform mine time after time.
In trying to live what we would consider a successful life, accomplishments rarely tell the entire story. It's easy to see how we fall short because we aren't as rich, skinny, popular, healthy or spiritual as the next person. We aren't as gregarious or well spoken and dang it, I can't even make sure all members of my house are well fed, much less compete on all the levels with all the people!
I've found that the story often ends in the same way: I will always find someone out there with more accomplishments than me. Someone who has made more of their business than I have and someone who has capitalized on turning their skills into a dream job.
However, when we take accomplishments away and stop the comparison game, we find that we each have our own sphere of influence. We are fully capable of reaching the people in our sphere of influence and the messages we send to them can radiate in ways we never could have imagined. Some of us have Beyoncé level spheres of influence. Some of us have spheres of influence that may touch our partner or our children or our parents.
Regardless of how large or small our reach goes, the messages we send are still of critical importance. Do we empower the people we interact with? Are we intentional in lifting them up and leaving them better than we found them? In interacting with your 3 clients or your 30,000 clients, the fundamentals are the same. We are all worthy of encouragement and we are all capable of speaking life-giving truth to those we touch. We are able to treat each person like they matter, because the truth is that they do. The truth is also that no one story is more or less important than the other. When we make this a fundamental philosophy of how we run our businesses, customer service does not need to be a notch on a checklist, because it comes naturally.
Now, I'm also not here to say that you can't experience disappointment. It can be difficult to see others achieve the dreams that you have. It can be hard to see others succeed in the areas you had hoped for. I don't have all of the answers, but what I do know is that we all have our own path to take. What is meant for us will find us, in life and in business. If you're walking through a moment or an extend time of frustration with not being able to reach your goals, it is important to acknowledge that and feel that frustration. When you give it a voice, you empower yourself to walk through why you may be disappointed and frustrated and what you can do to change it.
The process of business ownership is a journey. It ebbs and flows. As we navigate through the process of building and growing our businesses, it is important to recognize and celebrate the successes that come our way- from each new, individual client to the realization of the big, scary, out of this world dreams that have come true. The small, barely noticeable successes eventually collect to become the big dreams coming to life. Keep at it, friend. you are making a difference by showing up, and that's something I'd call a success.
In the vein of being vulnerable, I'd like to share a quick story with you- something that requires me to be open and honest with you.
I am in the middle of a major life change- my family just recently welcomed our second son into the world. As a second-time mama, I have been so excited for this big life change but also fully aware of how much of my whole world will be affected. I still remember the days after I brought our first son home from the hospital and how I truly felt that my world had been completely turned upside down.
When you're trying to launch a business and prepare for a baby at the same time, there's alot of humbling that can happen in the process. You don't have all of the energy you might have had otherwise and balancing work, dreaming, planning and implementing with new-mama brain and a very active toddler can make small tasks seem nearly impossible.
All of that being said, I had a plan for something big to happen in my business before the baby came. My husband, being the wonderful man that he is, lovingly convinced me that maybe, just maybe, the timing wasn't right and that blindly pushing towards my goal could potentially cause more damage than good.
Y'all... I didn't handle that conversation well. I didn't handle it well at ALL. I wanted so badly to reach my goal, to plan my event, and ride off into the sunset of new motherhood with all of the recognition and accolades that this event would bring. When I was held accountable and faced with the (correct) decision of letting that go (for now), it genuinely hurt. I was disappointed and frustrated. I was mad at him for being right and mad at myself for not seeing it on my own.
This experience, which, if I'm being totally honest, took a few days to get over. It left me feeling bruised and deflated. However, it reminded me of how hard it can be as business owners to let go of short-term goals that feel so important to best accomplish the long-term goal.
In an effort to feel like we've got control of our businesses, it can be tempting to focus on the little things as a substitute for the big things. It can feel easier to focus on a flawless social media account than it is to dig into our insecurities and dream big dreams for our businesses. It can also feel easier to take on the clients that aren't your ideal instead of raising your prices and saying no to projects that don't set your soul on fire. In my personal case, it was easier to focus on planning a big party than it was to admit to myself that I should focus on building the foundation of my business and let that be enough for now.
However, pushing ourselves to go to the uncomfortable parts of owning a business (bookkeeping, goal setting, networking, etc.) can make us more well-rounded business owners and can help us to see areas of success that we might not have otherwise.
Allowing ourselves to let go of what feels like the big things in order to build a solid foundation for our business can be so hard to do, but can be such a worthwhile investment. I know that this is much easier said than done, because it is a huge struggle of mine as well. It's so much easier to focus on the things that come naturally to us than the things that are outside of out comfort zone. Similarly, it is so easy to focus on the goals that feel good to accomplish and come easily versus the ones that are more time and labor intensive, but that take our business much farther than we might have imagined. However, in choosing to stretch ourselves and say "no" to the smaller, easier goals in lieu of the bigger, more intensive goals, we are truly investing in ourselves and our business growth in lasting ways.
Cheering you on, friend. Always.


text:
Q: Forcing a subview background color change when rotating device and autolayout I have a problem with a custom view and autolayout. To make things simple I will use two UILabels, the first one should change its background color when the device rotate. The problem is that it doesn't do it! Any hint?
Thanks!
Nicola
- (id)init
{
    self = [super init];
    if (self) {

        //Add the subviews to the mainView
        [self.view addSubview:self.label1];
        [self.view addSubview:self.label2];

        //Autolayout

        //Create the views dictionary
        NSDictionary *viewsDictionary = @{@"header":self.label1,
                                          @"table": self.label2};

        //Create the constraints using the visual language format

        [self.view addConstraints:[NSLayoutConstraint
            constraintsWithVisualFormat: @"H:|[header]|"
                              options:0
                              metrics:nil
                                views:viewsDictionary]];

        [self.view addConstraints:[NSLayoutConstraint
            constraintsWithVisualFormat: @"H:|[table]|"
                              options:0
                              metrics:nil
                                views:viewsDictionary]];

        [self.view addConstraints:[NSLayoutConstraint
            constraintsWithVisualFormat:@"V:|[header(==50)][table]|"
                              options:0
                              metrics:nil
                                views:viewsDictionary]];

    }
    return self;
}

-(UIView*) label1
{
    _label1 = [UILabel alloc] init];

    if (UIInterfaceOrientationIsPortrait(self.interfaceOrientation)){
        _label1.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
    }else{
        _label1.backgroundColor = [UIColor greenColor];
    }

    _label1.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints=NO;
    return _label1;
}

-(UIView*) label2
{
    _label2 = [UILabel alloc] init];
    _label2.backgroundColor = [UIColor yellowColor];
    _label2.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints=NO;
    _return label2;
}

-(BOOL) shouldAutorotate
{
    return YES;
}

-(NSUInteger) supportedInterfaceOrientations
{
    if([[UIDevice currentDevice] userInterfaceIdiom] == UIUserInterfaceIdiomPad){
        //I am on a pad
        return UIInterfaceOrientationMaskAll;
    } else {
        //I am on a Phone
        return UIInterfaceOrientationMaskAllButUpsideDown;
    }
}

-(void) willRotateToInterfaceOrientation:(UIInterfaceOrientation)toInterfaceOrientation duration:(NSTimeInterval)duration
{
    //I expect the label1 to change its background color
    [self.view setNeedDisplay];
}

A: If you move the code related to [self.label1 setBackgroundColor:] to the delegate method didRotateFromInterfaceOrientation:, it should work better. Also, in your custom getters, you are allocating a new label every time you access the method. In most situations it's preferable to check if the ivar is not nil at the beginning, and returning the ivar, instead for allocating a fresh label.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


2 2 Tim. ii. 24.
15 The MS reads, "and those wearing the priestly dignity."
1 Callistus succeeded Zephyrinus in the bishopric of Rome, and discharged the duties of that office for five years. This is all the information which Eusebius (in his Chronicon and Hist. Eccl., vi. 21) gives us in regard to Callistus. Later writers make many other statements. [See note, p. 618.] The letters attributed to him form part of the False Decretals of the pseudo-Isidorus, mentioned in the notice of Zephyrinus.
1 Mansi, Concil., i. 737.
7 See Augustine's Confessions, book ix. ch. ix.
8 See Augustine on Ps. xciii.
9 See Ambrose, Epistle xxi.
10 In the year 222.
1 Comp. Rom. i. 32.
3 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15.


The Collaboration is managed by a Steering Committee which is responsible for operational aspects of the work and reports to NOCRI. The first phase of work was implemented by a Task and Finish Group. On completion of this work, the group was disbanded and a Secretariat formed. Click on the links for more information on the members of the Steering Committee and Secretariat.


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using Autodesk.Max;
using PJanssen.Outliner.Commands;
using PJanssen.Outliner.MaxUtils;
using PJanssen.Outliner.Scene;

namespace PJanssen.Outliner.TreeNodeButtons
{
   class LockTransformsCommand : Command
   {
      private List<INodeWrapper> nodes;
      private Boolean lockTransforms;

      public LockTransformsCommand(IEnumerable<IMaxNode> nodes, Boolean lockTransforms)
      {
         this.nodes = nodes.OfType<INodeWrapper>().ToList();
         this.lockTransforms = lockTransforms;
      }

      public override string Description
      {
         get
         {
            if (this.lockTransforms)
               return Resources.Command_LockTransforms;
            else
               return Resources.Command_UnlockTransforms;
         }
      }

      public override void Do()
      {
         LockTransformsRestoreObj restoreObj = new LockTransformsRestoreObj(nodes, lockTransforms);
         restoreObj.Redo();

         IHold theHold = MaxInterfaces.Global.TheHold;
         if (theHold.Holding)
            theHold.Put(restoreObj);
      }
   }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


CIVIL society organisations have rejected government allegations that they are working with the opposition to push a a regime change agenda aimed at unseating President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration.
Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa claimed that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) worked with the opposition MDC party to organise last week's countrywide protests.
A lethal response by the embattled administration left 12 people dead and dozens injured while hundreds were arrested.
Government also banned the internet for much of last week. Although services were later restored access to social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube as well as use of the popular text messaging platform WhatsApp is still banned.
In a statement at the weekend, the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO), said there was no regime change agenda.
The umbrella group for local NGOs blamed the violent protests on poor government policies.
"The policies that government has been implementing have not been popular with citizens and the same policies do not improve the standard of living," said NANGO.
"This has, therefore, resulted in widespread demonstrations across the country mainly in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Kadoma and Mvurwi among other areas."
The group urged the government and state to security agencies to exercise restraint respect the sanctity of life as they respond to demonstrations.
Protestors were also urged to respect the rights of other citizens while key players in society were urged to resort to dialogue in resolving differences.
"We, therefore, recommend that there be dialogue that includes political parties, business church and civil society," the group continued.
"(Govt must also open) up communication platforms to allow free access to information by the public, investigations (should also be carried out) into the disproportionate use of force by security organs while those arrested should be allowed access to medication and fair trial.
"The Southern Africa Development Community to intervene and broker a deliberation to map the way forward in the event that internal engagements fail to reach a common position."
The government's response to the protests has been condemned by the United Nations human rights commission, the European Union as well as countries such as the United States, Britain and Canada.


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lovely White Sapphire is set into the bale of the pendant.
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This is a lovely Blue Zircon pendant and chain that is steeped in history and genuine antique.
It would be perfect for a wedding too, it looks stunning when worn!


Goat herders in Odisha, India.
MIT D-Lab and Heifer International began exploring working together in the summer of 2015. Heifer provides livestock and training on animal husbandry practices to communities in 27 countries around the world in an effort to reduce hunger and poverty. Heifer's close, long-term relationships with local communities and partners enable the organization to develop trust and implement programs effectively. D-Lab is known for our participatory methods of needs assessment and product design, as well as for technology evaluation. Together, D-Lab and Heifer are able to apply their complementary skills and expertise to some of the world's most pressing challenges.
Find out more about the first study conducted by D-Lab for Heifer International in Odisha, India below or read the four four-page D-Brief summarizing the study methodology, findings, recommendations and more.
In February and March of 2016, an MIT D-Lab Scale-Ups team conducted a qualitative needs assessment study in order to understand the current practices and needs of smallholder goat herders in Odisha, India.
The study was conducted in partnership with Heifer International's headquarters team and India field office, and three of Heifer's local partners: Nydhee, Unnayan, and Sambhandh in the Mayurbhanj district. The D-Lab team (two D-Lab researchers, two local researchers, one veterinarian, and two interpreters) selected and interviewed over 200 current and former tribal goat herders about their goat management practices and challenges. Based on the findings, D-Lab recommended solutions that could potentially solve one or more of the identified problems.
1. Shortage of nutritious feed throughout the year, especially during the summer and during the rainy season, as goats do not like to get wet or eat wet feed. Insufficient feed can lead to smaller, weaker goats.
2. High death rates of goats due to disease. Many of the goat herders reported a high rate of death, often due to disease.
3. Disorganized selling of goats. Many goat herders reported selling to a middleman when they needed funds for a large family expenditure, rather than when the goats are the correct age or weight.
4. Inbreeding of goats, which can lead to smaller, weaker goats that are more susceptible to disease. Many of the goat herders did not have access to good bucks or artificial insemination.
5. Unsafe and unhygienic living conditions for goats, which can increase the likelihood of the goats contracting a disease or being killed by other animals. Many of the goats lived with the family or with other animals without proper ventilation or drainage.
Heifer India has already been working closely with the local communities to solve some of the problems identified. However, the challenges still existed at the time of the study because Heifer's programs had been operational for only about a year and had not expanded to all regions and partners.


The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman for the umpteenth time has pledged Management's commitment and continued support in the area of capacity building towards greater efficiency and service delivery.
Speaking at the passing out ceremony of 125 Officers of Squad 49 of Fire Service Department of the Authority, an elated Hadiza Bala Usman expressed excitement at the fact that 21 out of the Squad are of the female gender stressing that it is an indication that women are beginning to see the value of breaking the barriers of limitation that the society has place on them.
According to her, Management is aware of the numerous challenges in today's business environment and would ensure that it works assiduously towards realizing its Mission statement of providing efficient Port Services in a Safe, Secure and Customer Friendly Environment.
She charged the new Officers to join the pool of vast professionals abound in the Organization in delivering nothing but excellence to the Industry in line with our organizational vision.
In addition, she told Stakeholders that the ancillary's skills acquired by the Officers like Swimming and Water Rescue, Articulated Vehicle Driving, Road Traffic Crash Rescue and First Aid Treatment are critical ingredients for professionalism adding that Management would ensure that they impact meaningfully in the system.
Furthermore, she pledged commitment and support to the Fire Service Department at delivering plausible services in line with Industry Standards. Stating that the NPA pays premium to best practices "Our objectives is to modernize and transform operational services to enshrine efficient and quality services". She called on the Officers to join Management in this noble task.
In a related development, the Management team led by the MD has expressed satisfaction in the area of Environmental Pollution preparedness of the Organization concerning oil spillage on the nation's territorial waters. In this regard, she unveiled modern pollution and environmental equipment namely Drones, Jet Skies and Booms for surveillance, monitoring and containing oil spillages. Others are Blowers, Pressure Washers, Skimmers, Power Pack Absorbers and Multiple Dispersant Sprays.
Speaking during the event, the Managing Director urged the Officer and Staff in charge of the equipment to put them into optimal use to the appreciation of the Stakeholders whilst bringing to the fore that the Government is interested in ensuring the effective compliance and sustenance of the Ease of Doing Business at the Ports.
She therefore postulated that matters concerning the Occupational Health of the Officers and Staff of the Authority is constantly paid premium to and urged the Pollution and Environmental crew to utilize the equipment to its optimal use.
Present at both events were the Executive Directors, Marine and Operations, Dr. Sekonte Davies, Finance and Administration, Mohammed Bello Koko, and of the Engineering and Technical Services, Prof. Idris Abubakar as well as other top Management Staff.


A Deutsche Bank analyst says electric cars will cost less than conventional cars within 10 years. Is he right?
Visual Capitalist has produced an infographic explaining how the Tesla Gigafactory will employ economies of scale to lower the cost of EV batteries.


The National Iranian South Oil Company's efforts to boost output from four oilfields, namely Shadegan, Rag Sefid, Karanj and Parsi in the southern Khuzestan Province, are on the right track, NISOC's director of technical affairs said.
"NISOC has signed a total of eight memoranda of understanding on studying hydrocarbon reservoirs, four of which have been signed with domestic exploration and production companies," Ahmad Mohammadi was also quoted as saying by ISNA on Tuesday.
NISOC has been assigned with the development of four oilfields that have a total of nine reservoirs.


text:
House Votes to Fast Track Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline
May. 23, 2013 09:01AM EST Climate
Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted 241-175 to fast track the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, voting in favor of H.R. 3, the Northern Pipeline Approval Act, which would exempt the Keystone XL pipeline from any further environmental review.
H.R. 3 marks the seventh time the House of Representatives has voted on a bill that would circumvent the nation's most crucial environmental laws in order to force approval of Keystone XL. But yesterday's vote saw fewer Representatives in favor of H.R. 3 than past votes on the issue, showing waning support among previous advocates. The decline of votes could also show the influence of the grassroots movement to halt the careless passing of regulation when studies continually prove that tar sands pose environmental and health risks.
"Today's vote once again demonstrates that a majority of the House of Representatives is beholden to the dirtiest oil companies in the world. If President Obama is serious about his commitment to tackling climate change, it is clear that strong presidential leadership will be necessary—and he can start by rejecting the Keystone pipeline and all other infrastructure designed to bring tar sands oil into the United States," said Daniel Gatti, Environment America's Get Off Oil Program director.
"Tar sands oil represents one of the most environmentally destructive sources of energy ever developed. Producing oil from tar sands not only requires the clear cutting of forestland, but it emits massive air, water and global warming pollution. Transporting tar sands oil also risks more frequent and more destructive oil spills that would harm our waterways and communities.
"This legislation would provide the Keystone XL project with a special exemption from core environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act. While we applaud the members of the House who had the courage to stand up and vote against this gift to polluters, today's vote once again demonstrates that there are too many in the House of Representatives who are more interested in promoting Big Oil's favorite project than in protecting our water, climate and public health from the dirtiest oil companies in the world," concluded Gatti.
In the latest proof that the oil industry has succeeded in buying Congress, research from Oil Change International reveals the huge amount of cash spent on the Representatives in favor of H.R. 3 by the fossil fuel industry.
Key findings from yesterday's vote include:
Members of Congress supporting the pipeline took in a combined $56 million from fossil fuel interests, $36 million from oil industry interests alone.
Members supporting the pipeline took an average of $233,774 from all fossil fuel interests, $150,604 from oil industry interests alone.
Members opposing the pipeline took an average of $24,886 from all fossil fuel interests, and $24,886 from oil industry alone.
Supporters took six times more from the oil industry than opponents.
The findings were derived from data taken from DirtyEnergyMoney.org, which compiles and further refines campaign contribution figures from the Center for Responsive Politics. These figures do not include total spending on direct lobbying by the industry.
"Apparently, Big Oil knows it takes $200,000 to buy a vote in the House of Representatives. This may be small change for Big Oil, but our democracy is paying a huge price. Americans are fed up with this corrupt 'votes for dollars' system, and we demand better," said Executive Director of Oil Change International, Stephen Kretzmann.
"It's time for President Obama to put an end to this oil-fueled circus and reject the pipeline once and for all. Keystone XL would be bad for our economy, threaten the health of our families and wreck the climate."
biodiversity tar sands climate change energy keystone xl air water clean water act health endangered species act

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Step onto native soil with custom flag area rugs. From the 50 States to the heel of Italy you can share fitting souvenirs from travels abroad. Give a friend a taste of London with the Union Jack symbol superimposed in a ghostly veil over Big Ben with palace spires beckoning on a flag-themed carpet rug with matching throw pillows. Keep your own travel memories alive with a distinct British flag in a "cheerio" round rug.
Going South to Mexico? Keep the bold colors at the door as you say "Vamos!" with the country's flag and a Western font. Keep the luck o' the Irish under your feet with a riot of national color and charm in flag-themed rug depicting the Emerald Isle.
Bring the country's character and colors part of your home décor with a custom flag-themed rug design.


Founded on the principal of honesty, integrity and unparalled service, T. Shaw Inc. provides quality services for at a reasonable rate. Established in 2000, T.Shaw, Inc. provides general construction services to clients throughout the Northeast. We specialize in assisting clients with quality assurance through all phases of the project cycle, including facility planning, management, compliance programs and building services. Our team has practical experience in all phases of a project including planning, design, construction, functional testing, operations, maintenance and training. We are members of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).
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3. Construction: Building of project, Inspect and test critical items, Negotiate changes as required, Prepare and document for final Acceptance, Clean-up, Assist with equipment start-up.


This morning, Google+ got some major celebrity cachet with Britney Spears surpassing Google CEO Larry Page as the most followed person on the network.
This morning, Google+ got some major celebrity cachet with Britney Spears surpassing Google CEO Larry Page as the most followed person on the network. Four months after launch, the social network hasn't proven itself in the social media world. Each month more stats come out suggesting Google+ hasn't grabbed the Internet's attention like Twittter or Facebook have. Just last week, for instance, The Times reported U.S. traffic to Google+ has dropped in 11 of the 21 weeks since its launch, regularly falling between 10% and 20% from one week to the next. But interest in the main-stream pop star might be a turning point for the network, which up to this point has been dominated by nerdy tech-insiders. Celebrities attract the masses, after-all.
Interest in celebrities means non-tech heads are at the very least joining the site. Google+ was quick to attract the tech community. And as the site fails to breakthrough, power users like Robert Scoble defend the site's purpose. But a service that only caters to early adopters doesn't help Google's popularity. Or traffic. Celebrities, on the other hand, do. Britney's popularity shows that big names draw crowds. The starlet has 739,321 people following her, or circling her, or however you say it. She's not necessarily the hippest diva on the block, but she has fans. Her last album alone had three top ten singles.
This is all part of Google's "celebrity acquisition plan," it unveiled a few months ago. Looking at Twitter, which reached a whole new level when celebs like Barack Obama and the tweeter formerly known as Ashton Kutcher, @aplusk started using the social network, Google started a similar validation plan to attract big names. At the time, technophile Alyssa Milano wondered how Google would handle celebrity accounts. Apparently the system is working. Earlier this month President Barack Obama, who is known for joining hip Internet mediums as a campaign tool, made an account. So far he only has 61 followers. But a tweet today from Google's Steve Grove, who works on G+, should help get the word out.


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ers from others because of its platform and its visual recognition algorithms, which segment and classify user's upper body through the UAV's on board camera. We also tested one laser range nder to estimate the user's relative position to the drone. We show and discuss all nal results that prove the usefulness of the proposed interface to track and recognize body gestures.


On my way to and from Lairg early on Sunday morning, there were two items on the radio that particularly caught my attention and as the day went by I started to see connections between them.
The second was in the review of the papers, when the news that Brendan Cox, husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, had stepped down from the two charities that were set up in her name as a result of a number of earlier allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women. In his statement, Mr Cox said: "I do acknowledge and understand that during my time at Save the Children I made mistakes and behaved in a way that caused some women hurt and offence, this was never malicious, but it was certainly inappropriate. In the past I have focused on disputing what I felt was untrue in the allegations, but I realise now that it's more important to take full responsibility for what I have done." He also said he was committed to holding himself to "much higher standards of personal conduct" in the future.
On the face of it they don't appear to have much in common, so where is the connection? For me it's in the two sections in bold type. As I listened to the first piece, I became increasingly uneasy, because I felt that that what was being said was a gross simplification, it was casting the whole thing in terms of goodies and baddies in much the way that the old Westerns did (except in this case the goodies didn't wear white hats and the baddies black!) From the perspective of Pilate, he had a responsibility to keep peace in his corner of the Roman Empire and woe-betide him if riots had broken out on his watch. Caiaphas, for all his faults, was committed to preserving the Jewish way of life, not rubbing the occupying force up the wrong way and having Jewish freedoms curtailed. Yes both played fast and loose with the facts to preserve what they believed in and, broadly speaking, they were dealing with a dissident who was bent on upsetting the status quo. They were however far less brazen about it than the leader of a country three and a half thousand miles to our west today. The point is that there are different points of view and the 'Kingdom of Pilate' and the 'Kingdom of Caiaphas' are radically different than the 'Kingdom of God'. I don't believe either man to be wholly bad without any redeeming features; but they did understood the situation very differently to the message of Good News that Jesus was preaching.
Now to Mr Cox. In any interaction between two people, there are (at least) two understandings of what has happened. In the past, he has concentrated on the aspects of the testimony of his accusers that he believed to be wrong, in order to maintain his innocence. So what has changed? Mr Cox in reflecting perhaps on the legacy of his late wife, has switch his focus from his feelings to those of his accusers. He may well not understand why they are so upset and hurt by his past behaviour towards them, but he now accepts the plain fact that they are hurt and upset by what he did. He has now realised that his understanding is different to theirs and is prepared to acknowledge that publically. What he has done might: help to bring some healing to those that he has hurt, allow the charities set up in his late wife's name to move forward without a shadow hanging over them and help him to become the better person he would like to be. What Mr Cox has done is what the Prayer Book means when it says "Remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life".


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Click a link below to view the AutoCAD Plant 3D Getting Started videos.
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text:
Kaiser Permanente Washington Accused Of Discriminating Against Trans Women
By Kate Sosin
The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) is investigating three complaints that Kaiser Permanente Washington won't cover breast augmentation, better known as implants, for trans women who have been prescribed them for gender dysphoria.
According to transgender advocacy organization Gender Justice League (GJL), Kaiser told the group it offered the same coverage for transgender women as it does for cisgender women. But cisgender women (or women who are not trans) do not need medical services related to gender dysphoria.
The OIC is in the early stages of investigating the complaints, filed last week, according to OIC spokesperson Stephanie Marquis.
In an email to GJL, Kaiser notes that it only covers breast augmentation following a mastectomy. In other words, Kaiser would cover breast augmentation for a trans patient who had a mastectomy due to breast cancer.
"That is not a reasonable policy," Danni Askini, executive director of Gender Justice League, tells INTO. "The point is, they are required to treat gender dysphoria, and the treatment for gender dysphoria is that these patients have been prescribed is breast augmentation."
A spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente Washington did not respond to a request to comment by deadline, but the company does not deny the policy in a Facebook post where its email to GJL is published.
"The field of transgender medicine has been rapidly evolving over the last several years and so too does our approach, which will match the market in coverage," Kaiser writes. "We honor the feedback of our patients and members, are committed to reexamining our medical policy and to moving toward matching coverage that is market standard."
In June 2014, Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kriedler issued a letter to insurers clarifying anti-discrimination protections covering transgender policy holders and reminding them that, "denial of a medically necessary service on the basis of gender identity is prohibited under Washington state law."
The OIC website also lists breast augmentation among its services insurance providers are required to provide as part of the transition process.
Marquis said she can't yet comment on if a violation has occurred.
"It's something that we're taking very seriously, I can tell you that," she tells INTO. "We have serious concerns, and at this point we're going to be looking into it, and that will be a thorough evaluation of what the contract says and what coverage people have access to what our interpretation of that is."
Tags: News, Politics


Melanie Cheng is a writer and general practitioner. She was born in Adelaide, grew up in Hong Kong and now lives in Melbourne. In 2016 she won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript. Australia Day is her first book.


Continuous Delivery Anti Patterns recorded on 2016-03-14 at Agile India.
Automating the Responsive Website Testing - Introducing Galen recorded on 2016-11-14 at Selenium Conf UK.
GOOS style TDD by Example recorded on 2016-03-22 at DevCon Tel Aviv.


text:
Q: Update specific row layout from ListView, custom Adapter I'd like to update a specific row when I click on the Accept button that belongs to that row, but somehow it's updating the wrong row, I'd like to get some guidance on how to solve this.
I press Accept on the first row, but the second one got updated instead.
Here's my code:
public class UserAdapter extends ArrayAdapter<User> {

    private View listRow;
    private String mOrderId;
    private LinearLayout userNotChosenLayout, userChosenLayout;

    public UserAdapter(Context context, List<User> users, String orderId) {
        super(context, 0, users);
        mOrderId = orderId;
    }

    @Override
    public View getView(final int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
        listRow = convertView;

        if (listRow == null) {
            listRow = LayoutInflater.from(getContext()).inflate(R.layout.row_my_order_users, parent, false);
        }
        User currentUser = getItem(position);
        TextView userName = (TextView) listRow.findViewById(R.id.textview_user_name);
        userName.setText(currentUser.getName());
        setListeners(position);
        return listRow;
    }

    private void setListeners(final int position) {
        Button acceptBtn = (Button) listRow.findViewById(R.id.button_accept_user);
        acceptBtn.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View v) {
                Toast.makeText(getContext(), "UserID: " + getItem(position).getId(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                new AcceptUser().execute(mOrderId, getItem(position).getId());

                View view = getView(position, listRow, null);

                userChosenLayout = (LinearLayout) view.findViewById(R.id.user_chosen_layout);
                userNotChosenLayout = (LinearLayout) view.findViewById(R.id.user_not_chosen_layout);

                userChosenLayout.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
                userNotChosenLayout.setVisibility(View.GONE);
            }
        });
    }

A: if it always updates row below then it is supposed to - then just remove 1 from position.
Tho, ListView is deprecated, just use RecyclerView, it is way lighter and easyer to use (if you still going to be having problems - then post it then)
RecyclerView sample by google: https://developer.android.com/training/material/lists-cards.html
Searchable and expandable recycerview samples(within dialog container, tho idea is the same): https://github.com/WithoutCaps/DialogsCheatSheet


text:
Constitution does not compel Buhari to assign portfolios to Ministerial nominnes -Presidency
Why Buhari did not assign portfolios to ministerial nominees -Presidency
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, has justified the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to assign portfolios to the list of ministerial nominees he forwarded to the Senate last week. According to Enang, the Nigerian constitution did not mandate the President to do so, adding the issue has continued to crop up every four years since 1999. Over the years, lawmakers and members of the informed public have continued to demand that the President attaches portfolios of his ministerial nominees when forwarding his list to the Senate for screening. But Enang said the President did not breach any law by not attaching portfolios to his list. He said: "The 1999 Constitution says that the President shall appoint persons as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria subject to confirmation of the Senate "The constitution did not oblige the President or a governor to attach a ministry or a portfolio in his nominations to the legislature. "The reason is that the candidate is screened and cleared as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; he is not cleared as a Minister of Education or Minister of Health or Industry. "And of course portfolios may change and the structure of government may not be the same as it were. Again, when a Minister is screened and cleared, he is assigned a portfolio. "It may arise in the course of his assignment that the President or the Governor may decide to reassign him to another ministry. If you assign and the person is screened and in respect of that portfolio, that means the President may have to send the name again back to the Senate for screening or for confirmation. "That is why the constitution did not make it mandatory to assign portfolios while sending the list to the legislature. Therefore the President has not done anything wrong". The President's aide was however non- committal on when the President intends to inaugurate the Ministers-designate, saying the President will notify them at the appropriate time.
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text:
HomeMilitary AviationPhoto: Libyan Air Force Mirage F1 engine run produces backfire
Photo: Libyan Air Force Mirage F1 engine run produces backfire
February 10, 2012 Military Aviation
The two Libyan Air Force Mirage F1s that had landed in Malta International Airport on Feb. 21, 2011, after refusing to attack unarmed civilian protesters at Benghazi at the beginning of the uprising that led to the war, are about to return home.
The aircraft had taken off from Okba Ben Nafi airbase near Tripoli and landed at Benghazi, where they were refueled and armed. After taking off from Benghazi, the two pilots were ordered to fire at protestors hence they decided to defect to Malta, about 210 miles to the north of Libya.
In the last few days, both Mirages, that since Sept. 2011 have received the new Free Libya Air Force roundel, have been overhauled and readied for departure, currently scheduled for Feb. 17, 2012.
The pictures in this post, taken by Brendon Attard at Malta on Feb. 3 (serial 508) and Feb. 8 (serial 502), depict the two aircraft performing ground engine runs. Noteworthy, during one of the tests, the Mirage F1 serialled 502 shoots a flame out of the exhaust nozzle. Caused by excess fuel entering the exhaust system where it finds enough oxygen to light off, the visual effect of this kind of backfire is quite similar to the one caused by compressor surges (often suffered by combat planes launched by aircraft carriers' catapults).
Free Libyan Air Force
Libyan Arab Republic Air Force
Libyan uprising
More fancy Nellis's Aggressors color schemes: "Blizzard" and "Arctic" F-16C
[Updated] U.S. Stealthy RQ-170 model on display at Tehran in Feb.11 Rallies. With extracted landing gear.
Operation Unified Protector (was Odyssey Dawn) explained (Day 14)
April 2, 2011 Italian Air Force, Libyan Uprising, Military Aviation, Operation Odyssey Dawn, Operation Unified Protector
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Exotic planes, Special Colors and Display Teams at the Malta International Air Show 2014
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The yearly Malta International Airshow at Luqa airport, once again proved to be one of the most interesting events in southern Europe. Held at Malta International Airport in the weekend of Sept. 27-28, the traditional […]
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Since the beginning of the Libyan crisis, a certain number of SIGINT, Electronic Warfare and information gathering assets were reported to be operating within the Malta FIR or on its southern border, next to the […]
Boeing Man says:
sir, there is a mistake in your story, Feb. 21, 2011 they landed at Luqa. Benghazi were fully liberated on Feb. 20, 2011. meaning to say, who controls the city was the freedom fighters, these planes can't come to refuel as they control airport as well. my understanding and the story we've got is, they have been ordered on Feb. 21, 2011 to strike Benghazi after Gaddahfi lost control on the entire east region on Feb. 20, 2011. these pilots then defected to Malta and stayed there.


text:
Srin Madipalli
Product Manager, Airbnb
Srin Madipalli is a Product Manager at Airbnb with a focus on making travel easier for people with disabilities. Srin was an entrepreneur who founded Accomable, a travel platform for people with disabilities, which was acquired by Airbnb in November 2017. Srin is from London, UK and previously practiced as an attorney at a leading international law firm and is a self-taught web developer. He has degrees from King's College London and Oxford University.
Frances West, Founder of Frances West Company
Anna Pakman, Vice President Digital Marketing, Empire State Development
Copyright © 2018-2019 - Diversity Media Technology Alliance (DMTA)


The Bible is the infallible source of knowledge about God and the Good News about His Son, Jesus Christ. We recognize that the Bible was written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is without error.
That the two main messages of the Bible are Law and Gospel; the law showing us our sin and need for a Savior, and the Gospel revealing God's grace in Jesus Christ. We also believe that the Gospel must always predominate.
God created the world in 6 days and that He sustains it with His mighty power. We believe that He created Adam and Eve, our first parents, in His own image to live in fellowship with Him.
Adam and Eve rebelled against God and so brought sin and death into the world. We believe all people have inherited this sin and can do nothing to change their human nature. We believe that all people need forgiveness and new life that God provides for us freely by His grace.
God sent His Son to be our Savior from sin, death, and the power of the devil. We believe that Jesus Christ took on Himself the punishment for our sin when He died on the cross. God raised Him from the dead to demonstrate to the world that His sacrifice had been accepted and that humanity's sin had been paid for.
We receive forgiveness of sin through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith receives the free gift of God's grace.
Faith is created in the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit who works through the "means of grace." The means of grace are the Word of God and the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.
Holy Baptism is the means by which the Spirit creates faith and through which God adopts us as his children. We practice infant baptism because we believe they also are born in sin and that God's promise of forgiveness extends also to them.
Holy Communion is the means by which the Spirit nurtures faith. We believe that the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper actually deliver to us the true Body and Blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin.
The Church is the fellowship of all those who have come to faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The purpose of the Church is to nurture faith through the Word and the Sacraments and to share the love of God through word and deed with the whole world in order to make other people disciples of Jesus Christ.
Christ has given to his church the right and authority to preach the Gospel, administer the sacraments, and establish the office of the ministry, and that Christ alone has authority over his church.
The fellowship God has established with believers on earth will continue forever and that after this life we will live forever with Him in Heaven for all eternity.


PORTRAITS OF CHARLES- LOUIS CLERISSEAU - City of Split Heritage Journal, No.32 December 2005.
PORTRAITS OF CHARLES- LOUIS CLERISSEAU - City of Split Heritage Journal, No.32 December 2005. - Download this document for free, or read online. Document in PDF available to download.


text:
Four score
Carriers' tips bring in more than $1M
Travis McCray is one of four Iowa letter carriers at South Des Moines Station who used the Customer Connect program to generate new revenue for USPS.
Four letter carriers from an Iowa Post Office have submitted leads that have resulted in combined deals worth more than $1 million for the Postal Service.
The South Des Moines Station carriers submitted their leads during the past five months through Customer Connect, a joint program with the National Association of Letter Carriers that encourages carriers to identify sales opportunities for USPS.
The leads, which were followed up on by business development specialists and field sales representatives, resulted in shipping deals worth a combined $1.08 million in new estimated annualized revenue for the Postal Service.
These are the carriers and the amount their leads brought in:
• Travis Whittington, $806,714;
• Travis McCray, $126,500;
• Andrew Carico, $76,800; and
• Jason Berkley, $70,000.
Sales generated from Customer Connect leads count toward the USPS Power of One campaign to raise revenue through sales leads from employees.
"The South Des Moines carriers — and others at the station — are an example of every employee taking advantage of every opportunity they see," said Lou DeRienzo, small-business senior sales specialist at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC.
The Postal Service is encouraging as many employees as possible to submit at least one lead through any of its six lead programs by Sept. 30. The Small Business Sales team is tracking program participation rates through its weekly "Drive to 35" downloadable report.
The Small Business and Lead Generation Programs Blue page has more information about Customer Connect and the other employee lead programs: Business Connect, Clerks Care, Mail Handlers, Rural Reach and Submit a Lead.
Carrier's lead brings in $1M deal
A Hayward, CA, letter carrier's conversation with a customer has resulted in a shipping deal worth more than $1 million for the Postal Service.


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William Thomas Rickard,  (10 February 1828 – 21 February 1905) was a British sailor and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life and Royal Navy
William Thomas Rickard was born at Stoke Damerel, Devonport, on 10 February 1828, and at an early age joined the Royal Navy.

Rickard was 27 years old, and a quartermaster in the Royal Navy during the Crimean War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

On 11 October 1855 in the Sea of Azov, Crimea, Quartermaster Rickard went with the commander (John Edmund Commerell) of  and a seaman to destroy large quantities of forage on the shore of the Sivash. After a difficult and dangerous journey they reached their objective—the magazine of corn—and managed to ignite the stacks, but the guards were alerted and immediately opened fire and gave chase. The pursuit was so hot that the seaman, through fatigue, fell into the mud and could not extricate himself. Rickard, however, although he was himself exhausted, went back and assisted him. The three men finally reached their ship and later the look-outs reported that the fodder store had burned to the ground.

His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.

Later life and family
After retiring from the navy, Rickard joined the Coastguard Service as boatman, Chief Boatman and latterly as Chief Officer of Coast Guards, retiring sometime in the 1870s.

In June 1860, Richard married Rebecca Whitingham of Kingsbridge, and they had four sons and two daughters. In retirement Rickard was boatman to the Ryde Rowing Club in the Isle of Wight and he and his family lived at Arethusa Cottage, Smallbrook, Ryde, named after the frigate  on which he first served in the Crimean conflict. He died on 21 February 1905 and is buried in Ryde cemetery.

References

External links
Location of grave and VC medal (Isle of Wight)

Crimean War recipients of the Victoria Cross
Royal Navy personnel of the Crimean War
British recipients of the Victoria Cross
Recipients of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
Royal Navy sailors
Military personnel from Devonport, Plymouth
1828 births
1905 deaths
Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross
Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Duje Dukan, né le  à Split en Croatie, est un joueur de basket-ball croate naturalisé américain. Il évolue aux postes d'ailier fort et de pivot.

Biographie

Au mois d', il s'engage avec le TAU Castelló en deuxième division espagnole.

Palmarès

Notes et références

Liens externes

Naissance en décembre 1991
Naissance à Split
Joueur américain de basket-ball
Joueur croate de basket-ball
Joueur de basket-ball des Badgers du Wisconsin
Joueur des Kings de Sacramento
Joueur NBA non drafté
Joueur des Bighorns de Reno
Joueur du KK Cedevita
Joueur des Bulls de Windy City
Joueur des Mad Ants de Fort Wayne
Joueur du Blue d'Oklahoma City
Joueur du Go-Go de Capital City
Joueur de l'Estudiantes Madrid


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China's Silk Road Of Health Appears In South Asia
A virtual meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nepal on July 27 becomes the third vector of Beijing's 'Silk Road of Health' diplomacy in Asia.
A Xinhua report on the event said China proposed that the four countries should "consolidate consensus of solidarity against COVID-19, carry out joint cooperation mechanism on COVID-19 response in the region, enhance cooperation in the fight against the pandemic and in vaccine, and accelerate economic recovery and development after the pandemic."
The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal conveyed their willingness "to deepen cooperation with China to fight COVID-19, ensure the flow of trade and transport corridors, facilitate people-to-people and trade connection, build a "silk road of health" and community of a shared future for humanity."
The Silk Road of Health was first publicly mentioned by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a 2016 speech in Uzbekistan. Its first stepping stones are coming into view with the articulation of China's Covid-19 response under the BRI's expansive umbrella.
The process began in the Asian region in February with the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Vientiane, Laos. The outcome was encouraging, as the joint statement issued at Vientiane testifies.
Notably, China and the ASEAN found themselves on the same page and agreed on the imperatives of cooperation between the two sides in "preventing and controlling emerging and reemerging infectious and communicable diseases" and to jointly tackle the challenges to protect public health, safety and stimulate the "socio-economic development."
The ASEAN reposed "full confidence in China's abilities to succeed in overcoming the epidemic", while China appreciated the "sympathy, support and assistance offered by ASEAN Member States to its response efforts."
The Vientiane meeting outlined an action plan, which was fleshed out at another meeting in May at the level of the Economic Ministers. The ASEAN-China Economic Ministers' Joint Statement underscored an agreement to "further strengthen collaboration at all levels across the region and countries on the prevention and control of COVID-19… (and) facilitating production and access to medicines and vaccines used for the treatment of COVID-19."
Six weeks later, another Chinese initiative appeared, billed as the China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers Meeting — 'China+Central Asia' or 'C+C5' with focus on the BRI and emphasising a "joint response" to COVID-19. In comparison with the southeast Asian and Central Asian vectors, the meeting of China and the three South Asian countries on July 27 has been a low-key affair.
China's priorities in the southeast Asian, Central Asian and South Asian regions vary. Southeast Asia has edged over the other two regions to enter the post-pandemic trajectory.
While the pandemic forced governments across the world to close borders and shut down economic activity, the ASEAN surged as China's largest trading partner. The increase in trade bears testimony to the region's unbreakable supply chain with China and the robustness of the linkages binding the Southeast Asian economies with China's.
This marks a departure from the typical calculus on globalisation. The ASEAN countries do not figure in the world of grand geopolitical narratives. But in the new milieu of the redrafting of the interdependence narratives taking place today, characterised by calls by the US for ending reliance on China-dominated global supply chains and talk of "self-reliance", etc. — the ASEAN countries have been quick to collaborate with China from the very start of the COVID-19 crisis.
When the US and a clutch of quasi-allies like India and Australia spewed anti-Chinese sentiments in the early days of the infection, the ASEAN countries responded to the distressing news from Wuhan with compassion, solidarity, and unwavering support for Beijing.
The multiple levels of coordinated China-ASEAN response showcases both the necessity and benefits of interdependence and cooperation in times of crisis. Thus, to quote from Marina Kaneti, Assistant Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, and a specialist on topics of global development,
"With geopolitical and economic pressures exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, countries in Southeast Asia now have the unique opportunity to actively shape a new type of relationship with China: one that is not based on dependence, but instead leverages China's proposed language of interdependence. Certainly, it is never an easy task to engage China on equal terms. Nevertheless, as Beijing strives to become the leading proponent of multilateralism in the post-COVID world, the parameters and rules of interdependence need not be shaped by China alone. Here, Beijing's ability to engage with its regional partners can serve as a litmus test to the possibilities and limits of the much-touted vision to "build a community with a shared future."
In comparison, what the Central Asian countries are seeking is a return of the Chinese economic juggernaut to the steppes. They are reeling under the combined pressures of a slump in commodity prices, a sharp decline in remittances from migrant labourers (usually in Russia which is also suffering the double whack of a major Covid-19 outbreak and a slump in oil prices) and an overall economic slowdown in China.
The economic future of the Central Asian countries is tied to China, thanks to the tyranny of geography. Thus, a fertile ground is available for the return of the BRI to the steppes. Arguably, China's impressive economic recovery makes this possible.
As a leading expert on Central Asia Raffaello Pantucci noted recently, "China's infrastructure projects have bound the region together both in Beijing's considerations and local economic fortunes. This means more BRI is the answer to the downturn."
On the other hand, it has not escaped Beijing's attention that the US diplomacy has shifted gear lately in the Central Asian region in the context of the endgame in Afghanistan, which creates a new security matrix — the 2-decade old Afghan war is coming to an end but a limited American military presence and strong intelligence capabilities will continue right on Xinjiang's doorstep for a foreseeable future.
Thus, in his speech at the C+C5 meeting on July 16, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi exhorted his Central Asian colleagues to "step up international cooperation against COVID-19, resolutely oppose the attempts of certain countries to stigmatise and put labels on the virus out of selfish interests, and support WHO in playing its due role in global COVID-19 response."
Elsewhere, Wang called on the Central Asian countries to "strengthen multilateral coordination and champion fairness and justice." He added:
"It is important to uphold multilateralism, defend the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, safeguard the UN-centred international system and oppose unilateralism and bullying. Cooperation within multilateral frameworks should be strengthened to promote fairness and justice on the global stage and make international relations more democratic. China and Central Asian countries should render each other firm support regarding sovereignty and security and other core concerns, and jointly uphold basic norms governing international relations and defend the legitimate rights of the six countries."
According to a Chinese press release, "Wang noted that enhanced cooperation between China and Central Asian countries is a form of mutual assistance between neighbours. It answers the call of the times and benefits both sides and the world beyond."
"The foreign ministers of Central Asian countries commended China as a close and friendly neighbor, and spoke highly of their strong political trust and ever expanding mutually-beneficial cooperation with China… They praised China's decisive, effective and successful COVID-19 response… appreciated China's assistance and expressed the readiness to work with China to promote international cooperation against COVID-19, support WHO's crucial role and oppose politicisation of the issue."
The South Asian vector — China plus Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nepal — is relatively subdued in comparison. While Pakistan is Beijing's traditional ally, Afghanistan and Nepal are newcomers to the Chinese orbit. Pakistan is a flag carrier of the BRI, whereas Afghanistan and Nepal are yet to wet their toes.
While Afghan-Pakistan relations remain extremely fraught, Nepal is a distant neighbour. Clearly, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal do not even make a cohesive sub-region. Beijing could have included Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives in an initiative over Silk Road of Health but chose not to.
Perhaps, Beijing anticipated that Indians would get excited. Beijing's interests are three-fold: one, ensure that the US doesn't spur rumours and create local tensions; two, minimise the impact of Covid-19 on BRI and limit the loss of momentum; and, three, strengthen and re-energise BRI to open up new possibilities in the three countries where China is universally popular, and medical diplomacy creates goodwill.
Everything adds up for China against the backdrop of the rising US hostility. As Xi framed it last year while addressing a a gathering in Beijing of world leaders who had signed up to BRI, "The ceaseless inflow of rivers makes the ocean deep." The BRI cooperation is entering a stage of high-quality development and China is determined to make the Silk Road of Health a catalyst for global economic recovery.
By M. K. Bhadrakumar
Source: Indian Punchline
Post Tags: #ASEAN#BRI#China#COVID-19#Nepal#New Silk Roads
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