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Application Information for Confucius Institute Scholarship 2018
For the purpose of cultivating qualified Chinese language teachers and facilitating the promotion of Chinese language and culture, the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) launches "Confucius Institute Scholarship" (CIS) to support outstanding students, scholars and currently employed Chinese language teachers recommended by Confucius Institutes, independently operated Confucius Classrooms as well as some HSK test centers (hereinafter to be collectively referred to as "recommending institutions") to study in Chinese universities and colleges (hereinafter referred to as "host institutions").
All applicants shall be
a) Non-Chinese citizens
b) In good Physical and mental condition, well performed both academically and behaviorally
c) Aspired to take future careers on the teaching or international promotion of Chinese language.
d) Between the ages of 16-35 on September 1st, 2018. Applicants currently worked as Chinese language teachers shall not exceed the age limit of 45, while undergraduate students shall not exceed the age limit of 25.
SCHOLARSHIP TYPES AND QUALIFICATIONS
Scholarship for Master's Degree in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (MTCSOL)
Commences September 2018 and provides scholarship for maximum two academic years. Applicants shall be Bachelor degree holders, and have a minimum score of 210 in HSK Test (Level 5) as well as 60 in HSKK test (Intermediate Level). Applicants who are able to provide notarized document of the employment agreement or related proofs upon completing study in China are preferred.
Scholarship for Bachelor's Degree in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (BTCSOL)
Commences September 2018 and provides scholarship for maximum four academic years. Applicants must have graduated with a high school diploma, , and have a minimum score of 210 in HSK Test (Level 4) as well as 60 in HSKK test (Intermediate Level).
Scholarship for One-Academic-Year Study
Commences September 2018, and provides scholarship for maximum 11 months. International students currently studying in China are not eligible.
TCSOL
Applicants shall have a minimum score of 270 in HSK test (Level 3), while HSKK test score required.
Chinese Language and Literature, Chinese History, and Chinese Philosophy
Applicants shall have a minimum score of 180 in HSK test (Level 4) and 60 in HSKK test (intermediate level).
Chinese Language Study
Applicants shall have a minimum score of 180 in HSK test (Level 3 level).
Scholarship for One-Semester Study
Commences either in September 2018 or March 2019, and provides scholarship of maximum 5 months. Applicants withholding visas X1 or X2 are not eligible.
TCSOL, Chinese Language and Literature, Chinese History and Chinese Philosophy
Applicants shall have a minimum score of 210 in HSK test (Level 3), while HSKK test score required
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Taiji Culture
HSK test score are required.
Scholarship for Four-Week Study
Commences either on July or December of 2018, and provides a four-week scholarship. Applicants withholding visas X1 or X2 are not eligible.
Chinese Language plus home-stay Experience in a Chinese Family
HSK test score are required. Organized and applied by a Confucius Institute with 10-15 participants per group. Prior to the trip, a detailed study plan shall be made after consultation with host institutions and submit to Hanban for approval.
Special Four-week Program for Confucius Institutes
HSK test score are required. Organized and applied by a Confucius Institute with 10-15 participants per group.
Online registration will be available from March 1, 2018 on the Confucius Institute Scholarship website (cis.chinese.cn). Please log on to search recommending institutions and host institutions, upload application materials online, track the application progress, feedback of review and admission results. Scholarship holders need to confirm with the host institutions to go through the procedures of studying in China, print out CIS certificate online, and register at host institutions at the designated date and time as per the letter of admission.
The application deadlines are
a) April 20th (for those commencing in July)
b) June 20th (for those commencing in September)
c) September 20th (for those commencing in December)
d) December 20th (for those commencing in March 2019)
Hanban will complete the scholarship review and notify the results two months before enrollment of the admitted students.
CHINESE BRIDGE AWARD RECIPIENT POLICIES
Chinese Bridge winners who have been awarded the 2018 "Confucius Institute Scholarship Certificate" shall log onto the scholarship website and submit documents to relevant host institutions upon presentation of their CIS certificates. Please contact chinesebridge@hanban.org for inquiry.
ADMISSION AND CONSULTATION SERVICES
Recommending institutions and host institutions are responsible for issuing local enrollment guide and provide consulting, recommending and registering services in accordance with this procedure.
a) For major training plans and courses, please contact designated host institutions
b) Applicants shall be familiar with the specific criteria and closing dates for registration, and follow specific procedures to submit necessary documents
c) Degree students shall accept the annual assessment under the Annual Appraisal Procedures of Confucius Institute Scholarship
d) Those who failed to register on time, failed to pass the health assessment, dropped out midway and/or suspended will be deprived of scholarship.
Division of Test and Scholarships at Hanban
Email: scholarships@hanban.org
a) Confucius Institute Scholarship Coverage and Criteria
b) Application Documents for Confucius Institute Scholarship
Confucius Institute Headquarters(Hanban)
Confucius Institute Scholarship Coverage and Criteria
The Confucius Institute Scholarship provides full coverage on tuition fee, accommodation fee, living allowance (four-week study students are excluded) and comprehensive medical insurance expenses.
a) Tuition fee is under the overall planning and utilization of host institutions to provide teaching and management of scholarship students organizing cultural and social activities, as well as organizing Chinese language proficiency tests. Tuition fee does not cover the textbook expenses and tourist tickets.
b) Accommodation fee is under the overall planning and utilization of host institutions to provide students with in-campus apartments (usually double rooms). Students may also live off-campus upon application and getting permission from the host institutions. Students who live off-campus are entitled to accommodation allowance of 700 CNY per person/month paid on a monthly / quarterly basis from the host institutions.
c) Living allowance is granted by host institutions on a monthly basis. The monthly allowance for undergraduates, one-academic-year study students and one-semester students is 2,500 CNY per person. For MTCSOL student, the monthly allowance is 3,000 CNY per person.
Students are required to complete enrollment procedures for every semester within stipulated period; otherwise, their scholarship may be cancelled. Students who are enrolled before the 15th (or on the 15th) of the month are entitled to the full allowance of that month while those enrolled after the 15th of that month are only entitled to half of the amount.
During the study period, for any student who is absent from China due to personal reasons for more than 15 days (excluding winter and summer holidays), the allowance during absence will be suspended.
For students who suspend study or drop out of school for personal reasons, or who are given disciplinary punishment by the host institutions, allowance will be terminated on the date of such suspension, dropping out or when the decision of such punishment is announced.
The living allowance for the month of graduation will be granted half a month after the date of graduation or expiration day of the study confirmed by host institutions.
Comprehensive medical insurance is purchased by the host institutions in accordance with relevant regulations of studying in China stipulated by the Ministry of Education of China. Insurance fee per person is 160 CNY for four-week study students, 400 CNY for one-semester students, and 800 CNY per year for students engaged in program longer than one academic year.
Application Documents for Confucius Institute Scholarship
A.For all applicants
a) A Scanned copy of passport photo page
b) A scanned copy of score reports of the HSK and HSKK tests (within the two-year validity).
c) A Recommendation letter by the head of the recommending institutions
B.For degree scholarship program applicants
a) A certification of the highest education diploma (or proof of expected graduation) and an official transcript.
b) Applicants of the Scholarship for MTCSOL Students are required to provide 2 reference letters from professors or associate professors. Those who can provide a notarized employment agreement with teaching institutions are preferred.
C.Applicants currently worked as Chinese language teachers shall provide the proof of employment as well as a reference letter by the employing institution
D.Applicants under the age of 18 shall provide certified documents of designation signed by their entrusted legal guardians in China.
E.Applicants shall also provide additional documents required by the host institutions


CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Aug. 5, 2009) - CriticalControl Solutions Corp., (TSX:CCZ) today reported its financial results for the three month period ended June 30, 2009.
- Working capital improved by 32% to $3.3 million.
Subsequent to the end of the quarter, on July 29, 2009, the Corporation entered into a facility agreement for a secured revolving line of credit for up to $5,000 to support the Corporation's working capital requirements with a Canadian Chartered Bank. The line bears interest at prime plus 1.25% payable monthly in arrears. This new facility replaces the Corporation's existing $3,500 facility.
On July 31, 2009, the Corporation acquired 100% of the outstanding shares of BPO Management Services, Ltd. ("BPO") for $100. As part of the acquisition, the Corporation assumed a working capital deficit of approximately $2,300 prior to applicable closing costs. BPO is a provider of imaging products and services, inclusive of business process outsource solutions based in Winnipeg and Toronto. According to management prepared financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2009, BPO generated revenue of $5,847 and a net loss of $535 from continuing operations.
"Management has moved quickly to balance our cost structure in response to the prevailing weak economic environment, delivering our sixth consecutive profitable quarter," said Alykhan Mamdani. "Management intends to capitalize on its strong cash flow and balance sheet to weather the current economic downturn and capitalize on potential growth opportunities to continue to deliver solid shareholder value."
Reference is made to the Corporation's 2009 Second Quarter Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis, full copies of which are available on www.sedar.com and the Corporation's website, www.criticalcontrol.com.
Net income for the second quarter of 2009 amounted to $466 compared to $702 for the same period in 2008. The decline in net income of 33% was a result of a sharp decline in revenue from the Corporation's government related business, which was a direct result of a cut in government spending due to the current economic environment in Alberta.
Revenue was $5,617 for the three months ended June 30, 2009 compared to $6,253 for the same period in 2008. A 22% decline in revenue from the Corporation's government related business was offset by a 6% increase in revenue from the Corporation's energy services business.
The Corporation's working capital improved to $3,349 for the three months ended June 30, 2009, compared with $2,289 for the same period in 2008, an increase of 32%.
Total revenue was $12,062 for the six months ended June 30, 2009 compared to $12,248 for the same period in 2008, a decrease of $186 or 2%.
Revenue from the Energy sector was $5,920 for the six months ended June 30, 2009 compared to $5,273 for the same period in 2008, an increase of $647 or 12%. The 2008 acquisition of ScadaNet and Western Corrosion accounted for $511 of the increase in revenue. The balance was from organic growth.
Revenue from the Government sector was $6,142 for the six months ended June 30, 2009 compared to $6,975 for the same period in 2008, a decrease of 12%. The decline in revenue was attributed to decreased spending capital projects due to government budgetary restrictions, and the decline in registrations of real estate and motor vehicle transactions which have been impacted by the current economic climate.
Gross margin as a percentage of revenue was 52% for the six months ended June 30, 2008 compared to 53% for the same period in 2008.
The Corporation's net income for the six months ended June 30, 2009 was $1,126 compared to $1,206 for the same period in 2008.
- Management's assumptions regarding the sustainability of recurring revenue streams and the Corporation's expected continuing profitability in 2009.
The current economic environment has affected the Corporation's client base in both its government and energy divisions. Management believes that the full effect of the global financial crisis and economic slowdown on its client base is not yet fully apparent. Although spending has been curtailed and likely will remain so by both sets of client bases for at least the next 3 quarters, the magnitude of the cuts in spending and the effect on longer term spending initiatives remain uncertain.
Although the Corporation recorded strong revenue increases from the Corporation's energy division in the first quarter of 2009 compared to the same period last year, management expects exploration in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin to be curtailed in 2009 and into 2010 due to weak commodity prices. Although the Corporation's recurring revenue is tied to gas production rather than exploration, a reduction in the number of gas wells drilled and completed in 2009 and 2010 will result in lower growth in the Corporation's business.
The severity of decrease in the economics of gas production has seen some low production wells shut in, especially where capital expenditure is required to continue production. Although management has been able to absorb this impact to the business through organic growth, the long term continuation of this economically induced trend may impact the Corporation's recurring revenue stream. In order to attain management's 2009 and 2010 growth objectives, management will need to succeed in creating or acquiring value added services to provide additional cost reduction or production optimization results for its energy client base.
The reduction in transactions in real estate and motor vehicles has resulted in a significant drop in the Corporation's registration services for provincial government ministries since the fourth quarter of 2008 and is expected to continue until the economy improves. As the current economic downturn continues, the Corporation's government clients continue to restrict spending, causing a delay or cancellation in many projects the Corporation anticipated in 2009.
Management's current opinion regarding the sustainability of its recurring revenue streams would suggest that the Corporation will be able to sustain continuous profitability for the remainder of 2009. The current economic climate, combined with possible continued uncertainty associated with its impact on Canada, will likely have further repercussions on the Corporation's client base which would result in lower revenue in both the Corporation's government and energy divisions. A deterioration of the economic climate or the prevalence of uncertainty for a lengthy period of time may materially affect management's outlook, in which case management's profitability targets will become dependent upon the Corporation's ability to expand its core offering and market reach-both organically and through acquisition, which may require a longer timeframe to achieve.
CriticalControl enables its clients to increase operational performance through the better control of critical business information. Through the balance of practicality, innovation and technology, we empower our clients with everything from strategies and tools, to outsourced solutions to manage information, wherever and in whatever form that information exists. For more information please visit www.criticalcontrol.com.
About this company CriticalControl Solutions Corp.


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Home Living Samin Nosrat's 10 Essential Persian Recipes
Samin Nosrat's 10 Essential Persian Recipes
Across Iran, but particularly in the northern regions, where my family is from, herbs are treated like a vegetable or main ingredient, rather than a garnish. In the Bay Area, where I now live, I can always spot an Iranian shopper's grocery cart from afar — it's the one piled high with bunches of parsley, cilantro, dill and mint.
Though I am both Iranian and a cook, I'm hardly an Iranian cook. I'm more of an Iranian eater, so when The Times asked me to choose the dishes that somehow encapsulate Persian cuisine to me — the essential recipes — I interviewed my mother, surveyed two dozen Iranian and Iranian-American cooks, and compared ingredient lists and techniques with just about every Persian cookbook published in the English language in the last 30 years.
Being an Iranian-American — honoring, representing and embodying two cultures that often feel at odds with one another — has always been a tightrope walk for me. This project has felt more significant and personal than any other recipe collection I've created.
I've sought, more than anything else, to share the taste of my own childhood, which is to say the taste of an Iranian kitchen in America. Even so, I had to break my own heart repeatedly when I chose to leave out many of my favorite dishes, like baghali polo (fava bean rice), tahchin (a savory saffron rice and yogurt cake with layered chicken or lamb) and khoresh-e beh (quince and lamb stew).
A word about terminology: For various personal, political and historical reasons, many Iranians in the West refer to themselves as Persian. "Persian" is both an ethnicity and a language, also known as Farsi, while "Iranian" is a nationality. Not all Persians and Persian-speakers are Iranian, and not all Iranians are Persian. If the distinction leaves you baffled, rest assured that you're not alone — I've spent most of my life confused about it — and for our purposes here, feel free to think of the terms more or less interchangeably.
The task of distilling the entirety of a 2,000-year-old cuisine down to a handful of recipes is a futile one, so think of this list as an invitation to cook rather than a declaration of fact. It's also an invitation to my childhood home, and to the Iran my mother built for her children out of rice, bread, cheese and herbs.
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Blog PostsDigital FirstGrowth HackingHow we raised $100,000 in 10 days on Kickstarter
Digital FirstGrowth Hacking
How we raised $100,000 in 10 days on Kickstarter
How we got 1,102 Kickstarter backers to carry Tinitell across the finish line.
This is the full story about our crowdfunding project on Kickstarter.
'Tinitell' is a wristphone designed for kids that raised $100,000 in just 10 days through crowdfunding site Kickstarter.
The campaign closed on $140,933 and the wristphone is now in production. Without any venture capital, we had to bootstrap everything.
This is the story about the project. It contains several interesting and useful learnings for anyone interested in launching crowdfunding projects.
Here goes:
Meeting the Founder of Tinitell, Mats Horn
I met Mats Horn, the founder of Tinitell, purely by accident.
I first met Mats Horn, the founder of Tinitell, at Espresso House in central Stockholm.
I had met up with a couple of Estonian app developers, and Mats were sitting at the table next to us. He soon leaned in and started promoting his idea of creating a Kickstarter campaign that would pre-sell 2,000 units of his conceptual product, the first of its kind.
I liked his idea, but we decided to schedule a talk since I had to focus on my meeting with the Estonians.
When we met up a few weeks later, I realized that it was a kamikaze mission. Mats were brave, but he had no previous entrepreneurial experience; he was also very young, and he didn't know all that much about marketing or crowdfunding. And launching a new cell phone in a market that puts you up against big brands like Apple, Samsung, and Sony? Ouch.
And as far as Kickstarter goes, only a small percentage of all accepted campaigns asking for $100,000+ succeed in reaching their funding goals. Most fail. And we had no VC to back us up, only prize money from entering startup contests and a few stipends (most of which the team secured during the months of preparation for the Kickstarter launch). Ouch, again.
Still, I wanted the experience. And Mats were the type of person who was prepared to risk everything to see his product reach the market.
After just a couple of weeks, we decided to give it a go.
The first Tinitell prototypes looked real good.
In this post, my brother Pontus Silver (Twitter), will tell you the story. He and I were responsible for strategy, marketing, and copywriting for this project.
Enter Pontus Silver
Pontus. Yup, that's me.
At least a dozen times every year I get a "killer" business idea, as many of us do. But, what's an idea without execution worth?
My point is this:
It's not easy to abandon your 9-5 job and put all your time, energy, and money into something, especially when you don't know when — or if! — it's going to succeed. It takes guts, some savings, and a good portion of bravery. And Tinitell's founder, Mats Horn, brought all of that.
The good news is that it's easier than ever to launch an idea today – without a physical product to sell. With crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, you can test your product/market fit and, of course, secure some of the funds you need to take the next step — without giving away percentages of something that's only an idea.
There's more than one way to create a successful crowdfunding campaign. You could do a one-man-show project, simply by describing your idea through a webcam in your living room. Or, you could go all in with your idea, leaving no stone unturned and leave nothing to chance. We wanted to do a campaign that we could be proud over.
It was, however, a very bumpy road…
Phase 1: The Strategy (Take One)
Here's our starting point for the strategy:
We thought that the design was fresh and a selling point in itself.
There's an inherent conflict in introducing new technologies to very young children. We played around with the idea of putting Tinitells on toddlers in some of our promotional materials just to spark some controversy, but we decided not to go in this direction.
The product was (at this time) the first of its kind.
We saw an opportunity to introduce a brand new category of consumer products, wristphones. The Apple watch hadn't launched yet, but we suspected that it would work more as Pebble, a wrist companion to your iPhone — and not like a standalone product.
Without an ad budget, we knew we had to produce great content and do a massive influencer outreach.
Phase 2: A List with 1,400+ Media Contacts
My brother Jerry is a Tim Ferriss fanboy, so he wanted to model the project after Tim's epic Kickstarter-post, Hacking Kickstarter: How To Raise $100,000 In 10 Days. But soon we realized that we had a very specific target audience:
Tech-savvy early-adopter parents.
Reaching crowdfunding parents was potentially a huge challenge since our research showed that the existing Kickstarter tech-audience seemed only to purchase gadgets for themselves and not so much for their kids. To succeed, we had to pull in quite a lot of relevant traffic ourselves — without any budget to spend on ads. We decided to piggyback on existing publicity. If any journalist or blogger on the face of the earth had previously written on mobile tech for kids, they would end up on our media list.
We needed to create a massive media list, an Excel file with 1,400 names and e-mails in it. The divided the list into a few main categories:
Little Piggies. Journalists and bloggers who had previously reported on mobile tech for children. The backbone of our Piggyback Strategy.
Mom- And Dad Bloggers. This global list included any mom- or dad blogger who had written about anything related to technology.
The Dragons. Huge online media outlets, such as TechCrunch, Huffington Post, VentureBeat, DailyMail, etc.
We also wanted to opt-in as many email subscribers as possible before the actual launch, and we named this group (which we kept on a separate list):
The Fans. People who have opted into Tinitell's email list before the actual launch.
What we learned from doing this:
Some of these publics would prove to work better than others. Even if we got mom- and dad bloggers all over the world to cover the project, their traffic didn't convert into backers as much. As for the little piggies, many showed interest, and many wrote us up, but only a few of their articles provided us with any real backers in the end.
The Dragons, though … boom! There aren't that many of them, but those who did cover the project sent lots and lots of backers our way. And given how small group of fans we had scraped together beforehand, their relative impact turned out to be huge!
Phase 3: The Art of Creating Content with No Budget
We wanted to shoot a film to create some buzz before the launch, but also to get a sense of how to communicate the brand. We talked to Jerry's contact in New York, a professional videographer, but we couldn't afford to fly him over. He did, however, suggest that we should shoot a film influenced by the movie the Moonrise Kingdom — an idea we loved, and tried:
Tinitell – Amy the wild child from Telltales on Vimeo.
However, the Kickstarter film had to be more to the point and focused on the Tinitell wristphone. We also knew that we had to add some unique elements to the movie — it needed to stand out in some way.
Our efforts resulted in an animated monster (a nice one, of course). We kept Amy as our leading star, and we used the woods as the primary setting. Jerry wrote the first draft of the script and even starred in the film, playing a father taking the kids out on a picnic. Not exactly perfect, but the team pulled together and got it done.
Tinitell Kickstarter from Tinitell on Vimeo.
From there we went on to write the Kickstarter campaign page, the ladder of incentives and copy for the new Tinitell website. We also helped Mats to project manage the industrial designers, the UIX designers, and the WordPress coders. On top of this, we took part in discussions on everything from legal matters to production issues.
A finalized Kickstarter page might not look like it takes much work to put together, but this phase should not be underestimated. Trust me on that one.
Getting the rewards right on Kickstarter is not as easy as it sounds.
Phase 4: Damn those Deadlines!
Circumstances beyond our control pushed the project deadline forward on several occasions.1.
This was bad news for our small crew:
Jerry planned all his client projects around the planned 30-day launch, and suddenly he found himself with no projects in the calendar, so now he had to hustle. Since the deadline was pushed forward about four times in total(!), you could see Jerry's level of stress grow bigger and bigger with each missed deadline (and I learned quickly to bring him solutions instead of more problems during this time).
But the delays were also a challenge for Tinitell as a brand, mainly because no less than three competitors launched very similar products while we're still getting our shit together:
MyFilip
hereO
BeLuvv
The competition was, of course, unwelcome news for our upcoming PR outreach as it weakened our pitch a lot. The key takeaway here is simple but cruel: These types of projects rarely get off the ground in time. Delays are typical, but we thought that we would pull it off in time. Well … we didn't.
A few of the steps we had to run through to get Tinitell off the ground.
Phase 5: Some Tough Love from Kickstarter
You need "exploded" graphics like these to get Kickstarter's approval.
To finally be able to submit the project was fantastic. It had been way more work than we had planned for, but it was a great feeling. And it lasted for a couple of days, all up until the Kickstarter admissions staff got back to us with a massive list of suggested improvements. "Fix these," they said, "and we'll run your project."
The main points of Kickstarter's feedback were these:
The movie must get to the point faster. Well, we thought that we were getting to the point quick, but apparently not quick enough. Time to alert the film crew and get to work.
Only working prototypes are allowed in the video material. Well, we had used a 3D-printed design prototype. Time to alert the technical crew and get to work.
There must be an infographic displaying the various components. Well, we had completely missed this part. Time to alert the industrial designers and the art directors and get to work.
Phase 6: Pitching the Influencers (The Launch)
Once we got to the day of the launch, we were excited. But we did start pitching 1-2 weeks before the launch (embargo pitching).
Here are some of our key learnings:
The embargo pitch went straight to hell. Our research was clear — you need to secure publicity before the fact. By releasing the news to selected journalists beforehand, you can get those early articles to ensure the media momentum. Plus, Jerry is a big fan of quant-based marketing (see post here). But as we started pitching, we ran into a serious problem: Journalists who used to run stories on Kickstarter projects told us how they had been burnt for covering Kickstarter projects that failed to reach their funding goals. "Get back to us when it has reached its funding goals," they said. We did get some embargoed coverage, but far from as much as we had hoped for. Stress level: High.
Never underestimate your home market. When we started to push, we soon realized that lots of backers came from Sweden. They were The Fans, and they came from our modest email list as they had been following Tinitell's journey from way before the Kickstarter launch — and from our followings and social circles. In fact, it was this group of people who gave us the initial momentum we needed to keep going. Stress level: Moderate.
Dragons, dragons, and, even more, dragons. We quickly turned all our attention to the dragons. Not only did they send us substantial amounts of backers directly; their articles sparked masses of social media buzz that in turn sent us, even more, backers. However, many complained that the Tinitell wasn't the first of its kind and that they weren't as interested in covering an early-stage Kickstarter-project all the while three comparable competitors had their products out on store shelves already. Stress level: High again.
Initial interest dropped faster than we anticipated. After the first couple of days, we were still feeling somewhat happy. We realized it wasn't going to be a multi-million dollar Kickstarter project, but we had managed to secure some great reactions and some initial momentum through hard work and by leaving no stone unturned. However, on day three, we started getting, nothing. We had hoped that we would get some backers "for free" from the existing Kickstarter community, but everything just slowed down very rapidly. Stress level: Insane.
Phase 7: The Strategy (Take Two)
Enter the Dragons.
We didn't get much pull from the Kickstarter community, nor did we get any sustained social media buzz. As soon as the dragons stopped pushing their articles on Twitter, the sharing died out. And we felt that we had activated all the assets we had at our disposal. If there were any budgets, this might have been the right time to do a massive ad push.
We felt as if we were sitting in an advanced racing sailboat, but with no wind in our sails. At this time, Jerry decided to change the strategy. "Back to basics," he said.
He said that we needed to create a series of news cycles and then work our lists over and over again:
The launch cycle. I felt like this cycle was now over, but according to Jerry's new strategy, this was only the first small step of the outreach effort. He said that we should be happy with the outcome of the launch, but instead of trying to prolong it, we should start to focus on creating the next news cycle.
The Swedish cycle. There is an interest in exciting startups from Sweden, especially amongst journalists who have covered the journeys of companies like Spotify, Klarna, Skype, Narrative and so on. We put the founder, Mats Horn and his story front and center, and we all started pitching from his personal email account, somehow dishonest and dirty – but we got results. It didn't result in quite as much publicity as the launch cycle, but it was a step in the right direction.
The success cycle. As we were getting closer to getting funded, we put in higher gear and as we reached the project's funding goal on day 10, that in itself became the pitch. Suddenly we could contact everyone again and proudly declare that the project now was a success and that the wristphone will get manufactured. Safe to say, it did breathe some new life into the launch effort.
The mini cycle. As the success cycle started to wind down, we went out on a limb. The Tinitell didn't exist other than on paper, but if it existed, it would be the smallest consumer cellphone on the market. Jerry quickly wrote a press release, had it translated to a couple of languages, and then we pushed it out through a couple of wire services. "Spray and pray," Jerry called it. Then we got back to pitching the smallest phone-angle again.
The meta-cycle. At this point, with about a week left of the campaign, we gave it one last push. Since we had gotten some coverage, we pitched journalists and bloggers telling them about the coverage we already had gotten. A bit strange we admit, but it did work above our expectations.
Phase 8: Keeping Our Shit Together
With all the pushed deadlines, all our hours had leaked out long before the launch even started. For Jerry and I, this wasn't even a full-time project. We had lots of other clients to take care off. From this perspective, a 30-day launch period is bordering on insanity. Since we had installed a Kickstarter War Room at the Spin Factory office in Stockholm, there was some tension between us as we worked on our other projects. We had to manage our stress levels through the many ups and downs of the launch.
On top of this, several American agencies who had specialized in contacting the companies halfway through their Kickstarter campaigns and offering them some quick-and-dirty publicity for high percentage shares. Tinitell did accept one of these offers, but they reported back on existing publicity and tried to take credit for it. In retrospect, those resources had been better spent on adding a serious advertising push on Facebook. Still, for me as a junior project manager, this was an emotional project with tons of exciting learnings and takeaways!
Closing Words by Jerry
Even if you're bootstrapped, you too can hit $100,000 on Kickstarter. For Tinitell, it took the goodwill of a total of 1,102 backers to carry us across the finish line and a bit further than that, too. We didn't have a unique product once we launched, but through hard work, we managed to push the project through the many months of getting ready and the stressful 30 days of launching.
The first batch of Tinitells is shipping to Kickstarter backers in January 2016.
There were many obstacles outside the scope of marketing delaying the project, with everything from ensuring a robust value chain to be able to promise a pricing structure that would hold up, to selecting the right electronic parts and securing licenses for 2G/3G.
Digital Currency
Online Influence
Spin Doctor
Viral Loop
Social Media Jerry Silfwer
The silent switch is disrupting our societies. Algorithms reward sensationalism over brand loyalty and trust — and society must suffer the consequences.
How To Write a Blogger Outreach Email (Including Two Templates)
How To Categorise Influencers — Nano, Micro, Macro, Mega
Critical Mass in Social Media — How Many Followers You Need
How Content Themes Works — and Why You Should Use Them
Iceberg Publishing — The Cool Way to Grow Traffic and Conversions
How to build a viral loop (using mathematics)


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Home » Blogs » Snips Blog » Live from New York...
Michael McConnell is the former editor of Snips. Michael had been with BNP Media since April 2000. Prior to joining BNP, he was an award-winning staff writer with Heritage Newspapers, a chain of suburban weeklies covering the region south and west of Detroit. Since becoming editor in 2003, he has maintained the publication's focus on the people of the sheet metal and HVAC industries and extended it to the Internet through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google Plus.
Live from New York...
We're here at the AHR Expo at the Javits Center in Manhattan. The show has been bustling all morning, with plenty of contractors willing to endure the bitter cold of the last two days to see the latest in HVAC and sheet metal equipment.
Yesterday, Mr. Sheet Metal had the pleasure of meeting Bobby Flay, the celebrity chef, at his restaurant, Mesa Grill. Karen Coppins, Snips' production manager, had the misfortune of being hit with a butter knife dropped by a patron sitting in the mezzanine (Don't worry; she wasn't injured).
After a little beer was dropped on our table by another upstairs patron, the manager sent out Flay himself to apologize.
It made Karen's day. Mr. Sheet Metal was only somewhat impressed.
The restaurant's spiral ductwork, however, was divine.


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Developing indigenous technologies to confront security challenges imperative: Army Chief
NEW DELHI (PTI): Only indigenously developed technologies will be available to Indian Army for full exploitation during conflicts and it is imperative to reduce dependence on foreign technologies, Army Chief General M M Naravane has said.
The Indian Army is undergoing rapid modernisation and it is increasingly looking for indigenous solutions for its operational needs, he said in his speech at an event of industry body FICCI.
"I truly believe that during conflicts, in war-like situations, only indigenously developed technologies will be available to us for full exploitation across diverse domains," he stated.
Developing indigenous and local capabilities to confront emerging security challenges and reduce dependence on foreign technologies is, therefore, an imperative, Naravane mentioned.
"The Army in particular is more suited to lead this initiative. India has an expanding industrial base and we are confident that most of core requirements of defence equipment can be realised in-house," he noted.
The average cost of acquisition is lower in the Indian Army that allows wide participation of MSMEs and start-ups, he said.
The government's initiative of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) during an economic downturn as given much needed fillip to the domestic industry, he said.
Lt Gen Shantanu Dayal, Deputy Army Chief (Capability Development and Sustenance), stated in his speech at the event that the two most important issues for Indian Army during procurement of equipment and technologies are quality and costs.
We are going to deploy these equipment in very challenging conditions so they have to be robust and of good quality, he mentioned.
Dayal said the Indian Army is going to increase the share of indigenous content during procurement.
Indian Army Army Chief Gen Naravane Indigenous Technology Equipment Procurement Atmanirbhar Bharat India


Several years ago, I experienced a traumatic shock, and while it isn't important to elaborate on the details, it's enough to say that it turned my world upside down. People talk about PTSS as it relates to people who have returned from war but it is very possible for anyone to be a victim of the "after shocks" of a traumatic event.
In light of my experience, I did a lot of research and became fascinated by the workings of our brains and how we can change or alter our thought patterns. I learned about the science of neuroplasticity. The term is derived from the words Neuron and Plastic. Obviously, neuron refers to the neural cells in your brain and plasticity means to mold or modify. So neuroplasticity is the science that explains the potential that your brain has to create new neural pathways; basically changing the way you think. Cool, huh?
The more I learned, the more I realized that I had the capability of reorganizing my thoughts and I really needed to do something to get out of the negative spiral I was in. And I realized that it was going to take some action on my part.
Think of it this way, when you memorize a song, you do so by constantly repeating the lyrics and singing it over and over again until it's locked in. You have created a neuropath which allows you to remember that song. Suppose you decide to put new words to that song, like a parody. How do you do it? The same way…you sing it over and over and over again until you have created a new neuropath.
If you play an instrument or if you are a dancer, you know the concept of muscle memory. Your brain remembers the steps of a dance or where you put your fingers on your instrument. The science is fascinating and complex, but the concept is simple. As it relates to getting past a fearful mindset, you have the ability to change a negative thought pattern into a more positive one. But just as in singing a song, playing the piano, or dancing, you have to practice. If you are going to change a thought, you have to apply action!
That means that you have to begin to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. You can't just leave an empty spot, or those troll thoughts will jump right back in! When I was teaching, I used to ask my students to answer a riddle. Here it is: Five frogs sat on a log and one decided to jump into the water. How many frogs were left on the log?
The answer is…..FIVE frogs were left on the log because one only DECIDED to jump into the water, but took no action!
I am not a doctor….but I am a DIVA and that stands for Delighting In Victorious Attitude and I think we all deserve to have an attitude of altitude!
I would love to work with you! I offer one-on-one and group coaching classes as well as keynotes, seminars, and trainings.


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Medicaid Expansion's Three Flaws – Part II
This is the second in a three-part series that discusses the three flaws in the ObamaCare Medicaid expansion. In Part I we discussed The Enhanced Federal Matching Rate. Today we will discuss the Failure to Alter Medicaid's Open-ended Matching Rate Structure.
Failure to Alter Medicaid's Open-ended Matching Rate Structure
As I discussed in Part I, Medicaid has traditionally had a matching rate structure that fuels excess spending: its open-ended matching rate. For every dollar that states choose to spend on Medicaid, the federal government matches that with anywhere from $1 to $3 federal dollars, depending on that state's specific matching rate.
Chris Conover, Duke University economist writing in Forbes, says this has been proven to fuel excessive spending. An analysis by Thad Kouser at UC Berkeley showed that all other things being equal, shifting a state from the lowest to highest federal matching rate increases discretionary Medicaid expenditures by 22 percent.
In other words, states spend more the more you match their spending. The consequence of such incentives is that in 2014 we spent 93 times as much on Medicaid as we did in 1970, less than 50 years earlier. The formula encourages states to expand their programs as much as possible, knowing that at least half the cost or more will be picked up by the taxpayers of other states.
This problem has been exacerbated by ObamaCare which has given us The Enhanced Federal Matching Rate that was discussed in Part I of this series. Now states can expand their Medicaid spending knowing their neighboring states will help pick up $9 dollars of the added expense for every $1 dollar they spend.
The Impact of Medicaid Spending
States must balance their budgets by law, unlike the federal government. They can't print money when they run out. Therefore, they must make hard choices to balance Medicaid spending with other critical expenses like K-12 education, higher education, transportation, corrections, public assistance and others. It is easy for them to be irresponsible in their spending when someone else is picking up most of the tab.
Despite this open-ended matching rate, Medicaid is gobbling up more and more of state budgets while education and other needs go lacking. This chart shows how the portion of state spending on Medicaid has changed since 2000 and how this has affected other state spending. The result has been a steady decline in state spending on education, transportation, and public safety.
Shares of Total State Spending by Category – 2000 and 2014
Medicaid Benefits Wealthy States
The matching formula is intended to provide more help for poor states and less for wealthier states – but the opposite is true. This has been true even before ObamaCare but it is worse now. The following graphic shows how the three highest income states – The District of Columbia, Connecticut, and Massachusetts – are among the 6 states receiving the largest amounts of federal Medicaid dollars.
Medicaid is a Boondoggle for Wealthy States
Calculations by Christopher J. Conover
Georgia, on the other hand, falls in the bottom fifth of states in terms of per capita income, yet Washington, D. C. gets nearly 5 times as much federal funding per poor person despite being the wealthiest "state" in the union.
The reason for such disparity is a floor on the federal match rate for Medicaid (FMAP) where even the wealthiest states get a 50% discount on their Medicaid spending. Without this floor, a wealthy state like Connecticut would get only a 10.81% match rather than the 50% they actually get. Most egregious is the District of Columbia, which by law receives matching funds at a 70% discount, even though they have the highest per capita income of all. This gives wealthy states a strong incentive to expand coverage to many people who are not poor because the additional cost will be shared with other states.
Post-ObamaCare
This significant bias toward wealthy states was well-known before ObamaCare. Now the situation is even worse. With the Enhance Federal Matching Rate these wealthy states get a 90% match to cover the non-disabled adults they have added to their Medicaid rolls.
The Urban Institute, a liberal think tank, says their research showed that 10 states actually would make money on the Medicaid expansion – a net reduction in the total amount of Medicaid spending financed with state dollars compared to what they would have spent under ObamaCare had they not expanded. None of the states depicted in the graphic below is among the poorest quintile of states based on per capita income.
10 Lucky States That Literally Made Money by Expanding Medicaid
What Does AHCA Do About the Medicaid's Open-ended Federal Matching Rate?
The AHCA completely eliminates the federal matching rate formula starting in 2020 by giving states options for a per capita cap or block grant. The year 2016 is used as a base to prevent states from ratcheting up spending before 2020. The cap would vary by eligibility category and state, reflecting the enormous variation that now exists on both dimensions.
The block grant option is available to states only for the eligibility groups that are not disable or aged. Conover anticipates most states will choose this option rather than the per capita caps since there is less risk. The per capita cap is more generous than an earlier proposal by President Clinton because it allows spending to grow by the more generous yardstick of medical inflation (4%) rather than real growth in GDP (about 2%).
In summary, Conover says, "the good news is that shifting to per capita caps would save money by controlling Medicaid spending at a more sensible rate than the current open-ended matching rate does. The downside is that the new system largely will preserve rather sizable inequities across the states."
JUST RELEASED! Dr. Roberts' new book, The ObamaCare Reality – Is it really working? Available now at Amazon.com. Click on the link below.
ALSO AVAILABLE! Dr. Roberts' earlier book, The ObamaCare Train Wreck – How Every American Will Be Affected. Still available. Click on the link below.
CBO Predictions Deeply Flawed
Medicaid Expansion's Three Flaws – Part III
Medicaid Expansion's Three Flaws – Part I
Hysteria Over Senate Healthcare Bill
Healthcare Reform Principles That Cross Party Lines
High Praise for the Senate Healthcare Bill
Republican Views Differ on Healthcare
Democratic Demagoguery Over Medicaid
Misleading Assumptions Confuse Healthcare Debate
Single-Payer v. Market-Oriented Healthcare: Which is Better?
How Accurate is the CBO?
Hospitals Capitalize on Alternative Medicine
How Do Doctors Get Paid?
Making Funeral Plans for ObamaCare
Is Lack of Health Insurance Fatal?
How Good is the GOP Healthcare Plan?
Hysteria of the AHCA Opponents
The Truth About the AHCA
Five Myths About the New AHCA
Media Distortions of the ObamaCare Replacement
Pre-existing Conditions Dominate Healthcare Debate
GOP Compromise On Healthcare?
Three Solutions to the Healthcare Crisis – Part II
Three Solutions to the Healthcare Crisis – Part I


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Judge disallows Wisconsin voter registrations
Wisconsin News
PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin judge on Friday ordered that the registration of up to 234,000 voters be tossed out because they may have moved, a victory for conservatives that could make it more difficult for people to vote next year in the key swing state.
The judge sided with three voters represented by a conservative law firm who argued the state elections commission should have immediately deactivated any of the roughly 234,000 voters who didn't respond to an October mailing within 30 days. The voters were flagged as having potentially moved.
Ozaukee County Judge Paul Malloy denied a request by elections commission attorneys to put his decision on hold. He ordered the state Elections Commission to follow the law requiring voters who didn't respond to be deactivated.
ì"I can't tell them how to do that, they're going to have to figure that out," Malloy said of the commission deactivating the voters.
Commission spokesman Reid Magney said in an email to The Associated Press that staff will analyze the judge's decision and consult with commission members on next steps. He didn't elaborate.
The judge's ruling comes in the early stages of the case and is expected to be immediately appealed. It's likely to ultimately go to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is controlled 5-2 by conservatives.
The case is important for both sides ahead of the 2020 presidential race in narrowly divided Wisconsin, which President Donald Trump won by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016. Liberals fear the voters who could be purged are more likely to be Democrats. Republicans argue allowing them to remain on the rolls increases the risk of voter fraud.
The state elections commission, which has an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, is fighting the lawsuit. It argues that the law gives it the power to decide how to manage the voter registration list.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A federal judge sentenced an Oshkosh man to a month behind bars for buying a rifle for a boy ...
Suspect dead following officer involved shooting in Wausau
WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) — Police say a suspect is dead following a police shooting in Wausau. Both Wausau officers ...
Wisconsin Assembly approves Lyme disease bills
Trump uses Wisconsin rally to defend Iran policy
Trump's Milwaukee rally launches election year in Wisconsin
MILWAUKEE (AP) —President Donald Trump heads to battleground Wisconsin today to rally supporters just down the ...
Wisconsin appeals court puts voter rolls purge on hold
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin appeals court Tuesday put on hold an order to immediately remove up to 209,000 ...


Toddler sizes up to age 5), and new socks for both boys and girls in the same age range.
A collection box is located in the Saddle River Post Office.
The Shelter can also use donations of used highchairs in good condition.
Please call Sheila at 201-236-2214 or Nona at 201-934-9562 if you can donate.
We have an ongoing Fund Raiser which supports the Community Thrift Shop in Midland Park, located at 85 Godwin Ave.
We receive a percentage of the sale price of items donated in our name. Appropriate donations are gently used and clean clothing, furniture, housewares, toys and books.
Four shopping bags of items, or 2 white 16 gallon plastic trash bags worth of goods are accepted at one time from each donor.
Our club number is #39 and must be clearly labeled on the bags in order for us to get our percentage of the sales price of the items donated in our name.
We try to get friends and family to donate for #39 as well, and we welcome your participation in our fundraising efforts for our charitable causes–whenever you have items to donate.
Bring new, unwrapped gifts for babies and toddlers–clothes (up to size 2T), onesies, swaddlers, diapers, wipes, bibs, blankets, shampoo, baby wash etc.—anything a new mother might need is welcome and SO appreciated.


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Fires in Greece have claimed the lives of 74 people
© AFP 2018 / Valerie GacheАвтомобили on the closed National road during the fire near Athens. Archival photo © AFP 2018 / Valerie Gache
In Greece on Monday, there have been several major fires, which have claimed more than 70 people in Attica declared a state of emergency.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has declared three-day mourning for the victims, the Prosecutor's office of Greece launched an investigation into the causes of fires, and the military is preparing to take part in extinguishing the fires that swept Eastern Attica.
Forest fires are common in Greece during the summer season. In 2017, due to fires in several regions of the country imposed a state of emergency.
The fire wiped the settlement off the face of the earth
In the last days in Greece is 40-degree heat, and on Monday the situation was aggravated by strong winds, causing the fire could not cope with the fire.
According to official data, the fire service of Greece, on Tuesday morning, in East Attica 49 people died, 156 adults were injured, 16 hospitalized children. Later Sputnik Greece reported that the number of victims of fires has increased to 74, 164 were injured.
According to the latest data, among the victims were two tourists from Poland — mother and son.
«Despite the immediate and wide mobilization of fire forces, strong wind with gusts up to 9 points on the scale of Beaufort and the high rate of fire led to the rapid spread of its residential areas, so that residents and guests are unable to escape from the fire, when they were a few meters from the sea, or in cars,» — said the fire service. According to the Ministry, in Greece in the day, there were 47 forest fires, most were extinguished at an early stage.
The mayor of the district of Rafina-Pikermi Evangelos Burnous reported that burned more than a thousand houses and three hundred cars. Completely destroyed by fire, the settlement Mother. Thus in the Greek Fund for the use of state property HRADF reported with reference to the administration of the port of Rafina that all the routes of ships run in normal mode.
Tours — plan
The Russian Embassy in Greece said that among the dead and injured, according to preliminary data, there are no Russians.
Rosturizm recommended to the tourists staying in Greece, stay calm, follow the instructions of local authorities and avoid visiting the area of forest fires. According to the tour operators in Attica is about two thousand organized tourists from Russia, some messages from them to the hotline of the Federal tourism Agency has not yet been reported.
The Association of tour operators of Russia RIA Novosti reported that it did not expect a mass rejection of the booked tours. According to the Director of the representative office of the Greek national tourism organization in Russia and the CIS Polycarp, Efstathiou, the situation in the country caused by forest fires, will not affect the tourists. He stressed that Athens excursions are held according to plan. Major national road artery in the direction of the Peloponnese and Central Greece also have no problems.
The Association «Turpomosch» has reported that forest fires have not affected the hotel sector and threats to Russian compatriots in the rest no.
The EU is ready to help
Several European countries within the framework of mechanism of assistance in emergency situations expressed his willingness to help a neighbor in the fight with the fire element. Cyprus sent 45 firefighters, four rescuers and two fire trucks to Greece to assist local rescuers in the fight against large fires in the Metropolitan region of Attica.
However the European Commission refused to comment on speculation about criminal major causes of forest fires.
«I can't speculate on this topic. As you rightly said, it is a question of national authorities. It is too early even for them, I think, to draw any conclusions. The task of the Commission is to give a quick response to the requests for assistance we used assistance mechanism, we have quotations from a number of countries,» — said the representative of the press service of the EC.
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ВконтактеFacebookОдноклассникиTwitterwhatsappvibertelegramскачать to videocopilot stylepalette code© Ruptly Argrace fire: fires raging from Athens to Corinth


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Facebook: Forward Us Your Phishing Emails
By Ben Kersey/Aug. 9, 2012 10:31 am EST
Take a look inside your spam folder and you'll find a variety of phishing emails from the likes of eBay, PayPal, and Facebook. The social network has decided to take matters into its own hands, setting up an email address (phish@fb.com) that users can forward phishing emails to. Facebook will then investigate the emails, trying to determine where it came from and who sent it.
It's a big problem for any popular commerce or social networking site on the internet, but Facebook is taking steps to try and ease the problem. Mark Hammel, a Facebook engineer, says, "We have a pretty robust team here to deal with bad actors. This will give us extra visibility into people's e-mail inboxes, where there wasn't a good feedback mechanism in place."
So, what exactly does Facebook do with forwarded emails? The team takes a look at the URLs found within the emails and forwards them on to browser creators as well as search engines in an attempt to blacklist them. Once they're added to a browser blacklist, for example, users should be warned and veered away without clicking through and inputting any sensitive information.
Trying to find the root of the problem is still Facebook's primary goal, however. The team will send out cease-and-desist letters to any hosting companies found harboring the phishing websites, and potentially file criminal complaints if they discover who's behind the emails. The big problem for Facebook is that phishers often move quickly, taking down and throwing up new websites in an attempt to circumvent blacklists. How effective the new email address is depends entirely on how fast the investigative team can move.
[via CNN Money]


Introducing Duke & Dexter's latest drop, the winter collection. Featuring classic loafer styling with contemporary twists, it's ideal for the coming cold months. Taking inspiration from natural surroundings, the collection features a range of rich hues and earthy tones. This effortlessly cool aesthetic is set to upgrade any outfit, the perfect choice for those with considered style.


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module XClarityClient
  module Services
    #
    # A Power Action Sender is capable to send power
    # operation request for its managed endpoint.
    #
    # An XclarityEndpoint that supports power or LED operations
    # must configure the supported operations through `POWER_ACTIONS` and
    # `LED_STATES` constants.
    #
    module PowerActionSenderMixin
      #
      # Changes the power state for some resource.
      #
      # @param [String] uuid  - resource identifier
      # @param [symbol] state - the new power state
      #   it must be listed on `managed_resource::POWER_ACTIONS`
      #
      # @return the LXCA response.
      #
      def set_power_state(uuid, state)
        unless valid_arguments?(uuid, state, managed_resource::POWER_ACTIONS)
          error = 'Invalid target or power state requested'
          source = "#{self.class.name} set_power_state"
          $lxca_log.info(source, error)
          raise ArgumentError, error
        end

        send_power_request(
          "#{managed_resource::BASE_URI}/#{uuid}", state
        )
      end

      #
      # Changes the state of a LED of some resource.
      #
      # @param [String] uuid  - resource identifier
      # @param [String] state - the new LED state
      #   it must be listed on `managed_resource::LED_STATES`
      # @param [String] name  - name of the LED that must have it state changed
      #
      # @return the LXCA response
      #
      def set_loc_led_state(uuid, state, name = 'Identify')
        unless valid_arguments?(uuid, state, managed_resource::LED_STATES)
          error = 'Invalid target or power state requested'
          source = "#{self.class.name} set_loc_led_state"
          $lxca_log.info(source, error)
          raise ArgumentError, error
        end

        send_led_state_request(
          "#{managed_resource::BASE_URI}/#{uuid}", state, name
        )
      end

      #
      # Do a change power state request for an endpoint
      #
      # @param [String] uri
      #  - the URI of the endpoint that must have its power state changed.
      # @param [symbol] requested_state - the new power state.
      #
      # @return the LXCA response.
      #
      def send_power_request(uri, requested_state = nil)
        power_request = JSON.generate(:powerState => requested_state)
        response = @connection.do_put(uri, power_request)
        msg = "Power state action has been sent with request #{power_request}"

        $lxca_log.info("#{self.class.name} send_power_request", msg)
        response
      end

      #
      # Do a change LED state request for an endpoint
      #
      # @param [String] uri
      #   - The URI that must receive the request.
      # @param [String] requested_state
      #   - The new LED state.
      # @param [String] led_name
      #   - name of the LED that must have it state changed.
      #
      # @return the LXCA response.
      #
      def send_led_state_request(uri,
                                 requested_state = nil,
                                 led_name = 'Identify')
        request = JSON.generate(
          :leds => [{ :name => led_name, :state => requested_state }]
        )
        response = @connection.do_put(uri, request)
        msg = "LED state request has been sent with request #{request}"

        $lxca_log.info("#{self.class.name} send_led_state_request", msg)
        response
      end

      private

      #
      # Validates the power operations arguments.
      #   Verifies if the uuid is not blank
      #   Verifies if the endpoint supports the new state
      #
      def valid_arguments?(uuid, desired_state, allowed_states)
        uuid ||= ''
        !uuid.empty? && allowed_states.include?(desired_state)
      end
    end
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


These raw, unprocessed images were taken during Cassini's close flyby of Tethys on June 27, 2007.
These raw, unprocessed images were taken during Cassini's very close flyby of the icy moon Tethys on September 24, 2005.
at first glance, i do see distance between Saturn and Tethys. i have to concentrate a little to see all the distance the perspective of the rings indicate is there, but i can see it. a little concentration in the other direction and i can see Tethys at the same distance as Saturn, hovering over the pole. fun to play with.
Fascinating again and showing details on Tethys, too.
This is a rare and stunning image of Thethys because we don't usually see so many of the large craters althogether in such luminous relief. The top one must be Odysseus. The bottom one might be Melanthius but that crater seems too far North. And the fainter big crater in the middle looks like Penelope. Please correct me if I'm wrong about these craters. I've checked the maps and can't figure out any other interpretation. But then this could be because of the Sun-Tethys angle and similar to our own Moon this Cassini image could be a unique angle that throws shallower craters into greater relief. But still, this is a most interesting image of Tethys. It says something to me that seeing even a familiar moon from just a few illumination angles is not enough for me to know it.
Heck, Tethys is dwarfed by one circular cloud formation in the southern hemisphere. i can just imagine if we had a storm with a larger diameter than our moon. on Saturn, a storm with a diameter larger than Titan might be just medium sized. what a system!
R164 raw 2 shows mostly crater-saturated terrain, but in the upper left quadrant a couple of features are noteworthy. The first is that Fault scarp from the large, irregular crater to the double crater (likely due to a simultaneous impact of two bodies). The scarp casts shadows along 2/3 of its length, then suddenly changes to a bright cliff; this suggests a rotation has occurred on an axis normal to the fault. Second is a lobate flow, off the rim of �North Dike� crater, whose sharpness of form makes it seem to float above the underlying landscape. It appears to be a viscous flow, rather like Pahoehoe lava, in contrast to the loose-matter flows in �South Dike� crater. Crater chains abound in this scene, too. Tethys is definitely interesting, and probably has more surprises for us.
At the middle of this image there's an impact basin, I suppose. It's looking rather degraded. It has got 2 rings and a central peak, I suppose. It's looking similar to the Odysseus Basin on Tethys and less similar to the Herschel Crater on Mimas, I suppose. At my first glance I didn't notice it and this image looked more boring.
Hi NeKto I have not been here for a while. That is true, perhaps the flow lines could also indicate mass concentrations within Helene. I also understood that the flow lines could also be from ice swept up from the geysers on Enceladus. The Tethys tojan moons Telesto & Calypso are also largely covered in fine ice & Calypso too shows hints of flowlines. Would be interesting to get a close up of Polydeuces if possible too, the other Dione trojan moon, the one that trails Dione. Polydeuces is only about 3.5 KM wide at most, so Helene is very much larger. Andrew Brown.


text: docker build -t sonatanfv/son-emu-sap .


Here in St Austell Parish, we have groups and activities for all ages and interests. Have a look at what's on and get involved!
We are St Austell Parish. We are one church in three locations, in and around the wonderful St Austell.


4 – 11 year old?
We're offering our first ever summer camps this year!
What's Farmer Chris Up To?
Happy Easter! Please note that we'll be closed tomorrow and then back open on Tuesday. In the meantime, here are a couple of nectarine blossom photos. Some varieties are prettier than others. The first one is Fantasia, while the second one is Sunglo. Just the earliest bloomers are starting to open for us...we'll have lots more blossom photos next week!
The asparagus is really going strong now! We should be able to stay stocked in the market for the next 6-8 weeks.
The Asian pears will be blooming within the next day or so!
The peaches will be in full bloom in the next day or two. It's looking like we're a little light on some varieties, but overall they came through winter ok. It means less thinning for us!
When it's warm out, one day makes a huge difference with bloom. Yesterday there were only a few Chelan cherry blossoms open, and today the variety is in full bloom!
Our first fresh produce of the season is in the market now...asparagus! Quantities will be limited for the next few days as the plants get going.


Lync is all you need, Lync is all you need.
You can't get that out of your head now, can ya? Music is my thing, and I just thought that title worked really well for what Microsoft was messaging at last week's Lync conference, or love-in, if I was keeping in character with Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles.
Back to the topic at hand - Lync. For this month's column on InformationWeek, I wrote about how a lot of good things are coming together for Lync, but interestingly, they seem to be more focused on video than voice, which of course speaks loudly for how they see the world moving without the need for phone systems.
I'm equally concerned that whether they focus on voice or video, MSFT and their telecom partners/rivals might miss a bigger boat, namely Facebook. Having bought WhatsApp, they now have a huge user base on par with Skype, and by adding voice the other day, things sure could get interesting if people start relying more on text for their primary mode of communicating.
Enough. It's time to head over to the IW site, and you can read my article here. If this gets you going, please join the conversation, and I'll be sure add more thoughts in the commentary.


2 ply maxi jumbo toilet rolls are ideal for use in busy washroom environments. Maxi jumbo rolls are 400m rolls with either 80mm cores. Maxi jumbo toilet rolls are perfect for busy washrooms as they are longer than conventional toilet rolls and will last longer before needing to be replaced, therefore reducing the frequency of janitor checks and subsequently reducing staffing costs.


text:
I re leggendari svedesi sono monarchi Sueoni, nella odierna Svezia, appartenenti alla mitologica casata degli Yngling (Yngvi-ing, dove -ing significa "discendente"), detti anche Ynglingar.
Il termine Svíþjóð (Svealand, da cui Svezia) deriva da Sueoni e cominciò ad essere usato oltre il IX secolo.

Appaiono in fonti come l'Heimskringla e la Saga degli Ynglingar ed appartengono all'ambito mitologico, anche se è stato spesso suggerito che possano avere basi storiche; questa era una delle ultime teorie archeo-antropologiche del progetto La ricerca di Odino di Thor Heyerdahl. Comunque queste teorie non sono generalmente riconosciute come scientifiche.

I primi appartenenti a questa linea dinastica utilizzavano titolo di re a Uppsala, importante centro culturale e religioso nell'attuale Svezia, il cui tempio, secondo il mito, era stato costruito dal dio Yngvi-Freyr. Ci sarebbe da osservare che Snorri Sturluson, nell'Ynglinga saga riporta che solo da Dyggvi si cominciò ad usare l'appellativo konungr (che lo fa derivare da "Kon Ungr", Kon il Giovane), poiché i suoi predecessori erano chiamati dróttinn (condottieri).
È comunque ragionevole pensare che ci fossero re svedesi fin dai primi stanziamenti sueoni (svedesi), considerando il fatto che il concetto di re ha origini proto-germaniche (*kuningaz, rimasta nel finlandese come kuningas), oltre alla fondamentale testimonianza di Tacito che nel  98 d.C. cita sia i Sueoni che i loro re nel suo Germania, cap. 7 (Reges ex nobilitate, duces ex virtute sumunt: "scelgono i re in base alla nobiltà, i condottieri in base al valore").

Più tardi ai re leggendari, succedettero i re semi-leggendari svedesi, con una maggiore probabilità di avere basi storiche.

Successione

In tutti principali testi pervenuti, tranne nel'Ynglingatal e nell'Ynglinga saga, i primi sovrani erano gli dèi. La Hversu Noregr byggðist (come la Norvegia era abitata) parte dal primo essere, il gigante Burri (Búri), per proseguire in un ordine in cui il nome Freyr ricorre due volte:
Burri
Njörðr
Burr
Óðins
Freyr
Njarðar
Freyr
L'Ynglingatal parte direttamente dal primo umano appartenente alla casata dei Yngling, Fjölnir.
L'Ynglinga saga cita come primo re Gylfi, presentato come umano e non appartenente alla casata dei Yngling, per poi seguire con tre dèi (sebbene l'autore, Snorri, per la sua concezione evemerista, li interpreta anch'essi come uomini, sebbene con caratteristiche sovrumane):
Gylfi
Óðinn
Njörðr
Yngvi-Freyr
Quest'ultimo è anche capostipite dei Yngling, nonché fondatore del Tempio di Uppsala.

Se si escludono gli dèi e il re remoto Gylfi, si ritrova corrispondenza dei primi otto re nei principali testi pervenuti, riportati qui di seguito come trascritti, divisi per colonna.

Haki, un celebre re del mare, non apparteneva agli Ynglingar. Secondo Snorri, riuscì a conquistare il trono uccidendo re Hugleikr ed a controllare lo Svealand per poco più di tre anni, prima di essere spodestato dai cugini di Hugleik, Jörundr ed Eiríkr.

Le varie liste di re si ricongiungono con Jörundr per proseguire con Aun il Vecchio poi con i re semi-leggendari svedesi.

Note

Altri progetti

de:Schwedische Sagenkönige
en:Mythical kings of Sweden
lv:Mitoloģisko Zviedrijas karaļu uzskaitījums
pl:Mityczni królowie Szwecji
sv:Svenska sagokungar

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Spring is spectacular at Stoneleigh! Bring the whole family to celebrate the season in the garden. We'll read a seasonally inspired book, create kids' art projects, and enjoy a springtime snack.
Please note that trails are not suitable for strollers.
Event geared for kids 5 – 8 years old; older and younger siblings are welcome.


text:
Sonoma Rolls Admirals 18-0
By Thomas Gase, Vallejo Times-Herald
The Vallejo Admirals received some good news on Wednesday when slugger Graylin Derke rejoined the team after spending time the last month with the Wichita Wingnuts of the American Association and the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League.
The bad news is that it seems the Vallejo team Derke rejoined isn't close to the one he left earlier this year.
The Admirals (31-35) continued to struggle Wednesday night at Wilson Park as they dropped their seventh straight game, this time an 18-0 blowout to Sonoma. The Admirals will want to move on and have a short memory of this game as every Stomper in the starting lineup had a hit by the fifth inning.
Despite the Admirals recent struggles, manager P.J. Phillips said the club doesn't need a team meeting to address it. Vallejo remains four games up on the Napa Silverados for the fourth and final playoff spot after Napa fell to Martinez on Wednesday.
"There's nothing really to talk about. The actions are out there on the field and you see what's going on," Phillips said. "We're not pitching, we're not catching the ball and we're not hitting. So there is no such meeting that can turn those things around. The guys need to come together and each do their own jobs and when that happens things will turn around for us."
The first-place Stompers (45-21) got the early jump on Admirals pitcher Mike Anthony in the first inning as Sonoma scored six runs in the first frame thanks to a two-run homer by Kam Stewart, a two-run single by Brock Hartley and an RBI double by Rayson Romero. By the time the second inning was done Anthony had thrown 58 pitches.
DAundray Van Slyke came into the game to pitch in the third, but the Stompers' offense did not slow down. They scored another four runs in the frame, two of them on a two-run single by Rob DeAngelis.
The Stompers scored again in the sixth inning when Brock Hartley hit an opposite field solo home run to make it 11-0 and then added four more runs in the seventh inning thanks to RBI singles from Harley and DeAngelis to make it 15-0.
By the time the eighth inning ended the Admirals saw themselves in a hole bigger than the Bingham County Mine as the Stompers had erupted for 18 runs.
Meanwhile, the Admirals were stifled by Sonoma starting pitcher Vijay Patel, who went seven innings and gave up no runs while giving up just four hits. Vallejo mustered just six total hits, five of them coming from the top three hitters in the lineup and two of them from Derke in his return to the club.
"Man I really need to take some time and realize what just happened, but I think we just need to have some fun," Derke said. "I think we're putting a little too much pressure on ourselves. We need to get a couple good knocks and just focus a little more. Once we get something rolling we will start to have a little more fun again."
Vallejo will travel to Sonoma for one game on Thursday before heading to Martinez for one game on Friday. Vallejo has just four home games remaining on the season.


THE right mix of smart, casual and at times outlandish made for the <a href="http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/designer/balenciaga">Balenciaga menswear collection today in Paris. Add a burst of bright red or a smattering of embroidery to your ensemble and you have just the right point of difference - and thus you become the Balenciaga man. Today he had taken his influences from Japan – the richness of which played out in the aforementioned embroidery on egg-shaped proportions and long coats which took their style cues from kimonos. There were the necessary sedate moments too – a simple suit and T-shirt combination – as it wouldn't make sense not to have them. The verdict? A confident collection throughout.


How do you increase your productivity? You can only be as profitable as your employees are productive.
Dave talks about how to increase your productivity in your company, and how to track that using reports in CLIPxe.
What does a 5% increase in productivity do for your company?


I work primarily outdoors, directly in nature, trying to capture the uniqueness and essence of a scene. A connection may be inspired by an attraction to a particular place, the interplay of light and shadow, the soothing sound of a riffle or waterfall, the feel of a rocky climb, or the smell of a field of freshly baled hay. These natural elements trigger my desire to capture their spirit in a painted image to share with others. By working outdoors, I believe the painter not only paints the landscape, but becomes a real part of that landscape and is able to express a more authentic and honest interpretation.
I am especially concerned with the health of our regional waterways – streams and rivers – and am partnering with community groups whose work promotes conservation and improvements. By working together we can draw attention to the delicate balance that exists between man and nature and increase awareness and efforts to sustain and protect our natural resources.
My working process often begins by developing several notan studies followed by a gestural drawing in nupastel with a turpenoid wash. A variety of soft pastels are applied loosely over the underpainting working from the general to the specific. I enjoy using a limited palette of pastels to bring cohesiveness to a painting. I also believe that painting, like flyfishing, is a life long and delightful learning experience – an artistic journey of truth and discovery.


Know the Community is a great way to let new families in the River Region reach your business. As a new business owner and new Montgomery resident, I think this service is a great way to discover all types of businesses. Kristina Boddie has helped so much along the way and has made the experience very enjoyable. I highly recommend Know the Community if you are looking for a way to market your business.


text:
7 Cybersecurity Stocks to Sell ASAP
The 21st century will be one dominated by connectivity and the internet. Already, 5G technology is ushering in a new era of smart cities, remote workforces, streaming video and powering virtual reality. And that, in my opinion, puts the attention squarely on cybersecurity stocks.
Cybersecurity is critical for keeping our banking records private, our cloud services stable and our workplace and schools functional.
As the world becomes even more connected through improved technology and whatever the next decade brings, cybersecurity stocks will be even more an important part of a portfolio. Globally, the cybersecurity space was valued last year at roughly $202 billion – and is expected to show a compound annual growth rate of 12.3% through 2030.
As with all things investing, however, it's only half the battle to understand which sectors are growing. The other half of the battle is to identify which cybersecurity stocks in a given sector are ones to buy – and conversely, which ones are the stocks to sell.
I've used my Portfolio Grader tool to identify seven cybersecurity stocks to sell, based on recent earning performance, analyst sentiment, buying pressure and quantitative metrics. If you're carrying one of these stocks to sell, then it may be a good time to re-evaluate your portfolio.
ZS Zscaler $117.12
S SentinelOne $14.38
CYRN Cyren $0.84
GEN Gen Digital $22.43
DDOG Datadog $71.05
OKTA Okta $68.70
CRWD CrowdStrike $103.41
Zscaler (ZS)
Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com
Zscaler (NASDAQ:ZS) is a cloud security company that specializes in working with customers who want to keep their information safe on remote servers.
The company says it has more than 5,600 customers, including more than 25% of the Forbes Global 200 and more than 35% of Fortune 500 companies.
Zscaler posted a positive earnings report for its fiscal first quarter of 2023, but the company's stock dropped by 20% in December after it issued conservative guidance for Q2. It says it's expecting revenue of $364 million to $366 million, and EPS of 29 cents to 30 cents.
Meanwhile, analysts were looking for revenue of $355.3 million for Q2 and EPS of 26 cents.
Zscaler is also reorganizing the company's sales force – which could be a concern if the newly constituted department isn't able to successfully recompete government contracts and win new business.
Currently down nearly 29% over the last six months, making it one of the cybersecurity stocks to sell now. ZS stock has a "D" rating in the Portfolio Grader.
SentinelOne (S)
SentinelOne (NYSE:S) uses artificial intelligence to thwart online threats. The company's Behavioral AI antivirus product scans for and reports malicious patterns and actions.
In theory, that sounds great. But a good premise doesn't necessarily guarantee that you'll have a good company or a good stock, and that's where we run into issues with SentinelOne.
S stock is actually trading near an all-time low, having fallen 64% over the last year. The company increased revenue by 105% in the third quarter, posting $115.32 million, but it's still losing money overall. It posted a net income for the quarter of nearly a $99 million loss. That equates to an EPS loss of 16 cents per share.
Tech companies are laying off employees right and left these days while trying to figure out a way to protect their profit margins. This isn't a good time to invest in a company that can't figure out how to turn a profit yet, which makes SentinelOne among the cybersecurity stocks to sell while you can.
S stock has a "D" rating in the Portfolio Grader.
Cyren (CYRN)
Source: BeeBright / Shutterstock
Cyren (NASDAQ:CYRN) is an Israeli company that operates a "security as a service" business model. Customers pay a monthly subscription fee in exchange for Cyren's threat intelligence information. This is a tiny company, compared to others on the list. With a market capitalization of less than $7 million and a stock price of less than 90 cents, this is truly a penny stock.
And this is a company that seems to be getting smaller by the day. CYRN stock is down 81% in the last 12 months. It's stock actually got a boost last summer when the company announced the sale of its secure email gateway business to Content Services Group GmbH for 10 million euros, but then the stock resumed its downward spiral.
Third quarter earnings didn't give investors much to celebrate. The company announced revenue of $5.83 million that was only a 3.8% increase from ago. Net income was a loss of $6.1 million, and profit margins fell by 105%.
There are much better places to find a cybersecurity stock than CYRN, which has a "D" rating in the Portfolio Grader.
Gen Digital (GEN)
Gen Digital (NASDAQ:GEN) is a new name on Wall Street, but it's selling a familiar product.
The company was known until last year as Norton LifeLock, and before that, it went by Symantec Corp. It recently completed its merger with another cybersecurity company, Avast, which is when it changed to Gen Digital.
Its Norton product lines include Norton AntiVirus, Norton Security, Norton Small Business, Norton Family, Norton 360 and others.
With an established business and product line, Gen Digital is far from a growth stock, which means it's going to be relying on its ability to reduce redundancies in the merged company to fuel additional profits.
GEN stock is down 10% over the last six months and it's not a great bet to turn that around. It has a "D" rating in the Portfolio Grader.
Datadog (DDOG)
Source: Karol Ciesluk / Shutterstock.com
Datadog's (NASDAQ:DDOG) role in the cybersecurity space is in the "observability" market. Datadog analyzes its clients' metrics, traces and logs to provide insight into company operations.
If a company is a victim of an attack, Datadog's logs can help determine when the attack started and what happened, which gives clients the information they need to protect themselves from future intrusions.
Datadog went public in September 2019 at $27 per share and shot to nearly $200 per share by November 2021, but those heady days are gone. Now DDOG stock is just over $70, and has fallen 33% over the last six months.
On top of that, the company's rate of growth is slowing dramatically. Datadog recorded a compound annual growth rate of 79% between 2017 and 2021. But until 2024 CAGR is expected to slow to 42%.
So you have a growth stock whose growth is slowing. That help explains why it has a "D" rating in the Portfolio Grader.
Okta (OKTA)
Source: Lori Butcher / Shutterstock.com
Okta (NASDAQ:OKTA) is a service-as-a-sales company focusing on identity management software. Through its products, companies can manage their employees' log-ins, access gateways and implement multi-factor authentication. Those types of products help keep workers engaged with the access they need to materials while also protecting cloud-based resources from intrusions.
But unfortunately for Okta, the company's business opportunity seems to be getting smaller by the day. Tech layoffs in 2023 have already accounted for 24,500 jobs, and that's on top of the 47,000 employees laid off last year.
It's notable that Okta has failed to turn a profit since becoming publicly traded in 2017, and that its operating losses continue to widen.
Okta has a "D" rating in the Portfolio Grader.
CrowdStrike (CRWD)
CrowdStrike's (NASDAQ:CRWD) products are used by individuals, companies and government agencies to safeguard against cyber threats. Its Falcon platform provides network endpoint security services as a cloud-based product.
The company grew rapidly, with subscription customers increasing from 5,431 at the end of 2020 to more than 21,100 in the company's fiscal Q3 2023.
That kind of growth is great, but the stock price hasn't provided investors with the returns they expected. CRWD stock is down nearly 50% in the last six months. The stock traded at nearly $300 in November 2021, and now can be had for just over $100 per share.
All that said, CWRD stock has a lot going for it. The company regularly beats analysts' expectations for both earnings per share and revenue. It's revenue grew by nearly 53% in the last quarter to more than $580 million.
CrowdStrike looks to be a strong company that's in an industry that doesn't have a favorable outlook – at least for now. I wouldn't suggest putting CrowdStrike stock in your portfolio now, but this is a company to keep an eye on should the sector show signs of a rebound.
For now, it has a "D" rating in the Portfolio Grader.
On the date of publication, Louis Navellier had a long position in DDOG. Louis Navellier did not have (either directly or indirectly) any other positions in the securities mentioned in this article.
The InvestorPlace Research Staff member primarily responsible for this article did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the rounded ends and tops from the eggplants so that slices will be square. Slice each eggplant lengthwise into 8 thin slices, using a sharp knife or mandoline. Heat a cast iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet until hot. Film bottom with 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil. Place as many slices of eggplant in pan and sear until golden brown. Remove with spatula to a wooden cutting board. Repeat until one side of all the eggplant slices are seared and golden brown.
Slice mozzarella into 8 slices; slice each tomato into 4 slices. Working on a cutting board or other flat surface, cross eggplant slices into an X, one slice on top of the other. At the center of the X, place a slice of mozzarella and then a slice of tomato. Fold the edges of the eggplant slices over the mozzarella and tomato and press gently to make a square package. If necessary, secure with toothpicks. Refrigerate eggplant packages for at least 30 minutes to several hours.
Preheat toaster oven or oven to 400. Brush squares with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in oven or toaster oven for 5 minutes.Turn over, brush top with olive oil, and cook again for 5 minutes, until the squares are hot and cheese is melting.
Remove, and sprinkle with pine nuts and parsley. Serve with tomato sauce if desired.


text:
THE GAFFER'S POST-HITCHIN INTERVIEW
Nathan Jones reflects on a difficult day leading up to 2-0 win
Hatters boss Nathan Jones spoke to the media after last night's win at Hitchin and expressed his sympathy for the family of Clive Churchhouse and his friends at St Albans City – and also gave his thanks to the Canaries for stepping in at late notice to host the game.
"It was a difficult one today and our thoughts go out to the family of the person who passed away, and also to everyone at St Albans City Football Club," said Jones.
"These things are tragic events and all our thoughts, especially from the first team but everyone at Luton Town, go out to those involved.
"We thank the groundsman and the people of Hitchin Town Football Club. They are good friends of Luton Town and we didn't expect anything different from them.
"We were going to use it as a venue but it was a very difficult subject for St Albans so they volunteered to step in and we knew we would get a very competitive fixture here, and it was.
"We could have had an in-house training game but the psychological aspect of an in-house game and an opposition game is totally different, and we wanted to play against an opposition. It was a very good test.
"Hitchin were very competitive. I'd normally say I was disappointed with our first half performance, but a lot of credit has to go to Hitchin and how they went about their work – and that's why I prefer to do a game like this rather than an in-house match.
"It was 60 minutes tonight for some players, and it will be reversed on the weekend. Then we get everyone up to speed so they are all up to an hour in game time, and then we've got just over two weeks for the prep then."