All Christmas and New Years Eve functions are conducted on the basis of these Standard Terms and Conditions.
A provisional booking for the date of your choice will be held for a maximum of 14 days. After 14 days, a non-refundable and non transferable (e.g. cannot be used for beverage purchases) deposit is required of £15.00 per person to confirm all meal bookings. Confirmation will then be made in writing by the Hotel once a deposit has been received for each of the guests.
All Christmas bookings will need to be paid in full on/before Monday 5th November 2018. Deposits and payments of the final balance are non-refundable and non-transferable. Late payment may incur an additional charge.
If any extra guests are added to the booking after Monday 5th November 2018 (subject to availability) then full payment would be required immediately. Any extras incurred on the night (i.e. wine, bar drinks) are to be settled on the day/evening of the event. All payments will be confirmed in writing.
No outside catering is permitted at the Hotel. All alcoholic beverages brought onto our premises are subject to a corkage charge.
We reserve the right to use any photographs we take of your function or your guests in our publicity material or on our website.
It is the client's responsibility to inform the hotel prior to the event, of any special dietary requirements or food allergies of any of the function guests at the same time the full pre-order is received. Although dishes may not contain nuts as an ingredient, there is a possibility that they will contain nut traces. The hotel does not accept responsibility for nut or other allergies. A full list of allergens can be made available on request.
Any wheelchair accessibility requirements must also be notified to the Hotel in advance of the function.
Please note that due the format of the event any parties booking for less than 10 guests will be seated with other parties. On the evening a copy of the seating plan will be made available to you.
Pre-orders for each party will be requested at the same time as the final payment is requested (Monday 5th November 2018) and the name for each guest will need to accompany the individual pre-order. For larger parties containing several tables, a table-by-table pre-order will be required.
Children who are aged 8 years and under will be charged at half the advertised menu cost. Any persons aged 9 and over would be chargeable as an adult.
It is the responsibility of the client, at the time of confirming the booking to enquire about room availability and request a number of bedrooms to be reserved for function guests. Individual guests must confirm their reservation and pay a non-refundable deposit of £50.00 per room per night. We offer several rooms that are wheelchair accessible. It is the client's responsibility to notify the Hotel of any accessibility requirements in order that appropriate rooms can be allocated. The Christmas tariff for accommodation is only available to guests attending a Christmas function.
We advise any guests attending lunchtime events to organise their transportation from the venue by 5pm. Any guests attending evening events we would suggest transportation be arranged by 12.30am.
We operate a strict no-smoking policy throughout the building. Smoking is permitted outside in the smoking shelter only, where ashtrays are provided. If ashtrays are not used, an extra charge may be levied to the client for the cleaning up of cigarette butts. It is against the law to smoke in a public building. Out of fairness to the next guest and to maintain our integrity as a clean and non-smoking establishment, we do not permit smoking in any of our bedrooms. It is usual for us to charge an extra night's accommodation if we feel we cannot re-let a room which smells of smoke after departure.
The management reserves the right to change the advertised artistes without prior notice in the unfortunate circumstances for force majeure, ill health or forces beyond our control. The hotel reserves the right to amalgamate Christmas events to ensure appropriate numbers, or to move an event to a smaller/larger room should numbers dictate.
We require a copy of valid public liability insurance for any sub-contractor i.e. entertainment arranged by yourselves. Failure to provide a copy in advance of your function date, may result in access being denied.
Please note that any music played in Clarkes Restaurant / Library is only permitted at a background level. The hotel reserves the right to control the level of music in deference to other guests.
Should adverse weather conditions mean you are unable to visit the hotel as planned for your booking we would require 24 hours notice from the party organiser. We regret that no refunds can be given for bookings affected by adverse weather. You would however, be given the option of having a credit for the paid sum to be used against an alternative booking in January / February 2019 on a date of your choosing (subject to availability) provided the required notice is given.
• The hotel or any part of it is closed due to circumstances outside it's control.
• If the booking may prejudice the reputation or cause damage to the hotel.
In such an event the hotel will refund any advance payment (including deposit) but will have no further liability. The Hotel shall not be liable for any breach of this contract caused by any event or matter beyond its control including strikes, labour disputes, fire, riot, flood, war and including any other matter in the opinion of the Hotel proving impossible the performance of the contract but not being limited to matters listed here.


Metro Arts in Transit has selected 15 winners for the 2018 MetroLines poetry contest. St. Louis area poets were invited to enter their works for consideration, and 15 poems were chosen from the submissions. Each winning poet will receive a $100 prize and will have their original work reproduced on posters and displayed on MetroBus vehicles and MetroLink trains for up to one year.
The MetroLines posters will be installed on MetroBus vehicles and MetroLink trains in October. They will also be showcased at the MetroLines Poetry Reading and Reception at 7 p.m. on October 11 at the Regional Arts Commission, located at 6128 Delmar Boulevard.
Poetry and art lovers will be able to meet the poets, hear the winning poems read by the poets and also enjoy poetry reading by the reception's featured reader, poet and author Jason Vasser-Elong. Vasser-Elong is the author of "Shrimp" published by 2 Leaf Press. Currently a Program Specialist for the Missouri Arts Council, Vasser-Elong has an MFA in creative writing and poetry from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
MetroLines is supported by funding from the Regional Arts Commission. To learn more about MetroLines, visit artsintransit.org.


Hollywood star Louise Linton was the main feature in the Press and Journal's weekend edition on the 2nd August as the Holyrood PR client's profile continues to rise.
The feature included an in-depth interview with Louise touching on many aspects of the Hollywood life. She spoke about the highs of Hollywood life as well as discussing the challenges she has overcome to become a successful Hollywood actress.
The interview in Scotland's oldest daily newspaper, the Press and Journal, which serves the North of Scotland, was reported to an audience of 68,000 readers in both magazine and online.
The coverage comes as Louise Linton's profile continues to rise across the world with national newspapers and websites everywhere talking about the Edinburgh-born Actress.
The full story and interview from the Press and Journal with Louise Linton can be found on their website.
To check out all the coverage that Holyrood PR has achieved for Louise Linton go to our client page here.
If you want to see what Holyrood PR could do for your PR, fill out the contact form below, or get in touch via our contact page.


This task will export information from the specified report in Peoplevox to XML format, the format will depend on what settings are enabled on the task the report used.
If you have Export All set to False this is date field to use on the report that Zynk will filter against. If Export All is set to True you do not need to update this field. Defaults to Despatch date. You will need to check the report you are exporting to find the column name of the field to use.
The field to use to order the records by. If left empty, it will default to the date created field.
The name or full path to the file the returned data will be saved to. Defaults to peoplevox_export_report.xml, which will be created in the working directory of the Workflow.
The name of the report you want to export from Peoplevox, this must match the name as showing through the reporting section of your Peoplevox web application. Defaults to Despatch summary.
Set to False to export all information as attributes in the output XML file, this usually ends up with a smaller file size. Note, when using attributes in XSLT you must prepend the name of the field with @ e.g. @Item_code. Set to True to export all information as elements in the output XML file. Defaults to False.
The name of the main root node of the output XML file, using this field you can customise the format of the output if required. Defaults to Rows.
The name of each row created in the output XML file that relates to each record returned in the report, using this field you can customise the format of the output if required. Defaults to Row.


text:
Russia Unveils "Terminator T-1" Inspired Killer Robots
The first time Russia's armed forces demonstrated the Platform-M combat robot was one year ago in mid-June 2014, when in the course of military drills by the Baltic Fleet near Kaliningrad, the robotic combat platforms, armed with grenade launchers and Kalashnikov rifles saw their first action, executing their military missions alongside their live colleagues.
But what is the Platform-M aside from looking like a very angry, heavily armed version of Wall-E, or a predecessor of the T-1 Series terminator? As explained by RBTH, "the Platform-M is a remote controlled robotic unit on a crawler" one which resembles the protagonist of the 2008 Pixar computer animation WALL-E as well as the original T-1 terminator.
The Terminator Series T-1
The affinity between Platform-M and the animated character can also be seen in the robot's prototype, which appeared on the Russian internet in an animated presentation. In the video, the robotic vehicles, which resemble Platform-M (only on wheels instead of tracks), easily destroy a force of enemy militants armed with NATO weaponry.
According to some data provided by the Russian military, the Platform-M unit is supplied with "a differentiated defensive chassis and a firing platform and can carry out combative tasks during the night without unmasking instruments."
The robot is armed with the famous Kalashnikov rifle made in Izhevsk and four grenade launchers.
At the Progress Scientific Research Technological Institute of Izhevsk, where it was made, the "crawling creation" was given the following assessment: "Platform-M is a universal combat platform. It is used for gathering intelligence, for discovering and eliminating stationary and mobile targets, for firepower support, for patrolling and for guarding important sites. The unit's weapons can be guided, it can carry out supportive tasks and it can destroy targets in automatic or semiautomatic control systems; it is supplied with optical-electronic and radio reconnaissance locators."
As RBTH adds, Russian robotic technology has existed since the days of the Moon rovers. Back in 1964 the Russian Air Force acquired a system of long-range pilotless photo and radio technological reconnaissance called the DBP-1. This reconnaissance machine, launched from western parts of the country, could carry out its assignments over all of Central and Western Europe.
In 1973 the Soviet Union initiated the first state scientific and technological program devoted to the creation and implementation of industrial robots. Consequently, by 1985 the USSR had 40 percent of the world's industrial robots at its disposal, having surpassed the U.S. These units were guided by network-centric principles and artificial intelligence was embedded in the military sphere.
Still, many had believed that Russia was years behind the envelope when it comes to putting advanced robotic technology on the battlefield. Until today, when a video showcased Russia's latest military equipment in Sevastopol, ranging from the "Bastion" air defense and anti-ship complexes missile system to sniper rifles and special ops naval guns, also showed none other than the Platform-M combat robot mingling among the population of this most important Crimean city.
Now all that is needed is for some hacker to penetrate the Platform-M firewall and take control of a small army of these units and then we can finally move the Terminator series into the non-fiction section.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Seeking the best connector for sink with good quality and affordable prices from DHgate Australia site. We provide a variety of pc connector types online supplied by reliable sellers around the world. Helping you step by step of finding cheap connector microphone is what we aim for. Enjoy exploring our range of bowknot connectors shop and find the christmas connector for sale from au.dhgate.com with free delivery to Australia.


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Leasing & Development
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Shopping at POLARIS - Columbus, Ohio
A Wide Variety of Premier Shopping Experiences.
WW Studio
About WW Studio
WeightWatchers (WW) will always be the global leader in weight loss, but now WW welcomes anyone who wants to build healthy habits—whether that means eating better, moving more, developing a positive mindset, focusing on weight…or all of the above! You show up with your goals—we'll tell you how to get there.
WW Studio Website
683 Worthington Road
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While POLARIS is already home to many establishments there are still many opportunities for your business to become a part of this thriving community.
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On Katrina, Maison Marie Saint Pierre jacket and dress from Blu's; tights by Agent Provocateur; Dries Van Noten shoes from Saks Fifth Avenue; glasses by Victoria Beckham from Chinook Optical; ring, bracelet and earrings all by Dean Davidson from Rubaiyat. On Persia (left), skirt from Zara; top from Forever 21; hat from Justice; shoes from J.Crew; socks from PARKSHOP; glasses from the Brass Monocle. On Tala (right), dress and shoes from Zara, headband from H&M; socks from PARKSHOP. Photograph by Colin Way.
With her platinum blonde hair, expertly manicured nails and always-on-point makeup, Katrina Olson-Mottahed is an influential fashionista with a look that is polished from head to toe. Often dressed in figure-flattering feminine silhouettes accented by pops of colour and sparkly accessories such as sequined boots, her look is both fearless and elegant. "When I go out, I'm gonna bring it," she says.
As director of the Canadian International Fashion Film Festival (CANIFFF) Olson-Mottahed is a leader on the local fashion scene and a strong social-media influencer as well. She is particularly passionate about supporting Canadian fashion designers and often wears Canadian clothing and accessories (such as the dress, blouse and skirt by Montreal's Unttld seen in the images below). "I always find it unfortunate when designers feel they have to leave Canada to 'make it,'" Olson-Mottahed says. "I hope by buying and wearing their pieces they can continue to create collections in Canada, adding jobs to our own fashion industry." If this chic mom of two girls has any say, that industry will continue to grow and shine.
Clockwise from left: Unttld blouse and skirt from Shear Luxury; earrings by Dean Davidson from Rubaiyat Unttld dress from Shear Luxury; Gucci bag from Holt Renfrew; bracelet and ring both by Dean Davidson from Rubaiyat Shoes by Aquazzura. Photograph by Colin Way. Styling by Kara Chomistek and Jessie Li; Makeup by Joanne Black; hair by Sue Thompson.


Windows Phone is outshining the iPhone in several countries. But relax, Apple, there is an explanation.
In a blog posted Tuesday, Microsoft corporate communications VP Frank Shaw cited an IDC report revealing that Windows Phone has reached 10 percent market share in a number of countries. Along with that milestone, Windows Phone has outshipped Apple's iPhone in seven markets across the globe.
Shaw didn't divulge the names of those seven markets. But IDC did and explained why Windows Phone has a foothold in those regions.
Speaking with The New York Times yesterday, IDC analyst Kevin Restivo said that fourth-quarter Windows Phone shipments surpassed those of the iPhone in Argentina, India, Poland, Russia, South Africa, and the Ukraine. The seventh market actually lumps together several smaller countries, such as Croatia, and is collectively known as "the rest of central and eastern Europe."
Further, the Ukraine, South Africa, and "the rest of central and eastern Europe" are small markets where Windows Phone shipments numbered less than 100,000 during the fourth quarter.
Windows Phone also has a leg up in markets where Nokia already is popular, the analyst added. In many of those countries, iPhone demand is weaker because of the high cost of the phone and the absence of carrier subsidies.
Finally, IDC used the term "shipped" in the report. But "shipped" doesn't mean "sold." Retailers in those markets may be receiving more Windows Phone devices. But the question, as always, is: how many of those devices are being scooped up by consumers?


La Tranquilla has a comfortable living room complete with satellite TV, WiFi, and double sofa bed (140 cm wide), as well as a dining area and a fully equipped kitchen. There are two lovely, bright colored bedrooms (one upstairs and one down) each with a queen size bed (160 cm wide), and one new and spacious bathroom with shower. Off the living area is a small private terrace, a perfect place to enjoy sitting under the Tuscan sun.
Although the apartment is updated with modern amenities, it also retains many original features such as wooden paneled ceilings and traditional Italian terracotta floors. It is extremely quiet and tucked away and makes for a very peaceful home away from home. From 1,700 euro a week in high season. More information, and online booking, here.


text:
Opensouls
Gareth Shute
Published: 9 May 2013 Updated: 6 Oct 2017
Opensouls created a funky mix of hip hop, soul, and jazz which packed out nightclubs in the first decade of the new millennium, especially in their hometown of Auckland. A dozen members passed through the group and most of them became key figures on the local music scene in their own right. Opensouls released two top 40 albums, but will also be remembered as genre-bending live band, who could fire up any dancefloor.
To uncover where the group came from it's best to start with one of the core members, Jeremy Toy. He grew up in a musical household: his mother had studied classical guitar, while his father played saxophone in well-known big bands, such as those led by Arthur Skelton and Jack Morris. Piano lessons started from age seven and then he took up saxophone at high school, but after being hectored by friends, he switched to guitar. He and his sister first performed at the Glasshouse in Brown's Bay and Toy also played in school grunge group, Betty, at Rockquest ("trying to recycle the first Helmet record") and won best original song.
Toy then began attending hardcore/punk gigs in the city with two brothers he'd befriended, Matt and Evan Short (Concord Dawn). He ventured further into the scene by forming his own group, So To Speak, though he retained his father's love of jazz and decided to study guitar at the University of Auckland. He did two years, before quitting to tour Australia with punk act Sommerset. Yet his most enduring connection over this period was with drummer, Julien Dyne.
"Matt Perry, who'd been in my Rockquest band, introduced me to Julien when he moved up from Wellington to study at Elam. Julien's dad is Paul Dyne, a killer jazz bass player, who teaches at university down there. I used to go to Elam and hang out and listen to jazz records. We just played bad fusion for a while, under the name Louvre. We were also called Motron. Cam Allen [saxophone] and Chip Matthews [bass] started playing with us back then. Matt Short [bass] came and went. We'd play at Cause Celebre and one of the bars in DeBretts or sometimes – just to get paid – we'd play Deschlers."
Toy was drawn in another musical direction by his friend, Dominic Hoey (aka Tourettes), who'd also been involved in the Auckland hardcore scene (as drummer for Witness). However, Hoey had returned from living in Wellington with the nucleus of a hip hop crew called 5th Floor. Hoey brought Toy and Dyne on board to create a live version of the group, alongside MC G Whizz (Glen Kowalski), DJ Buttafingaz (Harlin Davey), and MC Bjorn Petersen. Yet the group were pulling in different directions (with Kowalski kicked out once he got a job on music television) and Hoey eventually decided to try his luck in Melbourne as a solo act instead.
In 2002, the remaining members of the group formed Opensouls, hoping to incorporate jazz.
In 2002, the remaining members of the group formed Opensouls, hoping to incorporate jazz. As they played shows, they began drawing more collaborators into the fold, as Toy recalls:
"I'd first met [keyboardist] Steph Brown at jazz school. Chip Matthews had been playing with Godfrey de Grut since they'd been in The New Loungehead [both also played in Che Fu's The Krates]. I started playing with Chip in Godfrey's new band, Menopantyboy. Isaac Aesili [trumpet] had just moved up from Christchurch. I remember meeting him at Galatos upstairs and asking him if he'd join the band but he was still playing as Solaa and said he was really busy. Then a week later, he was in the band! Isaac was a really good fit."
The Opensouls created an instant buzz in the Auckland scene, especially for their packed shows at Khuja Lounge, and they soon extended their reach to Wellington where they met like-minded groups such as Fat Freddy's Drop and TrinityRoots.
Having so many talented group members did have the downside that some were drawn away to other projects. At first, the group was fronted by singer Hollie Smith, but she left to pursue a solo career (Toy played guitar on her first release and went on to produce her debut album). Fortunately, MC Bjorn was also a soulful singer so the group continued on regardless. Cam Allen also left for some time – deciding to perform on a cruise ship as a way to relocate to New York – so Dyne's father put them in touch with his former student, Scott Towers (this connection also led to Joe Lindsay from Fat Freddy's working with the group).
Despite providing an enthralling live spectacle, capturing the group's energy in a recording studio initially proved difficult. They did an early session with Rikki Morris and Lewis McCallum, but Toy felt that simply trying to put down their live sound didn't produce the best results:
"Every time we recorded the live band, it never sounded right. It sounded too naïve, too jazzy. So me and Julien both got PCs and started making our own beats. He'd play drums and then we'd sample them and put them into an MPC. If I made the beats, then he'd usually have input in other areas by playing some guitar or directing how the sound of the recording should go, acting like a producer. Sometimes I'd just be the instrumentalist and he'd tell me what to play, which worked really well. Because he was an artist, it felt like he brought a visual approach to it – he always had a better idea of the whole picture. I could come up with parts and play them, but he had a better overall vision. That's why we worked well together."
Dyne and Toy were also inspired by the collaborative approach of Fat Freddy's Drop and TrinityRoots, so tried to allow space for group members to contribute their own ideas, making for an interesting amalgam of influences on their early recordings. In 2003, Toy was accepted to the Red Bull Academy in Cape Town, South Africa, and took six early tracks with him to play to other attendees. He met Michael Reinboth, who ran the influential German soul jazz label, Compost Records, which led to an Opensouls song ('In Your Hands') appearing on their compilation, Soulsearching – The Compost Radio Show Vol.1 (2005).
The Red Bull Academy would continue to provide the group with networking possibilities and inspiration in the years to come with Dyne attending in 2004 when it was held in Rome and Aesili in 2005 when it was held in Seattle (Dyne also returned for an alumni event in 2007).
Back in Auckland, Toy was introduced to Tyra Hammond, who would become central to Opensouls in the years that followed.
"Tyra had just moved up from Christchurch to study and help out [her cousin] Ladi6 and Parks [aka Brent Park], who'd just had their baby. I'd been playing bass with Ladi and Parks in their group, Verse Two, until I got too busy. Parks said, 'you should do some music with Tyra, she's amazing.' I'd heard Sheelahroc, but I hadn't realised Tyra was in it. Tyra came in and we got along really well."
Tyra brought in a strong funk influence and this inspired the instrument-playing members of Opensouls to create a side group, Tyra and the Tornadoes, with monthly gigs at the Rising Sun (arranged by Tyne and Towers). Meanwhile, Toy had been listening to a compilation of instrumental versions of funk songs and decided to write something with a similar vibe to the cover of 'Use Me' by Bill Withers that was on it. Tyra wrote lyrics and sang on it, while Ladi was brought in to do backing vocals. The resulting song was 'Turn It Up', which was a key track for the group, eventually released in the UK by Freestyle Records.
In the meantime, The Opensouls had also created their own label, From The Crate Records, to release their work and that of the Tornadoes (fortunately Toy's mother was an accountant!). The Opensouls also brought on board Toby Larmer (manager of TrinityRoots) to help them with the release of their debut album, Kaleidoscope (2006), which charted at No.29. They received a nomination for Best Urban/Hip Hop Album at the New Zealand Music Awards, but also managed to fit into theNew Zealand roots scene and played large festivals such as Raglan's Soundsplash and the Kaikoura Roots Festival.
Despite the growing profile of the group, the individual members found themselves increasingly busy with their other projects. Steph Brown moved to New York and started her own act, LIPS (later winning an Apra Silver Scroll Award for 'Everything To Me' in 2012). Julien Dyne's solo work was gaining pace (his first solo EP came out in 2007), while Chip Matthews had begun recording and performing with Anika Moa. Scott Towers joined Fat Freddy's Drop in 2007, though fortunately Cam Allen was back from New York by this stage, so could retake his original place.
The result of these distractions was that when it came time to record their next album, Toy found that he and Hammond that were left to do most of the songwriting:
"The tracks that had been most successful for us had been the ones that were primarily based on singing rather than rapping. Especially overseas. I think that was because Dallas from Fat Freddy's was really hot at that time, so they wanted something connected to that but as soon as they heard the rap, they were like – 'nah! You can't do this!' The only track with Bjorn on it that really had a big effect was the one where he was singing on it. So we decided – let's do an album of songs. Plus all the funk stuff that we'd been doing as Tyra and the Tornadoes had an effect as well."
This allowed them to fully explore Hammond's remarkable singing ability. One example being the track, 'Leave the Light On', which Toy wrote purposefully to showcase the more bluesy aspect of her voice. Yet other members did contribute ideas when they could – the most notable example being the backing music provided by Dyne and Davey for the fan-favourite, 'Telephone Song'.
The resulting album, Standing In The Rain (2009), reached No.8 on the charts, partly due to the hard work of their management team, Callum August and Ingrid Bennie from Dirty Records. August also managed to get the album released in Germany on Jakarta Records, while Dyne used his connections to arrange a release in Japan on Wonderful Noise. Toy was excited to see photos of the CD on display on Tokyo and equally blown away when an overseas touring opportunity came out of the blue:
"There was a guy in Toronto who was a big fan, who had all the seven-inch records that we'd released. He put it to the promoters of the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival that he'd organise us for the event. Then Callum and him organised a tour to go with it – about a dozen shows that took us across the width of Canada. Tyra was five months pregnant and it was the middle of summer – what an absolute trouper! In a van with no air-conditioning. I couldn't even imagine that ...
"We played before The Roots at the jazz festival. It was held in a big park and the artists stayed in a hotel that overlooked it from above. When we were playing, we looked up and all the guys from The Roots were hanging out the window watching us. Then some of them came down to talk to us, but I was too shy. I hate talking to my heroes. Kirk Knight had a good chat with Chip. It was really cool to open for them, but they were just on another level of musicianship for that genre. It made us feel minor league. Later in the tour, we went back to Saskatoon and – off the back of that Roots show – sold out two nights in a row."
The tour ended up being a last hurrah for the group. Internal tensions had been growing over almost a decade of playing together and the stress of trying to drag everyone away from their own projects to work on Opensouls material was taking the fun out of the group. A mutual decision was made to bring things to an end.
In the wake of the group, a huge amount of new projects emerged from its various members.
In the wake of the group, a huge amount of new projects emerged from its various members. Julien Dyne went solo and released work through esteemed UK label, BBE, while continuing to work regularly with Ladi6. Isaac Aesili released a solo album (Eye Know, 2009) before starting a run of new groups: Funkomunity, Karlmarx, and Sorceress (as well as playing live in bands: The Recloose Live Band, Shapeshifter, House Of Shem, TrinityRoots, and Eru Dangerspiel). Chip Matthews has continued to be in-demand as a bass player, working with Anna Coddington and Home Brew among many others. Tyra Hammond started her own solo career, releasing a self-titled EP in 2015 (produced by Toy).
Jeremy Toy kept up his record of taking unusual paths forward by starting dream-pop group, She's So Rad, with Anji Sami (a direction he traces back to listening to My Bloody Valentine's Loveless in the van while on tour with Sommerset). Toy's musical output was interrupted when he received a brain injury in 2013, after being king-hit by a drunk patron at a bar. In order to recuperate, he decided to return to making beats and started a project to record a new version of J Dilla's landmark hip hop album, Donuts (2006). Toy's version was released as Basement Donuts (2016) by Leonard Charles on Hit and Run in LA and Wonderful Noise in Japan, with many overseas plaudits including from Dilla's turntablist, J Rocc (and an opportunity to work with one of Dilla's preferred MCs, Guilty Simpson).
Fortunately the members of Opensouls have remained friends over the years and Toy has enjoyed the occasional opportunities they've had to get back together for reunion shows.
"The gigs are really good when we play now. We try to only have one rehearsal and keep it as spontaneous as possible. We can all easily handle the music that we made back then – we're all good enough musicians. The gigs are real fun in that respect. But really it's just nice to get together after all this time."
Scribe with Opensouls - Say It Again (Vodafone Music Awards, 2008)
Julien Dyne with Kelly Steven (from Punches).
Photo credit: Simon Grigg collection
Turn It Up
Opensouls logo
Hold You Close
Opensouls performing at the 2006 music awards
Dollars (She's So Rad Disco remix)
Photo credit: Photo by Conor Clarke
Jeremy Toy
Telephone Song
From The Crate
Wonderful Noise
Freestyle Records
BaseFM interview with Jeremy Toy
She's So Rad
Julien Dyne
The New Loungehead
Concord Dawn
Che Fu
Fat Freddy's Drop
TrinityRoots
Hollie Smith
Rikki Morris
Anika Moa
Anna Coddington
In 2007, Tyra Hammond appeared on Scribe's single 'Say It Again'.
Jeremy Toy also produced the third album by NZ-based Australian singer, Tim Guy (Big World, 2010). Their friendship also led Guy to write a song ('Love Turns Wild') for the second Opensouls album. Guy's album wasn't the only time Toy worked in the folk realm - he also produced Mel Parsons' Red Grey Blue (2011).
Jeremy Toy also does production under the name 'OTA' which is a play on his second name (i.e., Toy-OTA).
Matt Short went on to play in Magic Factory.
Jeremy Toy - guitar, programming
Tyra Hammond - vocals
Julien Dyne - drums, programming
Bjorn Petersen - MC, vocals
Chip Matthews - bass
Isaac Aesili - trumpet, vocals
Steph Brown - keyboards
Cam Allen - saxophone
Scott Towers - saxophone
Harlin Davey - turntables
Joe Lindsay - trombone
Matt Short - bass


text:
What's causing aquatic dead zones?
Washington, D.C.—A research team, led by Carnegie's Anna Michalak, has determined that the 2011 record-breaking algal bloom in Lake Erie was triggered by long-term agricultural practices coupled with extreme precipitation, followed by weak lake circulation and warm temperatures. The team also predicts that, unless agricultural policies change, the lake will continue to experience extreme blooms. The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"The perfect storm of weather events and agricultural practices that occurred in 2011 is unfortunately consistent with ongoing trends, which means that more huge algal blooms can be expected in the future unless a scientifically guided management plan is implemented for the region," remarked Michalak.
Fresh water algal blooms can result when excessive amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen are added to the water, typically as runoff from fertilized agriculture. These excess nutrients encourage unusual growth of algae and aquatic plants. When the plants and algae die, the decomposers that feed on them use up oxygen, which can drop to levels too low for aquatic life to thrive. In the beginning, the Lake Erie algae were almost entirely Microcytsis, an organism that produces a liver toxin and can cause skin irritation.
The scientists combined sampling and satellite-based observations of the lake with computer simulations. The bloom began in the western region in mid-July and covered an area of 230 square miles (600 km2). At its peak in October, the bloom had expanded to over 1930 square miles (5000 km2). Its peak intensity was over 3 times greater than any other bloom on record.
The researchers looked at numerous factors that could have contributed to the bloom including land use, agricultural practices, runoff, wind, temperature, precipitation, and circulation.
The use of three agricultural nutrient management practices in the area can lead to increased nutrient runoff: autumn fertilization, broadcast fertilization, and reduced tillage. These practices have increased in the region over the last decade.
Conditions in the fall of 2010 were ideal for harvesting and preparing the fields, increasing fertilizer application for the spring planting. A series of strong storms the following spring caused large amounts of phosphorus to run off into the lake. In May alone rainfall was over 6.5 inches (170 mm), a level more than 75% above the prior 20-year average for the month. This onslaught resulted in among the largest observed spring phosphorus loads since 1975, when intensive monitoring began.
Lake Erie was not unusually calm and warm before the bloom. But after the bloom began, warmer water and weaker currents encouraged a more productive bloom than in prior years. The longer period of weak circulation and warmer temperatures helped incubate the bloom and allowed the Microcytsis to remain near the top of the water column. That had the added effect of preventing the nutrients from being flushed out of the system.
The researchers' data did not support the idea that land-use and crop choices contributed to the increase in nutrient run-off that fueled the bloom.
To determine the likelihood of future mega-blooms, the scientists analyzed climate model simulations under both past and future climate conditions. They found that severe storms become more likely in the future, with a 50% increase in the frequency of precipitation events of.80 inch (20 mm) or more of rain. Stronger storms, with greater than 1.2 inch (30 mm) of rain, could be twice as frequent.
The authors believe that future calm conditions with weak lake circulation after bloom onset is also likely to continue since current trends show decreasing wind speeds across the U.S. This would result in longer lasting blooms and decreased mixing in the water column.
"Although future strong storms may be part of the new normal," remarked Michalak. "Better management practices could be implemented to provide some relief to the problem."
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Water Sustainability and Climate program under Grant No. 1039043, Extreme events impacts on water quality in the Great Lakes: Prediction and management of nutrient loading in a changing climate, see: http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/nsfclimate. Additional support for some of the co-authors was provided by NSF grant 0927643, the NOAA Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research grant NA07OAR432000, and Lake Erie Protection Fund #SG 406-2011.
The Department of Global Ecology was established in 2002 to help build the scientific foundations for a sustainable future. The department is located on the campus of Stanford University, but is an independent research organization funded by the Carnegie Institution. Its scientists conduct basic research on a wide range of large-scale environmental issues, including climate change, ocean acidification, biological invasions, and changes in biodiversity.


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Hero and Heroin
Honky-tonk legend Billy Joe Shaver marches on in the wake of his son's drug-induced death.
By Michael Corcoran on Thu, Jul 12, 2001 at 4:00 am
Billy Joe Shaver, with California Speedbag Beachland, 15711 Waterloo Road 9 p.m., Saturday, July 14
$12 advance, $15 day of show
A father's grief: Shaver played on when his son died.
When Billy Joe Shaver gives directions to his modest house on the outskirts of Waco, Texas, he says to disregard the handwritten sign on his front door. "Please do not disturb. I haven't slept in two days," it reads.
"That's just so some ol' drunks don't come by at five in the morning to talk," the 61-year-old explains. "'Course, I used to be one of 'em, so I really can't complain too much."
The self-effacing "lovable loser and no-account boozer" left the bottle behind long ago and has returned to his honky-tonk hero status with a stunning new album, The Earth Rolls On, released on New West. Critics are gushing over Shaver like they haven't since 1993's Tramp on Your Street, and fans are not only packing his shows, they're lining up afterward to shake his two-fingered right hand and give him homemade gifts.
But the man in the blue work shirt can't fully enjoy the attention. He doesn't even listen to the record, because it reminds him of the hole in his band where his son Eddy used to be. The 38-year-old, who started playing professionally with his dad at age 12 with a guitar Dickey Betts gave him, died of a heroin overdose on December 31. He had just received an advance to record a solo album for Antone's Records.
"We knew going in that it was our last record together," Shaver says. "So we worked really hard to make it a good'n. I really think that Eddy did some of his best playing ever on this record."
Often accused of overplaying by Texas singer-songwriter purists, Eddy showed relative restraint on The Earth Rolls On, finger-painting the moods of songs such as "Star of My Heart," which his father wrote last year while Eddy was in treatment for heroin addiction. The album ends with soaring hope, as the guitarist finally cuts loose on the title track about finding a light in the darkness of tragedy.
"It's just such a loss," says Shaver, a deeply religious man. "I prayed every day to Jesus, asking him how I could help my son. But that heroin is stronger than love." Eddy is buried next to his mother, Brenda, who died of cancer in 1999.
"I always figured I'd be the first to go," Shaver says. You can see his point, in light of his rough-and-tumble life. His father, who had another family, bailed on Shaver before he was born. His mother worked two jobs, so young Billy Joe and his older sister were raised by their grandmother in Corsicana, Texas. "She gave us reality," Shaver recalls. "Our grandmother told us straight out that there wasn't no Santa Claus, but just play along with the other kids. Unless the Salvation Army dropped off something, we didn't get no Christmas presents."
When his grandmother died, 12-year-old Shaver moved to Waco to live with his mother, who worked as a waitress at a honky-tonk. "I was barefoot, wearing overalls held together by safety pins, and people would give me nickels for the jukebox."
He also started writing poetry. "It was considered a sissy thing to write poems, so I made them print them anonymously in the school paper." Shaver's words had an impact on his ninth-grade homeroom teacher, who was the first to tell him he had talent. He recently paid a visit to the teacher, now 101 and in a nursing home, and she recited one of Shaver's poems from memory.
As a teen, Shaver would clash with his stepfather and take off on freight trains or ride his thumb out of Waco. When he turned 17, his mother signed the papers so he could join the Navy. "I was glad to go, and they were glad to see me go," he says.
But Shaver was a hotheaded recruit. He spent the last several months of his enlistment in the brig at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for decking an officer at a party. Shaver faced a court martial, but after he wrote a plea to the commanding officer, explaining his side of the scuffle, he was released with an honorable discharge.
He was 20 when he got out of the Navy. That's when he met Brenda, who was 16 at the time. They would eventually marry three times and divorce twice. "She was my first love and my last," Shaver says.
Much of the couple's conflict arose from Shaver's drinking and carousing with the likes of fellow songwriter Townes Van Zandt. "Brenda hated Townes with a passion," Shaver says. When she was dying, Shaver tried to keep her alive by telling her that, when she got to heaven, Van Zandt would be waiting.
To know Shaver and not have a story to tell is like coming home from a Willie Nelson picnic without a sunburn. A famous one is about the time he lost three fingers in a saw accident when he was 22. Shaver had read an article about a man in Asia who had had his severed fingers reattached, so he gathered up the lopped digits. "The doctor said he couldn't do anything for me," Shaver says. "I told him that, in Japan, they just sewed somebody's fingers back together, and he said, 'Well, this ain't Japan.'"
There's also his story about spending six months in Nashville tracking down Waylon Jennings, who had promised to do an entire album of Shaver songs after hearing "Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me" in 1972. "Waylon asked me if I had any more of them ol' cowboy songs, and I said I had a whole sack full of 'em," Shaver says. But afterward, Jennings wouldn't return Shaver's calls.
Like other great songwriters, Shaver has the ability to nail an entire set of emotions and circumstances with a single line (as in, "Well, the devil made me do it the first time/The second time I done it on my own," from "Black Rose"). Shaver wrote "Georgia on a Fast Train" ("Got a good Christian raisin' and an eighth-grade education/Ain't no need in y'all treatin' me this way") after repeated snubs by Nashville. When he finally did find success, drugs and alcohol almost did him in.
In the late '70s, he and his wife and son were living in Nashville. Shaver says one night he awoke drunk to see Jesus sitting at the foot of his bed, shaking his head. "I got up and got in my pickup and just started driving." He ended up standing on a cliff, contemplating jumping off. After dropping to his knees and praying, Shaver headed back down the trail and started humming a song that had just come to his head: "I'm just an old chunk of coal," he sang, "but I'm gonna be a diamond someday." The next morning, he and Brenda started packing for Houston, where he would kick his habits cold turkey.
He was aimless and living off random royalty checks when he got a call that put him back on track. It was from Nelson, whom he'd known since the late-'50s honky-tonk circuit. Nelson and Emmylou Harris were about to start a tour of arenas, and Shaver was offered to open the shows and make a few hundred bucks a night.
"I can't tell you all the times Willie's bailed me out of situations, but that was a big'n," Shaver says. "I wasn't sure if I'd ever get up on a stage again."
Nelson also helped him on his most difficult day. "When Eddy died, Willie said I needed to be among friends." Shaver had a New Year's Eve gig scheduled at a club near Nelson's ranch outside of Austin, and he was able to convince himself that Eddy would want the show to go on. It was the toughest gig of Shaver's life, the memories flooding each song until Nelson and pals had to take over. But he got through the night, thanks to some advice from Nelson, who lost a son to suicide several years ago. "Willie told me that there are just some thoughts that I'm gonna have to learn to let go, like 'What could I have done differently to save him?'"
Eddy was not only his son, but his best friend, he says. "I don't blame Eddy, because I've been there myself, but I still can't believe he would do that to himself."
A few months after Eddy's death, Shaver was driving back from a gig and thinking about his son. He came up with this verse: "Nobody here will ever find me/But I will always be around/Just like the songs I leave behind me/I'm gonna live forever now."
Fall Out Boy Coming to Blossom in July


"Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed; but when the sun grew hot, it melted." In the wilderness the Hebrews cried out for food, and the Lord provided, but with a hitch. The manna would come fresh every morning and could not be saved up. While dependence can become a problem in human relationships, and independence and self-reliance are often good things, there is special grace in dependence, in dependence on the Lord. Working as a speaker and teacher in all sorts of contexts and situations, I do prepare, but I also am learning to trust in the strange and wonderful ways that God provides the right word, the timely theme, the appropriate story or illustration.
Moreover, the true word cannot be saved up. When I try to save it up, or to save myself up, I lose what I have. When I give all that I have and am, there is more given to me.
Prayer: Grant me grace this day, O Lord, to receive what you want to give me and to use it all up, to give it all out, knowing that tomorrow you will provide all that I need. Amen.


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Daily Domestic Gross Tue, Sep. 13 2011
Tue, Sep. 13 2011
1 Contagion $2,192,305 32% 3,222 -- $680 $26,251,223 1 Warner Bros.
2 The Help $1,020,582 36% 2,935 92 $348 $139,100,204 5 Disney / DreamWorks
3 Warrior (2011) $576,466 29% 1,869 -- $308 $6,264,931 1 Lionsgate
4 The Debt $539,800 50% 1,876 50 $288 $22,767,153 2 Focus
5 Colombiana $394,683 28% 2,354 -260 $168 $30,429,578 3 Sony / TriStar
6 Rise of the Planet of the Apes $334,896 30% 2,887 -306 $116 $168,439,717 6 Fox
7 Our Idiot Brother $313,507 35% 2,396 -159 $131 $21,854,518 3 Weinstein Company
8 Shark Night 3D $264,188 35% 2,848 42 $93 $15,133,158 2 Relativity Media
9 Apollo 18 $252,421 31% 3,330 2 $76 $15,384,385 2 Weinstein Company
10 Crazy, Stupid, Love $217,440 44% 1,310 -140 $166 $78,786,242 7 Warner Bros.
11 Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (2011) $182,972 18% 2,251 -529 $81 $21,338,792 3 FilmDistrict
12 Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star $160,927 23% 1,500 -- $107 $1,706,978 1 Sony / Columbia
13 The Smurfs $93,413 24% 1,977 -729 $47 $136,177,892 7 Sony / Columbia
14 Spy Kids: All The Time in the World $84,005 31% 2,544 -463 $33 $34,371,201 4 Weinstein Company
1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 $99,182 15% 810 -282 $122 $377,290,111 9 Warner Bros.
2 Horrible Bosses $74,543 30% 503 81 $148 $115,927,707 10 Warner Bros. / New Line
3 Captain America: The First Avenger $74,404 23% 804 -246 $93 $173,594,798 8 Paramount
4 Seven Days in Utopia $73,234 23% 555 -6 $132 $2,882,778 2 Visio Entertainment
5 Cowboys & Aliens $69,045 7% 920 -265 $75 $98,175,266 7 Universal
6 30 Minutes or Less $57,888 27% 646 -709 $90 $36,575,768 5 Sony / Columbia
7 One Day $56,819 59% 492 -695 $115 $13,529,564 4 Focus
8 Sarah's Key $53,397 46% 306 -13 $175 $5,942,324 8 Weinstein Company
9 Final Destination 5 $47,475 25% 655 -571 $72 $41,841,928 5 Warner Bros. / New Line
10 Conan the Barbarian (2011) $39,316 18% 551 -1171 $71 $20,993,466 4 Lionsgate
11 The Change-Up $39,275 40% 374 -165 $105 $36,552,605 6 Universal
12 Bridesmaids $18,715 36% 197 -23 $95 $168,781,090 18 Universal
13 Saving Private Perez $18,706 4% 165 4 $113 $1,212,098 2 Lionsgate / Pantelion
14 Transformers: Dark of the Moon $18,331 34% 177 -247 $104 $350,832,076 11 Paramount / DreamWorks
15 Super 8 $12,819 11% 203 -37 $63 $126,753,038 14 Paramount
16 Green Lantern (2011) $8,719 17% 155 -30 $56 $116,480,296 13 Warner Bros.
17 Mr. Popper's Penguins $8,363 21% 252 0 $33 $67,716,783 13 Fox
18 Kung Fu Panda 2 $7,568 5% 164 -141 $46 $165,016,404 16 Paramount / DreamWorks
1 Laugh at My Pain $132,708 -8% 98 -- $1,354 $2,184,704 1 CodeBlack Entertainment
2 Born to Be Wild 3D $12,970 44% 49 0 $265 $12,704,066 23 Warner Bros. / IMAX
3 Attack the Block $8,342 18% 51 -15 $164 $964,646 7 Sony / Screen Gems
4 Monte Carlo $6,442 24% 69 28 $93 $23,059,444 11 Fox
5 Circumstance $6,436 23% 23 12 $280 $193,798 3 Roadside Attractions
6 The Tree of Life $4,901 -17% 62 -24 $79 $13,101,294 16 Fox Searchlight
7 X-Men: First Class $3,687 -2% 67 -34 $55 $146,365,630 15 Fox
8 The Devil's Double $3,547 34% 33 -16 $107 $1,327,307 7 Lionsgate
9 Another Earth $3,047 1% 41 -30 $74 $1,280,008 8 Fox Searchlight
10 Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame $2,368 25% 3 0 $789 $106,849 2 Indomina Media
11 The Future $2,286 -6% 0 -17 -- $480,670 7 Roadside Attractions
12 The Hangover Part II $2,274 17% 60 -30 $38 $254,460,203 16 Warner Bros.
13 Project Nim $572 -11% 11 -4 $52 $375,162 10 Roadside Attractions
14 Snow Flower and the Secret Fan $474 -23% 8 -4 $59 $1,339,011 9 Fox Searchlight
15 Tanner Hall $396 -11% 5 -- $79 $3,642 1 Anchor Bay Films
16 The Music Never Stopped $130 713% 1 -- $130 $258,223 26 Roadside Attractions
17 Everything Must Go $76 -48% 4 0 $19 $2,711,432 18 Roadside Attractions
18 5 Days of War $68 5% 1 -2 $68 $17,376 4 Anchor Bay Films


The eleventh edition of Techtextil North America and 2nd edition of Texprocess Americas along with JEC Americas will take place May 13-15th, 2014 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia for suppliers and end-product manufacturers to showcase the entire high-tech value chain.
To date, this unique platform will host no less than 754 exhibitors from 29 countries including pavilions from Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, China, and Supply Chain USA with UBIFrance participating with a pavilion for the first time; Techtextil North America will showcase 363 exhibitors along with 164 for Texprocess. JEC Americas will be bringing 232 exhibiting brands to the show in May.
These three events represent an opportunity to deliver an unparalleled exposition for the manufacturers of technical textiles and composites along with the equipment and technology suppliers for the production of sewn products to display their technologies, expand their expertise, and network with a wide array of industry professionals.
"Since our announcement of the co-location last October, we've experienced a very positive response from the industries we serve. You will see this from the exhibit hall to the symposiums. We are extremely excited about the synergy created through the co-location of our events," commented Dennis Smith, President, Messe Frankfurt North America. "Together we are well positioned to be this year's strongest B2B platform for the technical textiles, sewn products and composites industries in the Western Hemisphere".
"The synergy between JEC Americas, Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas, 3 powerful brands, results in a unique platform where raw materials and manufacturing will be enhanced by emblematic leaders and niche start-ups. Indeed, technical textiles have a wide range of application sectors with similar final application markets to composites. These industries have common interest to grow together" adds Mrs Frédérique Mutel, JEC Group President and CEO. This 3-in-1 Mega Event will enable JEC to provide an unparalleled opportunity for composites designers, manufacturers and suppliers to showcase their technologies, expand their expertise and network with a wide array of industry professionals.
20 graduate students from around the world will present their research."The posters represent some of the latest research conducted at various institutions inspired by grand challenges and macro trends in the industry. Most are initiated through a dialog with industry leaders and are intended to create know-how that will potentially facilitate new innovations by industry stakeholders," stated Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Executive Direc tor at The Nonwovens Institute. The top 5 posters will be selected to present during a special session on May 15th, 2014.
Discover new cutting edge technologies in the Cool Zone. The area is an interactive learning experience developed by [TC]2. You will find new technologies from robotics to digital imaging within the pavilion.
Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas are proud to be a part of the IBP Select Program. The IBP is designed to recruit and pre-screen buyer delegations to attend selected trade shows in the United States, connecting U.S. companies with international buyers.
The Job Center is a location for exhibitors to post open job opportunities for the technical textile, sewn products, equipment and composite industries.
The Symposiums are held concurrently with the exhibition. The Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas Symposium programs will feature 21 educational sessions with over 100 speaker presentations covering a broad range of new topics and trends from new fiber advanced developments, protective textiles, medical textiles, welding and advancements in manufacturing technologies.
"The US is a key geography for the global composites industry as it represents around a third of its value", says Mrs Mutel. Therefore, JEC Americas will highlight 3 major segments that are expected to bring the US composites Industry to 70% of the global value by 2018: Aerospace, Transportation and Construction.
The Aerospace segment growth will be driven by the development of the global commercial fleet of aircrafts and a further penetration of aircrafts with a higher share of composites (e.g. Boeing 787).
In the Transportation segment (mainly Automotive but also truck and bus manufacturing), regulations to enhance fuel efficiency and reduce CO² emissions as well as innovation (car parts made of natural fibers) will lead to further penetration of Composites in this industry. Finally, the US Building and Construction industry has been leading innovation efforts in residential housing and in infrastructure. Growth will be driven by the repair of aging bridges in the US, recovery of the US residential housing market and continued urbanization of emerging Asia for exporting US companies.
The American composites industry needs to win new markets, either domestic or international, thus the 3 colocating events are expected to gather exhibitors and visitors from every American state and more than 70 countries.
Messe Frankfurt is one of the world's leading trade show organisers with around 543* million euros in sales and 2,026* employees worldwide. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 28 subsidiaries and approx. 50 international Sales Partners, giving it a presence for its customers in more than 150 countries. Events "made by Messe Frankfurt" take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2013, Messe Frankfurt organised 114* trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany.
JEC is the largest composites industry organization in Europe and in the world with a network of 250,000 professionals. JEC represents, promotes and expands composites markets by providing global or local networking and information services. Through knowledge and networking, the JEC experts offer a comprehensive service package: the JEC publications – including strategic studies, technical books and the JEC Composites Magazine – the weekly international e-letter "World Market News" and the French e-letter JEC Info Composites. JEC also organizes JEC Europe Show in Paris – world and European leader, strongly supported by the industry and five times bigger than any other composites exhibition – JEC Asia in Singapore and JEC Americas in Boston, the Web Hub JEC experts offer a comprehensive service package: the JEC publications – including strategic studies, technical books and the JEC Composites Magazine – the weekly international e-letter "World Market News" and the French e-letter JEC Info Composites. JEC also organizes JEC Europe Show in Paris – world and European leader, strongly supported by the industry and five times bigger than any other composites exhibition – JEC Asia in Singapore and JEC Americas in Boston, the Web Hub JEC experts offer a comprehensive service package: the JEC publications – including strategic studies, technical books and the JEC Composites Magazine – the weekly international e-letter "World Market News" and the French e-letter JEC Info Composites. JEC also organizes JEC Europe Show in Paris – world and European leader, strongly supported by the industry and five times bigger than any other composites exhibition – JEC Asia in Singapore and JEC Americas in Boston, the Web Hub.


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Posted on March 28, 2013 by walterglass2012
We've noticed this come up several times in the news recently, and while this week's blog is not directly related to dentistry, we felt it was important information concerning our food supply.
According to a group of 150 scientists, that includes a former head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the overuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture is putting human health at risk and driving up medical costs. This group, along with a group of 50 farmers and ranchers who have opted out of antibiotic use, released statements back in Sept. 2012 calling on the FDA and Congress to work together to regulate the use of antibiotics in livestock. Both groups concluded that the overuse of antibiotics is contributing to a health crisis. Louise Slaughter, a New York Representative joined in calling for regulation of animal agriculture's use of non-therapeutic antibiotics. She said, "Every year, more than 100,000 Americans die from bacterial infections acquired in hospitals, and seventy percent of these infections are resistant to drugs commonly used to treat them. This abuse and overuse must stop."
Donald Kennedy, former FDA commissioner said: "There's no question that routinely administering non-therapeutic doses of antibiotics to food animals contributes to antibiotic resistance." He stated that the FDA's current approach asking the drug industry to voluntarily stop selling antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed, was not enough. Kennedy, who also served as editor-in-chief of Science magazine for eight years, said: "Unless it reaches the industry as a regulatory requirement it will not be taken seriously." Three decades after the FDA determined that growth-promoting uses of antibiotics in agriculture were potentially harmful to human health, its own data shows that 80% of all antimicrobial drugs sold nationally are used in animal agriculture.
The scientists said that while the medical community has done a good job educating doctors and reducing prescriptions, the agriculture industry was lagging behind. While data linking antibiotic resistance to non-therapeutic uses of antibiotics is widely accepted, they are still added in massive quantities to animal feed to promote faster growth and to compensate for diseases caused by poor diet and overcrowded living conditions of the animals. While the doses the animals receive in their feed is considered to be a "low dose" , this can be more harmful in producing drug-resistant bacteria. Alexander Fleming warned after accepting his Nobel Prize in 1945 for his discovery of penicillin , "there is the danger that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and by exposing the microbes to nonlethal quantities of the drug make them resistant.
We found this story about Russ Kremer, a Missouri hog farmer who caught a blood disease after being gored in the knee by one of his pigs. He was told by his doctor that he had the same antibiotic resistance as his pigs. His infection was resistant to six out of seven antibiotics used to treat it, Kremer said.
Kremer said he changed his practice when he found out the feed was responsible. "I exterminated my herd, brought in wholesome feedstuff without antibiotics. In the last 23 years my pigs have been drug free, they have less than 1% mortality and I've saved $16,000."
This entry was posted in General Dentistry, Health, Littleton Colorado Dentist, Nutrition and tagged antibiotic resistant bacteria, Antibiotics, antibiotics in food supply, columbine area dentists, Dentistry, farming, health, Littleton Colorado Dentists, medicine, Nutritional Supplements, periodontal health, Preventive Dentistry, ranching by walterglass2012. Bookmark the permalink.


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atomicsoda // watford / one place for all the interviews, quotes, news, blogs
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Everton to fire Sam Allardyce within 24 hours — and why they still face paying Watford for sacked Marco Silva
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Michael Carrick has always been a classy operator - he was elegant on and off the pitch on Man United farewell
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Manchester United 1-0 Watford: Rashford scores the winner as Carrick bids farewell to Old Trafford - 5 talking points
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Manchester United vs Watford LIVE score and goal updates from Premier League clash at Old Trafford
Mirror - Sun May 13 10:03 AM
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What channel is Manchester United vs Watford? Kick-off time, live stream info, team news, odds and more
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Watford's Nathaniel Chalobah returns from 8 months out injured as they chase first away goal under Javi Gracia
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text:
Q: Extract fields from log file where data is stored half json and half plain text I am new to Spark, and want to read a log file and create a dataframe out of it. My data is half json, and I cannot convert it into a dataframe properly. Here below is first row in the file;
[2017-01-06 07:00:01] userid:444444 11.11.111.0 info {"artist":"Tears For Fears","album":"Songs From The Big Chair","song":"Everybody Wants To Rule The World","id":"S4555","service":"pandora"}

See first part is plain text and the last part between { } is json, I tried few things, converting it first to RDD then map and split then convert back to DataFrame, but I cannot extract the values from Json part of the row, is there a trick to extract fields in this context?
Final output will be like;
TimeStamp             userid   ip             artist           album                      song                                   id          service
2017-01-06 07:00:01   444444   11.11.111.0    Tears For Fears  Songs From The Big Chair   Everybody Wants To Rule The World    S4555         pandora

A: You just need to parse out the pieces with a Python UDF into a tuple then tell spark to convert the RDD to a dataframe.  The easiest way to do this is probably a regular expression.  For example:
import re
import json

def parse(row):
    pattern = ' '.join([
        r'\[(?P<ts>\d{4}-\d\d-\d\d \d\d:\d\d:\d\d)\]',
        r'userid:(?P<userid>\d+)',
        r'(?P<ip>\d+\.\d+\.\d+\.\d+)',
        r'(?P<level>\w+)',
        r'(?P<json>.+$)'
    ])
    match = re.match(pattern, row)
    parsed_json = json.loads(match.group('json'))
    return (match.group('ts'), match.group('userid'), match.group('ip'), match.group('level'), parsed_json['artist'], parsed_json['song'], parsed_json['service'])

lines = [
'[2017-01-06 07:00:01] userid:444444 11.11.111.0 info {"artist":"Tears For Fears","album":"Songs From The Big Chair","song":"Everybody Wants To Rule The World","id":"S4555","service":"pandora"}'
]

rdd = sc.parallelize(lines)
df = rdd.map(parse).toDF(['ts', 'userid', 'ip', 'level', 'artist', 'song', 'service'])

df.show()

This prints
+-------------------+------+-----------+-----+---------------+--------------------+-------+
|                 ts|userid|         ip|level|         artist|                song|service|
+-------------------+------+-----------+-----+---------------+--------------------+-------+
|2017-01-06 07:00:01|444444|11.11.111.0| info|Tears For Fears|Everybody Wants T...|pandora|
+-------------------+------+-----------+-----+---------------+--------------------+-------+

A: I have used the following, just some parsing utilizing pyspark power;
parts=r1.map( lambda x: x.value.replace('[','').replace('] ','###')
     .replace(' userid:','###').replace('null','"null"').replace('""','"NA"')
     .replace(' music_info {"artist":"','###').replace('","album":"','###')
     .replace('","song":"','###').replace('","id":"','###')
     .replace('","service":"','###').replace('"}','###').split('###'))
people = parts.map(lambda p: (p[0], p[1],p[2], p[3], p[4], p[5], p[6], p[7]))

schemaString = "timestamp mac userid_ip artist album song id service"
fields = [StructField(field_name, StringType(), True) for field_name in schemaString.split()]

With this I got almost what I want, and performance was super fast.
+-------------------+-----------------+--------------------+--------------------    +--------------------+--------------------+--------------------+-------+
|          timestamp|              mac|           userid_ip|              artist|               album|                song|                  id|service|
+-------------------+-----------------+--------------------+--------------------+--------------------+--------------------+--------------------+-------+
|2017-01-01 00:00:00|00:00:00:00:00:00|111122  22.235.17...|The United States...|  This Is Christmas!|Do You Hear What ...|            S1112536|pandora|
|2017-01-01 00:00:00|00:11:11:11:11:11|123123 108.252.2...|                  NA|  Dinner Party Radio|                  NA|                null|pandora|

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Q: Display tile grid borders with leaflet (visual debugging) I'd like to have the tile grid borders displayed on a leaflet WMS Layer in order to see which areas are requested as separate maps. On top of that it should be possible to overlay a border to the tiles actually received from the server. That would allow checking server behavior at or near tile borders.
The only solution I've found so far is to enable server side watermarking on the WMS, which is influenced by tile generation parameters (e.g. meta tiling with GeoWebCache) and can thus be also used for comparison with the other border grids.
Is this feasible (even with a client other than leaflet) or are there any other workarounds to get the same functionality?

A: Leaflet tiles have the leaflet-tile class
You can use css to make the border visible
.leaflet-tile { border: solid black 5px; }

This would create black borders for each tile.
It worked for this example https://www.mapbox.com/mapbox.js/example/v1.0.0/wms/ by editing in the developer console of the browser.

A: Another option is to create a plugin like so -
L.GridLayer.GridDebug = L.GridLayer.extend({
  createTile: function (coords) {
    const tile = document.createElement('div');
    tile.style.outline = '1px solid green';
    tile.style.fontWeight = 'bold';
    tile.style.fontSize = '14pt';
    tile.innerHTML = [coords.z, coords.x, coords.y].join('/');
    return tile;
  },
});

L.gridLayer.gridDebug = function (opts) {
  return new L.GridLayer.GridDebug(opts);
};

map.addLayer(L.gridLayer.gridDebug());

Result -


This post is a part 33 of Intel XDK Complete Tutorial post series.
In this tutorial I will show how to secure your local data by encrypting. Encrypting local data is important for every apps perspective.
Intel XDK Apps usually store a lots of data locally i.e., using Cookies, WebSQL, LocalStorage, IndexedDB and SessionStorage. The data stored using these mechanisms is not trusted. There are many different ways hackers can exploit our app and read the information stored in these places. Therefore we should encrypt all the data we store using these mechanisms.
Do not hardcode the encryption key. Hacker can reverse engineer your app and find the key. The key must be different for every user i.e., it should be produced based on user credentials. To decrypt or encrypt the stored message you can retrieve the key from server using TLS protected HTTP connection or else take the key input from user.


Redfin offers home information based on the local real estate database (MLS) and Public Records. To see all of the details, you'll need to create an account, by clicking Join in the top right hand corner. When you start an account, you will be asked to sign in and agree to Terms and Conditions. This is because Redfin displays MLS data and MLS regulations require users to register with a brokerage before they give some information. With that said, registering with us in no way obligates you to use a Redfin Agent but does give you access to the home information on our website and app.
If you choose not to create a Redfin account, and are not logged with an account, that you will not have access to all of the listing information available through the MLS. If you stumble onto a listing that does not permit full access without an account, you will see a Key Icon at the top of the page and a message asking you if you would like to join Redfin.com.


Performance Management professionals around the globe know David Axson . David is an exceptional consultant, public speaker and author. His bestselling book Best Practices in Planning and Performance Management can be found on most bookshelves. In the past year David has gotten a bit quiet. We were able to catch up the other day.
Christoph: In the past, you used to jet around the planet, write books, blog and speak at a ton of conferences. But you have gotten a bit quiet lately. Where have you been hiding the past year?
David Axson: Good question – I joined Accenture in June 2011 and obviously spent a few months getting settled in, however things are getting interesting again with the Accenture engine behind me I am now leading thought leadership efforts for our finance consulting team globally. From a market standpoint I am spending a lot of time communicating with CFO's of large global companies about the real power of analytics, big data and perhaps most importantly how finance can be a true value generator within the business.
Christoph: In your last book The Management Mythbuster you take a humorous look at popular management practices such as lean management, six sigma and budgeting. Most of them have not lived up to the hype that once surrounded them. Are there new management fads that we need to be aware of today?
David Axson: Well at the moment it seems like the solution to every problem is cloud, big data, analytics and mobility. We need to move beyond the broad topics to get very specifc about how these mega-trends can be applied practically to drive growth and profitability. We need to explain to a CEO, CFO, CMO or general manager what these trends mean to them and their organizations otherwise the hype will remain unfulfilled.
Christoph: Speaking of management fads, how do you feel about Big Data? If we trust the opinion of some industry analysts, big data is likely to create millions of jobs while also fixing a ton of problems. Do I need to worry about big data? Can big data feed my family?
Christoph: Without a doubt, analytics is an important discipline for most companies. Today, have the ability to collect more data than ever before and we also have the tools to put that data to good work. Where do you see the real opportunity for companies today? How can they leverage analytics for their advantage?
David Axson: Focus, focus, focus. I have moved beyond analytics to the notion of applied enterprise performance analytics whereby an analytics strategy looks at the impact analytics can have on specific business decisions such as market selection, product and service portfolio management, customer profitability, operational excellence and the like.
Christoph: Analytics is a relatively young discipline. It did not appear in the curriculums of universities and colleges in the past. What type of new skills do managers need today and what can they do to acquire them?
David Axson: Well analytics embraces a number of disciplines such as statistics, operations research, portfolio management and financial analysis. They key now is how these skillsets get applied through the analytic tools that are now becoming available. Managers need to understand how to translate the potential of analytics into reality. One technique I use is to explain how analytics can be applied to drive positive impact on specific line items in the P&L and balance sheet.
Christoph: When we speak about analytics, we also need to speak about technology. What is the most popular analytics tool today?
David Axson: Not sure it is that simple, it is about applying the right tools for the right job. IT needs to help the business match tools to tasks. It's a bit like doing a DIY job, you don't just a hammer for everything.
Christoph: You not only write books, but you also love to read them. What's on your Kindle today?
David Axson: Just finished The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver – excellent read about statistics, analytics and forecasting in a real world context.
Christoph: Can we expect another book from you in the future?
David Axson: Funny you should mention that. Talking with my publisher about a new book focused on Enterprise Performance Analytics that takes a very pragmatic approach to applying analytics to decision making. Watch this space!
Christoph: Thanks for the interview, David!
I had the pleasure to work with David for over five years and ended up delivering keynote speeches with him in over 20 countries. You can find out more about David on his Amazon.com page.


Ran across an old bookmark for this site and wondered what would show when I ran Opera 38.nnn on it.
Target version and time stamp of the active browser.js file is Opera OPRDesktop 28.0 core 1750.0, July 1, 2016. Active patches: 30 .
Anyone have any idea what everything means? Especially the 28.0 core.
The full version number of Opera 28 Stable was 28.0.1750.40, and then there were two updates 1750.48 and 1750.51. So that part is obvious. Presumably that means the underlying method used by browser.js hasn't changed since version 28, just over a year ago (March 10, 2015 to be specific).


Iridescent crystal bead necklace in clear and pastel colors; beads are faceted and graduated in size. 21" length with spring-ring clasp; condition is excellent.
Faceted amber glass beads are graduated in size, with tiny disc spacers between each. In all-original condition, strung on string with a box clasp; 16 1/2" in length. Beads range from 1/4" - 3/8". Excellent overall condition.


It is a legal relationship where one adult assumes responsibility for the care of another adult who needs help. A conservatorship can be set up after a judge decides that a person (called the "Conservatee") can't take care of themselves or their finances. Then the judge chooses another person or organization (called the "Conservator") to be Conservator of the Person and in charge of the Conservatee's care [of the physical body] and may appoint a Conservator of the Estate for finances [of the assets/money], or have the same person for both.
What does it mean to be a Conservator of the Person?
Figure out what the conservatee needs and how to meet those needs.
You can decide where the conservatee will live. But you must choose the least restrictive place. It has to be appropriate, safe, and comfortable for the conservatee.
Is not more restrictive than necessary.
You are responsible for making sure that the conservatee's health-care needs are taken care of.
If the court gives you the power to approve the use of certain very strong medications to treat dementia, make sure the doctors try other, less intrusive treatments first.
Work with the conservator of the estate: If someone else is handling the conservatee's finances, that person is the "conservator of the estate." You must work together to make sure the conservatee can pay for the care you arrange. The conservator of the estate must approve what you buy for the conservatee, or you may not get your money back.
What does it mean to be Conservator of the Estate?
Borrow money from the estate.
If you don't get permission from the court when you have to, you may have to pay back the estate from your own money and you may be removed as conservator.
Find the estate's property. You must find, get, and protect all the money and property the conservatee owns. Put the personal property into your name as conservator of the estate. For real estate, file a copy of your Letters of Conservatorship with the county recorder in every county where the conservatee owns real estate. Click here to find the recorder in your county.
Determine the value of the property. You must get a court-appointed referee to figure out how much the estate's noncash property is worth. But you, not the referee, have to figure out how much the "cash items" are worth. Talk to a lawyer about how to do this.
File an inventory and appraisal. You must file an inventory and appraisal describing the conservatee's property and showing its value when you became conservator. This is due no more than 90 days after you become conservator.
Maintain insurance. Make sure there is enough insurance to cover the property of the estate. Also, make sure it's the right kind of insurance. Keep the insurance in effect for each property for the whole time that you manage property as conservator.
Records. You must keep complete, exact records of every financial transaction that has to do with the estate. Use the checkbook for the conservatorship checking account to keep records of the money that comes in and the expenses you pay. A year after you become conservator, you must file a petition to ask the court to approve your accounting. After that, you must do this again every 2 years. Save your receipts. The court may want to see them.
If you don't file your accounting, the court will order you to file it and you may be removed as conservator.
If you have questions about being the conservator of an estate, please give me a call. I am here to help.


text:
The future of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Joseph Kabila's grip on power poses a real threat to democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the people of the Congo,
By: Kambale Musavuli
Photographer: James Oatway
The uncertainty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has garnered the full attention of regional and continental leaders. Congo's electoral commission has set December 23, 2018 as the date for elections. However, it is not entirely certain that elections will take place. It is even less certain whether Joseph Kabila will run for a third term or choose a successor.
Kabila has held on to power for almost two years beyond the end of his presidential mandate on December 20, 2016. The longer he remains in power without organising elections, the more unstable the Congo becomes, and the greater the risk of instability for its nine immediate neighbours and beyond. The instability generated by Kabila s hold on power has contributed to 13 million Congolese in need of humanitarian assistance; 4.5 million internally displaced; 7 million facing severe malnutrition; and 2 million on the verge of starvation. Although not imminent, a conflagration pulling in Congo's neighbours cannot be ruled out. The organising of credible elections in December is seen as the most viable path to stability in the Congo and the region.
While Congo's electoral commission has scheduled an election date, it has done little to reassure the Congolese people, Congo's neighbours and the wider international community that elections will unfold peacefully, if they occur at all. Kabila has remained silent about his intentions while his supporters have been vocal and provocative. Kabila's supporters have posted campaign banners and released videos proffering Kabila as their candidate for the December presidential elections even though the constitution bars him from running for a third term. Kabila has completed the two five-year terms permitted by Congo's constitution.
Some supporters of Kabila have floated a similar scenario to what unfolded in Burundi where the number of terms served by the president was called into question and used to extend the Burundian president's stay in power.
Whether Kabila permits elections in December or tries to run for the presidency is really a secondary matter. The priority for Kabila is to retain his hold on power whether directly – his preferred choice – or indirectly. Kabila's actions have clearly demonstrated that he wants to retain power. He has violated the December 31, 2016 Saint Sylvestre Agreement he struck with the opposition by not organising elections in 2017; jailing opposition figures; arbitrarily arresting social justice activists; preventing exiled politicians from returning to the country; clamping down on opposition media; stacking the constitutional court; and not taking any steps to reduce tensions in the political arena.
As Kabila's legitimacy erodes among key regional players, and internationally, he has less room to manoeuvre. He is facing intense pressure from his peers in the region who are backed by major powers in the West. Both Rwanda's Paul Kagame (also current chair of the African Union) and Angola's João Lourenço recently met separately with French president Emmanuel Macron to discuss the scheduled December elections in the Congo. The meetings incensed the Kabila regime which felt that France and Congo's neighbours were plotting against the regime and threatening Congo's sovereignty.
Angolan president Lourenço has been quoted on several occasions stating that Kabila should respect his agreements, mainly referencing the December 31, 2016, Saint Sylvestre Agreement where Kabila committed to organizing elections and leaving power. Although Lourenço has not been as vocal and emphatic as Botswana's president Mokgweetsi Masisi, they are essentially in agreement. They would like to see elections held and Kabila depart the political scene as president of the Congo.
South Africa's president and current chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Cyril Ramaphosa has been conspicuously silent on the question of democracy and peaceful transition in the Congo. His predecessor Jacob Zuma was a staunch supporter of Kabila in spite of Kabila's flaunting of democratic principles that South Africans fought for in their own country. In the case of Zuma, family and state economic interests in the Congo trumped questions of democracy and human rights. Ramaphosa also has economic interests in the Congo. In fact, he has partnered with one of the biggest players in Congo's mining landscape, fellow South African Ivan Glasenberg who heads the mining giant Glencore.
Zambia's President Edgar Lungu has wholeheartedly supported Kabila in his repressive and anti-constitutional practices in the Congo. Lungu's embrace of the illegal and illegitimate Kabila serves his interests at home in Zambia as he cracks down on opposition forces and seeks regional support for his authoritarian practices.
The internal, regional and international pressure faced by the Kabila regime was compounded during the first week of June as a result of the shock announcement that Kabila's longtime foe Jean Pierre Bemba would likely be released from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Jean Pierre Bemba has spent 10 years in jail at the ICC for crimes he was convicted of being party to in the Central African Republic in 2002-2003. The conviction was overturned this past week and he was released provisionally while he awaits a verdict on a related case of witness tampering. Bemba headed the Uganda-backed militia group, the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC), during the 1998-2002 Congo war. He later served as vice-president in the transition government from 2003 to 2006, ran for president in 2006 where he lost in a run-off to Joseph Kabila and was subsequently elected as Senator in 2007 – a post he holds to this day.
Should Bemba choose to re-engage in Congolese politics, he will be a credible threat to the Kabila regime, especially considering the distressed state of Congo's opposition. The opposition has been weakened by the death of long-time opposition figure Etienne Tshisekedi in 2017, the buying off opportunistic opposition members by the Kabila regime, jailing of key opposition figures and the exile of Moise Katumbi, a former Kabila ally with deep pockets who joined the opposition in 2016 when it became clear that Kabila was not going to clear a path for him to run for president. Bemba is rightfully seen as a force with which to reckon should he jump back into the fray as is fully expected by his party and supporters.
It is not clear in which direction Joseph Kabila and his regime will move in order to hold on to power. The regime recently received an infusion of $150 million in cash as a result of settled dispute with Glencoreregarding mining concessions in the old Katanga province. In addition, Glencore has agreed to restart royalty payments to the US-sanctioned Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler, a close confidant of Kabila and his main access to capital. Whether Kabila attempts to run for a third term or decides to choose a successor, he will need as much cash as he can muster in order to buy off friends or foes alike.
In addition, large sums of cash will be needed for Kabila's majority coalition to appropriate both the legislative and presidential elections. They have maintained themselves in power through fear, force and money and will need all three to manoeuvre the coming six months in order to hold on to power. The Glencore-Gertler-Kabila alliance provides a glimpse into how global finance capital is used to reinforce local African elites who in turn repress the oppressed majority and provide unfettered access to the continent's riches.
One key segment of the Congolese population that has the potential to upend Kabila's hold on power is the Congolese youth. Due to the threat that the youth pose to the regime, they have borne the brunt of the raw force of Kabila's security forces. The youth are victims of widespread arbitrary arrests, torture, disappearances and killings. Recently, they lost a few of their key leaders: Thérèse Dechade Kapangala, a young woman leader who died of her gunshot wounds during a January 21 protest march; Rossy Mukendi of Collectif 2016 who was shot and killed by Kabila's security forces during a demonstration on February 25; and Luc Nkulula of LUCHA who died in a suspicious fire in his home during the night of June 9-10. Congolese human rights groups suspect foul play on the part of the regime for the death of Nkulula and have called for an independent investigation into his death. Congolese youth have demonstrated tremendous courage in challenging the Kabila regime. Unlike the Congolese opposition, the youth have stood with and defended the interests of the oppressed class of Congolese. They systematically engage the people through political education and self-sufficiency initiatives in an effort to both improve the material conditions of the oppressed class and raise their consciousness about the local and global forces at play that have impoverished them.
The youth are determined to overturn and radically transform the system where finance capital rent local elites to perpetuate the pilfering of the Congo and the repression of the people. The forces arrayed against them are vast and global in nature and include some of the most powerful corporations and countries in the world. It is for this reason that a global people's solidarity is urgently needed not only to support the Congolese youth in their dignified struggle for control of the affairs of the Congo but also to rescue the heart of the African continent from the ravages of the global elites, and their local agents of neocolonialism.
This article was first published by the Daily Maverick.