text:
Highly Controversial
More Basketball Blogs
Daily Drift
After a Slow Start to the Playoffs the Celtics Seem to Have Found Their Stride
By Djack
After game two of the first round against the Chicago Bulls, the Boston Celtics looked like they were headed for an early exit. An exit that would've been truly devastating after such a magical regular season for a Boston team that felt disrespected as a #1 seed entering the playoffs. Everyone knew the circumstances weren't normal, obviously the death of Isaiah Thomas' sister played a bigger role than could meet the eye. Not even necessarily his performance, but the team's was certainly effected. After Rajon Rondo couldn't play in game 3 and the Celtics won regaining momentum, everyone knew the Celtics were going to win this series again after they had looked so outmatched in the previous two games. Slowly but surely the Celtics started looking like the team that got them there as the #1 seed and by game 6 of the series it was evident by their play on the court that they were back.
Today, they took on the Washington Wizards in game 1 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Isaiah Thomas took an elbow to the mouth early, one of his teeth popped out, and he continued to play like nothing happened. The guy is clearly as tough as nails. He then proceeded to torch the Wizards defense like he did to the Bulls leading them to victory. Celtics won 123-111 behind a huge game from Isaiah Thomas, who had 33 points on 47% shooting. The Celtics expect Thomas to play that way every night though, he's not the difference in the game, he's just the reason they're in the game to begin with. The reason they win games is because guys like Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder contribute on both ends of the floor. Throw in Al Hortford getting buckets and boards while the bench has a couple scorers in double digits and this team is tough to beat.
The Celtics aren't flashy, as a matter of fact they're quite the opposite, they're more like the Spurs than anything. They just get players that can play within a system and build around one star. The Celtics are a machine and when everybody does their job it runs very efficiently. When someone isn't doing their job it means someone has to do twice the work, meanwhile they can't due to their lack of ability, and then they fail miserably. In order for the Celtics to continue this run they're on the little guys are going to have to continue to play at a high level, and I don't mean Isaiah Thomas because of his height, I mean little guys in terms of their roles. The fact this team is doing so well and having playoff success is a testament to what Brad Stevens has done here and how good a head coach he truly is. The Celtics were too much for the Wizards despite spotting them a 16 point lead at the start, should be really concerned if you're a Washington fan right now. Celtics are done playing games, IT on a mission, and him and his boys are out here tryna get it.
Saying Good-Bye To "The Truth"
By Muk
As the Clippers have been eliminated from the NBA Playoffs, Paul "The Truth" Pierce's Hall-of-Fame career has come to an end. One of the greatest players and competitors of this generation, a staple for the Boston Celtics franchise for 15 seasons, and a 10-time All-Star. After 19 seasons in the NBA, playing for the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and finally the LA Clippers, "The Truth" will finally be calling it quits.
Pierce was drafted 10th overall by the Boston Celtics in 1998 after playing 3 seasons at Kansas, and made an immediate impact for the Celtics, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting for the '98-99 season, and he only continued to get better. He stuck with the Celtics through some of the worst seasons in franchises history, and is regarded as one of the greatest Celtics ever. Averaging 21.8 points per game, 6.0 rebounds a game, 3.9 assists a game and 1.4 steals a game during his 15 seasons in Boston, and helped lead the Celtics to an NBA Championship in the 2007-2008 season with the original "Big-3", of him, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, earning the NBA Finals MVP award.
Paul Pierce is a true warrior, and the only story that needs to be told to prove that is his 2000 stabbing incident, where Piece was stabbed 11 times in the face, neck, and back while breaking up a fight in a club in Boston, and was rushed to the hospital where they thankfully were able to save his life. He had to undergo lung surgery to repair the damage, and yet was still the only the player on the Celtics team that year to start all 82 games.
Pierce is one of the last true competitors in the NBA, and has never been afraid to speak his mind on the lack of competitive spirit and winning desire that still exists in the NBA. The NBA will absolutely miss Paul Pierce, and as Shaq put it in a 2001 interview after Pierce dropped 42 points on 13 of 19 shooting against the Lakers, that led to Pierce receiving the nickname "The Truth", "My name is Shaquille O'Neal and Paul Pierce is the motherfucking truth. Quote me on that and don't take nothing out. I knew he could play, but I didn't know he could play like this. Paul Pierce is The Truth".
I hope he enjoys retirement, and the NBA will certainly miss him, as he is a true legend. With his retirement, there are now only two players left from the 1998 NBA Draft, Vince Carter and Dirk Nowitzki.
Clippers Collapse Once Again and It's Time for Doc Rivers to Be Fired
Doc Rivers, NEEDS to be fired. Say what you want about him being a legendary head coach or a Hall of Fame head coach, this guy has had so many opportunities in LA that have amounted to absolutely nothing. Once again, the Clippers have been eliminated from playoff contention before reaching the Western Conference Finals. Even worse, they lost in the first round for the second straight year. Doc Rivers just isn't a very good coach come playoff time. In the playoffs he's basically a .500 coach, 82-78 lifetime postseason record. He did win a championship, but c'mon now, I could've coached that Celtics team to the Finals. He's blown a lead in four straight series in a row, he just can't finish the job come playoff time, after many oppurtunities to do so. The team has had injuries, however you can't just keep making excuses for a coach that is supposed to elevate his team to a whole other level, which clearly Doc has failed to do.
The Clippers big 3 with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan is finished, over, goodbye. Time to break it up, Chris Paul and Griffin are going to opt out of their deals and hit the market this offseason, with that being said the Clippers will definitley want to bring one of them back, so they can just try to regroup quickly instead of rebuild. They should let Blake Griffin walk, bring Chris Paul back, and somehow maneuver a deal to get Paul George. This would be a way better big 3 than the previous, then they'd actually be able to compete in the west if they could fill out the bench nicely. If they're going to do this transition and try something new, bring in a new head coach to do it because I'm sure Doc Rivers message in that locker room is already stale.
Doc Rivers one NBA title that Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo won him, earned Doc a lot of tenure in this league. I don't want to minimize his accomplishments, but at a time when there were no super teams he had one with 4 stars. One of the better teams I've ever seen assembled for that matter. He lucked into a great situation and benefited greatly because of it. I know some people will refuse to believe that, oh well sometimes the truth hurts. It's time for a change in LA. Can't keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, that's the textbook definition of insanity. Exactly why it would be insane to not fire Doc Rivers.
Larry Bird is Stepping Down as Pacers President
One day you're pulling up to the NBA offices in a customized Pacers Indy Car, and the next you're stepping down from your role as president of the team, something's not right here. Larry Bird, wasn't fired, he stepped down, for reasons still unknown. I'm sure we will discover more in the following days as more information is let out, until then we can only guess. Which is exactly what we will do because I got a couple theories of what is going on in Indiana.
First one, Larry Bird is thinking of going elsewhere, obviously, everyone will say Boston. My only problem with that is I think Boston is happy with what Danny Ainge has done and isn't willing to fire him just to bring in Larry Bird, who has proven nothing as an executive. If he's not going to Boston, he's not going anywhere else. Born and breed in Indiana, Larry Bird wouldn't just leave for just any other gig, it'd have to be somewhere special like Boston. So that puts a pin in that one, if he's not going to Boston, he's not leaving for a new job.
Second theory, maybe Paul George already told the front office he was leaving after the season, so Bird just said you know what, I'm done, and is calling it quits for good. I doubt he wants to start over all again, he's got his money and his legacy, why damage it by destroying the Indiana Pacers as an executive. He had a decent run at it, nothing incredible, but nothing awful. Just end it before it gets worse because he already gave it his best shot. He's getting pretty old, maybe it was just finally the right time to say goodbye to the sport of basketball for good. Might be hard to accept, although that could be the reality of the situation.
Last one, it's a bit of stretch, so don't kill me for it. Paul George goes to ownership says only way I stay is if Larry Bird is gone. How do the Pacers look if they fire an Indiana legend though, especially after another year in the playoffs. Ownership pays Larry Bird off to just say he steps down so the fans don't kill them for firing him and Paul George gets his way. Win for everyone involved and no ones feelings get hurt, except Larry Bird, but he can cry while laying with millions of dollars.
That's all I got. Who knows, maybe there's a different set of circumstances, and then I'll be totally off. I'm pretty confident however that one of the scenarios above will hold true. Either way Larry Legend will no longer be calling the shot for the Indiana Pacers.
NBA Announces That Drake Will Host The First-Ever NBA Awards on June 26th
One of the NBA's most famous fans just received a huge honor, as the NBA has announced that rapper Drake will host the first ever NBA Awards Show come June 26th. Drake is one of the NBA's most prolific fans, a modern day Jack Nicholson the way he supports the Raptors, just how Nicholson has supported the Lakers' for decades.
This NBA season has been a historic one, with guys' like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Lebron James and Kawhi Leonard all producing MVP-caliber seasons, its been one of the most anticipated races ever.
My only complaint about this award show has nothing to do with Drake, it's the fact that we have to wait all the way until June 26th for it. What??? Has the MVP always been announced so late? This is absurd, in a season with SO much MVP drama and so many differing opinions, these guys are still going to make us wait almost a month after the season has ended? Ridiculous. Get it together Adam Silver.
This NBA Award Show will definitely be cool, and it will be a cool tradition going forward from now on, but waiting this long for the announcements is incredibly annoying. Just give Westbrook his award!!!!!!!
Rudy Gobert Returning to the Clippers-Jazz Series Has Changed Everything
Oh how the tables have turned. The Clippers must've been drooling in game 1 when Rudy Gobert went down 15 seconds in. DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin were going to just dominate the paint and the Clippers would have a free pass to the second round. Too bad even without Gobert the Jazz managed to steal game 1 from the Clippers. Games 2 and 3 the Clippers were able to win, however they still weren't quite dominating the Jazz like they had expected. Clippers took a huge blow when Blake Griffin was ruled out for the playoffs after suffering a toe injury in game 3. To add insult to injury, game 4 Gobert returned and the whole series changed.
Immediately his defensive presence was felt, he was disrupting shots inside, forcing DeAndre Jordan to work much harder, and he was another viable scoring option on offense. Gordon Hayward had to leave the game after the first half due to illness. Once again the Jazz aren't at full strength, didn't matter though, they had played the entire series like that, so it was nothing new. Gobert continued to do his thing on the defensive end of the floor while Joe Inglis and Joe Johnson were running the show on offense. The Jazz went onto win the game 105-98, tying the series up at 2 games a piece.
Chris Paul should honestly be ashamed of himself. To call yourself a superstar point guard, one of the best in the league for the last 10 years, yet somehow he still hasn't figured out how to take over a playoff series. The fact the Clippers lost that game last night is embarrassing and everyone needs to lose their job after they lose this series. The Clippers let an old washed up Joe Johnson turn back the clock on them and cook them all night long for 28 points on 70% shooting. The Jazz best scorer and biggest offensive producer, Gordon Hayward, was an entire non factor, and the Clippers still lost. I understand Chris Paul has little to no help, although Jamal Crawford did provide 25 off the bench, no one else did much. Isn't Chris Paul supposed to get the most out of his teammates surrounding him though, regardless Clippers and Paul should be ashamed.
The Jazz on the other hand have a big things ahead of them. Gobert's impact on the defensive end is actually insane, the Jazz were +22 in the paint last night compared to -42 in games 2 and 3. Not only does he stop the other team from scoring inside, he also gives you another decent scoring option around the basket. Joe Ingles, can't say enough about this guy, plays hard defense, does the little things in order to get wins, and he was quite the dimer last night raking up 11 assists. At the end of the day, Gobert made all the difference, 15 points, 13 boards, and 2 blocks set the tone for the Jazz in game 4. I'm sure he'll continue to do the same for the rest of this series as I now see the Jazz as the favorites.
Rockets-Thunder a Tale of Two Series
The First Series:
The Rockets jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the series in a blowout win over the Thunder. James Harden shines, cant be stopped on the offensive end all night long. The Rockets look like a well oiled machine ready to destroy the one man army of Russell Westbrook. Westbrook didn't have his best stuff in game one, as we all know though, Russ never gets discouraged by letting his past performance affect his next one. Game 2 the Thunder were rolling, late in the 3rd quarter they had a 15-pt lead. The Rockets are never out with their ability to put up points in bunches, they hit a barrage of 3's while the Thunder went cold. The 4th quarter is a whole new ball game, Russ has one of his worst performances ever, the epic collapse is complete, and the Rockets take a 2-0 series lead. The Thunder are back home for game 3, with the crowd on their side and desperation setting in, the only option was to win. Russell had a huge night racking up a triple double, leading the Thunder to victory bringing them back within one game. Game 4 was going to make or break the series for the Thunder, they needed to win this game to have any hope of winning this series. Russell Westbrook posted video game type stats, the thunder were was once again rolling in the third, up by 14. The Rockets storm back and sneak out a win despite the best efforts of Russell Westbrook. Rockets now lead the series 3-1.
Media Takeaway from First Series:
Thunder can't score without Westbrook on the floor
Thunder can't hold a lead
Russell Westbrook killing Thunder with inefficiency
Harden is the real MVP
The Second Series:
The Rockets jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the series in a blowout win over the Thunder. James Harden shines, cant be stopped on the offensive end all night long. The Rockets look like a well oiled machine ready to destroy the one man army of Russell Westbrook. Westbrook didn't have his best stuff in game one, as we all know though, Russ never gets discouraged by letting his past performance affect his next one. Game 2 Westbrook goes off, he scores the most points while recording a triple double in playoff history. The Thunder steal game 2 on the road over the Rockets as Russell Westbrook has one of the greatest performance ever in playoff history. The Thunder are back home for game 3, with the crowd on their side and confidence setting in, the only option was to win for the loyal hungry fans. Russell had a huge night racking up a triple double, leading the Thunder to victory, bringing them back within one game. The Thunder are leading 2-1 with game 4 at home, things are looking great, and they were looking even better after Russell Westbrook finishes the first half with a triple double. The Thunder jump out to a big lead in the 3rd quarter and they don't look back from there. Thunder have now one three straight taking all momentum in this series going back to Houston with a 3-1 lead
Media Takeaway from Second Series:
Russell Westbrook having the greatest playoff series performance of all time
Thunder seem to be the dark horse in the West
Is Russell Westbrook comparable to Lebron James
Harden clearly can't perform in crunch time
Just like that the whole narrative changes. You change two quarters in that series and the Thunder are up 3-1 with the Rockets in panic mode. That's just not the way it worked out, instead the Thunder blew leads just like in last year's western conference final. Is it Westbrook's fault, not necessarily, you can't expect the game to have the greatest playoff performance ever, but that's what it probably would've taken. He has a better 4th quarter in game 2 and 4 we are having a whole different conversation. Now, we are going to talk about how he defended his teammates from a reporter and how he's such a leader for it. Frankly, I didn't care for all that, kinda seemed like an act, but whatever. I'm here to defend Russ not bash him. If two quarters go the Thunder's way a little bit more than they're up 3-1 and Russell Westbrook is being viewed as an NBA God. Impressive that one man is carrying an entire team, he gets some perimeter shooters around him I truly believe they could've won this series. Does Russ need to improve in some area, yes, but so does everybody. At the end of the day Russell Westbrook has almost willed his team to a series win over the Rockets in a series that they have no business being in. Quite remarkable actually. Westbrook has cost his team the series, only because he didn't have the greatest playoff series performance ever, which is completely understandable for not accomplishing. I'm excited to see how great Russ truly is when he finally gets some help around him again.
Patrick Beverley Fined $25K for Defending Himself
In Friday night's game against the Thunder in OKC, Patrick Beverley didn't only lose the game, he also lost $25K. Before I go into my unconscious rage about how worthless the NBA is I'll give the back story. The Rockets guard was going for a layup, hit the floor, skidded across the hardwood to where the fans sit, and landed at the feet of a Thunder's fan. As Beverley is on the floor the Thunder fan proceeds to get in Beverley's face screaming derogatory slurs. Beverley didn't do anything in response while the game was going on except try to get referees attention to the matter. Following the game after the fan faced no consequences whatsoever, Beverley decided to walk up to him and exchange a few words.Beverley just wanted to make it clear to the fan that he was a man just like him and that he had no problem standing up for himself, basically wanted to show the fan that he can't just say whatever he wants and expect Beverley not to defend himself. The cherry on top to this whole story is that the guy yelling at Beverley, is one of the Thunder's minority owners sons. The league reviewed the situation and felt Beverley's actions warranted a $25K fine.
I hate the NBA, no other sport can the fans literally touch the players throughout the game because they're so close to the action. These fans take it for granted, pretty soon I guarantee they'll be some sort of barrier between the players and fans, all because of assholes like this. Not like it matters to any of us, only the wealthiest of the wealthy can afford court side seats, exactly why it was the owners sons sitting there. If the owners son can't control himself at a basketball game then who can. Beverley was well within his rights to do what he did, he shouldn't have to pay a fine for not being a bitch, anyone talks down to you in that way for absolutely no reason they deserve to be confronted about it. If the NBA isn't willing to protect the players they have to do it themselves, that was Beverley's reasoning for going after the guy. It honestly amazes me that the NBA views Beverley as the bad guy in this situation when they were the one's that failed to kick the fan out after acting way out of line. I wonder what fine the owners son will have to pay, probably none.
The fans are going to piss and moan when they change the way the fans have to sit court side due to incidents like this. Just know they were the ones to ruin it, can't act appropriately, then you don't deserve that privilege. Honestly the fan should've just been kicked out and all of this would've been avoided, but apparently if your a fan sitting court side you can just act like a complete animal. Fuck this fan and fuck the NBA, Patrick Beverley never change you savage.
Memphis Grizzlies Giving the San Antonio Spurs All They Can Handle, Should Kawhi Leonard and Company Be Worried?
Who would've thought that the Spurs vs Grizzlies series would gives us the best game of the first round. After the first two games in San Antonio it looked like this series was headed for a quick sweep, but after two games in Memphis the series is all tied up. Memphis has always given the Spurs a tough time in the first round of the playoffs. A few years back when the Grizzlies were an 8 seed and the Spurs were a 1 seed the Grizzlies pulled off the unthinkable upset winning that series, so why not this one.
The Grizzlies turned the ball over 23 times, however beat the Spurs in almost every other team statistic. On the boards the Grizzlies dominated, they shot the ball at a higher percentage, they killed the Spurs on the fast break, and at one point in the game they went on a 23-4 run, somehow the Spurs only lost on a buzzer-beater in OT, though. The reason the Spur didn't lose by 20, Kawhi Leonard. A man unconscious, Kawhi Leonard carried the Spurs out of this huge hole and brought them back into the game. In the final 5 minutes of the 4th quarter Leonard had 16 points, the rest of his team had zero. He was literally carrying the Spurs back single-handedly, no one could stop him, and he forced OT. On the other side of the court Mike Conley was also having a career night living up to the massive $150 million contract he signed this offseason. Conley finished with 35 points, on 13/23 shooting, and he dished out 8 assists. Kawhi would finish with a playoff career high 43 points, on 14/30 shooting, hitting 7 three pointers in the game.
Kawhi was hitting every clutch shot in OT. The Spurs looked down and out, they were playing the foul game, and Kawhi hit every shot he needed to keep the Spurs alive. Unfortunately, he left a little too much time on the clock for the Grizzlies to run a final play. Conley had the ball looking like he was going to go iso for the win since he had the hot hand all game. Conley passed it off to Marc Gasol though, a move I absolutely loved, Gasol dribbled up to the top of the key, put up a fadeaway jumper over LaMarcus Aldridge, buckets, Grizzlies win. All that effort from Kawhi Leonard for nothing, guy has an all time great performance and losses, that has got to suck. I still give the Grizzlies a 1% chance at winning this series, but it's cool to see a team that's been together forever with this rookie head coach giving the Spurs all they can handle. Would love to see Fizzdale upset Pop, even though that'd take a minor miracle, the Grizzlies have done it before, can they do it again.
Blake Griffin Will Miss the Rest of the Postseason Due to a Toe Injury
The Clippers-Jazz series just got a whole lot more interesting. With Rudy Gobert out for the Jazz the advantage and momentum of this series shifted to the Clippers. It showed in the last two games as they were able to win 2 of the first 3 games of this series. Last night, Blake Griffin was injured in the win over the Jazz, Griffin suffered a toe injury and will miss the rest of the postseason. Just like last year, when it matters most Blake Griffin suffers an injury, and the Clippers are left to dry. Will this change the outcome of the series. Have we seen Blake Griffin's last game in a LA Clippers uniform? All things to take into consideration following this news.
The Clippers still have the distinct edge in this series even after losing one of their best players. When the Jazz lost Gobert they lost their entire interior defense essentially, not necessarily a helpful thing when the other team has Deandre Jordan, who can only score within 10 feet of the basket. The Clippers losing Blake Griffin means they lose their second scoring option and a mediocre defender, I guess. In a series against a team with more fire power I'd say the Clippers should be a little more worried, and if they are to get to the next round they'll run into that problem, but for now they should be just fine with Chris Paul and Deandre Jordan running the offense. Let's be real, we all knew the Clippers weren't going to the conference finals anyway, they never do, so Blake Griffin is the perfect scapegoat for Doc Rivers to use when they face their usual early elimination.
I'm beginning to believe Blake Griffin is more and more of a fraud superstar with every passing season. For starters this guy is the most injury prone player in the entire league. Throughout the regular season he misses time with nagging injuries. Ever since 2013, his best season in the league, he's never been the same player. Past 3 seasons he's failed to play more than 67 games in a season, he has missed the past two postseasons, and his numbers are headed in the wrong direction. It doesn't make much sense to me, Griffin should've developed his game into so much more. He's got this shitty jumper now that is supposed to make him more of a perimeter threat even though everyone knows it's a bunch of bologna. Griffin is a free agent this summer and if I'm running the Clippers organization I let him walk. Too many headaches, too many injury problems, and not enough winning, what reason would you have for keeping at this point.
Djack- Chief editor
Muk- Senior editor


text:
Information about Puerto Plata
Puerto Plata: pearl of the north coast of the Dominican Republic
Puerto Plata (officially San Felipe de Puerto Plata) is the largest city on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic, and also the capital of the province of Puerto Plata. With about 300,000 inhabitants its the ninth largest city in the DR. The city is famous for the resorts like Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada, east of the city. Just south of the city is Pico Isabel de Torres, a 793-meter-high mountain in a national park, which can be visited by aerial cableway – the only one in the Caribbean – with a spectacular view over the city and the coast. The top of the mountain offers a botanical garden and a replica of Christ the Savior, the famous statue in Rio de Janeiro. Other attractions include Fort San Felipe, built in the 16th century, and the Amber Museum. La Isabela, where Christopher Columbus first landed in America and built his first settlement, is located near Puerto Plata. Puerto Plata International Airport is a 20 minutes drive from the city.
As the largest town on the North Coast Puerto Plata has all amenities: nice restaurants, fun bars, good doctors and hospitals, several large modern supermarkets and many smaller stores, a beautiful town square, and a lovely boulevard along the ocean front. The old centre, with colonial style buildings, is being renovated and made more accessible and safer for pedestrians.
In October 2015 Carnival Cruise Lines included Puerto Plata in its travel schedules; its new cruise ship harbor about 10 miles from Puerto Plata now receives an average of one cruise ship a day.
Reasons to retire in or work from the North Coast of the Dominican Republic
Although these days most tourism goes to Punta Cana, which has beautiful beaches and hotels, the North Coast of the DR is attractive if you are interested in more than just those two things:
A mild, agreeable tropical climate
Cool nights from November to April, with fresh sea breezes
Beautiful mountainous hinterland, many attractions
Large offer of attractive real estate, at low prices, for sale and rent
Best land deals in the Caribbean
Puerto Plata, Sosua, and Cabarete are pleasant, entertaining towns with all amenities
Excellent connections with the larger cities Santiago and Santo Domingo
A good, recently renovated international airport
Friendly local population, many English speaking
Low cost of living
For the above reasons the North Coast of the Dominican Republic is arguably the best part of the Dominican Republic to retire to, especially if you like your real estate to be close to sea as well as mountains. Santo Domingo, the capital, has a beautiful old city, a rich cultural life and ample culture and entertainment, but is also a huge urban sprawl with clogged streets resulting in almost permanent traffic jams. There is a seaside boulevard, but as the rest of the city it's clogged with traffic, no terraces, no beaches: the closest beach is a considerable way off. Santiago is in the interior, so no beach there either – and also heavy traffic. Both places are better to visit than to live in!
As far as tourism is concerned, although tourism development in the DR started in Puerto Plata, today Punta Cana on the easternmost tip of the island draws by far the most tourists, almost 70% of the total, because of its excellent all-in hotels and lovely beaches. But that's all there is in Punta Cana. The North Coast still receives about 15% of tourists but is much more varied, with in addition to a number of great beaches a beautiful mountainous hinterland and several interesting smaller towns. Among the latter are Sosua, home to many retirees, with nice beaches, bars and restaurants, and Cabarete, likewise, and moreover a kite surfers' paradise. There are many attractions in the province – check out the websites below.
Here is what Canadian travel writers John and Sandra Nowlan from Halifax say about the North Coast – Puerto Plata (Source: Telegram.com)
It's a view like no other. As we reached the top of the Caribbean's first and highest cable car ride, the community of Puerto Plata spread out 800 metres below us with its crescent harbour, 20 kilometres of white sand beach, several baseball diamonds (locals love the Blue Jays) and thousands of modest homes.
We were in one of the Dominican Republic's premiere resort areas but, unlike the more popular, upscale and modern Punta Cana region in the east, the north coast of the DR is much more laid-back, established and authentic with a lot of colonial architecture from the late 19th century, plus Fort San Felipe, the oldest military installation in the Americas, completed in 1577 to thwart pirates. There are some truly luxurious resorts in the area but most of the all-inclusives we saw tend to be older and modest in size and price. …
We loved our earlier visits to Punta Cana but we were enchanted by Puerto Plata, its excellent wide, sandy beaches (among the best in the Caribbean) and wonderful mountain views.
We also enjoyed the many attractions beyond our Iberostar resort. In addition to the cable car to the top of Mount Isabel de Torres, a highlight for us was a visit to nearby Ocean World, a marine park with dolphins, sea lions, sharks, stingrays and thousands of tropical birds.
The north coast of the Dominican Republic is famous for its amber (ancient resin) and the unique Amber Museum, housed in a beautiful pink and white Colonial building, is well worth a visit. … Rum is the famous amber liquid produced in the Caribbean from molasses. Few countries do it as well as the Dominican Republic. Visitors are welcome to visit the Brugal rum factory in Puerto Plata. Established in 1888, it's the best-known rum producer in the country. ….
Our last evening was spent about 30 km from Puerto Plata on Playa Cabarete, one of the top five kiteboarding and windsurfing beaches in the world. Along the wide, sandy beach scores of open air restaurants with twinkling lights contribute to a magical night beneath the stars. With toes in the sand we ate at La Casita De Papi, famous for its fresh fish and Shrimp Langostino. The beachfront is also home to the Cabarete Mojito Bar. We thought Cuba made the best mojitos in the world. We were wrong; they're produced right here in the DR.
Links for more information on the North Coast and Puerto Plata
Here are some links with more information on Puerto Plata and the North Coast of the Dominican Republic:
La Playa: Two-weekly magazine in English and German.
North Coast news, industry directory, holiday travel, social activities:
http://www.nicepeoplenetworking.com/
General information: history, geography, education, culture, tourism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Plata_(City)
Holiday Insider Guide with a special focus on Puerto Plata and the North Coast:
http://www.puertoplata.com/index.html
For general and tourist information, art and culture:
http://www.discoverpuertoplata.com/mapa/index.php
For social contacts, meeting short and long term expats and Dominicans, social and cultural activities:
http://meetingplacepuertoplata.com/
Video about Puerto Plata:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-t6QC5-mLY&feature=plcp

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


As the HBASC ramps down from a busy and productive legislative session we start to prepare for one of my favorite HBA events…the state convention. If you have never attended in the past please consider joining us this year. The convention will assist you in profitability as well. One of the many benefits of the convention is the intensive continuing education courses available for the membership, which I will cover in more detail below, but I truly look forward to the time to meet with my peers. Many of my professional successes started from this time to meet with friends across the state to share ideas and to meet new friends who will help me build on my success. If you are looking for new business partnerships and opportunities or looking for opportunities that will affect your bottom line in a positive way then you need to be registered at this year's state convention. Just a sample of the classes being offered at convention (below) should start you on a path of a very profitable 2017. Please be sure to thank the sponsors of our convention. Without their support of the convention and our Association opportunities like these would not be made possible. I look forward to seeing each of you in Charleston.
Come hear the panel of industry veterans and experts share their Money Making Secrets with you.
• The Steps to Low Impact Development in S. C.
Past Charleston HBA and HBA of SC President James Lawrence "Andy" Anderson, Sr., of Pinopolis, SC, died in Charleston on July 14. Andy was 78 years old.
and Research Committee. Andy's accomplishments also led to his induction into the S. C. Housing Hall of Fame in 1999.


ContentEncodings are specified an an HTTP Header-Fields HeaderField.ACCEPT_ENCODING or HeaderField.CONTENT_ENCODING and how to encode a HTTP body or how a HTTP body is encoded.
Returns that ContentEncoding represented by the given HTTP header's encoding.
aHttpEncoding - The HTTP header encoding for which to determine the ContentEncoding.
The determined ContentEncoding or null if none was determinable.


text:
Directory:BatMax
BatMax
Description : BatMax is sold as a battery life booster, that is laid next to a battery to extend battery life and reduce charging time. It is also supposed to rejuvenate batteries.
Status : Now in production currently being shipped to both U.S. and international retailers and wholesalers. Old and new rechargeable batteries can benefit from BatMax and the product is compatible with all mobile phones, though it works better on older batteries. The Patch is expected to be available to U.S. consumers by around Oct. of 2006.
Technology : BatMax is based on the IonXR2, a new exclusively developed nanoceramic material, resulting from years of laboratory research.
Applications : While the patch has been shown to improve all battery types, including non-rechargeables, BatMax is focusing on cell phone and laptop applications as being the most market feasible.
http://batmax.com/
Distributor form
Estimated retail for a BatMax strip
to go with cell phone battery: $9.95.
to go with Notebooks: $34.95
to go with PDA: $23.95
to go with Smartphone: $12.95
to go with 3G mobile phone: $11.95
to go with game console: $10.95.
(price is proportional to the size required)
Aluminum foil lined with a layer of special minerals is able to affect the battery by reactivating the particles in the battery that have lost their ability to be polarized. It "dissolves" the crystalization that causes battery life loss.
The foil strip needs to line the surface of the battery, approximating the size of the battery "like a slice of ham on a piece of bread". The patch should cover at least 60% to 80% of one surface (large) of the battery. White, active side of the strip must face the battery. The strip needs to be installed within the battery compartment, in close juxtaposition. It is not actually affixed to the battery.
International (PCT) patent held, filed in Europe and Asia.
BatMax is allegedly the first accessory in the world that increases the mobile phones battery life and reduces charging time.
BatMax is a small (29 x 50 mm / 1.14 x 1.97 in) rectangular foil which is installed in seconds by the user (next to the battery).
BatMax foil allegedly slows down the loss of capacity of Ni-CD, Ni-MH, Li-Ion and Li-Polymer batteries and thus provides improved battery performance.
BatMax has tested some 50 different batteries and brands.
Engineers from major companies have tested the project.
Thousands of testimonials have been received, but are not posted, giving preference to certified tests.
Company sent PES Network a sample of their product for testing and validation.
On Sept. 15, 2006, Congress:Member:Sterling D. Allan writes:
In October Mr. Aisenberg sent me some samples of the BatMax patch. Due to time contrstraints, I was not able to do a scientific test, using a control, but I did apply the patch to my cell phone which I've had for about three years. The phone's battery had been deteriorating, requiring frequent charging, and it did not hold a charge very well. I laid the BatMax patch next to the battery and closed the compartment. Since that time, I immediately noticed a definite difference. The phone charges faster, and holds the charge longer. I will now be approaching the New Energy Congress to see if someone there might be willing to do a more scientific, quantitative test of the patch.
According to the company the product is well-integrated. "We are working with more than 25 major entities."
Cell phone carriers in Europe: Vodafone, SFR, Elion, Telephonica
HP to distribute product in Europe
Notebook manufacturers
Several battery manufacturers in Europe and Asia, plan to integrate the product.
Alain Aisenberg was working in the battery industry, having produced numerous patents there, and in that process of looking for some paints to protect the metals from corrosion, began noticing certain effects on battery life with certain metal foils and minerals. Over the course of about two years of research and development, his team tried various combinations and ended up with what they now have. Further improvements will continually be sought, to decrease thickness, and improve the effect, while staying away from toxic substances.
The product has undergone several tests, and no health issues have been identified as of yet. While certainly not qualifying as "edible," no detrimental health ramifications have been discovered.
BatMax President, Alain Aisenberg, was interviewed live by Congress:Member:Sterling D. Allan on Sept. 16, 2006 3:00 - 4:00 pm Pacific, on the Free Energy Now Radio program. Archive posting of the show is pending.
BatMax in Google News - listing latest news from around the world
Batmax starts production and sales of battery life extender (GeekZone Jan. 21)
Nanotechnology brings world's first battery life extender for mobile phones (PhysOrg Jan. 27, 2005)
See Talk:Directory:BatMax
Slashdot discussion - Alleges it to be fraudulent.
Retort: company says Slashdot drew their conclusion without testing the device.
BatMax: Does It Really Work? (Museaum of Hoaxes)
Phone interview with company president, Alain Aisenberg, Aug. 15, 2006.
Corrections received by email from Aisenberg on Aug. 18, 2006.
BatMax Contact page
Directory:Batteries


text:
Q: Infinite re-renders when updating useState from streaming audio function I'm building an app React Native where I'm sending an array of audio files into an Expo AV Audio.Sound object, loading them, playing them, and then attempting to update the display of the app itself with info about the audio file being played (specifically how far through the file the user is). I'm trying to update the display through the useState hook which is being called by a callback function from the audio player.
The problem I'm running into is that anytime I try to change the state from the audio player callback function I get thrown into an infinite re-render. Simplified code is below:
import React, { useState} from 'react';
import { Audio } from 'expo-av';

const AudioPlayer = ({ user }) => {
    const [currentProgress, setCurrentProgress] = useState(0);

    const soundObject = new Audio.Sound();
    soundObject.setOnPlaybackStatusUpdate(playbackUpdate);
    // sets a function that is called every 500 milliseconds as the audio is played

    if(user) {
          soundObject.loadAsync({user.message.path});
    }

    const play = () => {
          soundObject.playAsync();
    }

    const playbackUpdate = (playbackObject) => {
          setCurrentProgress(playbackObject.currentMillis);
          // updating state with progress through audio file in milliseconds
    }

    return (
          <View>
             <Text>{currentProgress}</Text>
             <Button title="play" onPress={play} />
          </View>
    )

}

export default AudioPlayer

A: Remember that everything in your function body will run on every render - so in this case you are creating a new soundObject and potentially running the soundObject.loadAsync call on every single render. You'll need to take advantage of other hooks to avoid this - in your case likely useRef and useEffect. I would recommend getting familiar with these through the hooks api reference: https://reactjs.org/docs/hooks-reference.html
Here's a quick stab at how I would avoid the unnecessary effects. You'll probably want to review and tweak the dependency arrays depending on how you want things to function and when you want the various effects to be re-run. I'm not sure if you ever need the Sound object to be re-created for example.
import React, { useState, useRef, useCallback, useEffect} from 'react';
import { Audio } from 'expo-av';
import { Button, View, Text } from 'react-native';

const AudioPlayer = ({ user }) => {
    const [currentProgress, setCurrentProgress] = useState(0);

    const soundObjectRef = useRef(new Audio.Sound());

    useEffect(() => {

      const playbackUpdate = (playbackObject) => {
          setCurrentProgress(playbackObject.currentMillis);
          // updating state with progress through audio file in milliseconds
      }
      soundObjectRef.current.setOnPlaybackStatusUpdate(playbackUpdate);
    }, []); // do this only once per component mount
    // sets a function that is called every 500 milliseconds as the audio is played

    useEffect(() => {
      if (user) {
        soundObjectRef.current.loadAsync({user.message.path});
      }
    }, [user]); // run this anytime user changes but do not run again if user doesn't change

    const play = () => {
          soundObjectRef.current.playAsync();
    }

    return (
          <View>
             <Text>{currentProgress}</Text>
             <Button title="play" onPress={play} />
          </View>
    )

}

export default AudioPlayer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Generally when we hear the word Tower, Our thoughts brings some long standing vertical like structure, One like Rajabai Tower, which we generally refer and think of. But, here the Parsi tower of silence is a restricted hilly location of south Mumbai's Malabar hill area which is a 55 acre wide spread surrounded by thick green trees and visibility is not their from surrounding. Their are 3 rings (Huge Circular Structure like Water Well) also called 'Dakhma', used for body disposing of the dead Parsi people. All 3 Bawdi are separately built for 'Males', 'Females' and 'Children'.
After all rituals and other process that is followed as per Zoroastrian community is done, the dead body is brought to this Dakhma inside tower of silence which is finally consumed by Eagles and Vultures. This is one of the very different type of cremation process followed by community originating from Iran in 9th Century AD. According to the religious belief the idea of creating such Towers around world and serving the body to Vultures and Eagles is the best Eco-friendly way of disposing the body and will not harm mother nature in any ways. According to them the death body should not spoil the environmental air, water or soil by cremating it in this way.
Recently, the effect of globalization and urbanization in Mumbai city was seen with decline in numbers of such Eagles and Vultures seen around Parsi Kua (Bawdi). Those creatures plays a vital role at tower of silence disposing process. To keep up the numbers, Community people in Mumbai joint hands with BNHS CEC who helps eagles and vulture breeding at our borivali national park.
As said, you will not be able to get inside the 55 acres area, yet here is how one can reach this decades old historic location. Nearest station to reach is Grant Road and Charni Road at Western Railway Route in South Mumbai. Long distance trains which arrives at CST will also do. Simply take a Cab / Taxi and ask for 'Malabar Hill' or 'Kemps Corner' and its 10 to 15 minutes distance from those 2 stations.
The below Google map aerial view shows the 55 acres of green belt of Tower of Silence with 3 Rings (Try Zoom in to See Exactly). Surrounded by B G Kher Road, Ridge Road and Dungar Wadi Road.


text:
Pacita Abad
(1946 - 2004), Philippines
Born in Batanes, Philippines in 1946, Pacita Abad was the daughter of a congressman, who had hoped that she would traverse a similar political path. But the course of Abad's life changed after a year of travelling in 1973 to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Taiwan and Hong Kong. She decided to take up painting. Abad later married a developmental economist, Jack Garrity, whose work predisposed them to travel to developing countries. Her experiences in each place informed her subject matter from the beginning; traditional art practices like ink-brush painting in Korea, paint brushing on silk in the Dominican Republic, batik painting in Indonesia, tie-dye in Africa, macramé in Papua New Guinea, were techniques she introduced either singly or several in one art work. In the late seventies and early eighties Abad introduced a quilting method, trapunto, onto her canvasses, which were then layered with objects on top of her quilted material: stones, sequins, glass, buttons, shells, mirrors, printed textile. She referred to this technique, and the process of layering, stuffing, stitching and the collaging of objects on painted canvas, as trapunto painting.
Characterised by vibrant colour and accumulated material, these large scale trapunto paintings traverse a diversity of subject matter: from tribal masks and social realist tableaus depicting the individuals and communities that Abad encountered throughout her travels, to lush and intricately constructed underwater compositions and abstractions. She lived and travelled in a bewildering amount of countries – from Bangladesh to Sudan, Sudan to Jakarta, Jakarta to Boston, Washington D.C. to Manila – and it is this itineracy that has defined and shaped her subject matter. Pacita Abad's work brought together images and experiences across cultures, economies and histories and offered reflections on the global long before the discourses of globalisation and transnationalism were felt in the art world.
Her work has been featured in solo exhibitions at the National Museum , Jakarta, Indonesia; Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong, The Museum of Philippine Art, Manila; Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila; Bhirasri Museum of Modern Art, Bangkok, Thailand; Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Singapore; The National Museum for Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C.; and the National Center of Afro-American Artists, Boston, among others. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions, including: Beyond the Border: Art by Recent Immigrant, Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York; Asia/ America: Identities in Contemporary Asian American Art, a traveling exhibition organized by the Asia Society, New York; Olympiad of Art, National Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, Korea; 2nd Asian Art Show, Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan and La Bienal de Habana, Havana, Cuba. She died in Singapore in 2004.
Text courtesy SILVERLENS.
Closed 17 October–21 November 2020 Pacita Abad Masks and Spirits
Pacita Abad In Ocula Magazine
Ocula Feature Pacita Abad: World Citizen By Dorian Batycka, Dubai
Prolific Filipino artist Pacita Abad drew on the experience of migration as a metaphor for life in dialogue with other cultures.
Ocula News The Major Biennales Going Ahead in 2020 London, 8 July 2020
Despite numerous cancellations and postponements, several significant biennales in Europe and Asia will take place this year.
Ocula Insight Pacita Abad's Artwork 'Stained Glass' up for Grabs By Sherry Paik, Hong Kong
Enter the colourful world of Pacita Abad in Stained Glass (2000): over the explosions of red, yellow, and green acrylic paint are rings of even more colour and, at their centre, tiny mirrors.
Ocula Conversation Joselina Cruz By Stephanie Bailey, Manila
Since 2011, Joselina Cruz has been the director and curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD), De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Manila, which is celebrating its tenth anniversar
Pacita Abad In Related Press
Related Press A MILLION THINGS TO SAY: PACITA ABAD 4 July 2018, ArtAsiaPacific
Walking through the glass doors of the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) in downtown Manila, one is immediately greeted by the domineering faces of Pacita Abad's Bacongo VI (1986) and _Eu
Related Press Highlights from the seventh edition of Art Stage Singapore 18 January 2017, The National
'Contemporary art is not a decoration, it is a statement. It is a wonderful seismograph of our societies and realities.' These words were part of the opening speech given last week by founder Lorenz


cache_limit gets or sets the max number of query cache entries. Query cache is used only by select command.
If the max number of query cache entries is 100, the recent 100 select commands are only cached. The cache expire algorithm is LRU (least recently used).
You can get the current max number of cache entries by executing cache_limit without parameter.
You can set the max number of cache entries by executing cache_limit with max parameter.
Here is an example that sets 10 as the max number of cache entries.
If max parameter is used, the return value is the max number of cache entries before max parameter is set.
This section describes all parameters.
Specifies the max number of query cache entries as a number.
If max parameter isn't specified, the current max number of query cache entries isn't changed. cache_limit just returns the current max number of query cache entries.
N_ENTRIES is the current max number of query cache entries. It is a number.


Orange peel has more nutrients than the fruit inside. To remove the orange peel you can use a sharp knife, a potato peeler, a zester or a fine grater. Cut between the orange peel and the white membrane and make sure that you remove as little white membrane as possible - as this is very bitter. Chop the thin orange peel into tiny pieces using a chef's knife on a cutting board.
Orange peel is edible, although it may be difficult to digest; it is advisable to use organic oranges if you are going to eat the peel as there may be insecticides and other chemicals on the outside. Always wash, clean and dry the peel before consuming it or making juice or tea.
Orange peels contains lots of nutrients, fibre, flavonoids, vitamins A, B6, B5 and C, calcium, copper, magnesium, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin and foliate. Flavonoids are compounds found in many foods, they are known to have anti-hypertensive and anti-inflammatory effects which relieve pressures on the heart.
For best results choose oranges with a thin skin. Orange peel can be used as an air freshener, bath oil, as a healthy food, mosquito repellent, mix orange peel and salt in boiling water as a cure for hangovers, bad breath, helps improve blood circulation, helpful in reducing constipation, heartburn and gas, and for Skincare as a facemask or face wash, treating dandruff and helping hair strength.


UFS is a not-for-profit mutual organisation owned by its members. For just $10 per year, you too can become a member of UFS. Membership provides pharmacy and medical care with attractive discounts and access to fantastic and convenient services.
UFS is a not-for-profit mutual organisation owned by its members. As a member, you help support your community. UFS donated over $50,000 to community groups last year through sponsorship and donations.
Friendly Society pharmacies are situated right throughout Australia. Most pharmacies will honour your membership card – entitling you to discount wherever you might be. You can view a full list of Friendly Society pharmacies here.
10% discount off the 'gap' of all general practice consultations and 10% off all physiotherapy and dietetic consultations at UFS Medical.
*excludes PBS prescriptions, boutique cosmetics, hire, ear piercing and community benefit items sold at cost.


July 24, 2018 3:00 p.m.
Litigation partner Una A. Dean will teach the course "Anatomy of an Incident Response Plan" at the UCLA and GCI Cyber Program for Insurance Executives. The course will cover key considerations for every incident response plan and strategies for proactively preparing for a data breach, as well as strategies for how and when to involve domestic or international law enforcement during a data breach and how to mitigate damage in the event of a breach.


Mapi session "5757391d-b61f-4393-9c2a-92c3922f203e: /o=First Organization/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=claimsf30" exceeded the maximum of 16 objects of type "session".
On the server that is running the Exchange Server 2010 Mailbox role, click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
Type Maximum Allowed Service Sessions Per User, and then press ENTER.
Type the decimal value that specifies the number of sessions that you want to use, and then click OK.
Note The registry value Maximum Allowed Service Sessions Per User affects all Mailbox Databases on the server and is not applied on a per-user basis. If you increase this value, server performance may be adversely affected. For example, doubling the number of service sessions from 16 to 32 could slow server performance.


text:
Netflix's Single's Inferno Cast Includes Models, Personal Trainers, Influencers, & CEOs
The South Korean reality dating show has quickly climbed Netflix's global chart.
by Jack Irvin
Originally Published: Jan. 5, 2022
Netflix's Single's Inferno may be the perfect next marathon-watch for fans of reality series like Love Island or Terrace House, or anyone who enjoys seeing strangers looking for love while trapped in a deserted location. Since its premiere on Dec. 18, viewers around the world have reportedly spent over 17 million hours watching the South Korean dating show, which reached the top 10 of Netflix's global chart for non-English language series. Over Season 1's eight episodes, Single's Inferno follows 12 singles stranded on an island in Saseungbong, Ongjin with limited resources, and they must find a romantic partner in order to earn a date night in paradise, aka a luxury hotel away from the island.
But there's a catch: The men and women aren't allowed to discuss their ages or occupations while on the island, and they can only share such details once granted an evening in paradise. Instead, the lovelorn individuals must focus on building pure attraction to one another or risk never leaving the island (until production concludes, of course). The Season 1 finale aired Jan. 8 on Netflix, so here's everything you need to know about the cast members of Single's Inferno, including their jobs, Instagrams, and more.
Song Ji-a
With three men competing for her hand, Song Ji-a is the most sought-after woman in the series. After studying traditional Korean dancing at Hanyang University, the 25-year-old is now a successful beauty vlogger on YouTube with more than 1.71 million subscribers on the platform. She also currently holds over 2.9 million followers on Instagram, where she shares her glamorous fashion, sponsored posts, and photos of her dog.
Choi Si-hun
One of Song's suitors is Choi Si-hun, who's been said to look like K-drama actor Lee Jong-Suk by other individuals on the island. The 30-year-old cast member works as the chief executive of fashion headwear brand HOTEN, and his Instagram page features many, many selfies as well as photos of Choi modeling the brand's products and other fashionable clothes. His account currently holds over 789,000 followers.
Kang So-yeon
Kang So-yeon had to hide more than one job from her fellow islanders, as the 34-year-old contestant is the co-owner and CEO of a gym called HitFit Boxing, the CEO of sports apparel brand GoodRound, and a former professional boxer. She also works as a model and is quite active on her YouTube channel, where she mainly showcases her athleticism to more than 114,000 subscribers. Her many talents and professions are also showcased on her Instagram account, where she has over 868,000 followers.
On Jin-taek
While he seemingly doesn't have a personal Instagram account, On Jin-taek can still be seen on the platform through his British-style tailored suit brand Ascottage's account, where he often models its clothes for its 58,000-plus followers. The 30-year-old appears to serve as the brand's CEO, style adviser, marketer, and manager of its Seoul location.
Shin Ji-yeon
Despite fans on Reddit claiming she deleted her Instagram account following Episode 6, Shin Ji-yeon seems to have since created a new account after her old one was hacked — and she's already racked up over half a million followers. While the reason she was hacked is unclear, the 25-year-old contestant stirred up controversy on social media after being praised for her "pure" and "white" looks on the show, which sparked conversation about Korea's beauty standards. Aside from the controversy, she's currently studying neuroscience at the University of Toronto, inspired by her grandfather's Alzheimer's diagnosis.
Kim Hyeon-joong
After scoring second place at the 2019 Mister Model Worldwide competition in New Delhi, India, Kim Hyeon-joong works as a model and personal trainer. The 28-year-old has over 413,000 followers on Instagram, where he shows off his musculature and posts selfies in high-fashion attire.
An Yea-won
Yet another fitness-focused contestant, An Yea-won works as a personal trainer, model, and beauty influencer with over 346,000 followers on Instagram. There, she posts her favorite fashion looks, professional photoshoots, and shots from glamorous vacations. Like many of her Single's Inferno castmates, the 27-year-old is also a budding YouTuber with nearly 10,000 subscribers.
Kim Jun-sik
At this point, it probably doesn't come as a surprise to learn contestant Kim Jun-sik dabbles in fitness modeling. But the 28-year-old Seoul native also works as the CEO of a startup called KAMEE, which produces health-focused honey and nut products made with ginseng. On Instagram, Kim promotes his company, shows off his physique at the gym, and shares modeling shots with his 230,000 followers.
Kim Su-min
One of the series' newer contestants, having only entered in Episode 5, Yahoo! recently reported Kim Su-min is 24 years old. According to Reality Titbit, she works as an actress and has appeared in commercials for KFC and Angel-in-us coffee. Her Instagram page has over 181,000 followers, and she mainly posts selfies, food photos, and glimpses into her acting career.
Moon Se-hoon
Moon Se-hoon also entered Single's Inferno late in the season, but we've since learned he's 27 years old. Despite having more than 632,000 followers on Instagram, his page is fairly new with only 16 posts. But the photos on his account let us know he's an animal lover who is close to his family and enjoys posting selfies. According to the series, he owns and operates a catering business for a living.
Seong Min-ji
Seong Min-ji's Instagram is quite established, with over 300 posts and 250,000 followers, so we can piece together a few details about the 24-year-old's life. She works in the entertainment industry as a model for brands including True Curling, owns quite a bit of high-fashion clothing, and has a penchant for fine dining. She also appeared alongside Kim Su-min in a commercial for KFC.
Cha Hyun-seong
Some viewers may recognize Cha Hyun-seong as a dancer for K-pop singers including Sunmi of the Wonder Girls. The 30-year-old also works as a model and has an Instagram following of over 927,000 users, with whom he shares dance rehearsal footage, photos of his physique, and luxurious vacation shots.
Fans Are Convinced Nadine Is Dating A Fellow 'Single's Inferno' Contestant
Jin-young Reflected On His Relationship With Seul-ki After 'Single's Inferno'
Love Is Blind's Natalie Claims Shayne Signed Up For 'Perfect Match' While They Were "Still Together"
Matteo Berrettini & Ajla Tomljanovic Split Shortly After Filming Break Point
This article was originally published on Jan. 5, 2022


J. Buchanan, for the respondent.
I HEREBY ORDER THAT YOU BE DEPORTED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION 32(2) OF THE ACT.
Max Berger, Barrister and Solicitor represented Mr. Dhindsa. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration was represented by John Buchanan. An interpreter fluent in the Punjabi and English languages was present throughout.
The validity of the deportation order was not contested therefore I find that the order is valid in law. The facts as I have them before me are as follows.
The evidence is that Mr. Dhindsa has only ever been in trouble once in his life albeit over a protracted period of several months. His convictions arose chiefly from disputes over his quarrelsome relationship with his girlfriend. Matters escalated when her brother attacked him. Mr. Dhindsa retaliated in violent ways. The evidence is that no one received anything other than minor injuries and in some cases no injuries at all.
Mr. Dhindsa has acknowledged that during this time he believed he was right in his actions. It is clear that he has since understood with clarity his culpability. Indeed he acknowledged this at his court hearing. There are documents to show that he has successfully completed a variety of courses while in jail to help him solidify his understanding. He claims he was in several situations while in the institution that could have involved him in fights. Instead he chose to extricate himself.
A number of witnesses appeared to testify here today on Mr. Dhindsa's behalf. Except for a priest of the Sikh temple they were members of his family including a prospective employer. It is clear that Mr. Dhindsa is surrounded by people who care deeply about his well-being and are involved in his life. His mother, sister and brother-in-law expect him to live with them when he is released. His aunt maintains close contact with him.
The family has suffered considerably as a result of his behaviour. Mr. Dhindsa himself is deeply ashamed of the misery he has inflicted on them and on himself. Despite their unhappiness they visited him frequently during his incarceration. As his father is dead his brother-in-law Sarwan Singh Malhotra has assumed the role of head of the household. He too is prepared to continue to assume responsibility for Mr. Dhindsa. Assurance was given by Tarsan Singh Bajwa that a job is waiting for Mr. Dhindsa in his business as a sales representative with a view to management level upon his release. Mr. Dhindsa is also planning to return to school.
Gurdev Singh, a priest, testified that Mr. Dhindsa has contacted him for help. He expects Mr. Dhindsa will be attending at the Sikh temple with the rest of the family upon his release. He also has an active plan for Mr. Dhindsa's rehabilitation concerning contributing to social services.
Of considerable importance in arriving at my decision were His Honour Judge Budzinski's [See Note 3 below] reasons for sentence, Adjudicator J.E. McNamara's [See Note 4 below] comments at Mr. Dhindsa's inquiry, as well as the report by psychiatrist Doctor Richard Stall. [See Note 5 below] Clearly His Honour believed that Mr. Dhindsa accepted responsibility for his own actions. As well he took into account the family's desire to help Mr. Dhindsa restructure his life all of which gave His Honour, as he put it, some satisfaction that Mr. Dhindsa's rehabilitation and the protection of the community can be maintained in an open structure outside of the jail setting.
Mr. McNamara put it on record that he could not imagine anything else Mr. Dhindsa could have done in the institution and believes he did more than anyone else he had seen in the circumstances. Doctor Stall concluded after interviewing Mr. Dhindsa and various family members that Mr. Dhindsa is truly remorseful for his past actions. He does not believe this behaviour will be repeated nor does he believe that Mr. Dhindsa poses a danger to society.
DATED at Toronto this 13th day of May, 1997.


Whenever we are clearing an overgrown garden a robin generally appears.
In Europe, the robin is a more timid bird than in Britain, where it regularly followers gardeners (especially when they're digging) in the hope they might turn up a tasty worm. Back in continental Europe, the robin has been observed following wild boar, which also dig the soil in search of tubers and roots. No doubt, the Forest of Dean robins are doing the same with the growing population of wild boar there.
The robin became Britain's bird of Christmas largely because Victorian postmen, who wore a red tunic, were known as robin redbreasts. Robins began to appear on Christmas cards and other festive missives as a symbol of the red breasted messenger.
Robins are fairly broadminded in their choice of food, but like all small birds in winter, obtaining energy is the key. So, put out a range of high-value seeds (kibbled sunflower hearts are ideal), scattered on a bird table or in a bird feeder.
Also, you could put out balls of fat or 'bird cake' – a rich mixture of fat and seeds. Mealworms are a real treat for them too, it's a good idea to place them in a smooth-sided bowl so that they can't escape.
Winter is a good time to put up nest boxes for Robins. They need open-fronted ones that are hidden away behind foliage or climbing plants so that they don't attract the attention of cats.
Even if you can just put a little feed out in the garden for our festive friends, it will help their population over winter so they can continue to keep our gardens bright with their orange flame through the dreary winter months.
If you'd like to receive our seasonal updates full of great grounds maintenance and garden tips like this, sign up to our newsletter here.


text:
import csv
import logging
import os
import simplejson as json
import sys

import couchbaseConstants
import pump

def number_try_parse(s):
    for func in (int, float):
        try:
            v = func(s)
            if s == str(v):
                return v
        except ValueError:
            pass
    return s

class CSVSource(pump.Source):
    """Reads csv file, where first line is field names and one field
       should be 'id'."""

    def __init__(self, opts, spec, source_bucket, source_node,
                 source_map, sink_map, ctl, cur):
        super(CSVSource, self).__init__(opts, spec, source_bucket, source_node,
                                        source_map, sink_map, ctl, cur)
        self.done = False
        self.r = None # An iterator of csv.reader()

    @staticmethod
    def can_handle(opts, spec):
        return spec.endswith(".csv") and os.path.isfile(spec)

    @staticmethod
    def check(opts, spec):
        return 0, {'spec': spec,
                   'buckets': [{'name': os.path.basename(spec),
                                'nodes': [{'hostname': 'N/A'}]}]}

    @staticmethod
    def provide_design(opts, source_spec, source_bucket, source_map):
        return 0, None

    def provide_batch(self):
        if self.done:
            return 0, None

        if not self.r:
            try:
                self.r = csv.reader(open(self.spec, 'rU'))
                self.fields = self.r.next()
                if not 'id' in self.fields:
                    return ("error: no 'id' field in 1st line of csv: %s" %
                            (self.spec)), None
            except StopIteration:
                return ("error: could not read 1st line of csv: %s" %
                        (self.spec)), None
            except IOError, e:
                return ("error: could not open csv: %s; exception: %s" %
                        (self.spec, e)), None

        batch = pump.Batch(self)

        batch_max_size = self.opts.extra['batch_max_size']
        batch_max_bytes = self.opts.extra['batch_max_bytes']

        cmd = couchbaseConstants.CMD_TAP_MUTATION
        vbucket_id = 0x0000ffff
        cas, exp, flg = 0, 0, 0

        while (self.r and
               batch.size() < batch_max_size and
               batch.bytes < batch_max_bytes):
            try:
                vals = self.r.next()
                doc = {}
                for i, field in enumerate(self.fields):
                    if i >= len(vals):
                        continue
                    if field == 'id':
                        doc[field] = vals[i]
                    else:
                        doc[field] = number_try_parse(vals[i])
                if doc['id']:
                    doc_json = json.dumps(doc)
                    msg = (cmd, vbucket_id, doc['id'], flg, exp, cas, '', doc_json, 0, 0, 0)
                    batch.append(msg, len(doc))
            except StopIteration:
                self.done = True
                self.r = None
            except Exception, e:
                logging.error("error: fails to read from csv file, %s", e)
                continue

        if batch.size() <= 0:
            return 0, None
        return 0, batch

class CSVSink(pump.Sink):
    """Emits batches to stdout in CSV format."""
    CSV_SCHEME = "csv:"
    CSV_JSON_SCHEME = "csv-json:"

    def __init__(self, opts, spec, source_bucket, source_node,
                 source_map, sink_map, ctl, cur):
        super(CSVSink, self).__init__(opts, spec, source_bucket, source_node,
                                      source_map, sink_map, ctl, cur)
        self.writer = None
        self.fields = None

    @staticmethod
    def can_handle(opts, spec):
        if spec.startswith(CSVSink.CSV_SCHEME) or spec.startswith(CSVSink.CSV_JSON_SCHEME):
            opts.threads = 1 # Force 1 thread to not overlap stdout.
            return True
        return False

    @staticmethod
    def check(opts, spec, source_map):
        rv = 0
        if spec.endswith(".csv"):
            if spec.startswith(CSVSink.CSV_JSON_SCHEME):
                targetpath = spec[len(CSVSink.CSV_JSON_SCHEME):]
            else:
                targetpath = spec[len(CSVSink.CSV_SCHEME):]
            targetpath = os.path.normpath(targetpath)
            rv = pump.mkdirs(targetpath)

        return rv, None

    @staticmethod
    def consume_design(opts, sink_spec, sink_map,
                       source_bucket, source_map, source_design):
        if source_design:
            logging.warn("warning: cannot save bucket design"
                         " on a CSV destination")
        return 0

    def consume_batch_async(self, batch):
        if not self.writer:
            csvfile = sys.stdout
            if self.spec.startswith(CSVSink.CSV_JSON_SCHEME):
                if len(batch.msgs) <= 0:
                    future = pump.SinkBatchFuture(self, batch)
                    self.future_done(future, 0)
                    return 0, future

                cmd, vbucket_id, key, flg, exp, cas, meta, val = batch.msgs[0][:8]
                doc = json.loads(val)
                self.fields = sorted(doc.keys())
                if 'id' not in self.fields:
                    self.fields = ['id'] + self.fields
                if self.spec.endswith(".csv"):
                    try:
                        csvfile = open(self.spec[len(CSVSink.CSV_JSON_SCHEME):], "wb")
                    except IOError, e:
                        return ("error: could not write csv to file:%s" % \
                               self.spec[len(CSVSink.CSV_JSON_SCHEME):]), None
                self.writer = csv.writer(csvfile)
                self.writer.writerow(self.fields)
            else:
                if self.spec.endswith(".csv"):
                    try:
                        csvfile = open(self.spec[len(CSVSink.CSV_SCHEME):], "wb")
                    except IOError, e:
                        return ("error: could not write csv to file:%s" % \
                               self.spec[len(CSVSink.CSV_SCHEME):]), None
                self.writer = csv.writer(csvfile)
                self.writer.writerow(['id', 'flags', 'expiration', 'cas', 'value'])

        for msg in batch.msgs:
            cmd, vbucket_id, key, flg, exp, cas, meta, val = msg[:8]
            if self.skip(key, vbucket_id):
                continue

            try:
                if cmd == couchbaseConstants.CMD_TAP_MUTATION:
                    if self.fields:
                        if val and len(val) > 0:
                            try:
                                row = []
                                doc = json.loads(val)
                                if type(doc) == dict:
                                    for field in self.fields:
                                        if field == 'id':
                                            row.append(key)
                                        else:
                                            row.append(doc[field])
                                    self.writer.writerow(row)
                            except ValueError:
                                pass
                    else:
                        self.writer.writerow([key, flg, exp, cas, val])
                elif cmd == couchbaseConstants.CMD_TAP_DELETE:
                    pass
                elif cmd == couchbaseConstants.CMD_GET:
                    pass
                else:
                    return "error: CSVSink - unknown cmd: " + str(cmd), None
            except IOError:
                return "error: could not write csv to stdout", None

        future = pump.SinkBatchFuture(self, batch)
        self.future_done(future, 0)
        return 0, future

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub