This AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO AMENDED AND RESTATED CONSTRUCTION AND TERM LOAN AGREEMENT, dated as of December 30, 1994, is made by and among (i) WESTMORELAND-LG&E PARTNERS, a Virginia general partnership, as Borrower, (ii) CREDIT SUISSE, NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK plc, THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, THE SUMITOMO BANK, LIMITED, New York Branch, THE INDUSTRIAL BANK OF JAPAN, LTD., New York Branch, UNION BANK, UNION BANK OF SWITZERLAND, THE FUJI BANK LIMITED, Los Angeles Agency, CREDIT LYONNAIS, New York Branch, CREDIT SUISSE, Cayman Island Branch, THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK and each Purchasing Lender, as Lenders, (iii) THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA and each Purchasing Institutional Lender, as Institutional Lenders, (iv) CREDIT SUISSE, New York Branch, as the Issuing Bank, (v) CREDIT SUISSE, NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK plc, THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA and THE SUMITOMO BANK, LIMITED, New York Brach, as Co-Agents, and (vi) CREDIT SUISSE, as Agent for the Lenders, the Institutional Lenders and the Issuing Bank.
(a) Section 6.1(c)(vii) is hereby amended by inserting "up to a maximum amount of $18,000,000 prior to the Tranche B Conversion date and thereafter" after the comma in the fourth line thereof.
(c) Section 7.1(j) is hereby amended by deleting ", WCSC, KCCC" in the third line thereof.
"Assumption Agreement" means the Assumption Agreement, dated as of December __, 1994, by Consol Kentucky in favor of Westmoreland and certain of its affiliates.
"Consol Energy" means Consol Energy Inc., a Delaware corporation.
"Consol Kentucky" means Consol of Kentucky Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(e) The definition of "Independent Engineer" in Exhibit X is hereby amended by deleting "and Associates" in the first line thereof.
(f) The definition of "Rail Transportation Agreement" in Exhibit X is hereby amended by inserting after the third comma in the thirteenth line thereof "as assigned to and assumed by Consol Kentucky pursuant to the Assumption Agreement,".
(g) The definition of "Rova I Coal Subcontract" in Exhibit X is hereby amended by inserting after the first comma in the sixth line thereof "as assigned to and assumed by Consol Kentucky pursuant to the Assumption Agreement,".
"Rova I Coal Subcontract Guaranty" means the Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December __, 1994, by Consol Energy for the benefit of Borrower guaranteeing Consol Kentucky's performance under the Rova I Coal Subcontract, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
(i) The definition of "Rova II Coal Subcontract" in Exhibit X is hereby amended by inserting after the third comma in the third line thereof "as assigned to and assumed by Consol Kentucky pursuant to the Assumption Agreement,".
"Rova II Coal Subcontract Guaranty" means the Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December __, 1994, by Consol Energy for the benefit of Borrower guaranteeing Consol Kentucky's performance under the Rova II Coal Subcontract, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
"Step-In Rights Agreement" means, collectively, (i) the Lease Agreement, dated as of December 27, 1991, including Lease Supplement No. 1. between Keycorp Leasing Ltd. and Westmoreland; (ii) Step-In Rights Agreement and Assignment of Lease, dated as of December __, 1994, by Consol Kentucky in favor of Borrower; and (iii) the Consent to Assignment of Agreement, dated as of December 1, 1993, among Keycorp Leasing Ltd., Hitachi Credit America Corp., Borrower, Coal Supplier and Agent, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
"Tranche A Date Certain" means January 31, 1995, as the same may be extended upon request by Borrower and approved by all the Lenders and Institutional Lenders, but in no case shall the Tranche A Date Certain be extended beyond June 30, 1995.
Section 2. Limitations. Except as expressly stated hereby, all of the representations, warranties, terms, covenants and conditions of the Credit Agreement shall remain unamended and shall continue to be, and shall remain, in full force and effect in accordance with their respective terms. This Amendment No. 2 shall be limited precisely as provided for herein, and shall not be deemed to be a waiver of, amendment of, consent to or modification of any other term or provision of the Credit Agreement.
(a) On and after the effective date of this Amendment No. 2, each reference in the Credit Agreement to "this Agreement", "hereunder", "hereof" or words of like import, and each reference to the Credit Agreement by the words "thereunder", "thereof" or words of like import in any Project Document, Loan Instrument or other document executed in connection with the Credit Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement, as amended or otherwise modified by this Amendment No. 2.
(b) This Amendment No. 2 may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
(c) This Amendment No. 2 shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to the principles of conflict of laws.
(d) All agreements, covenants, conditions and provisions of this Amendment No. 2 shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their duly authorized officers to execute and deliver this Amendment No. 2 as of the date first above written.


text:
Q: Angular 9 : re-render ngFor when object property is updated I have an array of Objects, which I called Guests :
[
   {id: 1, first_name: "Tom", last_name: "", logo: 2},
   {id: 2, first_name: "John", last_name: "", logo: 3},
   {id: 3, first_name: "Jim", last_name: "", logo: 4}
]

And I display those objects in a ngFor, which works perfectly:
<app-guest-item *ngFor="let guest of guests;"
                [guest]="guest"
></app-guest-item>

My app-guest-item only displays the data like so:

{{guest.name}}

Status: {{guest.online}}

But whenever my array changes, like so:
[
   {id: 1, first_name: "Tom", last_name: "", logo: 2, online: true},
   {id: 2, first_name: "John", last_name: "", logo: 3},
   {id: 3, first_name: "Jim", last_name: "", logo: 4}
]

The ngFor does not re-render.
Note that the array is updated with an EventSource like so:
this.updateGuests = new EventSource('http://localhost:3000/.well-known/mercure?topic=table-1');
this.updateGuests.onmessage = event => {
    this.guests = JSON.parse(event.data).onlineGuests;
}

What I tried
Adding a trackBy
<app-guest-item *ngFor="let guest of guests; trackBy: trackGuest"
                [guest]="guest"
></app-guest-item>

with the following method. By the way, I am sure my Guests have all a unique id:
public trackGuest(index: number, item: GuestModel) {
    return item.id;
  }

Change my list reference
When my guest list is updated, I tried to change its reference by doing so:
this.guests = [...this.guests];

It did not work... So far I am lost.

A: Okay, the issue was pretty simple:
The array is updated in an EventSource, and EventSource events are out of scope from the Angular change detection mechanism.
To make this change detectable by the Angular detection mechanism, you just have to say explicitly that this change should be monitored by Angular with an ngZone.
To do so, simply add the ngZone as a parameter in your constructor:
constructor(private zone: NgZone) {}

And then update the portion of your code when you update your guest list with:
this.updateGuests.onmessage = event => {
  this.zone.run(() => {
    this.guests = JSON.parse(event.data).onlineGuests;
  });
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Lodi AVA has a long history of producing many different Central Valley Wines, but is most noted for Zinfandel. Zinfandel thrives in the region because it enjoys abundant sunshine and cool breezes from the Bay. A wine from this region just broke into the ultra-premium category, representing a change in the public's view of Central Valley Wineries.
On a levied island in the Central Valley's Sacramento Delta, Clarksburg is known for its Chenin Blanc production. Cool air from the Bay and clay soils seem to be the key to success with this grape that originated in the Loire Valley of France. Petite Sirah also does very well in Central Valley Wine Country.


text:
Unknown web: Is the net hurting the environment?
Earth 29 April 2009
By Duncan Graham-Rowe
The internet has its own carbon footprint, and it's a whopper
(Image: Garo / Phanie / Rex)
Read more: Eight things you didn't know about the internet
Sending an email across the Atlantic Ocean does not burn any jet fuel, but the internet is not without its own, huge carbon footprint. One estimate suggests it takes a whopping 152 billion kilowatt-hours per year just to power the data centres that keep the net running. Add to that the energy used by all the computers and peripherals linked to it and the whole thing could be responsible for as much as 2 per cent of all human-made CO2 emissions, putting it on a par with the aviation industry.
The way we use our computers also has an impact. According to Google, the production of the electricity needed for a single internet search generates 200 milligrams of CO2. This may not sound much, but it adds up: 1000 searches produce the same CO2 emissions as an average European car travelling 1 kilometre. Worse, internet traffic is currently growing at around 50 per cent each year. According to the international environmental coalition The Climate Group, total emissions from computers will increase by 280 per cent, to the equivalent of 1.4 gigatonnes of CO2, by 2020.
If the IT industry continues with business as usual, there is no question that the internet's energy consumption will skyrocket, says Bill Weihl, Google's green-energy tsar. As a result, many organisations are turning to so-called green data centres which are far more efficient at cooling computers. At the same time, new computers …

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When I was 21 years old, I joined the United States Air Force. My Commander-in-Chief was President Ronald Reagan. I was ready to die for my country and still am. We were trained to make the enemy die for their country and for us to live for ours. If I was in good shape and young, I might join the French Foreign Legion just to fight the bastards who celebrate hurting people in Paris that can't fight back. Those vicious bullies are not so brave when you have weapons too.
I hope my country and the world realizes finally that we are at war. The enemy knows this and declared it nearly 30 years ago now when they issued a jihad against us. There is no negotiating with a strong enemy, full of belief in their cause, and so far winning. You have to hunt them down and destroy them until the remnants are too weak to rebuild. Whether it be Nazis, the Mongol Hordes, or radical Islamic terrorists, they have to be annihilated. There will always be people who want to rule the world in their own sick ways and will not respond to anything but superior force.


During the Sprint Planning meeting, the team identifies the tasks required for completing the stories in the Sprint Backlog. Planning and writing tasks are key components as it provides clear information about a task to the entire team for the duration of the sprint.
Each task clearly defines the action required for completing the story. A common format would be <VERB> <ACTION APPLIED>. Ex: Create XSD for payment processing web service. Tasks with just the verb may be insufficient. Ex: "VERIFY" or "DEVELOP". These tasks don't describe what is being verified or developed, unless elaborated by the task owner.
Each task can ideally be completed between 1 – 6 hours, per day, but no more than 12 hours in two days. Planning for a full 8-hour day may not be ideal, since teams may set aside time for meetings and other activities.
Each task can be performed by one team member at any given instance. This helps each team member in sharing his/her updates during the daily standup. There are exceptions when developers apply pair-programming approach for completing a single task.
Insignificant tasks especially ones that consume few minutes may be excluded. On the contrary, tasks that need less than few minutes to complete, but are important for the team to know, must be added to the task board.
Tasks required to be completed by external teams (dependencies) are clearly identified and communicated to the external teams.
Miscellaneous tasks can exist without any corresponding story. These tasks must be fewer in number and should have least or no impact to the stories, if they aren't completed.
Status: A task that remains "In-Progress" for over a day or two, must either be decomposed into smaller tasks or qualified with an impediment. During mid-sprint, your team may identify additional details that would need converting a task into a story.


College Bound: Two dates and times available. Click here to Register.
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Pretty & Tough:Sunday 17th, from 2p. - 4p. Click here to Register.
Deadly Force (Drawing from Concealment): Saturday 12th, from 10a. - 12p. Click here to Register.
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Low Light Handgun Tactics Course (Women's Only): Sun. 9th, from 4p. - 6p. Click here to Register.
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Saturday July 7th, from 10a - 11:30a. Click here to Register.
Women's Only Handgun Tactics Course: Saturday July 21st, from 10a - 12:30p. Click here to Register.
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Defensive Pepper Spray - Less than Lethal: Saturday July 28th, from 10a - 11:30a. Click here to Register.
S.A.F.E. for Women: Click here for course dates and registration.
S.AF.E. for Kids: Saturday May 12th, from 2p. - 4p. Click here to Register.
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text:
Guide to ISO 20022 migration
Guide to ISO 20022 migration Part 5
As we near the milestone transition dates for cross-border payments and the Eurozone, the ISO 20022 migration is high on the agenda for financial institutions. At its core, it is an exercise in harmonisation, but even harmonisation is susceptible to different approaches – and the risk of data truncation looms as market infrastructures and market participants transition on different timelines.
For instance, the coexistence phase for cross-border payments is rapidly approaching, with SWIFT migrating to the new messaging standard ahead of some of the world's major market infrastructures. This will create a period where some participants face conversion issues between messages conveyed via legacy systems and those issued via SWIFT using the new data-rich, ISO format.
Announced in 2020, SWIFT's Transaction Manager was designed to combat the challenges of coexistence, but while it launches in November 2022, it will not go live with full functionality until end of Q1 2023. For a few months, then, issues may persist.
The last push
The journey to ISO 20022 has been long – and not without its challenges. But what matters is not the journey, but the destination. With demand for real-time, digital services increasing, ISO 20022 is a huge opportunity to fundamentally reassess and greatly improve existing business models and solutions. In doing so, it will help the payments community meet the changing needs of end users – both now and in the future. As we approach the final stretch, industry collaboration remains key to success, both initially, and on an ongoing basis.
This is not least because questions remain on several key issues: How will the industry deal with the challenge of data truncation? How will the US cope with divergent migration milestones? Will the Transaction Manager prove to be an effective tool? How can we implement an effective maintenance cycle going forward?
With November 2022 marking the shift from the "before-ISO" to the "after-ISO" era, we see this as a fitting ending for our series. But these lingering questions show that the journey is not yet over. And as we move into this new payments era, we look forward to sharing more insights and opportunities in the future.
Deutsche Bank Guide to ISO 20022 Migration Part 5 (pdf) Download white paper


text:
Home News US Debt Ceiling Officially Reached, Starting "Extraordinary Measures" To Pay Bills
US Debt Ceiling Officially Reached, Starting "Extraordinary Measures" To Pay Bills
The U.S. government hit its borrowing limit Thursday, causing the Treasury to activate "extraordinary measures" to keep paying the government's bills. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sent a letter Thursday morning to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, noting that a "debt issuance suspension period" will begin on Thursday, Jan. 19, and last through Monday, June 5.
As part of that, the government will not funnel new investments into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, as well as suspend investments into a retiree health benefits fund for retired post office workers. Federal retirees and employees will be unaffected by these actions.
Yellen said once the debt limit is increased, these funds will be made whole.
Yellen reiterated that while she anticipates measures taken to head off default will last until early June, it's subject to uncertainty.
"As I stated in my January 13 letter, the period of time that extraordinary measures may last is subject to considerable uncertainty, including the challenges of forecasting the payments and receipts of the U.S. Government months into the future," Yellen wrote. "I respectfully urge Congress to act promptly to protect the full faith and credit of the United States."
Many Republicans have said they will block any attempts to increase borrowing authority in the coming months without deep concessions on spending, while Democrats have vowed to refuse to negotiate over the issue at all.
Programs ranging from Social Security benefits to tax refunds to military salaries would be impacted in the event of a default. Economists have warned a default could send the economy into a recession.
Republicans are reportedly drawing up a plan that would tell Treasury which payments to prioritize if lawmakers weren't able to come to a deal and extraordinary measures were to run out.
Former senior public affairs officer for the Treasury, John Rizzo, called a Republican plan to specify which payments to prioritize, a de-facto default.
"There's one word for the House Republican plan and that's the default," Rizzo told Yahoo Finance Live. "This idea of prioritizing payments is just default by another name…Having worked for Secretary Yellen I would tell people to take her seriously. She doesn't bluff… There aren't any magic wands or rabbits to pull out of a hat here."
News Source: Yahoo Finance
Fiscal Stimulus Bolsters US Economic Growth in Q1, Fastest GDP Growth Since 2003
Economy and Business April 30, 2021
The second-fastest gross domestic product growth since the third quarter of 2003, reported by the Commerce Department on Thursday, left output just 0.9% shy of its level at the end of 2019.
US Economy Grew Robustly in First Quarter
Money April 30, 2021
GDP grew at a 6.4% annual rate in the quarter, leaving the economy within 1% of its peak.
Asia-Pacific Markets Broadly Lower As Investors Turn Cautious
Markets April 30, 2021
Asia-Pacific markets struggled for gains Friday as investors turned cautious, despite a positive finish stateside in the previous session.
World Shares Near Record High on Strong US Economic Data and Earnings
US economic growth accelerated in the first quarter, fuelled by massive government aid.
How the US Won the Economic Recovery
Stocks April 30, 2021
I looked for a country that got the economic response to Covid-19 right. I found the US.
Barclays Boss Predicts Biggest Economic Boom Since 1948
The UK is about to experience its biggest economic boom since the aftermath of World War Two, according to Barclays boss Jes Staley. His upbeat...
Buying American Is Easier Said Than Done: Will Biden's Plan Juice the US Economy?
Economy and Business May 3, 2021
Joe Biden and Donald Trump don't agree on much, but this much they do: We should buy American products. But that's easier said than done.
Silver Down As Dollar and Yields on Bonds Rose as US Economy Advanced
Benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury yields hovered near a more than two-week high, increasing the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.
Yellen Doesn't See Biden Plan Creating Inflation 'Issue'
President Joe Biden's economic plan is unlikely to create inflation pressure in the U.S. because the boost to demand will be spread over a decade, said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
Inflationary Pressure, Hawkish Fed Official Remarks Keep US Stocks on Leash
Dow added 2.4%, the S&P 500 gained 5.6%, and the Nasdaq jumped 7%. Dow was down 0.54% at 33,875 while the S&P was down by 0.72%. Nasdaq was down by 0.85%.


You must have seen these three sights in Florence: Florence is a city of great attractions. The two art museums Uffizi and Accademia belong to the TOP 10 museums in Europe. The Cathedral of Florence is one of the TOP 10 churches in the world.
But there are many other great sights in the city in Tuscany for which you need an entrance ticket. These include without doubt the Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti palaces. But also other museums as the Bargello are more than worth seeing.
All these sights cost admission, some are even quite expensive. Moreover, there are very long queues at the cash desk at the big attractions. Therefore, it makes sense to buy entrance tickets in advance on the internet. Who wants to queue several hours at a queue while on holiday? At the Uffizi, the Gallerie Accademia and the ascent to the dome of the cathedral, the waiting times are often enormous. The queues at these entrances are often already hundreds of meters long in the early morning.
Buy tickets online beforehand: How? Where?
Buy tickets online: This is the trick to bypass the queues. In the meantime, a large number of Florence tourists buy tickets online beforehand. Almost all important tickets are available on the great website Getyourguide. Most tickets come with a free cancellation option. On Getyourguide.com there are many different offers, normal tickets, but also guided tours through the sights, city tours including visits to museums and much more. you are spoilt for choice. Here are some tickets for Florence that we recommend. You should buy the entrance tickets online in advance, especially in the season before, otherwise you will spend a larger part of the city trip to Florence in queues. In summer the waiting times are especially long. But we also waited 45 minutes for the Uffizi on a working day in January, in summer it is often several hours. In some cases, the internet tickets cost a few euros more than on site, but in our opinion this is much better than waiting for several hours.
1. Tickets Art Museum Uffizi: The most important museum of Florence is notorious for its hundreds of meters long queues at the cash desk. Those who buy tickets on the Internet save long waiting times. >>> On this link you can find the online tickets for the Uffizi.
3. Tickets Dom Florenz: Tickets for the cathedral can be bought on the spot. The problem with long waiting times is especially if you want to get to the famous dome. The ascent of the dome is for almost all tourists a highlight of a trip to Florence. The accesses are narrow, the access is limited. Many more people want to visit the dome in Florence than can. >>> On this link you can find the tickets for the cathedral dome in Florence.
These are another 2 very important buildings and museums in Florence.
Guided tours are also a very good idea in Florence. Even if you book a guided tour, you usually don't have to queue in the long queue. A guided tour through a museum, a palace or the cathedral is much more informative than a visit alone, without museum experts.
7. Ascent to the dome of the cathedral: Every visitor of Florence should climb the world-famous, gigantic dome of the cathedral. The most famous dome in the world. But those who are afraid of heights or can walk badly should leave it alone. The tickets include a guided tour of the dome as well as a visit to the Cathedral with the Baptistery of Florence, the Cathedral Tower of Florence, the Cathedral Museum, etc. >>> On this link you can find the tickets with guided tour to the dome of Florence Cathedral.


text:
IGP Adamu Announces That The Training Of The Replacement Unit For SARS Will Commence Next Week, And Members Of The Public Will Be Involved
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu, has on Monday, said that the training of a new Police Unit to replace the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, will commence next week,
He promised to investigate all cases of brutality by SARS Operatives, and bring the perpetrators to book.
The IGP spoke when David Adeleke, aka Davido, a Nigerian Superstar Singer, visited him at the Force Headquarters, in Abuja, over the ongoing #EndSARS protests.
He said that with SARS being disbanded, there is need to set up a new structure to carry out the duties of the defunct Police Unit, which is the fighting of violent crimes.
The IGP noted that the new outfit would be intelligence-driven, properly trained, and only act on occasions that required their attention.
He stated that the Unit would be made up of fresh Personnel with a new orientation, and not Officers from the scrapped Unit.
According to the IGP, opportunities would be created for members of the public to make inputs into the formation of the new Unit.
He however, called for calm, noting that, Davido's visit to talk about the issue, was the best way to deal with the current problem.
His words: "We just disbanded (SARS) yesterday (Sunday), so protesters should calm down and give us time to fix the problem. The general public will be part of the process of getting a new outfit.
"I am talking to you so, I will keep talking to many others, and get civil societies involved, and get their input towards the new Unit."
More news later…


text:
In Rodney Reed case, man defense says is real killer takes stand
▶ Watch Video: Rodney Reed's mother reacts to her son's stay of execution
Lawyers for Rodney Reed, a Black man who maintains he was wrongfully convicted in the 1996 murder of a White woman, called a man they claim is the victim's real killer to testify during an evidence hearing on Thursday.
Reed has spent decades on death row after he was sentenced to die in the murder of 19-year-old Stacey Stites in Bastrop, Texas, but the state's highest court issued a stay days before his scheduled execution in November of 2019. As his execution date loomed, the case gained national attention. Nearly 3 million people signed a petition urging clemency and high-profile figures such as Kim Kardashian West, Rihanna, Beyonce, Meek Mill and Oprah voiced support for Reed.
Stacey Stites, left, and Rodney Reed, right.
CBS Austin
The Court of Criminal Appeals remanded the case back to the trial court to weigh whether Reed deserves a new trial.
Reed has said he was having an affair with Stites and had consensual sex with her the day before her death, but he has long denied killing her.
In the Bastrop County court hearing that began Monday, lawyers for Reed have been introducing evidence and testimony in an attempt to implicate Stites' fiancé, Jimmy Fennell, a White former police officer. Fennell, who later served time in prison for kidnapping a woman while on duty, on Thursday denied having anything to do with Stites' murder.
"I know the truth is going to come out," said Fennell, reports CBS Austin's Bettie Cross. "I'm on the side of Stacey."
At Reed's 1998 trial, prosecutors claimed Stites spent an evening at home with Fennell before she left and drove to work, and during the drive, they said Reed intercepted her, raped and strangled her and left her body in a remote area. They cited Reed's sperm found inside Stites' body as evidence of Reed's guilt.
Reed's defense team says the small amount of sperm found inside Stites' body actually supports Reed's claim that the two had consensual sex the day before she died. During the hearing this week, Reed's defense called two forensic experts who testified that the state of Stites' body indicated she was killed hours earlier than prosecutors claimed, at a time when she was at home with Fennell.
Grilled by Reed's defense attorney Andrew MacRae about the testimony, Fennell said of the experts, "Both of them are lying."
Jimmy Fennell
Reed's defense earlier in the week called witnesses who described a volatile relationship between Stites and Fennell. One witness said he saw Fennell "screaming" at Stites in the parking lot of the grocery store where she worked, Cross reports. Another witness, a former co-worker, said she saw fingerprint-like bruises on Stites' wrists, "like someone grabbed her and pulled her." Another co-worker reportedly said Fennell was "very jealous and very controlling, threatening," and that Stites wasn't sure she wanted to go through with their wedding, which was days away.
Other witnesses said they had seen Stites and Reed together at the grocery store. One former co-worker, Alicia Slater, testified Stites "said she was not excited to get married because [Stites was] sleeping with a Black man named Rodney," Cross reports.
Reed's defense also called a man who was once incarcerated with Fennell, who said Fennell had confessed to killing Stites. The man, Arthur Snow, said he had been involved in the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang and that Fennell asked him for protection. Snow claimed Fennell told him, "You wouldn't believe how easily a belt would break when you strangle a n——loving whore." The belt that was used to strangle Stites was found in two pieces.
Another man who was formerly jailed with Fennell, Michael Bordelon, testified that Fennell told him: "I took care of the problem. I took care of her and that damn n—– is going to do the time. The problem has been taken care of."
Testifying Thursday, Fennell denied that Stites and Reed were having an affair, and said the testimony from the former inmates and Stites' co-workers was untruthful.
When MacRae told Fennell, "A reasonable person could conclude that it was you who killed Miss Stites, not Rodney Reed," Fennell replied, "No."
"A reasonable person could conclude that it was you who killed Miss Stites, not Rodney Reed," said Reed's defense attorney Andrew MacRae. "No," said Jimmy Fennell. "They're just telling what they think they heard. They're lies."
— Bettie Cross (@BettieCrossTV) July 22, 2021
An attorney for Fennell has questioned why the witnesses waited so long to come forward, and pointed to past assault allegations against Reed, including a 1987 rape in which he was acquitted. Thursday, Fennell said Stites "deserved to live a happy life" and that he felt responsible for her death because "I didn't get up and take her to work."
"I was a police officer and I couldn't even protect my own family," he said.
When asked by prosecutors why he didn't marry Stites, Fennell replied, "Because Rodney Reed murdered her," evoking an audible response from Reed's supporters in the courtroom.
Prosecutors have maintained that Reed murdered Stites and said there was no error in his original trial. In an opening statement for the prosecution Monday, Lisa Tanner, an assistant Texas attorney general, said there's no proof of a "secret affair," Cross reported. Tanner said Reed's attorneys have had four different versions of what happened the night of Stites' murder, and said prosecutors are defending Stites' honor against their latest theory.
"Our evidence is not new and not anything we haven't been saying for 25 years," Tanner said.
A judge is not immediately expected to rule after the two-week hearing over whether Reed deserves a new trial. A final decision will ultimately be handed down by the appeals court.


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Women's Interpros
Provincial Statistics
Two New Signings For Ulster
Ulster Rugby have confirmed that Callum Black and Mike McComish will join the squad in the summer, ahead of the start of the 2011/12 season.
Callum Black is an Irish-qualified prop who is currently contracted with English Championship side Worcester Warriors. He was born in America and raised in England where he attended Hartpury College.
The 25-year-old is Irish-qualified through his paternal grandfather who was originally from Belfast and through the Exiles, he has represented Ireland at Under-18, Under-19 and Under-21 level.
He joined the Worcester Academy straight from college and burst onto the senior scene towards the end of the 2008/09 season.
In all he has made 50 appearances in the front row for the club and has had loan spells at both Otley and Plymouth.
Commenting on his move to Ulster, Black said: "This is a new and exciting challenge for me. I'm at the stage in my career where I'm looking to really push on and I'm really looking forward to playing in the Magners League and Heineken Cup.
"I've watched Ulster this season and been very impressed with how the team is developing and I'm looking forward to being part of that.
"My goal is to establish myself in the Ulster team and then try to force my way into the Ireland set-up."
Mike McComish will join Ulster from Connacht where he has played for the past two seasons. He is an accomplished number 8 but can play anywhere in the back row.
A former Development player within the Ulster squad, he had spells with both Rotherham and Otley in England before joining Connacht ahead of the 2009/10 season.
McComish attended Campbell College and went on to impress with Ballymena in the upper reaches of the All-Ireland League.
The 27-year-old has played for Ireland at Under-21 level and also represented the Ireland Sevens side at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Hong Kong in 2005.
Ulster's Operations Director David Humphreys said: "We're delighted to announce that Callum and Mike will be joining us and strengthening our squad ahead of next season.
"Having spent the last few seasons with Connacht, Mike has gained a lot of Magners League experience, while Callum has experience from the Premiership, the Championship as well as the LV= and Amlin Challenge Cup competitions and so will be a very useful addition to our front row."
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Meghan Markle's deleted Instagram posts show her life before she became a member of the Royal Family
By Rebbekah Wiltons, Jan 15, 2018
There's no question Meghan is a woman of elegance and grace, who she pours her heart into the roles she'd played on screen and the humanitarian work she's done and will continue to do in her capacity as duchess. That said, until her wedding she was a living quite a different existence. We're here for Meghan in all her incarnations, though, and so, without further ado, here are some of the Duchess of Sussex's most private and intimate moments, gone from her social media platforms but forever in our hearts.
The real Meghan Markle
Ever since her first appearance in Suits in 2011, Meghan Markle has been the source of much affection – and it's not hard to see why. From her natural acting talent to her beautiful appearance and celebrity status, the newly minted royal has amassed a whopping 3 million followers on Instagram.
In the past, she has shared snippets of her life before her engagement to Prince Harry. Yet, sometimes she's shared a little bit too much, and we can't imagine ol' Queen Liz will be too happy about the amount of skin that Meghan is showing in this picture, though as her fans and readers, we think she looks great.
Like most celebrities, Meghan Markle spends most of her free time traveling the world and exploring new and exotic places – not that we're jealous or anything. However, Meghan has the perfect reason to luxuriate: as the creator of her own blog, The Tig, Meghan used her travel opportunities to update her blog and her followers.
During a visit to Greece, Meghan took this hydrating photograph of herself with the ocean in the background. We can't imagine Meghan will be drinking any more of this stuff when she gets hitched. Tea and crumpets are probably next on the menu for her, as opposed to drinking a refreshing ice cold beer on the beach.
Slick selfies
One of the best things we love about celebrities is that we have all have something in common. After all, who DOESN'T love to take a selfie?
Just a month before her fairytale meeting with Prince Harry, Meghan posted this slick selfie on her Instagram page, which resulted in a hefty liking spree from her followers. Unfortunately, we won't be seeing any more of these anytime soon, as it's against the royal rules to take selfies. Apparently, the Queen thinks they're "strange," which, come to think of it, they kind of are?
During her star turn on the hit series Suits, Meghan was also reigning supreme on her blog, The Tig, where she posted weekly updates on her life, her health, wellbeing, as well as fashion and style.
It's no secret that Meghan is a woman of natural elegance and beauty, but we can't imagine this look would go down well in Buckingham Palace. In fact, members of the royal family are never seen in casual clothing, as they are expected to be well presented at all times. Even Prince George has to wear tailored trousers around the house!
Tequila time
Thanks to her impressive net worth (allegedly around $5 million), Meghan Markle has been able to enjoy the finer things in life and has often taken herself and her friends on beautiful summer holidays to the likes of Ibiza.
In August 2016, the now-Duchess did just that and spent the evenings on the White Isle drinking Tequila sodas with her best pals and watching the sunset in front of them. However, we reckon Meghan might have to change her drink of choice, unless the Queen loves a good Tequila Slammer, of course…
A flirty loungewear package
We love nothing more than getting home after a long day, getting into our pajamas, and sitting down to watch a good movie, and it seems Meghan Markle is no different. Nevertheless, it seems our pajamas of choice are a little different.
While we get ours from the local Walmart or Target, Meghan seems to get cheeky packages from expensive loungewear brands. Somehow, we just can't imagine this parcel turning up on the doorstep of their newlywed home in Nottingham Cottage.
A sultry selfie
If you happened to catch Meghan Markle's now-disabled Instagram page, you would have noticed this photograph as her profile picture.
Compete with a sultry pose, tussled hair and some pretty white sheets; we can't imagine this selfie was not taken in the presence of Prince Harry, the Queen, or any other royal. This photograph has amassed nearly 50,000 likes – but we might not be seeing another photo like this in the future.
The mirror selfie
Although it's gone slightly out of fashion, the mirror selfie is still a firm favorite for those who love to take a good selfie, and Meghan has taken a fair few in her lifetime.
With a pouty look, some fluffy slippers and a cool-looking apartment in the background, Meghan took the world by storm when she posted this selfie. With the rustic mirror revealing a comfy dining room – and Meghan's cute pose – we think this shot's a classic.
Always the bridesmaid
We know Meghan looks plenty royal in this photo, but it was actually taken during her pre-duchess days. As a bridesmaid at a friend's wedding, she was ravishing in a blush-colored gown.
Sadly, it's photos like this that are now gone – since royal rules dictate that Meghan must disable her private social media status forever, Meghan has put her private online presence behind her, bridesmaid dresses and all.
What a poser
Since she stumbled into the limelight, Meghan has always been impeccably dressed. No matter which red carpet she walked down, no matter which event she attended, and no matter which Michelin-star restaurant she dined at, she was more than happy to share her outfit choices with her Instagram followers.
However, with a new royal status come new rules, which means Meghan will have to be properly and elegantly dressed at all time, and keep her posture perfect – which means poses like this won't be allowed.
Sleep Sweet
In an Instagram post in June 2016, Meghan Markle proved that she was not shy in front of the camera.
Uploading a beautiful full-face selfie, Meghan showed off her natural glow and her glistening smile – but it seems Meghan will have to learn how to be more reserved as she enters into her new life with Prince Harry. As a rule, the Royal Family have to lead a relatively quiet life, which means she won't be able to post selfies like this one, or even sign autographs for her fans.
A deleted photo
Although Meghan still has kept most of her Instagram photographs on her account, she did get in hot water when one of her co-stars posted a saucy picture of her… and quickly deleted it.
In August 2017, Patrick J. Adams decided to post a throwback photograph of himself with his Suits co-star, our girl Markle, to his Instagram page. According to the actor, he posted the old photograph of the pair of them on set, before placing his phone on silent and going to bed. However, he did not expect the backlash that ensued…
A quick peck
The photograph in question featured a selfie of both Patrick and Meghan and saw Meghan kissing her co-star on the cheek. On his social media page, Patrick captioned the photograph with the innocent "Ross and Rachel – the next generation."
Unfortunately, fans of Meghan and the Royal Family were not impressed with his choice of photo, or his choice of words. Before too long, online trolls bombarded his post with negative comments and insults, and his post was taken entirely out of context.
Strutting her stuff
One of the main reasons we love following Meghan Markle is of her coveted way of life. While we don't want to be an actor or actress, the riches that come with it don't seem too bad.
That way, we could go on incredible vacations and strut our stuff on chilled out verandas with a cocktail in our hands. Ahhh, that's the life! However, we can't imagine we'll be kept up to date on Meghan's upcoming vacation destinations, as a royal vacation is slightly different from what we're used to…
Coming from a humble background, Meghan Markle has always been immensely gracious of the life that she is lucky to lead, and has often filled her Instagram posts with updates on her life and her career.
In recent years, she has posted numerous photographs of herself on the set of movies, TV shows, and talk shows – and of course, she always looks fabulous. Yet, with a new hectic schedule ready and raring to go, we doubt Meghan will be stepping foot in one of these trailers again.
Journey to the past
Since Meghan Markle's relationship with Prince Harry, the actress and humanitarian has been under intense scrutiny. In fact, as only the second divorcee to marry into the Royal Family, Meghan is somewhat of an anomaly – which means we ALL want to know more about her and her past.
Luckily, her Instagram feed is the best journey into the past and features numerous up close and personal photographs from her first marriage to Trevor Engelson. We bet he's kicking himself right now.
Another man
However, Trevor Engelson isn't the only man who has been adorning her Instagram feed. A few years ago, Meghan posted this saucy snap of herself cuddling into a (very) handsome man at an event.
This photograph caused a media storm after her engagement, with many questioning her intentions with the Prince. Nevertheless, those close to the Duchess were quick to note that the man in the photograph, Markus Anderson, is Meghan's best friend and the mutual friend who introduced the couple in the first place. Phew.
Just hanging out
Alongside her snaps with eligible men, Meghan's Instagram has also been littered with pictures of herself and her friends enjoying the life of the rich and famous.
While traveling in Madrid with two of her pals, Meghan posted this snap which showed off her stunning figure and iconic style. However, with a new royal schedule to adhere to and a new royal title under her belt, we can't imagine that Meghan will be checking out the Italian side-streets anytime soon.
Fruity fingers
Throughout her acting and lifestyle blogging career, Meghan Markle has been known for her sense of humor and entertaining personality – and she has loved to show this through her social media pages.
In this hilarious post a few years ago, Meghan topped her fingers off with berries and posed for a photograph. Although this was a way to get a few laughs, she might want to adopt this look in the future if she ever wears dark nail varnish in front of the Queen, since "unnatural" nail color is a big no-no in the Windsor household.
An intimate relationship
Suits fans will know the intimate relationship Meghan Markle has with her then-co-star, but they'll also know that it's all for the cameras. On the show, Meghan's character Rachel Zane has a heated relationship with Patrick's character, Mike Ross – but in reality, they are just friends.
As soon as Patrick posted the throwback photo, trolls were quick to believe that Patrick was in competition for her attention. To avoid all of the negative press and to avoid speculation around himself and Meghan, he deleted the photograph.
Like the rest of us, Meghan loves nothing more than unwinding from work, and chilling out with her friends and family – or even embarking on a solo trip to truly take her mind away from the hustle and bustle of set life.
In this photo she uploaded to her Instagram page, Meghan made no secret of the fact that she was getting pretty into the vacation way of life. After all, a balanced diet is a glass in each hand! However, as her Duchess duties take over, carefree trips like this may be fewer than she's used to.
Chilling out
Although The Tig is no longer up and running, Meghan Markle used her lifestyle blog to check out new and exciting places around the world.
In her blog, she wrote about travel and other topics and made sure she knew firsthand what she was talking about. For research purposes, of course. In one of the many travel-related posts on her social media pages, Meghan posted this chilled out snapshot of one of her trips. Is this their honeymoon destination, perhaps?
If you've been following Meghan Markle on Instagram for a while now, you'll know that she's a huge dog lover.
For many years, Meghan has been the proud owner of two dogs – a Beagle named Guy, and a Labrador-Shepherd mix named Bogart – and has posted numerous photos of herself cuddled up on the couch with them in the past. This love of dogs will come in handy when she visits Queen Elizabeth and her Corgi mixes at Buckingham Palace! Let's hope they like her.
Tucking in
As well as updating her fans on her vacation pictures, Meghan also likes to post about food – because really, who doesn't? Although this looks like a yummy dish, it's probably not what she'll be eating for the rest of her life.
With weird and wacky culinary rules to abide by, members of the Royal Family are under strict instructions at the dinner table. Noodles and pasta are off the Buckingham Palace menu, and it's also tradition that once the Queen has stopped eating, EVERYBODY stops eating. Even if they're mid crumpet.
After posting this snapshot of her vacation on Instagram, many people were wondering where she was, and where she was planning to go next.
Although she was probably going back to her swanky hotel to get ready for a night of fun and laughter with her friends, there could always be the chance that she was going to have a quick power nap before the night began. Unfortunately, it was probably one of the last naps she will have – at least officially – as going to bed before the Queen is thought to be strictly forbidden.
Vacation envy
Over the course of her Instagram streak, Meghan Markle has made millions of us jealous thanks to her perfect vacation snaps.
From the impressive backdrop to the crystal clear water in the background, the drinks on the table, to her outfit, it all looks absolutely magnificent. In the past, Meghan has taken trips by herself, but it seems she won't be able to continue this after her wedding day, as women are not allowed to travel by themselves. What a shame!
Bedtime antics
Like most of us on social media, we often take photographs of random moments that make us happy. For the most part, we love to share these snapshots with our nearest and dearest, to give them a little insight into our lives, and spread a little joy.
It's believed that Meghan wanted to do the same when she shared this candid photograph on her Instagram page, while she sat in bed in a silky negligee. Unfortunately, we can't imagine she'll be posting any more of these photos anytime soon.
The royal treatment
Although many of us dream of marrying into a royal family and becoming a real-life princess, there is so much more to it than simply wearing a tiara and ball gown 24/7, and bossing people around!
There are numerous aspects of the royal life that takes a lot of getting used to – but it seems that Meghan Markle is already getting into the spirit of things. In this quirky Instagram post, Meghan showed the world that she is ready to sit in her bedchambers and rule the world!
It's no secret that black is a hugely flattering color, and Meghan is no stranger to wearing black and taking suggestive photographs such as this one.
With the high slit and the revealing pose, we bet this is the last time Meghan will wear such a dress – though she should definitely wear this color again. In fact, it is a royal requirement for every member of the Royal Family to have a ready-to-wear funeral outfit with them during every trip to prepare them for any sudden deaths. How lovely.
Snapchat filters
Like most people in this day and age, Meghan Markle is no stranger to Snapchat. In fact, she has often publicized her Snapchat name on her social media channels and wowed her adoring fans with cute filters, including the hugely popular dog filter.
Meghan posted this dog selfie a couple of years ago, but we can imagine the Queen suggesting she delete the app from her phone. Unless she wants Meghan to snap pictures of her and her Corgis, which we would totally appreciate.
As the Duchess of Sussex, all of Meghan's social media activity are now run by a royal social media manager, who controls every post and comment to go public from it.
In fact, Meghan has already joined Prince Harry, William and Kate on the Kensington Royal social media channels. As for her own, Instagram page, well, Meghan hasn't posted anything there since this collage was uploaded in April…
Feeling cheeky
During her Instagram reign, Duchess Meghan (has a nice ring to it) proved that she had a playful side to her, and many of her photos depicted her adorable smile, her playground antics, and her lovable personality.
Unfortunately, this photograph wasn't taken before Prince Harry popped the question, which means her priceless engagement ring is missing from her ring finger. Good thing, too, because we haven't got our sunglasses on, and that thing packs some serious bling. Fun fact: Meghan's engagement ring features an impressive center diamond from Botswana, while the two side diamonds are from Princess Diana's personal collection…
Over the course of her career, Meghan has made no secret of the fact that she luuuuurves freshly cut flowers – though really, who doesn't?
However, one does not simply walk down the street in pajamas and pick up a bouquet or two. Oh, no. One must dress to the nines in a chic outfit, sunglasses, and designer purse that are fit for a princess (or duchess). Wonder if this new royal will fill her new marital abode with a few of her favorite things?
Although she is a mega superstar and loved by millions of people across the globe, Meghan Markle has also proved that she is incredibly down to earth, and one of the common folk. She has shown this numerous times through her Instagram posts and posted ordinary photos like this one to her feed.
Because really, who hasn't posed next to a giant turkey at one point or another? (Okay, we totally haven't) Unfortunately, it seems as though Meghan will soon be swapping barbecued turkey for pheasant, or swan, or something equally as fancy.
#NoBadEnergy
It's no secret that Meghan Markle is a woman of great intelligence and awareness of the world – but that doesn't mean she can't get down with the kids and enjoy a good hashtag every now and then, does it?!
Previously, Meghan posted this #NoBadEnergy photograph to all of her followers, alongside some pretty adorable kitten pumps. Unfortunately, there are some royalists who may struggle to accept Meghan into the British Monarchy, so she might have to endure a little bad energy, though with her own fortitude and Harry by her side, we want to believe she'll be able to manage.
Little pumpkin pie
Like almost everyone else in the world, Meghan Markle enjoys her life and all of the various holidays Americans annually celebrate. She celebrates everything from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Easter and even Halloween with style – and keeps her fans up to date with her holiday antics.
Although we bet she loved sticking this pumpkin on her head and posing for the camera, as a Brit, we can't imagine ol' Liz spending All Hallow's Eve carving a pumpkin and leaving it outside Buckingham Palace for trick-or-treaters.
A Grecian Goddess
Over the course of her career, Meghan Markle has worked extremely hard to get where she has in life and celebrates her success with a vacation or two (okay, a vacation or ten).
No matter where she goes in the world, she will always take cheeky snaps of herself in front of Instagram-worthy backdrops and stylish outfits. However, her upcoming vacations will include tours of war-stricken and impoverished countries, so she might not get the chance to "do it for the 'Gram."
A man in uniform
Despite the fact that Prince Harry might be a few names down the heir to the throne list, he has proved that he is the perfect prince through his subsequent actions.
Sure, he may have been a *little* bit of a player during his younger years, but he also put time and energy into serving his country within the military. Luckily, Meghan has a soft spot for the armed forces (and a man in uniform), as she posted this little snap during a USO tour in 2015.
Dorothy on the streets
Although many of Meghan Markle's Instagram photos have shown off her compassion and her beauty, she has posted a few photographs that have raised a few eyebrows – including this one.
After taking a photograph of a bearded man in a sweatshirt that reads "Dorothy on the streets, Blanche in the sheets" many fans have speculated that the unknown man could, in fact, be Prince Harry himself. However, we doubt his grandmother would be too happy to see this strewn across the internet.
One last hurrah
Many believed there was a chance that Meghan Markle could keep her social media channels to herself – but it seems that she wasn't granted this royal privilege.
In January 2018, Meghan's Instagram page was officially deleted from the social media platform, and it seems as though the farewell to her Tig followers was her last hurrah as a non-royal. Well, goodbye Meghan Markle's Instagram, it's been a great run. We hope to see you in the future on the royal social media pages – although it just won't be the same.
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Mats Sundin: Where Are You?
Published by Eric Brown on April 30, 2009
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Bustard's Funeral Director's and Crematory
Send Flowers for Roger
Roger Lynn Strom
October 12, 1955 ~ January 5, 2021 (age 65)
Roger Lynn Strom passed peacefully on January 5th, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah from an unexpected, catastrophic, brain hemorrhage. In his last moments he was comforted by his wife and kids, listening to their favorite love songs. Born on October 12, 1955 in Chadron, NE, he was the youngest son to Betty Tarquis (Strom) and Dale Strom. He grew up in Chadron and graduated from Chadron High School in 1974. He married his first wife, Deana, and they welcomed their son, Randy. Years later he divorced Deana, but his love story did not end. He moved to Casper from Nebraska and met Susie Litzinger. He remarried in 1989. Roger and Susie then had three wonderful daughters, Nickole, Samantha, and Alexis. They lived their many happy years in Casper, Wyoming,
He spent his 45 year career selling industrial electrical supplies working for various companies - Roberts Electric (Chadron, NE), Modern Electric (Casper, WY), Zimmerman Electric (Scottsbluff, NE), Ryall/Rexel (Casper, WY). He retired in July of 2019, but met and developed many friendships in his time traveling the state of Wyoming. Roger was a great provider for his family and spent many weekends next to a football field, wrestling mat, track, or volleyball court. He loved spending time with his family at the lake, reading books, working in the yard, watching a good movie, having backyard beers or driveway drinks with his "drinking problems - Nick, Sam, and Lex." Roger sought to give his family his time and his best self. He was a loving son, brother, husband, father, uncle, grandpa, friend and Dude to many. He will be missed and never forgotten.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his father in law, and brother in law. Roger is survived by his wife and forever love, Susie; his son, Randy (Hilary), of Gering, Nebraska; his daughter, Nickole, of Casper; his daughter, Sammi, of Casper; and his daughter, Lexi (Trent), of Casper; his grandchildren, Emma, Ella, and Evan, of Gering, NE; and grandson, Austin/Little Dude, of Casper. Roger is also survived by his three older brothers and younger sister, along with many nieces and nephews.
Thank you to everyone that prayed and sent well wishes to the family during this difficult time. Roger will be missed by many for the fun loving, caring man that he was. The family would like you to join them for his celebration of life at Highland Park Community Church in Casper, Wyoming on Saturday, January 16, at 10am. A reception will follow at the Casper Events Center in the Summit Room until 4 pm.. Flowers can be sent to the office at Highland Park Community Church. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in Roger's name at Hilltop National Bank for a charity to be later determined by his family.
Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bustard & Jacoby Funeral Home, 600 CY Avenue, Casper, WY 82601.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Roger Lynn Strom, please visit our floral store.
Highland Park Community Church, Casper, Wyoming
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The most important thing when it comes to giving birth is that you should be as fit as you possibly can. Of course this is not as vital if you are not giving natural birth, but if you are the fitter you are the easier you will find it.
One wants it to be a pleasant experience and remember it for the beauty of it rather than for the pain you endured afterwards.
From the moment you hear the news that you are to become a parent you should make an asserted effort to take extra care of yourself. This means that you should refrain from all the substances that can harm your unborn baby such as smoking and drinking. Instead of this you should take to eating healthily and drinking as much water as possible.
Every pregnancy is different and even if you are having your second or third child it is still going to be taxing on your body. This means that you have to do everything you can to prepare the body for the final day. One will also have to be mentally ready for this and you should do as much reading and research as possible to make it easier on the day.
The first few days after the birth are the days he will be bonding with you. This is a bond that will last for a life time. Should you not take care of yourself and become ill you will not be there for him when he needs you.
Prenatal yoga Pittsburgh sessions are a very good idea as the not only prepare you for the day, but they also help you with the breathing technique. After he is born, you can still proceed with the fitness exercises as they will keep you in tone and help you to regain your pre-pregnancy shape.


A UART, universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter is responsible for performing the main task in serial communications with computers. The device changes incomming parallel information to serial data which can be sent on a communication line. A second UART can be used to receive the information. The UART performs all the tasks, timing, parity checking, etc. needed for the communication. The only extra devices attached are line driver chips capable of transforming the TTL level signals to line voltages and vice versa.
To use the UART in different environments, registers are accessible to set or review the communication parameters. Setable parameters are for example the communication speed, the type of parity check, and the way incomming information is signalled to the running software.
Serial communication on PC compatibles started with the 8250 UART in the IBM XT. In the years after, new family members were introduced like the 8250A and 8250B revisions and the 16450. The last one was first implemented in the AT. The higher bus speed in this computer could not be reached by the 8250 series. The differences between these first UART series were rather minor. The most important property changed with each new release was the maximum allowed speed at the processor bus side.
The 16450 was capable of handling a communication speed of 38.4 kbs without problems. The demand for higher speeds led to the development of newer series which would be able to release the main processor from some of its tasks. The main problem with the original series was the need to perform a software action for each single byte to transmit or receive. To overcome this problem, the 16550 was released which contained two on-board FIFO buffers, each capable of storing 16 bytes. One buffer for incomming, and one buffer for outgoing bytes.
A marvellous idea, but it didn't work out that way. The 16550 chip contained a firmware bug which made it impossible to use the buffers. The 16550A which appeared soon after was the first UART which was able to use its FIFO buffers. This made it possible to increase maximum reliable communication speeds to 115.2 kbs. This speed was necessary to use effectively modems with on-board compression. A further enhancment introduced with the 16550 was the ablity to use DMA, direct memory access for the data transfer. Two pins were redefined for this purpose. DMA transfer is not used with most applications. Only special serial I/O boards with a high number of ports contain sometimes the necessary extra circuitry to make this feature work.
The 16550A is the most common UART at this moment. Newer versions are under development, including the 16650 which contains two 32 byte FIFO's and on board support for software flow control. Texas Instruments is developing the 16750 which contains 64 byte FIFO's.
Eight I/O bytes are used for each UART to access its registers. The following table shows, where each register can be found. The base address used in the table is the lowest I/O port number assigned. The switch bit DLAB can be found in the line control register LCR as bit 7 at I/O address base + 3.
The communication between the processor and the UART is completely controlled by twelve registers. These registers can be read or written to check and change the behaviour of the communication device. Each register is eight bits wide. On a PC compatible, the registers are accessible in the I/O address area. The function of each register will be discussed here in detail.
The RBR, receiver buffer register contains the byte received if no FIFO is used, or the oldest unread byte with FIFO's. If FIFO buffering is used, each new read action of the register will return the next byte, until no more bytes are present. Bit 0 in the LSR line status register can be used to check if all received bytes have been read. This bit wil change to zero if no more bytes are present.
The THR, transmitter holding register is used to buffer outgoing characters. If no FIFO buffering is used, only one character can be stored. Otherwise the amount of characters depends on the type of UART. Bit 5 in the LSR, line status register can be used to check if new information must be written to THR. The value 1 indicates that the register is empty. If FIFO buffering is used, more than one character can be written to the transmitter holding register when the bit signals an empty state. There is no indication of the amount of bytes currently present in the transmitter FIFO.
The transmitter holding register is not used to transfer the data directly. The byte is first transferred to a shift register where the information is broken in single bits which are sent one by one.
The smartest way to perform serial communications on a PC is using interrupt driven routines. In that configuration, it is not necessary to poll the registers of the UART periodically for state changes. The UART will signal each change by generating a processor interrupt. A software routine must be present to handle the interrupt and to check what state change was responsible for it.
Interrupts are not generated, unless the UART is told to do so. This is done by setting bits in the IER, interrupt enable register. A bit value 1 indicates, that an interrupt may take place.
A UART is capable of generating a processor interrupt when a state change on the communication device occurs. One interrupt signal is used to call attention. This means, that additional information is needed for the software before the necessary actions can be performed. The IIR, interrupt identification register is helpful in this situation. Its bits show the current state of the UART and which state change caused the interrupt to occur.
The FCR, FIFO control register is present starting with the 16550 series. This register controls the behaviour of the FIFO's in the UART. If a logical value 1 is written to bits 1 or 2, the function attached is triggered. The other bits are used to select a specific FIFO mode.
The LCR, line control register is used at initialisation to set the communication parameters. Parity and number of data bits can be changed for example. The register also controls the accessibility of the DLL and DLM registers. These registers are mapped to the same I/O port as the RBR, THR and IER registers. Because they are only accessed at initialisation when no communication occurs this register swapping has no influence on performance.
The UART is capable of generating a trailing bit at the end of each dataword which can be used to check some data distortion. Because only one bit is used, the parity system is capable of detecting only an odd number of false bits. If an even number of bits has been flipped, the error will not be seen.
When even parity is selected, the UART assures that the number of high bit values in the sent or received data is always even. Odd parity setting does the opposite. Using stick parity has very little use. It sets the parity bit to always 1, or always 0.
The MCR, modem control register is used to perform handshaking actions with the attached device. In the original UART series including the 16550, setting and resetting of the control signals must be done by software. The new 16750 is capable of handling flow control automatically, thereby reducing the load on the processor.
The two auxiliary outputs are user definable. Output 2 is sometimes used in circuitry which controls the interrupt process on a PC. Output 1 is normally not used, however on some I/O cards, it controls the selection of a second oscillator working at 4 MHz. This is mainly for MIDI purposes.
The LSR, line status register shows the current state of communication. Errors are reflected in this register. The state of the receive and transmit buffers is also available.
Bit 5 and 6 both show the state of the transmitting cycle. The difference is, that bit 5 turns high as soon as the transmitter holding register is empty whereas bit 6 indicates that also the shift register which outputs the bits on the line is empty.
The MSR, modem status register contains information about the four incomming modem control lines on the device. The information is split in two nibbles. The four most siginificant bits contain information about the current state of the inputs where the least significant bits are used to indicate state changes. The four LSB's are reset, each time the register is read.
The SCR, scratch register was not present on the 8250 and 8250B UART. It can be used to store one byte of information. In practice, it has only limited use. The only real use I know of is checking if the UART is a 8250/8250B, or a 8250A/16450 series. Because the 8250 series are only found in XT's even this use of the register is not commonly seen anymore.
For generating its timing information, each UART uses an oscillator generating a frequency of about 1.8432 MHz. This frequency is divided by 16 to generate the time base for communucation. Because of this division, the maximum allowed communication speed is 115200 bps. Modern UARTS like the 16550 are capable of handling higher input frequencies up to 24 MHz which makes it possible to communicate with a maximum speed of 1.5 Mbps. On PC's higher frequencies than the 1.8432 MHz are rarely seen because this would be software incompatible with the original XT configuration.
This 115200 bps communication speed is not suitable for all applications. To change the communication speed, the frequency can be further decreased by dividing it by a programmable value. For very slow communications, this value can go beyond 255. Therefore, the divisor is stored in two seperate bytes, the divisor latch registers DLL and DLM which contain the least, and most significant byte.
For error free communication, it is necessary that both the transmitting and receiving UART use the same time base. Default values have been defined which are commonly used. The table shows the most common values with the appropriate settings of the divisor latch bytes. Note that these values only hold for a PC compatible system where a clock frequency of 1.8432 MHz is used.
story or installment you were most anxious to read.


I first met Malka by reading her work (as one does), but then we got to hang out at a restaurant off Harvard Square during Vericon last year. Now she sends me all the best squid & technology news (sometimes simultaneously!). So glad to know her, and her wonderful book INFOMOCRACY, out today from Tor.com Publishing.
Malka Older is a writer, international relief and development consultant, and PhD candidate studying governance and disaster. During her travels she has eaten deep-fried scorpion, pregnant river snake, and raw horse, and occasionally won money or chocolate based on her tolerance for capsaicin. You can find her writing at Leveler, Bengal Lights, Tor.com, Sundog Lit, Capricious, Reservoir Lit, and in the anthologies Chasing Misery and My Cruel Invention.
Today, Malka visits to talk about her novel Infomocracy, out on June 7th from Tor.com.
Cast your vote! Buy Infomocracy Today!
Infomocracy is set some fifty years in the future, so food hasn't changed that much. There are some differences. Banana-honey-peanut butter sandwiches are now an expensive delicacy, given the rarity of honey and bananas, and termites are a reasonable choice of protein to fill an enchilada. But at its heart Infomocracy is a globe-trotting adventure story, and one of the joys of global adventure has to be the food.
The food (and drink) function as locators, not just in terms of giving the reader some local color, but also helping characters who travel almost constantly root themselves in their current reality. The food gives them something to look forward to and familiarity when they return. There are manakish in Beirut, okonomiyaki in Osaka, pigeon in mirabelle sauce in Paris, a chili-infused cocktail I'm particularly fond of at a specific bar in Jakarta, thosai in Chennai, and a brunch of kumquat mimosas and runny quail eggs dripping with hollandaise in New York City. Mostly, this is food that I was jonesing as I wrote each location. (Mostly. Not the pigeon, but yes the mirabelles; not the brunch, either, although it doesn't sound awful).
He turns his attention to his plate, heaped with rice, dhal, chicken curry, slithery fried eggs, cashew curry, mutton curry, okra curry, coconut sambal, and fried pappadam. His tongue is on fire, but it's a vibrant, deep-flavored fire. He downs half the ginger beer in the first swallow. It's almost as spicy as the food, but the peppering of its carbonation does something to quiet the chili sting.
The following recipe is nowhere near Sri Lankan food (or I wouldn't miss the island as badly as I do), but it does provide something vaguely reminiscent of it and also filling, nutritious, and comforting. In fact, it's less of a recipe than a strategy for cold nights after long days. Replace the vegetables with whatever you have on hand (including appropriate meats, if you want); spice to taste.
Heat oil in the pot. Crush in the garlic and the ginger (I usually put small pieces of ginger into my garlic crusher, but slicing it as thinly as you can is also fine). Add the onions, and sautée until translucent. Add the other vegetables (except for the leafy ones) and sauteé. Add a lot of cumin and curry powder, and a little cinnamon.
When the vegetables are cooked, add lentils, along with water per the directions on the lentil package (different types of lentils use different amounts, from 3x to 1x. Also, check beforehand if your lentils need to be rinsed). Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Add a lot of cinnamon, including a cinnamon stick if you have one, a lot of cumin, and a lot of curry, cover pot. Cook for the amount of time suggested on your lentil package, adding water if necessary (particularly if you like your lentils soupy). Feel free to repeat the spicing recommendations. If using leafy vegetables, add two to three minutes before finishing.
For extra bonus spice points, in a separate frying pan heat additional oil and add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Cook gently until they pop. If you like you can lightly sautée (without browning) some additional garlic with that too, then pour into lentils and mix just before serving.
Serve with good bread generously slathered with butter.
Visit the whole Book Bites larder… and the Cooking the Books pantry!


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Mobile Games and Trends that Define Android & iOS Gaming in 2022
Social isolation caused by the pandemic changed how we consumed mobile games: we wanted games that allowed us to connect with others. Today, we're still moving in the same direction. The demand for social features, online communities, and streaming is stronger than ever. Add to the picture the ongoing improvements in mobile hardware and you get a fascinating landscape - one that is evolving and expanding at neck-breaking speed.
Let's take a closer look at this ever-changing landscape to pinpoint the latest trends and see how developers can leverage them.
Mobile Gaming Trends in 2022
AAA-quality mobile experiences
The rapid increase in smartphone hardware capabilities and better internet connections means that more and more phones can run AAA-quality mobile games, so it's expected that we'll see more titles like this. At first sight, this seems great since it opens a lot of development possibilities. However, creating games that reach those stratospheric standards can put additional pressure on developers. Luckily, simpler games are still popular and can be very profitable if they use the right monetization strategy - more on this later.
Platform crossplay
Not only do we see more mobile games bordering PC quality, but there are also more and more games that offer crossplay. This means the game is available not only on mobile but also on PC and consoles. Some multiplayer games with crossplay even allow phone players to play with PC/console players. In the best cases, the gameplay experience is practically the same on mobile as on PC and consoles.
This is great to reach out to more players since not everyone has a PC or console but almost everyone has a phone. At the same time, some people who would never play on mobile often play on PC or consoles. Besides widening the audience, this also can increase the player's game time - for example, the player plays at home on his PC and then goes out and takes the bus, where he keeps playing the same game on the phone. This allows the player to play more, translating into a higher engagement and potentially more spending.
Genshin Impact is great example of a mobile title with both AAA-quality and crossplay capabilities. It's an open-world action RPG from late 2020 that offers practically the same gameplay experience on PC, PS4, PS5, and yes, Android and iOS. It was made by the Chinese studio miHoYo and it's been a massive success: during its first year it surpassed the staggering amount of $2 billion in revenue.
This title is free-to-play with a lootbox-based monetization system, which combined with its AAA looks and crossplay capabilities made it a big success among mobile and non-mobile players.
But if you go the crossplay way you need to carefully consider if it's worth it. Cross-platform development means optimizing your game for different platforms, which means increased development costs. Sometimes offering the same gameplay experience from PC/consoles to mobile is simply not possible. In these cases, some developers opt for creating spin-off versions optimized for mobile. These are reduced versions of the game, sometimes with different game mechanics, that that use the branding of the original game and reinforce it. Some popular examples of this are Pokémon GO or Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!
These spin-offs can effectively leverage a brand in order to extend the lifetime value of existing fans and also reach a much broader audience. Think of the case of Pokemon GO: Every Pokemon fan gave it a try, and many who wouldn't have played a console Pokemon game gave it a try because it was on mobile (and was free to play).
The effects of the new privacy policies on iOS
Changes in privacy policies in Apple devices in mid-2021 meant that users using iOS 14 had to agree to the trackers used by targeted advertising. This makes targeted advertising on iOS devices much more difficult for mobile developers, who typically relied on them to find new players. We still have to see the full consequences of this change, but some companies are still struggling to adapt to the change. What's important to keep in mind is that this might not be the last of these changes, so being flexible and open to adapting when it comes to user acquisition might save mobile developers a lot of headaches in the future.
Social features and stronger communities
While traditionally mobile games lacked in social features compared to PC and consoles, the social isolation caused by the pandemic made players favor games with these. And it seems that they're here to stay: nowadays, around two-thirds of the top 50 mobile games have social features like connecting to social media, PvP modes, or chats.
Social features generally improve user retention and make the experience more memorable - the human interaction becomes part of the game experience and the players associate them together. These can also encourage users to spend more. Take hangout rooms, for example. In some titles, these are an important social component that encourages players to purchase and show off their skins or gear.
The pandemic also magnified the need for online communities, including those around mobile games. The mobile developers that put enough effort into these are rewarded by more loyal players, which ultimately leads to a higher lifetime value per user. These benefits can help in compensating for the increased cost of finding new users caused by the policy changes in Apple devices I explained earlier. Focusing on keeping players around for longer through strong online communities can be a good way to compensate for the increased difficulty in finding new ones. Online communities need to be taken care of, so we'll probably see more studios hiring social media managers type of figures to take care of these.
Mobile live streaming
Along with social features and online communities, the pandemic translated into a boom in streaming and eSports. More and more people watch other people play, and this trend keeps increasing. While eSports is normally focused on popular titles, streaming can still be a big source of free promotion for less known games and it's great for community building. And as usual, the recommendations of influencer streamers to their audiences can bring in a lot of new players.
So what can be done to leverage this? The obvious step is to consider adding Twitch integration to make it easy to stream your game. However, other factors influence how good a game is for streaming. A game that's not only fun to play but fun to watch will get extra points in this department. Paying extra attention to your graphics can translate into more people sharing their gameplay with others. In short, games that are easy to stream and fun to watch will make the most out of this trend.
Hybrid monetization strategies
Good news: Players are playing longer than before and spending more than ever. But games have to choose their monetization strategy carefully. Analyzing the performance of your monetization strategy and iterating is key to making the most out of it. Hypercasual free-to-play games dominate lists of most downloaded games. In these, rewarded ads in in-app purchases are what is working best. Ads in general still work for all types of games, but rewarded ads are still the most effective type.
High Heels!
However, core games like PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact are dominating the charts when it comes to gross revenue. These rely mainly on in-app purchases, with an increase in titles offering subscriptions as an additional monetization tactic - expect to see more of these. Additionally, some of these core games are also starting to use in-game ads. This results in an interesting hybrid approach to monetization, relying on various methods at the same time. While this increases the complexity of the monetization strategy, it allows games to cater to different types of players with different preferences and make the most out of every user.
Fewer gaming store fees
There's a growing trend in marketplaces to charge fewer fees to developers. This was fueled by the case of Apple vs. Epic, in which Epic filed a lawsuit against Apple after the latter banned Fortnite from the App Store. This was triggered because a Fortnite update allowed players to pay for in-app purchases bypassing Apple's payment system (which included a 30% fee). What's most relevant to developers is that this legal battle opened the doors to discussions about more democratized marketplaces with fewer restrictions and fees. It's still early to tell how far this trend will go, but it seems likely that it will change things further.
More acquisitions in the gaming industry
The mobile gaming market keeps growing at a fast speed, with some Asian companies growing especially quickly. According to AppAnnie, China was the biggest market in 2021 in terms of revenue ($56 billion), followed by the United States ($43 billion) and Japan ($20 billion). Big companies have been acquiring mid-sized companies that have developed viable games and strategies instead of trying them on their own. The reason? It's a safer bet than experimenting themselves. This trend seems to continue, but the number of these mid-size companies is dwindling so the acquisitions might happen at higher prices.
The mobile market is a growing leviathan. It's being lifted to new heights by technological advancements, while still being shaped by the social impact of the pandemic. It seems we're geared towards an era of greater care for users where human interactions are a priority and player loyalty is more important than ever. Recent years have changed the desires of millions of players, and thus the industry is adapting to them - as it always will.
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