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Dallas Buyers Club – Musings on the Strategy of Prosecuting Customers to Protect Intellectual Property Rights
The movie Dallas Buyers Club made the headlines in 2014 when it garnered a slew of awards, most notably the Best Actor nod for its lead Matthew McConaughey and a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Jared Leto out of the six Academy Awards that it eventually won. This week, Dallas Buyers Club seems to be on everyone's lips again, but for entirely different reasons.
In a bold move to curb movie piracy, Dallas Buyers Club LLC ("DBC LLC") has brought the fight against illegal movie downloading to end-users. Sophisticated web-tracing techniques were used to track torrent networks and identify IP addresses connected to alleged illegal downloading activity. Thereafter, legal proceedings were initiated in various countries including Australia, the US and Singapore to compel internet service providers (ISPs) to hand over the particulars of customers identified with those IP addresses. Despite ISP's (sometimes vigorous) efforts to resist the disclosure of subscriber information, in most cases DBC LLC has been largely successful in obtaining the requisite court orders compelling the release of such information.
Having managed to secure this information from the ISPs in Singapore and Australia, DBC LLC has been reportedly sending letters of demand through its lawyers to the said customers asking them to propose a settlement offer for DBC LLC's consideration (in Singapore, at any rate). According to a Singapore Straits Times report dated 7 April 2015, it seems that DBC LLC may be going after as many as 4,700 users in Australia, 1,000 users in the United States and more than 500 users in Singapore.
With numbers like these, it is unsurprising that the internet has been abuzz with discussions surrounding DBC LLC's aggressive action. Various questions and issues have been thrown up in online forums and by news commentators as a result. These include:
the customers' rights to privacy and whether DBC LLC is entitled to their personal particulars, especially if they have not yet been shown to have infringed the rights in question;
the identity of the person downloading – whether DBC LLC can establish that the customer on record is in fact the person who actually performed the download, and not their children, a foreign domestic helper, a visitor to their home, or even a hacker making use of the customer's unsecured wi-fi connection, etc.;
the potential for excessive damages being sought;
whether DBC LLC is engaged in "speculative invoicing" (i.e. sending intimidating letters of demand to customers seeking significant sums for an alleged infringement) as it has been termed in the Australian proceedings that DBC LLC undertook against iiNet and other ISPs; and
whether DBC LLC is conducting selective prosecutions, since it has emerged that no action would be taken against servicemen, schools, halfway houses, welfare recipients and the mentally disabled, with Michael Wickstrom, Vice-President of Royalties and Music Administration at Voltage Pictures LLC in the Australian proceedings for Dallas Buyers Club infringements being quoted as saying "…that kind of press would ruin us".
These issues raise valid questions of fact and law, and the finer details of legal argument and evidentiary proof will no doubt be a fascinating and consuming topic on its own. However, I don't propose to weigh in on those points at all.
Rather, I would like to take this opportunity to consider a more pertinent question: "Are there better ways for rights-owners to protect their intellectual property instead of hauling individual users to court?"
Regardless of how DBC LLC's cases against the users turn out in the various jurisdictions, current public opinion on DBC LLC's actions is poor and likely to get worse, with comments from the online community and even some of the ISPs being largely unfavourable and in some cases downright critical. Even more worrying perhaps is the fact that some users are banding together on forums and forming organised groups against what they now perceive to be their common "enemy", sharing tips, tactics, resources and information with each other on how to defend themselves against legal action or to circumvent the law entirely and continue watching movies illegally on the Internet.
Mass prosecution of end-users for infringement is not a new phenomenon, and my observation is that actions like these tend to end badly for rights-owners from a public relations standpoint.
In Singapore for example, Virtual Map (Singapore) Pte Ltd, which licensed maps from the Singapore Land Authority, pursued actions against end-users for infringing the copyright asserted in their online maps whenever these end-users made copies of the maps for their own websites. A few years later, Odex Pte Ltd, a licensed distributor of anime, with the blessing of the rights-owners, brought legal proceedings against end-users for illegally downloading anime videos from file sharing and peer-to-peer sites. Both companies rightfully sought legal remedies against the infringers, often settling out of court for various amounts, but had to withstand severe criticism from the public and the online community for what was perceived as an overly-aggressive stance throughout the process. DBC LLC appears to be the latest company seeking to brave this well-worn path and as expected, the torches and pitchforks are out.
For the embattled rights-owner, it would therefore seem to be a case of lose-lose: even if the law is in their favour and they have a strong winnable legal case, they often fail in the court of public opinion. They are legitimately entitled to enforce their intellectual property rights, but always seem to be painted as the bad guys in the end. What else can they do?
In this writer's humble opinion, winning the hearts and minds of the customer and gaining more support for their enforcement efforts would be a good place to start. Here are three suggestions to help rights-owners win their battles without losing the war:
1. Bouquets, not Brickbats for the Customer
Consider a scenario where the rights-owner receives the information they wanted from the ISPs after a court application. With this list of customers, they send out letters saying something along the lines of:
"We note that you have downloaded a copy of the movie [name] and we hope you enjoyed viewing it. We would however like to inform you that the copy you have downloaded is illegal and infringes the copyright belonging to [the rights-owner]. However, as this appears to be the first instance you may have done something like this, we would like to extend to you the opportunity to legitimise your copy of the movie by purchasing a licence from us. You can then view the movie with the peace of mind of knowing that you are not in violation of any laws."
If the intention is to create awareness and increasing compliance, I'd say that this approach communicates those intentions much more clearly than a legal demand that could be characterised as heavy-handed "intimidation". If the rights-owners can link up effectively with their local distributors, they can also use this opportunity to get these customers to buy a legitimate Blu-ray and prop up local businesses as a part of the legitimisation process, all in one fell swoop. If they don't, then the instruction to the customer would be to delete the offending copy and to not infringe again in the future. In this way, the rights-owner also builds up a database of potential infringers, strengthening its case for future proceedings if these customers ever offend again.
So maybe instead of looking at the list of customers obtained from the ISPs as a "hit list" of people to seek compensation from, rights-owners could choose to see it as a list of potential customers who already like their product. In short, this is a marketing and sales opportunity. If revenues have indeed been affected by piracy, couldn't this be addressed through revenue-generating methods instead of legal proceedings?
After all, which letter would you prefer to receive? Such graciousness might also result in additional sales to these embarrassed infringers if the enterprising rights-owner also included a movie catalogue in that letter – worth a try wouldn't you say?
2. Targeting the Real Culprits
In the intellectual property enforcement environment, end-users are low-hanging fruit. They aren't hardened criminals, usually aren't making millions trading in illegal downloads and probably aren't doing much to hide their trail. Hence, it is relatively easy for a rights-owner to bring proceedings against them and to get a judgment. This is what I call a short-term solution.
The one party missing from most infringement cases tends to be the original infringer: the party that first ripped the Blu-ray or copied the digital file and uploaded it onto the internet. They always seem to be based out of the jurisdiction, are protected by dubious legal systems that do not sufficiently enforce intellectual property rights or they do not leave much of a digital signature that can be traced. Most rights-owners tend to give up the chase after a certain point, since these infringers seem to be hard to track down or prosecute, or otherwise require a measure of deep, long-term strategy that may be beyond their stamina.
But perhaps more effort ought to be concentrated here: trawling the darknet or the deepnet for infringers hosting links to pirated materials, recruiting white hat assets to trace syndicates or networks circulating ripped content, or developing informants operating within popular file-sharing sites like the Pirate Bay, perhaps. Going after the sources and developing a cure instead of just treating the symptoms as it were. Rights-owners should also ensure that there are no leaks within their own internal organisations and distribution chains, especially when sharing preview copies of unreleased material.
Technology might offer more solutions too: incorporating unique serialised fingerprints in digital media so that every copy is unique and rights-owners can trace the exact copy that was duplicated so that each download or Blu-ray can be identified. Unlawful copying can then be traced back to an individual transaction from a particular region or country, and hopefully to an individual purchaser. A universal standard could be developed among the media companies to encode data in such a way so that files can be tracked and traced more easily and piracy patterns identified so that appropriate measures can be taken in high-risk areas. Even a simple subscription model may work, as it seems to have for iTunes and Google Play offering movie rentals and outright purchases for affordable amounts in some countries.
All this might be hard to accomplish compared with the immediacy of a lawyer's letter to a user, but they would be worthwhile as a long-term strategy that has more enduring results and prove to be a better choice in the end-game, especially if they can provide valuable data about who are the true culprits and allowing rights-owners to go after them in court.
In my experience advising clients on intellectual property protection, we have found the best results in long-term, deep cover operations focused on developing intelligence about the activities of infringers in order to properly uncover networks and criminal syndicates. When the time comes for legal action, it is swift, precise and focused on disabling the piracy structure rather than just prosecuting individuals. It goes without saying that lobbying for more proactive enforcement in countries where greater protection can be accorded to intellectual property rights should also be a key part of any rights protection strategy.
Above all, tactical communication of these efforts to the public should also be a priority: law-abiding consumers appreciate it when right-owners ring-fence their intellectual property, since it helps their purchase retain its value.
3. Giving Non-US Customers Greater Access to Media Content
The digital age demands a paradigm shift on the part of content providers and media companies. Consumers outside the US are seeking more access to content these days but the sources of supply remain the same. Perhaps more options can be given to the international consumer?
Moviegoers want to be able to try out content before making a purchase, but the options are often limited depending on whether there is a local video rental service within striking distance, whether they can rent it off iTunes or stream it via Netflix in their country or whether a friend has a Blu-ray that they are willing to loan. No one wants buyer's remorse or being forced to sit through an interminable rom-com just because they paid for it, but options are limited depending on just where you're situated, especially if you're outside the United States.
What about the possibility of providing direct streaming services, with the first 20 minutes free and the rest of the movie chargeable if the consumer doesn't exit the show? Limit it to a one-time option so that it can't be abused and work with local media authorities to exhibit movies that have undergone the necessary ratings certifications, if necessary. If the movie wasn't worthwhile, you needn't pay for the rest of it and can simply select another show. If you did like it, you can keep your access to it forever. Expand such services outside the US and develop more content delivery channels so that end-users have more alternatives. This part is easy – the more access non-US customers have to affordable and fairly-priced media content, the less they will depend on illegal downloads.
More content reaching more customers can only be a good thing for rights-owners if they are the ones controlling the channels. And a freemium here and there won't go amiss either: I know of more than a few households that have purchased entire seasons of Downton Abbey after watching Episode 1 of Season 1 for free on iTunes.
Rights-owners may need to consider that even though some errant customers may have broken the law, they aren't the real enemy and perhaps more out-of-box thinking could be exercised to encircle, educate and engage them to try and build a dialogue with them towards establishing more openness and trust.
Just as in a game of chess, I'm sure that there are other strategies that can be employed and the suggestions above are by no means exhaustive. There can also be no single answer to the complex question of how to stem the tide of content piracy online. However, I believe that there can be a deeper commitment to devote resources towards a more finessed, multi-angled approach in combating piracy that does not rely solely on a legal solution as a blunt instrument to fight multiple legal battles in court, which is in itself a draining and uncertain exercise, but to work on developing the kind of legal, business, economic, educational and social environment that would make intellectual property piracy untenable, unattractive and unnecessary.
"To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill. –Sun Tzu, The Art of War"
The writer is currently the Director of Xavier & Associates LLC, a Singapore law firm advising clients on corporate, commercial, IT and intellectual property matters. He has had extensive experience in dealing with intellectual property enforcement issues, both as a practicing attorney and as in-house counsel. The opinions expressed above are his alone and should not be considered or relied upon as actual legal advice, whether pertaining to the cases mentioned above or otherwise.


Monday afternoon I was in Mardel bookstore searching for some material for the children's ministry at our church. As I walked through the kids section, I saw a book I had given my prodigal younger brother for Christmas in a previous year and tears filled my eyes. Two years after his departure and I still get caught off guard with the pain of that reality.
Monday night I was at FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and heard something about a great event being put on by another church in town, and for a moment envy and jealousy crept into my heart, threatening to briefly harden my heart towards this other church instead of rejoicing with those who rejoice.
In the span of just a few hours, I was confronted with my suffering and my sin. My external pain and internal temptations.
Some of you may be thinking what I think from time to time, "Nathan, shut up, you're constantly talking about these things on this blog." My fear is our churches are full of people thinking the same thing about each other, "Can you just stop talking about the same things all the time? We get it. Sin, sin, sin. Suffering, suffering, suffering." And while there are a plethora of commands of how we're supposed to treat each other, we appear sometimes to not really want to obey these commands at all. Let's look at some below.
What I am advocating for is for us to be willing to have those type of conversations with some of our fellow believers.
Talking about these things is not always done in a beneficial way. Opening up about sins for the sake of tearing down facades of perfectionism and walls of great lives is not enough. I once sat in a Men's Group in college where all we did was rate our temptation towards certain sins on a scale of 1 to 10. After that we prayed together, acknowledged we're all battling temptation, and then never talked about it again. This does basically nothing. It's borderline enabling, because it tells people that everyone fights sin so don't beat yourself up too much.
Confession without daily walking in wisdom and love through sin is dangerous and incomplete.
We need to be people who daily fight for each other. Yes, daily. To get there, we have to acknowledge that all of us fight sin and fight suffering. Every one of us. Every day.
I have yet to meet someone who is physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and relationally 100% every day. So even on my most joyous and hopeful days, I'm struggling in a sin-ravaged world.
Now that I've rambled, let me get to the part of the blog I really want to focus on.
To get to what I've described above, we have to move toward each other.
Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, someone is not going to randomly start opening up about their sins and struggles at church out of nowhere (if they do, that's likely a cry for help that we must follow up on and be a source of hope and freedom for that person).
Why do we need to move toward one another?
Because we're human. And we'd rather not open up about these things.
But Christ came to us.
John 1:14 says that the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us. He set up shop on our block. We in our flesh would never go to God, so He came to us in grace and love.
We can model this in this way. Move towards someone today. Move past the mega-annoying 'how are you doing' question that only leads to a 'good' response. Push past that into real questions about their lives. Seek to humbly listen, learn, and love. Don't come with answers, come with questions. Don't come with selfish motives, come with a desire to love someone in your church as Christ would.
This will inevitably be insanely awkward at first. Last year I met with two great young men every week for lunch, and for months it seemed to be all conversations about Fortnite and sports. It took a while for us all to collectively push past those surface conversations into deep intentional ones. In some of my discipleship relationships today I'm still in the awkward stage. To be vulnerable and open about these matters in our lives, we need to trust that the other person cares enough to pray, call out, convict, and follow up.
Guess what. Doing this, this moving towards someone else thing, is uncomfortable. It takes effort because it's not what we're naturally prone to do. Yet Christ stepped out of glory to meet us here on earth. You and I can get out of our comfort zone in order to become covenant communities of believers who are actually for each other in the grimy and gritty days we live in.
I would challenge you to not simply like and share this post, but rather to implement it. Pick one person this semester or season to have this type of relationship with (outside your spouse). Pick one person that you weekly, if not daily, reach out to in the midst of our own personal sins and struggles. Don't just confess. Walk through sin. When it comes to walking through sin with another, I mean that when someone confesses sin to me, I'm going to text and call and message and make sure that they are aware of my prayers and of my Scripture-based encouragement as they go through the fight. Don't just break down in tears about difficulties in your life, pray through it.
If we as the Church would do this, we would see our churches come alive.
Move towards another person today.


Netskope, a company that focuses on security in the cloud, announced today it has acquired Sift Security, a startup launched in 2014 to help secure cloud infrastructure services like Amazon, Microsoft and Google using machine learning.
The company did not share terms of the deal, but Sift's 10 technical employees will become part of Netskope's 500+ person team and Sift CEO Neil King will lead the Netskope IaaS product management team moving forward.
While Netskope provides comprehensive cloud and website security from a single interface, Sift uses machine learning to provide breach detection and automated response for Infrastructure as a Service environments, even across multiple clouds.
Netskope founder and CEO Sanjay Beri says together the two companies can offer more security visibility than they had previously. "Sift Security enhances Netskope's ability to uniquely gather and visualize the richest set of contextualized data on transactions across nearly all of the services provided by the Netskope Security Cloud — including transaction visibility, DLP (data loss prevention), threat protection, adaptive access control and anomaly detection," he explained.
As with many deals these days involving companies with machine learning expertise, while Netskope clearly values the Sift Security technology, it also is getting a technical team with machine learning chops in the bargain.
"Sift Security has robust deep machine learning and behavioral analytics capabilities that help with the detection, correlation and response. Sift engineers also bring valuable expertise in machine learning and anomaly detection to Netskope's growing team of data scientists," Beri said.
Beri explained that it was ultimately more than a pure technology purchase or talent acquisition because at the end of the day the two companies have to work together. That requires a good cultural fit too. "Neil King — Sift's CEO and now head of IaaS Product Management for Netskope — and I met and started talking early in the year and over time through many discussions (and over time having our engineering teams meet and spend time together) realized that together our companies would be a great fit," Beri wrote in a blog post announcing the deal.
While the infrastructure cloud vendors do a good job of securing their data centers against attack, Beri says best practices point to a "shared responsibility model", which holds that both cloud providers and their customers play a role in overall security.
"Public cloud vendors are the first to tell [their customers] that they themselves are also responsible for protecting their data. For instance, companies should not rely on public cloud vendors for application level security; nor can they rely on public cloud companies to centralize the governance of multiple IaaS platforms," Beri says. That's where a company like his comes in.
Netskope was founded in 2012 and has raised over $231 million. Sift Science was founded in 2014 and raised over $3 million in seed capital. The deal closed last month.


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Artifact isn't late to the CCG party, it's about to revolutionise card games
The announcement of Artifact at last year's Dota 2 International was met with a mixed response. That circumspection was unwarranted. Valve's card game, despite following a few years behind Blizzard and CD Projekt Red's high-profile efforts, is more ambitious, expansive, and inventive than anything that has come before.
Here's our freshly-updated look at everything we know about Artifact's gameplay, cards, and heroes.
Developed within the Dota 2 universe, Artifact has some obvious parallels with Valve's MOBA. Artifact is played simultaneously across three boards, representing Dota 2's top, middle, and bottom lanes. Each board is populated with heroes and creeps, which aim to destroy the enemy towers, one of which is located at the back of each of your three boards, and acts as your health bar – if it hits zero, you have lost that lane. If two towers fall on your side of the board, it's game over. If they so choose, however, you opponent can continue to focus their efforts on a particular lane even after the tower has fallen as, if a structure falls, it is replaced by an Ancient – which act as Dota 2's bases. These spawn at twice the health count of a tower – 80, rather than 40 – but the game ends automatically if it is destroyed.
For the most part, each board is separate entity. Once creeps and your five heroes have been assigned to lanes, they attack automatically, hitting enemies either directly or diagonally in front of them, based on chance. If there is nothing in the way, they will hit the enemy tower, dealing damage to it based on their attack value. If they hit an obstacle, they will deal and take damage, and if their health reaches zero, they leave the board. Creeps are taken out of play, while heroes 'respawn' after a turn.
When an enemy unit dies, you are granted gold – five for a hero, one for a creep – that can be spent on items during the shopping phase that occurs after every full rotation through the top, middle, and bottom lanes. Items offer either bonus health, attack damage, or armor, all of which correspond to a slot on your heroes' cards. If a hero dies, it maintains its items, and any bonus stats you have given it. Many items also have bonus effects, so while a Short Sword will give your hero two extra attack damage, a Blink Dagger will allow them to swap to a new lane, either to get out of trouble or block an incoming attack.
Heroes come in one of four different suits, from Red 'bruiser' heroes like Axe, who sacrifice tactical complexity for brute strength, to magelike Blue cards, such as Zeus, who lack strength in the early game but become much more powerful later on. Each suit also contains spells, which can only be played in a lane with a corresponding hero – a green card can only be played on a board with a green hero, for example.
This is where it starts getting more complicated, as while heroes and creeps may mean that lanes remain separate in their attack patterns, items and spells mean that you are soon having to balance your strategy across three different matches – no doubt the influence of Magic: the Gathering creator Richard Garfield, who joined Valve to work on the game. In this sense, Artifact gains a level of depth that puts it far ahead of its competitors; in Hearthstone, while playing a card at the right time is important, there are very few cards that rely on position to be most effective; in Gwent, timing is less crucial, but where you play a card has more importance.
In Artifact, not only are you playing across three boards at once, you are carrying spells and items from board to board. Items can be used anywhere, but spells have to be used in conjunction with certain heroes, meaning that although you might want to use a particular hero as a sponge to soak up damage, doing so could easily mean not getting to use the spell you want. A mana system is present, unique to each lane, so while your mid lane might have seven mana thanks to a passive boost, top and bottom might only have five, limiting the cards you can play there. There is also gold to consider – do you buy the cheap items for a small advantage now, or save up for next time around and potentially suffer the consequences?
The strategies this could open up are enormous, but while the mechanical depth is to be commended, I am concerned that the overall complexity could put off players unfamiliar with card games – which Artifact will likely attract given its proximity to such a different genre. A generous economy, which Valve say will reward players for a wide variety of playstyles, from theory-crafters to RNG-enthusiasts, will hopefully do something to alleviate that issue.
If Artifact is to be praised for its tactical breadth and depth, it should also be commended for its beautiful UI. There is some of the humour and light-heartedness of Hearthstone, most keenly expressed by mischevious goblins who escort you and your deck from lane to lane, combined with the rustic minimalism of Gwent. Card art, in particular, is almost uniformly outstanding, and there are some mind-bogglingly well-produced effects – the best of these stems from Zeus' Thundergod's Wrath, which skims above each board, blasting cards out of existence. A particularly nice touch comes from the references to Dota 2's map – the Dire and Radiant are both expressed, but I also really enjoyed the river running down the centre of each board.
Artifact is yet to be truly put through its paces – no amount of in-house balancing and testing can replicate a community – which will undoubtedly number in the millions – digging into the game on full release. But I have a sense that Valve's attempt at a trading card game is a real departure from the CCGs that have dominated the digital landscape in the past few years. Its complexity will prove a stumbling block for some, but I'd rather struggle with a game for its difficulty rather than its prohibitive expense. Beyond the simply material however, Artifact offers a game that is a cut above other card games I have played. It successfully captures elements from two wildly different genres, creating something that I am hugely excited to return to. If this truly does herald the start of a new era of Valve games, as Gabe Newell suggested during the game's press event, Artifact is a monumental place to start.
Get involved in the conversation by heading over to our Facebook and Instagram pages. To stay up to date with the latest PC gaming guides, news, and reviews, follow PCGamesN on Twitter and Steam News Hub, or download our free app for Overwolf.
Ali Jones Deputy News Editor
Ali rejoices in being the youngest member of the editorial team, and takes pleasure in reminding his elders that some of their favourite games were released before he was even born. In keeping with this youthful demeanor, he plays a LOT of Fortnite, which is preventing him from finally finishing The Witcher 3.
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N/A APPLE INC AAPL Adams Katherine L.
Sun, 21 Apr 2019 07:42:48 -0500 SEC is the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. EDGAR is a trademark of the SEC. SecForm4.Com is not affiliated with or approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).


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Monocle's first Cities Series Conference to be staged in Chengdu with presence of big shots
National Business Daily
CHENGDU, China, Oct. 31, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- "Let's go to Chengdu!" An invitation was sent out Monday to the world by leading lifestyle magazine Monocle in Hong Kong and Chengdu synchronously. On November 4, the first Monocle Cities Series Conference will be convened in the southwestern city of Chengdu. Co-hosted by the U.K.-based Monocle and Chengdu Media Group and organized by National Business Daily (NBD), the gathering will bring together more than 150 big names from the fields including fashion, architect, design and retail to shed deeper insights on how to improve the quality of life.
Chengdu is a modern city that boasts a profound history, rich cultural heritage and natural resources, and a quality lifestyle. "The world deserves a better understanding of Chengdu and its leisure lifestyle," said a person-in-charge with Monocle Asia Pacific.
The forthcoming conference will deliver a perfect mix of high-quality lifestyle and business opportunities, and present at the forum will be Tyler Brule, founder and chairman of Monocle, and heads of over 20 big-name companies including Lagardere Travel Retail and MVRDV.
To strengthen the brand image and worldwide influence of the conference, Monocle's sister company Winkreative, a world-famous creative and branding agency, has specially designed a mascot for the event and the fascinating design will be unveiled at the one-day conference.
Moreover, the limited-edition postcards specially designed by Panda Post for the Cities Series Conference will be released. Featuring a design concept of "laid-back lifestyle, energetic future," the postcards will board Sichuan Airlines' international flights to woo the world.
Monocle founder Tyler Brule and many other moguls to be present
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in London, Monocle is an English-language monthly lifestyle magazine with a focus on global affairs, business, culture and design.
"Monocle is more than a magazine," noted the source with the monthly publication. With correspondents spread across more than 100 countries and regions, Monocle satisfies everyone's curiosity by offering fresh news that couldn't be accessed on social networks.
To date, Monocle has held a string of Quality of Life Conferences in international metropolises, including Lisbon, Vienna, Berlin, Zurich and Madrid. With brainstorming ideas inspired by elites from all walks of life, the event has been leading the trends and changes of lifestyles.
The first Cities Series Conference will be staged at the Temple House in Chengdu. The event, from its topics and venue design, is created by the Monocle team and will continue the exquisite style as always. Monocle's founder and chairman Tyler Brule, who seldom appear on public occasions in China, will come to Chengdu for the forum.
Brule has a legendary personal experience. Brule went to the U.K. before graduating from university and joined BBC as a journalist. He was shot twice in Afghanistan. In 1998, Brule founded style and fashion magazine Wallpaper which was later acquired by Time Warner. In 2007 when the global publishing industry suffered from digital shock, he started Monocle which immediately became a must-read magazine for global elites.
Besides Brule, over 150 high-profile figures at home and abroad in the fields of fashion design, luxury hotels, high-end cars, tourism services, airlines, film & TV, cultural creativity, among others, will be present at the forum.
Those distinguished guests who are experienced in improving urbanization, quality of life, business environment, etc. and representatives of China's quality enterprises will share their insights on "quality".
The speakers include Winy Maas, co-founder of MVRDV, Martina Luger, chief marketing officer of Ennismore, Eudes Fabre, CEO of Lagardere Travel Retail China, Hiroyuki Isobe, executive director of Wonderwall, Marie-Louise Theile, director of New Initiative, Robert Greenwood, managing director of Snøhetta, Don Taylor, director of Swire Properties, Christopher Lim, Consul-general, Australian Consulate-General, Chengdu, and Daniel Mitchell, culture & creative director of Potato Head.
The qualities that help Chengdu stand out
Why Chengdu stands out from so many cities and becomes the first stop of Monocle's Cities Series Conference has become a talk of the world.
The executive with Monocle Asia Pacific said Chengdu is a fast-growing city with immense opportunities. Through quality of life survey, the magazine noticed the city leads lifestyles in a variety of ways.
"It is just like a great 'melting pot' where you can savor delicious cuisines and at the same time be closer to nature and development opportunities," the executive noted. With an open mindset, independent character and innovative ideas, Chengdu is attracting more young people.
In the economic front, people there are more willingly to pay for "luxury" products. They'd like to enjoy a meal for couple of hours and stay up late in the night. Such life-loving and free-spending philosophies make the city a seedbed for creative communities.
Monocle believes Chengdu is right on track to become a national central city, which is evidenced by its high-end hotel industry, booming tourism, full-ecosystem retail, convenient aviation system, panda-themed city brand, and myriads of consulates.
To improve the international influence of Chengdu through professional branding is exactly where Monocle's Cities Series Conference should come in.
In the coming month, the city will be immersed in an environment of art and fashion as a string of design and fashion weeks are going to kick off. The Monocle executive said the Cities Series Conference will be a start to explore quality lives in the city.
View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monocles-first-cities-series-conference-to-be-staged-in-chengdu-with-presence-of-big-shots-300948617.html
Source: National Business Daily
Keywords: Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions Magazines Publishing/Information Service Travel
"Coffee Matters" Praised for Telling China's Poverty Relief Story Well
Yingshang Grains and Oils Campaign Appears at Times Square, New York, USA
The Promotion Article of Mountain Huangshan: Reality Transcends the Dream was published on the website of Russian newspaper
Guotai Junan finalizes first QFII margin trading & stock borrowing & lending biz on A-share market
Guangxi Bolsters the Robust Development of Sports Economy and Culture through Deep Integration of Sports with Tourism
"Age of Titanium -- Creation of the Future" National Titanium Industry Innovation and Start-up Competition 2020 Held in Panzhihua
Harbin Harnesses Ice, Snow for Tourism Growth
Underlining Its Strong Ties With Florence, Kering Sponsors Improved Facilities For The Palazzo Vecchio Courtyard
IM what I am
Symbiosis and Coexistence: 11th "From Lausanne to Beijing" International Fiber Art Biennale Opens Online
Danish watch brand, REC Watches, gives new life to the World's Most Expensive Mustang!


Washington Capitals Clear the House: Who's Left?
The Capitals, as expected, made a slew of cuts on Sunday morning. No big surprises.
Riley Barber – Hershey Bears. He looked good on Saturday which probably earned him more time.
Travis Boyd – Hershey Bears. He seems to be a favorite. He has some good hands and is a smooth skater.
Alex Chiasson – He is looking for a new spot in the NhL and with the only goal on Saturday, he deserves more time.
Tyler Graovac – He certainly has proved himself deserving of more time after Friday. He was the only standout player in a shutout game.
Liam O'Brien – This Hershey Bear has long been on the Caps radar. He could be ready.
Anthony Peluso– The man from Manitoba is hoping for an NHL position. He has a lot of grit, which ended him in the box twice on Friday.
Zach Sill – Hershey Bears. We are still out on this one.
Chandler Stephenson – surprised that he is still here. We would like to see more consistency from him.
Jakub Vrana – Hershey Bears. He is our front runner and most of you seem to agree. He is slick, fierce, and the most consistent of any prospects.
Nathan Walker – Hershey Bears. This guy from OZ is pretty spectacular too. He may be short but he makes up for it in tenacity and the will to score.
Madison Bowey – Hershey Bears. Our top pick for defenseman. We look forward to seeing more in the next week or so.
Christian Djoos – Hershey Bears. Grabs attention but he is a bit inconsistent. We want to like him for the Caps but aren't there yet.
Jyrki Jokipakka – From Finland. Hasn't stood out for us yet. We'll be watching to see why he stayed.
Aaron Ness – Hershey Bears. Coach seems to like him. The media likes him. We aren't impressed enough. What are we missing?
Jonas Siegenthaler– Hershey Bears. Ok we like him. He may not have matured into an NHL player yet, but we have high hopes for him.
Colby Williams – Hershey Bears. We admit, he hasn't been tops on our radar. We are a little baffled by this.
Pheonix Copley – Hershey Bears. The third goalie. If Grubi leaves next season we would expect him to move up to number two.
Parker Milner – Hershey Bears/South Carolina – He will be spending more time in training with the goalie coaches.
Tyler Lewington– Does well for Hershey, personally we don't see him making the cut just yet.
So that is that for today. Camp and the next three preseason should show us who is prime for some NHL hockey. Follow us on twitter: @incoldplacesdc for updates and more video and photos.


text:
I was homeless and my life was trash. Then this Seattle family took me in
For most people, family will always be family because you're blood. But in April Reyes' case, it doesn't quite work that way. / This story won the ...
Bought by KBCS 91.3 FM Community Radio and Cards Against Humanity: The Good News Podcast
My dad's Cinderella story: Finding love in Somalia
"My dad's life story is kind of like Cinderella's. He grew up without a mom, worked for an evil relative and found his princess in the least expect...
Bought by Cards Against Humanity: The Good News Podcast
Depression in 7th grade: 'I want to die but if I could get help that would be awesome'
"I started being like, I can't talk about these things. You're basically taught to bottle up your feelings in middle school." RadioActive Youth M...
Bought by KBCS 91.3 FM Community Radio and KBCS 91.3 FM Community Radio
How a sixgill shark got this introverted teen to talk
"I was afraid that I was gonna say the wrong thing, I wouldn't be able to speak, I was gonna stutter." One introvert's transformation, with a littl...
I checked the 'Hispanic' box, but I feel like a fraud
On a sunny morning during her junior year of high school, Noel Gasca was taking the SAT, when she got to a question that left her stumped. It basic...
Even if it smells bad, this researcher loves solving mysteries
People sometimes take unlikely paths to get where they're going. This is the story of an unlikely scholar.
My mom was once single and homeless. That's why she does this job
Who are helpers? Often it's people who know how much it means to be helped.
I'm alive because of a dictator's ego and my family's clever thinking
Many people have heard of the brutal dictatorships that ruled Soviet Eastern Europe in the twentieth century. RadioActive youth producer and high s...
This is what a concussion sounds like
When you hear about concussions in the news, it's often about a football player. But kids get concussions too. In one recent year, nearly a quarter...
How a terrible teacher inspired a boy who became the wonderful Mr. Little
We all remember the influential teacher who made a difference in our lives. But for Drego Little, the teacher that changed his life was the one he ...


gypse Bannu supliers du pakistan; Machines. usine de gypse algerie . usine de gypse à vendre en Chine. gypse fournisseurs de carton; gypse France Allemagne.
abbe Pakistanio mera jab man karta hai jab Pakistan jata hu or 10 12 ko galian nai de ga jaan jaati agar mera bas chale toh main iski maa chod du.
other top stories only on BBC Urdu. In case you are in search for some latest Urdu news from South Asia, specifically Pakistan, then BBC Urdu News is the best choice.
University of Science & Technology Bannu ( USTB ).
Akram Khan Durrani is the Federal Minister for Pakistan Herald is place where you may discuss and participate freely on national issues Bannu, Pakistan.


Would Modern Versions of Legendary Rally Cars Look Like This?
Here are some of today's cars as Group B monsters.
The 2016 edition of the World Rally Championship is upon us with the best teams taking on some of the most grueling driving events the world has to offer. Spines will be compressed, dust will be thrown, and when it comes to spectators, please stay behind the safety line. WRC has steadily been growing in popularity and major manufacturers have taken notice, giving the series new entries in the shape of micro-beast versions of everyday family cars.
Today's rally machines are lightning fast honey badgers, devouring each stage in rapid time. But let's time capsule this and give the manufactures free rein just like the glory days of Group B. The geniuses over at Mad Artist Group partnered with CarWow, with artist Yasid Oozear offering a glimpse of what a modern Group B could look like. They also threw in some Dakar-inspired vehicles just for good measure. Group B cannot exist without Lancia, winners of 11 world championships and creators of some of the most striking dirt-crazed supercars (looking at you Stratos and 037). No homage to Group B would be complete without the famed Italian marque.
Lancia of late however has faltered a bit; the Fiat Chrysler subsidiary gave us the Fulvia and in conceptual rally guise memories of the Delta come back to life. The Alitalia livery looks right at home, and we can only dream that one day that FCA will green light a return to rallying for Lancia. Is there anything the Porsche 911 can't do? The 959 may get most of the credit for being Porsche's Paris-Dakar champion but the 953 (a heavily modified 911 built for the 1984 Dakar), was the OG of Rothmans-Porsche dominance. The rendering shows a dust-spewing wide-hipped 991 sporting a bash bar that's very reminiscent of the Martini-liveried Safari 911 SC.
Converted GT3's may still compete on rally stages but a factory-backed return is definitely something to dream about. Okay, we know that the 1971 "Red Pig" 300SEL was never a rally car and that it placed second at the 24 Hours of Spa. The Mercedes-Benz Rally lineage belongs to the SLC 500 and the W201 190E (before that idea was shelved.) As much as we'd love to see the glorious sounding M156/M159 6.2 in the behemoth S-Class, that engine has been phased out and, well, having a twin-turbo V12 in its stead is not so bad is it?
So there is absolutely no limit to how badly we want to hear the banshee howls and waste-gate flutter of a turbo five-cylinder Audi annihilating a rally stage. Based off the TT, this render greatly reminds us of the "secret" Group S prototype Audi kept under wraps. Liveried in the Walter Rohrl UR-Quattro scheme, our brains can surely fantasize about such a reality.
A Mustang rally car? Stranger things have happened to Mustangs, and the sports car is no stranger when it comes to playing in the dirt. What intrigues us, however, is the homage to the mid-engined RS200. The lightweight, four-wheel-drive RS200 is perhaps the antithesis of the lumbering rear-wheel drive V8 stallion. An idea that trickled into our noggins was maybe a four-wheel drive EcoBoost Mustang barreling down tight lanes and sliding through the apex. Ford already has a competitive rally program but maybe the Mustang can work its way in. A David and Goliath battle between the Fiesta and Mustang could surely draw crowds.
Donning our parkas and idly standing by we can only dream of a resurrected Group B series, one that gives the manufacturers freedom and a dash of insanity to bring us back to the spine-tingling spectacle that helped the segment leave its mark. Should fate permit such a gift it will probably end up being won by a man named Sebastien.


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Why Nurse Bridge? We are dedicated to providing experienced replacement personnel for hospital job actions.
We have an in-depth understanding of the industry lead by expert staff who manage all critical aspects related to replacement personnel. Our management staff is responsible for our nurses' welfare and performance during job actions, as well as for screening and approving all nurse candidate profiles. Nurse Bridge is the best choice for you as our reputation in the industry is unparalleled and we are the preferred staffing provider for hospitals across the country.
More than 20 years' experience providing replacement staffing and contingency planning for major hospitals and health systems throughout the United States.
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A proven track record, having mobilized for more than 100 potential hospital job actions nationwide and ultimately deployed for more than 50.
Ability to staff and manage hospital and health system job actions that require simultaneously staffing multiple hospitals.
Successful staffing and management of job actions at high profile hospitals, including children's hospitals, which require specialized staff.
Experienced, knowledgeable nurse managers with, on average, more than 20 years of House Supervisor experience, made available onsite 24-7 throughout a job action at your hospital.
Security and transportation team specializing in job action safety and logistics, ensuring the protection of all parties throughout each job action. Travel and housing department to arrange all flights and hotels for replacement personnel and our management team.
A 100% fill rate for all committed replacement positions with no sacrifice in quality!


I often weld cast silcon bronze sculpture and where sometimes the core has shifted to one side leaving sometimes areas of 1mm metal thickness. When I attempt to tig weld small Pitts in these areas the metal around the weld often cracks.
How can this be avoided please?
I would weld this metal thickness around 70 amps with a foot pedal set to Max 150 amps. The tungsten would be 5mm out from the ceramic sharpened to a point of about 60 degrees. I also leave torch over weld for around 5 seconds post gas flow.
I think a little preheat of the area might help the cracking issue.


Does eating something French cuisine qualify as a mini-tour for the heart? I'm hoping, because lunch reminded me of a dozen or so trips; all with special memories.
Rich in texture, an onion tart reminds me not of Provence (name of restaurant – http://brasserieprovence.com), but of small conversations with people in "my" neighborhood, friends made and forgotten and smells. Oh, the aromas. If one could live by scent alone, France replenishes the heart of your nose and emotions for memory.
What can you say about the perfect breakfast at any time of the day. Complement with black, organic coffee and perfection erupts.
Loving my Dr. Ph. Martin watercolors.
We plant and we plant.
– a drink of god.
Selfies are very difficult and was afraid of facing myself in the mirror. I have avoided the subject for as long as I have been doing art.
However, with encouragement from everyone and a special friend, I tasked myself with courage and abandon.
While doing them, I became more accustomed to "the me" on paper and began to let loose. With lines dark and light, pencil or pen, they started to come more easily.
Also, I have resolved to begin writing poetry again. It has been over a year and believe my drawings and words will dance well together.
in teas of black with Chinese talk-talk.
of blushed romance and foreign lip-lock.
Les femmes de la noir – tenez ma queue et tordez.


The rumor was true. Ronda Rousey will be lending her voice to Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 11.
It turns out the rumors were true. WWE Superstar and UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey is lending her voice to Mortal Kombat 11's Sonya Blade.
The reveal video also shows a lot of new footage for the returning Mortal Kombat character. This includes her "Fatal Blow" where she breaks her opponent's leg, gut punches them, uses them as a shield as they run towards a turret, and finally curb stomping her face. It's pretty brutal.
Rousey got up on stage after the reveal video — which can be seen below — to discuss her new role in the Mortal Kombat series. Jokingly stating how Triple H was her Kano during Wrestlemania as well as boast about her armbar skills, she is obviously excited to be Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 11.
Ronda Rousey has been working with the WWE since last year. Even in her short time with the company, she has made some waves by becoming the Raw Women's Champion. She still holds the title and will be defending it at the Royal Rumble on January 27 against Sasha Banks.
In other Mortal Kombat 11 related news, we also got the first glimpse of the game's story which continues right after the events of Mortal Kombat X. We also got a look at the gameplay and some of the customizable… sorry, kustomizable features you can make to each character.
Mortal Kombat 11 is set to release for Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC on April 23, 2019. If you preorder the game, you'll get Shao Kahn as a bonus and access to the beta.


This report on human rights abuses in Kosovo provides a concise, accessible background to the conflict. It was prepared by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
This special issue of the UN's High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR)'s "Refugees Magazine" is dedicated to the Kosovo crisis and includes an essay on the roots of the conflict, articles on the returning Albanian refugees, maps, photos, and more.
This is the official report the human rights findings of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission, led by Ambassador Bill Walker between October 1998 to June 1999. The extensive report details "a pattern of human rights and humanitarian law violations on a staggering scale, often committed with extreme and appalling violence." It includes a municipality-by-municipality accounting of atrocities and other information.
This report was issued in December 1999 by the U.S. State Department. Based on refugee accounts, NGO documentation, and unclassified government sources, it describes war crimes committed by Serbian forces, including summary execution, burning of homes, and forcible displacement of Kosovar Albanians. It also includes an account of retributive violence carried out by Albanians against Serbs in the aftermath of the war.
A chronology of the major war crimes from January 1998 to April 1999 documented by Human Rights Watch, with links to detailed reports on each incident. The majority are crimes attributed to Serbian and Yugoslav government forces, but the list also includes abuses committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army.
This site offers official information from the United States European Command pertaining to Kosovo, archived as of Aug. 18, 2000. It contains an archive of press releases, briefings, and other public documents relating to the U.S. military presence in Kosovo, both in the air campaign and the humanitarian relief effort. The current, up-to-date site for EUCOM is available here.
The U.S. State Department has a section on the future of Kosovo after the NATO war. It contains an archive of public statements by Secretary Albright, President Clinton, and other officials, and the full text of many relevant documents, including the indictment of Solobodan Milosevic, the Rambouillet Agreement, and the Agreement on Russian Participation in KFOR.
The NATO site provides an overview of daily briefings and background information made available during the air campaign (March 25 to June 10) as well as up-to-date information on the UN-mandated international peacekeeping force (Kosovo Force or KFOR). The site has an extensive collection of video clips from the bombing campaign, as well as maps and aerial photos. Also accessible are documents relating to the implementation of KFOR: relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the military technical agreement between KFOR and Serbia, and the demilitarization of the KLA.
The UNMIK web site provides frequent reports on developments in Kosovo, photos, press releases, and background on the UN mission.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), located in The Hague, was established by the United Nations Security Council May 25, 1993. The ICTY is mandated to prosecute persons responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed on the territory of the former Yugoslavia since 1991. These include grave breaches of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, violations of the laws or customs of war, genocide, and crimes against humanity. This site keeps the reader abreast of indictments, indictees, detentions, convictions, acquittals, and the status of each.
The Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR)'s network of leading correspondents provides inside analysis of events and issues in Kosovo, Serbia and throughout the Balkan region. Reports are produced biweekly.
An archive of articles on the war in Kosovo published by Jane's Defense Weekly and Jane's Intelligence Review from March to June 1999.
Photographs from the Kosovo refugee crisis by Chris Hondros, hosted online by USAID Information Center.
English language version of Kosovar Albanian site which posts a daily summary of news and events in Kosovo.


text:
Q: Infinite sets of rvs equal in distribution Assume $\{\mathcal{L}(X_{k})\}_{k\in I}=\{\mathcal{L}(Y_{k})\}_{k\in I}$ for all finite $I\subset \mathbb{N}$ i.e. equal in all finite dimensional distributions. Then I want to show that $\mathbb{P}(sup_{k>N}X_{k}>x)=\mathbb{P}(sup_{k>N}Y_{k}>x)$.
Attempt
1)$A_{M}=\bigcap_{M>k>N}\{X_{k}<x\}\supset A_{M+1}$. So by continuity of measure $P(\bigcap_{k>N}\{X_{k}<x\})=lim_{M\to \infty}P(\bigcap_{M>k>N}\{X_{k}<x\})=lim_{M\to \infty}P(\bigcap_{M>k>N}\{Y_{k}<x\})=P(\bigcap_{k>N}\{Y_{k}<x\})$. Then take complements to get answer.
In case, I made a mistake here is an alternative approach.
2)We have $\{sup_{k>N}X_{k}<x\}=\bigcap_{k>N}\{X_{k}<x\}$. By Kolmogorov's extension theorem, there exists unique extension $P_{*}$ of measures $P_{I}(\bigcap_{i\in I}A_{i})=P(\bigcap_{i\in I}X_{i}\in A_{i})$ (these are consistent because $P(X\in \mathbb{R})=1$. Thus, by uniqueness $P_{*}(\{sup_{M>k>N}X_{k}<x\})=P_{*}(\bigcap_{M>k>N}\{X_{k}<x\})=P_{*}(\bigcap_{M>k>N}\{Y_{k}<x\})=P_{*}(\{sup_{M>k>N}Y_{k}<x\})$.
Now I would like to take $M\to \infty$ however $\bigcap_{k>N}\{X_{k}<x\}$ is not a cylinder event.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Below is a brief description of the first name Zachary. For an analysis of your full name and destiny, see our full Name and Birth Date Report service for further details.
The first name Zachary is of Hebrew origin and means "Remembered By God". Zachary is typically used as a male or boys name.
The name Zachary contains 7 letters (2 vowels and 5 consonants) and 3 syllables. In Numerology we assign specific numbers to each letter in the name.
As such, Z = 8, A = 1, C = 3, H = 8, A = 1, R = 9 and Y = 7. Then you add together each digit and you come up with a sum total for the First Name.
The characteristics of Number 1 are: Initiating action, pioneering, leading, independent, attaining, individual.
The name Zachary gives you a desire to please and a friendly nature that could draw you into the sales field.


text:
After School Snacks
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Mum arrested after blaming baby's brutal death on her toddler
Just awful
By Nikki Black
Writer / May 06 2019
A mother of two had been arrested after she tried to blame her newborn daughter's grisly death on her three-year-old son.
Halle Marie Murry, 25, from Texas, allegedly told police that her six-week-old died after a freak accident caused by her son, but after further investigation police determined the woman allegedly lied about the incident to cover up her own actions.
The woman took both children to hospital in January and told hospital staff that she'd fallen asleep with her daughter Acelyn lying on her chest, then woke to find the baby's lifeless body on the floor, with her son standing over her.
She told medical staff that she believed her son had attacked his sister with a metal fidget spinner.
One of the doctors treating the little girl said she had one of the "worst skull fractures" he had ever seen and added that "there is no way a 3-year-old could have caused" that amount of damage to the girl's skull, reports Fox News.
A forensic interview was also done with the 3-year-old, and a doctor who watched his interactions with a doll that resembled his sister said he "did not demonstrate the dexterity or force to cause the extensive head injuries" to his sister.
It was also noted that the woman's story had inconsistencies and she changed the details several times.
Child Protective Services did a drug test on both the woman and her son and found cocaine in both their systems.
Halle Marie Murry was charged with capital murder after the medical examiner found that the baby had died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Nikki Black
Nikki is obsessed with all things celebrity and dreams she is a long-lost Kardashian. You'll find her binging Netflix's latest 'must-watch' show with a jar of Nutella by her side.
real life crime /
child abuse /
Woman is fired by text for being pregnant!
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Guilty: Victorian man who killed his girlfriend's four-month…
Kmart kidnap predator sentenced to eight years jail
Queensland man accused of fathering baby with 13-year-old gi…
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Diabetic Living


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a tickle of cinnamon, scratch of nutmeg.
scooped and folded, stroked or beaten.
clinging as embraces on a quayside.
to a fading light swollen with scents of apples.
This poem won first prize in the Guernsey International Poetry Competition, 2016 and will appear on one of Guernsey's buses.


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These guys really knew how to party!
Yacine and Yemi defied all the laws of dancing and having fun. They had an incredible wedding party with Porto as a backdrop.
We had a blast with all the incredible moves and music. Just watch their wedding video to feel the groove!


text:
#include "tensorflow/core/common_runtime/eager/execute_node.h"

#include <memory>

#include "tensorflow/core/common_runtime/composite_device.h"
#include "tensorflow/core/common_runtime/device_mgr.h"
#include "tensorflow/core/common_runtime/eager/context.h"
#include "tensorflow/core/common_runtime/eager/kernel_and_device.h"
#include "tensorflow/core/common_runtime/eager/tensor_handle.h"
#include "tensorflow/core/framework/tensor_shape.h"
#include "tensorflow/core/lib/core/status_test_util.h"
#include "tensorflow/core/platform/test.h"

namespace tensorflow {
namespace {

class TestKernelAndDeviceFunc final : public KernelAndDeviceFunc {
 public:
  TestKernelAndDeviceFunc(std::vector<Device*> input_devices,
                          Device* host_cpu_device)
      : KernelAndDeviceFunc(
            /*flr=*/nullptr, /*pflr=*/nullptr, /*input_devices=*/{},
            /*composite_devices=*/{}, /*input_resource_dtypes_and_shapes=*/{},
            /*runner=*/nullptr, /*collective_executor=*/nullptr,
            host_cpu_device, /*name=*/"", /*outputs_on_op_device=*/false,
            /*rendezvous_creator=*/nullptr, /*get_op_id=*/nullptr),
        test_input_devices_(std::move(input_devices)) {}

  Device* InputDevice(int i) const override { return test_input_devices_[i]; }

 private:
  std::vector<Device*> test_input_devices_;
};

TEST(ExecuteNodeTest, ExecuteNodeArgs) {
  StaticDeviceMgr device_mgr(
      DeviceFactory::NewDevice("CPU", {}, "/job:localhost/replica:0/task:0"));
  Device* device0 = device_mgr.ListDevices().at(0);
  auto remote_device_mgr = absl::make_unique<DynamicDeviceMgr>();
  std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Device>> remote_devices;
  remote_devices.emplace_back(
      DeviceFactory::NewDevice("CPU", {}, "/job:localhost/replica:0/task:1"));
  TF_ASSERT_OK(remote_device_mgr->AddDevices(std::move(remote_devices)));
  Device* device1 = remote_device_mgr->ListDevices().at(0);

  Status s;
  std::unique_ptr<CompositeDevice> composite_device =
      CompositeDevice::MakeDevice({device0->name(), device1->name()},
                                  /*unique_device_id=*/0,
                                  device_mgr.HostCPU()->parsed_name(), &s);
  TF_ASSERT_OK(s);

  auto ctx = new EagerContext(
      SessionOptions(),
      tensorflow::ContextDevicePlacementPolicy::DEVICE_PLACEMENT_SILENT, false,
      &device_mgr, false, nullptr, nullptr);

  // Set a RemoteMgr to the EagerContext.
  auto remote_mgr = absl::make_unique<eager::RemoteMgr>(
      /*is_master=*/true, ctx);
  TF_ASSERT_OK(ctx->InitializeRemoteMaster(
      /*server=*/nullptr, /*worker_env=*/nullptr,
      /*worker_session=*/nullptr, /*remote_eager_workers=*/nullptr,
      std::move(remote_device_mgr), /*remote_contexts=*/{},
      EagerContext::NewContextId(),
      /*r=*/nullptr, &device_mgr, /*keep_alive_secs*/ 600,
      /*cluster_flr=*/nullptr, std::move(remote_mgr)));

  DataType dtype = DT_FLOAT;
  Tensor t0(dtype, TensorShape({}));
  // Create two local TensorHandles
  t0.scalar<float>()() = {1.0f};
  TensorHandle* h0 =
      TensorHandle::CreateLocalHandle(std::move(t0), device0, device0, ctx);
  Tensor t1(dtype, TensorShape({}));
  t1.scalar<float>()() = {2.0f};
  TensorHandle* h1 =
      TensorHandle::CreateLocalHandle(std::move(t1), device0, device0, ctx);
  // Create two remote TensorHandles
  TensorHandle* h2 = TensorHandle::CreateLazyRemoteHandle(
      /*op_id=*/1, /*output_num=*/0, dtype, device1, /*is_ready=*/true, ctx);
  TensorHandle* h3 = TensorHandle::CreateLazyRemoteHandle(
      /*op_id=*/2, /*output_num=*/1, dtype, device1, /*is_ready=*/true, ctx);
  // Create a packed TensorHandle
  TensorHandle* packed_h = nullptr;
  TF_ASSERT_OK(TensorHandle::CreatePackedHandle({h1, h2}, ctx, &packed_h));

  // LOCAL, PACKED, REMOTE
  absl::InlinedVector<TensorHandle*, 4> inputs = {h0, packed_h, h3};

  std::vector<Device*> input_devices;
  for (auto* h : inputs) {
    input_devices.push_back(h->DeviceOrHostCPU(*ctx));
  }
  const core::RefCountPtr<KernelAndDevice> kernel(
      new TestKernelAndDeviceFunc(std::move(input_devices), device0));

  ExecuteNodeArgs args(inputs.size());
  TF_EXPECT_OK(args.Init(ctx, inputs, kernel));
  EXPECT_TRUE(args.HasRemoteOrPackedInputs());
  Tensor local0;
  TF_EXPECT_OK(args.GetLocalArg(FunctionArgIndex(0), &local0));
  EXPECT_EQ(local0.flat<float>().size(), 1);
  EXPECT_EQ(local0.flat<float>()(0), 1.0);
  Tensor local1;
  TF_EXPECT_OK(args.GetLocalArg(FunctionArgIndex(1, 0), &local1));
  EXPECT_EQ(local1.flat<float>().size(), 1);
  EXPECT_EQ(local1.flat<float>()(0), 2.0);
  eager::RemoteTensorHandle remote0;
  TF_EXPECT_OK(args.GetRemoteArg(FunctionArgIndex(1, 1), &remote0));
  EXPECT_EQ(remote0.op_id(), 1);
  EXPECT_EQ(remote0.output_num(), 0);
  eager::RemoteTensorHandle remote1;
  TF_EXPECT_OK(args.GetRemoteArg(FunctionArgIndex(2), &remote1));
  EXPECT_EQ(remote1.op_id(), 2);
  EXPECT_EQ(remote1.output_num(), 1);

  h0->Unref();
  h1->Unref();
  h2->Unref();
  h3->Unref();
  packed_h->Unref();
  ctx->Unref();
}

}  // namespace
}  // namespace tensorflow

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Check which sports clubs are registered with HMRC as community amateur sports clubs as at April 2018.
Find out more about registering as a CASC.
12 February 2019 The address for Wantage Target Shooting Club has been updated.
24 January 2019 The list of sports clubs registered with HMRC as a CASC has been updated with 217 new additions and 1 deletion.
22 June 2018 The address for Hunts Sailing Club has been updated.
15 May 2018 Duplicated entries removed for Coalisland Na Fianna GFC, Moseley Tennis Club, Seven Sisters RFC and Tynemouth Cricket Club, Hythe Lawn Tennis Club changed to The Grove, Hythe. CT21 6AX.
4 May 2018 The list of sports clubs registered with HMRC as a CASC has been updated with numerous new additions and deletions.
22 September 2017 The list of sports clubs registered with HMRC as a CASC has been updated with new additions and deletions.
7 March 2017 The list of sports clubs registered with HMRC as a CASC has been updated with new additions, amendments and deletions.
27 October 2015 The list of sports clubs registered with HMRC as a CASC has been updated. This list is used by Local Authorities, Sports Governing Bodies and donors who want to make a Gift Aid donations.
10 August 2015 The list of sports clubs registered with HMRC as a CASC has been updated. This list is used by Local Authorities, Sports Governing Bodies and donors who want to make a Gift Aid donations.
20 May 2015 Updated CASC list as of 14 April 2015.
12 January 2015 First published.


Find singles and married people looking for ilicit affairs in Porirua today.
Want to see more of our members in Porirua? Vew Horny Women, or Horny Men.
A lot of people live in Porirua, and a lot of those are in unhappy marriages, longing to meet somebody new to break the boredom and have an illicit affair with.


Although it's a legal document, Oak Park's village code often sparks debate. With the hiring of the new village attorney, one village trustee says it may be time for code clarifications and upgrades.
Executive sessions in Oak Park are typically labeled on public agendas in general, vague terms. The merits of the meeting are not immediately known, and, per Illinois Open Meetings Act, village officials don't have to divulge what happened behind closed doors.
The village board is back in session next Monday after a two-week hiatus and will be faced with a typical packed August agenda leading into budget season. Among the list of items to approve will be a proposal to bring pay-by phone to village parking meters.
Oak Park Village President Anan Abu-Taleb will check off another campaign promise at the end of the month when he hosts his first community forum.
More than 50 applicants vied to be Oak Park's next village attorney — including Interim Village Attorney Simone Boutet — but last week Village Manager Cara Pavlicek announced that a new face will be joining the team soon.
The tide turned for the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce when Kathy Yen took over as interim director.
Five years ago, about 400 people turned out for a microbrew beer fest. Last year that number hit roughly 3,000.
Oak Park natives Anne and Douglas Dowd got married, bought a new condo, and did what most couples check off next — new furniture on a newlywed budget.
This Saturday, residents won't have to go far to help provide medical care to hundreds of people in Honduras.
Oak Park police will join law enforcement agencies across Illinois in targeting impaired drivers from Aug. 16 through Labor Day as part of the annual "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" crackdown on those driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.


:HDstarcraft and HuskyStarcraft are proud to present the HDH Invitational sponsored by iRip!
The HDH invitational was a tournament that was sponsored by iRip. The tournament boasted a prize pool of $3450 and invited some of the best or most notable players from around the world, including European and American players.
With commentary by HuskyStarcraft and HDstarcraft themselves, as well as for additional guest casters, the event generated a large amount of hype. The games commenced on April 21st, 2010. Brothers Day9 and Tasteless were matched up against each other in the first round of 16.
On July 20, 2010, Husky announced that HDH 2 information was just around the corner via his Facebook fan page. In March 2011, HD Starcraft announced his HD World Tournament and at that time announced that the HDH2 was postponed indefinitely due to legal/scheduling issues, with no schedule or timeline for resolution of these issues being provided.
Offering a total of $3,450 in prize money, the HDH Invitational represented the largest prize pool for a Beta tournament.
Third place also gets a high five.
All games MUST be played on the US (North American) server.
You are expected to be reachable for a reasonable amount of time during each play period. If you cannot be reached for an extended period of time and do not show up to your games YOU WILL BE REPLACED OR FORFEIT YOUR MATCH.
Round of 4 and Finals games will be broadcast live at a set time, negotiated between all involved.
Players may NOT livestream their games as they are playing.
Chat is allowed in game. However, any excessive abuse and/or spam in game will be taken very seriously.
Disconnects are an automatic loss for that player. If a game is so one sided that it was obvious who was going to win, a judgment call will be made. Our decision is FINAL and players agree to these terms by accepting their invite. In the event of a disconnect, should players not be able to come to an agreement by themselves contact Husky IMMEDIATELY and send in the replays for review.
All games are played regardless of patches. Winning player will be expected to email Husky the replays by the end of the round period.
Players under no circumstances are allowed to release results or replays to the public until after VODS have been posted.
Twilight Fortress is automatically banned from the map pool.
All other maps are allowed to be played on.
Before matches begin, each player can thumb down 2 maps. If both players thumb down the same map they can choose a different map.
Losing player from game 1 picks next map. Losing player of game 2 picks final map (if applicable).
Will be released on Husky's YouTube and HDstarcraft's YouTube.


text:
Banking license |
Offshore bank licenses
Anjouan Offshore Bank. This new banking license offshore jurisdiction, situated in the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, provides clients with International business companies, Banking Licenses and offshore services. Anjouan is set to become one of the leading banking license offshore centres in the world.
Antigua offshore bank formation. The process of licensing and incorporation is accomplished in one month once the appropriate authority is satisfied that all the prescribed requirements have been met. Financial statements of the banking corporation must be submitted before approval is granted.
Dominica offshore Bank license. Leading banks, transnational corporations, conglomerates of small and medium companies, and wealthy individuals are seeking to use the indisputable advantages of an offshore banking establishment.
Belize offshore bank licenses. The Offshore banking Act enables banking and other related businesses to operate within Belize in foreign currencies, securities and assets owned by persons not resident in Belize.
Samoa Offshore Bank Licenses. Samoa is one of the better offshore jurisdictions currently offering restricted offshore banking licenses. Unrestricted licenses are not obtainable by anybody other than existing banks.
Saint Vincent offshore bank. Subject to proper due diligence, two types of banking licenses can be issued in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
St. Lucia offshore bank. An offshore bank can be set up in St. Lucia under the International Banks Act, 1999, the legislation that governs the operation of offshore banks that do business from St. Lucia.
Offshore bank alternatives
New Zealand Offshore Finance Company. An Offshore Finance Company (OFC) can offer banking services to both private individuals and corporations worldwide, with no limitations on number of customers, amounts on deposit or number of currencies.
Swedish Credit Union - own your own deposit taking institution in EU. Great alternaive for offshore bank license. FAQ about Credit Unions from Sweden.
Panama offshore companies with license - Panamanian Financial Services Offshore Corporation. A new offshore financial entity has been introduced to the market. It is designed for corporations registered in Panama which wish to obtain licenses to provide such services as payment processing, credit cards management, metals trading, leasing, factoring etc.
The bank sector and banks were always perceived by the public, as well as by the business world, as a symbol of wealth and economic power. The same applies also in the case of offshore banks, which can be advantageously formed in a number of leading as well as new offshore jurisdictions and financial centres.
In most jurisdictions it is almost impossible for a new applicant, who wants to run banking services, to establish a bank company, unless the applicant is a renowned and respected international bank incorporation.
The authorities protecting the tax sector from adverse impacts (often even in a nonsense and panic manner), which could put in doubts the stability of the bank sector of the country in questions or its goodwill, have thought out a number of bureaucratic and financial barriers which lead serious but less capital-secured applicants to exclusion from possibilities of applying for a bank licence.
A number of countries require the registered capital of a bank to amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, which must often be fully paid up still before the issuing of the license or they concentrate their attention only to those entities who already have a bank license in another country.
But still many entities, especially international holdings, are interested in getting a bank license for the providing of bank services for the needs of their holding. The bank license which is referred to as "internal" in many jurisdictions can be obtained in a standard manner in many offshore locations at surprisingly advantageous prices and under favourable conditions.
Full or partially limited general or international bank license is more demanding in terms of requirements imposed on the registered capital amount, nevertheless there are locations where it is possible to get even this type of license under acceptable conditions.
Basic types of offshore bank licenses
In general terms it is possible to divide offshore bank licenses into two basic types of licenses which can have a number of further subtypes.
General bank license is understood in a majority of jurisdictions as a license for the providing of bank services at the place of registration or international bank services for the public. The bank acts as any other bank entity, it can accept deposits from the public and perform common bank services with residents or non-residents. In an overwhelming majority of countries, however, the activity is limited to providing services to non-residents, i.e. offshore banking services only. This type of offshore bank is established in view of providing commercial bank services in an offshore regime.
Restrictive bank license (often referred to as the "internal" license) is a license which limits territorial activities of the bank, possibility of providing services in foreign currencies or to certain persons. In a majority of cases, the bank cannot accept deposits from the public and it can provide its services only to those entities which are provided for in the bank license. This bank is used as the so-called corporate bank for active Cash Flow management.
The offshore bank company established that way can become a high-quality tool for:
Increase in image of the financial group or holding
Active cash flow management
Issuing bonds and guarantees for tender proceeding purposes
Easier access to bank information about business partners and competitors
Easier access to financial markets
More progressive financing of business activities of a holding or financial group
Establishment of confidential and flexible bank accounts
Providing loans and credit facilities
Most offshore banks are not subject to taxation, withholding taxes, stamp duties, fees and taxes for cheques issued or accepted or to other forms of direct and indirect taxes. This brings an entirely new concept of banking services for the client, which has been known for several years as OFFSHORE BANKING or INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE BANKING. Another significant factor of the offshore banking services is formed by strict anonymity and confidentiality, which is welcomed by many investors and depositors having a bank account opened in the name of a natural person or legal entity, which is often an offshore company as well. These offshore banks are also fully respected entities in a wide bank international community, which is also declared by the fact that a vast majority of international banks are domiciled in one of the tax heavens, such as Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Jersey, Guernsey, Labuan, Isle of Man or Hong Kong.
Leading bank centres with very low or no taxes and a highly liberal environment are concentrated in a significant extent into three geographic areas-Caribbean, Europe and Pacific.
The truth is that the laws of these different foreign jurisdictions differ very much and that one jurisdiction may be at a certain moment far more attractive than another jurisdiction, and therefore it is necessary to perform a due analysis of the existing situation still before selection of the location, which could be performed in co-operation with a specialised company.
The advantages which are available to proprietors of private international banks significantly prevail over the advantages offered by a majority of other investment tools, such as investment funds, mutual investment co-operatives, credit and loan co-operatives, investment societies, etc. Financial activities excluded for banks only, as a tool for direct access to international capital markets, inter-bank advantages in the form of wholesale borrowing and reduction of foreign exchange fees are suddenly available to natural persons in the position of an offshore bank owner.
The following aspects belong among the main advantages of private ownership of an offshore bank:
Profit. All banks, whether foreign or domestic, borrows monies from their depositors at a lower interest rate and lend them in turn to their borrowers at a higher interest rate. The proprietors of a private international bank receive money not only from the depositors, but also generate their profit from the possibilities of handling the cash which is available to banks only.
Privacy. Strict laws concerning bank confidentiality in the host countries protect the interests of financial institutions from unauthorised probes of governmental agencies, tax officers, persons with legal claims or aggressive corporate competitors. A private international bank provides protection from financial break-through attempts which are quite usual in the domestic banking sector.
Tax protection. International financial centres have acquired the goodwill of legal tax heavens. Since the host countries tax the incomes resulting from international activities of qualified banks at a low rate - possibly they do not tax it at all - a private international bank can protect dividends, interest and managerial fees of its proprietor from levies in favour of tax authorities of the country where the proprietor is resident or citizen.
Ownership. Ownership of an offshore bank is burdened by minimum bureaucratic requirements. It is possible to own a private international bank at a surprisingly low price, and the proprietor of the bank furthermore does not need a number of bank authorisations, as it is in the case for continental onshore jurisdictions. In most cases a sufficient qualification is represented by a formed experience in this sector or good bank references and a business plan, which will convince the authorities of the host country about your honest business activities.
Asset protection. The assets deposited into your own private international bank are immune against all judgements and judicial orders of forfeiture or other tasks, issued in your home country.
Image. As a proprietor of an offshore bank you will enter into the world of private international bankers. People will admire you (and in our geographical latitudes they will also envy you ...) from your business partners and you will create an impression of a rich individual with whom it pays to do business.
Diversification of assets. The best way of how to secure assets is their geographical distribution and diversification. There is no better way of how to implement such a distribution than locating them in one or more private international banks, which can be owned and operated by you in accordance with your personal intents.
Integration. An overwhelming majority of offshore banks at present offer the most up-to-date manners of communications and account management, such as Internet Banking, on-line broker services, e-Commerce and a number of other, on-line products, which are available to any client in the world for 24 hours and 7 days in a week. Also your offshore bank can be one of the e-banking pioneers and enjoy a share in the cake of multi-million dot.com business.
Reserves. A number of jurisdictions do not require keeping the capital reserves. Some offshore banks are not obliged to keep reserves at the Central Bank.
Regulation barriers. Offshore banks are able to avoid a large quantity of smaller as well as expensive regulation barriers which apply to domestic onshore banks.
Free choice. Offshore banks are not forced to purchase certain types of securities (such as government bonds), they can freely choose for allocation of their resources according to their own choice and strategy.
Interest. There do not apply any credit ceilings for international banks, which would prevent them from using profitable transactions, and no requirements on minimum and maximum interest rates declared by the Central Bank.
New technology. A number of jurisdictions have missed technological development and demand for modern services. This means that there are still many jurisdictions where the banks cannot provide e-Commerce, payment systems for Internet clearing of payments in the B2B and B2C regimes yet. These limitations do not apply to an overwhelming majority of offshore banks.
The information and backgrounds required in an overwhelming majority of countries of the world from the bank license applicant are as follows:
Bank name and its legal form
Applicant statute (whether the matter concerns establishment of a branch office of a foreign bank or a new company)
Names and curricula vitae of the bank directors
Certificates of criminal impeccability of applicants and directors
Bank and business references
Submission of information about economic management of the firms of the applicant(s)
Identification of the bank shareholders
Identification of the type of issued shares of the bank (registered shares, priority shares, shares without voting rights, etc.)
Denomination of the issued shares of the bank and type of currency used
Capital structure of the bank and capital security
Capital reserves of the bank
Information stating from what resources the bank will be invested
Document of certifying that the registered capital has been paid up (if registered in the host country)
Document certifying that all taxes, stamp duties and royalties have been settled
Identification of the registered office in the host country
Identification data of the registered agent or representative (if required)
Identification data of the auditor and lawyer with a registered office in the host country
Type of intended services which are to be provided
Territorial operation range of the bank
Manner of the company protection from attacks of fraudulent or criminal conduct
Business plan of the bank (the authorities generally require a balance sheet to 3 to 10 years)
Benefits for the host country resulting from the bank operation
Signed and presented applications for the issue of the bank license
Services which we can offer you:
Analysis of jurisdictions, where to establish an offshore bank
Selection of a suitable jurisdiction
Preparation of all backgrounds for filing a bank license application
Establishment of a company which will apply for the bank license
Representation of your company in the license proceedings
Providing of complete advisory services connected with the bank license proceedings
Providing of professional assistance after the obtaining of the license
Providing and recommendation of bank software for on-line banking services
Putting completely the bank into operation
Bank staff training
Preparation of background information for the bank and its proper operation
Ensuring of the registered office for the bank
Ensuring of Nostro accounts
Ensuring of Telex a Swift services
Summary of the things you can do with your own offshore bank:
Set up your own banking instruments (e.g. bonds, securities &c). These can be used in a variety of ways not to be covered in depth here due to space limitations. You may issue letters of credit for yourself, certificates of deposit, provided funds are indeed there (don't do it otherwise, as this would qualify for fraud in most jurisdictions!), letters of recommendation, etc.
Boost your corporate image by retaining your very own bank. This can facilitate business no end: whether you are involved in import-export trade, in industrial manufacturing, in up market financial services, or simply want to impress your business associates and gain a cutting edge against your competitors – an offshore bank is probably the most powerful business tool money can buy.
Grant yourself constructive credit ratings. Fed up with hopping around, currying favour with loan sharks and paying exorbitant sums to "credit repair" agencies that can't really do a thing for you anyway, except sing sweet, harmless odes to deaf ears? Why not do it the banks' way instead? With your own offshore bank, it's a totally new world to explore – grant yourself the credit rating you deserve and make good use of it in your other financial operations.
Grant your own loans and mortgages. A nice way of legally tunneling profits offshore and minimizing on taxes! Once you sign up, we will show you a unique insider strategy how to reduce your tax load and even say goodbye to taxes forever.
Seize your own assets before your creditors do. Don't twiddle thumbs while the vultures are blithely hacking away at your life's work: with our insider strategy, you will be able to employ your bank to lay its hands (i.e. yours!) on your assets before anyone else does. Buy out your own debt for a song, stage your own "friendly self-takeover" and make exorbitant profits – absolutely legally, too, provided you know the proper way to do it!
Belize IBC with brokerage account in Panama
St. Lucia bank account
Offshore car registration
Curacao gambling sublicense


text:
"""Constants for the Smappee integration."""

from datetime import timedelta

from homeassistant.const import Platform

DOMAIN = "smappee"
DATA_CLIENT = "smappee_data"

CONF_HOSTNAME = "hostname"
CONF_SERIALNUMBER = "serialnumber"
CONF_TITLE = "title"

ENV_CLOUD = "cloud"
ENV_LOCAL = "local"

PLATFORMS = [Platform.BINARY_SENSOR, Platform.SENSOR, Platform.SWITCH]

SUPPORTED_LOCAL_DEVICES = ("Smappee1", "Smappee2", "Smappee50")

MIN_TIME_BETWEEN_UPDATES = timedelta(seconds=20)

AUTHORIZE_URL = {
    "PRODUCTION": "https://app1pub.smappee.net/dev/v1/oauth2/authorize",
    "ACCEPTANCE": "https://farm2pub.smappee.net/dev/v1/oauth2/authorize",
    "DEVELOPMENT": "https://farm3pub.smappee.net/dev/v1/oauth2/authorize",
}
TOKEN_URL = {
    "PRODUCTION": "https://app1pub.smappee.net/dev/v3/oauth2/token",
    "ACCEPTANCE": "https://farm2pub.smappee.net/dev/v3/oauth2/token",
    "DEVELOPMENT": "https://farm3pub.smappee.net/dev/v3/oauth2/token",
}


Objective The objective was to determine the prevalence of maternal and perinatal complications among patients with rheumatologic diseases (RD) and to investigate the maternal risk factors for preeclampsia and preterm delivery among RD patients. Study design A retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted. The study group comprised women with RD; the control group comprised patients without RD. The obstetric and neonatal outcomes of the groups were compared, and the data were obtained from a computerized database. Results During the study period, there were 179 deliveries by 125 women with RD. The prevalence of severe preeclampsia, chronic hypertension, pregestational diabetes, oligohydramnios, preterm deliveries and cesarean sections was significantly higher in the RD group than in the control group. Mean birth weight was significantly lower in the study group compared with the general population. Maternal RD was found to be an independent risk factor for preterm delivery and severe preeclampsia (OR 3.59; 95% CI: 2.52–5.11; OR 3.05; 95% CI: 1.44–6.45, respectively). The presence of chronic hypertension in patients with RD was found to be an independent risk factor for severe preeclampsia and preterm delivery (OR 12.2; 95% CI: 2.1–69.8; OR 3.8; 95% CI: 1.1–12.7, respectively). Conclusion Chronic hypertension is an independent risk factor for preterm delivery and severe preeclampsia among RD patients.


text:
Julien Billaut (born 26 November 1981) is a French slalom canoeist who competed at the international level from 1998 to 2009.

Billaut won four medals at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, with three golds (K1: 2006, K1 team: 2005, 2006) and a silver (K1 team: 2007). He also won 1 gold and 2 bronzes at the European Championships.

World Cup individual podiums

1 World Championship counting for World Cup points

References

Official results from Prague 2006

French male canoeists
Living people
1981 births
Medalists at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Two members of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) and two of its supporters were wounded when a grenade was lobbed at them by unidentified persons while they were pasting posters near the 1st mile post in Pt.Pedro in Jaffna last night around 7 p.m.
EPDP sources in Pt.Pedro said that another pro-government Tamil group contesting the elections in Jaffna or the Liberation Tigers may have been responsible for the attack.
The wounded EPDP cadres were admitted to hospital. The persons who lobbed the grenade had got away by the time the security forces in the vicinity of the incident reached the scene of the blast, Police sources in the northern town said. The 1st mile post is an area patrolled by the SLA after dark.


Manufactured from OSMC, Siegrist MCM Cable Markers are manufactured from commerical grade, flexible PVC. MCM Cable Markers are specified in those areas and applications where economy is a major factor.
MCM Cable Markers are push fitted or slipped over wires for cable identification.