text:
Rebuilding relationships over natural resources in Darfur
Over 2,000 people from the local community attended the launch of the second phase of the Wadi El Ku project in Darfur. Photo: UNEP
Every year on 19 August, World Humanitarian Day offers the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations an opportunity to celebrate the daily work of humanitarian responders worldwide and recognize their dedication to helping others. World Humanitarian Day also gives us pause to reflect on how to continue improving the humanitarian response to climate change and complex emergencies.
Here we report on how a flagship United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)-led project in Darfur has improved the livelihoods of over 100,000 people and brought communities together to better manage limited natural resources.
Across Sudan's arid Darfur region, water has always been one of the most precious commodities. Without it, life literally trickles to an end.
With climate change, the availability of water for farming and living has become more unpredictable. Rainfall has been erratic, and temperatures are rising higher, leading to food shortages and conflict as farmers and herders compete for scarce natural resources.
"Water is a priority anywhere in north Darfur. We sometimes have only one shower per year, and often, as little as between 150–200 mm of rain a year," said Mohamed Siddig Lazim Suliman, who works on a UNEP project on water resource management in Darfur.
Drought is not always the problem. Heavy rains can also bring misery – and death. When the ground has been baked dry over long hot months, it cannot absorb sudden downpours. When the water comes, it runs off in flash floods, barreling down dry riverbeds, sweeping all before them. In North Darfur alone, more than 40 people have drowned since last year in such incidents.
The damage caused by climate change is compounded by the region's troubled history. Conflict between communities tore Darfur apart in the early 2000s, killing and displacing hundreds of thousands of people. Many never dared to return to their home villages. This put great strain on local environments where they chopped down trees for firewood, reducing forest and plant cover.
Solutions that hold water
But there are innovative, nature-based solutions to tackle Darfur's environmental issues. These are being put in place by UNEP and partners in Wadi El Ku near El Fasher – the capital of North Darfur state – where Mohamed Siddig works.
This initiative has constructed weirs to conserve rainwater and regulate it when the floods come. It has been in place for seven years and has won plaudits for making residents' lives more sustainable and reducing conflict between the nomadic herders of camels, cattle and goats and farmers.
From the beginning, UNEP and project partners worked closely with the local communities, encouraging parties to come together to build the weirs, which allow constant flow of water, while increasing soil moisture for a variety of crops. About 100,000 people in the 35,000 sq km catchment area benefit.
"This initiative has led to very big changes in the area. All stakeholders are involved and come together to seek consensus. It can take a long time, but it works," explained Mohamed Siddig.
"The Wadi el Ku project demonstrates why it is critical for UN agencies, donors and the government to work hand-in-hand with local communities on restoring the environment. Ensuring that the region's residents, especially women, manage natural resources in an inclusive way is helping end mistrust between farming and nomadic communities," said Gary Lewis, UNEP's Director for Disasters and Conflict.
The Wadi El Ku project is now in a second phase, which began in 2018. Ultimately, this will see the construction of several weirs, irrigation channels, community forests, shelter belts and other interventions that will improve the livelihood for 100,000 people while restoring the natural resources.
Over the last year, the COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary to adapt project activities to minimize health risks. Radio programs are now used to reach large areas with simple extension messages. Hands-on training takes place outdoors, and communication with government officials relies more on WhatsApp and SMS than in the past. Through many small adaptations like these, the project continues to deliver efficiently while minimizing the risk of infections.
In consultation with the Ministry of Health, messages about COVID-19 preventive measures have also been incorporated in all outreach activities.
The project has paid special attention to involving women in the decision-making processes. They are members of water management committees along with other village representatives. Some have benefited from micro-financing schemes enabling them to buy seeds and equipment.
Fawzia Abdelhamid, Head of Women Development Association Network, one of the project's partners, said the weirs have led to huge improvements in land irrigation, which means that women no longer having to spend hours every day walking long and dangerous journeys to fetch water.
"Girls used to help their mothers and could not go to school, it affected their health and added to high illiteracy rates. That has ended and women grow so many more vegetables than before," she said.
Adam Ali Mohamed, 42, has seen a 10-fold increase in his production of watermelons, cucumbers and lentils which he now has to ferry to market by car rather than the occasional donkey trip. It has also seen his income go from around 20,000 Sudanese pounds a month to some 300,000.
"I have opened a shop in El Fasher and bought a house too. One of my sons is studying law at university there too," he said. "I thank God for bringing this project into my life."
Below are details on the structure of the project:
Donor: EU, 10 million EUR
Project holder: UNEP
Implementing partner: Practical Action
Practical Action rely on "the networks" for much of the implementation. There are three local networks consisting of 260 community-based organisations:
Women Development Association NetWork (WDAN)
El-Fashir Rural Development Network (ERDN)
Voluntary Network for Rural Help Development (VNRHD)
The project is implemented in close collaboration with the North Darfur state government. The following entities are directly involved in implementing WEK II:
Ministry of Production and Economic Resources (MOPER) which is a "super" ministry that includes the previous Ministry of Agriculture
Department for Agricultural Extension
Department Range and Pasture
Department for Animal Resources
Natural Resources Directorate
Ground Water and Wadi Department (GWWD)
State Water Corporation (SWC)
Forests National Corporation (FNC)
Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC)
University of El Fasher
University of Khartoum
UN Environment
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A man collects water from a water tank in Kenya. ©FAO/Patrick Meinhardt
More than $138 million is needed to assist rural communities affected by extended drought in the Horn of Africa, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday, launching a comprehensive response plan for the region.
A third consecutive year of poor rains is posing a major threat to food security in countries already facing natural resource limitations and conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, and locust invasions during 2020-21.
FAO fears that a large-scale hunger crisis could break out if food-producing rural communities do not receive adequate assistance timed to the needs of the upcoming agricultural seasons.
Millions at risk
The bulk of the funding under the FAO Horn of Africa Drought Response Plan, $130 million, is urgently needed by the end of February, to provide critical assistance to highly-vulnerable communities in the three most impacted countries: Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia
Projections indicate that some 25.3 million people will face "high acute food insecurity" by the middle of the year.
Should the scenario materialize, FAO said it would place the Horn of Africa among the world's largest-scale food crises.
"We know from experience that supporting agriculture at moments like this is hugely impactful – that when we act fast and at the right moment to get water, seeds, animal feed, veterinary care, and much needed cash to at-risk rural families, then hunger catastrophes can be averted," said Rein Paulsen, the agency's Director of Emergencies and Resilience.
"Well, the right moment is now. We urgently need to support pastoralists and farms in the Horn, immediately, because the cycle of the seasons waits for no one."
Mr. Paulsen warned that the clock is already ticking as the lean season, which just started, has been marked by limited grazing opportunities for pastoralist families whose livestock will need nutritional and veterinary support.
Meanwhile, families who rely on producing crops will need seeds and other supplies in time for the Gu planting season that begins in March.
Water and seeds
The FAO plan targets 1.5 million of the most at-risk rural populations in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
For pastoralist families, support will include providing animal feed and nutritional supplements, as well as mobile veterinary health clinics, to keep their livestock healthy and producing milk; transporting water to 10,000 litre collapsible water reservoirs set up in remote areas, and upgrading existing wells to run on solar power.
Crop-reliant families will receive seeds of drought-tolerant early-maturing varieties of sorghum, maize, cowpea and mung bean, and nutrient-dense vegetables. The UN agency also aims to arrange for pre-planting land-ploughing services and access to irrigation, as well as training on good agricultural practices.
Cash for work programmes would allow able-bodied households to earn extra income by helping to rehabilitate irrigation canals, boreholes or other agricultural infrastructure.
Those not able to work due to health or other reasons will receive "unconditional infusions of cash". FAO said that providing rural families with extra disposable income gives them the means to buy food at market while they wait for their harvests to come in.
In Somalia, the FAO plan calls for the provision of boats, equipment and training to help coastal communities who do not typically fish, to secure a new and much-needed source of nutrition, building on existing programmes to promote the diversification of livelihoods in the country.
FAO said if fully funded, the plan would allow for the production of up to 90 million litres of milk and up to 40,000 tonnes of staple food crops in the first part of 2022, putting over one million highly food insecure people on a safe footing, for at least six months.
Lithuanians Pave Way for EU's Legal Migration Initiatives with Sub-Saharan Africa
The European Union is facing a shortage of specialists. The reality of demographic characteristics and the labour market dictate that legal migration of talents to the EU is an inevitable need. Still, current pathways of specialist migration are not up to par. Thus, the EU is seeking new ways to connect European companies with foreign labour markets, brimming with young, talented job-seekers, and launched a slew of pilot projects to test the waters. Quite unexpectedly for many, Lithuania was the first to join the initiative and its Digital Explorers became one of the most successful in delivering tangible results.
The main goal of the Digital Explorers—contracted by ICMPD on behalf of the European Commission—was filling vacancies in Lithuanian technology companies with Nigerian ICT talent; consequently, it explored models of international collaboration between business and governments, with a non-governmental organisation as an intermediary. In the light of limited previous engagement between Lithuania and African countries, it has truly been a ground-breaking experience, both participants and partners agree.
While the current European mobility tool for professionals, the Blue Card Initiative, provides a simplified set of legal migration requirements for highly skilled workers from non-EU countries, the numbers of attracted talents are low. A recent revision of the Initiative aims to address this by expanding access to the framework for more qualified young specialists, yet amending the regulation might not be enough. A significant bottleneck is real and perceived risks for the private sector related to hiring talent from outside the EU.
"Pathways of legal migration for young specialists into the Union can solve multiple problems, including the shortage of talents in the EU, the lack of opportunities for young specialists in non-EU countries, and address the unknowns faced by the private sector. They could also help building mutually beneficial partnerships with third countries on overall migration management. We are looking for ways to facilitate the process together with EU member states, in line with the New Pact on Migration and Asylum" says Magdalena Jagiello, Deputy Head, of the Legal Pathways and Integration Unit, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME).
A success story to build upon
Even though EU-based companies willing to hire abroad are inevitable initiators of personnel migration, mobility projects act as catalyzers by providing a missing link between participating countries as well as between business and the public sector.
"While private companies at first were sceptical that this unexpected connection can work, we spoke their language—one that is close to the heart of ICT companies. People in our team had diverse ICT and law backgrounds and firsthand knowledge of the African tech market. Therefore, we managed to address concerns of hiring companies and had answers to key questions, including recruitment and matching strategies, and potential skill level," says Mantė Makauskaitė, project lead of Digital Explorers.
"We also had a long-term vision that the project will give us the means to build further mutually beneficial connections between Baltic and African ICT markets, and stakeholders were excited about that path forward," she continues.
Thanks to the Digital Explorers pathway, 26 young men and women have relocated from Nigeria to Lithuania through two mobility models: 1-year employment and 6-months paid traineeship. They joined 13 companies working in ICT, engineering, fintech, and data science markets. Both sides were supported throughout the program—Nigerians went through technical and soft skills training to further enhance their career prospects, while companies were consulted on integrating internationals and diversity management practices. After the program, 18 participants were retained by Lithuanian ICT companies, while others continue their careers in Nigeria, making it a win-win initiative.
"Lithuanian ICT sector is rapidly growing and the shortage of specialists is difficult to address by depending on local talent only. We were willing to hire talents outside of the EU, but needed help at establishing contacts, aligning with prospective employees from third countries, and facilitating the paperwork," says Vaidas Laužeckas, CEO of Metasite Data Insights.
With help from Digital Explorers, Metasite Data Insights initially welcomed one junior data scientist; after the programme, the company has hired another one. Both of the Explorers started as junior specialists in internship positions and ended up as mid-level specialists in the span of 6 months.
Another Lithuanian company that benefited from a connection to Nigeria, Telesoftas, was deeply impressed by new possibilities offered by the African IT talent market and has made a strategic decision to create a Nigerian branch and opened an office in Abuja with the aims to hire at least 30 engineers by the end of 2022 and up to 100 in 2023. "The potential offered by Nigeria is just too big to ignore. A subsidiary on the spot might act not only as our key delivery center but also as a connection, allowing Lithuanian teams to search for talents to fill their ranks and create new business opportunities" says Algirdas Stonys, CEO of Telesoftas.
Ethiopia's Ministry of Industry, UNIDO sign €2m agreement
Ethiopia's Ministry of Industry and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have signed a €2m agreement to support Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks (IAIPs), funded by the Italian Agency for Development and Cooperation. Thes agreement will contribute to the development of the agro-industrial sector and the creation of decent jobs and economic opportunities in the rural areas of Ethiopia. The objective of the new project is to support the inclusive and sustainable development of four pilot IAIPs. Project activities will concentrate on increasing private sector involvement in agro-industry, improving food quality, safety and traceability, and promoting social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
With the support of UNIDO, the Government of Ethiopia has prioritized the establishment of the IAIPs as a primary tool to achieve agricultural modernization and rural industrialization in the country. To this end, the Government of Ethiopia has mobilized various funding sources and development partners for the implementation of IAIPs. The current project is for the development of the four pilot IAIPs, located in Oromia (Bulbula), Sidama (Yirgalem), Amhara (Bure) and Tigray (Beaker). The project is funded by the Italian Agency for Development and Cooperation, in alignment with the Italian strategy outlined in the Ethio-Italian country framework 2017 – 2019 which encourages sustainable and inclusive economic growth to ensure full employment and decent work for all, especially in rural areas, as well as promoting partnerships between Italian and Ethiopian institutions to ensure continuity of investment and transfer of technologies.
The signature ceremony was attended by Shisema Gebreselassie, State Minister of the Ministry of Industry, Aurelia Patrizia Calabrò, UNIDO Representative and Director of the Regional Office Hub, and Isabella Lucaferri, Head of the AICS Addis Ababa Office.
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On March 23, 2015, one of Asia's giants left this world. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first leader, having ruled for an astounding three decades from 1959 to 1990 under the banner of the People's Action Party (PAP), passed away, leaving a gaping hole in the hearts of many Singaporeans. Nothing has made this more evident than the millions who stood in the pouring rain to pay their respects to the larger-than-life figure who brought Singapore to the international fore. While Lee Kuan Yew, affectionately known as LKY, is credited with transforming Singapore from a Third World country with no natural resources to an Asian Tiger economy, along with getting diverse groups of people to establish themselves as Singaporean nationals, his government was credited with crackdown against political dissidents, careful monitoring of the press—as evidenced by the explosion of the story of a young Singaporean boy who issued a fake statement about LKY's death 5 days before it happened -- behavior that was often cited as an example of a "nanny state." His son, Lee Hsien Loong, continues his father's legacies—and that of PAP—leading some to wonder whether Singapore will develop a dynastic autocracy. This raises the question of what is most important: economic prosperity or political freedom?
While it cannot be denied that governing a country through the ups and downs of 30 years, and especially through a transition to independence from Malaysia, is an extraordinary feat, there are definitely some more curious aspects to LKY's policies. For example, he advocated that the reason that multi-party democracy and free political expression was limited was due to the need for economic stability. Some abroad may question why Singapore has continued this path of limited political freedoms in the face of a growing economy. It would be mistaken to assume that all of this backlash and criticism is strictly coming from outside of Singapore. Dissidence has begun to arise in many forms across Singapore, including the first strike—considered illegal in the small nation-state—since 1986 in 2013 and an increased presence of opposition parties in the Singaporean parliament. Filmmaker Eric Khoo was famous for his subtle criticism of LKY's governance through disturbing films such as "Mee Pok Man" and "12 Storeys," seeking to highlight the lives of the Singaporean poor and the tensions that existed between residents of public housing respectively.
The focus of Western media on this critical lens is astounding. While some—including renowned journalist Fareed Zakaria—supports Lee Kuan Yew almost unequivocally, many have poked holes in the LKY Asian development model, joking about the serious punishments for infractions such as buying and selling chewing gum and criticizing the bankrupting of political opponents by the Lee family. However, political pundits understand the value of having a leader like Lee Kuan Yew in a region that has otherwise produced brutal military dictators, and that many leaders viewed LKY, as he is affectionately known, as a role model, including China's Deng Xiaoping and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the latter country, there are even plans underway to build a statue and construct a museum in honor of Lee Kuan Yew in the state of Tamil Nadu, where most of Singapore's ethnically Indian citizens hail from. There is a sense that perhaps LKY defied the West in creating a distinctly Asian system of national achievement. Lee Kuan Yew's iron grip on Singapore resulted in flourishing economic success, but at the cost of political democratic freedoms.
Lee Kuan Yew intimidates the West in many ways, and for good reason too. If more Asian leaders turn to the Lee Kuan Yew model to improve their countries' economic growth, that could mean less influence from Washington and London. This could leave the development of strong economic states with weaker civil societies in its wake.


Yom-Tov Assidon stand in front of his Sunrise home that was destroyed by a tornado.
A Sunrise woman who is recuperating after a battle with breast cancer didn't think she'd be battling for her life again when a tornado swept through her home Tuesday night.
Gail Assidon, 58, was watching "Dancing With the Stars" with her husband and sister in her home in the 13000 block of Northwest 10th Street when the tornado suddenly ripped the roof off and destroyed her house.
"Thank God we're alive," said husband, Yom-Tov Assidon. "Not many injuries, thank God, but I have scratches but that's nothing, maybe somebody else got worse."
It could have been a lot worse for his wife, who was laying in bed as she recuperates from reconstructive surgery she'd undergone on Sept. 30 when the storm hit.
Yom-Tov Assidon said his wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, and underwent a double mastectomy in 2009.
He said he went to get ice cream when the tornado burst through their house.
"If I was sitting there another second, I'd probably be dead because the window blew in on the chair," he said.
Gail Assidon managed to get into a corner with her sister, who was visiting from Boston and helping to take care of her. Yom-Tov Assidon said he had to take her to the hospital after some of her surgery stitches came out.
Yom-Tov Assidon said it could have been a lot worse.
"Everything is demolished, there's nothing left so I guess we have to rebuild everything from scratch," he said.
Meanwhile, neighbor Pete Conde, who had window and roof damage, said everything happened in seconds.
"You could hear all the windows just exploding. Pop, pop, pop, and in about seconds everything stopped," he said. "Mother Nature, when it deals you a hand you just got to play the hand. You don't mess with Mother Nature."


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The Lower Galilee (; ) is a region within the Northern District of Israel. The Lower Galilee is bordered by the Jezreel Valley to the south; the Upper Galilee to the north, from which it is separated by the Beit HaKerem Valley; the Jordan Rift Valley with the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee to the east; and to the west, a segment of the Northern Coastal Plain known as the Zvulun Valley (Zebulon Valley), stretching between the Carmel ridge and Acre. The Lower Galilee is the southern part of the Galilee. In Josephus' time, it was known to stretch in breadth from Xaloth (Iksal) to Bersabe, and in length from Cabul to Tiberias, a region that contains around 470 km2. It is called "Lower" since it is less mountainous than the Upper Galilee. The peaks of the Lower Galilee rise to  above sea level. The tallest peaks are Mount Kamon () at the northern part of the Lower Galilee, and Mount Tabor () in the southern part.}

Geography
The Lower Galilee consists of three different regions which differ in their geological structure:
 The western Lower Galilee
 The central Lower Galilee
 The high regions of the eastern Lower Galilee

The central Lower Galilee consists of low mountain ranges which extend from east to west with several valleys in between; south of the Beit Kerem (Šagor) Valley is the Shagor mountain range, then Sakhnin valley, Yodfat range, Beit Netofa Valley, Tur'an valley and range, Nazareth range, and Ksulot () valley. In the western part of the Lower Galilee there are several low hills (200–300 meters) covered with Oak tree forests, the central Lower Galilee region is more mountainous and the eastern Lower Galilee region turn into flat basalt mountainside reaching heights of 300 meters above sea level which extend from northeast to the southwest.

Although the landscape of the Lower Galilee is less dramatic than that of the Upper Galilee, it is greener, more peaceful and quiet. The Lower Galilee is more accessible to the majority of Israelis (less than a 2-hour drive from the Tel Aviv area). Much of the produce farms of Israel originates in the Lower Galilee, especially in the Jezreel Valley and the Beit She'an Valley.

Type of soil
The soil of the Lower Galilee mainly consists of the following:

 Limestone - the lands in the central Lower Galilee region consists mainly of limestone which was created due to accumulation of shells and skeletons of marine life on the seabed.
 Brown Terra Rossa - the Lower Galilee region also have many areas which consists of this type of soil which has high amounts of minerals. The Terra Rossa is the basis for the development of forests in the Galilee because it has a large amount of mineral needed for the trees to grow.
 Basalt - the lands in the eastern Lower Galilee region (the area near the Golan Heights) consists mainly of basalt which is a type of rock that was created as a result of hot magma from erupted volcanoes which later cooled in temperature and became rock hard and impenetrable. The basalt areas also comprise very fertile soil.

Water resources
Until 1932 the settlements in the eastern Lower Galilee were based solely on spring water which existed in proximity to the villages which were only enough for home use and therefore it was not possible to have irrigated agriculture in the Lower Galilee at the time. In 1932 the first Well drilling was done in the Yavne'el Valley which supplied irrigation water to Yavne'el. In 1942 a water pipeline was constructed from the Sea of Galilee to the village which as a result extended its amount of agricultural lands, which were based mainly on the new water sources, despite the relatively high cost of water at that time. During the first decade of the State of Israel the villages of the Lower Galilee were involved in a constant struggle with the government demanding that the government would solve their water problems. After several local Well drilling attempts made during those years failed water pipelines were laid from the Sea of Galilee to all villages in the Lower Galilee.

Gallery

See also
Galilee
Northern District (Israel)
Lower Galilee Regional Council
Upper Galilee

References

Historical regions in Israel
Regions of Israel

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Wilfried Nelissen (nascido a 5 de maio de 1970 em Tongeren) foi um ciclista belga, profissional entre os anos 1991 e 1996, durante os quais conseguiu 29 vitórias.

Nelissen era um especialista nos sprints, cujo maior lucro foram duas vitórias na Omloop Het Volk (anos 1993 e 1994).

Palmarés
1991
 Tour de l'Oise
 Flèche Hesbignonne

1992
 1 etapa da Volta a Andaluzia
 Paris-Bourges
 Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen

1993
 1 etapa do Tour de France
 1 etapa da Volta a Andaluzia
 Omloop Het Volk
 Le Samyn

1994
 1 etapa da Volta às Astúrias
 2 etapas dos Quatro Dias de Dunquerque
 1 etapa do Tour do Mediterrâneo
 Omloop Het Volk
 2 etapas da Estrela de Bessèges
 Grande Prêmio de Isbergues
 Campeonato da Bélgica em Estrada

1995
 Campeonato da Bélgica em Estrada
 1 etapa da Volta a Andaluzia
 2 etapas da Paris-Nice
 1 etapa dos Quatro Dias de Dunquerque
 1 etapa do Midi Livre
 Circuit de l'Escaut

1996
 2 etapas da Volta a Andaluzia
 Clássica de Almería
 1 etapa da Paris-Nice

Ligações externas
Ficha de Wilfried Nelissen em sitiodeciclismo.net

Ciclistas da Bélgica
Vencedores de etapas do Tour de France


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text:
Swings, signs and surprises: what to watch for as the US presidential election unfolds
Published: November 3, 2020 1.16pm EST
Peter S. Field, University of Canterbury
Peter S. Field
Head of Humanities and Creative Arts and Associate Professor of American History, University of Canterbury
Peter S. Field does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
University of Canterbury provides funding as a member of The Conversation NZ.
University of Canterbury provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.
Just about every pollster and pundit in the United States predicts Joe Biden will prevail in the popular vote on November 3. Current polling puts the Democrat candidate somewhere between seven and eight points ahead.
For context, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 2% in 2016. If the polls are accurate, there is next to no chance that Donald Trump can win in 2020. He would need to close the gap to within 5%, likely under 4%.
The role of the Electoral College is crucial, however. George W. Bush's victory in 2000 and Trump's in 2016 demonstrated a central fact of American presidential elections: they are indirect. The popular vote does not determine the outcome.
Al Gore and Hillary Clinton know this stark political truth all too well. Despite outpolling their opponents, neither won the presidency. To become president, a candidate must garner a majority of electoral college votes, the total of which is equal to the full membership of the House and Senate. In 2020 the magic number is 270.
So, could there be a second upset? What might we watch to get an early clue of the outcome?
It's Biden's to lose
Firstly, the Republicans would have to close strongly. Trump has narrowed the gap in the most recent polling cycles. And he has barnstormed the battleground states until the last moment.
But in the COVID age, voting by mail may have changed the dynamic significantly. A record number of Americans have already voted, and nothing anyone can do will alter those votes cast.
Early voting: a US postal worker sorts ballots ahead of the election day deadline. GettyImages
The Trump-Pence ticket claims to have made inroads into Black and Hispanic voting blocs. The Republicans could score significant gains with males, too. Ironically, they could close the popular vote gap by polling better in California, New Jersey and New York but still accrue no advantage. Gaining minority support in blue states offers no improvement to the Republican electoral map.
By contrast, pollsters predict Biden winning the Electoral College vote along with a decisive majority of the popular vote.
Presumably he will win the states Clinton won in 2016. Beyond that he only has to flip (or hold, with 2016 being the outlier) the "blue wall" of Midwestern states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Biden is from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Unlike Clinton, he has campaigned heavily in these states.
Democratic presidential candidate and former vice president Joe Biden at a drive-in rally in Pittsburgh near the end of the campaign. AAP
The states to watch
For all of us watching halfway across the world, look out for these early indicators of an upset — if one is in the offing.
Florida: Trump must win here, Texas and the rest of the South. Florida will be an early indicator. If early returns show Trump well ahead, if he's polling well with Latinos and African Americans, if returns in Miami-Dade County are below predictions — then the Republicans prevail in the Sunshine State. A Trump re-election becomes possible, if still unlikely.
North Carolina (and Georgia): Trump must win the South. If early returns have Trump clearly ahead in Florida, then it's very likely that he carries North Carolina and holds the South. Bonus: the senate race between the popular Democrat Cal Cunningham and incumbent Thom Tillis might be suggestive. If Tillis is winning handily, it's likely Trump is stronger than pollsters had predicted. A Democratic Senate becomes less likely.
Pennsylvania: Biden is from Pennsylvania and the Democrats have hugely outspent Trump in the Keystone State (85% of more than US$700 million spent on TV ads has gone to Pennsylvania broadcasters and to those in the other big five swing states).
The Democrats will lose many of the rural counties, so they must poll well in Philadelphia, its suburbs and in Pittsburgh. Early returns from Philadelphia must be overwhelmingly Democratic. If the Democratic majority is less than expected or fewer turn up to vote, then Pennsylvania is very much in play.
Biden may have upset some voters for his comments in the final presidential debate about opposing fracking or drilling for oil on federal land. The oil industry remains a key economic factor in Pennsylvania politics.
Michigan and Minnesota: Here the down-ticket Michigan race might trump the presidential returns. A key early indicator would be the battle for the senate between Gary Peters and the Republican John James. The latter is popular but Peters has consistently polled at least five points ahead of his opponent.
If that race is tight, if James is close, then Michigan would be in play for Trump. Popular sentiment against COVID lockdowns and protests over the police killing of George Floyd might be greater than people were willing to confess to pollsters, with far-reaching implications for the returns on the night. A similar dynamic could be seen in Minnesota.
Donald Trump at a campaign rally in the swing state of Michigan in the final days of campaigning. AAP
A November surprise?
It is entirely possible that Biden prevails easily, and the Republicans lose North Carolina, Michigan, Minnesota, Arizona and Pennsylvania. Trump goes out not with a bang, but with a whimper.
It is also possible the election proves far tighter than the pundits would have it. All eyes would likely be on Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes. If that's the case, then looking for early indicators was a fool's errand. It will be at least four days until we have an idea of the final tally in Pennsylvania, with its disputed postal ballot deadline.
Hang on to your seats. If Trump pulls off another astonishing, deeply implausible upset it might be time to recall the battle of Yorktown and a tale as old as the American republic.
On October 19 1781, Lord Charles Cornwallis, Knight Companion of The Most Noble Order of the Garter, surrendered to George Washington and the American Continental Army. Defeated yet defiant, Cornwallis ordered the Redcoat band to accompany proceedings with the tune "The World Turned Upside Down". If Trump wins Florida, you'll know to cue up the old jig.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Downingtown & Lancaster Branch
On Philadelphia Division, we take a diverging path from the Main Line and Low Grade as we leave the Lancaster area to explore the former Downingtown & Lancaster Railroad, an interesting branch line operation that may have been the result of early efforts to expand the PRR soon after its charter.
The western end of the Downingtown & Lancaster Branch joined the PRR Main Line just east of the Conestoga River bridge. This undated view of ES tower with its classic wood frame structure looks east on the main line where it collapses from four to two tracks to cross the Conestoga. Left and behind the tower you can see the diverging route of the D&L. Image is from the collection of the Lancaster History Archive
Early History: Surviving segment of Thomson's Poker Game? No sooner than the completion of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Main Line from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh the fledging carrier looked to expand its empire by purchasing rights, property and franchises to gain entry to new markets and expand upon their existing system. Largely driven by third president, J. Edgar Thomson, one of the largest single objectives was to gain direct access to Philadelphia. This would require control of the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad, an 82-mile rail route that connected Philadelphia to the canal system at the P&C's western terminus Columbia, all of which was part of the state-owned Main Line of Public Works. Though poorly engineered and in deplorable condition due to the mounting debt of the entire operation, the route had potential if the right funding could be secured and a staff of knowledgeable railroad men could be utilized to plan and execute improvements. This however would not be the problem for Thomson; it was more so the state who demanded a hefty sum for the Main Line of Public Works in its entirety with the clause that all parts of the system be improved and remain operational. Thompson's response? Build another railroad and marginalize the state system. Thus attention was focused on the recently incorporated Lancaster, Lebanon & Pine Grove Railroad, a start up enterprise looking to establish a connection between the Norristown Railroad and the Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mount Joy & Lancaster Railroad which would essentially make the need for the P&C irrelevant. Founded in 1852, Christian Spangler a prominent Philadelphia businessman was named commissioner of the new line. Spangler, also a PRR board member would soon be named president of the railroad in 1853. In the spring of the same year survey crews worked between Lebanon and Cornwall doing just enough work to look like the Lancaster & Pine Grove would come to fruition.
Detail of the 1855 map under Chief Engineer H. P Haupt shows the proposed Lebanon, Lancaster & Pine Grove Railroad (across the upper center area of the map) which would eliminate the need to purchase the State's failing Main Line of Public Works. Though the route was never built the similarities of the line with Downingtown & Lancaster branch makes one wonder if the property had once been considered to be part of the plan had the Commonwealth and the PRR never came to terms. Map collection of the Library of Congress
Detail of a 1911 PRR system map showing the New Holland Branch, symbolic of the corporate restructuring that rolled the D&L franchise into the PRR portfolio of lines and assets. Map Collection of the author
In 1854, facing the reality of an investment that now accounted for almost all of the Commonwealth's debt, fear of financial ruin motivated the state legislature to pass an act to sell the Main Line of Public Works in its entirety for the highest bidder above 10 Million dollars. The PRR wouldn't budge; Thomson continued his bluff letting contracts to begin minimal construction with no intention of building an actual railroad but rather to force the hand of canal commissioners to sell on the PRR's terms and price point. For the next three years Thomson continued to wage his bets, showing public support for the construction of the Lancaster & Pine Grove. In 1855 the state legislature authorized another sale complete with operational clauses for the State Works to be sold at a minimum bid of $7.5 million; still no takers. Finally in 1857 a third bill was authorized for sale at or above $7.5 million including all rolling stock and property. With no other offers the PRR took control of the Main Line of Public Works in its entirety on August 1st, 1857. Now that Thomson had the last piece of railroad to complete a wholly owned main line between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh the Lancaster & Pine Grove Railroad would be dropped.
While the bidding war for the PRR to assumed control of P&C raged on, the East Brandywine Railroad had chartered in 1854, building an 18 mile line between the main line at Downingtown and Waynesburg (later Honebrook), Pennsylvania. Commencing operations in 1860 and reorganizing as the East Brandywine & Waynesburg Railroad Company the railroad extended another ten miles west to New Holland by 1876 operating in rich agricultural country. The line was operated by the PRR under leases until June of 1888, when the property was sold under foreclosure and the company reorganized as the Downingtown & Lancaster Railroad Company. The road would later be extended from New Holland to Conestoga Junction, a total of 9.8 miles, opening for traffic in September of 1890 with the PRR operating the entire line as agent. The Downingtown & Lancaster was never intended to operate as a primary route, with a ruling grade of 1.6% westward, but the rural line did service the agricultural region with connections to the main line at both ends. When comparing the proposed route of the Lancaster & Pine Grove on Herman Haupt's 1855 map the uncanny similarity of the route with parts of the D&L makes one wonder if the alignment is surviving property that was pawn to Thompson's high stakes poker game to gain control of the P&C.
The eastern end of contemporary operations is centered around Musselman Lumber in New Holland proper. Trackage here used to feature a wye track for turning locomotives, a freight station (which is now occupied by a screen printing company) and several public delivery tracks. The branch continues to the far eastern end of town and terminates around New Holland Concrete but currently no customers are utilizing rail east of this area
The Downingtown & Lancaster in the 20th Century: In 1903 the 37.5 mile line, property and franchises were officially purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad and operation remained much the same as it had for some time. New Holland was one of the larger centers for traffic on the branch, originally home to New Holland Machine, Musselman Brother's Feed and Lumber, EM Rutter & Co. among several others. One particular company stood out later becoming a major shipper on the branch; New Holland Machine. Founded in 1875 by Abraham Zimmerman a black smith and mechanical genius, Zimmerman began offering his services to area farmers in need of repair or fabrication of farming equipment. Zimmerman grew his business carefully watching the rising need for the internal combustion engines in the farming industry. Despite imperfect designs Zimmerman saw potential in these machines and sought to improve them by developing a new freeze proof water-cooled engine. By 1903 Zimmerman had incorporated the New Holland Machine Company hiring 40 employees to mass-produce the engines in a facility located on Franklin Street. Other items in Zimmerman's product line included feed grinders, rock crushers and wood saws. By 1911 the company had grown to 150 employees and in 1927 the company employed 225. In 1947 the Sperry Corporation purchased New Holland Machine becoming Sperry-New Holland. Since the acquisition the company has changed hands several times and is now a brand of CNH Global which is majority owned by Fiat International. The New Holland, PA location remains the North American headquarters and is one of the largest plants for manufacturing hay tools in the world.
The frame combination freight and passenger station at Leola provided very modest accommodations for passengers up until 1930 when service was discontinued.
William L. Seigford hired with the PRR in December of 1959 and was later promoted and transferred from the West Coast territory of the PRR to the Harrisburg Division where he was assigned to the Lancaster Territory. Locally based in the Lancaster area, part of his territory included the New Holland Branch. Among other major shippers, Bill worked closely with Sperry – New Holland, who received both inbound steel from various mills and shipped finished product. At one particular time during the final years of the Penn Central era Sperry was experiencing a surge in production and the railroad had difficulty providing the necessary flat cars on a daily basis to move the finished product. Bill recalls, "Sperry's traffic manager came up with the idea to charter a small plane to fly over the railroad in order to scout empty flat cars sitting in yards or sidings and insisted I go with them. We flew over Enola then on up the Middle Division to Lewistown where they (Sperry) loaded flatcars at the public delivery tracks with product from their Belleville Plant." Through a stop off arrangement written in the PRR tariffs, these flat cars would be partially loaded in New Holland then shipped to either the Mountville plant or Lewistown to be completed depending on what dealers out west needed in their shipment. During the early Conrail era, Philadelphia's marketing offices quickly realized they were loosing money on the additional stop off and sought to put an end to the unprofitable arrangement. Shipment of outbound loads tapered off ending in the early 1980's but the plant continued to received inbound steel for a few more years until Sperry had the necessary trucking companies to haul both.
The D&L faced several abandonments with the first major change in the 1950's when 8 miles were abandoned severing the line's end points. By the 1960's the entire east end from Downingtown was gone and Honeybrook (formerly Waynesburg) was the far end of the branch from Lancaster. Conrail continued to cut the line back eventually making East Earl the end of the line. Today trackage ends on the far-east end of New Holland near New Holland Cement. The remainder of the extant line in service connects with the former PRR Main Line in Lancaster at Conestoga interlocking continuing 12.8 miles to the end of track. Though Sperry-New Holland doesn't ship by rail the branch remains very profitable, being served today Monday through Friday by Norfolk Southern's locals H28 and H29 (afternoon relief crew) and is home to major shippers like Dart Container, L&S Sweeteners, RR Donnelley Printing and several others.
I would like to acknowledge both William L. Seigford and Mark Hoffman for taking the time to show me around the branch and share a wealth of information on the operations and local history of the New Holland branch through its later PRR, PC and Conrail operations.
Categories: Railroads Tags: New Holland Branch, Conrail, from the mainline, Conestoga, Norfolk Southern, railroads, Downingtown & Lancaster, Pennsylvania Railroad, Sperry-New Holland, Philadelphia and Columbia, historic documentation, Amtrak, From the Mainline, Michael Froio Photography, Bill Seigford
August 13, 2015 by Michael Froio
Happy Holidays from Michael Froio Photography
Friends, As 2014 winds down and we are amidst the holiday season I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone for all the wonderful words and support. Between formally becoming a small business owner, commercial commissions, lectures, curating an exhibition, writing, research and making photographs for the Main Line Project it has been a truly amazing year. I look forward to taking the final days of 2014 to reflect on the year and spend some much-needed time with the family. Looking forward to 2015 there is a number of events on the horizon,more information will follow after the start of the New Year. I have taken a moment to assemble here some of my favorite holiday posts from years past, enjoy and happy holidays from my family to yours!
Holiday Traditions: Story of the Night before Christmas Paintings by PRR employee William W. Seigford Jr.
The Lionel Corporation: Model Railroad Icon of the Holiday Season
Page 12-13 of Lionel's 1947 product catalog illustrating the deluxe train sets # 1447WS and 1459WS featuring accessories including the log dump car and working cattle pen. Note the locomotive which is modeled after the PRR's failed S2 steam turbine locomotive, which ironically Lionel produced more of than the Juniata Shops! Original 1947 catalog collection of the author.
With modest beginnings Joshua Lionel Cowen and Harry C. Grant founded the Lionel Corporation in 1900, building model trains for retail window displays to help draw consumers to their stores. In 1906 the company responded to the increasing demand for the electric trains in the consumer market and developed its trademark three-rail "standard gage" track to simplify wiring and use of accessories. By 1915 Lionel would supplement the large standard gage with the budget minded O scale which would later become the standard size of their product lines. Lionel's use of sharp advertising was ultimately responsible for tying model trains to Christmas, making them popular presents during the holidays, establishing traditions that survive today. By WWI Lionel was one of three major US manufactures of toy trains, surpassing competitor Ives as the market leader by the 1920's. Lionel's growth and aggressive ad campaigns further led to Ives' bankruptcy in 1928.
Lionel 027 gage locomotives and tenders! No Lionel layout was complete with extra motive power, this includes many Pennsy inspired locomotives lettered in both the classic Lionel Lines and PRR. Original 1947 catalog collection of the author.
Like many other companies, the Great Depression would be a severe detriment to Lionel's business, as a result their 1927 operating profit of over $500,000 plummeted to $82,000 in 1930, and ultimately a loss in 1931 of over $200,000 putting Lionel into receivership by May of 1934. A product credited with saving Lionel during the Depression era was a wind up hand car featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse which Lionel sold well over 250,00 units providing the cash flow to keep the company from closing.
"From the Ranch Lands and Dairy Country!" Lionel was well known for there operating accessories including the Cattle Car and Milk cars both which were accompanied by track side platforms for loading and unloading. Original 1947 catalog collection of the author.
In 1942 Lionel ceased toy production to produce items for the United States Navy during World War II. Regardless of the lack of toy train production, the advertising department pushed heavily to urge American teenagers to start planning their post-war layouts. By late 1945 Lionel resumed production, replacing their original product lines with more realistic trains and accessories exclusively in O Scale. Considered by many aficionados as the golden years, 1946-1956 saw sales soaring with new items including the famous Santa Fe Warbonnet EMD F3 locomotives as well as the Pennsylvania Railroad GGI and experimental S2 steam turbine locomotive. During the 1950s Lionel would tout its short-lived title of largest toy manufacturer, out selling American Flyer almost 2:1. After 1955 sales declined steadily with the rising popularity of the smaller but more realistic HO Scale and to many the end of the true "Lionel era" was in 1959. Over the years Lionel was diversified unsuccessfully and the name survived in different ways including retail toy outlet Lionel Kiddy City. Today the Lionel name remains the most famous name in model trains, though not associated with the original corporation, Lionel LLC owns most of the product rights and trademarks continuing the legacy started by American businessmen Joshua Lionel and Harry Grant well over 100 years ago.
Holiday Travel: A vintage add from the Pennsylvania Railroad
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: 027, 1947, 1951, Ad, Advertising, American Flyer, Amtrak, Bill Seigford, Cattle Car, Christmas, Classic, Classic Print Advertising, Clement Clark Moore, farm Journal, fine art, from the mainline, General Foreman of Passenger Locomotives and Cars, Harrisburg, historic, historic documentation, holiday, holiday traditions, Holiday travel, Illustration, Ives, lancaster, lionel, mainline, Marx Toys, michael froio, milk Car, Model Railroads, O scale, Passenger Station, Penn Central, Pennsy, Pennsylvania Railroad, photography, PRR, railroads, S2, Santa, Saturday Evening Post, spirit, Steam Locomotives, Streamliner, The Night before Christmas, train station, Trains, William W- Seigford Jr
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Amtrak, Bill Seigford, Christmas, Clement Clark Moore, General Foreman of Passenger Locomotives and Cars, Harrisburg, historic documentation, lancaster, michael froio, Passenger Station, Penn Central, Pennsylvania Railroad, PRR, The Night before Christmas, William W- Seigford Jr
I would like to acknowledge Mr. William (Bill) L. Seigford for his help on this post as well as his continued support on the Mainline Project, his knowledge and generosity have been a invaluable resource.
Categories: Railroads Tags: Amtrak, Bill Seigford, Christmas, Clement Clark Moore, General Foreman of Passenger Locomotives and Cars, Harrisburg, historic documentation, lancaster, michael froio, Passenger Station, Penn Central, Pennsylvania Railroad, PRR, The Night before Christmas, William W- Seigford Jr


text:
Nine (Portugal), een plaats in Portugal
 Nine (film), een film gebaseerd op de gelijknamige musical
 Nine (musical), Broadway-musical
 Nine (band), een Zweedse band
 Nine (rapper), een Amerikaanse rapper
 Nine Culliford, de coloriste en vrouw van Peyo

Anders:
 The Nine, een televisieserie
 Nine Network, Australisch televisienetwerk

Voornaam:
 Nine van der Schaaf


The chapter currently rents a floor and a suite in South Halls, like many other sororities on campus.
Four members of the fraternity were treated for injuries at Mount Nittany Medical Center.
This apartment features spacious bedrooms and a nice outside deck area. Just below the deck is a nice shared lawn with picnic tables and a grill. Most utilities are included, even the heat and internet, making this apartment extremely affordable.
UPUA President Cody Heaton is keeping his word and continuing to host Eatin' with Heaton to interact with the student body.
Tell us the truth about snow days prior to 2007 and vent about trudging through 3 feet of snow to get to your 8 a.m. in 1891.


As the traditional workplace undergoes rapid transformation, Humanscale is developing solutions that will change the way people work.
The company, a pioneer in design, ergonomics and innovation, has recently come up with solutions incorporating the latest developments in technology and engineering. Each offering is also marked by Humanscale's core design values, including inherent simplicity, functionality and ease of use.
Among such solutions is a new category of lighting, the Vessel light designed by Todd Bracher. Offering the benefits of both quality architectural lighting and decorative lighting, Vessel yields itself to a new category coined by Humanscale as performance lighting.
Meanwhile, the company has expanded the choice of colours offered for its Horizon Colours range of lights.
"Created by Peter Stathis, Michael McCoy and the Humanscale design studio, the Horizon light, an award-winning, iconic design is now available in new colours," says the spokesperson.
"These are a perfect complement to the line's high-performance and inherent functionality, making it an ideal solution for any residential, corporate or hospitality interior," he adds.
Ambience is created through lighting, music, artwork and the design theme of a space.
Humanscale has also expanded its range of chairs with the launch of Trea, QuickStand Lite, M/Connect, and the Diffrient Occasional and Diffrient Smart chairs.
The Trea chair features a sophisticated design that embodies versatility and represents the next generation of multipurpose seating. Inspired by the simplest of nature's structures, Bracher designed it to mimic the instinctive recline of the human body and embrace the sitter in a supportive shell. Three interchangeable base options and a variety of seat upholstery options will be available by the end of this year.
For users in need of a multi-purpose, cantilever stacking chair suitable for a variety of office settings, Humanscale offers the Diffrient Occasional chairs designed by ergonomics pioneer Niels Diffrient. Each of the three variations – designed to complement Humanscale's Liberty, Diffrient Smart, and Diffrient World task chairs – uses a tri-panel backrest made with proprietary non-stretch mesh to create a three-dimensional form that fits like a tailored shirt, providing support in all positions. Their contoured seat cushions follow the natural shape of the human body for optimal comfort.
The Diffrient Smart chair combines Humanscale's signature weight-sensitive recline, form-sensing mesh technology and ultimate ease of use in a form that complements high design environments. Its patented recline mechanism allows users to freely move from posture to posture without making any manual adjustments. The chair features strong, clean lines and a unique U-shaped design on its back.
Humanscale solutions aim to change the way people work.
Completing its range of innovations for the workspace is QuickStand Lite, winner of the acclaimed Red Dot Best of the Best 2016, which has been expertly designed to make sit/stand solutions accessible to everyone by transforming any fixed-height desk into an active one, according to the spokesperson.
Easily incorporated into an existing setting, this height-adjustable workstation features an adjustable keyboard platform and monitor arm to make transitions between postures easy, seamless and intuitive — encouraging movement at work, says the spokesperson.
Another useful addition to Humanscale's portfolio is M/Connect, a powerful workspace connectivity hub that provides universal connectivity with a small footprint. It offers easy access to user ports and conceals IT connections and cords with its unique cable management system.
Consisting of two levels, M/Connect's USB hub resides on the work surface and provides three USB ports plus a combo headphone/microphone jack directly in front of the user. The under-surface dock includes three USB ports, an HDMI and DisplayPort connection for video, and a Gigabit Ethernet port for the network/Internet connectivity.
"The result is a unique, all-in-one monitor arm base and USB 3.0, dual-video docking station designed to support workers in an active, adaptive workspace," he adds.
Humanscale is the leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance ergonomic products that improve the health and comfort of work life. Through leveraging new technology in functional yet minimal designs, it transforms traditional offices into active, intelligent workspaces. Committed to making a net positive impact on Earth, Humanscale offers award-winning products that deliver performance, simplicity and longevity.


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Global warming 'could reach 4C by end of this century'
Researchers from the University of Exeter and the Met Office analysed worldwide policies and found that on the "current trajectory" the Paris Agreement's aim of limiting warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels is slipping out of reach. There could be global warming of 4C by the end of this century despite pledges made at the COP26 climate summit, according to a new report.
Researchers from the University of Exeter and the Met Office analysed worldwide policies and found that on the "current trajectory" the Paris Agreement's aim of limiting warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels is slipping out of reach.
Professor Richard Betts, who led the research, said the agreements made at COP26 in Glasgow "have reduced the likelihood" of warming reaching 4C "but it remains possible".
If this happens, the number of heat-related deaths in the UK is projected to increase from 2,000 a year at the moment to 7,200 by the 2050s and 12,800 by the 2080s.
The report, which informed the government's Third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment, concluded that climate change is already bringing substantial risks to Britain's natural environment, infrastructure, human health, communities and businesses.
All of these risks would increase if warming reaches 2C – and even more so at 4C.
"Projections consistent with policies currently in place worldwide imply warming of between approximately 2C and 5C by the end of this century depending on the rate of greenhouse gas emissions and the response of the climate system to these emissions," the report states.
"This will further increase the shifts in weather patterns and extremes, further increasing risks to people and biodiversity, with higher warming leading to greater risks.
"Limiting warming to lower levels may still be achievable if global emissions are rapidly reduced to net zero or net negative, but even if global warming is successfully limited to between 1.5 and 2C, weather patterns will still be different to those in recent decades, and sea levels will continue to rise to some extent."
The report calls for the UK to take more action to prepare for these impacts.
Prof Betts said: "COP26 fell short of its aims, and it is becoming less likely that we will be able limit global warming to low levels.
"The Paris Agreement's 1.5C goal is slipping out of reach.
"We need to be better prepared for the climate changes we have already caused."
Tags: climate change


This timed online exam tests your software skills in the four main Microsoft Office 2010 applications and is offered March 26-30. You may take it at anytime during this period but must be finished by 4 p.m. on March 30.
The test has three parts: Excel, Access, and Word/PowerPoint. The Excel and Access parts correspond to the material covered in BI107 (Spreadsheets) and BI108 (Database). Word and PowerPoint together correspond to BI109 (Communications Technology).
You may take one, two or all three sections. See Cheryl Schartman (SB210 in the Boler School of Business) to purchase an access code and instructions for $15.


text:
A New Nevada Law Bans Racial Mascots In Schools And 'Sundown Sirens'
By Dustin Jones
Scott Sonner
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has legislation requiring schools to change any name, logo, mascot, song or identifier that is racially discriminatory.
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak met with members of the Nevada Indian Commission in Carson City on Friday as he signed legislation removing racially discriminatory identifiers or language from schools. Additionally, counties can no longer sound "sundown sirens," which once signified it was time for certain people to leave town.
The law will require schools to change any name, logo, mascot, song or identifier that is "racially discriminatory" or "associated with the Confederate States of America or a federally recognized Indian tribe."
Under Assembly Bill 88, exceptions can be made only with tribal approval. The legislation applies to public schools and charters, universities and community colleges.
Friday's signing took place at the Stewart Indian School, which served as a federally run Native American educational institute for 90 years. Children were forced to attend, plucked from their families and homes to assimilate them into American culture, the National Park Service said.
The American West was not kind to its original people. But another portion of AB 88 aims to amend part of Nevada's troublesome past. Not that long ago, some Western communities had policies in place that required people of color to leave town by nightfall, member station KUNR previously reported. They became known as "sundown towns."
An evening siren was once seen as a signal for Native Americans to leave town
Just south of Carson City is the 3,000-person town of Minden. Every night at 6 p.m. sharp, a siren sounds across the valley. And while town officials say the sirens sound for maintenance reasons, some residents say the siren can be attributed to a racially charged past.
In the early 1900s, Minden — and the rest of Douglas County — required Native Americans to leave town by 6:30 p.m. Some residents say the siren sounded at 6 p.m., as it does today, as a warning for not-so-welcome visitors, alerting them to leave within the next 30 minutes.
However, as of Friday, Nevada now prohibits counties, cities and unincorporated towns from sounding a siren, bell or alarm "at a time during which the siren, bell or alarm was previously sounded on specific days or times in association with an ordinance enacted by the city which required persons of a particular race, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin or color to leave the city by a specific time," the law reads.
The new law goes one step further, which could result in the renaming of any racially discriminatory destinations in Nevada. The state will receive and evaluate "all proposals for changes in or addition to names of geographic features and places in the state." A list of advisers with Nevada knowledge and expertise would assist with making official recommendations on each proposal.
The renaming of mascots and places, as well as the outlawing of certain sirens, is a point of contention in Nevada. AB 88 passed the state Assembly 36-6. But it barely cleared the Senate, with 12 members in favor, eight opposed and one excused.
Dustin Jones
Dustin Jones is a reporter for NPR's digital news desk. He mainly covers breaking news, but enjoys working on long-form narrative pieces.
See stories by Dustin Jones


Is it possible to fix a broken motherboard pin?
Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by MonarchX, Mar 19, 2014.
I have a single broken ASUS Z77 motherboard CPU socket pin... It used to be bent but after unbending it became so weak that it broke off... I must've messed with it too much to get it perfectly aligned (damn OCD)! I know someone who makes jewelry as a hobby and has done micro soldering before. Hell, I've done some micro soldering myself to get my Radeon 9700 Pro more juice back in the day!
Is there a DIY fix for this? I can get a hold of a super thin copper wire and stick it inside the pin socket as a replacement. I would just have to make sure there is a 100% contact... Somehow. Maybe if I place several short and thin wires only to fill the pin socket for guaranteed contact and then use one longer wire for CPU contact then it may work?
Any DIY ideas are welcome!
To my knowledge there is no solution for the broken pin of 1155 socket. There are certain manufactures don't mind for one pin damage ( I think that too damage not broken fully) you can try your luck in replacing. You can also try in authorized service center for a paid service also. All up to you.
Lookup the specs of the socket and processor, and figure out exactly which pin it is.
About 50% or more pins on some processors are used for power or grounding, so the loss of a single one of those should not be disastrous.
If it's one of the more important unique ones like a data line, you need it repaired.
Even if the repair appeared 100% successful, at the first sign of the computer acting up, I would always suspect the repair. This isn't for me. And now, to contradict myself, if it's your only motherboard and circumstances don't permit a replacement, I guess you have to go it. Either way, the best of luck to you!


text:
easyfly
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Flight plan wrapper for easy config based deploys to AWS.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Pairings for the 2019 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys' Sweet Sixteen® and the 2019 KHSAA Girls' Sweet Sixteen® will be revealed on Monday, January 28th at 1 p.m. (ET) when the annual Sweet 16® Draw Show is televised by The CW Lexington. The Sweet 16® Draw Show will also be streamed live online at KHSAA.tv and WKYT.com, and broadcast by WYMT (Hazard), WBKO (Bowling Green), WSAZ (Huntington) and WFIE (Evansville, on its app).
The 102nd installment of the boys' basketball state tournament will be held March 6-10 when the 2019 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys' Sweet 16® heads to Rupp Arena. The 58th KHSAA Girls' Sweet 16® will take place the following week (March 13-17) and will be a historic event for the KHSAA, with Rupp Arena playing host to the tournament for the first time.
The 2019 Girls' Sweet 16® will mark the first time the girls' state tournament has been played in Lexington during the modern era. It was previously held in Lexington 11 times prior to the return of girls' basketball as a KHSAA-sanctioned sport in 1975, with the games played at the Armory from 1922-26 and UK Alumni Gym from 1927-32.
Each game of the boys' and girls' Sweet 16® will be webcast live at khsaa.tv for subscribers to the NFHS Network. By purchasing a month pass to the NFHS Network, fans can watch all 30 games of the boys' and girls' Sweet 16® for just $9.95.
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« Tory members should be balloted on disenfranchisement | Main | The toff versus the council house boy »
Who would make the best leader in a contest with Labour's next Prime Minister, Gordon Brown?
For Steve Richards, in today's Independent, the question topping this post is the key question facing the Conservative Party. He attacks the "absurd" and "superficial" nature of the leadership debate up until now and its focus on appealing to gays or not wearing ties.
The task of challenging Mr Brown will be a daunting one. The Iraq factor – which damaged Labour's standing amongst its most traditional voters - will be unwinding by the next election. And if the economy is weak it may actually play to Brown's advantage. A YouGov poll for the Centre for Social Justice found strong support for Mr Brown being in charge of a troubled economy. Brown in 2009 could parallel Major in 1992. Voters may prefer Labour to revive the economy if they still enjoy a lead on economic competence (which is currently double figured).
Mr Richards argues that only two Tories are up to the job of challenging Mr Brown – Ken Clarke and David Davis. He says that Mr Clarke's popularity with the electorate and Mr Davis' frontrunner momentum make them the stand-out contenders.
David Cameron is rejected as untested in the heat of political battle – but his "time will come".
Mr Richards is optimistic that the Tories can do well at the next election:
"They seek to flourish in a conservative country that has not been fundamentally changed by a Labour government. They do so with the potential support of powerful right-wing newspapers. This should make them optimistic."
Nick Wood, former Tory Director of Media, is much less keen on Ken Clarke. Mr Wood thinks that the Tory contest will be a Davis v Cameron clash. On Clarke he writes:
"Clarke, or a leftish disciple such as Rifkind, may yet stand. But given that he is out of step with most of his party over tax and spending and public service reform, as well as Europe, and given that at 65 he is old enough to be Cameron's father, he stands no chance of beating Davis."
Read Nick's full article on conservativehome.com.
21 June 2005 in David Cameron, David Davis, Ken Clarke | Permalink
So being the front runner makes Davis one of the best candidates? That's bizarrely circular logic even for The Independent. And I strongly dispute Ken Clarke's "popularity with the electorate;" unless of course "popularity" means more people know his name bacause he was Chancellor...
But nothing bemuses me more than the rise of David Cameron. I would have thought he's just the man we don't want fronting for the party. Putting aside for the moment the little matter that he appears without political conviction, there's the secondary fault that he's a hack. Has he ever had a proper job, or has he worked exclusively in the Westminster village, and won't this mean his empathy with the real world is skin deep?
Like many hacks, he appears to have no convictions. Unlike Nick Wood, I find this worrying for without a vision of a better Britain, there's no way someone could deliver that.
Cameron's major speech to date has seen him turn away from choice and embrace a managerial agenda. He really doesn't seem to understand that the structures, which he dismissed as secondary concerns, are the things you have to get right before you can deliver on dull platitudes about discipline.
State schools perform badly because they are state schools. Tinkering with them will not improve them - as the last 50 years show. But Cameron is clearly not the man to do anything about this, becuase he doesn't believe in choice.
I think the last election showed that a shallow, technocratic agenda was not the path back to to power. Indeed you can go further and say it makes gaining that power pointless, because we won't do anything with it that will improve our country.
Posted by: James Hellyer | 21 June 2005 at 09:19
Saw Cameron last night on Newsnight. He seemed just fine as a junior spokesman - but the idea that he can be leader and beat Gordon Brown is laughable. Cameron might be a fine man with a brilliant mind, yet to be revealed, but he self-evidently can't carry it off right now. Those who can watch his performances and think he can be PM in four years time really have no connection with normal life. Of course, these are the same people who think tie-wearing is a defining issue.
What worries me is that although we are having an ok debate about a lot of issues that matter (social justice, for example, is very important and is being addressed by most of the candidates to varying degrees) no-one has given us a sense that they have a real grasp of what to do next. We have the themes, but not even a rough sketch of a road-map.
I like DD best at the moment because of his 'story'; but its only a tentative preference. We can put up with mere mood-music a little longer, but the race will only have started properly when the contenders make decisive moves which the rest of us can either support or oppose. To be fair, maybe it's too early for that.
Posted by: buxtehude | 21 June 2005 at 09:42
"I like DD best at the moment because of his 'story'; but its only a tentative preference."
The problem of this phoney war, is that this is all we're getting. At the moment all there is to Davis is his background - appealing as it is. His pronouncments have given no real picture of what he believes or of the way ahead.
Similarly the other contenders have, at best, produced an article relevant to their brief or muttered some platitudes about "reaching out".
Perhaps they should set out their stalls before the media makes the decision about who the runners are.
I have a horrible feeling that I may be losing touch with reality myself, because I actually feel quite optimistic.
With DD at the helm, I think we can fairly quickly pull together all the various anguished debates and thinktank reports of the last few years into a coherent and powerful policy platform.
It's a platform of a smaller state that focusses its energies on helping those who can't help themselves, rather than a big state trying to live all of our lives for us. Thinktanks like Reform have already identified many of the policies (like school choice)that can give practical expression to this, and the work on localism carried out by eg the Portillistas at Policy Exchange also bolts straight in.
Davis has the gift of articulating the whole in normal everyday language that people can understand and relate to. He also has the confidence that comes from strong beliefs, and the experience and understanding that comes from battling his way up from the bottom.
I'm almost smiling as I type this. Better take my medication.
Posted by: Wat Tyler | 21 June 2005 at 09:58
If it's not too much to ask, could you tell me exactly when David Davis has exhibited these virtues?
Whilst you are there could you tell me what David Davis has actually ever done, other than position himself for the leadership that is.
Posted by: Edward | 21 June 2005 at 11:18
He was in the territorial SAS, you know ;=)
"Has he [David Cameron] ever had a proper job, or has he worked exclusively in the Westminster village, and won't this mean his empathy with the real world is skin deep?"
He was head of corporate affairs at Carlton Communications for about 8 years. Michael Green said he was the most intelligent person he has ever worked with.
Posted by: GZafar | 21 June 2005 at 11:52
"territorial SAS"
He who dares, but only when I can get a day off work.
"He was head of corporate affairs at Carlton Communications for about 8 years."
Ah. The joys of PR.
"Michael Green said he was the most intelligent person he has ever worked with."
Intelligence and leadership ability are different qualities. Judging him by his words, Cameron has no solutions to offer the party or the country. He simply offers more of the same (but managed better). That's hardly inspirational.
Ken Clarke may be the candidate who is most popular with the voters, but he would prove a disaster as a leader in opposition because any time that Blair was in trouble he could simply raise the issue of the EU and watch as the Tories self-destructed. At the next election Labour would also make much of the fact that he would be in his mid 70's by the end of the parliament.
Posted by: M Canton | 21 June 2005 at 12:43
"At the next election Labour would also make much of the fact that he would be in his mid 70's by the end of the parliament."
Apart from everything else he is too old.
Then again, Gordon Brown will in his late 50s and David Davis will be in his 60s at the next election.
James and Edward- sorry for delay in replying- I had to pop out to see my therapist.
Where has DD shown he can articulate our ideas in normal everyday language? Try his Frost interview for a start (link on DD For Leader blog). Or the position statements he wrote for the Torygraph and Observer (again see blog). 'I am a low-tax Tory' -sure, they're all saying it now, but I don't recall many of them saying it that bluntly and unambiguously before he 'outed' himself.
What's DD ever done for us? I submit he's been a far more successful Shadow Home Secretary than any of the other Shadows- two ministerial scalps and a smart three point turn out of Howard's ID card cul-de-sac, to start with. And the best Chairman of the PAC since Pitt the Younger. And I've even heard from people who have direct knowledge that he was a much more active (and effective) Party Chairman than his detractors would have us all believe.
And I like the fact that he's openly ambitious for the top job. The last thing we need is a Michael Portillo should-I-shouldn't-I type of guy.
But of course his greatest service is still to come. Just like it was with Mrs T.
"Where has DD shown he can articulate our ideas in normal everyday language? Try his Frost interview for a start"
You are joking? He comes off as even more creepy than Michael Howard. That laugh has got to go.
"Or the position statements he wrote for the Torygraph and Observer (again see blog)."
The thing is, Wat, those articles could have been by anyone. They didn't really say anything beyond the leadership contest catchphrases of "reaching out" and "helping the disadvantaged". And they're all saying that!
Ah yes...the laugh. I do agree that others have also commented on it as a minus, although to me it seems fine. Actually, I think it was more pronounced on his R4 Today session with Humphrys. I think he had it totally under control on Frost, although we can't check because the BBC have nuked the web video.
In any event, it's a pretty minor presentational tic that a stern coach will have ironed out in a trice. I think it's one of those things that in person- face to face- says humanity and warmth, but can grate with some people on radio/TV.
And I just don't see creepy. For a start, he doesn't sleep in a coffin.
James- who's saying more? Even Willetts-whose SMF speech was thoughtful and generally good- was pretty light on specifics. And let's face it, Willetts may have two brains, but he's no leader.
But I suppose at the end of the day, Davis just hits a chord with me. I think he speaks from the same depth of conviction as Mrs T. I think he really believes this stuff, rather than just mouthing what he thinks will get him into the job. And unlike our last four leaders, I don't think he will be panicked into chopping and changing when the going gets tough.
Cameron came across as well-informed and decent on Newsnight, but also desperately young. He doesn't yet have the authority that a Prime Minister needs. That may come one day, but we cannot let him become another Hague - into the leadership too soon, and then lost to the front bench for years to follow.
He hasn't the experience either - he has been in parliament for 4 years, and has only just started his first serious portfolio job.
Our next leader needs to be able to articulate a genuine conservative vision for the country, wich faces up to the problems and challenges that confront us, and be able to capture the public imagination - so that people can see him/her as the next Prime Minister.
DD had all the early momentum because he has been running for leader for years. If he wasn't ahead now he never would be. But if he cannot sustain it, he will start to drop back quickly. His main problems are that he polarises opinion amongst his colleagues (whom we are told know him best), when we need a leader who can unite and inspire, and the behaviour of some of those MPs he chooses to surround himself with.
Willetts has done most to demonstrate some serious vision thinking, but he won't capture the public imagination. If another candidate manages to persuade Willetts that he is taking those ideas seriously, that would be a real boost.
Posted by: Simon C | 21 June 2005 at 14:17
"who's saying more?"
I think both Dr Fox and Willets have said more. Certainly both have demonstrated they have "the vision thing" (although I agree Willets is no leader). Obviously both were light on specifics, but the big picture was there.
All we've realy heard from Davis is a lot of schtick about his family background. The few general political articles he's penned have been so generic as to be meaningless.
Still he's ahead of some of the field despite that. Sir Malcolm Rifkind has been giving speeches that could have been made at any point in the last 15 years. David Cameron is idealism for managerialism.
I suppose Davis hasn't done anything to actively annoy me, unlike my last example. However he will have to start telling us exactly what stuff he does believe.
Still he's ahead of some of the field despite that. Sir Malcolm Rifkind has been giving speeches that could have been made at any point in the last 15 years. David Cameron has spoken on his brief, ominously substituting managerialism for idealism (where's Lord Saatchi when we need him?).
Let's face it: the field to date is pretty thin. Fat Ken, for whom I voted with hesitations in 2001, is a busted flush. Rifkind is a discredited hangover from the Major era. DD seriously needs to clarify what his vision is, although he has some strong points, not least that he looks tha part and has risen from the bottom by dint of his own efforts. Michael Ancram simply cannot be a serious candidate. There are then the Andrew Lansleys and David Camerons of this world. Whenever they open their mouths, I simply ask myself one question: with ideas like these, why should I vote for the monkey when I can vote for the organgrinder himself, Tony Blair?
Posted by: Michael McGowan | 21 June 2005 at 14:53
James- not sure that I see much more in the Doc's offerings, but your general point is taken. Our man needs to put some more flesh on those bones.
Yet at the same time...well, just compare what he's been saying to Maggie's offerings c1975 (eg her speech to the 75 Conference: http://www.margaretthatcher.org/Speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=102777&doctype=1
Obviously DD has not proved he's a second Maggie, but on a like for like basis...well, I don't see that much difference.
Anyway, like I say, your general point is taken- specificswise, we're taking much on trust.
Liam Fox so far has been pretty impressive:
1) He has been spending more time getting on with his job than running for leadership (see elsewhere in the Blog, and his speech in the Commons on the need for a new approach to European policy. He's also off to Washington today to do some bridge-rebuilding.)
2) His speech on freedom was well-received
3) His interview on the need to heal our "broken society" as the next big Conservative task following the work we did to restore the broken economy in the 1980s, needs fleshing out, but is a step in the right direction
4) If you want a "life narrative" - he demonstrated his commitment to the public services by actually working in them - despite Hezza's assertion in the Spectator that all doctors are Lib Dems
5) He, and those he surrounds himself with, do not have form for actively undermining the party leadership. His USP is that you can come from the right of the party and be a nice guy.
Reading all these comments a consensus emerges: we're not doing too badly by the standards of the last 10 years of Conservative debate, but we're nowhere near reaching and impressing the world outside! There are some little shafts of optimism, and that's it.
For me, the explanation is this: when Blair came along, Labour had someone immensely attractive and with a simple message (that Thatcher had done some good things but it had all gone too far). We have no-one that attractive (DD is our best bet, and he's getting better), and we have no simple message.
The worst thing, I think, is that maybe no simple message is possible right now - because a simple, effective message is always about change, and no-one really wants change at the moment. Things are not that bad. People don't want to swap their leaders until the present ones become unbearable. It takes a lot to overcome the 'devil-you-know' impulse.
If I'm right, then we should just be looking for attractive, electable people capable of understanding and grasping the moment when it comes, and then showing leadership. That's why, for me, the best option is DD as leader and Willetts as shadow Chancellor.