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Holy Sepulchre
Mission in the Holy Land
Recognition by the Holy See
History of the Lieutenancy
History of the Order World Wide
Government of the Order
Audio/Video Documentaries
Franciscan Custody
Palm of Jerusalem
Canonised, Beatified and Servant of God
Deceased Members of the Lieutenancy
Prayers of the Order
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Centuries of Service to Christians in the Holy Land
Welcome to Ireland and the Holy Land.
Ours is an ancient Catholic chivalric order of Knighthood with the Pope as sovereign who appoints the Grand Master, currently His Eminence Fernando Cardinal Filoni. It has its headquarters in Vatican City and is under the unique protection of the Holy See. The 30,000 members of the Order worldwide are organized either within Lieutenancies or Magistral Delegations.
Pope Francis, when he met members in Rome in 2013 spoke on three basic elements of Christian life: journeying, building, professing. "Your journey," said the Holy Father to members of the Order "is in history - in a world where the boundaries are ever-expanding, many barriers fall, and our paths are tied ever more closely to that of others." He encouraged the dames and knights to be true to their tradition of faithful, compassionate and loving service, as they work to build a brighter future for and with the struggling Christians of the Holy Land. "Believe in the redemptive power of the Cross and the Resurrection," said Pope Francis, "in order to offer hope and peace. In a particular way, the Land of Jesus has so much need of it!"
I hope you will take gain from browsing the site. In doing so you will familiarise yourself with our work, spiritual commitment, and ceremonial.
In late October 2019, 50 members and friends travelled to the Holy Land on pilgrimage to meet "the living stones". This was the 14th. Pilgrimage since our establishment in 1986. We travelled to a Maronite village in Jish and met the local Parish community, visited Bethany and were amazed by the children in the Crèche, and in the West Bank were astonished at the vibrancy of the school in the town of Bir Zeit. In Bethlehem we met the children in the local Orphanage run by the Sisters of St Vincent De Paul, a humbling experience. In all instances this Lieutenancy has a unique bond with the works undertaken by the local Church. Members also received their Pilgrim Shells and met His Paternity the Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land.
Since then the Holy Land, like other parts of the World, has been affected by the COVID 19 Pandemic. In the Holy Land the cessation of Pilgrimages has particularly affected the economy and consequently the livelihoods of its residents, especially in States where there is no social protection systems. This Lieutenancy participated in special Order appeal to raise over €2m to alleviate the enormous crisis in the region.
The Secretary of State, Pietro Cardinal Parolin has spoken about the implications of membership of the Order:
"It could be said in all truth that the members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre are like "ambassadors" of the Holy Land. In fact, in addition to living their own Christian faith and manifesting adherence to the Catholic Church in the environments in which they live and work – in which sense all the baptized are called to be "ambassadors of Christ" (see 2 Cor 5:20) – they promote initiatives in favour of the Holy Places in the parishes and in the dioceses they belong to. Therefore, members of the Equestrian Order are asked not only to promote the collection of funds for the ecclesial realities present in the Holy Land, but also to pray and work so that peace prevails over divisions and violence.
We are thus an Order of service and this requires of us all an active interior life, support to our local Church and our local parish, and to avail of every opportunity, according to circumstances, to evangelise. As Pope Francis told us in 2018 "You are called to place the evangelical love of neighbour as the central and final aim of your works, to bear witness to the goodness and care with which God loves everyone".
In this Lieutenancy our 200 members meet regularly in Knock, Belfast and other locations, to participate in the Eucharist, to update themselves with developments in the Holy Land and to witness to the Faith. In normal circumstances men and women are admitted to membership in a colourful ceremony in St Patrick's College Maynooth. Covid affected our abilities to do so in 2020 and to date in 2021. Our last such ceremony took place in 2019; you will see some of these photographs of that event on the site.
It is anticipated that meetings in person will resume in the second half of 2021, subject to public health advice.
"Deus lo Vult - Mar is toil le Dia - God Wills It"
Peter Durnin
Spring Mass in Carlow
Most Rev'd Denis Nulty, KC*HS, Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin and Apostolic Administrator of Ossory, celebrated the Lieutenancy's Spring Mass in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow on Sunday 25 April 2021 Due to the Covid restrictions only three members were present, Charles McDonald, GCHS from the Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin and Eileen and Fonsey Mealy from Ossory.
In the course of his homily the Bishop said
"I welcome the members, family and friends of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem who join us through the Cathedral Webcam for this their Lieutenancy Spring Mass. The Order is an organisation within the Church and an order of chivalry under the protection of the Holy See. While practicing the faith is critical in their own lives and that of their families, it is their outreach into the hidden corners of the Holy Land that remains profound today. It's not only charity, it's advocacy for those regardless of their creed or belief, who have no voice in the land of Christ's life, death and resurrection.
We regularly hear today of 'protected species', we might talk about the cuckoo, the corncrake or the yellowhammer; in the Holy Land (the area of the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and Jordan) the number of Christians continues to decline. Christians are eligible to becomes the protected species of the Holy Land. Members of the Equestrian Order also follow their dream, have an acute sense of service and remain ever faithful to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the mission that comes from Calvary and Golgotha, from the place of the Cross and the place of the tomb.
The Covid-19 pandemic has swept across our globe like nothing else. Every aspect of our lives has being impacted. Even our ability to gather to publicly worship, the resumption cannot come soon enough. While very sadly people are still dying from Covid and testing positively for the virus, the greater concentration now is on the vaccine roll out. Resilience has been obvious in these unprecedented times. As the final statement from the Holy Land Coordination Group 2021 stated; "the health challenges of Covid-19, felt by the entire world, are compounded by conflict, occupation and blockade". Pope Francis reminds us and leadership in the Holy Land that "in the face of a challenge that knows no borders, we cannot erect walls. Reports from Médecins Sans Frontières suggest the situation in the West Bank Palestinian Territory and in Gaza is critical. We cannot afford to stand idly by. Everyone deserves equal access to the Covid-19 vaccine. The Equestrian Order through their advocacy speak for those whose voice is silenced.
The 2021 supported project is in Mafraq, Jordan.
Background: Mafraq City is 20kms from Syrian Border and surrounded by Iraq and Saudi Arabia and is 70km from Amman. There are 2,500 Christians in a population of 75,000. The parish has a secondary school that contains classes until the 10th grade only; pupils of Mafraq continue their high school education in the neighbouring villages and cities.
The students are forced to be enrolled in non-Christian governmental schools where they do not study Christian education which forms a genuine dilemma.
The beneficiaries of this project are the students who will not have to move to another school outside the City when they reach high school. It will also open new job opportunities for the teachers who will be teaching in the newly opened classes. We will fund the construction of a new building inside the parish compound to include three classrooms for the 11th and 12th grades, a teachers' room, and bathrooms.
We in Ireland have committed USD $78,690 for that purpose.
The Order of the Holy Sepulchre supports the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in responding to the Covid-19 crisis
From May 2020, the 30 thousand Knights and Dames of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, present in the various continents, have held even dearer to heart their brothers and sisters of the Holy Land who have been severely struck by the health and economic crisis brought about by Covid-19. Despite such difficult conditions at the global level, their generosity has not diminished and in recent months the Grand Magisterium of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre was able to send, in addition to the regular aid already planned each month, about 3 million euros to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in order to respond to the humanitarian needs of its faithful [1]. Read more.
Newly invested Dame and Knights signing their Promise of Fidelity
Member receiving his insignia as Knight Grand Officer
Lieutenancy's Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is available below or can be viewed online here.
Read the full article 'My Prayers for the Holy Land - Seán Cardinal Brady'
Order's Newsletter
We are happy to inform you that our latest quarterly publication in five languages, Newsletter 62, is available.
We would also like to bring your attention to Msgr. Pizzaballa's letter.
Irish Pilgrims on Mt. Nebo, Jordan, 2016
To keep up to date with developments in the Holy Land, please access the following websites:
The Rome website
The Latin Patriarchate website: http://www.lpj.org/
The Franciscan Custody Website http://www.custodia.org/
Purposes of the Order
The specific mission assigned by the Holy Father to the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is that of animating zeal in the ecclesial community towards the Land of Jesus and sustaining the Catholic Church and the Christian presence there.
The Director and Engineer with our members on the roof of the Bethany Crèche East Jerusalem with the Separation Wall in the background. This photograph was taken in 2019.
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, of ancient origins, has its historical roots in the creation of the Canons Regular of the Holy Sepulchre and in the firmly established custom of valiant men being invested with the title of knight at the tomb of Christ in past centuries. It has been reorganised and enriched with privileges by the Supreme Pontiffs who, for a certain period, personally performed the role of Grand Master of the Order. The Order enjoys the special benevolent protection of the Holy See in virtue of the historical, juridical, and religious ties that it has with it. The Order's history, goals, structure and spirituality confer upon it unique institutional characteristics.
Although membership of the Order is, in the first place, for the lay faithful, it is also open to the clergy, especially those engaged in fostering the spiritual growth and progress of all its members. The Order gives primary importance to the vocation to holiness of every Christian and aspires to be an instrument for the development and deepening of personal sanctification, as well as an environment in which faith is practised and lived in all its aspects.
The Order, with its structure and activities, participates directly in the Roman Pontiff's solicitude for places and Catholic institutions in the Holy Land. Its goals spring from papal teachings and are located in the general context of the ends of charity, apostleship and service to the dignity of the human being that are specific to the Catholic Church.
In particular, the link with Jerusalem, which is specific to the Order, requires responsibility for its Holy Places (cf. Gal 4:26). The Holy Sepulchre is in fact the symbol of the Passion shared with Jesus and nurtures hope in the Resurrection (cf. Phil 3:10-11).
Does the mission of the Order, and concomitant obligations, appeal to you?
If so and you require further information, please contact the Chancellor at chancellor@holysepulchre.ie,
to include a telephone contact number.
If you are interested in joining the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, please email our Chancellor.
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ArtistWorks Jazz Drumming School open!
"Peter Erskine knows a lot about jazz and wants to help take your drumming to the next level. His drum lessons start on fundamentals and cover everything you need to know."


Dallas – Call it the Curse of the Seven-Game Semis, and because of it, don't call the Stars the Stanley Cup champions yet. The curse is real, and it will be on underdog Buffalo's side in the Finals, starting here Tuesday.
Sages across the continent, and especially here, have already annointed the two-time Presidents' Trophy winners as certain Stanley Cup champions, with the Finals a mere pre-crowning ritual. They ignore the history that Game 7 in the semis has been almost always fatal throughout the '80s and '90s.
Since 1980, only the 1994 Rangers have won the Stanley Cup after being taken to the limit in the semifinals, and even those Presidents' Trophy winners were nearly upset by the far inferior Canucks, needing seven games to capture that only Ranger Cup since 1940.
That episode, given the 27-point difference between those Canucks and Rangers, qualifies as another example of the difficulties teams have after an emotionally and physically draining seventh game in the semis. Those magic Rangers overcame the Seven-Game Semis Curse in the process of eradicating an even bigger one.
Other that those Rangers, all four other teams that went seven in the semis in the '80s and '90s have lost the Finals, and not one won more than one game.
In the last such example, the 1996 Panthers went the limit to oust the Penguins, but were swept by Colorado for the Cup.
The jinx hit the Kings in 1993, after they beat the Maple Leaps in seven, then lost 4-1 to Montreal.
In 1988, the Bruins eliminated the Devils in seven, and were swept by the Oilers, despite a power-failure postponement at Boston Garden.
Calgary paid the price for a seventh-game semifinal victory in 1986, dispatching the Blues before losing to Montreal in five.
Other than those 1994 Rangers, Scotty Bowman's 1979 Canadiens were the last team to win the Cup after escaping a seven-game semifinal. Those Habs captured their fourth straight Cup by taking the Rangers in five, but even then, the letdown occurred. The Habs lost the opener of the Finals after beating the Bruins on coach Don Cherry's infamous too-many-men gaffe that allowed Guy Lafleur to tie the game in the final two minutes, and Yvon Lambert to score the OT eliminator. After yielding the first game of the Finals to the Rangers, Montreal then won four straight, and Ranger fans' Cup prayers would wait 15 more years to be answered.
It's not just one big coincidence, either. Game 7 victory leaves a team prematurely exuberant, susceptible to a letdown to open the Finals. It can also leave a team dead tired. And each extra game played only increases the risk of important injury. Fatigue compounds the injury factor, and lesser injuries also multiply at the end of long series.
So the Sabres were thoroughly enjoying Friday's seventh game, probably more for the hope it gave them, along with Dominik Hasek, rather than the quality of play in the clincal 4-1 Stars' shutdown of the Avalanche. But Sabres coach Lindy Ruff wasn't taking too much comfort from the curse.
It will be a test of their mettle, especially since the Stars are an old team. But unlike the Sabres, who should be happy just to be in the Finals, the Stars feel they must win now, or be consigned to the ranks of the league's big disappointments. *The Stars will be trying to join the '94 Rangers in another regard, as the only teams in the '90s to complete the double of Presidents' Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same year … Buffalo owns the best record in the playoffs at 12-3, compared to the 12-5 mark of Dallas. The Sabres are 7-0 at home, but must begin their first Finals since 1975 on the road, while the Stars are 7-2 at home … The Sabres finished 23 points behind the league-leading Stars … Stars are in their first final since moving to Dallas, having gone to the finals as the Minnesota North Stars in 1981, losing in five to the Isles, and in 1991, falling in six to Pitt … Sabres and Stars split their two-game season series, although Dallas outscored Buffalo 5-3.


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Large installations
Custom-made specialist
+39 0438 444970 ita eng
HomeCompanyHistory
Borns the new Inoxking S.r.l. as an indipendent company, always based in Vazzola (TV) which continues to work closely with Precetti S.r.l. and Precetti Inc, also strongly related to the company partner Metalinox S.r.l.
Until 2011 the development of Precetti SpA and then directly of production carried out by Inoxking S.r.l. is constantly growing, providing furnitures for important projects both nationally and internationally.
In 2012 there are however first serious signs of change in the new buildings business in Italy. Multiple reasons lead to the dissolution of the group Precetti SpA, from which arise leaner companies to offer continuity to the service offered to its customers for decades.
Inoxking S.r.l. is incorporated in Precetti S.p.A.
Precetti S.p.A. and Inoxking Srl move headquarters of Conegliano (TV) to the new plant in Vazzola (TV), modern and functional with 8000 square meters covered and 10,000 square meters outdoor.
Precetti S.p.A. moved the headquarters of San Vendemiano to Conegliano (TV), joining Inoxking S.r.l.
Along with some operating members and the Gribaudi Industries SpA, was founded in Conegliano (TV) the Inoxking Srl, to expand the production of marine catering furniture due to the increasing request registered by Precetti S.p.A., italian company working in the marine catering business.
Inoxking Srl Via Cal Longa 22 - 31028 Vazzola (TV) - ITALY C.F/P.I 02743250306 Informative Privacy Cookie Policy Credits

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
module Lita
  # A namespace to hold all subclasses of {Handler}.
  module Handlers
    # Provides information about the currently running robot.
    class Info < Handler
      route(/^info$/i, :chat, command: true, help: {
        "info" => t("help.info_value")
      })

      http.get "/lita/info", :web

      # Replies with the current version of Lita, the current version of Redis,
      # and Redis memory usage.
      # @param response [Lita::Response] The response object.
      # @return [void]
      # @since 3.0.0
      def chat(response)
        response.reply(
          %(Lita #{Lita::VERSION} - https://www.lita.io/),
          %(Redis #{redis_version} - Memory used: #{redis_memory_usage})
        )
      end

      # Returns JSON with basic information about the robot.
      # @param _request [Rack::Request] The HTTP request.
      # @param response [Rack::Response] The HTTP response.
      # @return [void]
      def web(_request, response)
        response.headers["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
        json = MultiJson.dump(
          adapter: robot.config.robot.adapter,
          lita_version: Lita::VERSION,
          redis_memory_usage: redis_memory_usage,
          redis_version: redis_version,
          robot_mention_name: robot.mention_name,
          robot_name: robot.name
        )
        response.write(json)
      end

      # A hash of information about Redis.
      def redis_info
        @redis_info ||= redis.info
      end

      # The current version of Redis.
      def redis_version
        redis_info["redis_version"]
      end

      # The amount of memory Redis is using.
      def redis_memory_usage
        redis_info["used_memory_human"]
      end
    end

    Lita.register_handler(Info)
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This year Lita hosted the first annual My Freedom Retreat in the Riviera Maya, Mexico (www.myfreedomretreat.com). Her guests were gifted some amazing products from our generous sponsors!
We list below what our gift bags included and why we love them!
Kate Lynn & Adwoa Global Goods is a specially curated market place with one-of-a-kind pieces purchased from different countries around the globe! 100% organic and handmade with love.
Kate Lynn $ Adwoa gifted us two of their most popular and cherished products, and now we see why! The Black Soap with Shea Butter is pure luxury. We love it because its silky lather leaves the skin feeling clean and completely moisturized. After showering we then lotioned with Shea Body Butter. Lita described it as being a tall glass of water for her skin! Love!
Sol de Janeiro is based in the USA but brings us the flavor and spice of Brazil! Sol de Janeiro brings Brazilian beauty secrets worldwide with our luxurious, transformative line. Incorporating the latest and greatest super ingredients from the Amazon, each highly efficacious product helps you play up—and show off—your best assets.
And that's exactly what we did! Each of our guests speak so highly about Sol's famous body cream, commonly known as the Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (pronounced Boom Boom in Brazil). We love it because not only does it feel amazing by tightening our skin we also adore its unique and delicious scent!
The secret ingredient is Guaraná, a native Amazonian plant whose fruit contains one of the most potent forms of caffeine on the planet. Together with our Brazilian Beauty Blend of Cupuaçu Butter, Açaí and Coconut Oil; Guaraná caffeine helps stimulate circulation and keep posteriors their smoothest, tightest and positively most pinchable. The Brazilan Bum Bum Cream is definitely a winner in our book.
EDEN BodyWorks provides natural products that integrate wellness and beauty inspired by nature to restore and maintain the hair and body's original design. EDEN gifted us with their Coconut Shea Moisture Shampoo and Conditional, and let's face it, anything coconut is to be loved! The rich, buttery texture of the conditional was an absolute favorite, leaving our hair feeling deeply moisturized and more importantly healthy!
LIFT Sports Gear is a brand focused on evolving workout and training gear. Their products merge functionality with design, giving you options when it comes to your workout and training gear. Our retreat host, Lita Lewis is a proud ambassador and supporter of the brand and has been for years now.
It was a collaborative effort between LIFT and Lita to gift her retreat guests with quality training accessories. Our guests are true fitness enthusiasts so training gloves and other training accessories are a must have. What we love most is the quality, durability, design and cool colors LIFT offers.
Each of our guests returned home with a LIFT product so the motivation can continue well after the retreat and in the gym!
Sweet Sweat! We'd like to think this is exactly how our guests felt after one of our scheduled workouts with Lita during the retreat! How appropriate that Sweet Sweat would gift us their popular product, the Sweet Sweat workout enhancer.
Sweet Sweat 'Workout Enhancer' greatly accelerates and enhances circulation and sweating during your workout. It helps improve circulation, motivation, and perspiration during your workout. Made with all natural materials, the gel may be used as often as you like with no harmful side effects. It takes energy to sweat, more energy than most people might think. And like all energy consuming processes, sweating helps burn calories.
It is such an honor to partner with brands we love and trust. Our My Freedom Retreat guests were thrilled to receive all the amazing goodies found in their gift bags. I personally share my sincere gratitude to all the sponsors that contributed and thank you for your generosity and support. Your products were given with love and received with love, thank you, thank you!


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**Edison Park** Well Maintained 3 Bedroom, 2 1/2 Bath Home! Updated Kitchen with Granite Counter-tops, Glass Tile Back-splash, and Porcelain Floors!Living Room and 1st Floor bedrooms with New Refinished Hardwood Floors! Finished Basement with Bar, Full Bath, and Additional Room Can Be Used For Bedroom for Guests or an Office! Walking Distance to Metra, Parks, Restaurants, and Nightlife!
For more information about 6454 N Oketo, Chicago, IL 60631 contact Urban Real Estate.


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Sofitel Saigon Plaza hotel review
Sofitel Saigon Plaza has been a part of Ho Chi Minh City's tourism scene since the 1990s, but it has continued to push the envelope with renovations of their guest rooms in 2012 and renovations of their lobby and meeting rooms in 2017 lobby and meeting rooms, along with an annual gourmet cooking event. The sister property of the stunning Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel, this hotel has a lot of things going for it, including well-appointed rooms with dreamy beds and a location that sees guests just a short walk or taxi ride from the delicious food, abundant shops and tourist sites of this bustling and beguiling metropolis.
Traveller: C. James Dale
Room: Prestige Suite (with Club Lounge access)
Address: 7 Le Duan, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 700000, (+84)28/38241555
Best for: A calm and upscale home base with eye-catching art, excellent food and beverage options, and top-notch staff located in one of Southeast Asia's most frenetic, vibrant and exciting cities.
The Signature factor
Spend part of your afternoon soaking in the rooftop pool before moving to the Club Lounge to enjoy drinks, light bites and superior service. Then head to dinner at the hotel's French restaurant, L'Olivier, where the team can design an unforgettable menu for you. Later, enjoy a nightcap on site at Boudoir Lounge (where smokers still get a bit of real estate) or head out to see how Saigon shines even brighter after the sun goes down.
Sofitel Saigon Plaza pays tribute to local and foreign cultural influences, with nods to former colonial masters China and France. The property has 286 rooms, 10 of which are Prestige Suites while one is an Imperial Suite. One decor touch you'll see over and over again is the birdcage, which is meant to represent luxury, given that years ago in Vietnam only rich people were able to keep birds as pets. In some of the rooms, these black-painted birdcages are clustered in corners and have small lights in them. Elsewhere, it's the birdcage image etched into reflective plates used to mark room numbers. Hallway walls are beige and adorned with black and white photos primarily depicting scenes of Vietnamese life, while the dark grey carpeting in the hallways has pops of purple and yellow-coloured fans. On some floors, you'll exit the elevator and see a display of elegant calligraphy brushes of varying sizes, once used to write Chinese characters. In another reference to China, the mini-bar area is found inside a large grey cylinder that has a top designed to resemble a dim sum box. Here and there in the hotel, you'll also see stunning colour pictures of Vietnam's people and places by French photographer, Réhahn.
Pulling up to the property, I wasn't overly impressed by the exterior, but I started to warm to the hotel soon after walking through the main doors. The lobby area, while not as striking as the ones (both old and new) at the Sofitel in Hanoi, still has its charm. It feels light and airy, with a soaring ceiling and a winding staircase that leads guests or visitors to the restaurants on the second floor. What did impress me was the staff, who have the luxury routine down pat and were on point from the moment we arrived until the moment we left. While we waited for our room, we were whisked up to the cosy Club Lounge which has nice views of the city and something to sip or nibble on regardless of the time of day.
I found myself really digging my 68-square-metre Prestige Suite from the moment I opened the door. A thick carpet runner, grey and decorated with beige outlines of flowers, leads the way to a well-appointed living area, complete with couch, chair and desk. Separated by a wall with two sliding doors are the sleeping quarters which are dominated by a soft yet supportive king-size bed from Sofitel's MyBed collection. The sleek bathroom can be seen from the bedroom through a glass wall, next to which sits the deep and inviting claw foot bathtub. Behind an adjacent mirror is a hidden (but very big) walk-in shower. The shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion are by Hermès.
Top suite
At 231 square metres, the Imperial Suite is certainly befitting of an emperor or empress. It has everything a high net worth traveller or visiting dignitary needs: a couple of bedrooms, living and dining rooms, a kitchen, an office and pretty good views. It's no surprise it's the go-to spot for high profile visitors who pass through Ho Chi Minh City or for corporate events. But it's long overdue for a renovation; it looks the same as it did when the hotel opened a quarter century ago.
On my plate
The hotel has some pretty solid options in this area. The refurbished Mezz Restaurant, with its lovely high ceilings and East meets West decorative touches, is a bustling spot. In the evenings, it offers an interactive buffet where staff make international and Asian dishes on the spot at different live cooking stations. In the mornings, guests will enjoy the breakfast spread, from paper-thin crepes to dumplings and noodles. There are plenty of healthy options too, including detox juices. Up in the Club Lounge, we snacked on canapes, sushi and various cheeses while we sipped wine, bubbles and the odd cocktail (the Gin Fizz: thumbs up; the Bloody Mary: thumbs down).
The highlight though was a carefully curated dinner at the award-winning L'Olivier restaurant, where Chef Tran Minh Cuong and his team raised the bar with each successive dish. I started with a briney Canadian oyster bathed in an onion-ginger-chervil-vinegar-soy dressing and then moved to a tender blue baby lobster paired with Mekong River prawn, draped over some of tastiest asparagus I've ever had. Following that were the pan-fried Japanese scallops and chanterelle mushrooms surrounded by a truffle foam and broccoli and parsley puree, with potato wafers resembling sea fans standing to attention in the middle of the plate. My main was a poached Atlantic monkfish medallion sprinkled with sesame seeds and accompanied by a delicate cocoa waffle that was simply amazing. It was one of those meals that made dessert feel impossible, but we somehow managed to find room for a winning creation: a meringue cup with a white chocolate lid decorated with lemon dollops, filled with strawberries and sitting atop a bed of raspberry sorbet.
I wish I could take home…
The dynamic and fascinating snapshots of Vietnam and its people by Hoi An-based Réhahn, considered one of the world's top travel photographers.
Spa life
The spa at this hotel is run by a third party, the Natural Rendez-Vous Spa. The menu includes a variety of massages, body scrubs, facials and toning treatments. My wife thought her massage was only so-so, but I thoroughly enjoyed my gentlemen's facial.
Aside from our multiple trips to the Club Lounge, we were quick to take advantage of the hotel's fabulous rooftop pool. Ride the elevator to the 18th floor, tear off your robe and jump right in … the water's just fine. Plus, the panoramic views of the Saigon skyline are great and there's a bar that serves drinks and food. The pool is also the venue for Sofitel's New Year's Eve countdown party: DJ, drinks and a couple of hundred people crowded together to usher in the year and watch fireworks light up the night.
Get your fill of Vietnamese cuisine at Secret House, Lemongrass or the venerable Pho Hoa Pasteur (though some locals will also tell you the fast food chain Pho 24 is worth a try). Feast on street food-inspired dishes at Anan or drink in the French bistro flair at The Refinery. Still hankering for more? Challenge your senses by dining in the dark at Noir.
But Saigon doesn't just take food seriously; coffee is also a big deal in this city. We enjoyed the brew at one of the L'Usine locations, which also doubles as a retail outlet, offering casual clothing, trendy sunglasses and localised versions of the Monopoly Deal card game (Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, with text in English, French and Vietnamese). There's also The Workshop, located down a side road in a building that has a clutch of those ubiquitous Saigon scooters parked on the ground floor and a quaint cigar shop you'll pass as you trudge up four flights. The cafe itself is delightful, with long wooden tables, big windows and a soaring ceiling. The sound of the tropical rain hitting the peaked roof drowns out almost all conversation. On the menu: all-day breakfast, tasty soups and sandwiches, plus a must-try pesto pasta.
Just down the street from The Workshop is the only Ho Chi Minh City location of my favourite shop in Vietnam, Hanoia, where we spent way too much money on the store's stunning lacquerware and jewellery. We were also wowed by the wobbly, uneven looking ceramics at nearby amaï. For a more frenetic shopping experience, gather up your Vietnamese đồng and take the Sofitel's shuttle to the Ben Thanh Market, where you can find almost anything (from clothing and accessories to animal offal). And make sure you bargain. A rattan purse I was interested in cost VND350,000 at one stall and VND175,000 at another.
When you're done with retail therapy, take a stroll through one of the city's many parks, some of which have outdoor exercise equipment. Or check out some of HCMC's architectural highlights: the well-preserved late 19th century Saigon Central Post Office, which blends Gothic, Renaissance and French colonial design; the Saigon Opera House; the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, with its distinctive red brick exterior (sadly under renovation during my trip); Saigon City Hall, modelled after the city hall building in Paris (Hôtel de Ville de Paris); and the 1960s-era Reunification Palace (formerly Independence Palace).
If you've still got energy when night falls, head to a rooftop bar (among them the iconic Saigon Saigon Rooftop Bar, a meeting point for journalists during the Vietnam War). One night, I ordered a Grab scooter, hopped on the back and raced across town to a back alley, where I found Acoustic Bar.
The accolades
2019: Best Business Class Hotel in Vietnam by Asia Pacific Tourism & Travel Federation
2017: Award of Excellent as Honored by Guests by Booking.com
2016: Most favoured hotel as voted by readers for elegance and service in a French style by The Guide Vietnam
2015: Top 15 hotels in SEA by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine; Top 5 Best Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City by DestinAsian; Best hotels of the year by Luxury Travel Guide's Global Awards
In 2016, then US Secretary of State John Kerry accompanied Barack Obama when he visited Vietnam. Kerry stayed in the Sofitel Saigon Plaza's Imperial Suite. Obama, by the way, bedded down at the InterContinental Saigon. Another Sofitel VIP was François Hollande, who was President of France from 2012 to 2017.
For the past few years, the hotel's been leading Saigon Gourmet Week, bringing in celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs from around the world to design innovative menus for guests and visitors. This year's event (15-20 October) is tied to Vietnamese Women's Day and it features an all-female lineup of star chefs, from Germany's Julia Komp and France's Flora Mikula to Australian-British chef Angela Brown and Cambodia's Kimsan Sok. The event includes cooking classes, a gala dinner complete with a chefs battle and an all-star chefs brunch.
Green thumbs up?
Sofitel Saigon Plaza takes part in AccorHotels' Planet 21 sustainable development program. One focus is reducing food waste, another is their push to get guests to reuse their towels, with the savings made on water and energy used to fund tree planting. For the first time in many years, the housekeeping staff did not take my towel away after I left it to dry in the bathroom. A small, but welcome step.
…the spa were run by the Sofitel itself. The reception desk is shared with the gym and the waiting area is right next door, which really takes away from the Zen-like experience one seeks and craves at a spa. The colours and decor aren't cohesive with the rest of the hotel and the treatment rooms need to be bigger with soundproof walls. But I'm told a renovation plan is in the works.
The Sofitel Saigon Plaza works for a number of reasons: good location, diverse and impressive food and beverage, Club Lounge, appealing room and competent staff. Travellers visiting Ho Chi Minh City for business or leisure should definitely consider checking in during their stay. And once the spa and gym area is renovated, this hotel will be even more appealing.
Where to find Sofitel Saigon Plaza
When traffic is light, this five-star property is roughly a 30- to 40-minute drive to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Vietnam's busiest air travel hub.
This article is a Signature Luxury Travel & Style digital exclusive. Be the first to see more exclusive online content by subscribing to the enewsletter here.
Sofitel Saigon Plaza
The Ritz-Carlton, Perth hotel review
Baraza Resort & Spa, Zanzibar hotel review
Cempedak Private Island hotel review
The Gate Hotel Tokyo by Hulic hotel review
Everything we know about the recently announced Aman Niseko
6 cruise developments to get excited about
The shipping news: From new vessels to unmissable itineraries, we share the latest developments from the world of cruising.
First glance: The new andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
Situated in the NamibRand Nature Reserve, one of Southern Africa's largest private conservation areas and the continent's only Dark Sky
Tasmania's Prospect House Private Hotel opens doors after a $5M refurbishment
Prospect House Private Hotel, one of Tasmania's oldest and most elegant country house hotels, is now welcoming guests after new


text:
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namespace RethinkingLoops;

/**
 * Class that implements the Roster kata.
 */
interface Roster
{
    /**
     * Average age of all students.
     *
     * @return int
     */
    public function getAverageAge();

    /**
     * List of students alphabetized by name for roll call.
     *
     * @return Student[]
     */
    public function getRoleCall();

    /**
     * Find oldest student in class.
     *
     * @return Student
     */
    public function getOldestStudent();

    /**
     * Find oldest student in class from each state.
     *
     * @return array('Kansas' => Student, 'Texas' => Student, etc))
     */
    public function getOldestStudentByState();
}


text:
Shirley Sherrod Sues Breitbart – The Daily Beast
Politics, PostAday, Uncategorized
Shirley Sherrod Sues Breitbart
Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP Photo
Take him to the cleaners: Shirley Sherrod, the former Agricultural Department employee who was fired after Andrew Breitbart released a doctored video making her appear racist, is now suing Breitbart for damaging her reputation. The video set off a media frenzy in July 2010, first as Sherrod lost her job and then as it was revealed that she was, in fact, telling a story about how she overcame racism to help a white farmer in need. Breitbart's response to Sherrod's lawsuit was characteristically unhinged: "I can promise you this: neither I, nor my journalistic websites, will or can be silenced by the institutional Left, which is obviously funding this lawsuit."
Read it at Media Matters
via Shirley Sherrod Sues Breitbart – The Daily Beast.
WHAT THE FUSS IS ALL ABOUT
A "Supreme" Conflict of Interest – Common Cause
Justices Scalia and Thomas
A Supreme Conflict of Interest
Did these two men, Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, have a shocking and undisclosed conflict of interest when they ruled on the Citizens United case — which opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate political spending? Justices Scalia and Thomas: Did they have a conflict of interest in Citizens United?
Sign our petition calling for a Justice Department investigation of whether Scalia and Thomas should have recused themselves from the Citizens United case because of their participation in secret political strategy meetings with Koch Industries!
via A "Supreme" Conflict of Interest – Common Cause.
Obama's budget to call for slashing oil tax breaks, boosting clean energy – The Hill's E2-Wire
The administration has also proposed major cuts to a program that provides financial assistance for low-income Americans who are having trouble paying their heating bills. The budget request proposes cutting the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program by $2.5 billion.[Source: The Hill. Licensed image not part of article.] My best friend is quite dependent on this assistance to survive the hard weather of the northeast. Without this aid he would be devastated…along with a town of low-income survivors. [Baltimore, MD, near Washington, DC]
Obama's budget to call for slashing oil tax breaks, boosting clean energy – The Hill's E2-Wire.
Imagine what our young innocents, our children, have to contend with in hard economic times. They have no voice.
Research suggests that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty level to meet their most basic needs. Children living in families with incomes below this level—$44,100 for a family of four in 2010—are referred to as low income. The United States measures poverty by an outdated standard developed in the 1960s. [Source: NCCP]
Children in the United States, by Income Level, 2009
In United States, there are 40,707,328 families, with 74,219,201 children.
Low-Income Children: 42% (31,298,590) of children live in low-income families, defined as income below 200% of the federal poverty level. [NCCP]
It will, of course, fall to the democrats and independents in the Congress to champion the rights and well-being of the economically challenged. Those who benefited from Obama's GREAT COMPROMISE OF 2010 live in luxury year-round. No wood or coal stoves or having to deal with smell and danger of kerosene lights and heating. Long waits for the oil man. Yes, some Americans still live in the 1900s when it comes to energy sources in the home. Support your members in Congress by sharing your concerns and ideas.
Seniors, to his credit, Obama provides assistance for this fiscal year. Yes, this is the same aid he proposes to cut!
Morning Maddow: February 14 – Tricia McKinney
It's the most romantic day of the year: budget day! Rep. Paul Ryan hasn't seen the president's budget, but he already knows he doesn't like it. Ditto Speaker Boehner. TX Gov. Rick Perry says the federal government should be more like Texas.
Love's Philosophy
The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the ocean
The winds of heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single,
All things by a law divine
In one another's being mingle
Why not I with thine?
See the mountains kiss high heaven
And the waves clasp one another
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdain'd its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth,
And the moonbeams kiss the sea
What are all these kisses worth
If thou kiss not me?
Contributed by: Maria
After such a cheerful post I am sorry that I feel compelled to add this news item for today. The President will submit his budget to Congress today. And, once again THE POOR would suffer and at a time when prices everywhere are going up and those people on Social Security were not given a COLA (by law) and republicans voted down a one-time $250 payment:
The administration will also propose major cuts to a program that provides financial assistance for low-income Americans who are having trouble paying their heating bills. The budget request will propose cutting the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program by $2.5 billion. [Source: The Hill]
Why is it that the poor must be the first to suffer. The Administration recently gave the wealthy A SIGNIFICANT TAX CUT. [The last Congress.] This was done to appease republicans (and at the same time secure benefits for the middle class.) I submit that all levels of society should be included in tax cuts to help the economy, but, MUST THE POOR SUFFER IN THE COLD IN WINTER AND THE HEAT IN SUMMER? I hope the Congress will not cut here. Tell your members in Congress how you feel.
Lincoln's Birthday!
Politics, Uncategorized
DADT Repeal: Progress Being Made
gay, Politics, PostAday, Uncategorized
Photo credit R. D. Ward, DoD
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Clifford Stanley, and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, hold a Pentagon press briefing, Jan. 28, 2011, to explain to reporters what steps the Department of Defense is taking to prepare for the implementation of new legislation concerning homosexuals openly serving in the U.S. Armed Services.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2011 — The plan to end the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the military is progressing quickly, senior Defense Department officials said here today.
Clifford L. Stanley, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, and Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to Pentagon reporters in the first of a series of briefings that will chart the department's progress in implementing the repeal of the law known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
"My sense is [we have a] really good working relationship with the services as we do this, not only the service chiefs, but the senior enlisted," Stanley said. "You get good vibes about where we are in terms of cooperation [and] information coming forth."
[Source: Dept. of the Army]
MUBARAK REMAINS! EGYPT IN CRISIS!
IN EGYPT PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK REMAINS!
17 Days of Protest Have NOT Achieved the Promise of Democracy
The Military Stands Ready to Safeguard the Country
Tomorrow's Protest: A Quarter of Million
May March to Presidential Palace
Tomorrow Portends Bloodshed
Limbaugh, Beck et als
Bible quote:Douay-Rheims Bible
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.
formal 1 [noncount] : the quality of being unfair or evil ▪ a system plagued by corruption and iniquity [=injustice] ▪ a notorious den of iniquity [=a place where immoral things are done]
2 [count] : something that is unfair or evil ▪ the iniquities of slavery
You watched the videos. Decided for yourself if FoxNews is "a notorious den of iniquity.
I guess their "discussion" amounts to bubkes!
I just went to the House GOP Leader's Blog to see what House republicans are doing about jobs which they say they is there focus: I found this:
COMMITTEE ACTIVITY OF THE DAY
Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution Hearing on
"H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act"
(Tuesday, February 8th at 4:00 p.m.)
I found the republicans still trying to regulate federal funding for abortions. The last time this came up, all the experts said that because of the Hyde Amendment, THERE IS NO FEDERAL FUNDING OF ABORTIONS.
If you watched the Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC) last night you know that the House Calendar is conspicuously absent of real work. It is all about time away from The Chamber and the listing of holidays. No job related work. For his part, The President gave a speech to the Chamber of Commerce in a tough effort to get big business to use the trillion of dollars they are sitting on to create jobs…at home. For their part republicans will be virtually spending the month at home.
Will Sun Set on Mubarak?
Licensed Use
It is day 15 in the protest in Cairo for President Mubarak to resign. Closed door meetings with Vice President Suliemon and various groups which represent some of the people in the town square. Yesterday I gave you a link to coverage of the concessions that have come out of these meetings.
The concessions, if real, have no timetable and are suspect. For example, the emergency powers under which Mubarak has repressed his people for 30 years, have no end date. But it is one of the alleged concessions. It is conceivable that the government will co-opt the ideas of the movement without Mubarak leaving. Some die-heart protesters will be satisfied by nothing less than regime change! I fear the government is riding out the storm and President Mubarak will remain. Perhaps his power will be diminished to that of a figurehead. President Obama keeps saying that the Egyptian people cannot go back to the way things were. Of course, he know more than we…some things to sensitive for the media. Perhaps he has devised a way for President to resign from office and save face which I suspect means a lot in the Middle East. The American role in this revolution is hampered by the necessity of taking no actions that would label changes in Egypt as an American plan. Our autocratic friends in the area are watching to see how we treat a long-term partner as unrest is popping up in their countries.
Lady Liberty Holds the Flaming Torch of Freedom
It is interesting to see so many peoples of the world pursue a democratic government which to them means freedom. Democracy is messy and takes time to be organized: political parties, a constitution, a new legal system, etc. I don't think the angry protesters in Tahrir Square realize this. You can't remove a sitting president without a well-thought-out new system as a replacement. I do hope our State Dept. and the CIA are aiding regime change…secretly. GOD BLESS THE PEACEFUL PROTESTERS IN EGYPT WITH FREEDOM….AND SOON!
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text:
El turaco crestiblanco (Tauraco leucolophus) es una especie de ave Musophagiformes de la familia Musophagidae que vive en una franja curvada del centro de África: desde el extremo sudoriental de Nigeria hasta el norte de Uganda y sudoeste de Sudán.

Taxonomía
El turaco crestiblanco fue descrito por primera vez en 1855 por el explorador y ornitólogo alemán Theodor von Heuglin. Los estudios genéticos muestran que esta especie está estrechamente relacionada con el Turaco crestirrojo (Tauraco erthrolophus) y el Turaco de Bannerman (Tauraco bannermanii), habiendo divergido de ellos a finales del Plioceno. En ese momento, se produjeron cambios climáticos que posteriormente condujeron a condiciones cada vez más áridas, una disminución de la cubierta forestal y un aumento de la sabana boscosa. El turaco crestiblanco mantuvo una distribución generalizada, quizás adaptándose a nuevos hábitats, mientras que el Turaco de Bannerman se restringió a los hábitats montanos donde permaneció la cubierta forestal. No se conocen subespecies.

Descripción
El turaco crestiblanco es un ave muy llamativa que destaca por su cresta, mejillas y cuello de un blanco puro, que contrasta con el verde del pecho y la parte superior de la espalda así como con el azul violáceo del resto del cuerpo incluida la cola. Presenta una gran mancha negra que le cubre gran parte de la cara. El pico es corto y curvado de color amarillo y presenta un círculo rojo que enmarca el ojo. La punta de las plumas de las alas son de un color rojo brillante pero solo son visibles cuando el animal abre las alas. No presenta dimorfismo sexual.

Distribución y hábitat
Su área de distribución abarca una amplia zona que recorre longitudinalmente el centro de África entre Nigeria y Kenia. En esta zona habita bosques tropicales ribereños, sabanas arboladas y matorrales; especialmente donde existen abundancia de enredaderas. Esta especie gusta de vivir cerca de masas de aguas como ríos, arroyos y humedales. Puede vivir hasta los 2200 m de altitud.

Comportamiento
Esta especie de turaco es principalmente arbóreo y pasa la mayor parte del día buscando alimento entre las copas de los árboles, donde se desplazan mediante saltos y carreras a través de las ramas. No suele volar grandes distancias y solo utiliza el vuelo para transportarse a alguna rama lejana o entre árbol y árbol. Sólo desciende al suelo para beber y darse baños. Son animales territoriales que viven en parejas o pequeños grupos.

Su alimentación se basa principalmente en frutas y bayas aunque también puede consumir flores e invertebrados como insectos y caracoles.

Los turacos crestiblancos son monógamos y se reproducen durante todo el año al tener una área de distribución tan amplia. Las aves de cada zona se reproducirán en una época concreta del año. Construyen un nido no muy firme con ramitas y que esconden entre el follaje más espeso de las copas de los árboles. La hembra pondrá generalmente 2 huevos que será incubados por los dos padres durante alrededor de 20 días. Las crías nacen con los ojos ya abiertos y recubiertas de un plumón castaño. Durante las primeras dos o tres semanas serán muy torpes, no se alejarán mucho del nido y serán alimentados por sus padres. Cuando tenga 4 o 5 semanas ya podrán volar y abandonarán el nido aunque no el cuidado de sus progenitores.

Conservación
La UICN cataloga a este especie como de preocupación menor basándose en que su población permanece estable y que su zona de distribución es bastante grande. Los principales peligros a los que se enfrenta esta especie son la destrucción de su hábitat y el comercio ilegal de especies.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

Leucolophus
Aves de África
Animales descritos en 1855

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Solo Acts
2 Piece Bands
(4 piece or more)
Acts & Bands
Ballad Acts
Act Application
Acts login
Lovely Strangers – Profile
Select album to play
No music detected in player
ACT DETAILS ________________________________________
Type of Act: 2 / 3 Piece Band
The Lovely Strangers are a dynamic, musical duo from Dublin made up of Heather Lawrie and Gavin Sheridan. The two have a vast amount of experience performing both together and apart and provide a lively and entertaining performance for any audience. Playing music from all genres; from R&B to Rock and Roll, these two show their great love for music in every song they play.
Heather Lawrie, the lead singer of The Lovely Strangers, has been singing since before she could talk. Her jazz influenced voice allows her to give a unique twist to nearly every song she sings, making for a truly mesmerising performance.
Gavin Sheridan, the guitarist of The Lovely Strangers, is a highly talented and experienced guitarist whose enthusiasm for his craft shines through his performance. Both he and Heather are both studying music in Dublin.
The Lovely Strangers are the perfect duo for every occasion, from small pub gigs to wedding receptions to church ceremonies; The Lovely Strangers can do it all!
Please do come along and say hello, we would love to see your lovely faces!
Special occasions covered (2hr gig):
21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, Wedding
EXPERIENCE _______________________________________
Type of music played: Current, Pop, Top 40,60's ,70's, 80's
Sample song list:
K.T Tunstall
Interact with crowd: Yes
Previous venues played:
Bradys of SHankhill
The Tolka House
CoachHouse Roundwood
The Kelltic Bar
KCR House
Ardmore Bar
Smok Alley Theatre
EQUIPMENT ________________________________________
Instruments played:
Acoustic Guitar, Female Vocal
Tracks: No
Acoustic gig: Yes
Sound equipment:
Yamaha Mixing Desk and Yamaha Active Speakers, Shure Mics .
Lighting equipment:
Yes, small uplights .
Break/Interval music: Yes
pubentertainment.ie © (2021)
Designed by hightech multimedia.


Here's the monkey wrench. The job consists of 2 books - each book has 50 sets of 2 part ncr sheets (book 1 is numbered 101-150, book 2 is numbered 151-200). The cover of each book has variable data (name and location), each sheet of the set is slightly different, but contain the same data (name, location and variable numbers for book 1, or book 2).
The customer can order in sets of books, but all books are numbered the same, 101-150 and 151-200. So if a customer ordered 2 sets, they would receive 2-copies of book 1 and 2-copies of book 2. The customer can also order a 1/2 set (book 1 only).
I have 2 data files, one contains the customer information and the number of sets ordered, the second contains the number head information (numbers from 101-200).
Can this be done drawing from an external data file? and if so, how would I begin setting it up? Any help would be appreciated.
How are you running your production?
-different templates for the 2 booklet vs. 1 booklet?
-impositioning done through you or at the press for the 1 booklet? How many up on a sheet?
If the customer is requesting two copies of book 1/book 2, I would think that would be on the ticket write-up for the pressmen to run two copies?
I was hoping to be able to use the data field for the number of books needed to be able to create the pdf file (1-up), and from there, the operator would be able to set up a hot folder to fill the 4-up imposition template.


Fossils dated millions of years old by evolutionists strikingly resemble living animals today. In some cases, evolutionists thought the species had been extinct for millions of years before discovering the species alive! If evolution were true, how could this be? Why wouldn't these species have evolved at all over the millions of years? Why would they remain exactly (so it seems) as they are today?


text:
The Peck School is an independent, co-educational day school with grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Peck School is located in Morristown, in Morris County, New Jersey. There are approximately 330 students. The Peck curriculum includes communication arts, drama, English, library studies, math, music, sports, reading, science, history, social studies, technology, themes or family life, visual arts, woodworking, and world languages.

The Peck School has two divisions, the Upper School (grades 5-8) and the Lower School (grades K-4).

Activities are held most Friday afternoons for Upper School students. Possible choices include The Linden (yearbook), the Student Council, Green Team, "Art Spirit" (literary magazine), the P.I.C club (Peck InDeCore Club), and more.

Further extracurricular activities include Kindergarten Helpers, the Steel Pan Band, Pro Musica (a singing group for lower schoolers and upper schoolers), Peckapella (a 7-8 a cappella group), and the Peck Enrichment Program (PEP).

Like many independent schools, the Peck athletic program is required. It emphasizes sportsmanship, teamwork, and responsibility. Students compete inter-scholastically in grades 5-8 in a number of fall, winter, and spring sports. Peck has built up a reputation of having one of the most competitive private-school sports programs in the area. Peck's mascot is The Pride, which serves as a symbol of Peck's school-wide sense of pride.

The Peck School is a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools and the Commission on Elementary Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Peck is also known for its many traditions. It has an annual field day called Downy-Redhead Day, which has relay races and an all-school tug-of-war. Downy-Redhead day is the final date of friendly competition between the Downy team and the Redhead team, named for woodpeckers native to the area. Students earn points for their team by earning "Job Well Done Tickets," which are acquired through acts of kindness, and active displays of the school's core values. Peck has a talent show, where students can showcase their talents to the school body. There is a Christmas Sing. There is also a Spring Sing. Lower schoolers participate in a science fair, which is known as the Science Expo, and they submit their work to the Lower School literary Arts magazine (Spectrum). Commencement is held every year for graduating eighth graders, as students move on to secondary school. Graduates of the Peck School populate a wide range of competitive and exceptional schools. College placement tends to be just as excellent.

Mission and Vision
Mission Statement: The Peck School inspires students to learn rigorously, grow in character, and lead healthy, productive, and principled lives.

Vision Statement: The Peck School sets the standard for excellence in K-8 education, where academic preparation and character development intersect powerfully in the learning experience. By embedding consideration of others, service, and belonging in all that we do, we are designing an integrated approach to education that develops curious and disciplined learners who positively shape the world.

History

The Peck School originally started in 1893 on Franklin Street, founded as Miss Sutphen's School for Young Ladies, with six initial students. Lorraine T. Peck purchased the school late in 1917. In 1920, the school moved to Elm Street, and then into its current location on South Street, in the Lindenwold Mansion and the surrounding acres.

In 1993, The Peck School completed the Deetjen Kindergarten Building. In 1995, the Caspersen-Tomlinson Academic Building was completed, followed by the F. M. Kirby Lower School in 1998. In 2006, the  Eckhert Huff Building was completed, which was followed by the Athletic Center in 2007. The Peck Commons was completed in 2019 after the old gym in front of Lindenwold mansion was demolished to create a new quad for students.

Notable headmasters include Mr. Lorraine T. Peck (1917–1944), Mr. Philip S. Hesseltine (1946–1954), Mr. Rudy Deetjen (1977–1994), and Mr. John J. Kowalik (2003-2013).  Andrew Delinsky, former Upper School Principal at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland, has been serving as head of the school since 2014.

Notable alumni

 Bromberg Brothers, Owners of the Blue Ribbon food chain
 Ken Demarest
 Rodney Frelinghuysen, a US congressman
 Jill Krementz, author of several titles and spouse to Kurt Vonnegut
 Robert Tappan Morris
 Alexis Maybank, Author of By Invitation Only and founder of Gilt Groupe
 F. D. Reeve, father of actor Christopher Reeve
 Alfred Whitney Griswold, president of Yale from 1950-1963

Sports
The Peck School students compete on interscholastic sports teams from grades 5-8. In lower school grades, students learn fundamental motor skills, sports technique, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

Peck sports include for girls and boys basketball, volleyball, field hockey, co-ed ice hockey, co-ed cross country, boys and girls lacrosse, softball, baseball wrestling and for boys soccer.

References

External links
The Peck School website
Data for The Peck School, National Center for Education Statistics

Private elementary schools in New Jersey
Schools in Morris County, New Jersey
New Jersey Association of Independent Schools
Private middle schools in New Jersey


If you are looking for a wonderful way to spend your weekend, there are so many things that you could do. If your hobbies include fishing, you might want to book yourself on Alaska fishing packages. There are many places in Alaska where you could go fishing. Many people go to Alaska especially during the fishing season because you could really get to catch the best fishes there.
Two of the best fishing destinations in Alaska is Anchorage and Sitka. They have so many perfect fishing spots where you could get to catch different kinds of fish like Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, different kinds of trout, and halibut. Fish is plentiful in the many different bodies of water in the area. If you want to fully enjoy your fishing trip in Alaska, you would want to book an Alaska fishing package in a local fishing charter. There are many different fishing charters that you could get in touch with in Alaska.
They have everything that you need to make your fishing trip in Alaska complete. If you have your favorite set of fishing equipment, you can bring them into the various fishing spots in Alaska. However, if you do not want to bother yourself with bringing all of the equipment along with you, you could also rent them off with the Alaska fishing packages of the fishing charters. The fishing charters have a lot to offer for the fishing hobbyist. Sports fishermen and novices alike can really take advantage of the affordable rates for the equipment that the fishing charters lend them. They could get some of the pretty basic stuff such as hooks, baits, and lures. There are also many different varieties of flies that are available on many fishing charters, which is really good news for the fly fishing enthusiast. Aside from that, you could also get to rent equipment such as rods and lines. Aside from that, many Alaska fishing packages also let people go out fishing on the open seas by providing them with a boat.
To make your stay in Alaska complete, make sure that the fishing package you choose also has provisions for lodging. There are many places that you could stay in Alaska on your fishing trips. There are many hotels and inns all over the place. But if you would like to have better access to fishing, you would be better off staying at a fishing lodge. Fishing in Alaska is definitely a fun activity. There are so many different places where you could go fishing, and there are also many places where you could enjoy the view. With the right Alaska fishing packages, you would surely get to enjoy your stay in Alaska and bring home that trophy fish that you have always wanted.


Working together has never been easier, or more crucial. Integrating data, people and process on distributed teams unlocks your company's true potential. It starts with a fluid, flexible platform to bring employees together with contractors, customers and suppliers. Is your workforce ready to capitalize on chat, secure file sharing, team conferencing on any device?
RSM brings enterprise-level security and productivity advice to this fast-moving field. Working together, we'll focus on results and platforms that have the maximum impact. E-mail and phone conversations leave no knowledge behind. Improve workplace efficiency, where data and insights get shared quickly, providing multiple options for getting work done.
Manage data security with fine-grain controls over files, in use, at rest and in-transit. Be better prepared for evolving standards, such as Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), by knowing who has access to information and when files were last searched, opened, copied or used knowing who has had access to the information and whether or not it has left your environment.
Protect knowledge and data files with asset lifecycle protection, retention and archiving. Data classification can improve security by restricting files, tracking usage and reporting on activity. Active management can speed electronic discovery in legal research or provide metadata about who uses what data inside your organization. Tailor the optimal digital environment for frontline customer service, management, strategic data and, even, board-level reporting.
Content services and digital asset management (DAM) are two key collaboration elements. They accelerate productivity gains that come with cloud solutions, secure sharing and file storage libraries. With the right platforms, you can team with partners, suppliers, contractors and end-user service options that are available anywhere, anytime.
RSM is your trusted partner, with consultants who know your industry, understand your company, and can provide the tools and process expertise that support your mission. Prepare your organization for a social, mobile and dynamic workforce.
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Microsoft Office 365 comes ready to adapt to your workplace needs with SharePoint and Teams for collaborative work, Skype and Yammer for messaging. Make your internal communications searchable and strategic. RSM configures the tools to your need, whether that's a single manufacturing facility or a dozen separate locations.
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When your people change jobs or tasks, workplace collaboration systems need to reflect those changes quickly. Enjoy more control AND flexibility, whether your hardware and software is on-premises or in the cloud. Know for certain who touched which files and when, and know which teams are working smoothly with others – using data, not anecdotes.
Define your needs, decide on tools and deploy new systems. RSM supports every step, whether you are replacing and upgrading systems, or starting from scratch. Gain valuable new views of what your organization knows thanks to adaptable Office 365 cloud software subscriptions, virtual hosting and storage.
Training programs, for example, prepare your workforce technically and functionally for the next steps in collaboration, helping them keep pace with technology changes. RSM is a preferred Microsoft solution provider, delivering the highest levels of expertise and service.


text:
A total of 30 medals gave Iran a top-spot finish at the 2019 World Karate Federation (WKF) Karate 1 Premier League.
The Iranian karatekas collected seven gold, ten silvers and 13 bronzes in the seven-round competitions which kicked off last January.
Following Iran in the overall standings, Kazakhstan stood second with 16 medals – including six golds – with Japan finishing third with 13 medals (five golds).
The three-day final round of the competitions in Madrid, Spain, saw Iranians finish their 2019 campaign with two golds and a couple of bronzes.
Sajjad Ganjzadeh, representing the country in the men's +84kg weight class, outpowered Dnylson Jacquet of France 4-0 in the final for Iran's last gold in this year's competitions.
Saleh Abazari, having been beaten by Jacquet in the semis, overcame Mehdi Ashouri in an all-Iranian battle to take the joint-bronze of the class – alongside Croatian Andjelo Kvesic.
Amir Mehdizadeh had opened Iran's gold account, overcoming Turkey's Abdurrahim Ozer Omer in the men's -67kg final.
In the women's contests, Hamideh Abbas-Ali, having suffered a fourth-round defeat against Eleni Chatziliadou, had to settle for a joint-bronze in the +68kg class after beating Japanese Ayaka Saito.
Maria Torres Garcia grabbed the other bronze while Chatziliadou was beaten by Kazakhstan's Sofya Berultseva in the final.
The 17th edition of the Chennai International Film Festival, slated for December 12-19, will host four Iranian films.
According to the preliminary list of participating films, 'The Charcoal (Kömür),' directed by Esmaeil Monsef; 'The Warden,' by Nima Javidi; 'Just 6.5,' by Saeid Roustayi; and 'Zero Floor,' by Ebrahim Ebrahimian will be screened during the festival, ISNA reported.
'Charcoal' narrates the story of Gheirat, who makes charcoals in a border village in Iran's northwestern province of Azarbaijan. His son Yashar, who is in prison, comes home on furlough for his sister's wedding. But the sudden disappearance of Yashar throws Gheirat's life into a major challenge.
Directed by Nima Javidi, 'The Warden' tells the story of an Iranian prison warden who is assigned to transfer prisoners to a new building during the 1960s.
'Just 6.5' is about a police squad, under the leadership of Samad, who has been assigned to arrest Nasser Khakzad.
Ebrahimian's film narrates the story of Vahid, who comes to Tehran to stop the surgery of his four-year-old son, Soheil, but discovers that he has passed away during the surgery. Vahid blames his ex-wife, Fahimeh, for the death of Soheil, and believes that her selfish decision got his son killed. Soheil's death is a new chapter in the relationship between Vahid and Fahimeh, expressing all that had gone unsaid.
The Indian festival is dedicated to presenting the best of international and Indian films to the cinema-loving city of Chennai.
Russia and China on Monday launched a giant gas pipeline linking the countries for the first time, one of three major projects aimed at cementing Moscow's role as the world's top gas exporter.
Presiding by video link-up over an elaborate televised ceremony, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping hailed the "Power of Siberia" pipeline as a symbol of cooperation, AFP reported.
"Today is remarkable, a truly historic event not only for the global energy market, but first of all for us and for you, for Russia and China," Putin said.
Xi said the project served as a model of cooperation.
"China-Russia relations are entering a new era," Xi said. "Everyone worked hard."
The ceremony featured hard-hatted gas workers and videos showing the pipeline's difficult path from remote areas of eastern Siberia to Blagoveshchensk on the Chinese border.
Workers burst into applause and celebratory music played as the CEO of Russian gas giant Gazprom, Alexei Miller, speaking from the Amur region, ordered a valve opened for the gas to flow across the border.
The 3,000-kilometre (1,850-mile) pipeline – which Putin has called "the world's biggest construction project" – will supply China with 38 billion cubic meters (1.3 trillion cubic feet) of gas annually when fully operational in 2025.
Russia and China signed the 30-year, $400 billion construction deal in 2014 – Gazprom's biggest ever contract.
The pipeline is part of Russia efforts to develop ties with Asia – in particular top energy importer China – amid longstanding tensions with the West.
Gazprom stressed that the pipeline ran through "swampy, mountainous, seismically active, permafrost and rocky areas with extreme environmental conditions".
Temperatures along the route plunge to below minus 60 degrees Celsius in Yakutia and below minus 40 C in the Russian Far East's Amur Region.
Work has also been completed on the first road bridge between Russia and China, further linking the two neighbors.
The bridge, which is to open next year, will connect the city of Blagoveshchensk and the northern Chinese city of Heihe.
Iran is still selling its oil despite US sanctions on the country's exports, First Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri said on Monday, adding that Washington's "maximum pressure" on Tehran has failed.
"Despite America's pressure ... and its imposed sanctions on our oil exports, we still continue to sell our oil by using other means ... when even friendly countries have stopped purchasing our crude fearing America's penalties," Jahangiri said.
Relations between the two foes reached crisis point last year after US President Donald Trump abandoned a 2015 pact between Iran and world powers under which Tehran accepted curbs to its nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions.
Washington has reimposed sanctions aimed at halting all Iranian oil exports, saying it seeks to force Iran to negotiate to reach a wider deal. Tehran has rejected talks unless Washington returns to the nuclear deal and lifts all sanctions.
"They have failed to bring our oil exports to zero as planned," Jahangiri said.
He hailed Iran's petrochemical and metal industries for overcoming US sanctions and continuing exporting their commodities.
"Iran's economy stood firm on its own feet with two years of resistance and the efforts of its exporters and got over the psychological shocks the Americans gave to the country through their economic war," Jahangiri said.
Jahangiri, however, warned against threats posed by the US and its regional allies and called for unity.
"Today, Iran is in danger. The Americans, the Saudis and the Zionists (Israelis) are seeking to bring down Iran. The only way to deal with them is unity," he said.
"We need national solidarity more than ever so that the country can pass through this difficult time."
Reuters contributed to this story.
Zarif: Iran supports efforts to ease regional tensions
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif voiced support on Monday for de-escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf region as he hosted his counterpart from traditional mediator Oman for talks in Tehran.
The visit by Oman's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawicame a week after he held a meeting in Washington with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
It is the second time since late July that bin Alawi has been sent to Iran by the sultanate.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said Zarif, in talks with bin Alawi, had "emphasized the necessity of reducing tensions in the region".
He also said Iran was ready to enter talks with all regional nations.
Zarif said Iran was serious about a plan – dubbed the Hormuz Peace Endeavour – which Tehran earlier put forward to reduce regional tensions.
President Hassan Rouhani announced the peace plan at the UN General Assembly in September, calling on Arab nations in the Persian Gulf, including Iran's regional rival Saudi Arabia, to join it.
In a tweet, the Omani Foreign Ministry said that bin Alawi and Zarif had "discussed bilateral relations and regional issues".
According to Iran's Foreign Ministry, bin Alawi said the situation in the region makes dialogue and mutual understanding necessary more than ever.
"In this regard, holding a comprehensive and inclusive conference with the participation of all countries with an interest can be helpful," he said.
The Omani minister's trip to Iran comes a week after he met Pompeo during an official visit to the United States.
The US State Department said at the time that Pompeo thanked him for "Oman's cooperation on security and counterterrorism issues".
Long-fraught relations between Tehran and Washington plunged to a new low last year when the US unilaterally withdrew from an international accord that gave Iran relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program.
The arch-foes came to the brink of a military confrontation in June when Iran downed an American spy drone and US President Donald Trump ordered retaliatory strikes before canceling them at the last minute.
Need for regional coalitions
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council also met with bin Akawi. Ali Shamkhani said the security of the Middle East can be guaranteed only through the establishment of regional coalitions free from any form of foreign interference.
"Only those coalitions, which are free from influence and interference of foreigners, can solve problems, restore security [to the region] and last [for a long time]," Shamkhani said.
The Iranian official's remarks were clear reference to the failure of the United States in forming a so-called coalition comprising regional and extra-regional states to allegedly protect security of shipping in the Persian Gulf.
On November 7, the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), a US-led military coalition in the Persian Gulf, officially launched its operations supposedly seeking to protect shipping lanes near Iranian territorial waters.
The US Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain announced that the IMSC, formerly known as Operational Sentinel, had opened its command center in the country.
Shamkhani said, "A country that is not committed to any of its obligations, whether in connection with Iran or in exchanges with other countries, cannot be trusted."
Those countries, which have played a leading role in creating tension and insecurity in the region and caused chaos by waging different wars and spreading terrorism, have never been after stability and security in the Persian Gulf and only seek to serve their own interests and plunder the region, the senior Iranian official warned.
The European Union's new foreign policy chief said the bloc is doing anything to keep the Iran nuclear deal up and running.
Josep Borrell told Spain's leading newspaper El País on Sunday that the EU is "grasping at straws" in an effort to salvage the nuclear agreement because the bloc has "the greatest interest" in the survival of the pact.
Borrell, who took over from Federica Mogherini on December 1, urged Iran to stick to the unraveling deal.
"We call on the Iranian authorities to do what they can to keep the pact alive," he said.
The 72-year-old Spanish diplomat warned that it would be a "big mistake" if Iran does something that can "kill" the agreement.
"We tell our Iranian friends that it is best for them not to let the agreement die," he said.
The 2015 nuclear accord has been at risk since last year when the United States unilaterally withdrew from it and began reimposing sanctions on Iran.
The three European countries still party to the deal — Britain, France and Germany — as well as the EU have been trying to rescue it but their efforts have so far borne little fruit.
In May, one year after the US pullout, Iran began retaliating by scaling back its commitments to the deal — known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Since then, Iran has taken four steps back from the accord.
The latest was on November 4 when its engineers began feeding uranium hexafluoride gas into mothballed enrichment centrifuges at the underground Fordo plant south of Tehran.
Following the latest step, the European parties and the EU said Iran's decision to resume activities at Fordo was "inconsistent" with the nuclear deal and warned the JCPOA's dispute resolution mechanism could be triggered if Iran continued down that path.
It covers various stages that could take several months to unfold, but the issue could eventually end up before the UN Security Council, which could decide to reimpose sanctions.
The five-nation commission overseeing the Iran nuclear deal is set to meet in Vienna on December 6, with fears growing that it could collapse. The joint commission is made up of the three European nations and the deal's other remaining parties, China and Russia.
Iran warned Sunday it will "seriously reconsider" its commitments to the UN atomic watchdog if European parties trigger the dispute mechanism.
"If they use the trigger (mechanism), Iran would be forced to seriously reconsider some of its commitments to" the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani.
AFP contributed to this story.


text:
A stripped down version of sass-bootstrap containing only the grid system and some responsive utilities.

## Extra Features

### 24-column grid
The default grid is now 24 columns instead of 12.

### .no-gutter

Class that can be added to an element above your columns to set the gutter to 0.

### New Breakpoint: 'tn'
Added a 'tn' breakpoint which is between col-xs-* and col-sm-*. Also works with the responsive utilities.

### Breakpoints Mixin
A mixin to easily add breakpoints in your sass code.

```
.class {
  @include breakpoint(tn|sm|md|lg) {
    // ...
  }
}
```

## Build

```
sass --update tinybootstrap/_tinybootstrap.scss:dist/tinybootstrap.css --sourcemap=none --style expanded && sass --update tinybootstrap/_tinybootstrap.scss:dist/tinybootstrap.min.css --sourcemap=none --style compressed
```


How the Hell's it going?
I hope it's going alright and I'm glad you've stopped by. On this site you'll find things I've written (that you can read for free!) and hopefully soon there will be things you can read that will cost you money (sorry).
I'm currently in the middle of renovations so things may change but feel free to look around at what's here.


text:
My Hopes for Episode VIII
Mon 28 Dec 2015 Mon 28 Dec 2015 The Kefka of Clubs	Uncategorized
After a week of over-thinking The Force Awakens, I thought I would share some of my hopes for its sequel, Episode VIII. The Force Awakens felt very much like the opening of a new chapter in the Star Wars saga, and left many unanswered questions, hanging plot threds, and development yet to be done. Episode VIII will really secure the relationship of this new Star Wars trilogy to those which preceded it – thus far it feels as if it's created new heroes in the vein of the original trilogy, but more inclusive; on the other hand, its stepped back from the moral complexity of the prequel trilogy (and, to some extent, Return of the Jedi and The Empire Strikes Back) in favour of a simplistic "good versus evil" narrative more in keeping with the original trilogy. While prequels may have had their faults, moral complexity is not one of them (attempted plot complexity may have been). In general, Episode VIII needs to be braver, take a few risks, and yet still ground itself in the preceding seven films. At least, that's my take. Here is entirely subjective list of hopes for Episode VII chocked full of spoilers for all preceding Star Wars films:
Poe Dameron is gay.
One of the key triumphs of The Force Awakens over the previous trilogies was its inclusive cast – more than one woman! And one was a Jedi! A Black Stormtrooper! A Latino X-Wing pilot! But there has been another debate going on alongside this celebration, which is the central romantic dynamic of the film. Now, Finn made it pretty clear that he's interested in Rey (which she doesn't clearly reciprocate) but there were hints that Poe saw something else in Finn, something a little more than how good he looked in that jacket. Perhaps there could be romance blossoming there?
A friend pointed out to me that the only romantic relationships in previous Star Wars films have been those which were necessary to the plot. I'm not entirely convinced by this argument – of course it applies to Anakin and Padmé, but Han and Leia? Largely, I think the romantic subplots of the previous saga have been hindered by heteronormativity and the one-in-one-out policy the galaxy applied to women. But, in any case, Poe's sexuality might only be confirmed on-screen if it's relevant to the plot. If the new trilogy still wants to follow the beats of the originals (but please don't – see below) I hope the love triangle puts Rey in Luke's place, Poe in Han's, and Finn as Leia. Or, perhaps, just introduce Poe's husband with whom he had to flee the Empire which forbade their marriage. I can see a number of ways this would work for the plot, and cement this new trilogy's socially progressive stance over the previous two. Plus it would make the Resistance seem that much easier to root for than the amorphous, Manichaean "good versus evil" battle with which we were presented in Awakens.
Less pastiche, more integration.
The Force Awakens employed many story beats from the original trilogy, primarily A New Hope but also The Empire Strikes Back (I am your father!) and Return of the Jedi (the three-tiered battle and Han's suicide mission). It was nice, I suppose, but it's the main reason why I could never say Awakens is as good as the original trilogy. I hope that Episode VIII moves away from the cyclical story beats and emphasises the fact that this story takes place in the same universe with some of the same characters: let's revisit some old locations (not Tatooine)! What's been going down on Naboo? Perhaps Luke could run away again, but this time end up on Dagobah? Also, remember how the rebellion and Empire had, like, fleets of ships of different designs, not just X-Wings and TIE Fighters? Maybe the Resistance and the First Order could incorporate some of that variety? So much of Awakens felt like a reboot, a pastiche, or a remake rather than a continuation of events in a shared universe. I'm perhaps unclear about how to do it, but I don't want to just see The Empire Strikes Back with the new characters. I Empire's complexity mixed with the charm and excitement of the new cast.
Something about Padmé.
Perhaps the greatest contribution of the prequels to the Star Wars Saga was the introduction of Luke and Leia's Mum, who did some wonderful things when she wasn't delivering crappy dialogue in her "romantic" scenes with Anakin or dying in childbirth because of the Star Wars universe's (now suspended) one-in-one-out policy regarding women. As a result of her not having been invented, Padmé gets scarcely a mention in the original trilogy (only when Luke asks Leia what she remembers about her mother in Return of the Jedi). I had hoped that Luke's disappearance would be related to their mother, and that he might have spent some of the last thirty years looking for her (although many people tried to cover up her identity after her death). It didn't come up in The Force Awakens, but Episode VIII could really tie the trilogies together by giving Luke (and Leia) a connection to their less volotile parent, perhaps remembering how great Padmé was when she was fighting for the freedom of Naboo, rescuing Obi-Wan on Geonosis, or founding the rebellion with Bail Organa, rather than interacting with their father.
[Edited to add] Also regarding #6 below, I had a vision of Episode VIII including a sub-plot in which Luke and Rey travel together (much like Luke and Obi-Wan) with Chewie and the droids in search of their mothers, and it was beautiful. If this isn't part of the plot of Episode VIII (or IX, if I have to wait that long) then I will be very disappointed. [/Edit]
Lando!
The key figure from the original trilogy missing in Awakens was Lando Calrissian: charmer, swindler, and businessman. Lando might be considered to be a fourth Ghostbuster by some (I have literally no idea who) but part of making this universe feel like the same one as we've seen before could be to revisit Lando. Rey saw a city in the clouds in her vision… perhaps we'll see him back where we met him, about the retire but drawn back into the conflict?
A little darker?
Kylo Ren is an excellent villain for the twenty-first century. He's the kind of boy who thinks darkness is cool; he's aptly summed up by the Twitter account Emo Kylo Ren (@KyloR3n) as an arrogant, misogynistic teenager; I've seen him describes as the kind of guy you wouldn't accept a drink from at a party. But despite the volatile streak he shares with his grandfather we haven't seen him commit violence the way we see Anakin slaughter the Sand People or the Younglings. The worst he's done is kill his father, and there is still speculation about his possible redemption in the future of the trilogy. I have mixed feelings about that. To be honest, I think I'd rather see him descend into the depths of awfulness that he represents and ultimately (although not until Episode IX) be destroyed. In Episode VIII, I'd like to see him split from the First Order to commit his own atrocities, to become a violent, volatile force in the galaxy. Part of me had been hoping that his admiration for Vader meant that he'd ultimately turn on Supreme Leader Snoke and destroy him, like his grandfather. But I'm more inclined now to think that sticking so close to the story beats of the original trilogy will ruin this trilogy. Kylo Ren has to go further off the deep end than his grandfather. I don't need to see him killing Luke, but finding the darkness within him would be a good progression.
But alongside this darkness, I'd like to see some reflection and commentary on the darkness and Kylo's descent. It's not just about "good" and "evil". I'd like to see a little more bravery in dealing with the reasons why people are bad and the consequences of that badness and the ways people have to deal with it. Something, dare I say it, a little more like the prequels?
Make Rey's past interesting, please.
I've seen a fair bit of speculation about Rey's parentage. On the basis that she's basically Jaina Solo, perhaps she's Kylo Ren's twin. Because she speaks in an English accent, perhaps she's Obi-Wan's daughter (although the same argument could apply to Emperor Palpatine). She could be Luke's daughter, or her family might be entirely new characters. I honestly don't care which of these it is. Even if she's not Han and Leia's daughter, she's still as close to my favourite character from the old expanded universe that I'm ever going to see on the big screen. All I want is for her past to be interesting, to be revealed in an interesting way, and to be stated with as much conviction as Luke's parentage and siblingage so that even if it makes no sense whatsoever we just go with it. Although, if she were Palpatine's daughter, that would give her a brilliant dynamic with Kylo Ren.
It's directed by Rian Johnson so maybe Joseph Gordon-Levitt could be in it?
I've seen two of Rian Johnson's films – Brick and Looper – and I loved them. Both stared Joseph Gordon-Levitt, so I assume they're pals? So maybe Gordon-Levitt could have a cameo in this film? Perhaps as Poe's husband? If this happens I will assume I am a badass Jedi having a vision because I touched Anakin/Luke/Rey's lightsaber.
← Some rambling thoughts on Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Did the Trojan War Actually Happen? →


text:
Q: Full Template Specialization errors Since I am SIMD'ifying my code I decided to use template specialization to handle each type case but it seems I did something wrong.
template<typename T> struct __declspec(align(16)) TVec2
{
};

template<> __declspec(align(16)) struct TVec2<s64>
{
    union
    {
        struct
        {
            s64 x, y;
        };
        struct
        {
            __m128i v;
        };
    };
    TVec2()
    {
        v = _mm_setzero_si128();
    }
    TVec2(s64 scalar)
    {
        v = _mm_set_epi64x(scalar, scalar);
    }
    TVec2(s64 x, s64 y)
    {
        v = _mm_set_epi64x(x, y);
    }
    template<typename U> operator TVec2<U>() const
    {
        return TVec2<U>(static_cast<U>(x), static_cast<U>(y));
    }
    s64& operator[](word index)
    {
        return v.m128i_i64[index];
    }
    const s64& operator[](word index) const
    {
        return v.m128i_i64[index];
    }
};
// There are other specializations but they produce the same errors

When I compile in Visual Studio (2015) I get (C2988: unrecognizeable template declaration/definition) followed by (C2059: syntax error: "< end Parse >"). I am fairly sure I followed the documentation for specialization correctly but I am prone to errors.

A: It looks like the problem is caused by __declspec written before structure keyword so template is not recognized properly. Try changing to
template<> struct __declspec(align(16)) TVec2<s64>

It may be also a good idea to use alignas specifier and get rid of nameless struct/union.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Francesco Lovrić (born 5 October 1995) is an Austrian professional footballer currently playing for FC Marchfeld.

Club career
Lovrić joined VfB Stuttgart in 2011 from Austria Wien. He made his debut on 15 February 2014 for VfB Stuttgart II in the 3. Liga against Hallescher FC in a 3-2 away defeat. He played the full game as a center back.

International career
Lovrić played for Austria at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19 level.

References

External links

 Francesco Lovrić at Kicker

1995 births
Living people
Footballers from Vienna
Austrian footballers
Austrian expatriate footballers
Association football midfielders
3. Liga players
Austrian Football Bundesliga players
2. Liga (Austria) players
FK Austria Wien players
VfB Stuttgart II players
SV Mattersburg players
SC Austria Lustenau players
Kickers Offenbach players
A.E. Karaiskakis F.C. players
USV Eschen/Mauren players
Austria youth international footballers
Austrian expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Austrian expatriate sportspeople in Greece
Austrian expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
Expatriate footballers in Germany
Expatriate footballers in Greece
Expatriate footballers in Switzerland