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My research focuses principally on the philosophical foundations and applications of formal theories of rational choice and inference, spanning topics in the philosophy of science, epistemology, philosophical logic, artificial intelligence and decision theory.
I have recently been awarded a Future Fellowship by the Australian Research Council, for a project titled `Qualitative Models of Rationality: Philosophical Foundations and Applications'. This project will be my main focus until June 2021. Further details below.
Mathematical models of rationality, which aim to formalise the rules of good reasoning and decision making, have
traditionally proceeded on the assumption that people's beliefs and desires are always given to us in terms of
precise, quantifiable degrees of confidence and value. This assumption has been noted to be implausibly strong
and alternative, qualitative frameworks, such as belief revision theory, have been developed to handle the
frequent situations in which it fails. These, however, remain critically incomplete and their foundations poorly
understood. The project will address their key omissions, secure their conceptual underpinnings and put them to
work in clarifying and resolving a range of long-standing philosophical problems.
Long summary
A wide variety of academic disciplines share a keen interest in elucidating the laws that govern correct theoretical and practical reasoning, i.e. in understanding the conditions under which a given set of data would warrant the drawing of a given conclusion, or the choice of a given course of action. The motivations for this preoccupation are varied. It may stem from a desire to improve our standards of scientific inquiry or policy choice (statistics, operations research,…), to design artificial agents or automated decision aids (artificial intelligence, robotics,…), or again to predict the behaviour of agents that are assumed to be approximately rational (microeconomics, psychology,…). But the issue is also a fascinating one in its own right, and the multitude of puzzles and paradoxes with which it is associated has long captivated the attention of the philosophical community.
For reasons of clarity and precision, contemporary theories of rational choice and inference typically take the form of abstract mathematical representations of rational reasoners, much in the same way that contemporary physical theories take the form of abstract mathematical representations of the material world. This model-building project has however come to find itself split into two distinct traditions, differing fundamentally in terms of the way that they conceive of the psychological states of the agents that they depict.
The first, so-called quantitative, approach takes agents to hold extremely precise numerical degrees of belief and desire–aka 'subjective probabilities' and 'subjective utilities', respectively–with respect to each of the various states of affairs that they can conceive of (e.g. believing to degree 0.746 that it will rain tomorrow or desiring to degree 3.741 not to miss the next number 38 bus). A number of 'rationality constraints' are then imposed on these mental states, their evolution through time and the possible decisions that they give rise to.
This type of framework, the most influential variant of which is known as the 'Bayesian' approach, has historically been the dominant tradition in most disciplines. It has been worked out in great detail, over the course of many decades. Its philosophical foundations have been carefully scrutinised and a significant amount of work has been carried out with respect to the justification of its normative commitments, with a whole spectrum of arguments having been marshalled in their favour. Having long enjoyed a hegemonic status in the philosophical literature on rational choice, this approach has also become increasingly deeply entrenched in the subdisciplines of epistemology and philosophy of science.
This more recent development owes much to the emergence of 'Bayesian confirmation theory', which offers a precise analysis of the concept of evidential support–the relation that obtains between a given hypothesis and the considerations that motivate its endorsement (e.g. the hypothesis that a patient has developed a particular ailment and the positive result of a relevant diagnostic test)–in terms of shifts in rational degrees of belief.
The second way of proceeding, the qualitative approach, eschews the complex, and some would claim somewhat unrealistic, psychological picture painted by its quantitative counterpart in favour of the more familiar talk of unqualified beliefs and desires (e.g. believing that it will rain tomorrow or desiring not to miss the next number 38 bus) that is commonplace in everyday folk-psychology. More recent in origin, and currently less thoroughly worked out, these qualitative models have yet to gain influence outside their native disciplines of logic and artificial intelligence. This is true, most notably, of AGM 'Belief Revision Theory' (BRT), an extremely powerful and elegant model of belief dynamics based on an entirely non-numerical representation of the agent's opinions.
Indeed, whilst this framework has generated a fair amount of attention in computer science, where it has immediate applications to database management, its impact on the philosophical literature remains comparatively minor. There are a few noteworthy exceptions here, but, overall, it is fair to say that BRT has nowhere near achieved the kind of philosophical impact enjoyed by its Bayesian counterpart.
It is admittedly true that BRT is still in a state of comparative theoretical immaturity. Both the finer details and the philosophical underpinnings of the approach remain to be worked out. There remains for instance a striking lack of consensus regarding the appropriate rules governing sequences of changes of opinion. Furthermore, those features of the account on which there is consensus typically only stand justified by brute appeals to intuition.
In spite of this, however, the marginal status of BRT, and of qualitative frameworks more generally, still remains somewhat of a surprising fact. Bayesian confirmation theory, for instance, for all its popularity, remains plagued by a number of well-known diculties, including a notorious issue known as the 'problem of old evidence', flagged out in Glymour's classic paper titled 'Why I am not a Bayesian'. As was aptly put to me in a recent anonymous referee report: 'Bayesians are somewhat like the drunk looking for his watch under the street lantern, because there is more light there than at the place where he lost it.'. BRT offers a fresh opportunity to return to the drawing board and radically rethink the way in which formal philosophers approach the issue of evidential support.
More fundamentally, the vast majority of the classical debates in philosophy, be they in the philosophy of science, in epistemology or elsewhere, have been conducted in terms of the everyday qualitative mental ontology of folk psychology, with no consideration paid to the somewhat less familiar concepts of numerical degrees of belief or degrees of desire. This would clearly suggest that qualitative modelling is a particularly apposite approach, offering a natural formal tool to clarify and investigate traditional philosophical controversies.
The present project will firmly establish the qualitative approach as a viable and attractive choice by pursuing three lines of inquiry, whose strategic importance will have been made clear by the preceding section. Building on previously published research of mine, it will deliver:
a critical examination of various foundational issues concerning qualitative models of rationality, including the elaboration of an entirely fresh approach to the handling of sequences of belief change and a justification of this approach in terms of objective performance measures,
the development of concrete philosophical applications, of which most notably a highly innovative, BRT-based, approach to the analysis of the concept of evidential relevance, offering an attractive qualitative alternative to Bayesian confirmation theory,
an investigation into the relation that these frameworks bear to their quantitative counterparts, resolving a number of critical open questions recently flagged out in my published work.
The project will, in the first instance, focus on models of rational belief dynamics, although the scope will later be broadened to cover preference dynamics, as well as qualitative accounts of rational decision-making.
Three events will be organised in the context of the project:
a workshop on the foundations of belief change (in 2019, as part of the KR Conventicle 2019)
a workshop on the theoretical applications of belief change in philosophy (now in 2020, courtesy of the Covid19 pandemic, link here)
a workshop on the practical applications of belief change in computer science (in 2021)
Articles in peer-reviewed conference proceedings:
(with R. Booth) Revision by Conditionals: From Hook to Arrow. Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Principles of Knowledge Representation and Reasoning (KR 2020). (2020) pdf (long version with proofs)
(with R. Booth) Elementary Iterated Revision and the Levi Identity. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Logic, Rationality and Interaction (LORI 2019). (2019) pdf (arXiv long version with proofs)
(with R. Booth) On Strengthening the Logic of Iterated Belief Revision: Proper Ordinal Interval Operators. Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Principles of Knowledge Representation and Reasoning (KR 2018) (2018). pdf (KR short version) pdf (arXiv long version with proofs)
(with R. Booth) Extending the Harper Identity to Iterated Belief Change, Proceedings of the 25th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI 2016) (2016). pdf (IJCAI short version) pdf (arXiv long version with proofs)
Articles in peer-reviewed journals:
(with R. Booth) On Strengthening the Logic of Iterated Belief Revision: Proper Ordinal Interval Operators. Artificial Intelligence (in press). pdf
(with R. Booth) From Iterated Revision to Iterated Contraction: Extending the Harper Identity. Artificial Intelligence (in press): 405–418. pdf
Descriptive Decision Theory. In E. Zalta (ed.) The Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy (Winter 2017 Edition) (2017). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. pdf, html
(with R. Booth) The Irreducibility of Iterated to Single Revision. Journal of Philosophical Logic 46(4) (2017): 405–418. pdf
Preservation, Commutativity and Modus Ponens: Two recent triviality results. Mind, 126(502) (2017): 579–602. pdf
Subjective Probabilities Need Not Be Sharp. Erkenntnis, 79(6) (2017): 1273–1286. pdf
Contrastive Confirmation: Some Competing Accounts. Synthèse, 190(1) (2013): 129–138. pdf
Acceptance, Aggregation and Scoring Rules. Erkenntnis, 78(1) (2013): 201–217. pdf
Defeat Reconsidered. Analysis, 73(1) (2013): 49–51. pdf
Transmission Failure, AGM style. Erkenntnis, 78(2) (2013): 383–398. pdf
(with A. Rieger) Self-Respect Regained, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, CXI(3) (2011): 1–8. pdf
The Lottery Paradox Generalised?, British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 61(3) (2010): 667–679. pdf
The Transmission of Support: A Bayesian Reanalysis, Synthèse, 176(3) (2009): 333–343. pdf
Solving the Tacking Problem with Contrast Classes, British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 58(3) (2007): 489–502. pdf
Whyte on Desire Fulfillment Conditions: a Simple Problem, Disputatio , II(21) (2006): 65–68. pdf
(with V. Harrison) Probability in the Philosophy of Religion: Introduction, In Chandler & Harrison (2012). pdf
(with V. Harrison) Probability in the Philosophy of Religion, Oxford University Press (2012).
Review of Spohn's The Laws of Belief, Dialectica 71(1) (2017): 141–146. pdf
Review of Huber & Schmidt-Petri's (eds.) Degrees of Belief, Philosophy in Review, 29(6) (2009): 422–424. pdf
On Being Inexplicit. University of Sussex Cognitive Science Research Papers, #516 (2000).
(with R. Booth) Two New Constraints on the Aggregation of Moral Judgments.
(with R. Booth) BOIs, BOIs, BOIs! Basic Ordinal Interval Revision Operators.
A Problem for Ranking Theory.
(with R. Booth, S.O. Hansson, E. Fermé & R. Wasserman) A Survey of Recent Work on Iterated Belief Change.
Modelling Modal Agnosticism. pdf (slides, with proofs)
Contrastive Support in the AGM Framework. pdf (slides) pdf (handout, incl. proofs)


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Bentley to buy Seequent for US$1 billion
By Andy Brown12 March 2021
Bentley Systems has entered into an agreement with investors led by Accel-KKR to acquire 3D Modelling company Seequent for approximately US$1 billion.
New Zealand-based Seequent is a leader in software for geological and geophysical modelling, geotechnical stability, and cloud services for geodata management, visibility, and collaboration.
The company serve the world's top mining companies, geologists, hydrogeologists, geophysicists, geotechnical engineers, and civil engineers in over 100 countries.
According to Bentley, the acquisition is expected to initially add approximately 10% to each of the company's key financial metrics (ARR, annual revenue, and EBITDA). The combination will deepen the potential of infrastructure digital twins to help understand and mitigate environmental risks, advancing resilience and sustainability.
Subsurface conditions comprise the 'infrastructure of our infrastructure' and literally underlie the earth's major environmental risks. Bentley's current offerings enable digital twins to incorporate what's constructed 'near surface,' such as foundations, drainage facilities and buried utilities. The addition of Seequent will make it possible for infrastructure digital twins to reach full subsurface depths, augmenting environmental resilience against flood, seismic, climate, and water security threats, allowing for deeper infrastructure digital twins.
Bentley's CEO Greg Bentley talking about Seequent, said, "They have made farsighted decisions to benefit the future at every stage: identifying and then laser-focusing on the 3D 'vertical' opportunity in earth modeling, institutionalizing a subscription commercial model from the outset, directly populating the appropriate global markets, acquiring and consolidating the best software for adjacent disciplines, and bringing it all together with cloud services, ready for digital twins advancement together."
The transaction is expected to close in Q2 subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Upon closing, Seequent will operate as a stand-alone Bentley subsidiary, with Seequent's current Chief Operating Officer Graham Grant, succeeding its retiring CEO Shaun Maloney, reporting to Bentley's Chief Product Officer Nicholas Cumins.
North America United States of America Business & Finance Mergers & acquisitions Construction Technology Sectors Construction
Morris adds €4.5 million of generator stock
UK-based Morris Site Machinery adds Denyo and ArcGen generators for UK and European markets

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Hi Shirley, Id like to join the Cairngorm hut meet please. I did call you a couple of months back, but as just got site access i'll register my interest here too.
I'll be coming over from Fort William, so unfortunately unlikely to be able to offer anyone a lift.
I was thinking about getting back into winter climbing, but wasn't that keen on the drive for just two nights. Is anyone tagging extra nights on? I was also wondering if there were any climbers planning on going?


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Oristá Catalonia is beautiful and has lots of guest houses. Ofcourse we are only looking for the best guest houses in Oristá Catalonia. It's important to compare them because there are so many places to stay in Oristá Catalonia. You're probably wondering where to stay in Oristá Catalonia. To see which guest house sounds better than the other, we created a top 10 list. The list will make it a lot easier for you to make a great decision. We know you only want the best guest house and preferably something with a reasonable price.
Our list contains 10 guest houses of which we think are the best guest houses in Oristá Catalonia right now. Still, some of you are more interested in the most popular guest houses in Oristá Catalonia with the best reviews, and that's completely normal! You can check out the link below.
Skip to the most popular guest houses in Oristá Catalonia.
Set in the town of Olost in the Lluçanès countryside, Fonda Sala offers heated rooms with free WiFi, and an on-site restaurant with terrace. Vic is 20 minutes' drive away.Each room comes with a TV and a private bathroom with free toiletries.Fonda Sala's restaurant has a seasonal menu with local cuisine. There is also a bar.In the surrounding area you can go hiking and mountain biking.Barcelona can be reached in around 1.5 hours' drive. The property offers free parking.
The room was very nice with some nice old details. The bed was also great looking, but a bit short for me. The bathroom was nice but the showerhead was a bit low.
The breakfast was very very good and the restaurant also.
Lo mejor la atención del personal, muy familiar; sobre todo la propietaria. Un encanto de señora.
La atención del personal fue excelente. La cama muy cómoda y el desayuno más que correcto!
Profesionalidad del personal. Detalles muy bien cuidados. Desayuno muy completo, variado y rico.
Fonda Ca La Maria is located in Avinyó. Free WiFi is available and in-house parking is provided.At the guesthouse, each room includes a closet.Montseny is 23 miles from Fonda Ca La Maria. The nearest airport is Barcelona-El Prat Airport, 40 miles from the accommodation.
Really nice appartment in small cosy city. Host didn't speak English very well so it was kinda fun but we solved everything with him even without English. Appartment had own bathroom and big balcony (for cigar it's ideal). In first floor there is restaraunt and our host was really great cook. He prepared dinner for us and we really like it. When you have car you can park right ahead of appartment so it's practical.
Friendly staff always ready to help.
Estaba muy limpio y la habitación era agradable, la terraza estaba bien. El personal muy simpático.
La limpieza de la habitación correcta. La cama bastante cómoda.
La tranquilidad y la limpieza. También el trato del personal con los clientes.
This converted seminary is just 5 minutes' walk from Vic's charming Old Town. It offers modern, air-conditioned rooms with free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom.Seminari Allotjaments' buffet restaurant serves traditional Catalan food. There is a large dining room, a snack bar and vending machines for snacks and drinks.Seminari Allotjaments has a library and a chapel within its charming grounds. Staff at the 24-hour reception can provide information about what to see and do in Vic.Vic's train station and its main square are around 10 minutes' walk from the Seminari. A shuttle service is available to Barcelona's El Prat Airport, located 50 minutes' drive away. You can drive to central Barcelona in just over an hour.
The bedroom was well equipped,along with a pleasant bathroom.
The location was practical along with the car-park.
The staff were agreable and friendly.
We didn't eat in what looked like a nice restaurant.
All, nice and modern place, good gim too, breakfast!
The hotel had so much history and was beautiful. It was clear that a lot of money had been spent renovating it.
Unique building with nice history. Good beds and modern rooms.
Liked the whole location of communication with the staff maintenance and repair.
This family-run guest house is set in the Catalan town of Tona. It offers comfortable, heated rooms with free Wi-Fi, 650 feet from the C-17 Motorway and 6.2 mi from the historic town of Vic.The pleasant rooms at Hostal Montserrat feature flat-screen TV, a desk and private bathrooms with hairdryer and free toiletries. Room service is also available.A continental breakfast is served daily and Montserrat's restaurant offers traditional, regional cuisine made with local market produce. Packed lunches can also be prepared.The surrounding area is ideal for walking and cycling, with the Montseny Nature Reserve 10 minutes' drive away. The remains of the Tona Castle and Sant Andreu Church are 3.7 mi from Hostal Montserrat.Hostal Montserrat offers free private parking and is 50 minutes' drive from Barcelona.
THe only problem was there were no climatisation. Service was Ok and the same with the staff. Room was clean and useful for what we need.
Muy bien situado en la calle principal que cruza Tona y cerca de la carretera.
Dispone de un aparcamiento gratuito para los huéspedes del hostal o comensales del restaurante.
Las habitaciones disponen de una pequeña televisión ( deberían ampliar el tamaño del televisor), son amplias y muy limpias, el baño igual que todo el hostal muy bien y limpio.
La puerta exterior del hostal se abre con una tarjeta y la puerta de la habitación se abre con una llave.
En el hall de la planta de la habitación tienes información de turismo del pueblo.
Buena relación calidad/precio y además dispone de wifi gratuito pero no excesivamente rápido.
Très bon rapport qualité/prix, c'est simple mais propre. Le personnel est vraiment très sympathique, accueil chaleureux et ils sont très attentionnés. Petit dejeuner cuisiné a la demande. Possibilité de garer la moto sous un abri.
El desayuno muy bueno y completo. El personal amable. Y las camas muy cómodas.
Featuring a modern décor, Hostal Sant Marti is located in the center of Puig-Reig, 1 hours' drive from Barcelona. Free WiFi access is available, and some rooms have a balcony with views.Guests have free access to a gym with a covered swimming pool, located 50 feet from the property.All heated rooms have a flat-screen TV, a wardrobe; and come with a private bathroom with hairdryer and bath or shower. Bed linen and towels are provided.The area is good for outdoor activities such as hiking or biking. You can drive to Manresa in 30 minutes, and Andorra la Vella is 62 mi away.
Everything. The hotel has a stunning decoration. Welcoming staff and provide all facilities.
You feel like a part of the family there. Clean, nicely decorated, small, intimate with a lovely granny as a receptionist who made us feel very comfortable.
Clean, modern with an artsy aesthetic, super nice proprietors, honor system drinks, free parking, cool old building, good price.
Amazingly friendly proprietor and his mother is keen to help you with any problem you may have. Spanish language helps immensely but you will get by with english. I did not try as I want to improve my spanish. Breakfast is not included but you may go about 150m down the street to a bakery where they serve in the park across the road. Couple of restaurants very close for lunch (menu del dia) for example Baixador with three course meal (duck on honey) for 20€ for the weekenc menu. For the working days it gets cheaper. Also there is very nice open public pool for paltry fee of 3.80€ a day.
As a guest you can also use gym, swimming pool and sauna around the corner which belongs to the hotel free of charge!
The design is beautiful, but the rooms are really small, fitting just beds. There's an extra living room in the house with a small kitchen corner, games and books for children.
Located in Sallent del Llobregat, B&B Sallent provides free WiFi. Featuring a shared lounge, this property also provides guests with a grill. The property has a tour desk, and luggage storage for guests.Guest rooms at the guesthouse come with a seating area and a flat-screen TV. Every room has a private bathroom equipped with a shower and free toiletries, while selected rooms also feature a kitchen. All rooms include a desk.A continental breakfast is served every morning at the property.B&B Sallent has a terrace. The area is popular for cycling and hiking.Montseny is 26 miles from the accommodation. The nearest airport is Barcelona-El Prat Airport, 38 miles from B&B Sallent.
The owners are very nice and taking really care of their customers.
El trato de la dueña, ubicación,vistas y tranquilidad.
Todo perfecto la anfitriona una persona realmente encantadora y en todo momento se preocupo por todo estuvimos muy a gusto la pena es que no pudimos disfrutarlo mucho y el desayuno genial.
El tracte és molt familiar, la comoditat de les habitacions és fenomenal i tenen molt bon gust en tots els detalls. I el super esmorzar, boníssim i la qualitat i quantitat excel·lents.
Offering an on-site bar and restaurant, Hostal 1888 offers rooms with unique décor with medieval-inspired features. All rooms have a balcony and some have views over the river or Gironella Old Town.Each air-conditioned room at Hostal 1888 comes with a flat-screen TV, a desk and a private bathroom with a shower. Bed linen and towels are provided.A breakfast is served every morning at the on-site restaurant; and a small selection of shops ans supermarkets can be found within 5 minutes' walk.You can drive to Barcelona El Prat Airport in 1 hour.
Beautifully converted rooms in an old building in the centre of the town. Very good bathroom. Unfortunately the restaurant next door was closed on the night we were there but it looked very good. Nice walk along the river and up into the lovely old town.
A comfortable exploring base, with involvement with the locals if, as we did, you like to look for it.
Very nice, small facilities , exactly what I like. Nice , simple interior.
Very quiet and clean, decor and restoration of a very old building very tasteful and high quality. Shower head, rain head and hot water was incredible. Balcony with river view in a sweet small town. Staff available 24/7, but nit actually in the building.
Me gusto la ubicación y la habitación en general,la cama era cómoda.
Located in Torelló, Hostal Sant Roc provides a shared lounge. The property has a bar, as well as a restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine. The property has free WiFi.At the guesthouse, rooms contain a closet. The rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV, and some rooms include a city view.Hostal Sant Roc offers a continental or buffet breakfast.Girona is 29 miles from the accommodation, while Camprodon is 19 miles from the property. Girona-Costa Brava Airport is 27 miles away.
The hosts didnt speak English, but it didnt matter a bit given their hospitality. The lady cooked some eggs and fish for me as I mentioned i dont eat ham or chicken.
L'habitació era néta i bonica amb un entorn gens sorollós.
Emphasis is located in Caserras, 7.5 mi from Berga and 31 mi from La Seu d'Urgell.Every room comes with a private bathroom equipped with a bath or shower. Emphasis features free WiFi throughout the property.This property is located in a rural area. Vic is 22 mi from Emphasis, while Ribes de Freser is 26 mi from the property. The nearest airport is Barcelona Airport, a 1-hour drive away.
Quiet, very clean, welcoming and friendly staff. Parking right on the street in front of hotel. Charming terrace where one enjoys the sunset with a bottle of wine, wonderful cheeses and charcuterie which we bought in Ca de Pas in Andorra. Great stopover on the way to Barcelona.
Everything made with such love! This family hotel suits very well for familys with kids. In rooms there is double bed and two built-in beds transformers for kids. Good playing zone for kids with lots of toys. Beautiful interior, good atmosphere, very tasty healthy food!
Stayed here with my family on the way to La Molina. Located in a small & quiet village (with a couple of product shops and cafes though if needed). The hotel and rooms were very nice & clean. The atmosphere inside was also so cozy – just loved it! And the owners are such a nice family – treated us like at home) Would definitely come back here!
Tracte molt familiar, és com ser a casa, el meu fill de seguida s'hi va trobar a gust.
L'habitació, la terrassa, l'amabilitat i acollida, realment fan que et sentis a casa. Ah, i super net!!!
Offering free WiFi, El Nou Roquet is located in Tavernoles. Providing a restaurant, the property also has a seasonal outdoor swimming pool. Guests can enjoy pool views.At the guesthouse, each room comes with a desk. The private bathroom is equipped with a bath. Guest rooms include a closet.A continental or gluten-free breakfast is available each morning at the property.El Nou Roquet has a playground.Girona is 26 miles from the accommodation. Girona-Costa Brava Airport is 23 miles away.
Love the atmosphere and the staff. So helpful and lovely. Pool was s good size . The fact it serves the community/ village should be stated . Felt s bit overwhelmed arrival with the amount of people there. Food was good and the breakfast was excellent. Place could be a bit more tidy .
Comfortable room. Hotel is in a very pretty location, with lots of birds singing in the morning. One particular bird sounded like a cuckoo clock.
We had dinner at the restaurant it was amazing the staff was super friendly and informative of the area.
Great staff, very helpful and friendly. Breakfast was fantastic and you could really set yourself up for the day. Toast was hand cut from giant rustic loaves, great omelettes, the platter of meats and sausages was huge. Food portions in the restaurant were just as big and quality was great.
Great location in a very rural spot, but for us as a base to visit the Circuit de Cataluña for the F1 it worked out really well. It's around a 35 minute drive to the circuit, but coming from this direction rather than from Barcelona meant that the traffic was very light both entering and leaving the circuit.
We will certainly consider staying here again if we venture to Barcelona for the F1 next year.
The above is a top selection of the best guest houses to stay in Oristá Catalonia to help you with your search. We know it's not that easy to find the best guest house because there are just so many places to stay in Oristá Catalonia but we hope that the above-mentioned tips have helped you make a good decision.
We also hope that you enjoyed our top ten list of the best guest houses in Oristá Catalonia. And we wish you all the best with your future stay!


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Cultures Of Soul (label)
Funky Compilations (CD, LP)
A great look at the bright world of female soul in Japan during the 80s – a time when the nation was hitting some of its greatest heights of the postwar years – and was coming up with a magical musical groove to follow! While disco reigned in American clubs in the late 70s, the style really took off in Tokyo during the following decade – maybe mixed a bit with European and 80s club styles, but still unabashedly as upbeat and bubbling as American work of previous years – all to showcase a range of female singers whose style really matches the groove! The music takes off a bit from that shift into soul by Japanese jazz singers in the 70s – but is much farther than that mode overall, especially once the beats and keyboards get going. The package does a great job of being faithful to this legacy – and includes notes on each song and artist, along with album covers too. Titles include "Wanna Kiss" by Hitomi Tohyama, "Dancin" by Junko Ohashi, "Dress Down" by Kaoru Akimoto, "I'm In Love" by Aru Takamura, "Broken Eyes" by Mariko Tone, "TNT" by Rie Murakami, "Love Is A Work Of Mind" by Ra Mu, "Mystical Composer" by Kikuchi Momoko, and "Sky Restaurant" by Yumi Seino. © 1996-2021, Dusty Groove, Inc.
We realize that there are many different interpretations of the standard grades used for pre-owned vinyl record albums & CD, so we thought we'd offer you the ones that we are working with, so you have an idea what we mean when we give the grade for a non-new item on our pages.
Used Vinyl Grades
Below are stated conditions for a used vinyl records at Dusty Groove. Grading for the cover should be assumed to be near (within a "+" or "-") the grading for the vinyl. If there is significant divergence from the condition of the vinyl, or specific flaws, these will be noted in the comments section of the item. However, please be aware that since the emphasis of this site is towards the music listener, our main concern is with the vinyl of any used item we sell. Additionally, all of our records are graded visually; considering the volume of used vinyl we handle, it is impossible for us to listen to each record. If we spot any significant flaws, we make every attempt to listen through them and note how they play.
The following grading conditions apply to the vinyl component of an album or single:
This is what it says, that the record is still held fast in shrink-wrap. We tend to be pretty suspicious about these things, so if the shrink-wrap doesn't look original, or if the record seems to have undergone some damage over time, we'll probably take it out of the wrapper to ensure that it's in good shape — which is why we don't have more of these. In some cases the shrink-wrap may be torn in spots, but if it's not possible the record has been taken out and played, the record will still qualify as "Sealed".
Dusty Groove does not use the grades of Near Mint (or Mint, for that matter) because in our experience, we find that no records ever qualify for such a high grade. Even sealed records tend to have one or two slight faults, enough to usually qualify them for a grade of NM- or lower. We've often found that records which are clearly unplayed will have a slight amount of surface noise, especially in quieter recordings.
Near Mint - (minus)
Black vinyl that may show a slight amount of dust or dirt.
Should still be very shiny under a light, even with slight amount of dust on surface.
One or two small marks that would make an otherwise near perfect record slightly less so. These marks cannot be too deep, and should only be surface marks that won't affect play, but might detract from the looks.
May have some flaws and discoloration in the vinyl, but only those that would be intrinsic to the pressing. These should disappear when the record is tilted under the light, and will only show up when looking straight at the record. (Buddah and ABC pressings from the 70's are a good example of this.)
May have some slight marks from aging of the paper sleeve on the vinyl.
Possible minor surface noise when played.
Very Good + (plus)
Vinyl should be very clean, but can have less luster than near mint.
Should still shine under a light, but one or two marks may show up when tilted.
Can have a few small marks that may show up easily, but which do not affect play at all. Most marks of this quality will disappear when the record is tilted, and will not be felt with the back of a fingernail.
This is the kind of record that will play "near mint", but which will have some signs of use (although not major ones).
May have slight surface noise when played.
Vinyl can have some dirt, but nothing major.
May not shine under light, but should still be pretty clean, and not too dirty.
May have a number of marks (5 to 10 at most), and obvious signs of play, but never a big cluster of them, or any major mark that would be very deep. Most marks should still not click under a fingernail.
May not look near perfect, but should play fairly well, with slight surface noise, and the occasional click in part of a song, but never throughout a whole song or more.
This is clearly a copy that was played by someone a number of times, but which could also be a good "play copy" for someone new.
Very Good - (minus)
Vinyl may be dirty, and can lack a fair amount of luster.
Vinyl can have a number of marks, either in clusters or smaller amounts, but deeper.
This is the kind of record that you'd buy to play, but not because it looked that great. Still, the flaws should be mostly cosmetic, with nothing too deep that would ruin the overall record.
Examples include a record that has been kept for a while in a cover without the paper sleeve, or heavily played by a previous owner and has some marks across the surface. The record should play okay, though probably with surface noise.
Good + (plus)
Vinyl may be dirty, or have one outstanding flaw, such as a light residue, which could be difficult to clean.
May have marks on all parts, too many to qualify as Very Good-, or several deeper marks, but the record should still be ok for play without skips.
In general, this is a record that was played a fair amount, and handled without care. A typical example may be a record which has been heavily played by a DJ, and carries marks from slip cueing. Depending on the quality of the vinyl, may play with surface noise throughout.
A record that you'd buy to play, cheap, but which you wouldn't buy for collecting.
Will have marks across all parts of the playing surface, and will most likely play with surface noise throughout. May have some other significant flaws, such as residue, or a track that skips.
In most cases, a poor quality copy of a very difficult to find record.
This is a grade we rarely use, as we try not to sell records in very bad condition, though in some rare cases we will list a record in such bad shape that it does not conform to the standards above. A "Fair" record will have enough marks or significant flaws that it does not even qualify as "Good", but is a copy you might consider for playing, if you're willing to put up with noise and/or flaws. An example might be a recording with surface noise so heavy that it is equal to the volume of the music. For records listed as "Fair", we will describe the extent of the condition in the comments.
Like "Fair", we rarely list records in this condition, as they represent the extreme low end of spectrum. These records typically have multiple serious problems, and we offer them as "relics" or "objects" only — for those who want to at least have a copy of a record, even if it is not really worthy of play, perhaps for the cover alone. For these records, we will describe the extent of the condition in the comments.
Additional Marks & Notes
If something is noteworthy, we try to note it in the comments — especially if it is an oddity that is the only wrong thing about the record. This might include, but isn't limited to, warped records, tracks that skip, cover damage or wear as noted above, or strictly cosmetic flaws.
Used CD Grade
We have only one grade for non-new CDs at Dusty Groove — "Used CD". This grade is somewhat all-encompassing, but we choose it because we try to offer Used CDs in the best shape possible.
When you purchase a Used CD you can expect the disc to be free of all but the lightest of surface marks, the case to be clean (we often change the cases ourselves), and the booklet to be in good shape. Used CDs may show some signs of use but if there are significant details or defects we will list them underneath the item — just like we do with LPs — so look there for notes on cutout marks, stickers, promo stamps or other details.
All of our Used CDs are guaranteed to play without skipping or flaws. If you purchase a Used CD from Dusty Groove, you have 1 week to play it to determine that it plays correctly — and if it does not, then you may return it for a full refund.
Greg Belson's Divine Disco Vol 2 – Obscure Gospel Disco 1979 to 1987
Cultures Of Soul, Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy
CD...$6.99 15.98
A pretty fantastic selection of rare disco tracks from the American underground – all of them infused with a spiritual message, but served up with grooves that go head to head with some of the best underground club of the time! The mix of positive energy and upbeat grooves is wonderful ... CD
Boston Creative Jazz Scene – 1970 to 1983 (with book)
Cultures Of Soul, 1970s/Early 80s. New Copy
CD...$8.99 19.98 (LP...$22.99)
Way more than just a random jazz compilation – and instead a set that comes with a hefty book about the Boston jazz underground in the 70s – almost 80 pages in length, complete with images of records, vintage photos, and lots of notes on this under-documented scene! And while Boston's ... CD
DJ Andy Smith's Jam Up Twist USA – R&B Rockers, Rockabilly, Northern Soul, & Sleazy Shakers
A great US take on the Jam Up Twist sound of DJ Andy Smith – the groove he explored on a previous compilation in the UK – now served up here in a different lineup for the states! The music is a mad mix of R&B, jump blues, rockabilly, and other raw sounds from the tail end of the ... CD
Midwest Funk – Funk 45s From Tornado Alley
Jazzman/Stones Throw, Late 60s/1970s. New Copy
Quite possibly one of the greatest funk compilations ever – and we're not just saying that because we're from the Midwest! The genius compilers at Jazzman spent years scouring the smaller cities of the American hinterlands – tracking down obscure musicians, long-lost labels, and nearly- ... CD
Spiritual Jazz Vol 13 – Now Part 1 – Modern Sounds For The 21st Century
Jazzman (UK), 2020. New Copy
CD...$14.99 (LP...$28.99)
A tremendous entry in this wonderful series – a set that proudly proclaims its contents with the "NOW" on the cover! Back when the Spiritual Jazz series first started on the Jazzman label, the music was mostly relegated to material of the John Coltrane generation and the generation ... CD
Far Out Spaced Oddyssey – Psychedelic Folk, Electronica, Jazz & Rock From The Out There Edges Of Brazil (2CD version with bonus tracks)
Far Out (UK), 1970s/1980s/1990s/2000s. New Copy 2CD
Spacey Far Out Brazilian grooves from the stellar label's roster – some of the wilder, more tripped out and psychedelic sounds on the label – from leftfield dancefloor grooves, to psych rock inspired grooves, to some of the more experimental numbers by Brazilian music legends! The 2CD ... CD
Nicola Conte Presents Viagem 3 – A Collection Of 60s Brazilian Bossa Nova & Jazz Samba
Far Out (UK), 1960s. New Copy
A killer collection of rare bossa nova from the 60s – all put together by Nicola Conte, whose work on the Schema label has done a lot to continue the tradition of the classics! Here, though, Nicola's set loose on the RGE label, and other indies from 60s Brazil – super-rare records that ... CD
R&B Hipshakers Vol 1 – Teach Me To Monkey
Gusto, Early 60s. New Copy
CD...$5.99 9.99
A treasure box of early 60s R&B 45s – a top shelf collection of singles cut for the King & Federal labels from 1960 to 1964 – amazing numbers from Hank Ballard, Freddy King, The Drivers, Little Bobby Moore, Willie Dixon & The Big Wheels, Johnny Guitar Watson, Carol Ford, ... CD
Soul Love Now – The Black Fire Records Story 1975 to 1993
Strut (UK), Late 70s/1980s/Early 90s. New Copy
CD...$14.99 15.99 (LP...$28.99)
A great look at one of our favorite record labels of all time – a company that was one of the first we ever worked together with, back when we started Dusty Groove – and whose music has been a huge inspiration to us for decades! Black Fire is a really special record label from the DC ... CD
Jamaica To Toronto – Soul, Funk, & Reggae 1967 to 1974
Light In The Attic, Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy
A mindblowing musical discovery – funky music made in Canada by ex-patriot Jamaicans – easily some of the most obscure post-colonial grooves we've ever dug! The sound here is a lot less reggae-based than you'd expect – as most of the tunes are in a really nitty gritty funky 45 ... CD
Country Funk Vol 2 – 1967 to 1974
Light In The Attic, Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy Gatefold
A great criss-crossing of modes at the end of the 60s – music that has roots in country, but which comes off with plenty of funk and soul as well – in styles that were burning strong from LA on eastward, all the way across the south at the time! Some of the grooves here might fall into ... CD


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The union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in its meeting on Wednesday approved minimum support prices (MSP) of Rabi crops.
The MSP of wheat was Rs 1,735 per quintal in the 2017-18 crop year.
The government on Wednesday announced 6 per cent hike in support price of wheat at Rs 1,840 per quintal, a move that will give farmers an additional income of Rs 62,635 crore and help contain their simmering discontent over high input cost and low sales realisation.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved higher minimum support price (MSP) for winter-sown or Rabi crops.
The decision will help farmers earn an additional income of Rs 62,635 crore, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here after the meeting.
The decision comes within months of announcing higher price for Kharif crops, when the government fulfilled its promise of giving farmers 50 per cent more price than their cost of production.
The cabinet has approved a Rs 105 per quintal hike in wheat MSP to Rs 1,840 for 2018-19 season, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said.
Mr Singh said the MSP for all Rabi crops is higher than the cost of production ranging from 50-112 per cent.
As per the CCEA decision, the MSP of barley has been increased by Rs 30 per quintal to Rs 1,440 per quintal, while that of gram (Chana) by Rs 220 per quintal to Rs 4,620 per quintal.
Masur's MSP has been raised by Rs 225 to Rs 4,275 per quintal, while the support price of rapeseed/mustard has been hiked by Rs 200 to Rs 4,200 per quintal. Safflower MSP has been increased by Rs 845 per quintal to Rs 4,945.
The support price has been increased based on the recommendations of farm advisory body CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) and is in line with the government's announcement to provide farmers a 50 per cent profit over the cost of production.


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Share this Story: Afghanistan is a graveyard of empires, yes, but it's also a graveyard of resources
Afghanistan is a graveyard of empires, yes, but it's also a graveyard of resources
Chances of country monetizing rich abundance of coal, natural gas, copper, lithium, gold, rare earths and more remains dim
Yadullah Hussain
Aug 25, 2021 • August 27, 2021 • 8 minute read • 12 Comments
An Afghan miner examines an emerald from a makeshift emerald mine in The Panjshir Valley on July 14, 2010. Photo by Majid Saeedi/Getty Images files
Ahmad Shah Katawazai no longer goes to the office, but he is still "technically" employed by Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.
"With the Taliban running the city right now, all the government offices are closed," he told the Financial Post in a Zoom call last week. "The situation is very tense and scary here."
Afghanistan is a graveyard of empires, yes, but it's also a graveyard of resources Back to video
The United States has pulled out of Afghanistan after nearly 20 futile years, and the Taliban, a terrorist group, has quickly filled the power vacuum, taking over key cities at lightning speed.
Katawazai said he was involved in high-level discussions about the Afghan government's next steps after the U.S. withdrawal, with ministry officials forecasting a six-month timeline to form an interim government.
But as the Taliban army marched towards the capital city of Kabul, President Ashraf Ghani's seven-year-old government and 300,000-strong army melted away, stunning the world and even Afghans on the ground.
"I was in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building at the time (the Taliban) entered the city," said Katawazai, Katawazai, who has a master's degree in global security studies from Johns Hopkins University and worked as a diplomat at the Afghanistan embassy in Washington, D.C., for nearly eight years.
"There was chaos and traffic jams and everybody was running to his or her home, and the situation got very tense."
The next day, he saw Taliban soldiers on the streets, sparking fears about violence, fears that eventually came to pass this week.
Ahmad Shah Katawazai. Photo by Supplied
The return of the Taliban is just the latest devastating event to rock the landlocked country and could have far-reaching economic as well as political consequences.
Fears have arisen once again that the Taliban's previous stint as rulers — chaotic, repressive and mismanaged — will once again follow a similar script. There are also concerns in the West that the Taliban could seek to develop its lithium, rare earths and other metals with the help of China and Russia to fund its illegitimate regime.
The war-ravaged nation, lodged between Iran, Pakistan, China and the Central Asia states of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, has endured terrible hardship over the years. An invasion by Soviet forces in the 1970s was repelled by Afghan warlords backed by the U.S., Pakistan and other regional powers in the 1980s.
But a civil war broke out between the victorious Afghan warlords, which saw the emergence of the Taliban army taking over major parts of the country from 1996 to 2001. Their violent rule was crushed by U.S. forces in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks by Osama Bin Laden from his base in Afghanistan.
After nearly two decades of uncertainty under successive U.S.-backed elected Afghan governments, U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to pull out American troops has given the Taliban another opening.
Tapping the wealth
The country's people's resilience is immortalized in the romantic notion that "Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires" — thwarting the advances of British, Soviet and now American forces over the past century or so — but the attacks have come at great cost.
Despite its impoverished status, the country is resource rich, with an abundance of coal, natural gas, copper, lithium, gold, iron ore, bauxite and prized rare-earth mineral reserves.
But Afghanistan remains a graveyard of resources.
"Many of the mineral deposits are of world-class size and tenor," a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stated in 2011.
An internal U.S. Department of Defense memo in 2010 reportedly described Afghanistan as "the Saudi Arabia of lithium," meaning it could be as crucial for the global supply of the battery metal as the Arab country is for crude oil.
Rare-earth minerals are also considered a strategic resource. China produces around 85 per cent of such minerals, which are used in rechargeable batteries for electric and hybrid cars, advanced ceramics, computers and other electronics.
All told, Afghanistan's resources could be worth US$1 trillion, according to a U.S. study, or as much as US$3 trillion, according to the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum in 2017.
But such estimates should be taken with a pinch of salt, and the likelihood of monetizing the resources remains dim given the spate of structural challenges facing the country.
"When President (Ashraf) Ghani came to power, he didn't believe that he could exploit these resources," said Katawazai, who called the president's decision to flee the country earlier this month a "blunder" and an "insult" to the country's 35 million people.
A Fulbright Scholar with a doctorate from Columbia University, Ghani taught at some of America's elite academic institutions before stints at the World Bank and United Nations.
He also co-wrote Fixing Failed States: A Framework for Rebuilding a Fractured World. In the book, he said that natural resource riches were no cure for troubled nations, and governments should focus on institutional reforms.
"Why can't the civil service of distressed nations be adequately funded? After all, many countries which receive aid have extensive natural resources. The answer is that these valuable commodities tend to be contracted out to extractive industries, often foreign," he wrote.
"Contracts for the extraction of resources such as petroleum or minerals are not disclosed to the public, so the industry and their procedures remain highly opaque … massive diversions of funds means that usable domestic revenues on the books is a fraction of its potential."
Developing Afghanistan minerals in the rugged and remote terrains will be difficult, because of the security situation, lack of infrastructure needed to haul minerals to global markets, and rampant corruption.
Afghanistan has "abundant mineral resources, but modern technical data and information are necessary if they are to be developed successfully," the USGS said in its 2011 report.
An Afghan miner examines a handful of emeralds in a makeshift emerald mine in The Panjshir Valley on July 14, 2010. Photo by Majid Saeedi/Getty Images files
In a 2016 report, the USGS noted that the mineral resources could significantly contribute to the country's economic growth if efficiently developed.
"Afghanistan might be far removed from being able to sustainably develop its mining sector, however, owing to several factors, such as deterioration of the security situation, political uncertainty, and insufficient infrastructure," the report said.
With the Taliban at the helm, few Western investors will be eager to dip their toes in the country. One consultancy that helps clients assess business risk in troubled countries told the Financial Post that it had not conducted any study on Afghanistan's resources because its clients had "zero interest."
That creates an opportunity for China and Russia.
Beijing will likely have few qualms about dealing with the Taliban regime, Alan Dowd, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute, said in an email.
He said many observers, including himself, once believed China could play a constructive role in Afghanistan, given that the country needed foreign investment and the Asian giant had the financial and technical resources to provide such support.
"But such a program was always considered in the context of having a government in Kabul that respected basic principles of representative governance, human rights, rule of law. That is not the case with the return of the Taliban to power," Dowd said.
An Afghan miner walks with his donkey loaded with coal outside a coal mine in Samangan province, north of Kabul on April 3, 2012. Photo by Qais Usyan/AFP/Getty Images files
"Given China's stranglehold on the (rare-earth elements) market — and the West's commitment in blood and treasure to Afghanistan — allowing China to stroll in and harvest Afghanistan's rare-earth riches seems both unwise and unfair. But the West's options are limited."
Economic crunch
The Taliban, with limited resources at its disposal, may be eager to take advantage of the global electric-vehicle boom by supplying raw materials.
Afghanistan has a GDP of around US$19 billion and a GDP per capita of US$507, making it one of the world's poorest countries, with poverty levels hitting 47 per cent, according to the Asian Development Bank.
Last November, international donors pledged around US$13 billion in grants to the country's fledgling development and reforms. In June, the International Monetary Fund said it was preparing to transfer almost US$150 million of a US$370-million extended credit facility.
An Afghan miner unloads coal from his donkeys outside a coal mine in Samangan province, north of Kabul on April 3, 2012. Photo by Qais Usyan/AFP/Getty Images files
All those funds are now frozen as the Taliban rule remains unrecognized by most countries, including Canada.
"There is currently a lack of clarity within the international community regarding recognition of a government in Afghanistan, as a consequence of which the country cannot access SDRs (special drawing rights) or other IMF resources," the IMF said.
It's unlikely that the Taliban will be able to tap the country's international reserves of US$9.8 billion in cash, gold and other instruments. Da Afghanistan Bank , the country's central bank, has 22 tonnes of gold stored at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, which the Biden administration has now frozen.
To be sure, China has had little success to date in Afghanistan's mining sector despite its considerable influence and experience in building infrastructure in remote regions.
In 2007, Metallurgical Corp. of China Ltd. (MCC) won a lease to develop the flagship Mes Aynak copper project, Afghanistan's largest copper mine, with estimated reserves of six million tonnes. But development stalled and was ultimately cancelled in 2015, because the project had been awarded "using a non-transparent process," according to the USGS.
An Afghan miner walks up a slope with his donkeys loaded with coal outside a coal mine in Samangan province, north of Kabul on April 3, 2012. Photo by Qais Usyan/AFP/Getty Images files
Katawazai said MCC and the Afghan government were negotiating new terms in recent months, but the government became distracted by more pressing issues.
Russia has also long eyed some of Afghanistan's resources, but the Ghani government was suspicious of Moscow's ties to the Taliban.
"I can say that right now, probably because of the relationship with the Taliban, (the Russians) might be interested in this sector," Katawazai said. "Bear in mind that the Russians were the first who did surveys of all these mines in the 1970s when they invaded the country."
Both China and Russia have reportedly kept their embassies open in the country.
Afghanistan central banker flees, currency drops to record low amid tumult
This map contains the largest dataset of rare earth metals in the world
The U.S. has grand ambitions to conquer the global EV market — it can't win without Canada
What on earth are rare earths and where can you find them? An explainer
But the Taliban's poor record of governance also suggests that the country's resources will remain buried in the ground for some time. They could have exploited these resources when they were in power in the 1990s, but they needed expertise, machinery and basic infrastructure, Katawazai said.
The Taliban can operate small coal mines, but they struggle to develop resources that require highly sophisticated expertise and technology.
"During the past 20 years, the Taliban and some warlords have been exploiting these resources illegally, and they have been working on small mines," Katawazai said. "But major ones like rare earth elements and lithium will be very difficult for them to exploit."
With additional reporting from Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg
• Email: yhussain@nationalpost.com | Twitter: Yad_FPEnergy
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Der Turmhügel Schlösschen, auch Burg Insingen genannt, ist eine abgegangene mittelalterliche Turmhügelburg (Motte) etwa 150 Meter östlich bis ostsüdöstlich der Kirche am östlichen Ortsrand von Insingen (Am Schlosshof) im Landkreis Ansbach in Bayern.

Geschichte

Vermutlich wurde die Burg der Herren von Kesselberg im 12. Jahrhundert erbaut. 1237 wurde die Burg als Sühne "eigenhändig" durch Juta von Kesselberg abgerissen. Sie wollte damit den Kirchenbann beenden lassen, mit dem ihr Mann Friedrich von Kesselberg belegt war. Er war 1237 im Streit mit Würzburger Reitern erschlagen wurden und sollte kirchlich begraben werden können.

Vermutlich wiederaufgebaut, war die Burg von 1308 bis 1338 im Besitz einer Linie der Reichsküchenmeister von Nordenberg, die sich nach Insingen nannte, und kam im selben Jahr durch Kauf an die Herren von Seldeneck. 1375 wurde Weiprecht von Tann als Besitzer genannt. Da er mit der Stadt Rothenburg in Fehde lag, überfielen diese die Burg und zerstörten sie zum Teil. 1395 kaufte die Stadt im Rahmen ihrer Expansionspolitik auch die Burg Insingen, die sie in der Folge von Vögten verwalten ließen. Ab 1415 gehörte die Burg verschiedenen Rothenburger Bürgergeschlechtern, bis sie 1565 von der Reichsstadt zurückerworben wurde. Zwischen 1649 und 1771 folgte eine weitere Episode in den Händen von Stadtbürgern. Danach kaufte Rothenburg die Anlage wieder zurück, wandelte sie in zwei Bauernhöfe um und ließ diese 1804 versteigern. Anschließend wurden die Burggebäude abgebrochen.

Beschreibung
Die Motte besteht aus einem runden Turmhügel von 40–45 m Durchmesser, der aus dem  Berghang herausgearbeitet worden ist. Umgeben ist er von einem 7–8 m breiten und 2–3 m hohen Ringwall, der von zwei 12 m breiten Wassergräben flankiert wird. Im Süden und Osten ist diesem noch ein 1 m hoher Wall vorgelagert. Bei der Errichtung des Gutshofes auf dem Hügel  im Jahr 1854 ist dessen Kuppe planiert worden, das Plateau erhebt sich deshalb heute nur noch ca. 2,50 m über der Grabensohle. Nordnordöstlich schließt sich die mit Wall und Innengraben umschlossene, ca. 100 × 60 m große Vorburg an, deren Befestigung großenteils eingeebnet ist. Von der ehemaligen Mottenanlage mit doppelter Wallgrabenanlage ist der Turmhügel teilweise überbaut.

Literatur
 Ruth Bach-Damaskinos, Jürgen Schabel, Sabine Kothes: Schlösser und Burgen in Mittelfranken. Eine vollständige Darstellung aller Schlösser, Herrensitze, Burgen und Ruinen in den mittelfränkischen kreisfreien Städten und Landkreisen. Verlag A. Hoffmann, Nürnberg 1993, ISBN 3-87191-186-0

 H.Dannheimer/F.-R.Herrmann: Rothenburg o.T., Katalog zur Vor- u.Frühgeschichte in Stadt-u.Landkreis. Verlag M.Lassleben Kalllmünz/Opf., 1968, S. 136f., Nr. 74 u.Tafeln A u. 62 Nr. 2.
 Werner Uhlich: Historische Wehranlagen zwischen Rothenburg o. d. T., Ornbau, Dinkelsbühl und Kreßberg (= Dokumentation Feuchtwanger Geschichte 8). Feuchtwangen 2009, S. 98–101.
 Karl Gumpert: Frühmittelalterliche Turmhügel in Franken. In: Jahresbericht des Historischen Vereins für Mittelfranken. Band 70, 1950, S. 16–138 hier S. 61–65.

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Schlosschen, Burgstall
Bauwerk in Insingen
Schlosschen#Turmhugel
Schlosschen, Insingen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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On July 25, 2016 January 19, 2019 By Wes MonkenIn automobiles, Chevrolet, Chrysler, dealership, General Motors, Uncategorized
In the 1960's
In the 60's, W. Harold Monken was a partner with David Woolbright at the Standard Gas Station in Centralia. Harold was always the hot rodder spending much time improving his vehicles and racing them at night and weekends. His brother, Wayne Monken, and father, Walter Monken, helped build a small garage/dealership that opened as Car City on November 4th, 1967 on Shattuc Road west of Centralia.
In 1971, a Japanese gentleman from Datsun was canvassing the area to find a dealer partner to represent what is today known as Nissan. Harold was interested and the business later became Car City Nissan. The 70's were a great time to own a dealership that offered inexpensive vehicles with great gas mileage. They sold the shiny Datsun vehicles as fast as they could get them.
In the 80's, Harold recognized a dealership trend to become bigger in order to survive. He explored adding Chrysler when Booth Motors closed. In 1987, he flew to Chicago with his attorney, Bill Crain, to close the deal with Chrysler, but had a last minute change of heart. He ultimately sold Car City Nissan to his General Manager Mike Gansauer and Mike's father in law, Bob Cleary. In 1988, Mike & Bob purchased Meier Chevrolet and moved from Shattuc road. The business was now Car City Chevrolet Nissan. Several prominent business partners, including the Geary Family and the Cooksey Family were investors.
In the early 90's, Harold opened Car Country for a few years, and then worked for Jansen Chevrolet in Germantown. In 1996, Bruce Geary told Harold that they were ready to exit the auto business. Harold returned to Car City and asked Mike Jansen to be a business partner with him in order to purchase the dealership.
However, GM already had three dealerships in Centralia. They were Dobbs/Mahan Buick GMC, Car City Chevrolet and Seeburger Oldsmobile Cadillac. GM was strategically cutting dealers with a plan called Project 2000. GM only wanted two dealers in the Centralia market and wouldn't approve the sale of Chevrolet. It took months to negotiate. Ultimately Chevrolet was sold to Seeburger, and Car City became Monken/Jansen Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Nissan on May 1,1997. Harold's son, Wes Monken, joined a month later in June 1997 relocating from the Chicago area. Harold and Wes purchased out Mike Jansen in 1998 and dropped the name Jansen to become Monken Dodge Chrysler Plymouth Nissan. Later that year, Monken's purchased the Jeep franchise from Dobbs/Mahan in Centralia.
2005 – Now
In 2005, discussions began about the Monken's acquiring Dobbs/Mahan Buick GMC. The plan was to have Harold's daughter, Kim Monken McMillan, run the dealership. In February of 2005, Harold was rushed to the emergency room. Our long term attorney, Marvin Miller, met us at the hospital to sign a Power of Attorney over to the family. This is how Kim learned that she was coming to work for the family! The purchase of Dobbs/Mahan Buick GMC was finalized in June of 2005. Harold had a significant leak on his mitral valve caused by an infection. He battled through three valve transplants, a stroke and ultimately passed away on July 22, 2006. With great patience and hard work, Wes and Kim found a way to make both stores thrive. In late 2013, Lance Marcum son-in-law to Kim, joins the team. Monken Buick GMC purchases Schmidt Chevrolet in May of 2014 and relocates Buick GMC to the their building across from Walmart to become Monken Chevrolet Buick GMC.
In June of 2018, Monken's purchased Tyler Toyota Buick GMC in Mt. Vernon. It is now Monken Toyota Buick GMC. The dealership has been adding employees and expecting a high level of customer service. The sales associates are non-commissioned and further solidify our move to transparent market based pricing. Our inventory is growing daily in the Toyota and GM showrooms. Monken Automotive now has 9 brands in 3 locations with Buick GMC in both the Centralia and Mt. Vernon stores.
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9 thoughts on "The History of Monken Automotive"
jennifer Mayer
Great article Wes!! Thank you.
Thanks for reading it!
LuAnn Grote
Enjoyed reading the story and "filling in the blanks" on the history as we knew it. As you know, Wayne's first purchase was a brand new blue 1978 "Datsun" pickup from Car City. If you run across any other old photos it would be great to see them! Your Dad was the best! I am sure he and your Mom are very proud that his "kids" are carrying on his tradition of taking care of his customers and making them feel like family!
Thanks LuAnn! Your family has been incredibly good to the Monken dealership family!
Thanks LuAnn! As such a long time customer you were there this history and probably can fill in blanks that I have missed!
Ryan Nettles
What a great history about a wonderful family! Your dad would be proud of what your families have done and continue to do for the Centralia and surrounding communities.
Thanks so much! We had great teachers in Mom and Dad. Dad had a hand written note on his wall "Happy Customers Come Back." It is a very simple yet can be hard to execute but we certainly work hard at it.
Steve Bauer
Harold is a legend! I don't think I've met a person from this area that doesn't have a good story about him. We all have some, most have to be told in person. Lol. Everyone loved him. He has to be smiling down from heaven looking at his family. He has to proud. He left a lasting impression on people and kept everyone smiling and on their toes. I know my family wouldn't be the same without him and Jan in our lives. I was blessed to know him from the time I was born.
Thanks for the great comments and ours wouldn't be the same without your family! I am also glad that you have forgiven or forgot me coming over and picking on you or Craig. Being the youngest at my house, I was on the receiving end by girls no less!


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Dangerous Exploration Horror Movies
Looking for a good horror movie with dangerous exploration? Good news, we already did the work to find and organize all of them for you, we're talking everything from As Above So Below to The Ruins to The Descent, if it's about dangerous exploration it's here.
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Supernatural, Survival, Thriller, Twisted Mystery, War | Dangerous Exploration, Isolation, Madness, Military, Nazi, Wilderness
1945. A U.S. military cargo plane loses control and violently crashes behind enemy lines in the middle of the German black forest. Immediately, ruthless Major Johnson sends a squad of his bravest sold...
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It is that time of year again and thoughts of the Old Front Line during the winter months of the Great War come to mind.
This image is from a German source and shows a well constructed trench in Eastern France, possibly the Vosges during the early period of the war. There are little signs of damage, which would indicate a second or third line position and while there is a man on sentry duty in the background, it is unlikely the enemy is very close. What is always amazing when viewing images like this is the thought that men lived in positions like this on a daily basis come sun, rain, or as in this case – snow.
This image was taken in the Vosges area, a region known for its severe weather and deep snow in the winter, and a sector of the Western Front in Eastern France where the fighting revolved around mountainous terrain. Here a group of French Alpine Troops are using skis are 'on patrol' although the front here was never really that fluid to allow such patrols to take place in the face of enemy positions and this is likely to be a posed image taken behind the French lines. However, it does give an insight into winter conditions in the Vosges in 1915.
As winter officially began this week it is an apt period to be looking at winter on the battlefields of the Great War and all this month the site will feature images relating to the winter period during WW1.
We start with a German image of the Vosges mountains in the snow sometime in 1915. The Vosges was the end of the Western Front, an area of occasionally heavy fighting but largely characterised by long periods of static attritional trench warfare. Being in Eastern France it was also the colder end of the front where during the winter temperatures regularly dropped substantially below zero. While the landscape in the snow might look attractive, and this also appears like a tourist photo, the reality is that men had to live in holes in the ground on battlefields like this during the winter period. The Great War generation was tough but even they struggled to cope in landscapes frozen solid and covered with deep snow.


← AM4 motherboards - what are the differences in chipsets?
إضافة رد AM4 motherboards - what are the differences in chipsets?
Hi guys,Seems to be that they all OC well, to the limits of Ryzen (~4GHz), it's the memory OC that the lower end boards have problems with as they don't have clock generators, and as such can't change the base clock to enable high RAM speeds. The only boards with this are the CH6, Taichi, and K7. If you want a mid range board then the ASUS Prime, MSI Carbon for X370, and the Gaming 3 and MSI Tomahawk seem to be doing well on the B350 front.worth trying other benches, yes you'll get super low frames but just checking it makes it through without the hard crashing your getting . Least then you've ruled out CPU, its socket and its power delivery . As stated with ram, would be running it at Intel default of 2133 for the purpose of trouble shooting.I was looking for some help really, I've got a double crown, and it seems that whatever I do style-wise, I just can't tame the cow licks around my crowns.
Any other ideas? Any opinions would be much appreciated.


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One Step Closer to piosenka rockowej grupy U2, pochodząca z jej wydanego w 2004 roku albumu, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

Piosenka znalazła się na albumie wraz ze specjalnymi podziękowaniami dla Noela Gallaghera z zespołu Oasis. Tytuł utworu wziął się z rozmowy Bono i Noela. Bono rozmawiał z przyjacielem o swoim umierającym ojcu, Bobie Hewsonie. Spytał on wtedy Gallaghera: "Do you think he believes in God?" ("Myślisz, że on wierzy w Boga?"), na co ten odpowiedział: "Well, he's one step closer to knowing." ("Cóż, jest krok bliżej, by się dowiedzieć/przekonać.").

Piosenka nigdy nie została zagrana przez grupę na żywo.

Przypisy

Piosenki U2


For months, the building at the corner of Lincoln Road and Lenox Avenue has undergone a transformation into Miami Beach's newest fitness capital. Today, the new Nike Miami store opens its doors for the first time, giving fitness fanatics a first look at the brand's limited-edition swag and state-of-the-art shopping perks.
The new store's extravagant exterior was designed with Miami in mind, using waffle ironing in concrete and terrazzo panels, echoing South American and South Floridian design. In addition, the first floor showcases a multimedia installation by Miami artist Jessy Nite, combining the forces of painting, typography, and sculpture.
One of the most cutting-edge features in this new location is the Nike+ Trial Zones. Not only do you get to try on products, now you get to try them out. Get a feel for your new kicks while shooting hoops in the 285-square-foot basketball court or score a goal on the synthetic turf soccer field. You can even get a personalized running experience on a camera-operating treadmill. It records your stride and knee performance while you run, downloading your information and preferences to assure your best consultation.
Nike store associates are basically the Apple Geniuses of fitness apparel, serving shoppers with hours of certified training knowledge. "If you're interested in running, or taking your first yoga class, or trying out for a basketball team…we will match you with the right expert for you. Personal shopping meets personal training," O'Neill says.
Nike Miami also blends the experiences of a sports center and an intimate boutique in its first-floor women's section known as the Lounge. Ladies can enjoy one-on-one appointments for everything from bra-fittings to pant hemming. Fitting rooms here are double the standard size, with mood lighting that simulates a yoga studio or night run to make shoppers' decisions between cuts and colors come into focus.
Nike+ member perks and access to premium products (like the Kobe Fade to Black Pack, Kyrie 3 "What The," Air Force 1 UltraForce Mid and Zonal Strength Tights) are additional incentives to arrive ASAP to today's grand opening.
Thursday, January 19, starting at 10 a.m. at 1035 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. Admission is free. Visit nike.com.
*This article was originally posted on the Miami New Times by Sofia Harris and can be found here.
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Recent archaeological studies have found evidence proving that King Kavantissa had a daughter who was a sister to King Dutu Gemunu, Media Spokesman of the Ministry of Education Kalpa Gunaratne told yesterday.
Gunaratne said that a stone inscription on a potsherd unearthed from Tissamaharama has a reference to a daughter of King Kavantissa. The potsherd had been a part of a begging bowl. It has a reference in Brahmi inscriptions which read Aya Thisha Ha Kandhitha A'.
Gunaratne said: "Prof. Sirimal Ranwella, who inspected the potsherd says that the term Aya Thisha had been used to refer to King Kavantissa. The term had been noticed frequently in references to King Kavantissa in many inscriptions found in Ruhuna. The term Kandhitha is used in ancient inscriptions to refer to the term daughter, according to Prof Ranwella."
Gunaratne said the potsherd had been unearthed during an excavation conducted at Sarvodayawatte Excavation Project in Tissamaharama conducted jointly by the Department of Archaeology and a German Institute. The antique is currently at the archaeological museum at the Star Fort in Matara.
Gunaratne said: "Prof. Ranwella and other experts have pointed out that the reference in the potsherd could be the first archaeological evidence confirming the historical sources that King Kavantissa had daughters. Those princesses were sisters of King Dutta Gamani and there were references in the 18th Chapter of the Deepavamsa that they later became the members of Maha Sangha as bhikkhunis. According to archaeological experts the most recent find was a rare occurrence where archaeological evidence confirming a historical evidence. It is also important to note that Mahavamsa does not have any references to sister princesses of King Dutu Gemunu or the daughters of King Kavantissa."


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What Couples In Extremely Romantic Relationships Do Differently
By Alex Alexander — Written on Dec 09, 2022
Photo: Lucky Business / Shutterstock
I once heard a story of a young math professor who came home from work and greeted his fiancée with a little blue box from Tiffany.
"This is a present for you, honey. But to get it, you have to tell me why I'm giving it to you today instead of any other day."
She wracked her brain; it was still over three months till their anniversary and over five months till their marriage. It wasn't her birthday or a holiday or anything else she could come up with but she knew her betrothed, and she started thinking about how he did things. And then she got it.
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"We met each other exactly 1000 days ago."
"Of course we did, darling. And I've loved every last one of them." And he gave her the diamond bracelet.
I love this story; to me, it represents exactly the kind of romance that I believe in the combination of feeling and showing.
What couples in very romantic relationships do differently:
If I had to define romance as anything, I'd call it extra: it's the impulse, spurred on by sentiment, to add a little something, to try a little harder, to do one more thing as a sign of the love you have for the other person.
From the kiss he gives you before he leaves the room, to taking his hand on the subway, to learning her shoe size on the sly so you can surprise her with Prada mules, romance is about paying enough attention and knowing the other person well enough that you can send proof of your love in a way that he or she will really understand.
So much about relationships centers on paying attention and on seeing things from the other's perspective.
How many fights would be prevented if, when we felt hurt or slighted by our partner, we reminded ourselves of how much they love us? We'd most likely realize that they probably didn't try to do us damage and that there must have been a misunderstanding or some moment of weakness.
There's an old French expression — "to understand all is to forgive all" — and if we could only see things through our partner's eyes, we'd see how infrequently they'd ever do anything to hurt us, and our anger would be replaced by compassion.
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That's what empathy can do. As you begin to see things from the other's vantage point, you can also see what would make them happy, what moves them, and how you can show them how much you care in ways that will really register. This is why a lot of people (especially women) correctly think that romance is so important: because it's an outward sign of caring; it's evidence of real emotional investment.
The problem, though, is often in the expression. Many men think they do a fine job of showing their feelings, but unfortunately, they're only expressing them their way, not yours (a new dishwasher for Christmas anyone?). And women have their versions as well; how successful were the rose petals leading to the tub?
It's clear, then, that romance is often about translation — about converting your feelings into signals that will be visible to the other person's eye, not merely to your own.
Romantic impulses often fail because they're not adequately translated. If not rewritten to the other's language, both your and his attempts at romance will miss the mark. You think you're telling him and he's not hearing or you worry he doesn't really love you, but in both cases, it can just be a problem of not understanding the other's language.
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Most men don't lack for feeling; they just don't realize that it's hard for you to realize how much they care given the often feeble ways they show it (he thought the new dishwasher would save you work!).
In some ways, then, the 1000-day bracelet story is romantic from both sides: he had the feelings and took the time to come up with a gift that definitely translated into her world (the power of those little blue boxes!), but the reason behind the gift was still from his world. She had to understand him well enough to be able to figure it out. Both parties had to see through the other one's eyes.
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When my girlfriend gave me a 19th-century, hand-wound clock for our first anniversary, she made it clear that she knew me inside and out.
I'm impossible to shop for (so I've been told) but I love fine old objects (she happens to be fine and young, but for her, I make an exception), and she knew that it would blend perfectly with all the other objects in the room — it was the perfect gift.
But you know what the most romantic thing she does for me is? She beams at me with a certain smile that electrifies her eyes with feeling. They sparkle at me, telling me that I'm the most loved and luckiest man in the world. What else could I need when I get a smile like that?
That's all romance is a sign of love in a language we understand. Different things will work for different people, and when you care about someone, you have to pay enough attention to learn to see things their way. Once you can do that, romance is easy.
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Alex Alexander is a pseudonym. The author of this article is known to YourTango but is choosing to remain anonymous.


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Steve Hare was previously Sage's chief financial officer
Published by Editor Richard Bell on 02 Nov 2018
Sage Group names new CEO
Tech giant The Sage Group plc has announced the appointment of a new chief executive officer.
Steve Hare, who takes up the role with immediate effect, joined the Sage board in 2014 as chief financial officer.
On August 31 this year, he assumed the additional post of interim chief operating officer when former CEO Stephen Kelly stepped down.
Before joining Sage, Steve was operating partner and co-head of the portfolio support group at private equity house Apax Partners.
He said it is "an honour" to be leading Sage in the role of CEO, adding: "I continue to believe that by putting our customers, our people and innovation at the heart of everything we do, we will succeed in our journey to becoming a great SaaS business."
Chairman Donald Brydon commented: "I am delighted Steve has agreed to lead Sage on the next stage of its journey.
"He has impressed the board with the momentum, focus and clarity he has brought to the organisation over the last few months as COO but also throughout his tenure as CFO."
Mr Brydon continued: "As we looked externally for the experience, vision and deep knowledge required to accelerate operational execution it very quickly became clear through Steve's early decisions and his clear prioritisation that he is the right person to lead Sage."
Sage's board confirmed it has already initiated a process to find a new chief financial officer, with Steve overseeing the CFO duties until an appointment is made.
#North East #Technology


We spent Valentine's Day at St Bedes with the clothes crew sharing our pre-loved clothes with the community. Considering it was such a horrible day over forty families braved the elements. What helped was our good friends Bulky Bob's were there too with a great variety of free, second-hand furniture. We also had a visit from our funders, MWRA, to see how we run our events.
There were certainly plenty of smiles all round by the end of the event. Everyone seemed to get what they wanted that day. In total we diverted over half a ton from landfill that day. We hopefully will be doing a similar event over the Easter break at St Bede's.