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Home » Latest »
Heavy Breathing in Ashkelon
By Mandy Katz
Latest, Misc
Not every activist in and around Israel is focused on questions of religion or military hegemony. Some are concerned with a different sort of power: the kind that comes from coal.
From a ship in the Mediterranean to a protester scaling a government ministry building in Jerusalem, Greenpeace activists have set their sights on Israel as part of a multinational "Quit Coal" campaign. (New Zealand, the Philippines and Thailand were previous targets.) Last month, the Israeli coast guard arrested a multinational party of 14 activists from the Greenpeace vessel "Rainbow Warrior," after they entered a restricted harbor area in Ashkelon and painted their slogan on a coal ship unloading there.
The beachy but gritty southern city of Ashkelon is where the Israel Electric Corporation plans a new coal-fired power plant beside an existing one. Pollution from the current plant is already sickening locals, spurring cardiac and pulmonary problems, according to a recent doctors' report. The nation's Ministry of Health and Ashkelon's mayor agree with Greenpeace that the new facility is a bad idea. And Israel's Green Party sued this summer to stop construction.
All the burning coal has drawn more than just vandals, activists and the usual sunbathers to Ashkelon's shores. In spring, warm effluent from the city's existing power plant attracted hammerhead sharks.
Photo taken in Quezon Province, Philippines, published courtesy of Greenpeace/Luis Liwanag.
—Mandy Katz
Ashkelon, Greenpeace, Quit Coal


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FLORA AND FAUNA IN COSTALEGRE
Strolling along the Costalegre you will recognize an infinity of banana orchards, for their immense leaves, for the green of the valleys in which they grow, for the mysterious and shady roads that surround them. In this region of Jalisco grow six types of banana: dwarf, Dominican, male, apple, pear and rattan. The plantations offer an important source of income for farmers. The production process is long, and the plantations require a lot of care.
It starts with planting the head of the plant in the earth, which grows and forms its first stem. They reproduce by creating secondary stems, which, when cut, allow the fruit to grow faster, which is fully grown not earlier than six months after planting the crop. Once the banana is ready to be cut, it is washed and packed in situ. This food is an important source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C.
Palm trees are a fundamental part of Costalegre landscape. In Cihuatlán, the extensions of palm plantations are simply spectacular. On the road from the municipal seat to Melaque you can see in the distance a huge area of land in which a large plantation of palm trees saturates the environment with wonderful green tones.
There are two types of palm trees. The sheet is essential to identify them. One is the palmate type (the shape is like a fan). Another is the one with pinnate leaves as a bird. An example of these are the palm trees that produce dates. Besides being beautiful, palm trees are used to make different products such as furniture, ceilings, baskets, hats, ropes also constitute an excellent source of food such as coconut, oil, wine, liquor, honey, etc.
The scientific name of the palms is Arecaceae or palmae. They are monocotyledonous plants and the most valuable species, from the productive point of view are the coconut tree, date palm, palmetto and rattan.
The Costalegre is an area with a large presence of various species of birds, 270 to be exact, 22 of them endemic. In autumn and winter migratory birds visit from the north. Some of the best known are the American Avocet, which usually lives in estuaries, lagoons and marshes; The Tricolor Heron, a mainly aquatic bird that nests in shrubs near the ground or the ground itself and is recognized by its yellowish neck and bluish beak.
The gray and humpback whales travel from the northern seas to give birth to their young in the winter months. They live up to 40 years and can stay in the water for up to 30 minutes. The impressive spectacle of sighting the marine giants can be enjoyed watching them jump on the horizon, listening to their songs below the water, or approaching to accompany them in their swim from a boat.
On moonless nights, or where the clouds cover the brightness of the stars, when swimming in the sea you can see how light beams form, like fireflies in the water. This interesting phenomenon is called Bioluminescence and occurs when there is a high concentration of unicellular microalgae Dinoflagellates, which when disturbed by the waves generate a chemical reaction that produces flashes of light.
At the beginning of the fall the female turtles, native of the area, return home to nest. For 45 days the eggs the size of golf balls will remain exposed to the temptation of poachers. At birth they will have to climb the shell to the surface of the sand and reach the sea, avoiding all kinds of natural predators such as crabs and seagulls.
Those who manage to reach the water will then have to make their way between streams, hungry fish, sharks and humans with nets to look for food, before a week goes by, and if they succeed, grow to mate, for 15 years after starting a new cycle.
You can collaborate in the various turtle protection camps along the Costalegre to ensure that humans do not interrupt the reproduction process of the various species that nest on the coast, such as the lute, olive ridley and black shell.
If you decide to participate, follow the guides' instructions, which include not turning on lights at night, as that is when the turtles come out to spawn. Do not drive on the beach, it is not known if there are already nests on the coast; and above all, do not touch them, because they can get distracted and return to the sea before leaving their eggs.
The ticuz, favorites of the settlers of the coast, not because of their orange carapace, or their strange and lopsided walk, but because they taste so good when cooked, they live in the hills that surround the coast.
When the summer arrives, with the first rain, they go down by thousands to mate on the beach. Maybe you have witnessed how the roads tend to be filled with them, since unfortunately they are usually located right on the path that takes them to their destination year after year.
If you have the fortune of being on the coast during the first rain of the storm, look for some remote beach and wait to be surrounded by these curious little animals that, despite their unfriendly appearance, are totally harmless.
"Beaches for life" program
Some coastal municipalities have taken concrete actions to protect the environment and promote a conservationist culture among the inhabitants.
In Cihuatlán the program "Beaches for life, tourism, adventure, sustainability" was formed. It invites tourists to be more sensitive and committed to their environment, as well as to enjoy the natural biodiversity of Mexico by respecting the natural and cultural heritage of the places they visit. As a visitor to the beaches, the specific actions to be taken to take care of the environment are:
Do not contaminate with trash
Use the sanitary facilities of the place you visit
When carrying food or drinks, do not leave the waste on the beach, or near the waves, but take them back with you if there are no nearby garbage dumps.
Do not take plants, animals or shells with you, but take photographs to remember them.
Follow the designated paths or trails.
Never buy products derived from endangered species, such as animal skins, turtle eggs or bird feathers.
If you encounter a wild animal during its journey, do not disturb it; the most likely thing is to get away immediately.
Tierralegre Program
This program seeks to protect biodiversity and promotes sustainable development through the conservation of land, as well as the promotion of ecotourism.
With their help, protected areas are created for the conservation of flora and fauna, reforestation of damaged areas, as well as the promotion of community participation in the protection of their spaces.
To achieve its goals, links are created between communities, government, nongovernmental organizations, institutions and the private sector.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Netanyahu's future on the line as Israel election too close to call
A coalition could see prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu losing his leadership after a total of 13 years.
By Alix Culbertson, news reporter
Wednesday 18 September 2019 10:16, UK
Image: Benny Gantz, Avigdor Lieberman and Benjamin Netanyahu lead the three parties which could form a coalition
A national unity government has been called for in Israel after exit polls provided no clear winner in the country's second general election of 2019.
Leading politician Avigdor Lieberman has put himself forward as a kingmaker by making the call for current prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party to join with the Blue and White party and his own Israel Beitenu party to form a government.
"We have only one option - a national, liberal, broad government comprising Israel Beitenu, Likud and Blue and White," he told a campaign rally in Jerusalem.
Retired military chief Benny Gantz leads the centrist Blue and White party, which had 34 seats, while Mr Netanyahu's far-right Likud had 33, according to the exit poll by Israeli TV Channel 12.
Speaking a few hours after the exit polls came out, Mr Netanyahu said he will seek to form a new "Zionist" government that excludes Arab parties.
He said he would wait for official results before making conclusions as exit polls are often unreliable.
"There will not be and there cannot be a government that leans on Arab, anti-Zionist parties," he told a small crowd of supporters at 3.30am on Wednesday.
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Israel: Netanyahu interrupted by rocket fire after vow to annex part of West Bank
This could be the beginning of the end for Israel's Netanyahu
Fighting over who will form a coalition could end Netanyahu's reign, Dominic Waghorn writes
Although Likud and Blue and White are Israel's largest parties, neither appears to be able to form a majority coalition without the support of Mr Lieberman.
He resigned as Mr Netanyahu's defence minister at the end of 2018 as he believed the prime minister had been too soft during a ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
His resignation prompted the prime minister's decision to call an early general election in April this year.
Six weeks after that, Mr Liberman's refusal to compromise with ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties prevented Mr Netanyahu from forming the hard-right coalition he had wanted, pushing Israel into another election.
It remains to be seen whether Mr Gantz will agree to a coalition with Likud, having previously said he will refuse because of the corruption scandals engulfing the prime minister which include fraud, breach of trust and bribery allegations.
He has denied any wrongdoing.
Image: Avigdor Lieberman is the former Israeli Defence Minister
Mr Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving leader, having served from June 1996 until July 1999 and from March 2009 until now.
This election will decide whether he can remain in power despite corruption allegations.
Mr Netanyahu is positioning himself as a statesman who is in a unique position to guide Israel through a challenging time, but Mr Gantz is trying to paint his rival as scandal-plagued and divisive.
He has taken a hard line during the campaign, controversially pledging to extend Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank, and to annex all the Jewish settlements in the area, despite the diplomatic repercussions.
If Likud and the Blue and White party do not agree to form a coalition with Mr Lieberman's party, it could mean weeks of wrangling over a possible unity government.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara cast ballots in parliamentary elections in Jerusalem
The exit poll is even closer than April's result, when Likud took 38 seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and the Blue and White party took 35.
The Knesset is made up of 120 seats, and with most laws only requiring a simple majority to pass, parties need 61 seats to take control.
Because Israel uses a proportional representation model it has always been governed by coalitions, so the larger parties depend on smaller parties to form what is usually either a right-wing or left-wing governing partnership.
The country's president, Reuven Rivlin, is responsible for choosing who he believes will be the best candidate for prime minister - not always the leader of the largest party.
Whoever he chooses will then have six weeks to form a working coalition to govern with.


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Q: How can I await a variable Is it possible to use a Future to await a change of value of a simple variable in Dart?
In my case, I have a singleton method that, upon the first call, creates and opens a database. This method is being called from multiple places in my app, and I need a way for the second, third, etc. calls to wait until the first call has created and opened the database.
class DB{
    static Database _db;

    static Future<Database> instance() async {
        if( _db == null ){
            print('Creating/opening database');
            _db = await createOrOpenDatabase();
        }

        return _db;
    }
}

// Somewhere in the app
await DB.instance().doSomething();

// Meanwhile, somewhere else in the app
await DB.instance().doSomethingElse();

This results in
Creating/opening database
Creating/opening database

One way to solve this would be to add some variable that indicates that the database is currently being created and/or opened:
class DB{
    static Database _db;
    static bool _openingDb;

    static Database instance() async {
        if( _openingDb )
            // Wait until _openingDb becomes false

        if( _db == null ){
            _openingDb = true;
            print('Creating/opening database');
            _db = await createOrOpenDatabase();
            _openingDb = false;
        }

        return _db;
    }
}

But just how do I wait for the value of _openingDb to change? It seems like I'm missing something obvious here...

A: I figured out that I can use a Completer to accomplish what I wanted.
class DB {
    static Database _db;
    static Completer _dbOpenCompleter;

    static Future<Database> instance() async {
        if( _dbOpenCompleter != null && !_dbOpenCompleter.isCompleted ) {
            print('Awaiting database creation');
            await _dbOpenCompleter.future;
        }

        if( _db == null ) {
            _dbOpenCompleter = Completer();
            try {
                print('Creating/opening database');
                _db = await openOrCreateDatabase();
            }
            finally{
                _dbOpenCompleter.complete();
            }
        }

        return _db;
    }
}

Now the same calls as in the original question result in the following output:
Creating/opening database
Awaiting database creation

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Eaton Corporation plc (NYSE: ETN) bought Cooper Industries in late 2012 for roughly $12 billion. It was a huge deal for the power management company, vastly increasing its position in electrical products. It was so big, though, that the company swore off further dealmaking until the integration process was complete. At the company's investor day on March 1, it basically told the world that it was shifting to a new game plan. Here's what you need to know.
Cooper was a transformative acquisition for Eaton, which traces its history back over 100 years to the early days of the auto industry. Prior to that deal, the company's vehicle division was one of the biggest drivers of corporate performance. Its electrical products and electrical systems & services divisions were important, to be sure, but neither was as large of a contributor to revenue as was vehicles. Following the Cooper deal, the vehicle division is now roughly half the size of either of its two electrical operations.
To be fair, Eaton didn't swear off all deal-making following the nearly $12 billion purchase of Cooper, it simply wanted to avoid big moves so it could focus on successfully integrating the two businesses. That was a multiyear process during which it made small deals to fine-tune the portfolio. So, there was more going on than just Cooper, but all of the changes were really at the fringes.
The end result, though, was a shift away from the vehicle industry to what management believed would be a more compelling opportunity -- the ongoing electrification of the world.
That said, 2017 saw a slight shift in the company's approach. Eaton formed a joint venture with Cummins toward the end of that year, merging the two companies' automatic transmission businesses. Cummins was left to run the business. Not a massive move, but it was a notable change in direction.
It followed that up with the creation of the eMobility division at the start of 2018. Eaton cobbled this still-tiny business together from internal operations. But because supporting the electric vehicle market is very different from supporting the combustion-engine side of the auto industry, Eaton separated it out as its own division. It believes eMobility could be a $4 billion business some day, putting it in the same league as its aerospace, hydraulic, and vehicle operations.
These weren't giant changes, but they represented shifts that were larger than what had been undertaken in the years following the Cooper deal. This leads us up to the company's early 2019 investor meeting, at which it basically announced it was ready to throw off the self-imposed shackles: Management explained at the meeting that it planned to spin off its lighting business -- with $1.7 billion in revenue -- by the end of 2019.
For a number of years, the company has been dealing with questions about the lighting division. It isn't a bad business, per se, but falling LED prices have been a headwind and have resulted in intense competition for business. Eaton's focus isn't on producing LEDs, but instead working on massive installation projects (think stadium lighting systems) that use LEDs. However, it had been having a hard time finding deals that it believed were worth inking, and margins in the business had remained relatively weak.
These are key factors, here. Eaton has been working hard to improve its margins, and finding great success. The company's operating margin fell to 12.6% in 2016, a 50-basis-point drop from the previous year. Cost-cutting and efficiency efforts, though, were able to push operating margins to 15.8% in 2017 and 16.8% in 2018. At this point, the easy fruit has been picked, and the company needs to start making more notable shifts if it wants to continue to improve its performance on this metric. Eaton doesn't break out the lighting division, but it was pretty clear on the fourth-quarter conference call that neither growth nor margins in the group have been living up to expectations. And, looking forward, it was noted that growth might only be in the low single-digits, which is better than recent performance, but not as robust as the company's growth expectations in other divisions.
This move, then, will allow Eaton to jettison a lower-margin business that is constraining its performance and focus its efforts on businesses with better growth outlooks. The remaining operations should be more profitable as a whole. Perhaps more importantly, it also signals that the company is no longer holding back on the change front: Bolt-on deals in the hundreds of millions of dollars range are nice, but management is again willing to size up. It even laid out its criteria for acquisitions, spotlighting above GDP growth, average margins in the mid to high teens, and cyclical trough margins at least in the low teens. It's mentioned these before, but putting them on their own slide looks like a big hint that Eaton is in a buying mood.
At this point, Eaton says it is happy with its portfolio. However, with the lighting move, it has made a major statement about the future. Watch the news out of Eaton on the acquisition front. It will likely continue to focus on smaller, bolt-on deals. But with the Cooper integration process complete, it looks like management may again be willing to do something much bigger.
David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Eaton wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.
Reuben Gregg Brewer owns shares of Eaton. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Cummins. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


Reprint of (manifestation) Coleman, Rowan. The happy home for broken hearts.
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