text:
Front page Economy And do not order us "on the gas"
And do not order us "on the gas"
The ambitions of Alexei Miller and his confrontation with Leonid Mikhelson risk leaving Kamchatka without gas.
Selling, buying, changing...
According to the correspondent of The Moscow Post, the Russian Government continues to discuss the Kamchatka gasification scheme. Until now, the project parameters have not been determined, the source of gas is not clear. It is assumed that LNG is used on the peninsula, but Leonid Mikhelson's Novatek cannot give the necessary volumes - they are tied to the Yamal LNG project. Gazprom does not have its own LNG for its own consumers in Kamchatka at all - it buys it in Belgium, and resells it with a mark-up to India.
In this situation, Gazprom, led by Alexei Miller, will have to look for other sources of LNG. The company expects that infrastructure costs, which is 18 billion rubles, will be borne by the budget. He, according to Miller, should compensate for the difference in the purchase of LNG on the market, while it will be sold to consumers at a regulated price.
Michelson's position on Yamal LNG is not difficult to understand. Most of the capacity really works for this project, but few people believe that with a great desire Michelson could not help Gazprom solve the problem of gasification of the peninsula. The problem may be as a long-standing rivalry between Michelson and Miller, which has repeatedly poured onto media pages.
Last year was terrible for Gazprom, but the company asked for money from the state in "obese" times
Conspiracy theorists immediately began to act on this field. According to evil languages, allegedly Leonid Mikhelson has long dreamed of taking over the levers of managing Gazprom. And that the head of Gazprom-Neft, Alexander Dyukov, who worked at Mikhelson's Sibur for a long time, can be lobbied by him (Mikhelson) to replace Miller. But this did not happen, the contract with Miller was extended.
However, many other factors play against Miller. Just yesterday it became known about a serious fire at the Urengoy plant of Gazprom for the preparation of condensate. An emergency can lead to a shortage of liquefied hydrocarbon gas (LPG) in the domestic market and problems in the fuel and petrochemical sectors. Apparently, Gazprom will again have to buy LPG somewhere on the side, let the company assure that they will quickly restore production. The possible price issue is the reduction of the LPG market in the Russian Federation by 15%, which will invariably increase prices for this resource even more.
The largest producer is LPG was and remains Sibur Leonid Mikhelson. Thus, the accident at the Gazprom plant strengthens the position of his company and gives a new reason for hardware fighting and mutual pickings in the media.
Miller vs Michelson
All these events were preceded by the confrontation between Miller and Michelson. To win back the strengthening of the competitor's position, the head of Gazprom sharply criticized him about the transportation of the same liquefied natural gas. In April 2020, Miller, as if in response to reproaches for his own inefficiency, said that the Yamal LNG project is a source of losses for the budget. About this wrote Kommersant.
Miller's position can be explained in simple words. The fact is that liquefied natural gas according to the Yamal LNG project is transported on giant gas locomotives, which Mikhelson was forced to order at the Zvezda shipyard under the control of the head of Rosneft Igor Sechin. This is another high-profile story that The Moscow Post wrote about.
Are mutual smiles in the distant past?
Such transportation of the resource costs much more than through the pipeline (what Gazprom is doing and lobbying for). Therefore, the existing scheme with Yamal LNG is a source of loss for the budget. Another point is that the Government has established tax incentives for Yamal LNG, which in any case makes the Mikhelson project profitable and reduces the importance of Gazprom.
The dive continued later. According to the authors of the Gaz-Batyushka telegram channel, allegedly at the end of 2020, Miller again sharply criticized Novatek and announced that Gazprom had deteriorated financial statistics because of the company. Possible losses for the budget in this regard may amount to about 150 billion rubles over 12 years, for which benefits are calculated.
Shifting from a sick head to a healthy one is not a new practice for Russian officials and businessmen. Especially in the case of Gazprom, which under Miller still cannot solve its main problem, the main task is to gasify the country.
Earlier, the situation in this area was criticized by President Vladimir Putin. In the summer of 2020, he demanded to resolve the issue of gasification in 2024-2030, TASS wrote about this. In November 2020, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that about 2 trillion rubles would be needed to implement gasification programs. The question arises, and what did Gazprom do under Miller before, if it did not manage to fulfill the gasification program (from 70% to 83% of households), and it had to be extended?
In parallel with this, Gazprom, which cannot find LNG to provide Kamchatka, is involved in many other projects. In April 2021, it became known that the monopoly approved a technical and economic analysis of the project for the construction of the Soyuz Vostok transit gas pipeline, which goes through Mongolia to China.
At the same time, it is not clear what the Russian part of the project will look like - the Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline. Not to mention the rumors that the "Power of Siberia-1" allegedly does not work at full capacity and does not pay off banally. A new branch may require a pipe of 2 thousand square meters. kilometers, which must be carried through a deserted taiga. Will Miller ask for budget support again?
Concept project "Lakhta Center-2." Will Gazprom have money for him?
Other undertakings of Gazprom are also sharply criticized and contrast with the lack of money for the company. The structure spoke about plans to build a second skyscraper in St. Petersburg 703 meters high - Lakhta Center-2. It should be the world's second tallest skyscraper. Its value is not disclosed, but it is clear that these are billions and billions. Gazprom will probably find money for this project. And for the purchase of LNG for Kamchatka - no?
All this raises questions and even irritation not only among the country's leadership, but also among ordinary gas consumers. Especially where this gas is not available - in remote villages and on the same Kamchatka. Maybe Alexei Miller should focus on solving these problems, and not engage in political games with competitors?


Rumbledethumps is a cooked potato dish of Scottish origin that traditionally includes cabbage and is topped with cheese. This version differs from a standard recipe by substituting kale for cabbage, and adding some bacon and sauteed onions.
Butter a shallow baking dish and preheat oven to 350°F.
Saute onions in vegetable oil until tender; set aside. Note: if making lardons at the same time (recipe below), use bacon fat to saute onions.
Cook kale in a large pot of salted water until tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer kale to a bowl (can be chopped more finely if desired, after cooling a bit).
Return water to boil and add potatoes; cook until tender. Drain and return to pot.
Add butter and half-and-half (adjust quantities if needed), and mash potatoes.
Mix in about half of the chives, then the kale, then the onions, then the lardons. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake about 35 minutes until cheese bubbles. Broil if desired to brown the top. Sprinkle with remaining chives before serving.
Cut about 6-8 oz of bacon ends and pieces, or "thick-cut" bacon, into 1/4" x 1" batons.
Place in saute pan that will hold them snugly in one layer. Add cold water to just cover meat.
Cook on high until water boils off and fat begins to render, then reduce to medium-low (if they sizzle loudly or pop, the heat is too high).
Turning every 10 minutes or so, cook until outsides crisp, but insides are tender (taste several to test); approximately 30 minutes. Drain/dry on paper towels.


text:
Design (disambiguation)
Design (UK band)
Marco Carola
Sitež
SITA (waste management company)
Design is the creation of a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system.
Derived meanings of this word include:
Block design and Combinatorial design in combinatorial mathematics
Block design test that measures visuospatial and motor skills
Randomized block design in statistics
As a proper name there exist:
Design in Nature, a 1947 Max Ernst painting
Interior Design (album) by Sparks
Design methods
↑ Dictionary meanings in the Cambridge Dictionary of American English, at Dictionary.com (esp. meanings 1–5 and 7–8) and at AskOxford (esp. verbs).
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/Design_(disambiguation)
Design was a British vocal group of the early 1970s and its members were Barry Alexander, Gabrielle Field, Kathy Manuell, Jeff Matthews, John Mulcahy-Morgan and Geoff Ramseyer. Their musical style has been described as folk rock 'with intricate and appealing harmonies and an interesting psychedelic twist' and 'sunshine harmony pop with a light hippy vibe' and is now called sunshine pop. Design released 13 singles and 5 albums in the UK and appeared on more than 50 television shows before they split up in 1976.
Barry Alexander, Jeff Matthews and Geoff Ramseyer all played guitar in addition to singing, while Barry also played keyboards. Gabrielle Field occasionally played tenor recorder.
Design was formed as a six-piece vocal group by singer and songwriter Tony Smith while he was working at the BBC in London in December 1968. The group signed a recording contract with Adrian Kerridge at Lansdowne Studios and recorded their first album Design during 1969. This led to a two-album deal with Epic Records in the USA.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/Design_(UK_band)
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Marco Carola (born 7 February 1975, Naples, Italy) is an Italian electronic musician and DJ.
As a producer and label head, Carola has created labels like Design, Zenit, Question, One Thousands, Do.Mi.No. and Music On. Carola has been releasing music on a selection of labels such as Minus, Plus 8 2M and Primate Recordings. In addition to five albums, including his latest 'Play It Loud' in 2011, Carola has also been responsible for a clutch of seminal mix compilations. In 2006, his mix Fabric 31. for the London club Fabric's series was a lesson in sleek, future-facing minimalism. That was followed up by compilations for Time Warp in 2009. He has also held very successful residencies at Amnesia Ibiza, with Cocoon, for two years, and with his own Music On project from 2012 on. Music On was launched in 2011 at the Shelbourne Hotel in Miami, as the way for Carola to implement his vision of clubbing and music development, and to share his wealth of experience and knowledge.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/Marco_Carola
Sitež is a settlement in the Municipality of Majšperk in northeastern Slovenia. It lies in the Haloze Hills on the regional road from Majšperk to Žetale. The area is part of the traditional region of Styria. It is now included with the rest of the municipality in the Drava statistical region.
Sitež at Geopedia
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/Sitež
A website, also written as web site, or simply site, is a set of related web pages typically served from a single web domain. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet address known as a uniform resource locator (URL). All publicly accessible websites collectively constitute the World Wide Web.
Web pages, which are the building blocks of websites, are documents, typically written in plain text interspersed with formatting instructions of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML, XHTML). They may incorporate elements from other websites with suitable markup anchors. Web pages are accessed and transported with the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which may optionally employ encryption (HTTP Secure, HTTPS) to provide security and privacy for the user of the web page content. The user's application, often a web browser, renders the page content according to its HTML markup instructions onto a display terminal.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/Website
SITA (originally Société industrielle de transport automobile) is the main brand representing Suez Environnement's waste subsidiaries in Europe, North America, the Asia Pacific zone and Australia.
Following the merger of Suez company and Gaz de France in 2008, Suez Environnement became a listed group on the New York Stock Exchange, Brussels Stock Exchange and the Paris Stock Exchange. SITA is a significant part of the Suez Environnement business, which now as a waste management and water treatment specialist is fully focused on sustainable development.
It owns, operates or has submitted planning applications for a number of incineration and In-vessel composting plants. Sita's services include business and residential waste disposal, street cleansing, landfill engineering, civic amenity site management and energy from waste.
SITA was created in 1919 to modernise domestic waste collection in Paris and to cope with the rapid rise in the volume of domestic waste generated by Parisians.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/SITA_(waste_management_company)
designordesign.com
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creativecustomdesignsllc.com
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designworkonline.org
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thailanddesigncenter.com
cnfashiondesign.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Jim Amash
All Series1-27 of 27
Archie Andrews is everyone's favorite teenager from Riverdale. He's a great kid, but has a clumsy streak and a weakness for pretty girls! For most of his life, he has been caught in the middle of one of America's most famous love triangles between Betty and Veronica. His adventures in trying to choose one of the two always get him into trouble!
Archie & Friends
Nobody has more friends than Archie Andrews! Join Archie, Jughead, Betty & Veronica and the whole Riverdale gang in some wacky hijinks!
Archie & Friends (2019-)
Archie and his friends present an assortment of quarterly classic-style stories! Follow Archie and the Riverdale gang from the recording studio to the beach and back to school in these value-priced stories for all ages!
Archie & Friends Digital Digest
It's the best of Archie's all-new classic-style stories for one low price! This inaugural issue features two stories filled with adventures in the great outdoors and mix-ups on the runway! In "Hot Times, Cold Nose," Archie and his dog Vegas are spending a weekend in the woods -- but when Vegas goes off to has his own wilderness adventure, will he make it back to his owner? Then in "Run Away Runwa
Archie and Me Comics Digest
Hang out with Archie and his pals in the ARCHIE AND ME DIGEST series! Check out over 120+ pages of all-ages fun and hijinks, with a new lead story in every issue!
Archie Comics Double Digest
Check out the exciting adventures of Archie Andrews in this super-size book! With a blend of new and classic stories, puzzles, games, and more special features, you can't go wrong!
Archie Comics Graphic Novels
From the biggest storylines to the funniest compilations, the Archie Comics Graphic Novel series has it all! These books give you the most bang for your buck -- and there are several new editions popping up every month! Be sure to stay tuned for the next awesome collection starring Archie, Jughead, Betty & Veronica and even Sabrina the Teenage Witch!
Archie Comics Presents
The Archie Comics Presents series of graphic novels collects fan-favorite comic series from yesteryear all in one place! Discover classic stories and characters in these collections spanning 80 years of Archie Comics history.
Archie Marries Betty
Archie and Betty struggle with their careers in the fast-paced environment of the 'Big Apple.' But when a mysterious figure from their past offers Archie eternal wealth in exchange for leaving Betty and returning to Riverdale, will the temptation of an end to their struggles prove too much?
Archie Marries Veronica
Archie faces pressure from his boss and Veronica's father, Mr. Lodge. Forced to buy out Pop Tate's Chok'lit Shoppe for Lodge Industries, Archie instigates a near-violent dispute. Can Archie, Veronica and their friends find happiness as they face the challenge of saving Pop's future as well as their own?
B & V Friends Comics Double Digest
Being the most popular girls at Riverdale High means that Betty & Veronica have a lot of friends! Check out tons of stories, games, puzzles, and more!
Betty Cooper is the sweet, innocent girl-next-door. Betty loves to bake, play sports, and go to school, but she loves Archie the most! She's crazy about America's favorite redhead, but she always competing for his heart with Veronica, her best friend.
Betty & Veronica
Betty, the middle-class girl-next-door and Veronica, the beautiful rich girl are the best of friends, even though they're very different. They do share one thing in common, though -- their boyfriend, Archie! Who will win his heart for good?
Betty & Veronica Friends Forever
The fan-favorite classic Archie Comics style is back in BETTY & VERONICA FRIENDS FOREVER, a new series of one-shots for all ages written by Archie veteran Bill Golliher with art by Archie legend Dan Parent. The FRIENDS FOREVER series spotlights the timeless best friend duo in themed issues showcasing Betty and Veronica at the movies, traveling across the world, and more!
It all starts when Cheryl wants a new car, but instead of asking her father for a hand-out, she decides to raise the money herself. She has a yard sale, tries working at odd jobs, and even generates a media frenzy! Pick up these exciting three issues to see the wild and wacky antics as Cheryl Blossom tries to get a job!
The Golden Pelican
Brand New Series! The shocking death of an elusive animal impacts the lives of all who have witnessed it--but what does this mean for their futures? The mystery of THE GOLDEN PELICAN begins here!
A teenager with a colossal appetite, Jughead Jones is Archie's best pal. When he's not eating, he's probably napping, lazing around somewhere, or letting his wisecracks get him into trouble! Follow the adventures of Riverdale's quirkiest character!
Jughead: the Hunger
BRAND NEW ONE-SHOT SPECIAL! Jughead Jones has always had an insatiable appetite... but what if his hunger came from a sinister place? When a murderous menace is on the prowl, taking the lives of some of the most well-known and esteemed inhabitants of Riverdale, Jughead and his family's dark legacy comes to light. Join writer Frank Tieri (Wolverine) and artist Michael Walsh (Secret Avengers) for th
Life With Archie
Archie Marries Betty features the newlyweds as they move to the city to pursue their dreams and are faced with seemingly endless disasters engineered by a sinister figure from the past, and also includes the moving story of the death of their former teacher Miss Grundy. Archie Marries Veronica showcases the newlywed couple struggling to balance business and conscience while trying to keep Mr. Lodg
Looney Tunes (1994-)
What's up, doc? Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, the Road Runner, and all your Looney Tunes favorites are up to their old tricks with a heaping helping of hijinks and hilarity. What more could you need? Just ask Porky Pig and he'll tell you, "Th-th-th-that's all, folks!"
The Mighty Crusaders (Dark Circle Comics)
The Mighty Crusaders return in an all new lost tale, featuring a stellar cast of talent. With the New Crusaders facing an uncertain future and the truth about their parents slowly being revealed, one man searches for answers. But will the answers he finds be worth reliving the pain of his own past?
PEP Digital
Looking for super-sized specials only found on digital platforms? Seasonal collections starring your favorite Archie characters are added monthly! Make sure to check out these excellent exclusives!
Psyche: The Occult Detective
Heroic Publishing's beautiful scarlet-tressed occult detective, PSYCHE.
Sabrina Manga
Following the adventures of teenage witch, Sabrina, and her wacky aunts and talking cat! Using the "shojo" style of "manga" (Japanese romance comics) to tell her tale, Tania introduces a thrilling new world of romance and relationships to Sabrina's life! NOTE: There is a small black bar at the top of each page due to how Sabrina the Teenage Witch was originally printed. It is not visible in gui
Veronica Lodge is Riverdale's resident billionaire heiress. She's got a good heart, but she's also a bit spoiled, which can make her a pain sometimes! She has her sights set on resident everyman Archie Andrews, but to win his heart, she'll have to pry him away from her best friend and rival, Betty.
World of Archie Comics Double Digest
There's a whole world of Archie comics out there, and you can find them all right here! Check out over 140 pages of fun, with special guest appearances from Josie and the Pussycats, the Super Teens, Cosmo the Merry Martian, and many more!
Young Salem
This reader-requested storyline offers everyone's favorite magical cat Salem in a special 4-issue tale that harkens back to the days when he wasn't an enchanted feline, but an actual boy wizard! In this thrilling tale, you'll journey to Salem's original home on the Saberhagen Farm for the first time! You'll also meet his mother, Felicia, and scruffy Uncle Mort. The tale begins when young Salem fin


Well maintained 3 bed 2 bath, PLUS bonus room (not included in sq footage) charmer in desirable Durham, Ca! This home has a recently updated kitchen, all new plumbing, hardwood floors under carpet, new interior paint, large lot (.32 acre) w/ an above ground pool, horseshoe pit area, large covered patio - perfect for entertaining and your very own producing walnut trees! Close to Durham schools, just down the road from a local winery, restaurants and local shops! Here's your opportunity to call Durham home! The information has been obtained through sources deemed reliable, but cannot be guaranteed as to it's accuracy. Buyer is advised to investigate to their satisfaction.
Listing provided by : Stephanie Maximov License # 1450930, Century 21 Select Real Estate, Inc.


text:
using Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Storage.Table;

namespace DrinkBird.Tools.AzureStorage.Tests
{
    public class TestTableEntity : TableEntity
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public int Price { get; set; }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The item The Lion of Sabray : the Afghani warrior who defied the Taliban and saved the life of Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell, Patrick Robinson represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library.
Could anyone still be alive?
"It's Marcus, guys! We got him!"


The complex is located on a borderline between the villages of Rzeczka (German: Dorfbach) and Walim (German: Wüstewaltersdorf), inside Ostra Mountain (German: Spitzenberg) 50°41′19″N 16°26′40″E. Three tunnels were bored into the base of the mountain. The structure contains a nearly completed guardroom and large underground halls, up to 10 m in height. The total length of the tunnels is 500 m (2,500 m2, 14,000 m3). Eleven per cent is reinforced by concrete. Above ground are foundations of machinery and a concrete bridge. The second bridge was damaged and replaced by a footbridge. A narrow gauge railway, used for transportation of spoil to a nearby heap, was dismantled after the war. In 1995 the underground was opened to the public and in 2001 transformed into a museum.
In November 1943, Gemeinschaftslager I Wüstewaltersdorf was established in textile factory Websky, Hartmann & Wiesen AG 50°41′50″N 16°26′41″E. Its prisoners were forced labourers, mainly from the Soviet Union, Poland and POWs from Italy, captured by the German army after the Italian armistice and switching sides, led by marshal Pietro Badoglio. The most numerous group consisted of POWs from the Soviet Union. They were detained in the part of the camp subordinate to Stalag VIII-A Görlitz. It was liberated in May 1945.
In April 1944, AL Wüstewaltersdorf was created in the same location for prisoners of concentration camps, mostly Jews from Greece. Some sources suggest the camp might have been located on the slopes of Chłopska Mountain (German: Stenzelberg); according to others, its existence is doubtful.


text:
Arkansas is making progress in building a stronger pipeline and placing "new steps of change" that support everyone. To move forward, the state must continue to build strategies that develop, retain, and recruit youth and young adults of all races and socioeconomic statuses.
by Shun Robertson
The Place: a small state with rich natural resources, six Fortune 500 companies, and some of the nation's deepest poverty
The Challenge: ensuring that young people who start down the path of education and training complete and meet expectations of an evolving labor market
Elements of Opportunity Infrastructure: local employer engagement and efforts to spread innovative entrepreneurial practices
"The horizon leans forward, offering you space to place new steps of change. Here, on the pulse of this fine day, you may have the courage to look up and out…"
These words, spoken by Maya Angelou in the poem On the Pulse of Morning, were delivered during Arkansas native and former President Bill Clinton's first inauguration. The poem conveys strong images of hope for the future, while acknowledging the struggles of the past. Communities across Arkansas, from the farmlands of the Delta to the Ozark Mountains in the northwest, have found the space to look forward and step into a new day, but still struggle to overcome population decline and economic hardship. Arkansas may have one of the smallest populations of the Southern states, but its warm and friendly residents know that collaboration increases their capacity to achieve results. Promising efforts at both the local and state levels demonstrate a willingness and commitment to address the critical issues that will shape Arkansas' economic and social progress.
Here, we highlight three distinct regions of Arkansas—Little Rock, Northwest Arkansas, and the Delta—and their efforts to "place new steps of change" in the state's education-to-career pipeline. Looking not just at one community, but at a whole state, one sees different landscapes and can consider opportunity at a different scale. In the east, the Arkansas Delta is a leading producer of cotton, but has seen decades of decline, with increasing unemployment and poverty rates, and dramatic population loss limiting economic growth and educational opportunities. Along the Missouri border in the northwest, there has been tremendous growth over the past two decades as several Fortune 500 corporations and their suppliers established themselves in the region, including Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt. And in the center of the state is Little Rock, a governmental center, but also an anchor for an array of industries, including information technology and health care.
When looking across the state, Arkansas' leaders see that:
Students who attend college are not graduating
Connections among postsecondary institutions and business and industry are often weak
Students need more exposure to innovative approaches to entering the labor market of the evolving knowledge economy
Arkansas' investments in an infrastructure of opportunity are focused on those key transition points in the education-to-career continuum.
6 Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation also contributed support to this report
Fixing the Leaky Pipeline
Consider how youth and young adults move from the education system into the labor market. Some move directly from high school into a two-year or four-year postsecondary institution, and then into a good job. For some, the pathway is not as direct. They fall out of the education-to-career pipeline and struggle to find their way back in. They get off-track for numerous reasons, but whatever the causes are, it is critical that they get back on the path to success.
Recognizing that placement in developmental (remedial) courses at the beginning of their postsecondary journey can jeopardize eventual completion, the Arkansas legislature created the College and Career Coach Program, geared toward increasing the number of underrepresented students who complete postsecondary education, especially in the state's most economically challenged counties. With this program, middle and high school students receive academic tutoring, career counseling, and financial guidance from career coaches on college campuses. Coaches are provided to each county through TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) funds and a grant from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.6 Early results show the strategy is working. In the first two years of implementation, there was a 17 percent increase in the college-going rate, an almost one point increase in ACT scores, and a 3.5 percentage point decrease in the remediation rate. Pleased with the performance, the General Assembly passed legislation in April 2013 to expand the program throughout the state.
Getting students into postsecondary training is important; equally important is helping them stay engaged. Another statewide program, the Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative, is focused on increasing postsecondary attendance and completion rates. Career Pathways is funded annually with TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) dollars, providing participants with funding for tuition, books, child care, and transportation. Since 2006, more than 29,000 low-income Arkansans have enrolled in Career Pathways, and more than 30,000 certificates and degrees have been awarded. Upon program completion, participants have an 80 percent job retention rate after 12 months of employment.
Innovative community colleges are a critical element in an infrastructure of opportunity that can achieve local impact with statewide programs. Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas (PCCUA) in Helena, in the heart of the Arkansas Delta, has aligned Career Pathways with another program, the Working Families Success Network (WFSN). In addition to the core components of Career Pathways, in WFSN students receive financial counseling and other work and income supports. Steven Murray, president of PCCUA, says that linking the two programs allowed the college to offer wraparound services, accelerating students' prospects for educational attainment and economic stability. Working in close partnership with local employers, PCCUA also developed links between curriculum programs and employment opportunities in six fields: business, education, emergency medical technician (EMT), manufacturing, nursing and allied health, and welding.
The final step in the education-to-career pipeline requires navigating the transition point from college completion to employment. "Jobs without people and people without jobs" is a common sentiment heard throughout Arkansas. Business leaders say they have living-wage jobs they cannot fill because candidates do not have the right skills. In response, the Arkansas General Assembly is trying to strengthen the relationship between employers and two-year colleges. This spring, policymakers passed legislation allocating $15 million to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) to restructure and build new workforce training programs that meet the needs of Arkansas businesses. The Fast Track Workforce Initiative creates partnerships between two-year colleges and local employers to ensure that students are trained to industry standards in high-demand areas. Some of the funding came from a reallocation of existing dollars for community colleges. There are mixed feelings among two-year college administrators and economic development leaders on how effective this new system will be. Evelyn Jorgenson, president of NorthWest Arkansas Community College, understands that the relationship between her college and local industries is critical to closing the skills gap. "People want jobs but they are not qualified for the jobs. That's the link that's missing. That's the responsibility of our college. We want to help people fill that gap," she says.
Mike Malone, president of the Northwest Arkansas Council, says the gap is a systems issue: "We don't have the right system to relay information between education and industry. We need the right people to have the right conversations."
"We need to help people recognize opportunity. They need to see that
better is possible." — Karama Neal
One example of the right people having the right conversation is the Certified Retail Analyst program at NorthWest Arkansas Community College. Before this program, Walmart was losing employees trained on Retail Link—the company's supplier database—to suppliers who were actively recruiting workers who had inside knowledge on how to use the software. To remedy that, Walmart worked with its suppliers and the college to design a program that would train students on Retail Link. High-demand graduates of this program are placed in jobs with Walmart or one of its suppliers immediately upon credential completion.
Innovating for Job Creation
Education and employment alignment are critical for more than just training programs. Naccaman Williams, director of special initiatives for the Walton Family Foundation, describes the challenge this way: "It's the chicken or the egg. Businesses want great education before they come, but great education normally comes with business. We need both good businesses and great education." One organization working to build both educational success and business development in Arkansas is Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP); they've been using community and business development to drive economic improvement in the Delta for 25 years. Karama Neal, director of SBCP, knows they are having an impact on the region, noting progress on key indicators like job creation and housing development. She also believes that changing the expectations of Delta residents is instrumental to changing the region. "People set realistic and unrealistic limits for themselves and tend not to go past these limits," says Neal. "We need to help people recognize opportunity. They need to see that better is possible." SBCP is helping people see "better is possible" by offering workforce training funds, grant-writing workshops, and small business development so residents can take active roles in creating a more prosperous community.
In North Little Rock, the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub is trying to create prosperity by building innovative approaches to help low-income students move from schools into the labor market via entrepreneurship opportunities. Creators of this public-private partnership are developing "a collaborative ecosystem of innovation that drives economic development." This ecosystem includes three major components:
1. Art Connection. Students start by learning to paint, mainly self-portraits. They learn the basics of project production and develop their artistic talents. Students also learn soft skills such as showing up for work and listening to peers and supervisors. After completing the painting course, students transition to other studios at the hub, including sculpture and computer-aided design.
2. Launch Pad. When students have a business idea, they develop prototypes here. Staff also plan to build a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) lab as part of this space with state-of-the-art equipment.
3. The Silver Mine. This entrepreneurship/incubation space is for young adults who have more than just an idea. Here they can build their idea into something real.
John Gaudin, a member of the Innovation Hub's Board of Directors, says people all over the state, including the governor, are assessing whether this incubation model is replicable in other areas of Arkansas. "This is an opportunity for students to access the latest and greatest in manufacturing—access they would not have otherwise."
While many Southern states focus on recruiting big businesses, Arkansas is recruiting from within. "Everybody wants to cut a ribbon on a big manufacturing plant," says State Representative and Innovation Hub Executive Director Warwick Sabin. "It's less sexy to focus on small business. Most of our businesses are small business. They are more sustainable. We'll always be outbid for large industrial projects because other states will always have more money. It's a losing and outdated strategy." To cultivate start-up business development, Arkansas must provide more youth and young adults with opportunities to foster their entrepreneurial skills—opportunities like the Innovation Hub.
Providing Support and a Voice to Move Forward
Even with statewide efforts and local innovation, there still are gaps between those who can easily access the education-to-career pipeline and those who are disconnected from it. For nonprofit leaders in Little Rock, closing gaps means addressing intergenerational poverty. Rich Huddleston, executive director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, describes it as a Catch-22. "There is a recognition that we need to do more for the far too many who come from disadvantaged backgrounds," he says. "The odds are stacked against them. We need to do things to break the cycle of poverty, but until we do that they are not going to be in a position to succeed." Huddleston's organization believes that helping youth succeed in the short and long term is the way to break the cycle. They are working to ensure that all children have access to health care and that basic needs are met. Since Arkansas expanded Medicaid in 2013, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of uninsured youth. While he is excited about this momentum, he also knows they are not going to cut child poverty rates in half overnight.
While many Southern states focus on recruiting big businesses, Arkansas is recruiting from within. To cultivate start-up business development, Arkansas must provide more youth and young adults with opportunities to foster their entrepreneurial skills—opportunities like the Innovation Hub.
A different opportunity gap is evident in Northwest Arkansas. Despite strong economic growth, many young adults have been left out of the region's success. These dynamics are complicated by a large immigrant population in the region, mainly Latino and Pacific Islander. Without training for competitive skills, there will be many youth pursuing the same low-wage work as their parents. Mireya Reith, the executive director of the Arkansas United Community Coalition (AUCC), wants to improve upward mobility for immigrants. She understands that systems-change takes time and advocacy. Her Fayetteville-based nonprofit organization created Change Agents, a one-year leadership program that encourages first- and second-generation immigrants to lead community-building efforts across the state. In the past two years, 55 change agents completed the program and AUCC expects 50 more graduates in the next year. AUCC is trying to bring new, often unheard voices to state-level policy discussions and decisions through broad-based coalitions and advocacy campaigns. Reith says that businesses and government agencies are starting to offer seats at the table for immigrants, but those seats have limitations. "They are fine sitting around the table with an educated immigrant without an accent. We're trying to push Arkansas decision makers out of their comfort zone to recognize immigrants as equal residents, who bring value and whose integration is necessary for the state to achieve its potential," she says. "We want them to also sit at tables with undocumented workers."
questions and next steps
Arkansas' formula for sealing leaks in the education-to-career pipeline is getting the right mix of government involvement, collaboration between educational institutions and business and industry, and participation from private and nonprofit organizations. And the formula shows signs of promise. In the past, Arkansas high school graduates went away for college and never returned. The goal now is to get these students to come back. Steven Murray thinks it's starting to happen. "Students from Arkansas are returning after college graduation," Murray says. "And young adults are moving here from other places. They see an opportunity here to make a real difference."
For Arkansas to move forward, the state must continue to build strategies that develop, retain, and recruit youth and young adults of all races and socioeconomic statuses. State-level policies and the adaptation of these policies at the local level have the potential to change the outcomes for more young Arkansans. According to Rich Huddleston of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, "Social mobility is being played out in the education arena." If this is true, then a strong education-to-career pipeline is essential to creating economic advancement opportunities for youth and young adults from all regions of the state. Arkansas is making progress in building a stronger pipeline and placing "new steps of change" that support everyone—for the state's economy of today and tomorrow.
"Building an Infrastructure of Opportunity for the Next Generation" takes a deep look at prospects and challenges for the region's 15- to -24-year-olds. Southern communities need to create an "infrastructure of opportunity" for youth and young adults that is as seamless as the electric grid or the water system—and just as essential. That infrastructure consists of a clear and deliberate set of pathways and supports that connect youth and young adults to educational credentials and economic opportunity.
Read more of the report.


text:
package ctmap

import (
	"strings"
	"testing"
	"time"
	"unsafe"

	"github.com/cilium/cilium/pkg/bpf"
	"github.com/cilium/cilium/pkg/defaults"
	"github.com/cilium/cilium/pkg/option"
	"github.com/cilium/cilium/pkg/tuple"

	. "gopkg.in/check.v1"
)

// Hook up gocheck into the "go test" runner.
type CTMapTestSuite struct{}

var _ = Suite(&CTMapTestSuite{})

func Test(t *testing.T) {
	TestingT(t)
}

func (t *CTMapTestSuite) TestInit(c *C) {
	InitMapInfo(option.CTMapEntriesGlobalTCPDefault, option.CTMapEntriesGlobalAnyDefault, true, true)
	for mapType := mapType(0); mapType < mapTypeMax; mapType++ {
		info := mapInfo[mapType]
		if mapType.isIPv6() {
			c.Assert(info.keySize, Equals, int(unsafe.Sizeof(tuple.TupleKey6{})))
			c.Assert(strings.Contains(info.bpfDefine, "6"), Equals, true)
		}
		if mapType.isIPv4() {
			c.Assert(info.keySize, Equals, int(unsafe.Sizeof(tuple.TupleKey4{})))
			c.Assert(strings.Contains(info.bpfDefine, "4"), Equals, true)
		}
		if mapType.isTCP() {
			c.Assert(strings.Contains(info.bpfDefine, "TCP"), Equals, true)
		} else {
			c.Assert(strings.Contains(info.bpfDefine, "ANY"), Equals, true)
		}
		if mapType.isLocal() {
			c.Assert(info.maxEntries, Equals, mapNumEntriesLocal)
		}
		if mapType.isGlobal() {
			if mapType.isTCP() {
				c.Assert(info.maxEntries, Equals, option.CTMapEntriesGlobalTCPDefault)
			} else {
				c.Assert(info.maxEntries, Equals, option.CTMapEntriesGlobalAnyDefault)
			}
		}
	}
}

func (t *CTMapTestSuite) TestCalculateInterval(c *C) {
	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeLRUHash, time.Minute, 0.1), Equals, time.Minute)  // no change
	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeLRUHash, time.Minute, 0.2), Equals, time.Minute)  // no change
	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeLRUHash, time.Minute, 0.25), Equals, time.Minute) // no change

	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeLRUHash, time.Minute, 0.40), Equals, 36*time.Second)
	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeLRUHash, time.Minute, 0.60), Equals, 24*time.Second)

	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeLRUHash, 10*time.Second, 0.01), Equals, 15*time.Second)
	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeLRUHash, 10*time.Second, 0.04), Equals, 15*time.Second)

	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeLRUHash, 1*time.Second, 0.9), Equals, defaults.ConntrackGCMinInterval)
	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeHash, 1*time.Second, 0.9), Equals, defaults.ConntrackGCMinInterval)

	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeLRUHash, 24*time.Hour, 0.01), Equals, defaults.ConntrackGCMaxLRUInterval)
	c.Assert(calculateInterval(bpf.MapTypeHash, 24*time.Hour, 0.01), Equals, defaults.ConntrackGCMaxInterval)
}


text:
By Kevin Tankersley
To bring a good time
Brian Brown knows a thing or two about running a successful music venue. After all, he worked at Chelsea Street Pub and Water Works, when those two places were in their heyday. Now, he's the co-owner of The Backyard Bar, Stage and Grill, on Eighth Street in Waco. In recent months, the outdoor stage has hosted sellout shows from Nelly and Snoop Dogg — the $90 tickets for Nelly sold out in four hours; it took less than two hours for Snoop's show to sell out at the same price — as well as country/folk singer Steve Earle, metal rockers Faster Pussycat, Waco native country singer Wade Bowen and many others. Brown, a native of McGregor, is also the founder and lead singer of the band Sloppy Joe, which recently celebrated its 26th anniversary. Brown has put together side gigs as well, such as tribute bands dedicated to Southern rock and Led Zeppelin.
Sloppy Joe started as a cover band, playing the songs of KC and the Sunshine Band, Tower of Power and other 1970s stalwarts.
"The whole retro, throwback, vintage thing was starting to take off," Brown said, "so it kind of fell into place that that was starting to be a resurgence and a vibe. We thought what a good time to come out with this band. We went to thrift stores and bought polyester [clothes] and patent leather shoes and crazy outfits and put it together."
Now, the band's diverse repertoire ranges from songs by Austin blues rocker Stevie Ray Vaughan to Tom Petty, the Commodores, Prince, and music from many genres. Brown's aspiration for the band's shows is pretty simple.
"Our goal, as cliche and corny as it sounds, is, I do not care if they go, 'That's the best singer I've ever heard,' or the best band or whatever," Brown said. "I just literally want them for that two hours to go, 'You know, my mother-in-law, can't stand her. The kids are on my nerves. My job sucks.' I just want them to leave and go, 'That was a dang good time. It was a really good time.'"
In addition to running the band and The Backyard, Brown also owns The Saloon, at 500 Austin Avenue, and owns Infinite Entertainment Group, a booking company that brings together venues and performers. He lines up gigs for friends' bands, and of course Sloppy Joe.
"It's been great for me because it allows me to have a stable of good musicians and acts and comedians that I can go to but that aren't exclusive to me," he said. "So if my band fits the bill, that's the first one I'm gonna present to you. But if we're out of the budget or the style of music, or if we're unavailable, I have some other options."
A few years ago, a friend of Brown's was doing a last-minute search for a DJ for his daughter's wedding and talked Brown into taking the job. Hesitant at first, Brown eventually embraced the role, and that ended up making his band even more marketable.
"I realized that when I get those moms or brides that can't decide between a DJ and a band, I can now go, 'Well, how about a combination?'" he said. "And that took off. That allowed me to sell way better, and they didn't have to make that decision."
Sloppy Joe Band
In addition to Brown, the lead singer and rhythm guitarist, the band's current lineup includes Jimmy Aguirre on bass. He has a day gig "pretty high up" in the H-E-B distribution center in Temple, Brown said. Neal Davis, guitarist and back-up vocalist, a "super-trained musician" who attended Berklee College of Music, earned a degree in construction science from Texas A&M and is now a field superintendent for Mazanec Construction; drummer Jon Kutz, who teaches music at MCC; and Mike Ramos, on saxophone and backup vocals, who's a "freelance cable guy" after a long career at Time Warner Cable. "I'm the only one who doesn't have a real job," Brown said, laughing.
Tags: Band | Musician | Sloppy Joe Band | The 254 | Waco Music
DJ Precyse
Carrie Stout
Know Someone We Should Chat With?


text:
The One Thing: Shout Factory To Release Mystify: Michael Hutchence Documentary on Blu-Ray March 31st
As one of the greatest front men to ever hit the stage, Michael Hutchence left behind an amazing creative legacy and a catalog of music that still gets tons of airplay to this very day. When the late singer of INXS passed away suddenly, the music world was stunned at the tragedy that had taken place. Finally, his story is being told by some of the people closest to him.
Although there have been numerous other independent documentaries and a made for TV movie series, none have really captured the essence of Hutchence. Now, the new docu-film by Richard Lowenstein is getting a blu-ray release from the boutique label Shout Factory. With an extremely limited run in theaters this last week, many fans were not able to see the movie. Now, on March 31st we'll finally get a domestic home release for the project.
Tags: alt rock, alternative, australian rock, blu-ray, documentaries, inxs, michael hutchence, movie news, mystify, news, release news, richard lowenstein, rock and roll, shout factory, the one thing at 1/10/2020
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Google+ All materials copyright The Movie Sleuth TMSpoiler Free Movie Sleuth TM 2010-2019 Any use of materials is strictly prohibited without prior consent


Meaning and definitions of greed, translation in Khmer language for greed with similar and opposite words. Also find spoken pronunciation of greed in Khmer and in English language.
What greed means in Khmer, greed meaning in Khmer, greed definition, examples and pronunciation of greed in Khmer language.


Khalida's a Guest member whose profile is of a Female aged 48 years (Scorpio) looking for Marriage Only. She is from Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh (India) and is of Muslim (Shia) faith. She is 5'07" (170 cm) tall, weighs 11.1 - 13 stones (70 - 83 kg), Average build, Fair complexion and Divorced. Khalida has Postgraduate (Masters) education, is qualified with M.Sc. and works as Accounts/Finance - Administrator. She Frequently eats meat, doesn't drink alcohol and doesn't smoke.
I am well employed and a home maker. I had bad experience before, so I am in search of an honest and hardworking partner, and not someone who will depend on my earning.


Homeowners and businesses throughout Manhattan and Westchester County, NY, Fairfield County, CT, and New Jersey rely on artisan contractors for the repair and improvement of their properties. And artisan contractors rely on A.J. Benet for insurance protection scaled to the size and needs of this smaller business segment. Eligible classes include carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, masons, landscapers and more.
We offer commercial liability insurance that covers injuries you cause to others or damage you do to their property under your business activity. Most artisan contractors also have commercial vehicles and need business auto insurance that covers both the automobiles and auto liability for owned and non-owned vehicles. If you own a building or store business tools or other business property at your home, you need commercial property insurance that covers your building and its contents. To cover your tools or mobile equipment, you may need an inland marine policy, which will provide coverage while your belongings are in transit or at your job sites.
Many artisan contractors leave materials at work sites instead of hauling them around or having them delivered at the last minute. If that is your method, we may recommend an installation floater—a policy that covers materials that are waiting to be installed, such as copper piping, lighting, flooring, etc. We also offer builders risk insurance, employee theft coverage, business interruption with extra expense insurance, and more.
A.J. Benet has sensibly priced insurance for the big risks your small business faces.


The Bible promises, "Let us not grow weary in well doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest." Folks, I don't know about you, but I do grow weary. More pundits are acknowledging that Obama is the worst, evil and radial leftist president in U.S. History. My frustration is no one is stopping him from behaving like a lawless banana republic ruler, transforming our once great nation and corrupting the thinking of our youths. God's promise of reaping a harvest keeps me strong in the battle for the heart and soul of my country.
Borrowing a line from the Dickens novel, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." In the midst of witnessing my America becoming Sodom and Gomorrah, I just completed a wonderful project honoring and preserving the legacy of my 87 year old black dad.
Dad sang in gospel quartets as far back as I can remember, but never recorded. So, I wanted to capture Dad singing on a recording. I approached music producer Earl (Luther B) Baker to arrange an upbeat version of the classic, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" for Dad to record along with his five kids (me and my four younger siblings).


text:
HomeSoftware NewsAmazon text-to-speech company IVONA
Amazon text-to-speech company IVONA
Amazon announced Thursday that it has acquired IVONA Software
A Polish company specializing in text-to-speech and voice recognition capabilities. The terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.
IVONA's technology is already used in Amazon products, most notably in its Kindle Fire tablets. The Kindle Fire's accessibility options – including "voice guide," which reads out the names of items or options selected by visually impaired users, and other text-to-speech features – rely on technology provided by IVONA.
According to Dave Limp, vice president of Amazon Kindle, closer integration with IVONA will be a big help to the company.
"IVONA's exceptional text-to-speech technology leads the industry in natural voice quality, accuracy and ease of use," he said in a statement. "The IVONA team shares our passion for innovation and customer obsession, and we look forward to building great products to deliver world-class voice solutions to customers around the world."
Amazon did not divulge details on what those products might be, but speculation about a possible rival to Siri and Google Now broke out quickly after the announcement was made, even though IVONA's technology is not focused on voice recognition. The statement also revived speculation about a possible Amazon phone, though that too seems to be based only on guesswork.
IVONA's CEO and co-founder, Lukasz Osowski, expressed gratitude for Amazon's backing.
"We are all thrilled that Amazon is supporting our growth so that we can continue to innovate and deliver exceptional voice and language support for our customers," he said.
DNA storage may soon be used
Anonymous hits US government site


If the mysterious tropical forests of Africa fascinate you then this is the expedition for you, a journey into the untouched rainforests of Central Africa. This vast region, spanning three countries sparsely populated with Bantu tribes and nomadic groups of Pygmies will not disappoint the adventurer and wildlife lover.
Dzanga-Sangha is in the northern section of the Congo Basin. In the reserve are large populations of Forest Elephant, Lowland gorillas, 16 of the country's primate species (such as De Brazza's Monkey with its distinctive white beard), hundreds of bird species, reptiles, frogs etc. You can visit a village of the Ba'aka pygmies and if you want, you can join them in a hunt for food into the forests. The woman will share some traditional knowledge of the plants and you learn about their lifestyle in the forest. Sangha Lodge works with the Ba'aka in establishing conservation, especially of Pangolins, but also other small animals common in the bush meat trade. The next few days, may be spent visiting Dzanga Bai, tracking lowland gorillas and hunting with the Ba'aka.
In the evening you may do a night walk near the lodge with the hope of finding some of the more elusive nocturnal animals such as Potto, Thomas's Galago, Tree Pangolin, African Palm Civet, Frazer's Eagle Owl, Vermiculated Fishing Owl and several more.
Day 6. Back into the park today with picnic lunches and you will do a walk around a series of clearings in the forest. The chance of finding buffalos, elephants and several monkey species on this trek are good. You will also visit a group of habituated monkeys called Agile Mangabey and spend some time photographing their interesting antics.
Day 11: Today we take a charter back to Bangui where the tour ends.


Description: The SAS 9.4 Web Infrastructure Platform is vulnerable to remote code execution via a Java de-serialization variant.
Potential Impact: Attackers can execute code on the server.
SAS 9.4M6 (TS1M6): No action is required. The issue resolved in this release.
SAS 9.4M5 (TS1M5): Apply the SAS® Security Update for 9.4M5.
SAS 9.4M4 (TS1M4) and earlier: Follow the steps below. Note: Replace SAS-configuration-directory in the steps below with the complete path to your SAS configuration folder.
Ensure that the SAS® software is updated with SAS Security Update 2017-09.
Download the ZIP file that is on the Downloads tab and extract the serialization.conf file.
Copy the serialization.conf file to SAS-configuration-directory/Lev1/Web/WebAppServer/SASServer_Y/conf/.
Repeat steps 1-3 for any additional SASServerX_Y instances, if the environment is clustered.
Restart all SAS 9.4 Web Application Server instances.


This mount replaces the rear sight leaf Compatible with Weaver / Picatinny accessories Aircraft ..
This mount replaces the rear sight leaf Compatible with Weaver / Picatinny accessories Aircraft Al..
Original WWII Mosin Nagant Sling Excellent condition ..
This is Russian postwar reproduction of the famous WW2 Mosin Nagant 91/30 PU scope mount with base. ..


text:
IBM, Microsoft, SAP, SAS Lead Gartner's BI Analytics Magic Quadrant
By David Roe | Feb 24, 2014
CHANNEL: Information Management
Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence and Analytics Platforms is one of the most dynamic quadrants Gartner produces. It reflects a market that is still growing and intensely competitive. However, all is not well in paradise.
Enterprises are looking to expand the use or even standardize their data discovery platforms for larger business intelligence (BI) deployments. But Gartner reports that many vendors lack the enterprise features around governance, administration and scalability that are required to do this.
Gartner's BI Magic Quadrant
The Magic Quadrant, which has just been released, is dominated by Leaders and Niche players. In fact, there are 10 vendors that made it into the quadrant, including IBM, Information Builders, Microsoft, MicroStrategy, Qlik, Oracle, SAP, SAS, Tableau and Tibco. Along with these, there are 13 vendors in the Niche Quadrant, and two each in the Challengers and Visionaries Quadrants, respectively.
In the first part of our write up, we will give a general overview of what is happening in this quadrant and take a look at five trends that are dominating the market. In the second part, we will take a close look at the Leaders.
Before doing this, however, it is important to understand what exactly we are talking about here. Gartner points out that, because BI had grown to cover multiple markets in 2013, it split the Magic Quadrant into two: 1) Magic Quadrant for Advanced Analytics and 2) Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence and Analytics Platforms.
Traditional BI
While most of Gartner's clients were interested in traditional BI capabilities, the criteria used to evaluate advanced analytics -- which covers diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive components -- have changed.
Traditional BI covers traditional query and reporting (descriptive) capabilities, but also includes interactive visualization, predictive analysis and prescriptive analysis, all of which have become more important to organizations.
In practical terms, this means that Gartner assessed vendors in this quadrant across 17 capabilities in three categories:
Information Delivery
BI Evolves
So what has happened in the traditional BI market over the past year? According to Gartner, it grew into a $14.1 billion market on the strength of IT efforts to consolidate and standardize enterprise platforms.
These platforms are highly governed and centralized, with IT pushing out reports to a large range of information consumers and analysts. While analytics are used in these processes they are not generally embraced by business users and managers, who find them too difficult to utilize for many business use cases.
In response to this, and to encourage wider adoption, vendors are incorporating traditional reporting methods and dashboards with interactive analysis alongside more advanced forms of analytics for business processes and applications.
The objective here is to expand the use of analytics to business information consumers and non-traditional BI users, with a focus on mobile devices. In addition to this, companies are increasingly building analytics applications that can make use of new data types and new kinds of analysis, like location intelligence and analytics on data stored in NoSQL data repositories.
BI Continues To Grow
The BI market broke the $14 billion mark last year, and Gartner expects growth to continue at 7 percent a year for the next three years on the strength of the following factors:
Data discovery remains a major concern for many enterprises, especially in light of the amount of dark – or unfindable – data that inhabits the corners of many enterprise systems. However, much new investment will be driven by the need to provide business users with usable data discovery applications. As a result, data discovery will displace IT-authored static reporting as the dominant BI and analytics deployment by 2015. The key here is user adoption.
Data Building Activities
Data building activities in the development of BI applications, and the need to make this easier, will see vendors focusing on making BI content and application development far more agile and productive, which will also feed into the drive for greater user adoption.
Social, Collaborative Enterprises
The rise of social and collaboration applications and the need to derive as much meaningful insight from the information contained in these applications will also be one of the major drivers in the medium term.
Mobile remains an important driver in the BI market, which has yet to be used to its full potential, Gartner says. The vast majority of companies are currently focused on redeveloping content for mobile devices, resulting in flat growth in BI. However, this is likely to change rapidly, creating a key area for future growth.
Cloud BI
Cloud BI is seen as not only a way of making BI more accessible to an enterprise market that would include Small-To-Medium-Businesses (SMBs), but also as a way to make it easier to manage and use. It will also create demand for new, line-of-business applications such as those that integrate industry data with analytics tools sold to users as a package.
Gartner also points out that while the last 10 years of analytics investment was driven by the "Internet of People," the next 10 years will be driven by the "Internet of Things". This growth will come from a need to find meaning in the data that will be generated by a world connected through sensors and the internet.
For the moment, Gartner says, the only real inhibitors are general fatigue of the hype surrounding big data and difficulties in deploying BI applications.
5 Business Intelligence Trends
From this and from an analysis of the positioning of vendors in the Magic Quadrant, Gartner has identified five trends that will dominate the BI market over the coming year and beyond:
1.Governed Data Discovery
One of the notable features of this quadrant, Gartner says, is that there is no single vendor addressing the dual enterprise needs of ease-of-use and IT requirements concerning governance and security. This is curtailing the expansion of BI platforms across enterprises, which are looking to standardize and expand the use of their data discovery platforms.
This is coupled with a failure to deliver data discovery capabilities for business users despite considerable investment in discovery capabilities since 2012. The existence of two separate platforms -- systems-of-record reporting platforms and data discovery platforms -- will be a challenge for many enterprises.
2. Business Users and Data Discovery
Piggy-backing on that, Gartner says that the race is now on to fill the gap created by the lack of governed data discovery. The current Leaders, which to a large extent are IT-centric BI and which currently "own" the installed base market share, currently lack market growth momentum and are looking at products geared toward business users to give growth a push.
It is worth noting that a number of Challengers and Niche Players have road maps and plans focusing on the business user, and that the position of vendors in next year's quadrant could reflect this.
3. Self-Service Data
Access to sophisticated interactive analysis and insights for business and non-traditional BI users will be driven by advances in self-service data integration. Some of the advances include automatic semantic identification and data model inference, along with discovery (for easy and rapid data modelling) and advanced analytics to portray correlations and clusters in data.
4. Cloud BI
Cloud-based BI is gaining acceptance, with 45 percent of respondents to this quadrant saying they would put mission-critical BI into the cloud. That's up from 30 percent for each of the past four years. Gartner says that BI vendors with cloud offerings are close to meeting critical market requirements to be classified as governed, business user-friendly applications. There are also economic considerations to take into account.
5. Hard Data Easy
Finally, the dominant theme across 2014 will be making "hard types of analysis easy", Gartner says. It will also be a year where vendors will try to make their products accessible to a wider audience while also bridging gaps between information silos within the enterprise. There will also be a significant move to bring data from new sources into the BI net including cloud data, real-time events and sensors, multistructured data and new types of analysis.
Tomorrow we will take a deeper look at the Magic Quadrant Leaders.
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Amazon's AI Leadership Advances at re:Invent 2019
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St. Boniface Pallet strives to offer the best value when making a decision to purchase new pallets for your company. We work with the best suppliers in the industry to ensure we have a secure and reliable lumber supply sourced from companies that have environmentally sound business practices in their respective industries.
Whenever possible we are working with suppliers who adhere to the Forest Stewardship Council guidelines.
Our diverse product line enables us to provide pallets built using various types of wood species.
Spruce, Pine and Fir (SPF low density softwoods) is typically used for our IPPC ISPM-15 heat treated pallets and in other applications where low moisture content, heat treatment for sanitization purposes and pallet weight is important.
Poplar and Aspen (medium density woods) are popular choices when the dimensions of the required pallet cannot be met by standard available SPF sizes. These species typically have higher moisture content and are not recommended for use where mould could be a problem.
Birch, Tamarack and Oak (high density hardwoods) are typically used in heavy duty or multiple re-use applications.
We manufacture just about any size pallet you can imagine built using various wood species.


Benjamin (Ben) Jonson was an English playwright, poet, actor, and literary critic, who popularized the comedy of humours. He is best known for the satirical plays Every Man in His Humour (1598), Volpone, or The Fox (c. 1605), The Alchemist (1610) and Bartholomew Fair (1614).
There are many legends about Jonson's rivalry with Shakespeare, some of which may be true but none have been proved.


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Thoratec Corporation is a United States-based company that develops, manufactures, and markets proprietary medical devices used for mechanical circulatory support for the treatment of heart-failure patients worldwide. It is a global leader in mechanical circulatory support devices, particularly in ventricular assist devices (VADs).

For chronic circulatory support for late-stage heart-failure patients, Thoratec's primary product lines are its ventricular assist devices: the HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist System (HeartMate 3), and the Thoratec Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist Device (PVAD). For acute circulatory support, the company's product lines are the CentriMag Acute Circulatory System (CentriMag); and for pediatric patients the PediMag Acute Circulatory System, known as PediVAS outside the U.S.

Incorporated in 1976, Thoratec is headquartered in Pleasanton, California. In 2015 the company was acquired by St. Jude Medical, a global medical-device company headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota.  In January 2017, St. Jude was acquired by Abbott Laboratories.

History

First decades
Thoratec was incorporated in California in 1976 as Thoratec Laboratories Corporation. It completed its initial public offering (IPO) of stock in 1981, trading under the ticker "THOR". The company's efforts were focused on developing devices for circulatory support and vascular graft applications. It developed bypass grafts, which are artificial coronary conduits used in heart surgeries;  and eventually also ventricular assist devices (VADs), heart-pump devices for people suffering from congestive heart failure. VADs are used in patients too old or ill for a heart transplant, or to keep a patient alive until a heart becomes available for transplantation surgery.

In December 1995 Thoratec received FDA approval to sell its Thoratec Ventricular Assist Device System, an external blood pump with cannulae connecting the pump to the patient's heart and vessels. In 1996 this VADS was used in more than 750 patients, and Thoratec sold 285 of them in clinical trials for the FDA. Company revenues that year were $7.5million.

In its early decades the company also developed Thoralon, a proprietary biocompatible material that minimizes blood clotting and inflammation. The material is currently used in the Thoratec PVAD pulsatile-flow biventricular device.

By 2000, the Thoratec VAD System was the only device approved by the FDA for left, right, or biventricular support for both providing a bridge until heart transplant and for recovery of the heart after open-heart surgery. To expand and diversify its product line and capabilities, in 2001 Thoratec acquired Thermo Cardiosystems, a rival company three times its size and the developer of the HeartMate VAD. This acquisition gave Thoratec dominance in the artificial heart market, and the company also shortened its name from Thoratec Laboratories Corporation to Thoratec Corporation.

HeartMate and other product lines
With the 2001 Thermo Cardiosystems merger, Thoratec acquired the HeartMate Left Ventricular Assist System, an implanted VAD for end-stage heart patients. A landmark three-year study of 129 patients at 22 major medical centers, called REMATCH (Randomized Evaluation of Mechanical Assistance for the Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure) and published in November 2001, found that the HeartMate VE (vented electric) more than doubled the likelihood that terminally ill heart-failure patients would be alive at the end of one year, and it increased the likelihood of survival for two years to 22.9% vs. 8.1% for patients who were treated with only medication.

By November 2002, the FDA approved the HeartMate VE both for patients awaiting a heart transplant (bridge to transplantation), and for patients too ill to be eligible for a heart transplant (destination therapy). Thoratec was the first company to gain approval of a VAD for permanent use in patients too ill for a heart transplant. The company introduced an enhanced version of the device, the HeartMate XVE, and it was FDA approved for destination therapy in May 2003, having previously been approved for bridge to transplantation.  In June 2003 the HeartMate XVE received CE Mark approval allowing for its commercial sale in Europe, and in June 2004 it was approved in Canada.

The company's biventricular VAD, the paracorporeal (external) Thoratec PVAD, had been developed and approved in the 1990s for hospital use in the U.S. In December 2003, the FDA approved the TLC-II portable driver – the unit providing power, monitoring, and operational control for these VADs – for home discharge, making it the first biventricular support device approved for home discharge. This enabled patients to return home with the system to await heart transplantation or for their native heart to recover.

HeartMate II and later products
Thoratec next developed a second-generation LVAD product line, a continuous-flow VAD called HeartMate II. The new device, one-fifth the size of the HeartMate XVE, was designed to last more than twice as long as the XVE, providing mechanical circulatory support for three to five years or more before replacement. HeartMate II was CE Mark authorized for bridge to transplantation and for destination therapy in Europe in November 2005. It received FDA approval for bridge-to-transplantation (BTT) use in April 2008, and for destination therapy (DT) for those too old or ill for a heart transplant in January 2010. The company therefore discontinued its first-generation HeartMate XVE in 2011.

In July 2009, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reported on 18-month follow-up data for the HeartMate II Pivotal Study, which showed improved survival, less frequent adverse events, and greater reliability with continuous-flow LVADs compared to pulsatile-flow devices. As of mid 2015, Thoratec has the only FDA-approved LVAD for destination therapy, or permanent support; the ventricular assist system by competitor HeartWare Inc. is still in clinical trials for destination therapy. In a two-year randomized controlled clinical trial published in 2009 comparing pulsatile and continuous-flow LVADs, survival rates at two years increased approximately six-fold for HeartMate II patients compared to actuarial survival rates for patients who receive only drug therapy. In the 2005–2007 and 2007–2009 HeartMate II destination-therapy trials, more than 80% of patients implanted with the HeartMate II improved to NYHA class I/II from NYHA class III/IV by six months after implantation, and this improvement remained stable for two years. The patients' six-minute walk distance improved to >340 meters by six months and was sustained through two years.

In January 2010 Thoratec acquired catheter-based heart pump technology from the Swedish medical-technology company Getinge. The technology is for use in a minimally invasive, acute cardiac axial-flow pump that can be delivered percutaneously in a cardiac catheterization lab or operating room.

In August 2011 Thoratec acquired the medical business of Levitronix. The acquisition included CentriMag, an extracorporeal centrifugal-flow blood pump used for short-term surgical support, and the  PediMag, an acute pediatric surgical circulatory support system known as PediVAS outside the U.S. In July 2013, Thoratec acquired the DuraHeart II ventricular assist system from medical-equipment manufacturer Terumo. According to the press release, the device further differentiates Thoratec's approach to mechanical circulatory support, and is expected to begin in-human implantation in 2016 followed by clinical trials.

A study published in November 2013 by the New England Journal of Medicine reported an unexpected increase in blood clots (thrombosis) in the HeartMate II from March 2011 through January 2013 and thereafter, at three institutions. Another analysis at three other institutions including the Mayo Clinic reported a similar thrombosis increase with a peak in 2012; however thereafter the incidence decreased by 2013 to post-marketing (2007) levels. In March 2014 Thoratec issued a warning against improper use of the external controller for the HeartMate II.

HeartMate 3 introduced
Thoratec's third-generation HeartMate LVAD is the HeartMate 3, designed to lower adverse event rates through improved hemocompatibility, and to increase ease of surgical placement through new design and compact size. It began undergoing clinical trials in the U.S. and internationally in mid 2014.

In mid 2014, CE Mark trials also started for the Thoratec PHP (Percutaneous Heart Pump), an external catheter-based left ventricular pump for acute mechanical circulatory support, and the device received CE Mark approval in July 2015. In late 2015 the company initiated a clinical study exploring the use of the Thoratec PHP in patients undergoing high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

In July 2014 Thoratec acquired Apica Cardiovascular Limited. The Ireland-based company developed a number of implant systems and devices designed to enable transapical (through the apex of the heart) surgical access.

In July 2015, it was announced that Thoratec would be acquired by St. Jude Medical, a global medical-device company headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The acquisition was completed in October 2015.

Major products
Thoratec's current major products include:

HeartMate II.  The HeartMate II is a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implanted alongside a patient's native heart with the purpose of pumping for the heart's left ventricle. It is surgically implanted just below the diaphragm in the abdomen and attached to the aorta, leaving natural circulation in place as it assists in providing energy to propel blood throughout the body as a healthy left ventricle would. It is designed to have a longer functional life than the previous generation of devices and to operate more quietly. Patients with the HeartMate II can be discharged from the hospital and the portability of the device's components makes it easier for the patient to remain active. The FDA approved the HeartMate II for bridge-to-transplantation therapy in April 2008 and for destination therapy in January 2010.
PVAD (Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist Device). The Thoratec PVAD is an external, pulsatile, ventricular assist device, FDA-approved for bridge-to-transplantation, including home discharge, and post-cardiotomy recovery. It provides left, right, or biventricular support.
CentriMag. The CentriMag blood pump is an extracorporeal circulatory support device providing hemodynamic stabilization in patients in need of cardiopulmonary support. It is cleared for clinical use up to six hours, and can be used as a short-term solution to support the circulation while longer-term options are considered. It is approved for use as a right ventricular assist device (RVAD) for periods of support up to 30 days for patients in cardiogenic shock due to acute right ventricular failure.
PediMag. The PediMag blood pump, known as PediVAS outside the U.S., is an extracorporeal circulatory support device providing hemodynamic stabilization for pediatric patients in need of cardiopulmonary assistance. It is cleared for clinical use up to six hours, and can be used as a short-term solution to support the circulation while longer-term options are considered.

Corporate governance
D. Keith Grossman, with degrees in life sciences and business and a career in the medical industry, joined Thoratec as president and CEO in January 1996.  He focused on making a commercial success of the Thoratec VAD System, and he diversified and expanded the company's product line by initiating the acquisition of Thermo Cardiosystems. After reviving the company's profitability, Grossman left Thoratec in 2006 as the company was bringing the HeartMate II to market. He was replaced as president and CEO in January 2006 by Gerhard F. Burbach, formerly president and CEO of the cardiology and radiology company Digirad Corporation. In September 2014, Burbach stepped down and was replaced by his predecessor, D. Keith Grossman.

References

External links
Official site

Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq
Companies based in Pleasanton, California
Medical technology companies of the United States
Health care companies established in 1976
Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
Technology companies established in 1976
1976 establishments in California

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Dr.Kevin Mazur has been committed to providing excellence in dentistry in the North Hills for the last 26 years. The doctor uses the latest in dental techniques to provide you with a healthy and beautiful smile.
Dr. Kevin Mazur grew up in the Western Pennsylvania town of Export. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1980, and received his doctorate degree in Dental Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh in 1984. He spent the next four years providing dental care at the F.O.R. Health Center in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. During this time, he started his own practice in Wexford in 1985. Through the years Dr. Mazur has strived for excellence in treating his patients. He has continued to provide the best care possible by maintaining his excellent standards and continuing to further his education in Dentistry. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Pennsylvania Dental Assocciation and the Western Pennsylvania Dental Society. Dr. Mazur has been recognized by Pittsburgh Magazine as one of their Best Dentists of 2010. Dr. Mazur relishes spending his free time with his wife , Dr Ann Marie Kirsch. He is an avid golfer, and also enjoys gardening and keeping his home and office looking great.


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We provided the flying system and some large scenic elements for this high-profile event held, for the first time, in Singapore's National Stadium, the largest domed structure in the world.
Our crew installed a catenary flying system in the stadium's roof which flew up to twenty performers at a time along with large scenic elements. We provided the eight large inflatable boulders, each measuring 7m x 5m x 5m, that parted during the Bandang segment of the show, to reveal the Singapore Stone. The ancient text of the Singapore Stone was recreated with LEDs.
Our scenic package also included the tree trunks that appeared to grow from the stage floor, meeting the 'city in the sky'. The steady, slow appearance of growth was achieved using a system of internal wiring and tethers, gradually releasing as the skin of the trunks was filled with air from fans beneath the stage.
Beatrice Chia-Richmond
Government of the Republic of Singapore


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Finance, Payments, Accounting: Don't Choose Your Next Site Before Visiting Trinidad & Tobago
Globalization has created tremendous shifts in the way business is done across the world. Once, there were locations for tourism, there were locations for mining, drilling and extraction; other regions focused on agriculture and ranching; and then there were the centers of business.
That is no longer always the case. Kazakhstan and Guyana launch rockets into space carrying satellites from Mexico and Colombia. As nontraditional markets and developing economies continue to grow, the demand for services has shifted from the traditional paradigm of southern countries like India providing services to northern countries in Europe and North America, into a more complex, peer to peer structure. Globalization means that services can now be delivered from anywhere, and offered to anyone.
The Caribbean is illustrative of this. Islands in the Greater Antilles traditionally had mining and tourism based industries, but are now are top call center destinations. The twin-island country of Trinidad and Tobago is a great example of the next wave of human talent primed for the knowledge economy. Trinidad and Tobago has historically built its extremely successful economy on petroleum and natural gas, but unbeknownst to many, is now a world class source of financial, accounting, and technology talent.
Trinidad and Tobago has long had one of the most developed economies and highest living standards in the region, thanks to its success and wealth in the oil business. Also contributing is their globally known tourism featuring their world-class Carnival, Soca Music, and Indian influenced cuisine. What many people still are not aware of is that due to a consensus among all political sectors, and in general society, Trinidad and Tobago made a strategic decision some time ago to diversify its economy and move up the value chain to best be prepared for the globalized future. The country has gained accolades for its success in this area. A World Bank Group flagship report, "Doing Business 2015: Going Beyond Efficiency" cited Trinidad and Tobago as "one of the ten economies improving the most across three or more areas" compared to 2013 & 2014.
So, what did they do? They started with, as a base, their success in petroleum, and duplicated the model that the government used to develop that industry. In petroleum, Trinidad and Tobago educated its citizens so that they were not just the laborers on the oil and gas rigs, but the engineers, pilots, geologists, and scientists who ran the business. For IT, finance, and accounting, Trinidad and Tobago has done the same: Trinidad and Tobago has invested in ensuring that the quality of its primary and university education is world class. This has resulted in the highest Human Development Index rating of any Caribbean country, a literacy rate of 98.6 percent, and an astounding almost 60 percent university participation rate.
Population: 1.3 million
GDP Per Capita, in US Dollars: $20,611 (2013)
Total GDP $27.7 Billion
How did Trinidad and Tobago achieve this? They started early by providing each secondary school student with a laptop, software, and support for use in education through their "eConnect and Learn Programme." They invested in ensuring that the quality of the education in Trinidad and Tobago's 48 universities is at a world class level. Evidence of this is the large number of educational opportunities that are recognized by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), which has made Trinidad and Tobago a country with one of the largest quantities of Chartered Accountants in the world, relative to its population. A key point of consideration is that ACCA recognized accountants are already competent in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and don't require additional training to function in global finance.
Not content to stop there, Trinidad and Tobago has made university education through the undergraduate university level free, and graduate degrees such as Masters and Doctorates are subsidized by the government at 50%, as they work towards their goal to create a knowledge centered economy. This has presented the island nation with a very interesting challenge, and a "good problem" to have. The workforce is so educated and talented that their capabilities exceed the availability of professional career opportunities. This has led to the challenge of "underemployment" as the economy moves to diversify from relying overwhelmingly on the petroleum sector. While some companies, like Scotiabank, The Royal Bank of Canada, and Citibank have recognized this and moved to take advantage of Trinidad and Tobago's under-tapped talent, it still remains a "best kept secret" in many sectors. This despite the fact that Trinidad does not face the tight professional labor market and rising energy and business costs of Costa Rica, or the lack of postgraduate level talent in places like Jamaica or the Dominican Republic.
This workforce, in a country of almost 2 million, is highly educated, but just as importantly, highly motivated, and with graduates eager to take an opportunity in their chosen field. This makes Trinidad and Tobago an obvious venue for those enterprises looking for the ideal location for back-office operations, shared services, and even contact centers. In addition to chartered accountants, and other finance professionals that make Trinidad and Tobago a prime location for Finance and Accounting Outsourcing (FAO) and shared services work, Trinidad and Tobago is also an excellent location for the rapidly growing Legal Services Outsourcing (LSO) field. Trinidad and Tobago is a country that governs using the English Common Law System, so training is compatible with the United States, Caribbean, and British Commonwealth Countries' needs. The high number of law school graduates far outstrips the local demand for lawyers, meaning that a ready and willing corps of young lawyers and paralegals are available to do the heavy lifting for offshore law firms and corporations.
Energy costs are low, due to the country's abundant natural resources, and the infrastructure is modern. Electricity is 3 cents (US) per kilowatt hour, compared to 35 cents per hour in Barbados, 38 cents per hour in Antigua/Barbuda, and the World Bank's 2012 Doing Business Report places Trinidad and Tobago in the top 25 out of 183 countries for ease of access to electrical power. There is a competitive telecommunications environment, and a $40 million (USD) Tier 3, carrier neutral data center is underway.
Trinidad and Tobago is a country with a stable government, social harmony, and an attractive lifestyle for both "Trinis" –as citizens call themselves, and expats. English is the primary language spoken, with a considerable population fluent in Spanish as a second language, due to the country being in many ways, a bridge between Spanish-speaking South America, and the mostly English-speaking Caribbean. A founding member of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community supranational organization, the country has strong and friendly relationships with its neighbors.
Besides the abundance of talent and human capital, Trinidad and Tobago offers the nearshore advantage for outsourcing and shared services with multiple direct flights in and out of European, North American, Latin American, and Caribbean transportation hubs. Unlike offshore outsourcing or shared services options, site visits take a matter of a few hours instead of a few days.
As a Caribbean nation, the time zones are aligned with the United States and Canada, fostering easy communication between American and European colleagues, headquarters, and peer offices. No longer must teams take late night or pre-dawn calls, or stay in the office after-hours to collaborate.
One of the best reasons to consider Trinidad and Tobago as a financial shared services or outsourcing option is the business friendly government, and value added services offered by the country's investment agency, Trinidad and Tobago IFC, and their FINESS (Financial Institutions Support Services) offering to encourage investment in the finance and accounting sector. These initiatives have enjoyed consistent and long term backing from the parliament, irrespective of government administration, offering investors and operators the assurance of stability, consistency, and a pro-business atmosphere.
Trinidad and Tobago's International Financial Centre provides a myriad of services to operations wishing to expand into the country, from help with site selection and business case justification, to working with the national responsive parliament when necessary to consider legislation that might be necessary to accommodate new business realities. The TTIFC also works to help enterprises avail themselves of the tax incentives and investment benefits that have been established to encourage foreign investment in the services and high-tech sector.
What does all this mean? While there are much bigger neighbors, Trinidad and Tobago is an often-overlooked contender that deserves more attention. The World Economic Forum has classified Trinidad and Tobago as an "Innovation Driven Economy," The only country in Latin America or The Caribbean to achieve this designation. That places them ahead of Brazil, Mexico and Chile, and puts them in the same class as Germany, Canada, Norway, and Singapore.
Based on the definition of the World Economic Forum, this means that Trinidad and Tobago:
Leverages its natural resources with the exploration of new technologies and methods of generating and exploiting energy
Diversifies its economy to take advantage of niche markets where it is especially competitive
Attracts and then leverages strong anchor players in global market sectors to develop clusters (as has happened in Silicon Valley, or Hong Kong, for example)
Has developed strong and stable government and regulatory institutions that allow institutions to make long term investments and strategic decisions
Has created a supportive environment, socially, institutionally, educationally, and economically, for the nurturing and growth of entrepreneurs, enterprises, and civil society
In summary, Trinidad and Tobago is a country that is large enough to provide an ample, capable professional services workforce, while being small enough to be responsive and adaptive to the needs of companies looking to expand. The talent is unmatched, with an ample supply of chartered accountants, and a worthy corps of legal and IT professionals to support high tech banking and finance work.
According to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Tholons Report "Exploring Opportunities in the Global IT Services Market," Trinidad and Tobago has one of the highest concentrations of tertiary level graduates in the Latin American & Caribbean (LAC) region, annually churning out about 531 higher education institutes (HEI's) graduates per 100,000 people.
Free education through the undergraduate university level and universities open to cooperation with the business sector to tailor education to employer needs means that employers need not worry about the talent well running dry. A business-friendly government that is actively seeking foreign direct investment in its employment sector, is willing to do anything reasonable that is necessary to win deals, and the top-tier quality of life makes Trinidad and Tobago an attractive destination, where expat managers and visiting colleagues won't be clamoring to leave.
Any company that does not consider Trinidad and Tobago for BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) or Shared Services—especially in the financial services sector, simply has not conducted thorough due diligence.
on Location & Site Selection


It's a sad day in Utah.
Like any of us, Larry H. Miller wasn't perfect, but he brought Jazz fans Stockton and Malone, two trips to the Finals, Frank Layden and Jerry Sloan, the Delta Center, and Deron Williams. Miller's teams always competed. And most importantly, despite numerous offers, he never even considered leaving the NBA's smallest market for greener pastures. Miller always said the Jazz were "his gift to Utah." And what a gift they've been.
You will be missed, Larry.
In honor and respect... thanks Larry for all you've given us (the Jazz). We've truly lost a city icon today. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Miller family.
He was a larger than life personality and a great man. We all miss you Larry, I hope no one sits in your seat the rest of the season and I can think of no better way for the team to honor you than winning the elusive championship, I think this is the year.
One of the saddest days of my life..
Thanks for the memories, LHM.